Chapter 7

LIE's POV

"What were you thinking woman? you're giving the child false hope." Jude exclaimed.

They are currently sitting on the couch. They sitting at both edge spaces of the couch giving space between them at the center. Shine was with Nanay Dolor upstairs changing her clothes. Maybe the chopper will be here any minute to take her back to Manila.

She sighs deeply,

"I don't know, I can't bear the pain of Shine's sobbing", she said to him.

Jude was just looking at her.

"I feel like that there is something within me that is connecting her to me. I can't turn my back on her." She added.

She felt like she had been stabbed several times every time she heard the bitterness of the child's grief begging her not to leave.

She also experienced this before, only that she was just an infant who does not that know she's been abandoned to cry and begged not to leave. She was just so lucky that there are good people who adopted and love her as their child, so her heart says she wanted to do the same to Shine.

" So, what is your plan now?" he asked.

"Can I go home with Shine?" she asked back.

"Without me?"

" Yes, I can take care of her until mother come. And about the truth, I will try my best to find the right timing to explain it to her."

"She thought I am her Dad and you will take her away from her me?"

She tried her best not to roll her eyes. She can't understand him. He's the one who said that he doesn't want the responsibility. And now that she is taking his responsibility, he will ask that?

She looked at him. She is determined to do her plan. She can be an instant mother to Shine. She lived independently, she has work that can sustain both of them. And Jude he can visit Shine whenever he wants. He will also tell Shine the truth. Little by little she will tell her.

"As I said, she thought I am her Dad, so we should be living together as a family."

"What?" she asked irritatingly and confused at the same time.

"Yes, you heard me."

"But are not a family. That's clear." she protested.

"Then let's be a family, we can be a family."

"Are you out of your mind? How?"

"Marry me," he said seriously.

"Are you on drugs?" she definitely can't believe his craziness.

In few seconds, he burst out with laughter. Her body again began to tremble with her feet aching to hit him leaving him dead.

"Just kidding, but seriously. We need to stay together in one roof," he said.

But when she looked at him she received a wink followed by a smile which suddenly made her breathing stopped.

'The nerve of this man. Don't ever fall for this man Lie.' she silently warned herself.

She sat down properly with her eyebrow frowning.

"What for?"

"For Shine, and your protection."

"My protection?" she wondered.

"Remember those goons, that led you bumped on my car?" he said.

Oh, she remembered, of course.

"Do you know them?" she asked.

"Why do you have men working for you?"

She was shocked when he unveiled his badge to her.

"INTERPOL?"

INTERPOL? so that's why he was always unnoticeable. Every time he appears behind her, he doesn't make sounds, even his steps are unheard. It turns out that he is a police, not just ordinary police. He is a member of the International Criminal Police Organization which includes approximately 194 countries making the world safer.

"Now, do you trust me?"

Trust, yes trust, trust. She doesn't have that word, she has erased it from her vocabulary so long time ago. She seldom let go of that word, as she remembered, The only people she had trusted, whom she had given the full trust to were her friend Lynne and her parents, and her adoptive parents.

"Should I?"

"You should, I know you. Agent/Detective Rine Lie Winters, Working under Morgan Agent-Detective Agency."

She will no longer be confused why he knew her. With his profession and connections, no doubt that in a click you'll be identified.

"I won't be surprised anymore," she said bitterly preventing her eyes from rolling.

"Why do you sound so bitter?" She winced.

"Are you a cop or a fortune-teller?" This monkey is getting on her nerves.

He approached and get her hand, he opened her palm and acted like a fortune teller giving her hand a trace predicting her fate which tickling her.

Suddenly her heart leaped giving her a ghost bump. Her stomach suddenly rumbled like there are butterflies inside. 'Water please.'

She held out her hand from him. She sits properly.

"You know what, you're annoying. We've been going round and round here," she complained.

She saw him getting his face serious.

"I will go with you both, and we will stay in one roof."

"My apartment is so small, it can't accommodate three people."

"We will stay at my house," he replied.

She started shooting a dagger at him.

"My house is safe, aside from safety securities around every corner outside the house, it's fully designed for wars."

She did not respond to him. He is an Interpol, what can you expect?

"And besides, it's adjacent and closer to your workplace. " she can do nothing at all.

"At the agency?" she asked.

"No, at Morgan Hospital," he answered.

She was shocked, he has her investigated thoroughly, perfect.

"How did you know?" she asked pretending she doesn't know what did he do.

"I have ways, but it's only until there. I didn't dig deeper about you. I just need to know your little things enough details needed for your case."

She nodded. What happened to her life? There is danger knocking at her life when she is no longer an agent to conduct any investigation.

What confused her is that, who were those people? Are they their enemy from a previous encounter wanting to get revenge?

She was awakened from her deep thoughts when she spoke.

"Now you better prepare yourself. The Chopper has arrived, we should be in Manila before the sun sets."

She is worried, confused, and scared.

"Hey, I'm sorry for dragging you into this. But I promise to protect you," he said with his gaze meeting her.

She stares at him, realizing something. This man has multiple characters. She can see, is it a concern?

"Why?"

"What why?"

"Why are you going to protect me?"

She wants to know.

"For Shine, just for a while, while waiting for Dianne, you can be there for her, so that I can move quickly and get her back to her true family. And most of all, so that I can go back to my old life. I love living my life without anyone else and I love my freedom." His long explanation.

Suddenly her annoyance gets back.

"You're so selfish, you are doing this for your advantage. Fighting for your freedom, wow. Just wow."

"Partly, yes."

She looked at him. His smile is so annoying.

She stood up. They don't have a conversation that won't lead to a fight.

She is hoping to hold her temper longer in front of him but is sad to say she can't. It's better to leave to talk to him. She better go and prepares to leave.

"Where are you going?"

"I'll go get Shine ready, Your Majesty!" she emphasized the word majesty.

"That's towards the exit door, you're heading a wrong way," he said to point the opposite direction.

She automatically turned her body to the door he's pointing. What is she thinking? She is now out of her mind. So annoying. She ignored him and continued walking towards Shine's room.

"Are you ready baby?"

She asked Shine when she gets into the room shine is occupying.

"Yes, Mommy! "

"Very good, Mommy will just get dressed, and we're going, okay?"

"How about Daddy Mommy? will he come with us?"

"Yes, baby. " responded the baritone voice at her back.

Yehey!, Daddy !!!! " Shine jumped with joy.

She is a very smart child. She's only 3 years old but very smart.

Jude laughed and carried Shine.

"Come here Mommy, let's hug." her eyes widened.

But she wasn't able to refuse anymore when Jude's bug muscular hand wrapped around her small waist and pulled her closer to them.

"Yehey, we are family. "

Family, yeah. Should could not agree for more. A family, an instant family.

"Thinking again?" he whispered in her ear. She felt all her hair on the nape stand when his breath hit the back of her ear.

She regretted it when she looked at him. He met his deep blue eyes giving her an unexplainable feeling.

Tsup.

'What was it?' A smack kiss on her lips?

Her eyes widened again.

She slipped from their embrace. She better change now.

"Ahm, by the way, where are my clothes.

"Ah, it's already there in the room you occupied" he replied.

She hurriedly went out of the room. She didn't want to look at him. She didn't want to see his annoying face and his sinful lips.