Chapter Twenty-One

RODRIGO'S POV

I sat down beside the bed Perlah was lying on, patiently waiting for Perlah to open her eyes, so I could clear the air and misunderstanding.

"I didn't kill him," I thought to myself, still trying to process what really happened.

Perlah suddenly opened her eyes, looking around in a panic.

"You are alright, you are with me," I whispered, tapping her on the side.

"Get away from me, you are a monster," Perlah yelled out in anger.

"You killed my brother, the only family I have left. I will never forgive you, Rodrigo, and if that's the last thing I do; I will get revenge," getting up from bed promptly.

"Perlah, this is just a misunderstanding," I murmured, blocking the entrance to stop her from leaving.

Out of nowhere, a slap landed on my face, again, again and again.

"The only misunderstanding here is the fact that I trusted a monster like you," she retorted. Pushing me out of the way, she stormed out.

I collapsed to the ground, pulling my hair in frustration.

I was devastated.

"Perlah wait…" I murmured; my eyes soaked in tears.

I didn't know what to do or say. I just sat there confused.

PERLAH'S POV

I walked out of Rodrigo's mansion with veins popping out of my head.

My head was pounding, I was exhausted from all the troubles that swore and spurned to not yield happening to me.

"I want out," I muttered, walking into a bar.

I got myself drunk, drowning myself in sorrowful depths of pain and chaos.

Until I lost the ability to see, stand, and walk properly.

I caught a blurry figure of a man walking towards me.

"What is such a beautiful lady doing here? Oh! You are drunk, that's bad," he whispered close to my ears.

"Stay away from me," I replied, trying to push him away, but my strength failed me.

The huge man came closer and closer until I felt his stinking breath of alcohol on my skin.

"I said get away from me," I whispered again, but he just laughed it off.

When I thought I would be pounced on by some hungry-blooded man, he was punched to the ground.

I looked back to see who saved me, and it was an unknown, mature, handsome man.

Right there and then, I collapsed in his arms.

*************************************

I woke up with my head banging, looking around. I knew I was in an unfamiliar place with no memory of last night.

"Have I been kidnapped again?" I couldn't help but worry, since my life was such a mess.

Still, deep in thought, a man walked into the room with a cup of coffee.

"This will help your hangover," he stated, passing me the cup.

I held the cup, staring at the innocent coffee.

"Is he going to poison me?" I wondered, dropping the cup of coffee on the bedside table.

"Who are you?" I murmured, staring at him.

"I see you don't remember about last night," he replied, smiling.

"What happened last night?" I retorted.

"I met you at a bar last night, you were in trouble and I attempted to help," he answered, calmly.

Slowly, the pieces of last night began coming together, and I finally remembered how I got into a stranger's house.

"Oh it was you, thank you for saving me and also bringing me to your home, it's a nice place," I muttered loud enough for him to hear, smiling back.

"C'mon I made us breakfast, come down and eat," he announced, smiling again.

Ignoring the coffee, I trailed behind him to the dining room.

He motioned me to sit, and I did, and then he served the meals.

I sat there stiff, not attempting to touch the food.

Understanding the assignment, he took a bite from every meal to assure me it was safe.

"See, you can trust me, I won't hurt you," he whispered.

"I'm sorry for bothering you, it's just I have gone through a lot lately. I now find it hard to trust," I said to him, facing down.

"You are not bothering me, I chose to bring you here, right?" He asked and chuckled.

"Are you always smiling? Your life seems to be going so smoothly" I asked, surprised.

"Quite the opposite, when my father died, he willed everything to the youngest brother. I had to start my life afresh, struggled so hard, got this small apartment, and started my life peacefully. I miss my brothers though, sometimes I feel really lonely," he replied, giggling.

"Why don't you search for them," I asked, interested.

"Because I'm allergic to problems. I will be fighting for my father's wealth if I want one," he calmly replied.

"Enough about me, what were you doing at the bar? I'm sorry to poke my nose, but when I carried you in my arms, I knew you were sorrowful," he asked, ogling at me.

"Carried me in your arms," I repeated, smiling back.

"Well I'm sorry, but I couldn't leave a beautiful lady like you in a bar filled with monsters," he replied.

"You haven't told me your name, Mr. Handsome," I blurted out.

"My name is Crisanto, and it's so nice to meet you," he whispered.

"I'm Perlah, nice to meet you too, Mr. Crisanto," I said giggling.

"Just call me Crisanto. I feel better that way," he corrected.

I took the hand he was stretching towards me like courtesy demands.

"Crisanto, I can't tell you anything about myself, apart from the fact that I am heartbroken, severely betrayed, and exhausted," I announced.

"Don't push it, I'm sure I will win your trust," he teased.

"I would love to watch you try," I retorted.

"Wait, you said your name is Crisanto, why do I feel like I have heard it before?" I asked, surprised.

"Heard it before? I'm extremely hard to hear, I'm the introvert type," he argued.

"No it's not about you, what's your last name?" I asked, still doubting.

"Crisanto Bayani," he replied.

"Now it rings a bell, he's one of Rodrigo's brothers."