Listener

As the dawn of the morning cracked, Prince planted safety recorders all over the mansion. It's programmed to only hear Aria's voice, her movements, and her distant conversations. Since she insisted to not get a cell phone, Prince had to place a wrecked one underneath her bed just to hear anything from her.

He checked the sounds inside her phone, and it's pretty working well. Prince had to listen closely with her words, especially now that she would regret the action she made by stepping out of the boundaries.

The sounds of bed sheets shifting in place, and her hunched breaths while sleeping through the dawn until sunrise. Prince pause the recordings as it was, and wore off his earphones. It's crystal clear.

"All's well," Prince announced.

He went to the bathroom and put on Bryce on hold. Prince had to call on a meeting later, because, for sure, he'd be able to witness how a pathetic Aria would press charges to her assaultive ex-boyfriend. It's the only thing that mattered now.

As Prince rinsed off the foam in his face, Bryce called back. He swiped the answer button, excitedly muttered, "Hey, Bryce, guess what I did last night?"

Bryce was woozy upon only getting 2 hours of sleep. He had a trial at 10 am, and he's uncertain if he's going to do well. The defense counsel was the monster lawyer of all time. She could overturn evidences on the wrong side.

And now that Prince bombarded and disturbed his nap, he'd be able to lose this trial for the nth time.

"What did you do? You kissed her or anything?" Bryce queried.

Prince smirked. He knew Aria so good that it's making him easy to target her on the head.

"Aria kissed me."

In those three words at the other end of the line, Bryce sat up from the bed rapidly. His sleep has gone in a wink, and just thinking about Aria's lips leaning onto Prince… his heart tore apart. Bryce couldn't believe Aria can move on a little faster than him.

Prince expected the silence in between their conversation, and it is a default.

With Aria as their topic, Bryce couldn't think outside of the box. He's relying with Prince's backbone and his plans. If he said to execute Aria, Bryce wouldn't be able to pull off the skit. It is best enough to have a two-side deal than to get devoured by Prince's plans.

"You couldn't speak up, right? Are Aria's actions bothering you? Well, her lips are sweet. I want to kiss it---" he trailed off.

"Stop, Prince. Just… stop there," Bryce warned. Prince snickered. If this is the only thing that could make them go crazy, Prince should have done it in the first place. He was the only one who can turn the world upside down, and he hadn't realized it until now.

"Why did she kiss you?" Bryce recovered. He had known Aria isn't putting enough trust to somebody unless she had known them for a while. She met Prince only weeks, and she took initiative for a kiss.

Prince shrugged, stating the obvious, "I saved her, Bryce. It's a default for a woman to get moved when someone saved them. And by means of save, I meant that… she's bleeding that time and I was the one who delivered her to the hospital."

Bryce wouldn't buy it, he pressed, "Then? What else? I can read Aria well on her actions. She must have said something to you, or confess… something about her. Then you said, 'It's fine. Every person has flaws', or something close to that."

He sounded jealous. He literally is. Bryce couldn't help but to get puzzled why a guy like Prince was able to swoop down Aria and made her fall in love with him in a matter of days.

"I would be clearly transparent to you, Bryce. She said something to me, yes, that's true. It isn't about her, it's about you." Prince turned around, holding the cell phone close to his ear, and leaned his butt cheeks towards the sink.

It doesn't bother him how cold inside the bathroom. He just wanted to be naked.

Bryce's heart must have dropped to the floor. About him…?

"She doesn't want to stay inside her house and she stated the reason last night. Aria didn't mention the name, but we know who it is. A little truth coming, Bryce, but Aria doesn't want to see you again or else, she might be able to kill you."

Even though he lied, Prince knew Bryce's wits would lose its burning flame.

He failed on the plan as a whole. Bryce and Prince pledged not to fall in love. But Bryce stepped on a foot mine, and everything exploded right in his face. Now, he's struck with reality on how doomed he was.

"You're the father of her child, yes, she'll allow that. But you, and you as a lover, Aria doesn't want to cross the line anymore."

Prince said that with the memory of Aria's kiss lingering in his lips, with her hands in his hair, tugging the strands softly, and how the tips of their noses touched one another. He has known that intoxicating scent would leave a mark, but Prince still continued to give the go signal.

Bryce didn't answer, and just… breathed heavily.

Prince didn't say anymore. When a blaring alarm sounded to the end of the call, Bryce whispered he had to go and hung up the call. Prince waited for the call to click, and it ended.

He stared across the wall, murmuring, "I wonder how I can press charges to Bryce Fajardo."

…

Aria walked out of the bedroom with her hair still tousled all over.

She yawned, holding the doorknob lazily, and was about to close it, when she got startled by a familiar figure at the top of the stairs. Aria jolted awake, widening her eyes, and saw a naïve-looking Prince.

He must have taken that "no-kissing-if-you-don't-mean-it" card as of today, that's why Prince changed the way he treated her.

Aria reacted quickly, and bowed down her head. Prince stopped in front of her while holding a briefcase. She looked into his eyes, but he's not doing the same thing. Aria felt sorry about what she had done.

The kiss had made a barrier between them already. It's hard to break a wall when he already decided to put a distance them.

"The maids prepared breakfast downstairs. Eat with them while I'm away. I have a trial today, and I need to finish a lot of complaints. I might be home at 9 pm," Prince reminded.

Aria didn't respond, and just kept those words into mind. Prince beamed.

"Then… see you later," he dismissed. Aria was just about to say something, but Prince turned around and rushed downstairs.

He reached the bottom, opened the door, and closed it with a bang. It echoed around the cabin mansion while Aria was still there, in front of her temporary bedroom, and hissed.

"I should have said that I need to press charges."

…

Prince wore his headset along the traffic. He leaned his head by the car seat while checking the time. It's still 2 hours away before his trial. Varean isn't that far away from the center, after all.

As Prince stepped on the accelerator, so as the bubbly sound of Aria's voice inside the garden met his ears.

"Good morning everyone, I am Aria De Leon, I'm the newest gardener in here. I'd be here on 4-day shift, from Wednesdays to Saturdays."

She stayed silent. Muffled voices must have thrown her questions in the garden.

"I'm a senior florist and designer at the Beauty's Flowers. I still have to work there for 3 days. But I'm glad Mr. Prince Gomez hired me in here."

Prince smiled.

"Aria's so happy-going."