SWEET MESSAGE.

"COME IN," I said without raising my head when I heard a knock from outside.

 "So, it's true that you just came back from your long vacation, Ms. General Manager."

I took my eyes off the reports in my hand to look at Star standing in the doorway.

"Do you need something, or did you just come here to say that?" I asked her with a blank expression.

Star didn't answer me. She folded her arms and walked toward me. She stopped in front of my table and pulled out a small envelope from her corporate blazer pocket.

"An invitation for you to attend a social event." She held it out in front of me, which I immediately took.

"By the way, I'm here to inform you I'll also be having my vacation next week."

I gave her a long look before I started talking. "Your VL was scheduled for the first week of next month. Why are you changing it so abruptly?"

"I realized I plotted it too late."

I stared at her coldly. "No, you can't. Stick to the schedule," I said with finality.

"What?! No!" Star shrieked, and it echoed throughout my office. "If you can get a vacation leave outside of your planned schedule, why can't I?"

"That was unexpected. Someone just messed up my schedule—"

"I don't give a damn!" she abruptly interrupted, narrowing her eyes at me. "Like it or not, I'm taking it next week, period!"

I rubbed my temple. "Alright! Just do what you want. You shouldn't have told me if you would not follow my instructions in the first place." I said, a little annoyed.

Star is more stubborn than my sister. I know we'll argue all day if I don't agree with what she wants. Not because I'm letting her rule me, but because this is my first day back at work, and I just want to be at peace. I won't let this kind of conversation ruin my mood for the whole day.

"See you next week, Ms. General Manager," Star smirked as she walked out of my office.

I shrugged it off. I don't want to deal with such a childish attitude.

After reviewing reports and emails, I went down to the lobby. I took my brunch first before I called for Silas and the other staff to come with me. 

*  * *

I flashed a forced smile at Mr. Hwang when he got close to me.

We are here in an agricultural store to buy fertilizers and other supplies we need for the expansion of the Mango Farm and Gallego Garden. Silas and the others are with me, and they are busy loading our purchases into our pickup truck. 

"Good thing you're here, Ms. Gallego. Did you check my message?" Mr. Hwang asked.

I nodded and gave him a thrifty smile. "I'm sorry, Mr. Hwang, but I can't accept your invitation for tonight."

His brows furrowed. "Why not?"

"I have a lot of office work to finish today." I replied.

"Come on, Ms. Gallego, I'm just asking for an hour of your time for a dinner date. I'll pick you up at your office at 7:00 pm sharp, and I'm sure you've finished your work by then."

I puffed a heavy sigh. "I'm really sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Hwang, but actually I have a prior appointment tonight."

"But Ms. Gallego—"

"Clarity."

Mr. Hwang and I both turned around to see who was speaking.

It's Kade, clad in a black business suit with a pair of black leather shoes. He was carrying a laptop bag on one of his shoulders. He also seems to have cut his hair. It is shorter than the last time we met after he dropped me off at the mansion a day ago.

Kade came over to my side, causing Mr. Hwang's face to turn sour. He scanned Kade from head to toe before returning his gaze to me. "Who is this man, Ms. Gallego?" he asked.

"I'm Kade Montalvo." Kade answered the latter's question in my place. He held out his hand with a serious expression. "And you are?"

"Chen Wei Hwang." Mr. Hwang replied blandly, ignoring Kade's hand.

"I see. So you're one of those Clarity's persistent suitors? Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Chen Wei Hwang, but this woman next to me is already my girlfriend. You should leave her alone," Kade said darkly. 

Mr. Hwang's face revealed surprise. "I-I t-thought she's single."

"Not until now." Kade stepped closer to him and patted his shoulder, which made the latter tremble. "Sir, I know my girlfriend is attractive, but forcing her to go on a date with you... makes my blood boil."

"Kade." I reprimanded him. I felt sorry for Mr. Hwang. The man almost passed out from his threatening, but he ignored me.

"I'm telling you, Mr. Hwang...stop bothering my girlfriend. You won't like it when I'm angry."

The color completely left Mr. Hwang's white face. Fear caused his chinky eyes to widen a bit. He immediately moved away from Kade.

"Aren't you going to say something?" Kade raised an eyebrow and took another step closer to the latter.

He was about to hold Mr. Hwang by the shoulder, but the man immediately turned his back on him and walked out of the store without looking back.

I watched Mr. Hwang walk away, pitying him for what Kade did to him.

Mr. Hwang was so persistent that I was getting annoyed at him for bothering me, still he didn't deserve what Kade did earlier.

"Poor man..."

"You shouldn't have done that." I stared at Kade with a straight face. "You shouldn't have threatened him."

"I was only joking. I didn't expect he'd get scared of me." 

I let out a sigh when he even laughed, as if shoving Mr.Hwang away satisfied him. When he stopped laughing, I started talking again.

"What are you doing here, Kade?" I asked.

"I just passed by."

"Really?" I eyed him with a dubious stare. "Or are you following me again?"

"I'm not following you. I simply happened to be passing by because I needed to buy something."

I kept my skeptical look fixed on him. "You're wearing a business suit. Did you come home from work?" Alright! I know I shouldn't be asking this, but I can't help myself. His life, particularly his career, is still a mystery to me.

Lars and Ari didn't say anything about it, nor did Nay Ester, Harry, or any of his friends. The only thing I know is that he owns his own business, which I discovered when I met one of his employees.

"Why are you staring at me like that?"

I shook my head and frowned at him. "You're not answering me."

He knitted his brows briefly before grinning mischievously. "Ah, you're asking if I just got home from work?"

"Just...Ugh! Nevermind!" I just want to be in a good mood today, but this man is ruining it. I was going to walk past him, but he blocked my path with his body.

"I just got back from a conference meeting in El Paso. Before I went home, I stopped by here because Harry has something for me to do for the farm," he explained with a serious look on his face.

"O-Okay..." I gave him a lame look, but deep inside, I'm waiting for him to say more, wanting to know more about him.

"Why do you ask me about my work?"

I swallowed.

"Ms. Clari, we loaded everything in the truck. Do you have anything else to add?"

I almost thanked Silas at that moment when he approached us.

I made a rapid pivot to face him. "N-Nothing. I-If everything's done, let's head back to the farm." Darn it! Why am I stuttering?

"Alright, ma'am. I apologize for the interruption. We'll just wait for you outside," said Silas before quickly bowing to Kade. He then turned his back on us and exited the store with his coworkers.

I was about to follow them, but Kade quickly grabbed my arm and turned me around to face him.

"Not so fast, Babe." He snickered as he scanned my face. "You still haven't answered my question about why you're asking about my job. You're getting interested in me, aren't you?"

I ignored his teasing and stared at him coldly. "You keep saying that you're my boyfriend and it's ironic that I, as your girlfriend, didn't know everything about you. Isn't it unfair that after you stalked me and knew almost everything about me, you didn't have the guts to tell me everything about yourself?"

His eyes shone with surprise and amusement. "You really are interested in me, huh?"

Feeling my cheeks burning, all I could do was purse my lips tight. Did I really say that? 

"Tell me when it started? How come you didn't ask me when we're at Aurora? Why now?" He bombarded me with his questions.

"I-I was just hesitant to ask you." That was my only answer to all his questions.

He nodded, as if he understood my point. A few seconds later, he folded his arms and leaned in close to me. "Admit it, babe. Do you like me too?"

I gulped really hard. "O-Of course n-not! Not because I asked you...means I like you." You are a great liar, Clarity. Since you started it, bear it.

He chuckled. "Stop denying it, babe. I know that you're starting to like me."

"S-Shut up..." I muttered.

"I'm falling in love with you, babe." 

Now I can feel my erratic heartbeat as I feel butterflies in my stomach! Darn it!

"You're blushing."

"I am not." I glanced sideways, avoiding eye contact with him.

He chuckled more. "Even if you don't admit it, I know you're getting butterflies in your stomach right now with what I said." 

"H-How do you say so?" I don't know how many times I swallowed. I could feel my palms sweating from the tension running through my system. Tense as I know to myself that with one more push from him, I'll have no choice but to profess what I'm feeling towards him.

"When you blush and can't look straight at me anymore," he replied.

I tried to look him in the eyes. "Y-You're..."

"I'm what?" he chuckled, amusingly wiggling his brows. He really knows how to catch me off guard.

After firmly closing my eyes, I met his stare. "Alright! I'm already liking you. Happy?"

"Shit! This is gay!"

My brows knitted together. If earlier I was the one avoiding the gaze, now it is him. The up-and-down movement of his Adam's apple can't even escape my eyes.

"Damn..." His tanned face is slowly turning red. He's blushing too!

I couldn't help but sneer as I watched his expression. So this is how he reacts when a woman confesses her feelings for him.

I locked my gaze on his face for a few seconds until he cleared his throat and returned my gaze with a wide smile.

"You caught me off guard, and I'm feeling a tingle of excitement inside," he said as he reached for my chin and caressed it. 

I shoved his hand off my chin. "I-I'm going. My men have been waiting outside for a while now." I tried to say that as coldly as I could, trying to regain my composure after confessing to him. Gosh! I never became like this, not even to Jiro!

"Babe."

"What?" I asked without looking at him.

"So are we? We're officially a couple?"

"What do you think?" I couldn't help but be sarcastic at his question. Even though it's too fast, it's obvious.

He just smiled and shook his head, ignoring my sarcastic remark.

I gasped as he suddenly grabbed my hand and pulled me closer to him, causing me to sink into his chest.

"W-We're making a scene here, Kade." I murmured. His powdery scent lingers on my nose, making me gasp for more air.

"You must leave now. Your men have been watching us for a while now." he whispered in my ear as he pulled himself away from me. He then held my chin and slowly tilted my head to the side.

My eyes widened when I noticed Silas and the others outside through the store's glass wall, as if they were watching a telenovela!

My eyes widened when I saw Silas and the others outside through the glass wall of the store! They're watching Kade and I, as if they were watching a telenovela!

I COULD BARELY look my men in the eyes as I walked out of the store. I went straight inside the car without glancing at them and sat down next to the driver's seat.

A few seconds later, I felt Silas sit in the driver's seat.

"Are we going back to the resort, Ma'am Clari?" he inquired.

I nodded slowly as I darted my eyes to the front of the car. I'm still in shock, and it's all his fault! If he didn't push me—damn! I like him, but I also hate him!

"Ms. Clari."

I paused in my stride when Dean called me as I passed by the lobby area. We're back from the store.

"What is it, Dean?" I approached him at the front desk.

He didn't answer right away. He took something from under his desk.

My mouth fell open when he handed me the bouquet of red roses.

"Someone delivered this flower earlier, and it has your name." Dean said with a smile.

I took the card from the bouquet. I couldn't stop being amazed, not because it had my full name written on it, but because the letters were so beautifully written. Every stroke appears to be meticulously measured. Whoever wrote this must be a writing genius.

I read the message there.

"Hi,

Sorry for ghosting you the other day. I was just doing something important at work. I'll come see you when I'm done. Ayayaten ka!- Kade.

I felt my cheeks burning. He never really ran out of gimmicks. But I'll admit...I'm feeling giddy right now. A lot of butterflies are swarming in my stomach, especially since he wrote this before we met at the store earlier!