My headache is killing me! Gosh... But this feeling is different. Para akong nasa bed ko... nakauwi na ba ako? I stretched my arms, eyes still closed, feeling the warmth and softness of the bed. Feels like home! But how? Finally, I opened my eyes. It is a white ceiling... I looked around. The whole room is neat... and seem professional? The hell? Nasaan ako? This doesn't look like my room at all! Nor that guy's room! I mean, I wouldn't be in his room in the first place... So what is this? Tumayo ako at lumapit sa pintuan. It has a sleek, chocolate brown look. Just what is this place, really? I tried to open the door. Omg! It is not opening! I kept on pushing it too... "Argh!" I shouted while pulling myself from the door. My eyes widened nang bumukas 'to. Ah... pull pala. Their design sucks! Naglakad na ako palabas ng room at napatingin ako sa paligid. Sa far left ay may desk and chair... then may mga boxes na nagkalat sa paligid. This looks like an office... kanino naman? No it can't be... I told him off yesterday... May narinig akong footsteps kaya agad akong tumakbo at nagtago sa ilalim nung desk. Gosh, bakit ba kasi ako nandito? Parang kahapon... kasama ko pa siya. "What do you want, Chelsea, huh?" it's his voice! I tried peeping from the desk... only my eyes are seen. Nandoon siya nakatayo. Akma na akong tatayo nang may babaeng sumunod sa kaniya. What the actuall hell? That's... that's his ex fiancee? "I'm only doing my job, Marcus. Not my intention to work against you. In fact, I thought you were on our side," the girl, called Chelsea I assume, replied while looking around. I looked at Marcus' eyes. I can't see it very clearly from my place but I know... those eyes... they are troubled... exhausted even. Ano bang pinaguusapan nila? Bumalik na ako sa ilalim nung desk since I don't want to get caught. But why am I hiding in the first place? What is this burning and sour feeling I'm having right now? "Tsk. Get out of here." "Hmm? Maybe after I leave with that girl. The girl's wishing for her family too... are you going to be the hindrance of a family reunion?" Ha? My family? Their faces swam across my face. Dad... no. Dad is my only family. Hindi kasama ang step mom ko. She never considered us as her family. After all... she is using dad... for her own desires. "Get out." "Where's the girl first? I need her--HEY! DON'T TOUCH ME! I'm doing this because it's my job!" "Stop this, Chelsea! You don't know what you got yourself into." "Can't you realize that I'm doing this for you?" Chelsea girl said. Doing what? This is confusing me... nung una problem lang nila tapos napunta sa akin then back to them... why am I always caught in their messy relationship?! A silence broke out. Ha? What happened? "...You never really cared for me. I knew it from the start. Did you even know that I already realized your schemes? Yet... yet I turn into my blind eye..." Marcus... my heart. My pain feels different now... there's this pinching feeling. "I did that to support you and your startup! And... and I needed you." "I never asked you to help me... besides, that's not how things should work. You basically used an irrational excuse to cover up your cheating... to me," he replied. So alam niya nga talaga that time? But why? He is really mad... that moment when I showed him the picture, his eyes are blank. "Hmp! Care to explain the girl on your bed? That time?" Omg nadamay na naman ako. I repeat, it's not my fault! "That's... different." "How is it different, Marcus?" Again, tahimik lang sila. I am... different? So what is it? What does he meant by that? "See, you can't even answer. Then here you are, with her. Why are you hiding her if you don't have anything for her?" My heart nearly got out of my chest. What kind of question is that?! I even hit my head sa desk... buti na lang the desk is heavy... kaya hindi 'to gumalaw. This woman... "Second task. Keep her safe. Just like what you said, we're on a different side. Her dad ordered me and I need to accomplish this command." What the hell? What command? And... anong command from my dad? What is this? "No matter what happens, I'll keep her in this country. So get out. You are stupid thinking you can talk me out of this," he added. Without thinking, I crawled out of the desk. I ran to him. They both looked at me, eyes are widened. But I can only see one thing... I can only feel one thing. I won't... I won't let myself... get enticed again. "Those deceiving eyes of yours!" I screamed as I slapped him. I catch my breath. The heat is building inside me... I can't see anything... "Oops, I guess I need backup... Gonna retreat now," Michelle said. From my peripheral view on my left side, I can see her walking away but I don't care. I'm still here, staring directly at his eyes... I won't let myself... ever. "Daliah..." "You liar! So Marcus, anong part ng mga nangyari yung totoo? Ha?" "Hey, I can explain it's not--" "Explain? Explain what? Your lies? Ang lakas ng loob mong manglecture sa cover up something sa cheating kanina, but you lied! You deceived me!" "It's not that..." I can already feel the tears rolling down my cheeks. Those eyes of his... now they feel different. I feel suffocated... How can he do this? "I... I laid myself bare before you... only to be played like this. Yung sa father mo, yung story mo, is it even true?" I asked, hoping... I'm hoping to get an answer from him. A different one. "I will never lie to you about myself. It's true... but there's no reason to hide it anymore." he looked at me and walked to me. I keep on stepping away from him. Napasabunot ako sa hair ko. Gosh... "Kailan pa, ha? Since when... are you doing this?" Working behind me... with my dad? Bakit? I mean, I get it sa side ni dad eh... na gusto niya akong tulungan. But... what about him? Wala lang talaga lahat ng yun? Yung buong month na yun? "Ever since that day you... kissed me, he contacted me. He gave me two commands. And I am not in the position to disclose--" "The second one is to keep me safe? Ha, here I am, thinking that somebody really went out of their way to help me. Turns out it was all a big show." "Daliah, I don't know when it started but I did... I did care." Hearing that answer of his... No! He is just lying to me right now! "I don't know Marcus... that desire you talked about, is it this? This job? Tell me, what will you get from doing this? Money?" I looked around. Bigla kong naalala yung sinabi ni Chelsea sa kaniya kanina. His startup... but we did work for it... together... I don't know anymore. So... baka need niya talaga. Did my dad help him? He looked away. That's it. That's what I needed to know. How foolish I am to be used like this... now I need to go to him. Dad, you need to answer everything. What is his reason? Bakit ko kailangang magstay dito? And why Marcus? So parang bodyguard ko lang siya the whole time? I... I can't belueve I fell for those eyes. Naglibot ako sa buong office. "Daliah, you can't leave now, it is dangerous." his voice echoing the whole room. But I didn't look at him. I need to find it. My passport. "Where is it?" I asked, still looking around, pushing things. I don't care kung may masira dito. "Don't leave," I faced him, "Where the hell is my passport, Marcus?!" He just looked at me with his darkened expression. "You are not leaving this place." "I am! And you can't do anything about it, you traitor!" I shouted. "Listen to me--" "I'm always listening to you! To your lies! Napaka selfish mo! I'm here, scrambling in my life, trying to piece things together... tapos nandiyan ka, alam lahat but... Argh!" I turned my back at him. I can't do this... Tuluyan nang umagos ang luha ko. My tears... I can't handle this anymore... I crouched on the floor, my face buried on my arms. No one... is going to stay after all... I knew it. I should have kept my hands to myself... Suddenly, I felt warm... arms are enclosing me now... I felt helpless under his touch... For some reason, I just want to stay like this... in this warmth... but I know he isn't the same as me. He does this because it is what's necessary... not because he wants it. I pushed him, but his hug became tighter. "Don't leave..." his voice near my ears. Daliah, please... huwag mo nang lokohin sarili mo... this is not what you think it is. "Stop this now," I pushed him and surprisingly, his grip lightens. I stood up. "Tama na! I don't want this anymore! Breakaway from that command!" I shouted into his face. Stop it... Marcus... He stood up as well, from being on the ground after I pushed him. He, again, stared directly into my eyes. "Then don't leave. You are not leaving this place." his authoritative voice echoed this silent room. His voice... it sent chills to me. I can't believe he's still doing this! "You think I am scared? I'm going to leave this place! I don't need you!" I shouted. Then in an instant, he grabbed my wrist. For the first time in my life... I never felt this way... this betrayed. "Ah--you are hurting me," I managed to say as I tried to get away from his strong grip. I really don't know him. I looked at him, his eyes are blank... again. "Marcus!" I shouted. He flinched and finally binitawan na niya ako. It hurts like hell... but this is not even the worst. I massaged my wrist while looking at him. His eyes, now looking different. No, as if I'm going to be swayed again. "...Daliah, I-- I cared. And I still am... It's just dangerous right now and you are putting yourself in a predicament." My hands are trembling... I can do this... "If you... if you really cared... If there is even something true during those weeks, let me go and see him," I managed to say while looking at him. He looked down. "Daliah," he called out. "Just give me the thing," I replied nang may diin. He walked to the room and when he came out, he is carrying my sling bag. He handed me my bag. As I am about to reach for it, he raised it. "Are you sure about this?" he asks again. I don't even know what's ahead of me so how am I going to be scared? I still don't understand this and... "It's better since being with a traitor is the most dangerous of all." I said. Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko. I trusted him too much. He gave me my bag and for the last time, I looked at him. His eyes... I won't let those deceiving things of him stop me! Naglakad ako palabas at buti na lang hindi gaanong malaki yung building. Wala pang tao sa paligid so it's really new... I want to punch him... to make him suffer but I can't. I called for a taxi. I recognized where I am and I rode the taxi. "Sa nearest airport po," I said to the driver. I checked my wallet. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa nakita ko. Hindi ganito kalaki yung last money ko rito... and he didn't even pay me yet. Still, unjustifiable yung ginawa niya. Sana sinabi na lang niya sa akin from the start! I sighed and looked out through the window. The car's window frames the cityscapes... how beautiful. I hope dad can see this too. I'm coming for you, dad. I need to save you from that woman.