A THREAT FROM A STRANGER.

         MY BROWS furrowed when I saw Raki inside my office that morning. I quickly marched towards my table while Raki was sitting on the couch in front of me and was busy fiddling with her phone.

"Your sister has been waiting for you for a while." Aina got my attention while she's leaning on the edge of my desk table as I put my bag on it.

I briefly stared at Aina. "What brings you here? Aren't you going to open your shop?"

"Not yet. I'm going to hang out here at the resort. I heard you got a lot of foreign guests these days."

I couldn't help but shake my head at what I heard. I turned to Raki, who's still busy on her phone. She's even wearing an earphone, so I just decided to approach her.

Raki stopped what she's doing after she noticed my pair of black pumps in front of her.

She removed her earphones and looked up at me. "Sister Clari, how long since you were here?"

Folding my arms, I eyed Raki with a straight face. "I just got here. What are you doing here? You have class, right?"

"I didn't know it's a holiday today. We don't have class, so I decided I'll just hang out here."

"We have a lot of guests at the resort. You can't hang out here at the resort just like that. You will only trouble our staff and get in their way. I'll drive you home, you hang out at home." I said with my furrowed brows.

Raki shrugged her shoulders and cocked her head to the side. "Tss...here you are. You're being strict again. Why don't you want me to hang out at the resort?"

"Because you're too nosy."

"Tss...I guess you're on your period..." she murmured.

"You're saying something?" I placed my hand on my waist while Raki just gave me a silly smile.

"Nothing. I just said, let's stop at the convenience store before we go home. Buy me Rocky Road Ice Cream." she requested.

I sighed in defeat. "Okay, wait for me in the car."

Raki stood up and went out first while I returned to my desk to get my bag.

I glanced at Aina. "I'll be right back. I'll just take Raki home."

 "Okay. Buy pizza and ice cream for when you get back. I'll just pay here."

I frowned. "My gosh, Aina. Are you really going to ask me that? There's a pizza shop close to here. Just ask a bellboy to buy you one or have Manang to make one for you. There's plenty of ice cream too in the main kitchen. You can go there and get one."

Aina just stared at me nonchalantly.

"I'm leaving." I said, before marching outside the office.

I caught up with Raki, who's leaning against the car's hood with her folded arms.

"Let's go." I declared.

We went inside together. Raki sat in the front seat while I sat in the driver's seat. I know Raki wanted to drive, but I won't let her until she earns her own car.

Raki is my only sister. Though, our parents saved something before they're gone while the resort's income also goes to us...I don't want her to get used to luxuries. I want to teach Raki to work hard for the things she wants. I want her to learn how to be independent because I know the day will come when she will have to be alone.

"I wonder what your deep thoughts are, Sister Clari. Why can you just talk to me so your saliva won't spoil?" Raki frowned at me. "That's why I don't want to be with you sometimes, you're boring."

I stepped on the brake when I saw the red light. "And what are we going to talk about? You want us to talk about those troubles you got involved in?" I turned to Raki, giving her a dark look. "Do you think I already forgot what you did the other day? You think I don't know you're lying to me again? You think I don't know you've been seeing—"

"Green light is on! Go, Sister!"

"Oh my gosh!" My heart raced after I heard Raki. I nervously stepped on the gas and turned the steering wheel.

I didn't realize I was holding my breath until we crossed the intersection. I blinked my eyes, restraining my tears from streaming down. My heart is still racing because of the nervousness.

I thought it would happen again.

I shook my head lightly to erase the fragments of memories I'm still trying to bury in oblivion. An instant later, I felt Raki's palm on my hand holding the steering wheel, signaling me to stop the car first. 

I followed her. I pulled the car over to the side of the road.

"I'm sorry if I scared you, Sister." Raki stared at me with her teary eyes, worried upon seeing my sudden fear.

"I'm okay," I smiled a bit. "My eyes just got hurt from the dust that came in."

I started the car's engine. I stopped talking because I didn't want Raki to ask me any more questions. Raki probably also noticed this, she didn't utter a word anymore. She just put the earphones on her both ears, leaned her head against the window and closed her eyes. On the other hand, I focused my attention on the middle of the road.

I parked in front of the convenience store. After unbuckling my seatbelt, I stepped out of the car. I didn't bother waking Raki because I know she might have stayed up playing online games last night.

"Good morning, ma'am." The security guard greeted me as I entered the convenience store.

"Good morning, too." I greeted back before heading to the ice cream section.

I also bought Raki some chips and chocolates. I bought sanitizers and some toiletries too.

I glanced at my car parked outside the convenience store through the glass wall while the cashier punched my purchases.

"One thousand three hundred fifty-three, Ma'am."

I turned back to the cashier. I took a bill from my purse and handed it to the cashier.

I left the store as soon as I got my change. I walked towards my parked car but stopped after a few steps. I immediately covered my eyes with my palm as I was dazzled by the sunlight not until I accidentally bumped into something big—a tall figure specifically.

"Ouch!" I flinched, holding my nose after it hit something hard in front of me. I stepped back and looked up at the person I bumped into. "Oh my gosh, I'm really sorry—"

I was left speechless when I found out who owned that broad and firm chest.

"It's you again."

I froze in my tracks as my round, ebony eyes met his gaze— chaining on his thick, lashed eyes. I silently gasped for air while scanning his face like I'm obliged to memorize every detail of the clearer version of it—from his broad and thick eyebrows, chiseled nose, strong jawline down to his curvy, wet and thin lips that complimented well on his chiseled angular face...

"You're the woman I helped last night. If I'm not mistaken...you're Clari, right?" He grinned at me with his deep set of silver eyes as deep as his voice.

Kade has a strong feature. Would that be the reason why it made me suddenly gulp and make my knees turn jelly? 

Nonetheless, I still managed to return his sly, intimidating smile. "Ahm...yes, I am. Nice to meet you again, Mr. Montalvo. Thank you again for helping me last night." I held out my hand in front of him, expecting him to accept. However, he just raised his thick eyebrows.

"I didn't expect you to even remember my name," he said.

Feeling embarrassed by what he did, I quickly put my hand down and hid it behind my back. "Y-Your name isn't long, so it's easy to remember." I replied.

"I see..."

I cleared my throat, playing with my fingers behind me. "Ahm...m-my sister is in my car. She may be waiting already for me. I-I think I need to go."

My flitted as Kade stared intently at my face.  The way he stares at me makes me feel uneasy. I don't know if it's because there's something in his eyes or the fact that I'm clearly seeing his handsome face he used to hide under the mask.

"I really need to go. Bye!" I stepped backward. I was about to turn away from him when the heel of one of my pumps broke.

It happened so fast that I couldn't think quickly to prevent myself from stumbling. I just closed my eyes and was ready to fall to the ground when strong arms were wrapped around my waist. His masculine perfume clung to my nose when my face accidentally pressed into his chest.

"I didn't know you're sometimes careless." Kade chuckled as I looked up at him, abashed.

"Ahh..." I swallowed hard when my gaze went down on his wet lips.

"Aha! So that's why it's taking you so long to get back to the car! You're meeting someone here!"

I immediately moved away from Kade after I heard Raki's voice in front of them

"Raki..." I faced Raki, who's now giving me a silly smile with her arms folded.

She came closer to me and whispered. "I caught you, sister." 

"Shut up, Raki." I murmured firmly.

Shaking her head, Raki walked away from me. "Like I've suspected, you're really hiding your boyfriend from us. Sister Jinni and Sister Aina need to know this."

I gave Raki a threatening stare.

"Brother, how long have you and Sister Clari been toge…"

My brows furrowed when Raki's face suddenly turned pale the moment her eyes darted behind me.

"Long time no see, Skateboard Girl! Surprised after noticing me?"

"Wait. You know each other, Raki?" I looked back and forth between Kade and Raki.

Biting her lower lip, Raki stared at me with her hooded eyes. She's asking for help. I'm certain she's done something stupid again.

"Do you now have a way to pay me back, hmm...Skateboard Girl?"

I gave Kade a baffled look. "Skateboard Girl? What do you mean?"

Saying nothing, Kade lifted one side of his lips. He walked beside me, passing over me as he approached Raki. However, before he could even get close to Raki, I hastily approached Raki first before he did.

I rashly took off my pumps and shielded Raki using my body, making Kade stop in front of me.

 "Sister Clari..." I could feel Raki's trembling body behind me.

I stealthily handed her the plastic bag I'm carrying the whole time then turned to Kade, who's giving me a cold stare. "She's my younger sister. I didn't know what really happened, but as her older sister...I apologized for whatever my sister did to you."

Kade's lips twitched. "I'm surprised you two are  siblings."

He folded his arms, staring at Raki hiding behind me. "Your sister broke the windshield of my car when she threw her friend's phone and accidentally hit my car. I was about to confront them that time, but they ran away. Am I right..Raki?"

"W-Wait...m-maybe you're just mistaken me for someone. M-Maybe the one that you saw looks just like me." Raki stammered while she stealthily pulled the hem of my blazer.

"I'm sorry, Skateboard Girl, but I remember your face very well. I won't forget your face that caused me not to use my car for a few days." Scoffing at Raki, Kade put his one hand into his front pocket. "You even dropped it. I'm really sure this is yours, Raki."

I gasped when he raised his hand, holding a very familiar necklace. That was the necklace I gave Raki!

"I-I'm really sorry for what my sister did. We'll just pay for the damages." I stammered.

Kade shook his head and stepped forward. "I can't accept cash as a payment. I'm a businessman. I have a lot of that. I want something else..."

My brows knitted, "What do you want?"

"Then are you willing to give me what I want?" Kade gazed at me in his intense silver eyes and tensed jaw.

He crossed our short distance. He put his hands on my shoulders and aligned his face next to mine, making our faces only about an inch apart.

"Convince your sister to go on a date with me..."

My jaw fell at what I heard. 

* * *

    "SISTER Clari, what did that man tell you?"

Raki asked me after I parked the car in the garage of our mansion house. I pulled out the car keys and stepped out of the car barefooted.

"Hey, Sister Clari?" Raki also got out of the car to follow me. "What did that fool tell you?"

"That man wanted you to go out with him on a date as compensation for breaking the windshield of his car."

"What?! That one really has a brain defect. What did you tell him then?!"

I stopped from walking. "I didn't say anything. Here's his calling card. He gave me this earlier. He asked me to give it to you in case you agree." I handed Raki the card that Kade had given earlier. "He's giving you three days to decide or else..."

"And now he's threatening!" Frustratedly, Raki slapped her forehead and snatched the card from my hand. "He's rich. Why would he still charge us for what he spent on repairing that windshield when it's just a penny for him?" 

I let out a distressed sigh, "Next time, lessen that clumsiness of yours so you won't get in trouble." I commented before turning my back on Raki.

"What should I do now? I don't want to date that manong."

I just shook my head at Raki, who's tailing me as we entered the mansion. I went straight to the kitchen to get some water. 

"So, what's your plan now?" I asked Raki behind my back while I looked for something to drink in the fridge.

"I don't want to go with him, Sister. I can't..."

I was stunned for a moment. The ringing of my phone brought me back to my senses. I pulled it out of my blazer's pocket to see who's calling.

I answered the call after I saw it's from my secretary. "Yes, Janna? Is there a problem in the office?"

"Miss Clari, you have a personal call on line two."

My brows furrowed. "Okay. Just connect the call to me."

Janna didn't answer until I heard her tapping in the background. An instant later, I heard a dial tone, indicating that I had been connected to that person.

"Yes, hello. Ms. Gallego of Casa de Gallego speaking." I introduced.

"Wow! I didn't know you had a pleasant voice. I am speaking with the elder Gallego. Right, Clarity?"

My brows furrowed even more after I heard the familiar voice on the other line. "Mr. Montalvo..."

I heard his soft laugh on the other line. "I like the way you call me in my last name-"

"What do you need?" I didn't know but I'm getting annoyed by his voice.

"You know what I need. I called to make sure you keep your word."

I couldn't help but laugh sarcastically. "Mr. Montalvo, my sister is no longer a child to be tricked like that and you're also not a teenager anymore to be stubborn with a twenty-year-old. There's nothing you can do if my sister doesn't want to date you. Leave my sister alone. She's too young for you."

Kade laughed at me. "You're sister is a challenge for me. Letting her go easily can deprive my alpha male ego."

I was about to speak when Raki suddenly snatched the phone from me.

"Hey! Manong! If you think you can get me to date you, you're wrong! If you don't want us to pay you, then we won't! Get a life!" Raki hissed and quickly hung up.

I gave her a threatening look. "Raki!"  

She bit her lower lip, giving me an apologetic face. "Sorry, Sister Clari...but...because..."

I took a deep breath. I stared at her with my bloodshot eyes. "Don't worry. I will not force you to do it. I won't force you to Kade. You don't have to do that." I approached Raki. I brushed some strands of her hair to the side and tucked them behind her ears. "Let Sister handle. Okay?" I gently said.

Raki nodded like a child to me. I can't help but smile when her face slightly lit up.