"What did I tell you? Never go out alone, and do not play with those filthy kids outside!" My father screamed at me as he lashed my back with his belt.
"Ah! Pa? Ah, please- Ah! Please, I'm sorry, Pa, I won't do it again!" I pleaded in the middle of every strike.
"When are you gonna learn, huh? You are forbidden to mingle with such low lives, remember? What if they infect you with their darkness? Huh? What would happen to your Purity? Do you know how hard it is to keep you untainted?!" He said while catching his breath.
"What the hell?! PA!" I heard my sister screaming before us after being greeted with such a terrible scene.
Oh dear sister, such a hero, always saving me from my father's wrath.
"Don't you dare meddle with me and your brother's business, you're just a girl, your words don't have power in this house!" My father threw my sister out of my room and closed the door on her.
"Ate Bae!" I cried out for her name, I don't care what he does to me, just don't hurt my sister!
I know that must have hurt her, Pa, you're too much!
"Pa! I will literally call the police on you! You can't hurt my little brother like that?! Pa!" My sister kept on banging the door, yet what could she do?
What could we do?
"Pa!" I tried to cover myself when he was about to strike me with that ridiculously heavy belt he had.
"Lie back down!" He demanded.
"PA!" My sister tried hitting my door, but it wouldn't budge.
"Lie. Back. Down!" He said again before pointing at my door.
If I didn't obey his words, he'll beat up my sister instead. That's the only reason why he kept her: to keep me in check.
"You're the only heir to my power yet you always find a way to piss me off. Do you really think that would change my mind? Do you really wanna get the rise out of me?" He kept on striking me until my back bled.
I hate this pain, please, someone, make it go away!
"You will be the next me, remember that, and you cannot run away from it!"
I hate him. Somebody, please let me out of this prison!
"Take care of him, don't let him run away from here!" A familiar voice jerked me out of my deep and nightmare-ish sleep.
"Where are you going?" Another familiar voice of a middle-aged man completely woke me up.
"I don't know, but I've got to lay low for a while. I hurt him too much, and I don't know if he'll forgive me when he wakes up!" The first guy answered.
"Sir?" I immediately stood up upon hearing it.
But nobody greeted me when I opened my eyes.
"Where am I?" I asked myself as I stared at the thick and soft blanket lying on top of my body.
A modern set of sofas and a glass-top coffee table, a silky-smooth wooden bedside table with a futuristic lamp, carpeted floors, a giant set of curtains on one side of the wall... Is that a balcony?
"This is not a hotel or any inn that is in my province... Where the fuck am I?" I asked myself as I stood out of the giant bed.
On the other corner, there's a frosted glass wall partition. That's a very expensive bathroom setup! Confirmed, I'm in the city, and I know for sure this is more than a 3-star hotel or something!
"Who are these people?!" I uttered, I'm stressed out now.
If they could rent out a place like this, I don't think I'd be dealing with just a normal multi-millionaire creditor. Pa? What did you do?!
"Welcome to the big city, did you get a good sleep?" A guy suddenly entered from a hallway right across the bathroom.
It's the first crooked guy who greeted me with a photo of me!
"Who are you? Who do you work for? Senator Rilion? Ex-President Realte?" Those are the only two big names whom I know my father had problems with.
"Who? Did you think we worked with those small fries?" He started laughing after hearing me.
Ouch, the pain on my arm suddenly- am I feeling stitches on my wound right now? From the feeling of pressure on both ends where my wound is, I'm certain I got a stitch.
"First, try not to panic, can we just talk peacefull-"
"Kyaaahh!" I shouted after seeing him getting closer to where I stood.
I immediately grabbed the lamp and unplugged it.
"Hey kid, stop it, that lamp's worth my monthly salary!" He panicked.
"Hiyaaahh!" I threw it at him, yet he managed to catch it.
I need to work on my strength.
"Fuck you!" I ran straight to him and jumped, kicked his chest.
"Argh!" We both fell onto the floor.
Before he could recover, I mustered up some of my strength and ran past him into the door.
"I'm sure this is a hotel, I just need to come across at least one staff member and I'm free..." I said to myself as I exited the door with flying arms.
"Achan?" Said by the entire group of men in black, sitting across the huge living room that greeted me on my exit.
In news 9, the coastal area of...
It's a hotel, right? Why does it look like a living room- a huge one!
"Shit!" I said to myself as I watched them stand up and try to surround me.
This is not a hotel!
"Go back here, they're not there to hurt you!" I can hear the man I kicked coming out of the room.
"HEL-" I was about to run off to my left when they blocked it off.
I was about to run into the other side, but they got me completely surrounded!
"Shit shit shit! What do you need from me?!" I cried as the old man tugged me back into the room.
"Calm down, Achan!" He said before pushing me back to the bed.
"Ouch!" I moaned in pain, all this physical abuse is reopening my wound!
"Sorry!" Suddenly, the man was anxious.
He even covered his face out of fear.
Hmm?
Do you know how important it is for us to bring you unharmed?
They're serious when they told me that they don't want to harm me? Whoever their boss is, it's confirmed, they'll sell my body parts to repay my father's debt!
"What the?" He was dumbfounded when I managed to grab the butterfly knife from his waist.
"Hey, stop it!" A younger man entered the room, which made the others rush in.
"Leave me the fuck alone!" I tried swinging the blade at them to keep them away.
"Achan, drop that, you'll hurt yourself!" The old man said while raising both his hands.
"No way, you'll sell me off, right? If you don't want your goods to be damaged, leave me alone!" I raised the blade next to my neck.
"Hey, hey, wait!" They all panicked and tried to get closer to me.
"Don't you dare!" I gently put the blade on my skin, which made them back off.
"Stop!" They all pleaded for my life's mercy.
That's right, back off... I knew it!
"Tsk, didn't I just leave him in your care? I told you to handle the situ- you guys are so useless!" A familiar voice entered the room.
"Sir?" I dropped the knife after realizing who it was.
It's that guy!
"Don't hurt yourself-"
"Stop!" I grabbed the knife from the floor after seeing his men charging at me.
*Gasp!* I was about to raise the knife back to my neck when he grabbed it by the blade!
"Manager!" They all screamed in unison.
"I-I told you, we're not trying to hurt you, there's just someone we need you to meet. This is my Boss' villa, no one here can hurt you!" He smiled as blood dripped down from his palm.
"Ahh!" I let go and covered the sides of my face.
"It's okay, I'm fine, it's not a deep cut!" He whispered to me before throwing the knife away.
"I-I'm sorry I-I didn't mean it!" I can feel him hiding the pain.
"I'm fine!" He smiled.
The smile that makes my heart race.
I know he's just trying to cheer me up, but my heart cannot calm down!
"I'm really, really sorry!" I said before grabbing his bloody hand, and led him into the bathroom.
I'm pretty sure there's something here that we can use!
"Manager?" I can hear his men worrying.
"It's okay, stay!" He ordered his men.
"First aid, first aid!" I tried searching all the cabinets in the bathroom, yet I couldn't find anything we could use.
"Calm down, it's in here!" He said before tapping the mirror in front of the lavatory.
It opened, revealing a bag containing a first aid kit along with a collection of other medications.
"How do you open this motherfucker?!" I asked out of frustration when my hands couldn't open it.
"Calm down, wash out the blood in your hands first!" He said, which made it clear to me.
My hands were slippery from all the blood, so I should wash them first.
"Did you curse someone?" He suddenly asked as I tended to his wound.
"No?!" I let out a loud scoff in disbelief.
He really doesn't like cursing, huh?
"Are you sure? Are you really sure you didn't curse anybody?" He firmly asked again.
He's serious about that?
"Yes, sir, I didn't- wait, I think I did, that guy!" I said before puttinga bandage on his palm.
He looked at the person I pointed at and sighed.
"I got it, thanks. For now, just wash your hands and come out, calmly." He said before patting me on the head and leaving.
What was that?
"He's seriously gonna give me Stockholm syndrome!" I said to myself in front of the mirror before washing off the remaining blood on my fingers.
"You, out, you're relieved from your duty, go seek help!" I heard him as I walked out of the bathroom.
"What happened?" I said as I walked behind him.
"Nothing, just sit down on your bed, I'm pretty sure you're hungry from all that." He smiled at me before ordering his men to get out of the room.
He seemed kind but stern. I guess he has to, I think they called him Manager?
"Manager?" I called out for him after a few moments of silence outside.
"Yes?" He answered as he entered the room with a tray of food.
"Why am I here?" I asked as I watched him set the food on the table.
"Our Boss, the CEO of Zeworld Pharmaceutical Company Incorporated, Mr. Moralez!" He answered with a smile on his face.
"I'm doomed!" I said to myself as all my blood exits my body.
The CEO of the healthcare industry, Pa? You fucking cunning man!
"Achan?!" I lost all my strength.
"Leave me be, I deserve to just die!" I lay down on the bed.
"Are you feeling ill?"
This is not good, they would use my body for their company's research!
"Achan? Are you good? Achan!" He shook me, but I remained lifeless.
I can't, I'm dead!
"You must eat, you haven't eaten for two days!" Manager carried me onto the sofa.
2 whole fucking days? I was asleep for two days? What happened back there? All I could remember was that I fell asleep after he-
"Eat!" His voice slowly vanished as I recalled what happened two days ago.
That kiss... How did that kiss end?
How could I fall asleep for two days just because of a wound? I didn't bleed out that much-
"Eat!" He grabbed my chin and tried opening up my mouth.
"No!" I was about to take his hand off my chin when he pushed me into the sofa and sat on my lap.
"Eat!" He squeezed my cheeks with his left hand and fed me a spoonful with the other one.
I felt a cold metal on his hands, which almost pricked my jaw.
"Hmm!" I couldn't even say a single word.
I tried to puke, but he forced my mouth shut and massaged my throat so that I could swallow the food.
"Do you have a ring?!" I complained after feeling a sting on my right jaw.
"I do- for aesthetic purposes..." He said before removing it and putting it in his pocket.
"Are we done?" I tried to stand up, but he just pushed me back to sit.
He forced fed me another spoonful.
"You're still immature, after all!" I felt the disappointment in his tone.
"What's that supposed to mean?!" I said after swallowing, looking at his emotionless face.
What the heck is this food? This is not a normal Filipino cuisine!
"Nothing, eat!" He squeezed my cheeks again and fed me another spoonful.
"HMM!" I tried to push him off, but he just weighed his entire body on my lap.
"I won't get up until you finish eating this."
"I- Let me eat by myself!" I glared at him after being forced to take another bite.
"Good, I still have to finish some errands." He nodded before giving me the spoon and standing up.
Finally, he's out of my lap, whew!
"Is he done?" A woman, dressed in black, entered the room, carrying a paper bag with a logo.
Is that a designer product?
"Take a bath after you're done eating, we need to meet our Boss!" Manager tapped my plate before giving me the paper bag that the lady brought in.
"I'm fucked!" I whispered as I chewed the last bite from my plate.
After eating, I hesitantly entered the bathroom.
"What?" He asked after seeing me staring at him.
"This thing's see-through..." I pointed at the frosted glass wall of the bathroom.
"I-I'll see my way out!" He immediately ran out, like I'd said something inappropriate.
"Mweheheh!" A smile formed on my lips after realizing that I am alone in the room.
This is my chance!
"All I have to do is call-"
Wait?
MY PHONE?!
"Fuck!" I forgot I dropped it back when Manager grabbed me into his car!
I'm still not done with its installation payment, I have two more months to fully pay that!
I guess I have to go with my plan b, though I never really planned these out!
"Hmm?" Without a second thought, I slowly walked into the entrance of the room and carefully locked the door.
"Go!" I whispered before quietly running into the giant curtain.
Just as I suspected, it's a balcony!
*Click!* I slowly unlocked the sliding door and went outside.
"Woah!"
The starry night, and the cold breeze of wind, what a mesmerizing sight to see!
"Wake up!" I slapped myself before scanning the entire balcony.
I need to know how I would be able to go down, it seems like I am on the third floor of the villa.
"Shit!" I squealed after seeing the endless bottom below the balcony.
This place is sitting next to a cliff? Who the hell in their right mind wants to build a house in this type of location?!
"I'm really doomed!" I told to myself.
How am I gonna get out of the balcony when it's a certain death if I crawl down from this side?
"Bingo!" My worries vanished upon setting my eyes on the other balcony next door.
I could climb the railing and jump to the other room!
"Achan, you're a genius!" I tapped my own shoulders before climbing the railings of the balcony.
It's not that far, I could jump it-
"Right?" I asked myself before breathing in, preparing for my certain death.
I can do it, right?
"I'd rather die with my own free will than by others!" I shouted before jumping off.
I almost slipped, but I managed to grab onto the other balcony's railing.
"I really need to do more exercise!"
After I managed to get into the other room's balcony, I tried opening its sliding door, but it wouldn't budge.
"Fuck!" I screamed after banging the glass door.
What am I gonna do now? I'm running out of time!
"What should I do?" I told myself as I sat on the cold, tiled floor.
"Who the hell are you?" A voice suddenly interrupted my melancholic scene as the glass door opened.
There's somebody!
I raised my head and saw a young man standing next to me. Moonlight spilled in from his back, casting his silhouette in silvery shine. Time seemed to hesitate from spinning, as if though the world itself had conspired to give him a grand-
"How did you get here?!" He repeats.
"I-"
He grabbed my collar, his grip firm but not harsh, pulling me to my feet with a sudden urgency. The world tilted as my body collided with his, the force sending us both tumbling to the floor.
For a moment, panic surged through me, I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for impact. But instead, I felt warmth, a steady, grounding presence beneath me. His arms had instinctively wrapped around me, shielding me from the fall.
I opened my eyes, and there he was, his face mere inches from mine. His gaze, deep and unwavering, held a mix of surprise and something softer, something unspoken. The faintest smile was tucked at the corner of his lips, as though he found the chaos of our meeting oddly amusing.
"Yo- You're not one of Manager's men, are you?"
"No?"
"Then, help me get out of here!" I immediately stood up and offered my hand to him.
"Where are you going?" He asked before grabbing it.
Though he's heavy, I managed to help him get up staring at his eyes made me wonder. The feeling of familiarity, the sadness in his gaze, loneliness-
"You're also a prisoner here, am I right?" I realized.
That's why I feel this familiarity, we are in the same situation!
"That damn CEO!" I scoffed after he didn't respond to my question before pulling him inside his room.
That's why there are a lot of crooks outside the door, they're guarding both of us!
He's wearing the same pajamas as mine, which means Manager also took care of him- I wonder if he also did the same to him as he did to me two days ago?
"Wait here!" I told him as I pressed my hands into his waist, coaxing him to sit on the bed.
Both our rooms have the same layout, which means that the hallway next to the bathroom is the exit!
Slowly, I reached into the peephole of the door and tried to look outside.
"Now what?" I heard a low, velvety murmur that sent shivers down my spine.
His breath against my ear-
"I told you to wait there!" I spun on my heel, facing him who was inches away from me.
"Where are you planning to take me?" He smiled, which made him look even more astonishing.
That damn face, it makes me question my parents- how does a pair of human made such flawless face- not just his face, after what I felt earlier, I know he also has a good bo- fuck!
"Are you thinking about me?" His smile grew wider.
"No-No! Are you mentally challenged? I- I'm just strategizing our escape!" I pushed him and went back to peeking.
Seems like no one's outside.
"No one's outside, I'll open the door and we'll ru-" I was about to unlock the door when a sudden knock silenced both of us.
"Hide!" We said in unison.
He pulled me into his bed and covered both of us with the blanket.
"Shh!" He wrapped his hands around me.
The blanket cocooned us, muffling the world outside, leaving only the sound of our hurried breaths. My heart raced, not just from the urgency of the moment, but from the closeness, his steady presence grounding me in the chaos.
"Young master, I have someone to introduce to you later. Please get ready!" The Manager's voice echoed in both my ears, sending my heart racing faster.
Young master?
How many times did my heart race like hell?
"Give me ten minutes to prepare!" He answered, his gaze steady on me with the smile that never escaped his face.
"Understood, we'll be waiting next door." His smile fades after hearing Manager's last words.
"Wait... Are you?" I whispered, my breath uneven, barely audible.
"Get out!" His voice grew tougher.
He stood up and threw the blanket away from the bed.
"Wha- What?" I asked in confusion.
He's this villa's young master- he's Mr. Moralez's son?
"OUT!" He exclaimed, his demeanor changed in a split second.
He must have realized who I am...
"Ye- Yes!" I immediately stood up and ran for the balcony.
I knew it was too good to be true; a knight in shining armor arriving to save me would never become my reality. I am a child of a con, the incarnation of chaos. Trouble follows me, and I could never escape it!
"What are you doing?!" He yelled after seeing me climbing up the railings.
"I'm going back, no need to tell on me, I know my destiny, I get it!" I mumbled, trying to stop the tears pouring out of my eyes.
"Stop that!" He tried to come near me, but something stopped him.
His body began trembling, his breathing became heavy, and a sudden beeping alarm went off on his watch.
"What's going on?" I jumped down and stared at his mouth, he was breathing too fast.
"Young master!" Manager stormed into the room and found us on the balcony.
"What did you do?!" He screamed, his voice sharp with panic, before plunging the syringe into the young master's chest.
"No- Nothing, I did nothing!" I stammered, raising both hands in surrender as three of his men leveled their guns at me, their cold stares unyielding.
"Take him to his bed, I'll deal with this!" Manager yelled before grabbing my wrist and taking me out of the young master's room.
I just watched him unlock the door with his keys, pulling me inside the room where I stay.
"How did you even jump that three meters- never mind, what's important is that I got there in time!" He said, pulling me into his arms and stealing another kiss.
"Manager?" I pushed him away, my brows furrowing in confusion at his unexpected actions.
"It's nothing. You must be tired- just rest for now." He smiled, his voice soothing, just as my vision began to blur.
This is the second time. His lips, there's something about them. A lingering touch, an unspoken effect that seeps into my veins, dulling my resistance, forcing my body to surrender in ways I don't understand.
Am I truly this easy to manipulate? Or is it something else? Something deeper, something beyond logic- a force I shouldn't feel, shouldn't want. I'm supposed to be untouchable, an unwavering man with a heart of stone. And yet...
Why does it feel like, in this moment, for him, I'm breaking?