Ch 10

One supposedly quiet late morning, I froze for a moment when the knock came, knowing exactly who it might be. After disappearing without a word, my absence hadn't gone unnoticed. The De Torres never let anything slide, and I could almost hear the gears turning in their heads — tracing, questioning, planning.

Lea opened the door, and there she was. Ava, poised, composed, and unmistakably on a mission. My stomach twisted with equal parts amusement and anxiety.

"Miss Salonga, I'm Azalea Avery De Torre, Ava, Rafaelle's eldest sister," she began, voice formal but tinged with urgency, "it's come to our family's attention that my sister was last seen with you. Rafaelle... she's gone missing. We've been trying to reach her, but no one knows where she is."

Lea didn't flinch. She offered Ava a calm, even smile, stepping slightly aside. "Oh, Miss De Torre," she said, voice measured, "I haven't seen Rafaelle today. And if she's missing? I... I truly don't know where she could be."

Ava's eyes flicked toward the bedroom, suspicion sharpening her gaze. "Lea, I know she's here. Don't lie to me. She went off the radar — calls, texts, work — nothing. Where is she?"

Lea's tone remained calm, even gentle, but firm. "I'm not lying. I honestly don't know. Maybe she went out. Maybe she's resting. I'm sure she'll get in touch when she's ready. You should give her space."

I stayed quiet, leaning behind the doorway of our bedroom, suppressing a smirk. Lea had always been good at this — protective, careful, unflappable. She was keeping me hidden, giving me the time and space I had chosen for myself, all while deflecting Ava's relentless precision.

Ava's lips pressed into a thin line, clearly frustrated but still polite. "I see," she said finally, her tone clipped but controlled. "I will find her. But I appreciate your... cooperation."

Lea simply nodded, serene and composed. "Of course. I hope you understand. She's smart. She'll reach out when the time is right."

I let myself relax slightly, knowing I was safe here, at least for now. I stayed hidden just long enough to hear Ava leave, then emerged from the bedroom, my casual voice carrying easily into the apartment:

"What do you want for lunch, Lea?"

Lea glanced at me, a small, knowing smile tugging at her lips, while Ava's absence meant I could finally step into the space I had been guarding so carefully. Safe, unseen, and close to the one person who had always understood me.

Later that night, the apartment was quiet except for the hum of the city outside. We had ordered pizza — something casual, easy, nothing that required effort. I was in the kitchen, distractedly grabbing a plate, when the knock came. Without thinking, I swung the door open.

Ava stood there, eyes sharp, immediately zeroing in on me. My heart skipped a beat. Just my luck.

"Rafaelle," she said, a mix of exasperation, relief, and authority in her voice. "Do you realize how worried we've been?"

I froze, realizing in that instant I'd revealed my hiding spot completely. I opened my mouth, but Lea, standing behind me, subtly shifted to block the view of the apartment, her calm presence steadying me.

Lea's voice was smooth, controlled. "Ava, we were just having dinner. She's fine."

I felt heat rise in my cheeks, half embarrassed, half amused by the absurdity of being caught so easily. "I... uh... thought it was the pizza," I said, forcing a smile at Lea. "Wasn't expecting anyone."

Ava's lips pressed into a thin line, a flicker of exasperation crossing her face. "Not expecting anyone? Rafaelle, do you have any idea how frantic we've been?"

I shrugged lightly, pretending nonchalance. "I needed some time. That's all. Nothing serious."

Lea gave my arm a reassuring squeeze, a silent signal that I wasn't alone. Ava's gaze softened ever so slightly as she took in that I was unharmed, though still clearly irritated by my audacity.

Then her tone shifted, sharper now, a mix of disbelief and admonishment. "Do you know why we've been looking for you so desperately?" she said, hands on her hips. "Your wedding is happening in two weeks, Rafaelle. And here you are, gallivanting around New York with... her."

My stomach dropped, the words hanging in the air like a weight. I glanced at Lea, who gave me a small, almost imperceptible nod — a silent reassurance that she had my back, even under my family's scrutiny.

Lea's reaction was subtle, but I caught it instantly. Her brows lifted slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing her features, but she didn't fumble. She didn't gasp. She just tilted her head, that calm, almost knowing expression she always carried, and studied me quietly, her eyes soft but piercing.

"You're... engaged?" she asked gently, voice even, as if testing the waters rather than judging.

I swallowed hard, unable to meet her gaze fully. "Technically," I murmured, voice low. "Pero... I didn't want any part on it. I don't even know the idiot they want me to marry. I don't want to be engaged even. I'm engaged sa kung sinumang Poncio Pilato na hindi ko kakilala according to my family."

She didn't look shocked. She didn't chastise me. Instead, she gave that faint, almost imperceptible nod, the one that said she understood everything I was saying. Her lips curved into the tiniest smile, teasing, tender, but careful.

"You've always done what's expected of you," she said softly, almost to herself. "But this... this isn't you. Not really. I know you too well, Rafa. Alam kong hindi ka magpapakasal sa hindi mo kilala."

Her words hit me like a gentle wave, reminding me why I had come here in the first place. Why I had risked being caught, risked confrontation, risked everything for just a supposed few stolen days with her which obviously became weeks.

"Yes," I admitted quietly, my voice barely above a whisper. "and I've already achieved everything expected of me... pero hindi kasi ako masaya— not completely. There's always going to be that space I can't fill. A space only meant for... you."

Lea's smile softened further, almost imperceptibly, as she reached out, brushing a loose strand of hair from my face. "Then maybe," she said, voice gentle but steady, "the only thing to do is figure out what you want. And not what anyone else expects."

Her calm, measured understanding made the ache in my chest ease slightly, even as the weight of my family's expectations and the looming wedding pressed down on me. For the first time in years, I felt seen, truly seen — and it was terrifying and liberating all at once.

The moment stretched for a heartbeat too long before Ava finally exploded, her voice sharp, incredulous, and dripping with disbelief.

"Oh my God, you two disgust me!" she spat, eyes blazing. "What kind of sham is this? What are you? Lesbian lovers?"

I froze, every muscle tensing. My pulse hammered in my ears. I could feel Lea stiffen slightly beside me, her calm demeanor cracking ever so faintly, though she didn't move away.

"Ate—" I began, trying to find words, but she cut me off, her tone rising further.

"Rafaelle, you're coming with me," she said, pointing a finger at me, "and you, Miss Salonga... magkano ba ang kailangan mo para lubayan ang kapatid ko?"

I swallowed hard, the words hitting me like a punch. My freedom, my carefully carved out time with Lea, was suddenly under attack, and I could see the raw disbelief in Ava's eyes.

Lea didn't flinch. She held her ground, meeting Ava's glare with a calm, steady stare that made Ava hesitate for the first time. "Miss De Torre— Ava," she said firmly, voice level but unyielding, "this isn't about money, and this isn't about forcing Rafaelle anywhere. She's here by choice. She's safe. And she's making her own decisions."

Ava's jaw tightened, her face flushed with frustration. "Safe? She's my sister! She's supposed to be preparing for her wedding, not hiding in someone else's apartment here in New York!"

I took a deep breath, stepping slightly in front of Lea, the first time I really confronted my sister head-on in forever. "I'm not hiding because I want to hurt anyone," I said firmly, voice steadier than I felt. "I'm here dahil ito 'yung kailangan ko. I need space to figure things out for myself. I don't want to marry whoever you chose for me. Ayaw ko nang matali sa buhay na hindi ko naman gusto, ate."

Lea squeezed my hand subtly, giving me courage. "Ava, Rafaelle's an adult. For crying out loud, she's making her own choices. You may not understand them, but screaming and demanding isn't going to help."

Ava's eyes narrowed, her jaw set, but there was a calculating gleam in them now — the kind that meant she wasn't finished.

"Fine," she said, her voice tight but deliberate, "if that's how it's going to be..." She paused, letting the tension hang between us. "Miss Salonga, maybe this will make you understand. Five million dollars, kapalit ni Rafa. Five million, and Rafaelle goes back to me, to her life, to her wedding."

The words hit me again; like a physical blow. My hand gripped the counter edge instinctively. Five million dollars. Five million attempts to buy my freedom, my choices, my time with Lea.

Lea didn't flinch. Her eyes narrowed slightly, her jaw tightening. I could see the disbelief flash across her face, followed by that familiar steel I had come to lean on. "Miss De Torre," she said, voice cool and measured, "money isn't going to do anything in this case. Hindi property ang kapatid mo. You can't buy her and her freedom. She makes her own choices."

Ava's lips pressed into a thin line, frustration rippling under her perfectly controlled exterior. "Do you have any idea what I'm willing to do to protect my family's reputation? Do you have any idea what's at stake here? Five million dollars is a small price for... keeping her where she belongs. Pero sige," she said, voice low but lethal, "I'll bite maybe five million isn't enough. Ten million. Twenty. Name your price, Lea, and then my sister goes home with me."

I felt my stomach drop. My pulse raced. Twenty million. Money had never meant anything like this to me — and here was my sister trying to put a price on my life, my choices, my freedom.

Lea wasn't fazed. She stepped forward slightly, her calm composure unshakable, the steel in her gaze cutting through Ava's theatrics. "Ava," she said evenly, voice like polished marble, "you can throw all the money in the world at me, but Rafaelle isn't an auction item. And nothing you offer, no sum, will ever change that. Rafaelle stays with me if she pleases to. She can choose on her own. Don't ever try and raise stakes with me again, I'm not that kind of person."

Ava's lips pressed into a thin line, anger simmering beneath the surface, but Lea didn't back down. I felt a swell of pride and relief at her courage.

"Catch my drift?" Lea continued, her voice rising slightly, sharp but controlled. "I won't negotiate. I won't submit to your threats. Rafaelle is an adult. She decides for herself. You can scream, threaten, even offer you life — it just won't work."

Ava's jaw clenched, her fingers tightening around the edge of the doorframe. For a heartbeat, I thought she might explode, might try to push past Lea. But then, after a tense silence, she pulled back slightly, muttering under her breath, "Unbelievable..."