Blood Between Us

CHAPTER 5

AT EXACTLY SIX in the evening, Esther arrived at a high-end restaurant in Makati. She had never worn this much eyeliner for a man she didn’t know. Pero nandito na siya, sitting at a candlelit table, sipping overpriced lemon water, and pretending to be Mira.

“Hi, I’m Mira.”

Nag-practice yata siya sa sabihin ito ng ilang beses habang patungo siya sa restaurant na kinaroroonan niya ngayon.

Mira owed her… big time.

And then her phone buzzed.

Mira: You’re there? Oh my God. Cute ba siya? Professional? Single dad? Or masamang tao?

Napailing na lamang si Esther at hindi pinansin ang text ni Mira. Kung sasagutin niya ang text ng kaibigan baka wala rin lang itong patutunguhan.

Maya-maya pa ay may pumasok na lalaki sa restaurant, matangkad ito, nakasuot ng suit at confident kung maglakad, and then he started scanning the tables like he was looking for someone.

So, tama si Mira. A finance guy's energy.

Napaayos ng upo si Esther.

Sana lang matinong lalaki ito.

“Hi,” the man greeted, “…Mira?” The man asked her.

Tumango si Esther.

Ngumiti ang lalaki. He was a kind of cute. Malinis, clean-cut at iyong tipo ng lalaki na may mabuting intention pero mahirap pa ring magtiwala. Maraming mukhang matitino pero mga masasamang d**o pala.

Tumango si Esther saka nakipagkamay sa lalaki habang nakangiti ng peke.

“Hi, yes, I’m Mira.” Pasimpleng tumikhim si Esther. Sa tanang buhay niya, ngayon lamang siya nagsinungaling tungkol sa pangalan niya.

He gestured toward the chair. “I’m Levi.”

“Nice to meet you,” Esther said. And she reminded herself that she’s Esther, but she didn’t say her name as ‘Mira’ anymore, dahil baka magkamali pa ang dila niya.

They ordered food, and while waiting for their order, their conversation started light. Safe topics. Travels. Architecture. And the usual talk about “I’m emotionally available but career-focused” energy.

Hindi naman siya mukhang bastos para kay Esther pero ito ang hindi niya naging problema.

The problem was the man who had just walked into the restaurant.

Ciaran.

Nahigit ni Esther ang hininga nang magtama ang mata nilang dalawa. Her heart pounded in panic for an unknown reason while Ciaran stood frozen for half a second, eyes locked on her, on Levi, on the fact that she was here—in lipstick and heels—on a date.

Hindi alam ni Esther kung ano ang nangyari dahil biglang tumalikod si Ciaran at lumabas ng restaurant.

But during her conversation with Levi, Esther could feel the pair of eyes looking at her. At hindi nawala ang matang ‘yon hanggang sa makaalis siya sa restaurant.

Naglalakad pa lang si Esther palabas ng restaurant, ramdam na niya ‘yong kaba sa kaniyang dibdib. Levi was sweet, polite, clean-shaven, but honestly… and totally not my type.

But that wasn’t the problem.

Ang problema ay ang lalaking nakatayo sa hood ng isang black SUV na parang may inaabangan.

Ciaran.

Nakasuot ito ng itim na t-shirt. Arms crossed. And his eyes were on her.

Napabagal tuloy si Esther sa paglalakad at hindi niya alam kung lilihis ba siya ng daan o ano. Oh, crap!

“Blind date?”

Umikot ang mata ni Esther. She was trying to become brave kahit pa sobrang kabado ang puso niya sa hindi malamang kadahilanan. “Ano naman ngayon?”

Ciaran lost his expression.

Nilagpasan ni Esther ang lalaki. She was pretending like her heels weren’t betraying the shakiness in her step.

Ciaran followed.

“Explain,” Ciaran said. Sinabayan niya si Esther sa paglalakad.

“Mr. Vireaux, I don’t owe you an explanation.”

“Just say it, Esther.” May diing saad ni Ciaran.

Tumigil sa paglalakad si Esther saka hinarap si Ciaran. Though she didn’t need to explain herself, she felt like she needed to. “It’s not me. It’s Mira. She just asked for my help to deal with that guy and—”

“What’s the stake?”

“Huh?”

“Ano ang kapalit ng ginawa mo sa sinasabi mong Mira?” he repeated, eyes narrowing.

“Hey, don’t tone like that. Mira is my best friend,” Esther snapped.

“Okay. Fine,” he said, chin slightly raised. “Sabihin mo. Anong kapalit?”

Esther exhaled through her nose, tired. “She will clean my condo, and she will buy me an expensive latte for two weeks straight.”

Ciaran stared at Esther for a second. Then… “Let’s go.”

Esther blinked. “Saan?”

“Sa condo mo.”

“Anong gagawin mo doon?” Esther asked, already bracing herself.

“I will clean your condo,” he said, like it was obvious. “And I will buy you an expensive latte for two weeks straight.”

Napatitig si Esther kay Ciaran. “You’re insane.”

“And you’re bad at pretending you don’t like me,” he shot back, the corner of his mouth twitching into a smirk.

Tinawanan ni Esther ang sinabi ni Ciaran dahil hindi niya alam kung ano ang itutugon niya rito.

ESTHER REGRETTED letting Ciaran in the second she opened the door. Not because he looked bad, but he looked too good. At hindi niya rin alam kung ano ang pumasok sa kukote niya at pumayag siya sa ganitong deal nila ng binata.

Ciaran stood there in a plain gray shirt, sleeves pushed up, black joggers, and sneakers that were definitely too clean to be used for ‘cleaning’.

“Ang aga mo yata,” wika ni Esther.

“Excited to fulfill my debt,” Ciaran replied, walking in like he belonged.

Umikot ang mata ni Esther saka isinara ang pintuan.

Hindi naman ganun kagulo ang condo ni Esther. May mga naka-stacked na mugs sa sink, throw blanket sa sahig at tatlong magkakaibang latte flavor sa countertop n amula kay Mira—two half-finished.

Sandaling tinignan ni Ciaran ang condo ni Esther. “You live like someone who works too hard and forgets to sleep.”

“Ang sabi mo lilinisin mo. Don’t psychoanalyze me.”

Ngumisi si Ciaran. He pulled out gloves, a spray bottle, and a full set of sponges.

“Seryoso ka talaga?” tanong ni Esther na parang hindi pa rin makapaniwala.

“Oo,” sagot ni Ciaran. He was tying a small towel around his waist like an apron. “You agreed to the deal. And I'm honoring my word. Fair enough.”

Napatitig si Esther kay Ciaran. “You’re the heir to one of the biggest companies in the world, and you’re scrubbing my sink?”

Tumingin si Ciaran kay Esther. Mukhang hindi pa nararamdaman ng dalaga ang gusto niyang iparating pero ayos lang, marami pang pagkakataon. “You’re not just some architect for me, Esther.”

Biglang bumilis ang pagtibok ng puso ni Esther na parang sinasabi ng kaniyang puso na may ibang ibig sabihin ang sinabi ni Ciaran.

She turned around. “Bathroom that way,” she said as she pointed the way.

Ciaran spent a full hour cleaning. And Esther watched. But she helped a little. Nagpunas-punas naman siya ng counter habang nagpapanggap na hindi niya tinitignan ang binata habang ito ay abala sa paglilinis at pagkanta sa mahinang boses.

After a while, the silence between them softened.

It was now comfortable.

Binigyan ni Esther ng towel si Ciaran. Their fingers brushed and they both paused. Pareho kasi nilang naramdaman ang kuryente na dumaloy sa kanilang kamay.

“Thanks.”

“Ciaran,” Esther was serious. “No man will clean a woman’s house, just because of a deal. Anong plano mo? Bakit mo ‘to ginagawa? Is this your way of flirting or what?” Naalala niya ang sinabi ni Ciaran nang huling pumunta ito sa studio niya. I made his heart race, and I should give justice to it. Ano naman ang alam ko doon? Hindi ko naman puso ang puso niya.

“Manual labor? If that’s the case, I can’t afford your talent fee,” Esther added.

Ciaran grinned. “Does it count if I’m sweating for you?”

Napailing si Esther. “You’re ridiculous.”

Ngumiti lang naman si Ciaran saka naghugas sa may sink.

Umupo naman si Esther sa may gilid ng counter. It suddenly struck her—how strange it was to feel safe around him. How dangerous it was to enjoy it.

“Why are you doing this?” Esther asked softly.

Ciaran leaned on the counter beside Esther. “I told you. A deal is a deal. I’m not going back on my words.”

“Ang ibig kong sabihin… why are you really doing this?” Esther looked at Ciaran. “You don’t owe me anything.”

Napabuga ng hangin si Ciaran habang hindi inaalis ang tingin kay Esther. “Maybe not,” he said. “But I want to show you I’m not all… boardrooms and bad headlines. That I can be real with you.”

Unang nag-iwas ng tingin si Esther. “You’re only wasting your expensive latte budget on me.”

Ciaran stepped closer, towel still in hand. “Worth it,” he said.

Napatigil si Esther. Ciaran’s presence was like a gravity that surrounded her.

She hopped off the counter and tossed Ciaran a fresh sponge. “Cleaning done,” she said. “Only thirteen more lattes to go.”

Ngumisi si Ciaran. “I’m looking forward to every single one, Esther.”

And Esther hated how much she was looking forward to it, too.