Chapter 3

"Pierce"

I called out to him softly but he pushed me behind him seemingly hiding me from his family.

"What did you tell her?"

I tried to hold on to his shirt to stop him from saying anything more but his rage got the better of him. His protectiveness got the best of him. 

"Is that how you talk to our mom?"

"What do you expect? He's being influenced by some low life"

Eventhough I didn't want to, my head instinctively bows at his older brother's words. That's what I am to his brothers and mother, a low life. 

"Do not call her that Paulo"

Pierce shot back seemingly abandoning all kind of respect for his older brothers.

"Hey Kael, that's enough"

I said quietly but Pierce just held my hand tight. Not the type that hurts me, just the kind that tells me he's gonna protect me, like how he had always done.

"I told her to stay away from you"

Aunt Bia states, her cold expression never wavering as she stared down at me. Her gaze full of disgust, as it had been for 11 years.

"She doesn't need to because I'm not staying away from her. I won't ever stay away from her"

Pierce said decisively, never hesitating about his words. 

"Then I'll take you out from our family register"

It was then that everyone's attention were on Aunt Bia.

"Mom, you can't be serious. Stop this, this isn't worth it. It's Qian's birthday and you're ruining it for her"

Kuya Petyr tried to calm Aunt Bia down but it seemed that siding with us only made her angrier.

"She's the one ruining it, she had already ruined Pierce back when…."

"IT WASN'T HER FAULT!"

Pierce shouted cutting Aunt Bia off and I felt every hair in my body jump out from surprise because Pierce never shouts. At least not at me. 

"What had happened back then wasn't her fault. I don't see any reason to stay away from her and if you insist on removing me from the family register because I won't do what you want then so be it. But I am not leaving Harriett."

Pierce took one long glance at Aunt Bia before he pushed me softly inside his car and getting in himself. He drove far from them without even looking back. He turned in the corner and stopped just two houses away from my house. 

"Kael"

I called out to him as he frustratingly placed his head on the steering wheel. He didn't answer so I took off my seatbelt and took his face in my hands. When I got a good look at his face, he was on the verge of crying.

"I ruined your birthday Harriett. I'm sorry"

He said softly as he kissed my palms that were still on his face, a gesture he always does when he thinks he had hurt me. But Pierce had never hurt me, not even once or by accident.

"That wasn't worth it Kael"

I told him and immediately his face shifted into a frustrated one. 

"They're your family. They still will be and Aunt Bia will always be your mom, no matter what happens"

"They're finding fault on you when they shouldn't"

"But isn't that normal? She's your mom. If my son had gone through that I…"

"You wouldn't forgive the perpetrator who did it, not the victim"

Pierce cut me off and I know that there's no getting through with him. He's too stubborn at times like this. I let out a deep sigh.

"Fine let's forget about this"

"Harriett"

"Kael it's my birthday, I want to end it with a joyful celebration, not with talks about our past"

Pierce let out a sigh before nodding and holding my hand, kissing the back of it. I smiled. If he wasn't my best friend, I would have thought that he was treating me like his own princess. 

"That reminds me, this is from Annika"

Pierce said as he gave me the paper bag he had taken from his room. My eyes widened at the gift and hurriedly opened it. Inside was a small stuffed toy that resembles a panda. I laughed and immediately took a picture of it.

"I'm gonna say thank you to her"

"Yes please do, she's been annoying me for weeks about what to get you for your birthday"

I chuckled as Pierce made a face. He and Annika are working under the same company. Under Pierce's family company to be exact. 

I took one glance at Pierce and immediately found my resolve to fix my life. My board exams are around the corner, once I passed that, I would have enough confidence to meet Aunt Bia and Pierce's brothers.

Yes, step by step I can fix my life and I'm gonna start with passing my licensure exams.

But it seems like fate had a different idea on what to do to me. 

I looked at the remains of the cigarettes and can of beers at my feet and felt like crying again.

It's the weekend and I didn't go home. I ignored Pierce's invite to go out and locked myself up in the apartment. Smoking and drinking away the disappointment and sadness that was washing me all over. I couldn't exactly face him, not when I failed at everything in my life. 

I failed my board exam, not only that I'm stressed out with work. Christmas parties, events, recruitment and labor related cases. Not to mention, mom's call from home which always harbors bad financial news.

I let out another puff from my cigarette and stared at the night sky outside my bedroom window. I never liked cigarettes before but oddly enough, it's the only thing that helps me calm my panic attacks. 

I stared at my phone when it rang expecting Pierce's name on the caller ID but my eyes widened when I saw who it was instead.

I counted to five before answering the call and putting my phone on my ear.

"Hello"

I suddenly felt a smile tugging from my lips. His voice is a wonder and what it does to my heart is something I'll never get used to.

"Hey, is something wrong?"

I asked almost too shy because for the first time I didn't know how to answer a call, especially one from Josiah.

"Nah just checking in on you"

One of my eyebrows rose up as I let out a chuckle.

"Checking in? That's new"

"Well, you know it looked like you weren't in the mood earlier and you definitely looked like you were sick"

That stills me and at the same time all I could do was smile at that notion. So he does actually pay attention to me. Playing hard to get is what he's doing right now.

"Thanks Josh, I'm fine just a little feeling under the weather since board exams ended"

"That's alright, I didn't pass mine either."

I knew that. I laughed at the irony of his and my circumstances. I joke around as I finally put out the last of my cigarette.

"Maybe it's fate"

"Maybe it is"

That froze me up. I had been taking the initiative to joke and flirt with him but he'd always just laugh at me or tell me off. This one's different.

"Well, goodnight Qian. See you at work"

"Yeah bye"

What the hell?