“Wait, what?” Ian mumbled and chuckled nervously. “What do you mean that I should leave? I just got here and even negotiated with your maid to see and talk to you!”

“Well, I am happy to see you. It’s just that my phone was confiscated, that’s why I could not text you back!” I explained with a dramatic hand demonstration.

He shot his eyebrow. “Did that stupid guy confiscate your phone just so he could solo you?” he accused and held both of my shoulders. “Why? Do you already like him?!”

I gasped and grunted, now being conscious of the guards nearing in our direction. Looks like I don’t have a choice but to drag him inside the mansion. My eyes drifted to him again, assessing him to see if he would be possibly like Helen, turning to be an enemy. But recalling back, his parents have both non-political jobs and only owned properties and chains of hotels in the country. Sure, I don’t know the camaraderie his parents have socially, but I met them a lot of times in the past - they don’t like they are going to hurt someone, as they are even philanthropists.

“Let’s get inside,” I invited him and pulled his wrist inside the mansion.

Our tiptoes were in stealth. We got inside without the guards noticing. The maids were too busy turning back on us, either they are cleaning, wiping the antiques, or changing the covers of the sofas in the living area. I guided Ian up the staircase until we reached my bedroom. I turned on the lights after closing and locking the door of my room before facing him with my crossed arms.

“I’ll shower first and then you,” I said.

He grinned devilishly. “Well, we can just join together.”

I rolled my eyes. “You know that I meant to reserve myself until I get married to you, right?” I said. “And stop trying to joke around. This is a serious matter to discuss with you.”

I turned my back on him and began to go to the bathroom. It took twenty minutes for me to shower because I did not like having any ounce of my sweat on any part of my body. As I did my perfect finale shower perfume all over my bathrobe, I opened the door of my bathroom… revealing Ian on the floor while kneeling in front of Karlo Rodriguez with a gun in his hand. Karlo was pointing the gun at the forehead of my scaredy boyfriend.

“Karlo?!” I called out in fear and frantically. “W-What are you doing?”

“Should I be the one asking you that?” Karlo mumbled with irritation as he planted the point of the gun on Ian’s forehead once which made him flinch. “Why the fuck are you showering in your bathroom when he is just outside?”

It was just cold and calm, but I could hear the seething wrath in his voice. He is pissed as hell, and this is just rare for me to see him like this. I was already breathless by how hot he is right now, but do I have to think about that? My boyfriend’s life is at stake because of him!

“Calm down, Karlo. I didn’t know that he was here, okay? He disguised himself as a gardener so he could talk and see me. Remember that you took my phone away? He was just worried!” I tried explaining. “So, will you put the gun down and let’s talk about it?”

“No,” he firmly answered without hesitation. “Your pretty boyfriend and I will talk in my study. Stay here.”

“B-But what will you do to him?” I stammered.

“I will not hurt him. I’ll just ask him questions,” he answered and motioned the gun upward. “Stand up and lead the way to the door.”

Ian tremblingly stood up and followed the instructions of Karlo. He could not even look in my direction because of the anxiety. Karlo is a living nightmare! I gritted my teeth as I followed them outside with my glares. When they were already outside my room, I slammed the door shut while hyperventilating.

I am so sick of men!

I groaned in frustration and began to put on clothes. I wore a spaghetti strap and tight shorts. I dried my hair with my blower and began my facial routine while thinking about what Karlo and Ian are talking about right now.

What if Karlo is already shooting him because the gun was a silencer?!

Oh no. I should check them!

After I had donned my lip gloss on my lips, I rapidly walked outside my room so I could go to the study of Karlo. It was shut tight, and when I tried to open it, it was locked. A curse went out through my breath. I placed my right ear against the door, hoping I could eavesdrop, but there was only plain silence.

Karlo does not want me to listen. This is the first time they have even confronted each to face-to-face. They know each other, but they have never met. I was not ashamed to reveal to Karlo before that I have a boyfriend. Although Ian was devastated when he learned that I was having an arrangement with someone else. Despite that, our relationship never stopped. We love each other. We can’t just throw away the years that we have been together just because of some stupid arranged marriage made by my parents.

I waited outside the door, pacing back and forth with my eyes continuously looking at the clock above the door. The portrait beside it caught my attention, and it was a man carrying a cheerful woman. The theme of it was medieval and grotesque, despite the joyful expressions on the faces of the subjects. I liked it, that’s why I stared at it for I don’t know how many minutes before I was startled by the opening of the door.

Ian was lowering his head when he came outside the study. He was about to pass by me, but I held his wrist when he was about to leave.

“Ian,” I slowly called him. “Please look at me…”

My boyfriend sighed and lifted his head so he could see my eyes. I furrowed my eyebrows when there was mixed fear, anger, and pain in his stare.

“Let’s break up, Minerva,” he suddenly said, which made me widen my eyes. “We can’t go on like this…”

“Wait… wait… what are you talking about?” I mumbled.

He sighed and looked back to where Karlo was behind him. “I knew about the incident between you and Helen. I heard it from the national news TV, but it was never revealed that you were the one who was the victim. Then Mr. Rodriguez told me that… you are being hunted by the enemies of your parents…”

What the fuck?

I trembled in anger as my glares began to throw at Karlo. I knew my glares were like daggers, and he was being affected by how he blinked and clenched his fists as he was trying to fight it.

“Your life is at stake right now. It’s a dangerous situation, and I am afraid that my family and I will be included. I don’t think I can be with you anymore. I’m sorry,” he said as he tried to remove my hand from his wrist, but he couldn’t. “Minerva, please let me go…”

“No,” I protested and firmly shook my head. “How could you easily make me let you go just because you know that my life is in danger? Are you not even worried about me? Don’t you have a man’s instinct to protect me? Are you even a man?”

“Of course, I am worried about you. But Mr. Rodriguez assured me that he is willing to protect you from whoever is threatening you. I don’t have the skills to do that, Minerva. I am just your boyfriend, not your protector or bodyguard. I am also scared if I am going to be a part of whatever this is.”

I do understand his point. If there are really a lot of people going to kill me, then as much as possible, he would protect himself so he would not be involved. But is this even love? Because if he does really love me, even if his life is at risk, he would do anything to protect me from anything. But now that he knows about my situation because Karlo threw me under the bus, he does not think he has anything to do with me.

“You want to go?” I said sternly and arched my eyebrow. “You want to waste the years of our relationship this easily? And you say you love me?”

“Minerva, I am not leaving you because I don’t love you-“

“You love me, but you can’t fight for me,” I said as a bitter smile escaped my lips. “No worries. At least I know how I mean to you…”