Chapter 1: Let the love and hate begin

A celebration took place in a class hotel for actors, actresses, and top models. The place was full of elegant fresh flowers. Stunning lights. Also, a long red carpet lay on the floor. The party invitees are almost complete because their conversation and laughter are too loud. Their undying plasticity and showing off each other are unstoppable. There is no denying that there are only celebrities there

However, the most famous actress does not enter the hotel. It seems she is waiting for someone. Even though her face is beautiful, the disappointment is visible. She opened her handbag and took out her cell phone. She pressed it tightly and put it to her ear.

"Where are you?" The tone of her voice was high.

"Sandra, didn't I tell you I can't go."

"Why? I'm not here with anyone, Charles. You are the one I want to date. The media is watching me here outside," Sandra angrily said. She stomped on her right foot even though the heel of her shoe was high.

“Sandra, Clay is there. He will protect you. He can be at your side anytime you need him," Charles explained. Sandra's heart filled with anger.

"Why do you always treat me like this? Do you mean it? Charles, you know I want you. I want you by my side!”

“Clay loves you. I don't want to hurt my brother's feelings. You are also more suitable for each other because of your profession. Don't give up–”

"Is it because of him why you don't like me?" Sandra scolded Charles. Tears began to well up in her eyes. But Sandra tried to force herself to hold her tears from falling because the photographers were close to her. Her hands were shaking because of the hatred she felt.

"It's not like that, Sandra—" Charles couldn't finish what he was going to say when Sandra cut off their conversation on the cell phone. Sandra thought of rushing and going inside the hotel, to confront Clay, but when she stepped one foot, the young man was standing in front of her. Sandra didn't know that, while she was talking to Charles, Clay had been watching her for a long time. And the young man also knows that he is their topic.

The truth is that Clay is no longer interested in Sandra. It is only natural that he is at the celebration because he is the most famous male model. He also shook his head when Sandra forced herself on Charles. But for him, it is fair for Sandra to feel the pain of being ignored by someone just like she did to him.

"Are you standing there for a long time? So, you heard everything?” Sandra asked him. She could not hold back the gust of her emotions. However, Clay did not answer. He did not want to talk about it because the media watched them. He thinks how he can solve the problem at hand until a black car break off in front of them. When the car door opened, a woman got out. Clay’s eyes suddenly widened.

“Aren't you going to speak? Is it true? Do you really like me? Do you really love me?” Sandra's voice rose and it drew more attention to the photographers.

“Answer me, Clay. Is it true?" Sandra shouted.

"Whatever happens, come what may!" Clay's mind whispered.

"Yes! I love you!” Clay also shouted and grabbed the woman who got out of the black car. He gripped her waist tightly and kissed her lips without hesitation. The woman's body did not move even though she wanted to push and slap Clay's face. Sandra's mouth fell open. The cameras of the photographers around them did not stop flashing. When their lips parted, Clay immediately faced Sandra.

"I'm getting married, Sandra!" Clay's mouth uttered. He also dragged the woman he kissed away from the place. While they were away from the site, the woman tried to regain her sanity due to the flashbacks she saw. She didn't know what to do. She does not know what will happen next until she figures out a way.

"Who are you?" she immediately asked Clay. She also pulled her hand. Meanwhile, Clay shrugged.

"What? You don't know me? Are you serious?"

"Should I ask if I know you?" The woman stared at him. Clay suddenly did not understand the situation.

"Don't play with me! You're just pretending you don't know me, aren't you?”

"Don't play with me? Shouldn't I be the one to tell you that? What did you do to me earlier? Didn't you play with me in front of that woman? You have no right to do that. I will file a lawsuit for what you did to me. Let's meet in court," the woman said boldly. She turned her back on Clay and took quick steps with her feet. But Clay chased her. Clay stopped her and spoke to her seriously.

"Don't touch me!" the woman angrily warned him.

"Okay! If you want to play, I will let you. But for now, I'm serious. Marry me!”

"What?" the woman yelled.

"Listen to me first. I want to talk to you properly and in detail. Please marry me!”

"Are you crazy? Why should I marry you? I don’t know you. I don't like you. I don't even love you!” the woman straightly answered him. But Clay suddenly laughed.

"Is there something funny in what I said?"

"Nothing, but right now, you have nothing else to do but come with me even if you do not want to. And I also want to tell you, if you do not like me, I would not like you too. And, if you do not love me, I would not even love you too. I'm not out of my mind!" said Clay. His face became serious.

“What do you call yourself now? You're crazy, right?" the woman answered him bravely. Clay did not reply. He just pulled her hand again and dragged her to the parking area where his car was. As they walked down the road, their minds were not at ease.

"I don't expect to see him again," the woman's mind whispered.

"I shouldn't have come to the Philippines, but because of you, I came back home. A few years have passed, and I never stopped looking for you. I won't let you go now that I've seen you,” Clay's mind whispered too.

"What am I going to do? And why am I following him?” she thought.

"If you continue to pretend that you do not know me, so be it! I will do whatever it takes to make you stay at my side and never leave me," Clay thought. They both suddenly stopped walking. Their eyes stared at each other.

“Fight!” their minds whispered together.