Halos hindi na magawang huminga ni Anastasha habang pinagmamasdan ang lalaking nakatayo hindi kalayuan sa kaniyang posisyon. Hindi pa rin humihinto ang kaniyang mga luha sa pagtulo at mas tumindi ang sakit ng kaniyang ulo.

Halo-halo ang kaniyang nararamdaman, ngunit mas nangingibabaw ang ginahawa nang muli niyang matanawan ang mukha ni Wilder.

The lampposts flickered, and after a few seconds, some of them completely lost their lustre. Darkness immediately engulfed the surrounding, but by good fortune, the car headlights worked as a source of luminosity.

Lumipas pa ang mga sandali ngunit nanatiling tahimik ang kapaligiran. When Wilder took a step forward, she withdrew backward, and the cold wind swept over her. Her face remained pale and stained with tears.

The heavy silence began to dwindle as the sound of Wilder's footsteps filled their ears. "Come to me," he said roughly, his voice echoing up and down the empty alley.

Nang muli itong magsalita ay saka lamang natauhan si Blake. Isang hakbang ang tinangka nitong gawin ngunit agad na inilabas ng mga kasama ni Wilder ang kanilang mga baril at itinutok sa binata.

"Not you, Saavedra. Take another step forward and I'll put a hole right through your head," Wilder seriously declared, warning Blake to not make any foolish act that may put his life at risk.

Akmang magsasalitang muli si Blake ngunit itinaas ni Wilder ang hintuturo. "I don't want to hear your voice. Remain silent. If you don't, you are aware of what'll happen to you next. You know how we do it." Hindi inaalis ni Wilder ang tingin kay Anastasha habang binibigkas ang bawat katagang lumalabas sa kaniyang bibig. Hindi niya magawang ihiwalay ang tingin sa dalaga.

Anastasha's heart was beating fast, and she could feel fear flooding in each and every part of her body. Hindi ito ang unang beses na makakita siya ng mga armadong lalaki, ngunit kahit sino ay hindi masasanay sa ganitong sitwasyon.

Napasinghap siya nang marinig ang boses ni Blake. "Huwag kang sasama sa kaniya. I'll get us out of this mess." Mababa at puno ng determinasyon ang tinig nito. Nakita niya sa mga mata ni Blake ang kaseryosohan.

Anastasha shook her head in disagreement. She knew that Wilder was capable of doing dreadful things in order to fulfill his wishes.

"Shoot," Wilder said, ordering his men to fire their guns. All of them positioned themselves in a horizantal line in front of the car.

"Huwag!" malakas na hiyaw ni Anastasha at tumakbo palapit kay Blake. Humarang siya sa binata at hinawakan ang braso nito. Nanginginig ang kaniyang mga tuhod at kahit anong sandali ay maaari siyang bumagsak sa lupa.

"What are you doing! Get away from me! Don't put yourself in more danger," Blake pleaded. Hinaplos niya ang kamay ng dalaga at hinawakan ito nang mahigpit.

Anastasha shrieked in terror as the alley erupted with a gunshot. She automatically dropped on the ground with both her hands covering her ears. Her eyes were shut closed, and she couldn't control her tears anymore.

Takot siyang imulat ang mga mata upang tingnan kung ano ang nangyari. Nagulat na lang siya nang biglang may humawak sa kaniyang balikat, dahilan upang ibukas niya ang mga matang luhaan. Wilder's soothing gaze was the first thing she saw. After that, she found herself encased in his powerful arms.

"Anastasha!" someone shouted, his voice resonating through the stone walls of the narrow road.

Mabilis na lumipad ang kaniyang paningin sa kinaroroonan ni Blake. Nakita niyang hawak nito ang brasong nadaplisan ng bala, at nakasandal sa sasakyan. Bumaba na rin sa sasakyan ang driver at dinaluhan ang binata.

"I hate it when I see other men touching you." His voice was deep and raspy, like the texture of a heavy sandpaper. His face contorted with rage, and his eyes were like blazing fire.

"Ibaba mo 'ko," pahayag ni Anastasha sa nanginginig na boses. Napahinto si Wilder sa paglalakad at itinuon ang paningin sa kaniya. Ibinaba niya ang tingin upang hindi magtagpo ang kanilang mga mata.

Gustung-gusto niya itong yakapin. She wanted to throw her arms around his neck, but who was she to do it? Wala siyang karapatan na gawin iyon. Isa lang siyang hamak na kapalit ni Paula. Muling bumuhos ang galit sa kaniyang dibdib nang maalala iyon.

"No," he firmly replied, proceeding to walk toward his car. Hindi siya nito binigyan ng pagkakataong makasagot dahil agad siya nitong pinapasok sa loob ng sasakyan.

She wanted to scold herself for feeling saved and relieved. Hindi niya kayang pagkatiwalaan si Blake dahil alam niya kung anong klaseng lalaki ito at kung para kanina ito naglilingkod. Gayon pa man, hindi niya nais na sumama na lang kaagad kay Wilder. Tumatanggi rin ang kaniyang isip na iwanan na lamang si Blake na duguan sa lugar na iyon.

Her deep reflective thought was interrupted as she saw Wilder entering the car. He sat next to her, keeping his vision glued at the isolated alley. Ni hindi siya nito tinapunan ng tingin. Nabuhay ang makina ng sasakyan at mabilis silang lumayo sa lugar na iyon. Nakasunod naman sa kanila ang isa pang sasakyan kung saan nakasakay ang mga tauhan ng binata.

She wanted to look back and check on Blake, but her body refused to follow her mind's orders. Mas gusto niyang titigan ang binata na ngayon ay sobrang lapit sa kaniya.

She caught a glimpse of him through her peripheral vision. He was looking out of the window, fingers fidgeting as he placed them on his lips.

"Did he do that to you?" Tuluyan na siyang napatingin sa binata. She gazed up at his face, and she couldn't assimilate the reason as to why he was emitting a deadly aura.

"A-ano?" nalilitong tanong niya rito. Hindi siya sigurado kung siya nga ba ang kausap nito o ang driver na nanatiling tahimik.

Humarap ito sa kaniya. Nagulat siya nang bigla nitong hablutin ang kaniyang braso kaya't napahalinghing siya sa sakit. Akala niya'y sasaktan siya nito ngunit marahan itong lumapit sa kaniya at kinabig siya upang ipaloob sa mga bisig nito.

"He hurt you, didn't he?" bulong nito habang ang kanang kamay ay humahagod sa kaniyang buhok.

She was on the verge of bursting into tears. She wanted to tell Wilder about her anxiety and the awful things which Blake had done to her. Gusto niyang magsumbong dito upang kahit papaano ay gumaan ang kaniyang pakiramdam.

Her own hands made their way up his back, grasping his jacket and crying in his arms. Tanging sa mga braso lamang ng binata ang lugar kung saan kaya niyang ibuhos ang lahat ng kaniyang nararamdaman.

Galit siya rito nang dahil sa natuklasan, ngunit sa hindi malamang dahilan ay kumupas ang damdaming iyon sa muli nilang pagtatagpo. The reason why Wilder returned to the Philippines wasn't unknown to her anymore. It pained her more than anything, but her foolish heart rejoiced, knowing that the man was finally within her reach.

"B-bakit hindi ka bumalik? Bakit mo ko iniwan mag-isa? S-sabi mo babalik-" His lips covered hers in a long warm kiss, leaving her short of breath. She felt his palm against her cheek, his thumb caressing her soft skin. This sent her heart beating crazily.

Sinisigaw ng kaniyang isip na mali ang kanilang ginagawa. Mali na muli na naman siyang magtiwala rito. Minsan na siya nitong binigo at hindi niya gustong maulit iyon. Alam niya kung ano ang dapat gawin pero hindi niya gustong mawalay muli sa lalaki.

"I've told you to wait. You didn't listen to me." Isinandal ng binata ang kaniyang noo sa balikat nito, habang ang braso nito ay nakapalibot sa kaniyang baywang.

Bakit...? Bakit ka umalis?

Ipinikit ni Anastasha ang mga mata sapagkat nais niyang itanong dito ang dahilan ng pag-alis. Alam niya kung bakit at kung para kanino ang paglisan nito sa kaniya, ngunit gusto niyang marinig ito mismo mula sa lalaki. She fought the desire to ask the question. It would be inadequate if she queried him. Malamang ay naaawa lang ito sa kaniya.

"You're safe now," saad nito habang patuloy na hinahagod ang kaniyang likuran.

She gazed up at him when she remembered something. "Paano mo 'ko nahanap?" Hinihiling niya na sana'y kahit iyon lamang ay masagot nito.

"Trivial stuff like that is of no importance. Your safety is what matters the most," he said calmly, looking deep into her eyes. She had stared into his eyes before, but they were seriously blue under the splendid moonlight. His stare was sharp as always, yet still filled with emotions.

Habang nakatitig sa mga mata nito ay nagtanong siya, "Ano ba ako sa iyo?" Seryoso at dahan-dahan ang kaniyang pagkakabigkas sa mga salitang lumabas mula sa kaniyang bibig.

His face turned into an expression of great shock. His mouth hung open with his lips slightly parted, bewildered and lost of words. A complete silence swept over them as Anastasha waited for a response. Nang halatang makabawi ay umayos ito ng puwesto at humarap sa may bintana.

"We're almost there. My condominium is only near the area," he announced, completely ignoring the question.

She couldn't do anything but gaze at him in dismay. Bakit nga ba umasa siyang sasagutin nito ang tanong na iyon? Hindi niya alam kung saan niya nakuha ang lakas ng loob upang ipahayag ang kaniyang nararamdaman.

Pinili niyang huwag na lang itong kausapin. As much as she desired to glean information about their current situation, she convinced herself that it wasn't the right time to ask. She was ashamed of losing her presence of mind, letting half-witted statements slip out of her mouth.

Itinuon na lamang niya ang atensyon sa labas ng bintana. Hinala niya na madaling-araw na, ayon na rin sa lamig ng simoy ng hangin. Hindi katagalan ay nakarating din sila sa kanilang patutunguhan. Hindi na niya hinintay na pagbuksan siya ng pinto at siya na mag-isa ang nagkusang bumaba.

She realized that she was looking up at the same building she had seen a couple of days ago. The same building where Wilder brought her before embarking on a long journey to Seychelles.

Napakapit siya sa kaniyang mga braso nang bigla ang pag-ihip ng hangin. Akala niya'y babagsak siya sa lupa nang walang sabing umikot ang kaniyang paningin.

"Careful there," he whispered, right near her ear. Hindi niya napansin na kaagad itong nakalapit sa kaniya. Iwawaksi niya sana ang mga kamay nitong nakahawak sa kaniyang mga balikat nang dagli siya nitong pinangko.

A short scream of astonishment fled from her mouth because of this unexpected gesture. How she yearned to be carried by him again.

Nahihiyang idinukdok niya ang ulo sa balikat nito. Habang naglalakad ito papasok ng building ay napag-isipan niyang kalimutan na lamang ang masasamang bagay na nangayri. Marahil sa susunod na mga araw ay magawa ring sabihin ni Wilder sa kaniya ang lahat.

"Wilder," tawag niya sa binata.

"Yes?" asked the man, shifting his gaze to her face.

"Salamat dahil bumalik ka at hinanap ako," she stated sincerely, her facial expression attesting to her genuine emotion.

Isang matipid na ngiti ang isinagot nito sa kaniya, ngunit kahit gayon ay nakontento na siya.

Lingid sa kaniyang kaalaman, sa lobby ng building ay isang babae ang naghihintay sa kanilang pagdating. Nang maitungtong ni Wilder ang paa sa entrada, ang babaeng ito ang agad na bumungad sa kanila.

"Wilder, I was looking every-" Hindi nagawang tapusin ng babae ang pahayag nang makita nito si Anastasha.

"Tasha," the woman said, her voice conveying surprise and... anger.

Anastasha was beyond startled at the sight of the person whom she thought had disappeared in her life for good. The girl whose beauty was undeniable, in contrast to her attitude. The girl whom she considered as a good friend, but turned out to be a traitor. The girl she had always admired.

"Paula."