CHAPTER FIVE: STRANGER

JUST GOT HOME from the office. Anna was dead-tired today, her goddamned boss made her finish all of the files she left hanging two days after she took consecutive absences. Those annoying files were left undone even after the deadline, so Anna was kind of confident that her boss would let her get away with it. But to her horror, it haunted her down until the very last ray of the sun.

Wearily heading towards their long staircase, one of their maids dashed down to meet her halfway to help her with her stuff from her hands.

"Good evening, Ms. Anna," she greeted politely.

"Nothing looks good tonight." She rolled her eyes sarcastically as they both continued walking upstairs to her room.

Her soft queen-size bed welcomed her sight after she entered her classy and wide room. The velvet mattress looks so alluring right now, inviting her to lay down to rest and she never rejected it. Anna let her weight drop against the soft bed. The heaviness of her head and body suddenly fades away, her heavy eyelids were now slowly falling.

She wants to call it a night if no one dared to open her door violently like a bomb that's just exploded. Anna abruptly got up while irritation was filling her whole worn-out body. She was about to spit curses when her eyes found her mother at the door frame. Her eyes were flashing fury, her hands were shaking too. And before her grip on the small box would completely loosen, her mom threw it on Anna's bed with so much force.

"What was that, mom?" She's blinking with curiosity and shock.

"It should be me asking you why Matthew has to send you that thing?" Still shaking with too much fury. "It's yours, I know. I have been organizing your things ever since and I can easily recognize your underwear, so answer me. Why does he have your underwear?"

WTF!

It's kind of hard to recall why? Anna bit her lower lip, torn between thinking about why Matthew had her bra and what kind of excuse she will pull to her mother right now.

Dammit!

If her memory serves her right, Matthew did unclasp her bra but he never took it out because he suddenly sobered up when he found out that Anna is not his freaking girlfriend.

"I've never doubted your closeness with Matthew because I know you two were treating each other like real brother and sister, but this —"

"Mom, can you please... That is just underwear for goodness sake!"

"Yeah, and it's a private thing, mind you? You should have been a little careful with sensitive pieces of stuff like that!" she fired more.

It causes Anna to gain more headaches.

"I know. But you also know since I was a little, I used to be sloven with my stuff. . . I might have dropped that when I rode his car one time, Mom. But no need to worry, Matty won't have his interest over that stuff. Duh, he has a girlfriend!"

Her mom shut her eyes in disappointment— too weary and sick of her daughter's childishness.

"God, Anna! What would I give to make you remember all the good things I taught you? This is not how a lady is supposed to act. How many times do I have to remind you that—"

"I'm 24 years old for goodness sake! And I gotta know the difference between right and wrong things..." Anna laid her weary eyes on her mom as she cut her preaching to continue it with the same tone her mom always uses. "Mom, I knew it. But forgive me if I can't be the perfect daughter you always want me to be."

The anger in her melted away all of a sudden; right now her face is sporting some pity but Anna doubted it was for her.

"I wasn't asking you to be perfect—"

"That's what you're actually doing!" Anna fired, her tears were about to form but she violently wiped them right away. "That's what you're actually asking me! You might not be voicing it out directly, but I can sense it."

Her shoulders fell more. "You misunderstood me, then. Like always... but Anna—"

"Mom, know what? I have been working my ass the whole day. I'm so dead tired. Can you just leave me alone, so I can rest?"

"But we're not done yet talking."

"Tomorrow… I’m pretty sure that you will serve me unending nag with my breakfast right? Reserve that for tomorrow, then. But for now, could you please, leave?"

Her mom eyed her with a gloom tinting her eyes, slowly her head nodded to agree and her feet moved away next. The moment her door shut, Anna immediately picked up the box to forcefully slammed it against the wall.

Anna messed up her short hair and let her weight drop upon her soft bed again. She immediately grabbed her phone lying on her bedside table just a few centimeters away as soon as she remembered about her great best friend. Her chest was rapidly moving up and down, she couldn't help feeling angry as she put the phone next to her right ear.

The first attempt was declined while the second one turned out to be out of reach. He turned his fucking phone off! he's still mad and doesn't wanna talk.

"Dammit!" cusses came out of her mouth naturally. "Damn you, Matthew!"

AT LAST, she just let herself gawk over the beige ceiling, trying to calm herself down and hoping to drift off to sleep as soon as possible. But who is she kidding? It's been four hours since she texted Matty and even a single dot as a response just for her to know if he's still breathing never came. Her troubled self won't let her have the peace she has been wanting, she is too weary but for Pete's sake! her nerves can’t give her even a bit of pity.

Anna jumped out of her bed and dolled herself up when she had enough of the stupid stares to pass the time. She can't stand this anymore! From her line of elegant clothes, she picks the A-line, spaghetti strap cocktail dress in dark color and pairs it with her killer hills. Luckily her hair doesn't heed much attention, she just combed it a bit after putting on some product. Anna bestows ten more minutes doing her makeup.

After the preparation, she immediately went outside with light steps while her eyes were looking over the dim staircase and living room— checking if anybody was still there. She's quick to shut her door after finding no one outside.

Half-running towards the garage barefooted and tiptoed, the car key snapped her out from thinking about her plan. Anna turned her pretty head towards the driver's quarter, the darkness from the transparent window was quite visible. Maybe Mario is in deep sleep now?

But, Anna can drive anyway and it will be better if she will just goes out alone, still can't ignore the fact that she's not comfortable with her driver's lascivious stares. It's a good idea to not disturb him but she needs the goddamn key, she can't be freaking starting the engine without it.

"You're still awake, Ma'am Anna? Are you planning to go somewhere?"

"What the hell!" curse slipped from her vibrant lips because of that dumbfounding remark of her freaking driver. Anna chewed on her lower lip as she turned around and murder him with a death glare. "Why the hell do you have to startle me that way?"

His facial expression screams innocence though; he looked confused by her anger. "My apology. But, I was just asking you. Anyway, are we going somewhere?"

"Nope. I am leaving," she corrected his question and emphasized the two words in the middle... She then opened her soft palm in the air, asking for the key. "You don't need to go with me, just give me the car key."

"But I am your driver and it's my job to drive for you, Ma'am Anna," he reasoned out.

"I don't care about your job, I just wanna go out alone— without anyone..." She made her fingers dance a bit. "So, give me the key and make it fast."

"But your daddy..." His round and annoying eyes were showing her doubt this time. "He will surely kill me once something bad happens to you."

"And I will be the one to kill you once I didn't go out before my parents would notice that I wasn't in my room."

"Ma'am Anna, please..." he begged in a frustrated voice. "But if that's the case then, go ahead and kill me."

And this motherfucker! Did he really... ugh!

Too much frustration made her dishevel her freshly shampooed hair. Anna wants to spank the car's hood beside her if she's not just afraid to attract notice.

"Then, tell him that I stole the car key from you. That you are not aware, common! I know you're not that dumb, think of a good reason!"

"Who do you take you father for, ma'am, a dumb? I'm certain that he will direct all of his furies to me once something bad happens to you... My apology but I have my own family that relies only on me."

Another wave of frustration hits her that she hasn't helped running her dry palm on her face. Just great!

So, yeah... she hasn't got what she wanted this time and her eyes can't stop rolling from time to time. Very frustrated over her driver's good reasoning, she can't stop spitting silent curses every chance possible. If her father didn't just scare Mario with all his threats this morning, this shit would not happen.

"He's just telling the truth. Chill out, Anna," was all Monet could say after blowing off her steam.

Anna is now sitting over the bar's high chair, playing on the lime placed on top of her glass of margarita while listening to how Monet—her own dear friend— has been lawyering her driver. She's really starting to doubt her friend's loyalty these past few days.

"Still with your filthy thoughts about him?" That took Anna a little silence which caused Monet to giggle playfully. "I can't see anything wrong with that, Anna girl. You are hot as F and he's a man from the desert who's probably too thirsty..."

And before Monet could continue with her nonsense statement, Anna hung the line up rolling her eyes before she sipped from her glass. She turned her chair around to check her back, particularly the busy dancefloor not so far away from the counter where she was seated. She's still trying to simmer down like what Monet said. Anna was grinding a bit on her seat when someone from the corner caught her precious attention.

A charismatic man in the dark locked her gaze surprisingly. He's sitting with his legs squared, his right hand was holding his glass of brandy while the other one was lazily lying on top of the backrest of his couch. It was a little dim in his place but that didn't stop Anna from finding his intense stares on her, she can't be wrong about that because she's a total eye magnet. Not to mention her lacy cocktail dress tonight which is not that easy to resist; a smirk grew on her lips when she thought about this man's unexplainable desire she just triggered.

But among those men who stared at her with the same ferocity and adoration, only that mysterious man from the couch had made her suddenly feel uncomfortably conscious of herself. Her heart feels slowly dancing as if there's something weird happening inside her body. Unconsciously, her fingers are starting to rake her short chocolate brown hair. Is she trying to look presentable for this guy?

"Hey, gorgeous..."

A stranger approached her on her seat all of a sudden and blocked their line of vision. Dancing in her front while asking for liquor from the bartender, he turned to her and asked, "you wanna dance?"

Anna managed to stay calm despite his disturbance. "Nope, I'll be fine here."

"But I have been watching you ever since you caught my eyes, I can't stop adoring every little part of you, Miss." He raked her body with his eyes twinkling with worldly desires, she even caught his tongue playing with his lips. "You look so amazing. I felt bad to see you alone, do you mind if I join you here?"

This usually happens whenever she's drinking alone. Well, boys still approached her even if Monet was around and she's a little used to it. But in times when she's not in the mood, she feels lazy to entertain them. Especially when Matthew isn't around, she doesn't see the need to get a boy for her show.

"I won't mind, the place is not minded though."

Two cute little holes from each side of his cheeks appeared when he smiled widely. "Great! Can I buy you more drinks, then? Do you usually choose cocktails or you wanna try something harder than that?"

"There are nights when I drink something stronger than this, but on those nights when I just need something to make me sleep, I just order a lighter one," she answered with a hint of truth. "In other words, I'm very much fine with this."

"Oh, so you can't sleep?" He seemed very interested in her. "What might be the reason? You could talk it out to me, maybe I could ease your mind."

Anna smiled a little, feeling funny about this guy next to her. So, he loves small talk, huh? What is he, then? A guidance counselor? Psychiatrist? Tsss!

The two went busy conversing about random things when the bartender suddenly pushes another glass of a lady's drink in her direction just until it touches her bare skin. Probably he only aimed to get her attention, but the cold glass made Anna gasp in a bit of shock and was about to curse the cute guy when he pointed out the direction where the handsome guy remained sitting.

"He got you a drink, Miss. Anna," the bartender informed her.

Did he really? But she's not planning to drink more than the glass she's holding, she already finished two glasses. She's not planning to get wasted again; the hangover is a foe. Yet, she has her work waiting for her tomorrow.

The man in the dark coat suddenly moved to finally erect, Anna unconsciously shifted from her seat feeling the sudden dryness of her throat. He has an athletic build and a set of long limbs, if she's not mistaken, his skin complexion is light to tone. Anna can't be sure, but what's certain is he's one hell of a hot gorgeous man... she drowned more as they continued staring at each other's eyes, and nothing interrupts it, not even the guy next to Anna who's still talking about stupid things.

She thought he would finally approach her like he should have done earlier, but the burning anticipation in her chest died down to disappoint her when the handsome man suddenly took a detour and left like that.

What does that man have in his mind?

She watched him walk out without looking back at her, she can't help asking how the hell he let his chance slip like that? He never even dared talk to her after buying her a drink.

"Ah! By the way, I am Marco." The guy extended his hand to her.

But Anna was too far gone to notice, so much confusion was reigning over her a lot that she couldn't hear anything but her heart's frustrated beats. When she couldn't contain it anymore, she immediately picked her clutch bag up from the countertop and jumped off the chair.

"Nice to meet you, Marco," she said, not paying much attention before she pushed her feet towards the door.

Nobody had done this to Anna ever! Most boys who showed interest in her usually never let the moment pass by without getting the chance to talk to her, more like flirting with her, including touching... but this crazy idiot!

"Is it me you are looking for?"

The warm whisper behind her ear has left Anna freezing in her place momentarily, some of the hair on her napes stands up when his hand starts to crawl from her back and slowly runs into her waist. The intensity of her lower lip biting will surely draw blood from there, this ain't good.

"Did your feet dash out here because the drink I bought for you failed to set you on fire?" his sexy voice penetrates her system, the crazy electrical sensation stimulates something in her body that her knees melted more. "Or were you on fire now, but you need to ignite more?"

Despite the commotion, he fanned the flames inside her body, but she still pulled herself together to save her face. "And who the hell told you that I was looking for you?"

Anna gasped in so much surprise when he suddenly forced her to turn around after she tried to push his hands off her, his clasp around her waist tightened even more. The intense stairs of his grayish eyes are making her heart pump fast, the heat he produces is slowly melting her bravery down and so is the control of her own body.

Slowly, he dramatically moved to close the tiny gap between their faces, his minty breath fanning her face and it felt good. Anticipating a kiss from this mysterious handsome man, Anna unconsciously closed her eyes while waiting. But what came next was his annoying laughter, they sounded mocking and it caused her cheeks to burn. She opened her eyes just to find the amusement dancing on his face. Is he making fun of her?

"What's funny?"

Out of overflowing annoyance for the guy, Anna gets to spank his ironclad chest. She never felt such embarrassment all her life, and it stressed her out more when she sobered up a little bit more. One more violent push is all she could do to take herself away.

But the strength of this man is something that she can't just beat like that. She once again gave it a try, but his revenge astonished her a lot to the point of breathing laboriously. He cupped her neck with a bit of force and leaned closer without any word, his soft and warm lips attacked her fragrant jaw. It passionately moves and nips and her skin sends tingles down her spine. His hot kisses feel like kryptonite for her—they buckled her knees so easily.

Anna felt the need to clutch for something, so even when her hands were still shaking, she managed to grip his clothes for support in order to keep herself standing because the desire gushing out of her body is starting to melt her strength away and nobody knows how willing she is to welcome this man over her body... no one, neither her. She ducked out of their house tonight to have fun and to forget a bit, so far, this drop-dead gorgeous man in front of her gave Anna both of what she wanted. She thinks it is not bad if she will seek what more this man can do for her.

Can he make her forget about her damn heartbreak too?