"Did I see it wrong? Or did Lucca look at you like he wanted to devour you?" Mira said while driving.
I thought I was the only one who noticed it, but even Mira caught on.
"Do you think he got mad because you kept insisting on paying the debt?" she added.
I looked at her and nodded. "He saw it differently, and that's what made him mad."
"He's scary. I hope he doesn't come with us."
"But he said yes to Dominic."
"Yeah, right. Just like in a story, main characters would be nothing without the villain."
I chuckled. "So Lucca is the villain."
"Who else would it be? Definitely not my lovely Damian."
"Yeah, definitely not him. He doesn't even know how to open his mouth." I laughed.
"He's just nonchalant. Why? Do you prefer Lucca opening his rude mouth?" Mira raised her left eyebrow and glanced at me as the stoplight turned red.
"I didn't say anything."
"But it seems like you don't want him to be the villain."
"I didn't say anything."
We both chuckled and changed the topic, discussing what we should bring for the short trip. I was excited because I really wanted to go somewhere that felt like the province. I missed my old life, far from the polluted and crowded city.
"Thanks, Mira. See you tomorrow," I said as I got out of the car. I opened the gate, locked it behind me, and headed inside the house. Just as I pulled out my phone, it vibrated.
Did Lucca offend you?
It was a text from Dominic. He hadn't been able to talk to me earlier because something important came up. Even their plan to drink wine got canceled.
I texted back: No. Short but safe.
I thought he wouldn't reply, but my phone vibrated again.
He was offended. Haha.
Why would he be offended? As I started typing my reply, Dominic suddenly called me.
"Hey, Seraphina."
"Ah, hi," I greeted.
"Are you about to sleep?"
"Not yet," I answered. "What do you mean Lucca was offended?"
"I just feel like he was offended because you kept insisting on paying your hospital bill."
"But it really is my debt."
"Now I understand your similarity." Dominic chuckled.
"What do you mean?" I asked, but he just kept laughing on the other end.
"You're both stubborn."
"Am I?"
"Quite a bit. You don't want to owe him, and he doesn't want to accept your payment. Just don't pay him. He doesn't need it anyway. Try saving it for the future," Dominic said.
"But I still want to pay," I insisted, even if not in full, maybe in installments.
"Just don't." Dominic's voice turned serious. "I know Lucca. He won't accept it, no matter how much you insist."
"Then how can I repay him if he won't take the money?"
"Why not ask him if he needs something other than money?"
What did Dominic mean? Did Lucca need something more than money? I couldn't give him expensive gifts or anything like that.
"I have to go. I've got another call coming in. Bye, Seraphina. Good night," he said before ending the call.
I tried not to dwell on Dominic's words, but they only made me more confused, just like Lucca himself. If he didn't want money, then what did he want?
A scene suddenly flashed in my mind, making me shake my head over and over. I couldn't believe I was even thinking about something like that. I'm sure I'm not his type. With his gorgeous, perfect features, he wouldn't be interested in someone like me, whose looks don't even compare to his.
But why did that thought cross my mind?
My phone vibrated again. This time, it was a reminder that I had to meet Dr. Keith tomorrow after work. I hadn't visited his clinic since last week. I should go see him tomorrow.
The next day…
Just as I had planned, I went to Dr. Keith's clinic after work. I told Mira that I would be leaving at 4:00 because I had an appointment. Since I was open about it, she understood.
"Long time no see, Seraphina," Dr. Keith said as I entered his clinic.
"Good afternoon, Dr. Keith." I sat on the chair in front of him.
"You haven't visited since last week," he noted.
"I was confined in the hospital."
"Were you sick?" he asked.
"Yes."
"Are you okay now?"
"Yes. I'm perfectly fine."
"So how are you feeling right now? Are you still thinking about your grandma and such?"
"I still think about her, but not as much as before. Though I still have this urge to go somewhere far away where no one knows me."
"I see you glowing. It's only been a month, but I can already see progress."
"What?"
Dr. Keith smiled. "Even though I see progress, you still need to come here so I can monitor you. And by the way, you don't have to worry about the payment."
"What?" I didn't understand what he meant.
"Someone paid for you," he said with a smile.
"Who paid for my session, Doc? Aside from Mira, no one knows I'm seeing a psychiatrist."
"Lucca Knight," he answered.
I was stunned by the revelation.
"How did… how did he know?" I asked, my voice shaking.
"He saw your profile on my table."
"He was here?"
"He's my patient."
I paused, unable to process what he had just said. Lucca Knight, the man who seemed like a monster on the outside, was seeing a psychiatrist. Did his friends know about this?
"He's quite stubborn, unlike you. He only wants to take medicine without therapy. But medicine alone can't fully help," Dr. Keith added.
I didn't respond. My mind was racing with questions. Why was Lucca seeing a psychiatrist? And why did he pay for my sessions?
"I need to go, Doctor," I said.
"You just got here. We still need to continue your therapy."
As much as I wanted to leave, I followed his instructions. I was eager to talk to Lucca and confront him about why he kept spending money on me even though we weren't even friends.
The session ended after 30 minutes. When I stepped out of the clinic, it was already dark. I went to the bus station and waited. After a few minutes, I boarded a bus.
I couldn't stop thinking about Lucca. I wanted to know why he was seeing Dr. Keith. Was his situation worse than mine? He looked tough on the outside, rude, even. Or was he hiding something? Did Damian and Dominic know about it? Should I ask Dominic?
I shook my head. I shouldn't. What if he didn't know? I might expose something Lucca wanted to keep private. He would definitely get mad.
When the bus stopped, I got off and walked home. I locked the gate and went straight to my room to grab some clothes before taking a bath. Afterward, I went to the kitchen and drank warm water.
I decided to skip dinner since there was no food in the refrigerator and I didn't have time to buy any. I'd just do the grocery shopping tomorrow after work.
As I finished drinking, my phone vibrated. It was Mira.
"Hello," I answered.
"Are you done with your session?" she asked.
"Yes."
"Where are you now?"
"At home."
"Have you eaten dinner?"
Should I lie? If I said no, she might come over and bring food.
"I'm not hungry. I'm about to sleep."
"On an empty stomach?"
I rolled my eyes. I knew she was about to nag me.
"I'll go there."
"I'm really not hungry. I just need to sleep," I said, then yawned.
I heard Mira sigh deeply, as if she had given up. I smiled, even though she couldn't see me.
"See you tomorrow," I said.
"Okay. Just eat a lot tomorrow morning. Good night."
"Good night," I replied and ended the call.
At least she didn't force me to go out for dinner. I was really tired and still trying to process everything I learned today.
I lay on the bed, thinking about Lucca again. I was curious, why was he seeing a psychiatrist? How did he end up in Dr. Keith's clinic? Since when? Why did he only want medication and refuse therapy?
Then more questions came. Did he have a family? Where were his parents? Did he have siblings? Why was he alone in that mansion? Why did he always seem so gloomy and distant? Did he have trauma? A painful past?
I wanted to ask all these questions, but I knew I couldn't. One glare from him, and I'd probably lose my voice.
I fell asleep thinking about it.
The next morning, I woke up early. I planned to stop by a convenience store to buy breakfast since I skipped dinner. While on the bus, I texted Mira to ask where she was. She said she was still driving, so I told her I'd wait for her at the convenience store.
I went inside and started choosing what to eat for breakfast. For lunch, I decided I'd just ask Mira if we could eat at the cafeteria.
"Sera!" Mira called, waving at me. I smiled and greeted her.
"What did you get?" she asked, peeking into my basket.
"Tuna panini, almond milk, and some chips for snacks later," I said.
"I think I'll get pasta," she replied, grabbing her own basket.
I went to the counter and paid for my items. After a while, Mira paid for hers as well.
"I need to buy some coffee," she said as we walked across the pedestrian lane. I followed her to the coffee shop. She ordered her usual drink, and as always, I declined her offer to buy me something since I already had my milk.
As we timed in, it was already 6:55, five minutes before 7. I placed the plastic bag on my table and turned on my computer. I planned to eat my breakfast while answering emails and processing orders.
Mira and I didn't talk. We were both busy with work. It was only during lunch that we finally had time to speak.
"Whoa, so many orders and emails. I'm tired," Mira exclaimed, stretching her arms. I agree. Today had been just as hectic as the previous days.
"I think I need a massage," she added.
"Let's do that after work." This time, I was the one who invited her.
"Really? You're inviting me now?" she said, her eyes sparkling. I rolled my eyes at her exaggerated expression. She laughed and stood up.
"Let's go to the cafeteria," Mira said, and I stood as well. We headed there together.
I ordered sautéed mixed vegetables, fried chicken, and rice, while Mira got pork adobo, seaweed salad, and rice.
We started eating while chatting.
"After the massage, I'll go to the grocery store. I don't have any food at home," I told her.
"I'm planning to do the same. I don't have any stocks either."
I nodded and continued eating.
"Are you excited about going to Dominic's townhouse?" Mira suddenly asked.
"Not really," I replied, trying to sound casual. I didn't want Mira to notice that I was actually a bit excited; she might misinterpret it.
"Hmmm," she said, clearly unconvinced.
I shrugged and focused on my food. While we were eating, a commotion suddenly filled the cafeteria. When we looked up, we saw our boss, Dominic, entering.
"Mira! Sera!"
"Dom—" Mira almost called him by his name, but quickly corrected herself. "Sir!"
People around us started staring. I wanted to disappear under their curious and confused gazes. Who wouldn't? Dominic had just called us by our names. We weren't even known in the company.
Dominic walked straight toward us, followed by his secretary.
"I haven't had lunch yet. Good thing I saw you two eating," he said, sitting beside me. The murmurs grew louder as people whispered around us.
"Sir," I started, lowering my voice. "Do you realize people are staring at us?"
He smiled casually. "Yeah… and?"
"They're gossiping about us."
"You're my friends. Is it a crime to call my friends?"
"But you're our boss. It's unusual for others," I explained.
He chuckled. "Don't worry about it, Seraphina. It's nothing," he said, then patted my head.
The whispers grew even louder. My cheeks flushed, not because of what he did, but because I felt extremely shy. I hated being the center of attention. I preferred staying in the corner where no one noticed me.
Mira, on the other hand, seemed to enjoy it. She was clearly amused by my reaction and the gossip.
"Are you okay?" Dominic asked. His secretary had already placed a tray of food in front of him.
"Do I look okay?" I whispered, just loud enough for him to hear.
Mira let out a small laugh, careful not to be too loud. She knew I was uncomfortable.
"Why didn't you have lunch in your office, Sir?" Mira asked, trying to ease the situation.
"I actually went to your department first, but you weren't there. The head told me you were probably here, and he was right."
"You even went to our department? That's a huge scandal," Mira whispered, though she seemed to enjoy the attention. Meanwhile, I just wanted to run away from all the gossip.
He chuckled. "That's one of the perks of being handsome," Dominic said, then winked at me.
I heard a few gasps; people must have seen it. Then I remembered the prank he pulled in the parking lot. I had gotten mad at him for it. Was he trying to stir up gossip again?
"No," Dominic said suddenly.
"Huh?" I looked at him.
He smiled. "I won't do the prank I did before. I know you didn't like it. I don't want you to be mad at me," he explained.
That made me feel at ease. Then I realized, it wasn't really Dominic's fault that people were gossiping. He had every right to be in the cafeteria. Neither Mira nor I had the right to tell him where he could or couldn't go.
"I miss cafeteria food," Dominic said as he took a spoonful of rice. His dishes were chicken tinola, pork steak, and steamed vegetables. He seemed to really enjoy his meal. His secretary remained quiet, simply observing us.
After a few minutes, Dominic finished eating.
"I want coffee. Let's go to the coffee shop," he said.
"We don't have time to go to the coffee shop, Sir. Our break time is over," I replied respectfully.
"I'll just inform your head that I called you," Dominic reasoned.
"You can't just tell the head that you took us to a coffee shop, Sir. People might misinterpret it," I said.
He smiled. "You're very straightforward."
"Not that, Sir. She's just really shy right now because she's getting so much attention," Mira said.
Dominic laughed at her comment.
"Do you want me to stop eating here?" he asked, looking at me.
I glanced around. People were still gossiping, though the whispers weren't as loud anymore.
"It's your company. We don't have the right to stop you," I replied honestly.
He smiled at me before excusing himself to return to his office. He said he would just have his secretary buy his coffee since we wouldn't be joining him. He also treated us to drinks. I chose a cold strawberry milk. If I kept refusing, he might get offended, or at least, that's what I thought.
Mira and I went back to the office and resumed our work. We were both looking forward to clocking out so we could finally get our massage. After half an hour, Dominic's secretary arrived and handed us the drinks we had requested earlier. We thanked him, and he simply nodded.
I actually enjoyed the strawberry milk. It was sweet and refreshing. At least it gave us enough energy to get through the rest of the afternoon.
When 4:00 PM struck, we timed out and headed straight to the parking lot to get into Mira's car. We drove to the mall and decided to go for a blind massage. We chose a two-hour session. The entire experience was soothing and relaxing. It eased both my mind and body.
After the massage, we went to the grocery store and bought some whole foods. I missed preparing my own meals since I hadn't been able to do it last week.
"I'm hungry," Mira said.
"Let's eat at the BBQ station," I suggested. The place offered unlimited rice with grilled meat and fish. It was one of my go-to spots since it was affordable.
I ordered pork barbecue, while Mira chose grilled chicken. As soon as our food arrived, we started eating right away. We were both starving after the massage and walking around the grocery store.
After about 30 minutes at the BBQ station, Mira drove me home.
"Thank you again, Mira," I said, waving goodbye as I got out of the car.
I went inside and was about to lock the gate when I noticed someone standing nearby, looking in my direction. At first, I thought the person was just passing by. But when I peered through the small gap in the gate, our eyes met.
A sudden chill ran through my body.
I couldn't clearly see who it was, but the moment our eyes met… I felt something unsettling.