I have a bird

"But, I will recognize him because he might be in the police force," she asserted with determination.

A hint of skepticism flickered in Francisco's eyes as he questioned, "How do you know that?"

"Because he was so good at firing," Hazel explained, her certainty unwavering.

Francisco, acknowledging her reasoning, slightly nodded. The pieces of the puzzle seemed to fall into place, and a thoughtful silence enveloped the room.

"What if he doesn't turn out to be in the police force?"

Francisco probed further, observing the subtle shift in Hazel's expression.

Her face, for a moment, betrayed a sense of disappointment, but she quickly composed herself. Taking a deep breath, she spoke, "I will still be grateful to him for the rest of my life."

Curiosity guiding him, Francisco posed another question, "If you suddenly met him, what would you do?"

A genuine smile brightened Hazel's face as she envisioned the possibility.

"I will be so happy. Because of him, I can see the world again. I will treat him to a meal."

A playful chuckle escaped Francisco's lips as he teased Hazel about her seemingly simple gesture of gratitude.

"Only a meal?"

"That's how you express your gratitude to your savior, Ms. Hazel?" he remarked, his eyes glinting with amusement.

Hazel, caught off guard by his teasing, pressed her lips together, conceding that Francisco might have a point.

"You are too bad when it comes to showing your gratitude," he continued with a smirk.

A hint of challenge sparkled in Hazel's eyes as she countered, "Ah... then what should I need to do?"

Francisco, leaning into the banter, posed a hypothetical scenario, "After seeing you, if he asks you to be with him, will you do?"

Hazel, taking a moment to consider, slowly blinked her eyes and, after a minute, nodded in the negative.

"I won't."

"Why? Do you have a boyfriend?"

Francisco inquired, arching his brows with a mischievous glint.

Hazel's eyes widened, and she quickly clarified, "No... it's not like that. Actually, how can I be his girlfriend? We don't know each other; we are unknown."

A soft smile played on Francisco's lips as he heard Hazel's protest, but he chose not to respond with words. Instead, he plucked a rose from the nearby blooms and gracefully tucked it into her hair. Hazel, surprised by the unexpected gesture, instinctively moved a bit back, her eyes locking onto Francisco's.

"Mr. Francisco!" she uttered, a blend of amusement and protest in her tone.

"It suits you, Hazel," Francisco remarked, his eyes gleaming with a hint of mischief.

Hazel, however, was quick to express her reservations.

"But it looks beautiful when it was there," she insisted.

"Don't worry, Hazel," Francisco reassured her after a minute of thoughtful silence.

"This rose is in the right place now."

As Hazel absorbed his words, she looked up at him, finding herself captivated by the man standing before her. Francisco, with an air of confidence and undeniable charm, traced her cheek with his fingers. Hazel blinked, caught at the moment, her thoughts a whirlwind of hesitation and curiosity.

'What should I do now?'

'I am hesitating to step ahead.'

She pondered, feeling a reluctance to take the next step.

As if sensing her internal dilemma, Hazel finally spoke, "Mr. Francisco, we need to go back. Today, we have an urgent meeting."

"You don't have to go today. I am going," Francisco declared, a subtle authority in his voice.

Hazel, taken aback by the unexpected turn of events, pressed her lips together, her eyes reflecting a mix of confusion and concern.

"But... I am your PA. Don't you need me there, Mr. Francisco?" she inquired, her sense of duty conflicting with his insistence.

"Yes, if I needed you, I would say. But I think today you need to stay home and take a rest," Francisco replied, his decision firm.

A tinge of desperation crept into Hazel's voice as she pleaded, "But what should I do here, Mr. Francisco?"

In a spontaneous moment, she grasped his hand, a gesture that surprised them both.

Francisco, his eyes narrowing as her hand touched his, felt a subtle shift in the dynamics of their interaction. It was the first time Hazel had initiated physical contact, and the unspoken tension between them hung in the air.

"I will be bored at home," Hazel confessed, her eyes appealing to him with a hint of sadness.

"Please!"

Francisco, seemingly unmoved, countered with a hint of playfulness, "But I thought you would cook something for me."

Caught off guard, Hazel parted her lips to respond, but her mind raced to conjure up a suitable idea.

She attempted a smile and said, "Oh, yes... I will make something. Do you like to eat something?"

"Yes, I like one thing, but I don't want to eat it."

Intrigued, Hazel narrowed her eyes and asked, "What is it?"

"It's a small bird. I don't want to eat her because I enjoy seeing her chirping," Francisco chuckled.

"Do you have a bird?" Hazel inquired, curiosity dancing in her eyes.

"Yes!" Francisco replied, a smile playing on his lips as he gazed at the sky through the glass walls of the secluded garden.

Hazel, captivated by the idea, pressed further, "Where is it?"

"I've kept her in my mansion," Francisco disclosed, his voice carrying a quiet pride.

"I want to see her, Mr. Francisco," Hazel expressed, her genuine curiosity shining through.

Francisco took a deep breath, his eyes holding a mixture of contemplation and something unspoken.

"You will, but that day when I finally have her," he assured.

"If you like her, then why would you want to eat her?"

Hazel questioned, her brow furrowing as she tried to understand his perspective.

"Because I like to keep what's mine," Francisco explained cryptically, revealing a possessiveness that extended beyond the ordinary.

"Birds are more beautiful when they fly," Hazel mused, her words carrying gentle wisdom.

"Yes, but if it is mine, then I don't like her to fly, Hazel," Francisco confessed, his words carrying an unsettling possessiveness. He turned to look at her, a gaze that hinted at desires beyond the ordinary.

"I like her to be kept in a cage, pet her when I want, hurt her when I want."

As he spoke, Francisco closed the distance between them, his presence looming over Hazel. The air thickened with a tension that lingered on the edge of discomfort.

"I won't hesitate to kill her if my bird tries to leave me, Hazel," he declared, his words hanging in the air like a darkened shadow.

Hazel, her eyes narrowing in response to the intensity of his words, spoke in a low tone, "Are you not a bit cruel?"

"Maybe I am, or maybe I am not," Francisco replied, his demeanor unyielding. His hand, poised to touch her cheek.

Before the unsettling moment could fully unfold, a voice shattered the stillness.

"Boss!"

Francisco turned his head abruptly, his gaze locking onto Liam.

"You have come?"