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Callea felt like weak with Deive’s gaze. Every time he tells her that she’s beautiful, she felt like she was melting. Even if you put it on the Constitution of the Philippines that she’s not allowed to be called beautiful, he would still keep on doing so.

She drank up the milk until the last drop. “Aren’t you sleepy yet? You cleaned up the mansion the whole day.”

“I am not yet through. This is a huge place and there are still parts of the mansion that I want to clean up and repair.” He looked at her direction. “I hope it is okay with you if I make some changes here. You live here. And when we get married, I will also live here. I must show my concern for Villa Celesta. Your grandmother’s ghost might show up if I don’t do my part.”

Callea let out a hearty laugh. “I am sure she’s happy with your initiative. Yo could charm a ghost if you want to.”

He looked at the sketches and drawing at her wall. His palm flatten the creases on some. “I am sorry about your artworks if I ruined them.” He scratched his chin, looking guilty. “I overreacted a bit last night.”

“It’s okay. In a way, it was my fault anyway. And I won’t submit those to my boss anyway. They are just references. No big deal.”

“So what story are you workin on?” He looked at her sketches on the drawing table. “Is this it?”

Her eyes bulged when she saw it was her sketch of Deive. And it was not creepy or gore. It was a very sensual one.

He was about to pick up the sketch. He couldn’t see it. She ran to the drawing table and snatched the sketch before he did. “No! Not this one.”

“What is the problem? I will just look at it. I won’t spoil it to your fans. I just want to see it.”

She shook her head and put the paper on her back. “No! Just check out the other sketches but not this one.”

What was Deive thinking? Why did he want to see her sketch? What if he thought that she was desiring him. Shame on her. She didn’t know how to face him once he finds out the truth.

“I just want to see it. You are only making me more curious.” He stretched his hand and tried to take the paper from her. “What are you hiding from me that I won’t see once it is published. Come on. We won’t be together forever.”

She didn’t budge. “Just wait for its release on bookstores. I really won’t show it to you. It is an artist thing.”

She was backing away from until it was dead end for her and she found herself seated on the wooden chair. Deive smirked and caged her body as he planted his arms on both sides of the wooden chair. “What should I do so you will show it to me?” he asked in a teasing tone and put his face closer to hers.

She could feel his warm and minty breath fanning her face. Her eyes felt heavy and closed. What if he crossed the distance between them and their lips meet? Not the chaste kiss that he gave her. What if it was a hot, steamy kiss?

Callea didn’t know how long she had waited for his hot lips to claim hers. But cold wind touched her skin after a while. When she opened her eyes he was standing away from her.

“I will take a rest now. I don’t want to bother your work.”

Callea was dumbfounded for a while. “O-Okay,” she uttered in a soft voice and stood up to show him the door. She was a bit dismayed that he didn’t kiss her. She expected it.

“Goodnight. So, can I kiss you goodnight?” he asked with a sheepish smile.

“Yes,” Callea answered right away without hesitation. W-What the heck! I sounded like a teenager eager for a kiss. Can I take it back?

But it was too late for that. He held her nape and pressed her lips against her. It was not a chaste kiss this time because he was owning her. He tried to open her lips with his tongue, teaching how to reply to a proper kiss. She was not ready for the invasion but was not repulsed either. She held to his shoulder and opened her lips to accept him. It was heaven. She felt like she was floating on air. So this was what the real kiss was like. He leisurely explored her mouth while her body instinctively pressed against his. Her instinct was taking over. She liked what her future husband was doing to her and it makes her yearn for more.

Before he knew it, he pulled back and he was breathing heavily. It was a mirror of her own.

“Thanks for allowing me to kiss you. Dream of me, beautiful,” he whispered then left the room with a victorious smile. As if he conquered a prize.

She was staring into space as he left the room and sitting on her bed. Her heart was slowing its beat but her cells are still on high alert because of the kiss.

Wow! That is a kiss? That’s what the fuzz was all about? So, that’s it? Why does it leaves me wanting more?

She wanted to knock on his room and ask him to kiss her some more. “Calm down, Callea. Calm down,” she admonished herself and shut her eyes. It was like a dam opened and desire was coursing through her veins. Desire that needs to be fed.

Kissing must be a natural thing for Deive. She must get used to it. She must get used to have every fiber of her being to be on frenzie when he owns her mouth. They would be a couple in front of their family soon. After all, kissing could be some sort of a handshake to some. It didn’t mean a thing to him, right?

That would be dangerous for her health. She couldn’t risk it.

CALLEA kept on gazing on her antique Victorian watch. She had an appointment at one in the afternoon with Pipay, her designer. She was the one who creates her cosplay dresses whenever she writes. Pipay was a dear friend since high school when she used to defend him from those who bully her for being gay.

He was Philip then and Pipay now. It was Pipay who helps her hone her story and characters more. Sometimes she just creates dresses and that’s where she based her stories. There’s so much idea they could come up with simply designing dresses.

The dresses Pipay creates were based on her story and vice versa. The dresses were created for her characters alone. And because her graphic novels were popular, her fans had fun wearing them and cosplaying. Because she recognized Pipay as her costume designer, her fans go to her for costumes and she got a cut or royalty from her sales. They helped each other’s businesses.

“It is already two and she isn’t here yet. She said she’s already in Calamba. What if there’s something wrong?”

She took the extension phone beside the bed and called Pipay’s cellphone. Her cellphone rang two times before she answered it in a sing song voice. “Hello, Callea, dearest. It is nice to hear from you.”

“Pipay, where are you? I want to see your new concepts.” She wanted to see her new sketches for her story. She needs new concepts because she’s about to finish her current story.

“What? I am on my way back to Manila.”

“From where?”

“At Villa Celesta.”

“How did that happen? I gave specific instructions to Marina to inform me once you arrive. I am just here in my room. Is there a problem that’s why you are leaving right away?” I asked in a worried voice.

“Your boyfriend told me that he prefers new designs.”

“M-MY boyfriend?”

“Yes. Your hottie boyfriend, Deive. I had a chat with him a while ago. He is so handsome.”

“And he told you that I want new designs?”

“Hmmm… he said that light and happy colors would look better on you. Pastel colors maybe. Not to loud but pleasing to the eyes just the same. The dark colors are starting to get old. Well, he has a point. I thought maybe you want new genre for your new stories or new colors with this new development in your life.”

“I never thought of changing my genre or to change my fashion preference to lighter colors. And why would Deive say that. And you took his suggestions seriously when we were the one doing business here?” I growled at my friend. I never raised a voice on her the whole time they have known each other but it was frustrating. “You didn’t bother to ask me first?”

“Well, I thought you want to change genre because you are in love. You know, life is more colorful now that you have a gorgeous man to marry.”

Her blood boiled. What does Deive care about what she wants to wear. Her body, her rules. It was clear to him what her job was and the inspiration she could get from her costumes. She thrived on it.

And besides, she was not in love with him. “You know, he has no business when it comes to my costume and job. Come back here. I want to see the sketches.”

“Oh no, dearie. I don’t want Deive to get mad at me. I promised him that I will create new designs for you. That I will create something fab for you. See you next time.”

Great. He already enamored her house helps. Now, even her designer follows his every command as if he hypnotized her. Well, when it comes to friendship versus a gorgeous man, Pipay would leave their friendship and open his arms for the handsomeo man. In her next story, she would make sure that Pipay will be his character and have ten sexy women terrorize him.

“Do you want me to bash your head with Deive’s? I am your friend. We are partners. This is our job. Why did you allow Deive to dictate the flow of our work? This is just between you and me, Pipay!”

“But he is sooo handsome. I lost my mind, Callea. I became a slave to his desires. All I can say was “Yes, Master”. Don’t tell me he doesn’t have that same effect on you? You would do everything he wants with a simple command.”

Callea let our a curse. Her friend really lost her mind. Well, could she really blame her friend? She also lost her mind with him last night and let him kiss her. But her job was another thing she won’t allow Deive to touch.

“So, you will choose Deive than me? Do you want to end our friendship?” Callea asked in a deadly tone. “Do you want me to choose another designer?”

“No! How could you say that? Look, maybe Deive wants to have you for himself. I think he is suspicious of me since I am still handsome…”

“Excuses, excuses, Pipay. Chicks before dicks.”

“But I like dicks, Callea. Have you tried this dick,” he argued.

“Shut up!”

“Okay, virgin bride. I understand the frustation. You haven’t tried him yet. Look, I will go back some other time. Who knows, you might like the new dresses that I will bring. Let me surprise you.”

Callea groaned in frustration. How could her friend betray him like this? It was not so funny. She must talk to Deive soon.

She lifted the hem of her yukata or summer kimono that geishas and courtensans of Japan used. There was a commotion upstairs. Then she realized that Deive was cleaning up the attic. She walked faster to reach the attic and took the smaller steps two at a time. She had a bad feeling about this. If he was trying to change the designs of her clothes, then how much more could he do to her attic?

“Señorito, please don’t do it,” Callea heard Marina beg as she stepped near the door of the attic. “Señorita will get mad.”

“No! I can’t stand it anymore.”

Callea’s heart beats double. What’s happening at the attic? She pushed the door open with all her might. And she saw Deive and Marina fightng over a broomstick with long handle. “What’s going on here?” Callea asked with hands on her hips.

“Señorita, he wants the bats to leave,” Marina reported. “You should talk to him so he will see sense.” And Marina left them.

“They should go. Aside from Batman and Dracula are there any house that allows bats to thrive? No wonder your mansion looks like a haunted house because you let those bats breed here.” Deive raised the broomstick to the ceiling of the attic where the bats set camp. “They don’t belong here.”

She stopped Deive’s arm. “Those bats are my friends! Don’t hurt them.”

Those bats inspired her with her stories. They enhanced her creative mind. If Deive bothered them, where would they live? Other humans might hurt them. She didn’t have the heart to make her friends leave.

He looked at her with a stunned look on his face. “Are you dreaming to become Batgirl. Do you want to turn your mansion into a Bat Cave? What if you got sick because of them. What if they bite you and drink your blood while you sleep? How could you live with this kind of creatures in your house?”

“Now look who has a wild imagination.” She flicked her finger to his forehead. “They are already residents of this house even before you came. What gave you the right to shoo them away?”

“If I will live here at Villa Celesta, I have the right to whatever happens to this house. As long as those bats are here, I would be scared to live here.”

“Ah! So you thought you have the right, the same way that you have the right to tell my designer on what kind of dress I should wear,” she asked with sharp eyes.

“Oh, that!” He let out a light laugh. His face twitched with guilt. “There was nothing new with the dress that Pipay brings. I’ve seen those before. It’s all dark and gloomy. So boring.”

“Well, you are not the one who will wear them but me. And those bats, this scary hauted house and my boring dress that I love wearing are the reason why I have a job and I earn money. We are not yet married but you are already trying to rule my life. This is not what I signed up for.”

“I am just helping you out. Do you always have to be on character? Do you always have to look gloomy and scary in every minute of your life. Callea, there’s a time for your work and for your eccentricities. If we will get married, will you look like that when you face my friends or my business colleages? My grandfather doesnt even know this weird side of you.”

She lifted her face and bravely looked him in the eye. “It was your idea to push through with the wedding. I am thankful for that. But changing myself for your own satisifaction is not part of the deal. After all, I won’t even try to change you or your lifestyle or your personality.”

“Do you really want to look weird forever?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

“You will choose those ugly bats over me, the man you will marry?”

She pursed her lips.. “I think you can co-exist. Don’t get in my way, Deive. I will marry you, yes. But I don’t care much about your friends or your colleagues. I could pretend for a while, sure. I will think of it as cosplay if I have to face them. But it doesn’t mean I have to change my life because you commanded it.”

“And if I insist?”

The corner of her lips kicked up. “Then let’s see who will win.”

She left the attic with her head held high. If Deive thought that she was like other people who would follow his every whims, he got another think coming. She was the queen of Villa Celesta. It was her territory. Her house, her rules. Deive should know his face. He doesn’t own her.

She thought her problem is solved because she already had an agreement with Deive and they would have a marriage that would be dissolved later on. She was dead wrong. It seemed like she picked up a huge rock and bashed her head with it.

Lines were drawn. Deive must know his place.