twenty

Austin stopped his car as the red light goes on he turned around and look at Aliyah "You can't hide to the past you need to face it" he said as he looked at the road again and start the car "It is a piece of advice from your doctor"

"What if I can't?" she murmurs but given that Austin has a great hearing ability he was able to hear it

"What if you can?" he asked back

"Bahala na" she sighed as she rested her head on the seat.

In a bustling city, Adam and Aliyah were sitting across each other in the restaurant, scanning the documents in his hands Adam leaned and crosses his leg as he turns the page. Aliyah straightened her body once again as she kept in-check of her emotions, controlling her breathing, she somehow learns how to cope up with the anxiety building inside her.

Adam glimpse at the woman across him who keeps on moving and inhaling deeply, grimaced was shown in his face "Am I making you uncomfortable?"

Aliyah who is busy pinching herself, look at him surprised "Huh?" she looks at him directly and immediately lowered her eyes "No" she continues

Adam closes the documents he had been reading for twenty minutes, fixing his posture "You can now let other employees in your company come here instead of you" he said and looked at Aliyah who is currently looking down not meeting his gaze "If that option will make you comfortable"

Hearing his suggestion Aliyah griped on the table cloth, she knew that in the future they will see each other more, medyo na paaga lang, biting her lower lip she sighed as she looked back at him bravely, "No. I'm the one who's in charge of this, I better handle this on my own plus you are our investor" she announced "It's just that I am not comfortable with you, yet" she continues "It's been five years and you change so much" she murmurs as she lowers her head again and picks up the utensils, starting to slice the steak in her plate.

A slight smile showed in Adam's face, "If you are not that comfortable with me, won't you mind if I suggest something?"

Aliyah's eyes moved from the steak to Adam's face as she looked at him questionably, raising her eyebrows while munching the food in her mouth.

"Let's arrange some dates for us," he said and leaned at his chair and look into her eyes "For us to be comfortable with each other. We should." He continues as he gets back the document in his hand "It was stated here that our partnership will last for three years" and show it to her, "It's just right for us to build the trust and relationship between the two of us right?" he smirks "For the company and partnership, right?" he said confidently convincing Aliyah

Aliyah's mind was clouded, she just nods at him before she could process all the information in her head and what kind of deal, she just agreed on. "You have a point" she absentmindedly said

Adam immediately said and typed something to her assistant "So it is settled" he said and placed the documents aside "Let us eat. We'll be busy for today" he said

Aliyah eyed him "What?"

"We'll start being comfortable with each other, right?" He asked

Aliyah nods but eventually shakes her head, "No! Not today"

Narrowing his eyes at her "Do you have any other plans for tonight?"

"I don't- " before she could finish her sentence Adam immediately butted In "Then it is settled" her eyes went wide "What the hell was that?! I'm going home I will not have an appointment with you" she declares

Looking at her determined eyes, "Alright" he agreed to keep silent for a moment, looking at his empty wrist "Where is my watch?" he asked

"May balak ka pa palang kuhanin yon? Parang timang I was trying to give it to you in the past, but you didn't get it!" reklamo nya

Adam shrugs "I told you to keep it for six months" he stated "Where is it? My wrist had been feeling empty for the six months" as he shows her his empty wrist "Give it to me" he ordered as he handed his hand on her

Aliyah raises her eyebrow on him "Anong gagawin ko sa kamay mo?" she rolled her eyes "Do I look like I would bring someone's watch with me? Do I look like I would keep someone's things with me?" she tries to maintain the eye contact with him, but she failed so she just switches her focus on her food

Adam gasped "You didn't throw it right?"

Her spoon was stopped mid-air as she glances at him "That was a great idea" and put her spoon and fork down "Unfortunately, I didn't think of that. Your watch is just in my office" she stated as she grabs the juice in the table and drinks it. Finishing her drink, "I'm done" she declared as she looked at Adam

"I am done too" Adam stated

Aliyah immediately stands up "Thank you for the meal, Mr. Diaz, " she said and bowed at him "I'll be taking my leave" she gracefully walked towards the door.

Adam immediately paid the bill before striding toward the door, following Aliyah.

Aliyah sighed as she comforted herself that it was all done, and she did a good job of controlling her emotions and panic attack. Opening her phone, she dialed a number, when her call was immediately picked up, she happily said 'I did it'

Dr. Costa who just get on his break a minute ago "So anong gusto mong gawin ko?" he asked annoyingly

"Putangina ka talaga. Wag ka sana magkagirlfriend gago" sagot ni Aliyah and ended the call right away.

Hearing his patients energetically cursed at him, he laughs and mumbled "You did a good job you are getting strong Aliyah"

Getting stuck in the traffic Aliyah's eyes roamed around in the car surrounding her, looking at her side-view mirror, she stared into the distance the car behind her was freaking familiar to her. "Is it Adam's car?" she questioned herself and eventually shook that thought in her head when the cars start moving forward. 'Maybe it's just the same model' she thought

She gets out of her car after she has parked it, noticing that the car that just enters the parking lot was the car behind her a while ago. The tinted car stopped by her side and the window starts to go down, and Adam's grinning face was shown.

"What are you doing here?!" she exclaimed

"I'll get my watch; my wrist is feeling cold for six months already" he stated as he shows his 'naked' wrist

Aliyah's mouth remained open for a second and glared at him "I'll ask my secretary to hand it to you" she said and walked away.

Entering her office with a grimaced face, she immediately looked for the package in her cabinet, but she did find nothing. "Frances!" she called out

Her secretary who is outside of her office immediately enters her office "Yes, Ms. Argania?"

Eyeing her secretary "Do you see any package here?" she asked "The one that has been going in and out of this office. That one small package box? Yung ganito lang kaliit" she illustrated how big it is through her hands.

Her secretary, Frances fell silent for a minute, "Oh! Naalala ko po na may dala si sir Charles nung papaalis siya nung isang araw" sagot naman nito

"Who's that Charles that stole my package?" Adam asked as he enters Aliyah's office

"She's Ms. Aliyah's- " before Frances could finish her sentence Aliyah immediately make her leave

"Frances you can now leave" she ordered

Frances bowed "I'll be leaving now, welcome to our company Mr. Diaz" she greeted Adam and take her to leave.

She looked at Adam "I'll give it to you the next day"

"Alright" Adam nods as he takes a sit on Aliyah's couch

Aliyah's eyes squinted as she looked at Adam who is currently taking a rest in her couch with his eyes closed "What do you think you are doing?"

With his eyes closed, he answered "Resting" and seconds later he takes a peek at Aliyah who's still squinting her eyes at him "While waiting for you" he added

"Why are you waiting for me? I told you I will not go anywhere today so better get scheduled through my secretary" she answered as she turned around to fix her things at the table and packed the important documents she will bring at home

"I'll take you home," he said indifferently while his eyes closed.

"I have a car and I know how to drive," she said as she put the documents in her arms

"Weird flex but okay, and so?" he stated as he opened his eyes slightly

"And so, I can take myself home safe and sound" she turned around and walks to her office door "If you want to rest there, you can do so. I'll get going Mr. Diaz" she bowed and left him there at the sofa bewildered

Adam stood up fixing his coat, his eyes wandered on Aliyah's office looking at the picture in Aliyah's desk "You two sure are hard to handle" he murmured and walked out of her office.