"What took you too long?" Ivana was obviously annoyed with her long-time boyfriend.

"I'm sorry. I got stuck in the heavy traffic," Jacob replied. He kissed Ivana on her cheeks before he sat down.

"How about what I'm asking you to do? Have the villagers agreed?" Jacob noticed that it was quiet around. He looked around. "Where are your employees here? Why are there no waiters serving? I want some wine," he said.

Ivana sighed as she looked at her freshly cleaned nails. "I already sent them home. I know it will took you too long to arrive here," she said without any emotion.

Jacob took a deep breath before he got the elegant red dress out of the paper bag. He walked towards Ivana's back. He hugged and kissed her like he used to do every single day.

"Jacob, I'm not in the mood. Can you just go back to your seat?" Ivana said. Her eyebrows furrowed.

"Babe, please don't get mad at me. Look. I bought something for you." Jacob smiled and showed the red dress to Ivana. His girlfriend loves red dresses so he's expecting her to feel ecstatic and grateful but...

"I don't like the design. It's too old-fashioned. '' Ivana rolled her eyes before she removed Jacob's hands from her shoulders. She stood up from sitting in front and then walked away from her boyfriend.

Jacob put back the red dress he bought inside the paper bag.

"Babe, what's wrong? I already apologized for being late. I was also only late for five minutes. Why are you like that? I didn't commit a serious mistake," Jacob said while holding the paper bag, tightly.

Ivana grinned and looked at Jacob intently.

"What's the date today?" Ivana asked gently.

"What?" Jacob asked back.

"I said, what's the date today?" Ivana repeated herself. She tapped her feet on the floor while raising her eyebrows. She was really annoyed because the whole day went by without Jacob even greeting her on her special day.

"July 22." Jacob stopped for a moment. "Oh shit!" He quickly walked closer to Ivana.

"See? You forgot that it's my birthday! Is it your hobby every year, Jacob? Honestly, what am I really for you?"

"Babe, do you really need to ask me about that? Isn't it obvious? I love you! I love you so much! I REALLY DO! Don't you feel that?" His eyes showed how hurt he was.

Ivana gritted her teeth.

"Common Jacob! You're turning the situation upside down again! If I'm important to you, why do you keep on forgetting my birthday?" Ivana's voice rose slightly. It's a good thing that she and Jacob are the only people in her restaurant because otherwise, she will be the main topic of her employees the next day.

"I'm sorry. Can we just ... forget about it? I buy you gifts almost every day. We also eat out almost every day. Maybe, those were the reasons why I always forget the date of your birth!" Jacob exclaimed.

Ivana stepped closer to Jacob before she let out a small laugh. She took the paper bag from Jacob's hand.

"I'm grateful that you know my favorite dress color but look at this design! I will look like a maid when I wear it!"

Jacob's eyes widened when Ivana suddenly threw the clothes on the floor. He had worked so hard to find it. Yes, he went to six malls just to find that kind of design plus, it cost a fortune! Jacob pulled out his hair when Ivana stepped on the dress.

"I'm so done with you! You know what Jacob, I feel so sorry for myself that I came back to you! I wish I had chosen to stay next to your half-brother, Jackson!"

Jacob bit his lower lip while clenching his fists.

'Jacob, calm down. Ivana was just angry that's why she said those things. Do what you're supposed to do!' he thought.

Ivana raised her eyebrows when Jacob suddenly knelt in front of her. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"Ivana, please spend the rest of your life with me. Will you … marry me?" Jacob could hear his heartbeats clearly, at the moment. His heart was beating too fast because of nervousness. He was also sweating cold.

Jacob's lips gradually curved when Ivana supported him to stand on his feet. He remembered how the girl had forced him to fight for his right as a Gray. Ivana is the reason why he is successful today. He received more than recognition from his father because of her. He also inherited as much as his brother Jackson had.

Ivana should feel ecstatic right now but that's not how she felt. She hugged Jacob tightly and then patted him on the back.

"Keep that ring. Let's break up Jacob. I'm sorry. I hope you'll find the right woman for you." Ivana kissed Jacob on his cheek before she left.

The CEO sat on the floor. He let go of the ring and it rolled towards the door.

Jacob slapped himself several times. He wanted to believe that it was all a dream but he was wrong. It's true that the woman he wanted to be with until he was old has had left him. He was screaming while punching the floor. He cried for the first time because of a woman.

"Sir, please stop at the next street. Please wait for me here. I'm just going to get something," said Freya before getting off the tricycle.

"Mom, I'll just wait here."

"Are you sure Yael? You don't want to come with me inside the restaurant?" Freya assured.

Yael nodded in confirmation.

"Sir, please look after my son." Freya secretly took out her cellphone and took a picture of the tricycle driver they were riding.

Freya was singing as she walked towards the restaurant where she’s working as a part time waitress. When she opened the door, she was about to walk to her locker when she noticed the shining ring on the floor. She slowly turned and bent down to pick up the ring.

"Gold! It's so beautiful! Wait, is it a diamond?" Freya bit the ring. "It looks like it's really authentic and expensive! Whose ring could this be?" said Freya. She looked around and saw no one. She didn't see Jacob because he was sitting on the floor. The young man also stopped crying and ranting.

"Lord, will you give it to me? Shall I pawn it so that Yael and I will have pocket money to go to Escueza? Hmm… Gold and diamond's market value appreciate over time. I'll keep it for now!"

Freya was about to put the ring in her pant's pocket when she suddenly heard footsteps approaching her. She even made the sign of the cross when she remembered the rumor that a white lady often appeared in that restaurant late at night. Freya almost jumped out of fear when someone spoke behind her.

"Take your hands off my ring!" Jacob said.

Freya's face seemed to run out of red blood when she saw Jacob's angry reflection in the glass door.

"Hey! Give me back my ring!" Jacob said while rubbing his forehead.

Freya closed her eyes for a moment. She took a deep breath, then she counted from one to three in her mind.

'One. Two. Three.'

Freya hastily stood up and ran towards the tricycle. She was carrying the ring. She didn’t even look back while running since she didn't want Jacob to see her barefaced. She was panting when she rode on the tricycle.

“S-sir, c-come on! L-let’s go … Come on! Start the engine!" Freya said frantically.

"Mom, what's going on?" Yael frowned. When he saw the rushing Jacob, he was amazed. He even rubbed his eyes because he looked just like that man. "Is someone chasing you, mom?"

Freya shook her head as she took a drink of mineral water. She finished it with just one drink.

"I think mommy saw a ghost, son!"

"Really, mom?" Yael asked in shock. 'Maybe it was really my daddy! What I saw is a ghost? Why did he show up? Did he miss us so much that he fled from heaven?' Yael thought while looking at her mom.

"Just kidding, son! Come on!" Freya hugged her son tightly. 'What's going on? Why did I see that man again?' thought Freya.

'Then mommy didn't see daddy? What a waste!'

Freya looked at the ring that belonged to Jacob. It fits perfectly on her finger. Due to panic earlier, she suddenly put the ring on her finger. She even imagined what could happen next if her ex-boyfriend met her. She just returned to her senses when Yael spoke at her.

"Mom, why does that car seem to be following us?" Yael said while looking at the car tailing the one they were riding in.

Freya swallowed one after the other while holding her chest. She could clearly hear her heartbeats. She was also sweating cold.

'Oh God! Why is this happening to me?' Freya thought.

"Give me back my ring whoever you are! Shit! This day really sucks!" Jacob said annoyingly while he was driving his car. "I am going to put you behind bars when I catch you! Thief!"

Jacob drove his car faster but the speed of the tricycle he was chasing also sped up. "Damn! You are dead when I catch you!" he growled.

Jacob suddenly slowed down when he remembered the reflection of the woman who got his ring in the glass door. 

"F-Freya?" He stopped talking and shook his head. "Is there something wrong with me? I also saw her earlier in the Supermalls. Shit! I think my conscience is haunting me! I already saw her face twice today!" he murmured.

Jacob remembered the night where he and Freya had became slaves of lust and flesh. He didn't realize that he was already smiling. "I need to confirm if it's really her." He sped up his car again.

The tricycle driver immediately showed his skill on driving when Freya said that she would triple her payment. She is desperate. She must avoid that man at all costs. Freya and Yael held each other tightly when the driver drove the tricycle at full speed. Freya looked at the ring on her finger.

'What if this ring is really meant for me? What if it was not a coincidence? What if …'

Freya gasped when she suddenly heard her son's voice.

"Mom, I'm scared! We might crash if the driver drives this fast. The street is still dark! What if an accident happens?" Yael let go of the handle of the tricycle and hugged her mother tightly.

"Don't worry son. Our driver is careful. Right, sir?" Freya assured.

"Yes, ma'am. I drive carefully because I'm afraid of going to jail. I also have a family to feed so I always drive with extra caution," the driver replied.

They have already traveled a long way. Just a few more barangays and Freya and Yael will be able to return to their little home, unscathed. They couldn't stay up late because they will have an early flight the next day.

"Yael, you can sleep on my lap if you are sleepy. Mommy will watch over you," Freya said.

"No mom. I'm afraid something might happen if I close my eyes. I'll watch over you too, mommy," Yael said gently.

"Ma'am, your son is kind. You raised him well," said the tricycle driver. He smiled when he saw the narrow road. He came up with a good plan to mislead the man who was chasing them.

"Ma'am, let's go to that alley, get off for a while and walk to its end. I'll wait for you there," said the tricycle driver.

"Are you serious? That alley is so dark! Maybe later, my son and I will get hurt," Freya commented.

"That's the only way I can see so that the man who's chasing you can't follow us anymore. By the way, who is he? Is he your ex-husband?" the driver said out of curiosity.

Freya raised an eyebrow. "He's not my ex-husband. My son's father is already resting six feet underground," she answered with emphasis.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. Condolences," the driver said sadly.

Yael hugged her mother tightly.

"Mom, when we come back from Escueza, let us visit dad's grave. I'm seven years old already but I never come to visit him. I want to see him … even if it's just his grave," he said while crying.

Freya was speechless. She felt sorry for her child. She didn't want to lie but that was the only way to protect her son from her cunning ex-boyfriend. She would rather tell a lie than seeing her son suffer. She wanted Yael to think that his father is dead rather than be hurt by the fact that he abandoned them. She is still annoyed every time she thinks that Jacob didn't even look for them, after she left the ultrasound result in front of the door of his condo.

Before things got out of hand, Freya decided to get off the tricycle and follow the old driver's advice.

"Mom, are you okay? I'm sorry. I know you miss daddy as much as I do," said Yael.

"I'm fine, son," Freya replied sparingly.

"Who is it that is chasing us? Also, why is he following us? Is he a kidnapper? Is he a bad person?" Yael asked.

Freya stopped walking and bent down to look Yael straight in the eyes.

"He's a bad guy so we need to run as fast as we can. Do you understand Yael?" She needs to say it so that they can walk faster. She held Yael's hand again.

When Freya stood up, she could see Jacob's angry face from the opening of the alley they entered. Due to the adrenaline rush, she immediately picked up Yael and ran to the end of the alley where the tricycle driver was waiting.

Yael was surprised by what Freya did. He was only four years old when his mother carried him like that. He smiled and held tightly to his mother.

"Sir, let's go," said Freya.

The driver quickly started the engine of his tricycle. Freya breathed a deep sigh of relief when she no longer saw Jacob's car tailing them. She was still panting because she carried Yael while running.

"Mom, you're my superhero!"

Freya ruffled Yael's hair and then hugged him. She also kissed her son on his forehead.

Meanwhile, Jacob was running out of air when he exited the alley. His left hand was clutching his chest while his right hand was resting on his knee. He looked in both directions of the street. The girl he was chasing was nowhere to be found.

"Fuck!" said Jacob while kicking the light pole. He limped back to his car. "I lost it! I have wasted five million pesos on that ring! Damn it!"

Jacob was not in the mood to answer his ringing cell phone. Diana, her stepsister, was calling her.

"What do you need?" he said rudely while turning on bluetooth and looking for his earbuds.

["How sweet of you!]

"Diana, I'm not in the mood to play with your jokes. What are you up to? Why did you call?" When Jacob saw his earbuds, he hastily put them on and started driving back to their hotel.

["We're going to Escueza tomorrow morning. Show up on time. You'll miss the flight if you wake up late.]

"So, Mr. Clinton accepted my invitation. Okay. Send the flight details to me via email. I'll be busy tonight. I'll revise my proposal," Jacob said seriously.

["No thank you at all?"]

Jacob ended the call without saying thank you to his stepsister. 

Diana was very annoyed on the other line but that was nothing new to her. She just hoped that there might be a change in his older brother's behavior.

"Escueza, wait for me. I'll make sure I will win you over my arrogant brother, Jackson," Jacob said earnestly.

"Good morning, ma'am and sir. Welcome to Escueza Luxury Hotel. If you need something, please don't hesitate to call us for assistance," the beautiful hotel staff greeted Jacob and Diana. Her cheeks are red because of the blush on.

Diana smiled at the hotel staff. "Thank you. We will call you if we need something," she said. Her eyes were smiling too.

Diana poked Jacob but he only ignored her.

"Welcome to Escueza Miss and Mr. Gray," the hotel manager said with a wide smile on his face.

"Where is Mr. Clinton?" Jacob asked. He didn't even greet the hotel manager.

"He is still attending a meeting but he will arrive later, Sir Jacob. For now, let us take you to your respective rooms. After that, we can tour you around if you want to," the manager said.

"Give us our room cards. We can now find our rooms. We have here our bodyguards to assist us. Another thing, we are exhausted. We need to take a rest first," Jacob answered frankly.

After that, the Gray siblings walked directly to the location of the elevator with their bodyguards. The hotel manager and staff at the counter were left scratching their heads.

"You really have a bad attitude. You don’t even smile at them," Diana growled at her stepbrother.

"Are you still not used to it?" Jacob asked.

"I'm used to it. Do you still love being like that? Anyway, what did you eat and you are wearing that kind of clothes?" Diana raised her eyebrows as she observed Jacob's whole body. He was wearing a loose shirt, a jogger pants and slippers.

"I woke up, late. When I get to my room, I will take a shower and get dressed," Jacob explained.

Diana laughed, "You are also afraid of being left behind, aren't you? Do not worry, you are still handsome even though you are wearing that," she said.

Jacob glared at Diana.

"You? Why are you wearing that? You look like you're going to jump into the pool at any moment," Jacob teased. Diana was wearing white long sleeves with a black sports bra inside and rugged shorts at the bottom with a black shades on.

"You really don't know anything about the latest fashion trends. At least, I don't look like I just got out of bed," Diana defended.

Their two bodyguards behind them stifled laughter. They have witnessed the growth of Diana and Jacob and until now, they don’t see any changes in their character. Teasing each other has become a hobby for them. Sometimes they were even mistaken for lovers because of their closeness.

"Room 309," Jacob whispered.

"Actually, you should have stay in room 209. I just alter it because the view is better in that room," Diana said.

"You? Where is your room? Maybe you'll be here with your boyfriend later, right? I am going to suffocate your boyfriend if ever I see you kissing each other," Jacob threatened her. He's always protective when it comes to Diana.

"My boyfriend, KUYA, is in Cebu," Diana said while rolling her eyes.

"Hey, watch her every move. If my sister’s lover sneaks up on her and that girl gets pregnant in no time, dad will kill me. I will kill you when that happens. Is that clear?" Jacob said to Diana's bodyguard.

"Yes sir! I will take good care of Ma'am Diana!"

"You should be!" said Jacob.

Diana and her bodyguard were the first to exit the elevator. Their rooms are next to each other. Only then did Jacob notice the elevator's other cargo. He wondered why a woman had her back turned to him. She was hugging a boy and they were carrying two suitcases. They don't speak either.

Jacob walked away from the two. "Weird," he whispered.

When the elevator rang, Jacob came out immediately with his bodyguard. He went to room 309 while his bodyguard went to room 308.

The elevator was about to close when Freya suddenly stopped it.

"Mom, can we talk now?" Yael asked.

"Yes son. You can speak now," Freya replied.

"Why did we just get out of the elevator now?" Yael asked again.

"It is better to get out of the elevator when everyone is out so we can check if it's safe to walk down the aisle." Beads of sweat on Freya's forehead were gushing down on her face. 'Will I still see him until here? Jusko! I think I'm going to die because of panic attacks! Looks like I won't be able to enjoy this because of him!' her mind screamed silently.

"Is that so? You know mom, I still can't believe that we are already here in Escueza! It is one of the places that I really want to visit and God is great because he did not just bring me here but also you! I feel ecstatic!" Yael screamed. He couldn't contain his happiness.

Freya stroked Yael's cheeks.

"Thank you son. I'm sorry because mommy can't afford to take you to these kinds of places. I assure you that mommy will work harder so that I can take you to your other dream destinations," Freya said tearfully.

"Mom, having you is enough for me. I couldn't ask for more. I am happy when I see you healthy and happy. I am very rich because I have a mommy like you," said Yael.

"My son is so sweet! You inherited your traits from m—"

"Is it daddy's? Is daddy sweet too?" Yael suddenly asked.

"Ahm, son, where is our room? I'm excited to lie down on the very soft bed!"Freya and Yael were sleeping on the same bed. It's made of bamboo so it hurts their back a bit especially if there are no blankets.

"Room 310 mommy. Wait. 306, 307, 308, 309! This mommy! We are here!" Yael pointed out their room with a smile on his face.

Freya swiped her card on the locked door then it opened quickly after.

"Wow! That's cool!" Yael said as he entered the room.

Freya was left at the door carrying their two suitcases. She rolled her eyes inside their room. Her mouth dropped open at what she saw.

"So, this is what it looks like to stay at a first-class hotel. Fascinating!" said Freya.

Yael ran back to Freya to take a suitcase from his mother's hand.

Jacob went out of room 309 to get his extra baggage. He saw a woman's back holding a suitcase in the opposite room.

"Wait, she was the woman earlier in the elevator," Jacob smiled. His eyes caught Yael slightly.

"Her child is handsome. I could only saw half of his face but his handsomeness is already evident," he said before he took his suitcase and went inside his room.