Falling for Mr. Suplado

Chapter Eleven: A Night of Shadows (Vince's POV)

As I was about to turn right on the road, I noticed two people fighting. Initially, I tried to ignore it, but when the light illuminated their faces, I saw Bella's terrified expression. My heart raced, and I slammed on the brakes, jumping out of the car.

"Hayup ka! Anung ginagawa mo kay Bella?" I shouted as I pulled her away and kicked the guy squarely in the chest. My instincts were taking over; I was ready to punch him again when I glanced down and saw Bella fall to the ground, tears streaming down her face. The sight of her distress hit me like a punch to the gut.

I quickly scooped her up, cradling her gently as I carried her to my car. I glanced back at the spot where the guy had fallen, but he was already gone.

"Sorry, I'm late. Hey, it's okay, I'm here now," I tried to reassure her, though my own heart was still racing from the adrenaline. But then I noticed something that made my chest tighten—a button on her shirt had ripped, exposing part of her bra. As she hurriedly tried to cover herself, I reached into the back of my car and grabbed a small pillow.

"Use this to cover it up," I said softly. She took the pillow, and I handed her a tissue to wipe her tears.

She was still shaking, and I wanted nothing more than to make her feel safe. As I settled back into my seat, I looked deeply into her eyes, hoping my gaze conveyed that she was out of harm's way.

When I drove to our neighborhood and stopped in front of her dark house, I noticed her fearful expression again. "That's okay, you can stay with me," I said, deciding it was better for her to be around someone who could protect her.

As I parked, I got out and jogged to her side. I opened the car door and offered her my hand. She reached out, but just as she was about to take a step, her knees buckled beneath her.

"Shit," I muttered. Without thinking, I lifted her into my arms. The way she blushed and looked away made my heart skip a beat, but I quickly pushed the feeling aside.

"Can you press the code 0604? My hands are full," I asked as I approached my front door. She pressed the code, and the door beeped open. I gently placed her on the sofa and told her to stay put.

As I walked to my room, my mind was still racing. I grabbed a towel and an oversized t-shirt, my hands shaking not just from anger at what had happened but also from the intensity of the moment.

"Change. You can use my room. There's a bathroom inside. You can take a shower if you like, or change. Do whatever you want," I said, trying to sound casual, though I felt anything but.

She looked at me with those wide, innocent eyes, and I knew she was scared. "Don't think too much, just clean yourself. You look too bad."

"Can you help me go to your room?" she asked, and I didn't hesitate. I scooped her up again and placed her gently on my bed. "Call me when you're done," I instructed, stepping out and shutting the door behind me.

Once outside, I grabbed my phone and called the police, reporting the incident. They told me to come in tomorrow morning for a report and insisted Bella should come along. I agreed, though I didn't like the idea of dragging her back into that situation.

Time passed slowly. An hour went by, but Bella didn't come out. I knocked lightly on the door and opened it. She was lying on my bed, looking so fragile. She's too thin, shit. She doesn't deserve this! Anger boiled within me again, but it quickly faded as I took a seat beside her and gently caressed her face.

What am I doing? I thought, suddenly feeling the weight of my actions. This isn't right. I stood up, shaking my head to clear my thoughts. She was too young, too innocent for me to be thinking like this.

As I headed toward the kitchen, I noticed Bella's brothers arriving. I jogged to their car as five grown men piled out. Allion was the first to greet me. "Oi, Kuya Vince. Kumusta?"

"How can we help?" one of the guys asked.

"Bro, gabi na ah. Anu yung ma-itutulong namin?" another brother chimed in, peeking his head out from the window.

I was trying to figure out how to tell them what had happened to Bella without alarming them too much. "Bro, mga kapatid ku. Si Anthony, kuya namim. Si Aaron at Abby," as Ariel pointed them out one by one.

"Okay, but that's not what's important right now," I said, my seriousness drawing their full attention.

I took a deep breath and explained the incident. Their expressions darkened with anger, and they thanked me for stepping in to help Bella. "That's fine. Whoever saw that kind of incident will for sure help Arabella," I replied to them.

After discussing plans for the next day, I showed them where Bella was resting. They all checked on her, and Anthony scooped her up, carrying her back to their house.

Once they were gone, I settled into my usual routine: showering, preparing dinner, checking emails, and finally going straight to bed. My mind was a whirlwind, reflecting on how chaotic everything had become since meeting Bella. I should have been worried, but why was I more concerned about her and that guy?

Shit, I muttered as I tried to clear my head, finally closing my eyes.

Author's Note:

Thank you so much for reading! 💖 Don't forget to vote and let me know what you think! Your support means the world to me. 😊

Love,
Gracey M.