Holy Ground

A few minutes earlier.

After Alejandro left Selena in the cabin, he went back to the party and immediately became busy after his mother's co-workers started talking to him.

He stayed seated at one of the guest tables. A friendly smile was on his lips as he knows very well that he needed to be kind to make a connection.

His mother had just started her business. It might have been well known on the island but, she wanted to extend it abroad, and she's starting it in China. It's the same reason why they arranged the marriage between him and Tiffany since the girl's parents owned some hospitals in Beijing, his mother's medical equipment and medicines can be sold abroad.

After ensuring that their guests were satisfied with his presence, Alejandro excused himself. His eyes caught his father with Killian, the two were having the normal face they usually had every time they met, and it's the face of the soldiers who are in the middle for a war.

Seeing Selena walking towards Killian, his eyes went narrow. It should have been him. He should be the one next to Selena but, his brother has a way to make him suffer.

A lot of things did happen between him and Killian, the scar is too deep that nothing could ever fix it.

His eyes shut when Killian suddenly grabbed his father's arm. This was pretty normal for him but, he somehow felt embarrassed that it's happening in front of Selena.

Minutes later, his father looked at him, their eyes met and just like a psychic, he already knows that he wants to be alone with him.

Alejandro's heart pounded after seeing his dark expression. He followed his father out of the party room with a heavy feeling.

They stopped by the passageway of the ship. The place was empty and from their position, they could still hear the faint sound of the music playing in the party room.

Under the moonlight, Alejandro could see the frustration on his father's face.

He sighed; it's always been like this since the day his father found out about his mother's infidelity. He remembered it as if it was just yesterday.

His father might have been hurt but, after that day, their house, which was once warm and cozy has turned into a fiery pit of hell.

He wanted to escape but, he could not, his feet were tangled with a leash by his father.

He hated him, so much that if he will have a chance, he would kill him without mercy. But he cares so much about his mother, so he stayed, and did all the things his father wanted him to do.

Standing so proudly in front of him, his father smirked. His back was leaning against the cold rails of the ship, while the wind messes up his grey hair.

"Did you know about Killian and Selena?" his father started with a hard tone. He used to be a kind-hearted father, the kind of man he looked up to but, after what he did, knowing what he had done to get into a higher position, Alejandro lost all of his respect to him and replaced it with disgust.

"Yes, I know everything," he replied mirroring his tone and cold face.

"Alright. Well, I need you to back off now. I will speak to Tiffany about continuing your engagement. Since she hasn't told her parents about it, we can still continue," without waiting for his reply, his father walks past him.

Alejandro was not even a bit shocked, seeing how his father's eyes sparkled looking at Selena and Killian, he had realized that he must have changed his mind and wanted his son- his own flesh and blood to be married to someone as powerful as Selena's family.

But he has been crushing on Selena since the first time they met, and it was not at the airport or in Barney's car. And that time, he turned his face to look at the sea, he stared at the moonlight's reflection on the ocean while his mind flew back years ago.

--

A few years ago.

At Solmon University. Alejandro was sitting behind his desk as he waited for the doctor to come in. His mother sent him to the city so he could get experience by watching his mother's friend.

Two months of living in the school facilities had made him familiar with the campus.

He was a loner. For two months, he could only make one friend, a part-time model named Maggie. The woman was using the university clinic to escape her subjects. Every day she would come into the clinic, lay on the bed and pretended to be sick.

He always heard her talking to someone over the phone. She talked for one hour and later left the clinic with a rush after saying, 'Selena let's meet at the gate.'

After some time, Alejandro got the courage to ask Maddie.

"Your name is Maddie, right?" he started.

From looking at her phone, Maddie turned to him.

"Yes. Finally, you talked to me," the girl squeak, a sweet smile was on her lips.

"Well, I am just here to gain some experience so, yeah," he sat on the chair next to the bed, while Maddie raised her body and sat on the bed - crossing her legs.

Alejandro turned his head away. She was wearing a skirt which showed her white long legs.

"Can you please cover your legs?" he handed her the blanket from the drawer; his face was turned in the opposite direction.

He heard her giggling and accepted the blanket. When he turned to face her, a relief sigh let out from his lips.

"So, Mr. A. Dane," Maddie's eyes were gawking at his name on the white coat he was wearing.

Then she continued, "What does 'A' mean? Andrew? Anthony?" Maddie guessed.

"Alejandro," he timidly replied.

"Oh!" a silent gasped let out from her lips. He could see that she was about to say more when her phone suddenly rung.

And unlike her cheery voice earlier, Maddie spoke in a faint and shaky voice.

"Anders, I am in the clinic. Can you come here and drop me at my house?" then she faked a cough, enough for Alejandro's eyebrows to creased with confusion.

After Maddie hung up the phone, she looked at him, the smile she had before answering the phone came back.

"Once a man name Anders arrived, can you tell him that I am sick and can't drive?" her hands were folded together, pleading for a favor.

Alejandro sighed, thinking he should probably do it so the other student can use the bed.

He nodded and went back to his desk. Minutes later, the door of the clinic was slammed opened followed by a figure of a woman in a white polo and high waist skirt. Her short hair was dyed and curled while her face was white as snow.

He got up in worried, alarmed that the woman might pass out.

"Miss, are you alright," his voice was full to concern as he speaks but, the woman sized him and then looked around, ignoring his question.

"Maddie. Where are you?" he heard the pale girl saying as she inspected the room.

(Is she the Selena, Maddie always spoke to?) he asked.

His eyes ran over her body, with her back turning at him, he could say that her clothing, as well as her rude attitude, were a sign that she's from a rich family.

Then, he heard the two girls talking.

"Where's Anders?" it was Maddie's voice, speaking with slight irritation.

"He's busy Mads. What happened to you?" the girl replied.

"I am feeling under weather so I asked Anders to take me back. It is fine right? You don't have any feelings for him anymore, right?"

From the distance, Alejandro could see the pale face of the woman standing in front of Maddie darkened.

"Yes," the girl timidly replied.

To make himself busy, Alejandro cleaned up his desk. As he shoves the medicine box in the drawer, he heard Maddie calling his name.

"Alejandro. Come here, I want you to meet my best friend," Maddie cheerfully said.

Alejandro didn't hesitate, he walked towards them and stood next to Selena.

Selena's face was looking at her phone, she didn't even bother to look at the person that stood next to her.

"Alejandro. This is my friend Selena," he was smiling as he turned his face to look at her but, to his shock, the woman didn't seem to hear Maddie's voice. Her eyes were glued on the phone while her fingers were busy tapping on the glass screen.

"Oi! Selena, he's the school doctor's assistant. His name is Alejandro," Maddie continued.

But the woman stayed staring at her phone, ignoring the people around her.

Alejandro's shoulders jumped when Maddie suddenly grabbed Selena's phone and hid it under her pillow.

"Hey, I am talking to you!" Maddie yelled at Selena.

Then the girl slowly turned to look at him, since he was taller than her, she needed to lift her face a little.

Their eyes met, and his breathing stopped for a moment.

And without introducing herself, Selena left the room.

Since that day, he always asked Maddie about Selena. The woman had lots of stories, bragging about Selena's family's wealth.

Even though she gave him a cold expression in their first meeting, Alejandro could not help but, be curious about her.

When he looked into her eyes, he felt as if he's looking at a lost lamb. The way her eyes shone; it was like she cried overnight.

After a year of being the doctor's assistant at the university, Alejandro was able to see Selena around the campus. There were times where he will see her at the cafeteria, eating with Maddie or alone or in the garden with a phone on her hands. She was a loner, that's what he observed.

He heard that lots of men were trying to pursue her but, she always answered them with a hard NO. Therefore, the campus titled her as the Snub Princess.

Alejandro's mind was pulled back from reminiscing the past when his father repeated himself.

When his father told him to chase Selena, he did not hesitate and agreed right away, thinking that he could hit two birds in one stone but, right now, hearing those words from his father was truly breaking his heart.

His hands itched to throw him into the ocean but, he stopped himself by clenching both of his hands.

"No," he strongly replied.

"No?" his father stopped from leaving and turned his back to look at him.

"I said no. I like Selena and I have known her even before. I like her and now that I have a chance, I am going to date her."

His father scoffed, taking two steps forward to reach him.

"Alejandro, I have raised you even you are not my kid. Marry Tiffany and consider your debt paid," Alejandro was about to reply when a familiar voice of a woman spoke from somewhere.

"Alejandro, come and dance with me," it was tiffany, his ex-fiancée.

He looked at her, scanning her red dress, it was wrinkled unlike earlier, he could see it because of her white skin.

Her petite arm wrapped around his arms, dragging him back to the party.

But Alejandro is determined to end their relationship, so he stopped and called out her name.

"Tiffany, our engagement has been canceled so please find someone to dance with."

His voice was cold, making sure that Tiffany will get his message.

But the woman ignored his words and seductively moved closer to him. Her slender index finger brushed on his lips while a compelling smile plastered on her lips.

"Oh, come on Alejandro. Can't we just have a dance? Consider this as a break-up dance?" she winked at him, and made sure that her voice was full of seduction.

Then, tiffany tiptoed to level her head on his ear, her lips parted and whispered, "Or we can say our goodbyes in my cabin, just like the old times," when she lightly bit on his earlobe, Alejandro took a step back and stopped her from getting closer by putting both hands on her shoulder.

"Fine, one dance." He sighed in defeat and accompanied her in the core of the party- where some of the couples were dancing.

Before putting his hand on Tiffany's waist, he looked at Selena's direction. Seeing her with his brother, he suddenly wished to be his father's real son. Maybe if he does, he would be sitting next to Selena.