Youth [MikhAiah] [Book #1]

24

—🦊—

MIKHA

After the dinner with my parents, I finally get a moment alone to catch up with Denise. I need to iron out the details of our plan—something more solid than the vague outline we discussed in the limousine. I walk through the castle's grand corridors, making my way to the guest room where Denise is staying. Juno follows behind me, his usual composed silence a comforting presence.

As I reach the door to Denise's room, I hesitate for a moment before knocking. But instead of waiting for a response, I gently turn the knob and push the door open.

The sight that greets me stops me cold.

Denise is in the middle of the room, wrapped in a tight embrace with her personal butler, Leo. What catches me off guard is that neither of them pulls away, even when they notice me standing there. Denise just laughs, her head resting against Leo's shoulder, completely unfazed.

"Ah, caught us," she says lightly, pulling back from Leo but still holding his hand. "I was wondering how long it'd take before someone walked in on this."

Juno and I exchange a look, both of us taken aback. Denise's laugh is carefree, and the casual way she acknowledges what's happening throws me off even more.

Denise gestures between herself and Leo. "This is Leo, obviously. My boyfriend—long-term, actually. Thought you should know."

I blink, processing the sudden reveal. "Wait... your boyfriend?"

"Yup." Denise grins. "We've been together for years na. That's why this whole arranged marriage thing doesn't bother me much. We've got our own lives, and this is just... a bump in the road."

Juno stands rigid, trying to hide his surprise, but I can tell he's just as shocked as I am. "Wow," is all I manage to say, still processing.

Denise waves us into the room, casually moving to sit on the bed while Leo stands beside her. "Come on, we've got a lot to plan. We need to make this look convincing if we want it to go smoothly. The sooner we pull this off, the sooner we can go back to our real lives."

As I step into the room, I can't help but think about how bizarre this situation is. But at least, now that I know Denise's real relationship, I feel more at ease. If anything, this just makes the plan feel more like a team effort rather than a deceitful game.

We sit down to talk, ironing out the details of how we'll navigate the public appearances and how to convincingly stage a "breakup" once everything blows over. All the while, Leo sits by Denise's side, nodding along, as if he's been part of these discussions all along.

As we finalize the plan, a thought lingers at the back of my mind—how am I going to explain this all to Aiah?

—🐶—

AIAH

My mind goes blank for a moment, the world tilting as panic surges through my veins. How... Paano niya ako nahanap?

Shaking, I close the door and quickly lock it. I pace the room, my thoughts racing. He knows where I live. How long has he known?

I did not waste time as I grab my phone and call Maloi, my voice trembling as I explain what just happened. Within minutes, Maloi is at my door, followed shortly by Stacey and Sheena. They burst into the apartment, their faces serious.

"Hindi na maganda 'to," Stacey mutters, pacing the living room. "If alam niya nga kung saan ka nakatira, for sure hindi niya papalagpasin 'to."

Maloi looks at me, her brows furrowed in worry. "Kailangan muna natin paano niya nalaman. Hindi naman niya basta basta malalaman lahat."

Sheena nods at Maloi's statement, "Apaka layo ng Caloocan sa Makati. Ano yun? Basta lang siya nag-ikot-ikot?"

A knot forms in my stomach, and the answer that's been haunting me for days comes to the surface. "I think... May kinalaman dito si Maddie."

"Maddie?!" Stacey practically shouts, her eyes narrowing. "Of course. Of course! Yung ahas na yun!"

"She's still in contact with Marc?" Sheena asks, her tone bitter.

I nod slowly. "Yeah. She and Marc... they cheated behind my back. It's why we broke up."

The room falls silent for a moment, the weight of that revelation settling over all of us. I can feel the tension rising, anger bubbling under the surface.

"We need a plan," Maloi says, her voice steady. "Hindi natin kayang iwan 'to si Aiah, lalo na at given na yung alam ni Marc kung saan siya nakatira."

Without hesitation, they decide to stay over for the night, refusing to leave me by myself. It's comforting, having them here—knowing I'm not facing this alone.

As the hours pass, the tension slowly eases, but when night falls and the girls are fast asleep, I'm left wide awake, staring at the ceiling. My mind races with thoughts of Marc, of Mikha, of everything unraveling around me.

Before I drift off, I pick up my phone and send a message to Mikha.

—🐶—

The next morning, my alarm blares through the apartment, startling me awake. I groggily reach over to silence it, careful not to disturb the other girls who are sprawled out around me, still deep in sleep.

I slip out of bed quietly, making my way to the bathroom to splash some water on my face. The cold refreshes me, and I head to the kitchen to start on coffee and breakfast, hoping to calm my nerves after the night's events.

But just as I'm about to pour the coffee, the doorbell rings again.

My heart skips a beat. Marc.

I freeze, gripping the counter tightly as fear creeps up my spine. Slowly, I back away from the kitchen and rush to the bedroom, gently nudging Maloi and Stacey awake.

"May nag-doorbell," I whisper, panic in my voice.

They both jolt awake, their protective instincts kicking in. Maloi grabs her pepper spray from her bag, while Stacey moves to the door, her face set with determination.

"Sa likod ka lang," Stacey whispers as they inch toward the door, ready for whatever—or whoever—might be on the other side.

The doorbell rings again, louder this time. With a swift motion, Stacey swings the door open, pepper spray raised and ready.

But instead of Marc, they're greeted by three figures in caps and facemasks. For a moment, confusion hangs in the air, but then one of them raises their hands in surrender, pulling down the mask slightly to reveal their face.

"UY UY CHILL!" Gwen panics, "Mikha sent us here!"

Maloi lowers her pepper spray, relief washing over her. "Pucha, akala ko naman kung sino!"

Colet and Jhoanna step forward, offering reassuring smiles. "We're here to help," Colet says. "Mikha's worried. Let's get inside and talk."

The tension in the room shifts as they enter, but a sense of unease lingers. With Marc out there, and now the princes getting involved, things are about to get even more complicated.