Flaws Within

#6 ADDICTIVE BITTERSWEETNESS

"You're fast. Here's what I promised," Juandre said to the man at the door, handing him a small envelope.

Javier remained seated on the couch, feeling a mix of confusion, shock, and embarrassment. He couldn't fully comprehend Juandre's anger or the presence of the mysterious man at the door. Out of curiosity, Javier finally found his voice and managed to utter a question.

"W...what's happening?" Javier asked, his voice trembling, overwhelmed by Juandre's cold gaze scanning him from head to toe.

"You disobeyed me. What do you think your punishment should be?" Juandre replied coldly, maintaining his intense gaze.

Once again, Javier asked, baffled by the situation, "When did I disobey you?"

"Remember? I clearly said you could knock out whoever you wanted and wouldn't face any consequences," Juandre repeated his previous words with a hint of confusion, leaving Javier puzzled about how Juandre must have known what was going to happen.

"So this was all pl..planned?" Javier asked, his eyes widening in shock and curiosity. He looks deeply in juandre eyes wishing he declines it.

Juandre moved closer, his gaze still icy, and Javier felt sheer terror coursing through his body, making his heart race.

"Yes, I paid him to do that, right in front of you, the man at the door," Juandre replied, allowing a sinister smile to creep onto his face, fully embracing his villainous persona.

"So, what are you going to do? Hit me? Demand an explanation? Honestly, it wasn't much according to my plan, so I had to unfortunately intervene to save you," Juandre stated, his words dripping with cruelty, as he continued to study Javier, who stood frozen, their eyes locked in an electric current, Javier struggling to comprehend the brutal words coming from someone he hadn't expected it from.

"The doctor must have lied," Javier murmured, his voice slowly breaking, his eyes filling with tears of disappointment. He quietly exited the room.

Javier entered his room, tears streaming down his face. It finally dawned on him that he had ended up with someone just like Andriel. They both had the same character traits. Overwhelmed with thoughts, Javier couldn't help but worry if Juandre would also become physically abusive towards him. The mere thought sent a chill down his spine. He didn't want his childhood friend to inflict the same pain on him. So, despite his shattered heart, Javier made the difficult decision to run away in search of a peaceful life.

Quietly, Javier packed a small bag, his mind clouded with doubts about whether this was the right choice. His heart told him that Juandre could be trusted, but his mind kept replaying the nightmare he went through with Andriel. Once he finished packing, he pondered on ways to escape.

In the early hours of the morning, around 2 am, Javier wandered around the vast house, desperately searching for an escape route. However, upon reaching the main door, he realized the guards would surely notice him. Being trapped, he decided to climb down from the terrace instead. But just as he started climbing over the wall, a voice startled him from behind.

"What are you doing?!" Juandre's voice boomed, confusion filling his eyes.

Javier's eyes widened in shock, his mind racing to come up with excuses to evade the conversation. His hands shook uncontrollably, a mix of fear and horror consuming him.

"I...I was just..." Javier stammered, but Juandre abruptly interrupted.

"Are you trying to commit suicide or something?" Juandre questioned, closing the distance between them and gripping Javier's arm to prevent any impulsive actions.

Juandre noticed the bag in Javier's hand, instantly realizing what he was attempting. He chuckled, amused by Javier's desperate escape plan. Leaning in closer, he softly whispered into his ear.

"I won't allow you to laugh, nor will I permit you to cry. I won't let you die, nor will I let you live freely. You see, my darling, you are bound to solely obey my desires. Anything beyond that holds the potential for peril," he declared, a slight smirk forming on his lips as he gently took Javier's bag and lowered him to the ground.

Javier's mind was once again filled with confusion, struggling to comprehend Juandre's words. He stares at juandre as his mind starts asking questions if he could be actually trusted.

Blankly staring at Juandre, Javier's eyes begged for answers. The stress was visible on his face, his hands trembling, and tears starting to well up.

Juandre's remorse and guilt overwhelmed him as he realized the cruelty he had displayed at the party. Instead of merely apologizing, he took it upon himself to comfort Javier with his words.

"What are you so worried about?" Juandre's voice was soft, his eyes filled with guilt and sympathy.

Javier looked deep into his eyes, trying to understand him, and expressed his fears. "I don't want you to be like Andriel. We're only dating temporarily, and I just want this journey to be peaceful."

Reassuringly, Juandre stepped closer and said, "I'm not like Andriel. I intend to save you , and whatever happened today had a reason behind it, which you may come to understand later. It will work in your favor. And if you're scared of the things Andriel did, I can assure you that I'm not as bad." Juandre's eyes widened as he tried to gain Javier's trust, his body language exuding sincerity.

Javier nodded, forcing a small smile, and headed towards his bedroom, leaving the terrace.

The next morning, Javier woke up late and made his way down to the kitchen. There, he found the maids preparing a delicious pasta dish. Unable to resist his hunger, he entered the kitchen, placing his hands on his stomach and giving the maids puppy eyes, a cute morning smile adorning his face.

"All right, all right, I understand. I'll make some for you, but on one condition," one of the maids said, smiling at Javier's innocent request.

"What condition?" Javier raised an eyebrow, curious.

"Mr. Daloi loves pasta. Could you please take this dish to his office?" The maid requested, explaining that they were short on staff in the house to deliver the food.

Javier's eyes lit up with excitement for food.
"I'm ready to do anything for food," he replied enthusiastically.

As Javier entered Juandre's office, he noticed Thyra already there, about to speak. She reached out to hold Juandre's hand, looking deeply into his eyes. Suspicious, Javier couldn't help but cough, interrupting their closeness. Juandre quickly withdrew his hand, appearing embarrassed.

"Whatever is happening here is none of my concern. But just so you know, we are dating. Don't keep an eye on him," Javier stated firmly, entering the room and casting a disgusted look at his stepsister.

Thyra rolled her eyes, displaying her deep annoyance for her brother. She decided to continue her conversation with Juandre later and left the cabin, smiling at juandre.

Javier's eyes widened in discomfort as he felt a cold, strong hand gently gripping his waist. He coughed nervously, realizing what he had spoken just to turn his sister down is a silly argument.

"Just so you know we are dating, don't keep an eye on me?" Juandre seductively repeated Javier's words, pulling him closer by the waist. Their faces as close as it could be. They deeply looked into each other's eyes soon juandre broke the eye contact and his eyes shifted to his lips.

Javier's heart skipped a beat as he was not prepared for the intensity of their closeness. His hands instinctively found their way onto Juandre's shoulders, unconsciously trying to create some distance. Juandre leaned forward, their noses almost touching, noting the adorable way Javier scrunched his eyes as he smiled at his expression. Their lips were on the verge of touching when a knock at the door interrupted their heated moment. Javier snapped back to reality, shoving Juandre away, his breath heavy and unable to process what had nearly happened.