PERFECTED ABDUCTION.

 "CLARITY..."

Kade stepped closer to me. His intense eyes squinted at me, as if he wanted to explain further.

I stepped back and gave him a sharp look. "If you want to go on vacation, then go by yourself. Don't bother me, because I don't have time for that."

One corner of his lips rose. "Well… I'm sorry, Ms. Gallego, but I already have your Aunt Roma's approval for your urgent vacation leave."

"What exactly are you saying?"

He didn't respond. He kept coming closer to me, then laid out his phone in front of me.

"What now?!" I scowled as I glanced at the thing in his hand.

"Call your aunt so you'll know I'm telling the truth."

l breathed furiously. I grabbed the phone from him. Because there was no password, I was able to open it quickly. I typed Aunt Roma's number and dialed. I thanked myself that I still remember it.

Aunt responded after a few seconds.

"Yes? Who's this?" Her gentle voice greeted me.

"Aunt..." I gave Kade a sharp look before walking away from him. I could feel his gaze following me, but I ignored it.

"Is that you, Clarity?" Aunt inquired.

"Yes, Aunt. It's me," I confirmed.

"Is that so…? Why are you using a different number now? Did you change your phone number? Why didn't you tell me?" There's sullenness in Tita's voice.

"I'm using Kade's number, Aunt." 

"Oh! Really?! You're with him?"

My forehead wrinkled a bit. "Yes, Aunt. I'm with him."

"Really? So he did tell you that he's bringing you there?"

"No. He dragged me." I countered quickly.

I heard the simultaneous laughter of my aunt on the other line and Kade standing behind me. I bit my lower lip and turned to face him. I gave him a threatening look that he just smiled at.

"Actually...Kade asked me if he could take you there for a few days. He just asked me instead, thinking you might not come with him if you found out he was going to take you there."

I took a deep breath as I bit my lower lip. "Aunt...why did you agree?"

Aunt didn't say anything for a while after what I said. She sighed after a few seconds.

"I'm really sorry, my niece... I just think it's the perfect time for you to take a vacation. You've been so busy these past few months, and you need to take a break."

"I know that, Aunt. That's exactly what I intend to do, but not right now. I'm still doing a lot of things, especially at Mango Farm and Gallego Garden. And I can't leave the resort just like that." I resisted.

"If you're worried about the resort, don't be. Star is there, she knows what she needs to do. She can manage the resort while you're away. Besides, your secretary and Ms. Kalliope are also there."

I shrugged my shoulders. "How about Raki? Does she know I'm going on vacation without her?"

I let out a series of sighs while thinking about Raki. I know she'll get furious when she finds out I'll be gone for a few days, especially when she finds out I went on vacation without her.

"I already told her yesterday, which is why she slept in Star's condo."

My lips tightened. Aunt Roma is really pushing me to date Kade. And Raki is well aware of it. This is a well-planned abduction, and Kade is the mastermind.

I came back to my senses when Aunt spoke again.

"I called Janna earlier, and she informed me that you're all indeed still busy at the resort, even at the farm, but not as much as in the past few months because peak season is almost over, so you better take your vacation, my niece. Don't worry about Raki. I'm sure she and Star were having a good time with each other. It's been a long time since those two were together."

"But, Aunt—"

Aunt Roma cut me off. "Just take your vacation. Don't think about work too much, okay? And please, don't be too harsh to Kade. He's just trying to get your elusive attention because he admires you so much."

My face twisted.

"Oh! It's almost time for work. I'll end this conversation now. Enjoy your stay there in Aurora. Bye!"

 Dumbfounded, I just put the phone down after Aunt just hung up. Kade took the phone from my hand, forcing me to stare at him. He typed a little on the screen, and my eyes just widened when he played the recording of my conversation with Aunt Roma earlier.

"Evidence, in case you sue me for kidnapping," he grinned.

My jaw tightened as I clenched a fist. "Damn you, Montalvo." I cursed softly as I swiftly turned my back on him.

My goodness! I really can't believe I'm with this kind of guy!

"Where are you going?" He's chuckling.

"I'm going back to Santi Tierra!" I hissed, without looking back at him.

"How will you get back?" 

"I'll go find a bus back to Santi Tierra!"

"Where will you look?"

"Downtown!"

"Do you know where the town is?"

"I have a mouth, I can ask!"

"How are you going to town?"

"I'll walk!"

"You'll have to walk a long distance. Can you do it?"

"Of course!"

"You'll walk even if it's ten miles away?" He cackled, and that made my chest more infuriated.

I shut my eyes firmly. Breathing ragingly, I glared at him. "Do you really think it's funny, huh?!"

He shook his head.

"Then is it not even funny to me! For fucking sake—"

I suddenly froze when Kade leaned on my face. His movements were so quick that I didn't notice his sudden approach. I just felt his arm wrap around my waist.

"I told you...I don't want to hear you curse, Clarity."

I'm lost for words. I can't tell how many times I swallowed at that point. His silver eyes glowed with desire. The longer I stare at it, the more shivers run down my spine.

"One more time I hear you cursing...I swear, Gallego...I'll make you lose yourself..."

I abruptly gasped, almost losing myself, when he suddenly kissed one of my cheeks closest to the side of my lip.

Minutes passed before I recovered. I was about to open my mouth, ready to scowl at him, but I pressed it shut when his phone rang.

Kade stepped back and took his phone from the back pocket of his pants.

"Yes. I'm already here." he said on the other end of the line. "Please tell Nay Ester to open the gate for us."

I followed him with my eyes when he walked towards the gate opposite his parked car.

My lips parted when I caught sight of the tall, gold-painted gate. It is sheltered by a massive Narra tree next to it. Above the gate is the engraved name "Hacienda Montalvo," which, if you don't pay attention, you won't see as it is almost obscured by the vines that were deliberately allowed to cling there.

"Where is she? If she's busy...then YOU open the gate yourself...damn that laziness!"

I cast a glance at Kade when I heard him click his tongue irritably.

"I can never really count on you!" He sighed irritatingly before he hung up the phone.

"W-What happened?" I curiously asked him.

He turned to me with a dark expression on his face, but he quickly wiped it away.

"No one will open the gate for us, so I'll just climb it." he explained.

"What?!" I asked in surprise. "Don't you have a key?"

He shook his head. "That gate doesn't have a key," he said, pointing to the gate in front of us with his lips.

I knitted my brows. "W-Why not?"

"That is not an ordinary gate. It's a password-protected gate that only the people inside the mansion can open because the password button is behind this wall, unless you're brave enough to climb the gate.

My jaw dropped, astounded by what he had just revealed. That is mind-boggling if he is telling the truth. Who would have thought that there's something like this in the provinces, especially in this area?

Kade snickered at me. "Were you surprised? Did you think there is no such thing like that in provinces like Aurora?"

I gave him a blank expression, but I instantly averted my eyes when he took off his jacket.

"Hold it, please." he asked, forcing me to turn around to face him. I found his jacket held out in front of me.

"This is quite expensive, and it'll be such a waste if it gets hooked on the iron bars and tears," he explained when he noticed my reluctance to take it.

Without looking him in the eyes, I took the jacket from him. Meanwhile, he walked toward the gate again and began to crack his knuckles.

My jaw just dropped when Kade started climbing the high gate. Climbing in that tall gate is like risking your life to have a broken limb, but watching him fearlessly climb on it, he seemed very confident in himself.

Actually, I'm quite amazed while watching him. He had no trouble grasping and stepping on iron bars with large gaps. His movements were strong and swift, like he was a pro at climbing.

Few minutes later, he rose himself to the top of the gate and stood as if he were just standing on the ground! He bent his body slightly...

In nervousness, I swallowed hard.

Don't tell me he's going to...

I almost screamed when he jumped down there from the top of the gate! It's almost six times taller than his height, for Pete's sake!

I didn't realize I was holding my breath until he landed smoothly and calmly, as if he didn't care about jumping that high.

He shook his left hand, which he laid down on the ground earlier as support for his safe landing. He then turned to me with a frivolous smile. "Were you worried about me, Clarity, that I'd get hurt from the jump?"

Because they're thick, the wiggling of his eyebrows didn't escape from my sight, as if he were amused to see my 'twisted-hard to paint' face from what he did earlier!

I pursed my lips. I took a step closer to him while he pressed something on the side of the gate, causing it to open slowly.

As wide as he opened the gate, so was the wide smile he gave me when I stopped in front of him.

"You're sweating—"

"You're really out of your mind!" I slammed his jacket into his chest, cutting off his speech.

He chuckled.

"What else did I do, and you're flaring your nostrils again?" he teased, acting innocent as he slung the jacket over his shoulder.

"A normal person would never do what you did!" 

"So... you're trying to say I'm abnormal? Is that it?" He jokingly asked.

"You said that, not me." I pointed out.

"Well….I'm too good-looking to be called abnormal." He chuckled as he bragged. He even attempted to hold my arm, but I avoided him.

"I've just observed that you're being hard on me these days. Why is that, Ms. Gallego?" He ran his fingers through his short, rather disheveled hair. "You were rude at first, but now that I'm courting you, you've become even ruder. Are you really that harsh to your lovers?"

 "No..."

"Why are you so harsh to—"

"Because you're becoming too annoying."

"In what ways have I been annoying to you?"

"Whatever you said and done!"

"Is that so?" he chuckled. "I'm just trying to get your attention, though."

"And I don't like your way. You're too..."

"I'm...too, what?"

"Too demanding, manipulative, and really annoying!" I firmly said.

"What do you want me to do, then?"

"Just leave me alone."

I creased my brows when he laughed sarcastically.

"Why are you laughing?" I scowled.

"You really don't get it, Clarity. Do you?"

"I don't have any idea what you're saying." I'm lying. Of course I know what he meant.

Kade is very persistent. The more I resist, the more he will insist. Even if I tell him to stop badgering me...I know...he still won't.

"You're smart, but when it comes to things like this... you're a little slow."

I gritted my teeth, "Could you please direct it to the point?"

He shook his head. "Let's go." Laughing, he walked back to his car. He completely ignored my words.

Infuriated, I shut my eyes tightly. God! Please extend my patience with this man!

Kade whistled at me when he noticed I hadn't moved yet. I gave him a surly look, but he shrugged it off.

"Hop in." he said before he went inside his car.

I returned to the car quietly. I didn't glance at him, even though I knew he's watching me while I buckled my seatbelt.

He coughed gently, but I kept ignoring him. To argue with him using his futile reasons will just make me feel exhausted.

The repeated annoyance that arose every time I spoke with him was exhausting. It was exhausting to argue with him again and again, but in the end...I still lost.

"Do you need help—"

"No need." I cut him off coldly and focused my eyes on the road.

Kade slowly drove the car into the open gate. We passed through vast terrain as we took the flat and smooth road. A few moments later, I saw a mansion surrounded by tall trees. I leaned on the windshield, but I touched my stomach when it growled.

"You're hungry?" Kade peeked at me from the front mirror.

I bit my lower lip and nodded. I'm indeed starving. I only had one slice of cake last night. I didn't touch the things he bought last night because I was so annoyed with him.

"We're getting close to the mansion. Can you hold it?"

"Yeah," I answered weakly.

* * * 

KADE STOPPED the car in front of the high gate. It has the same design as the one I saw earlier, but the paint is black and the name engraved on it is larger.

My nose wrinkled slightly. After that secured gate, there is another gate.

I got out of the car, and from there, I could see the pink mansion up close. Kade followed me. He walked to the side of the gate and pressed something on it, causing it to split in two and open automatically.

He entered first, so I followed, but I immediately gasped in awe when the wide garden in front of the mansion greeted us.

Gosh! This place is marvelous.

I looked around with gleaming eyes. I did not expect that what we will find is like paradise. There's an old fountain with small potted plants surrounding it. Blue and white daisies, small palm trees, and various plants were scattered throughout the area.

My eyes sparkled with delight, and I couldn't take my gaze away from the entire garden scene. It's like a small paradise hidden behind a large wall.

A strong wind blew, and the strong scent of the Ylang-Ylang tree suddenly stung my nose. My nose itches quickly, causing me to sneeze.

As he turned to face me, Kade lifted one corner of his lips. He's grinning, as if my sneezing entertained him.

"What?" I asked, frowning.

He grinned and shook his head. "Nothing."

I pursed my lips, but I sneezed once more. Dammit! My nose can be sensitive to strong scents sometimes!

I could feel Kade approaching me, but I just ignored it. I continued to sneeze, causing tears to well up around my eyes. However, I stiffened as my eyes suddenly widened when Kade put his hand on the back of my head and pulled me closer to him, pressing his chiseled chest against my nose, causing me to swallow hard.

One of his shoulders shifted, as if he was pulling something from the pocket of his jacket.

"Use it first," he said, holding out the face mask he had brought out of there in front of me.

That was the mask he was wearing when we first met on that dark road.

 "Don't worry, it's brand new. I haven't used it yet." He assured me when I just stared at that thing blankly.