Chapter 1: The encounter

—Devon

In the midst of the crowd, your beauty stands out.

Her hair was short as far as I remembered and now it's long, straight and shining like silk. There you are, wearing a black polo shirt, tucked in. High waisted ripped jeans and a pair of vans old skool black white on her feet.

Simple yet stunning. You never fail to impress me, Luna.

Luna Valdez.

Finally got a surname huh? It perfectly suits you.

I wonder how many checkboxes you've already crossed out to your bucket list now that you have a family.

I wonder if she still remembers that? The things we did together at the orphanage. How she made things bearable for me. Not minding the other kids and giving her all my attention. Her, putting a smile on my face and making me laugh for the first time ever since I arrived there. Her presence is something else.

I wonder why we became so close when my first impression about her is that she's trouble. But just like what other people say expect the unexpected, and yeah we became inseparable.

There's just something about her that gives you comfort. The warmth you want to feel. The company you want to have. The person you want to sit beside. She was my human diary, indeed my haven.

Devon back to planet earth! Devon, come back to your senses!

'Oh right! I'm inside the bar! I almost drown myself back there'

She's working at this shady looking bar filled with rich ass guys who I think range from mid 30s to 40s. Coats are gone only the polos are in with lots of creases , neck ties were loose and the sleeves are folded up to their elbows. Hair disheveled, faces were red as a tomato and the lips kept on grinning. They're having fun while chugging their boozes.

She's serving them glasses of drinks, bottles of beer & strong drinks, finger foods and sometimes filling their buckets with ice.

It took me two sips from my glass to stand up and walk towards her.

So this is it?

I stopped a few steps far from her and maintained this distance. I don't want to shock her with my presence. That's not going to create a good start. I inhaled and exhaled there for two times and composed myself.

"Luna", I called her name.

And then she quickly turns to my direction. As soon as our eyes met her lips automatically formed a smile.

"Yes, sir? Do you want to order anything?" she asked.

Wait WHAT?

Did she just mistakenly take me as a customer?

I am offended.

WAIT! Why would I be offended? Good god, Devon! Of course she'll think you're a customer because you're inside the bar where she works. What do you expect her to think? Common sense, Devon!

"I'll get back to you sir once you made up your mind, ciao" and there she went inside their area.

She didn't recognize me? How come? I didn't change a bit? Well actually I changed a lot because of the money and the position I worked hard for myself but I'm still the same old Devon Alistair she knows.

Oh! I get it. She probably didn't recognize me because I was wearing this freaking formal attire. I just got back earlier from my business trip to Bangkok and as soon as I heard from my hired private agent that they found her here I rushed as soon as I got off the freaking plane.

Jet-lagged what? Exhaustion who? It just melts away like I didn't even realize that I actually felt it earlier.

It's because of the excitement I felt when I heard that they found her. God knows how long I've been searching for her. It took me 17 years. 17 freaking years just to get this chance to reunite with her.

We really need to catch up because there's a lot of things we need to talk about. And there are a lot of explanations I need to say to her because I know how long she waited for me.

The nuns told me that she was adopted by this couple who are average and can provide well so I'm literally curious why the hell is she working here? I mean it's not illegal or what but I know she wants to become a doctor. She would have been a great one. So what happened?

My attention shifts to my pocket, which is now vibrating because of my phone.

A call from who? I'm not expecting any calls right now. Not at this hour.

I answered the call and regretted it right away.

Good heavens. It's the spoiled brat again.

"Heard you're back from Bangkok. Did you miss me?", she asked in a very piercing tone. God my eardrum!

"What do you want?", I lazily asked with an annoyed tone as usual.

"You of course.", she giggled.

"I'm not in the mood to deal with you, Cienna"

"God! I just want to ask if you miss me! Why are you so annoying?"

"I don't and I won't, Miss Cienna. And correction madam, you're the one who's annoying here and not me. So stop calling me at this hour and go to sleep. Got it?"

I heard her scream her lungs out and ended the call.

That's what you get for being annoying, you spoiled brat.

Now where were we?

Oh right! Luna.

Where is she?

—Luna

How can he just show up to my face like that and act like nothing happened?! Curse this man!

I hate him!

I am so distracted right now and I don't like it. The customers keep coming and we are all busy. Everyone is doing their job and here I am staying inside the preparation area because he's outside. Waiting for me!

Does he really think that I will welcome him with open arms as if he didn't break his promise?

Guys will be guys. They like to lure you with their sweet and assuring kinds of words. You didn't even realize that it's just a bait and you're the prey. You look so idiot walking and waltzing your way on it and once you placed yourself right in there perfectly...BAAM. You're dead. The end.

All guys are just the same. They like to create a promise that he himself is also the one who will break it. And I don't really understand. Why would you create such a promise if you can't even make it, right?

It's just so stupid of me to believe in him. Well what do you expect from an orphan little girl who adores that nothing but a face kid. So naive, so gullible.

I learned my lesson. And I will never...ever believe in men's promises or even their words ever again.

I got back to reality when the bell rang and there's a lot of buckets in the preparation area, waiting for me.

"Luna, table m. Make it quick" I got the bucket of ice on my right hand and the bottle of champagne on the left.

I'll just pretend that I don't see him and everything will be just fine. Right?

Once I got out of the area I scanned from left to right.

The coast is clear!

Thank god!

Hours passed and I think he's no longer here. Up until we closed the bar no one's calling my name. How lucky!

I bid goodbye to the other staff and suddenly saw a tall man leaning his back on the hood of his car and fidgeting with his phone in his hand.

"Luna", he called.

Okay, Luna! Act like you don't know him.

"Do I know you, sir?", I replied.

He fixed his position and walked towards me leaving a wide space between us. Enough for us to see each other's figure from head to toe. With the help of the lamp post limelight I saw his face.

The chubby cheeks were gone. I hate this sculpted face now.

"You don't remember me", not a question. He just confirmed. He looked down and nodded his head.

I'm good at acting.

I heard him click his tongue.

He lifted his head and smiled at me.

"Well, if that's the case then I don't have a choice but to make you remember who exactly I am and remind you what our relationship really is".

What?

He didn't let me speak a word, he just pulled my wrist and in a blink of an eye I'm inside his car enjoying the cold yet relaxing air of the dawn.