Chapter 27: Chapter 27

“Are you sure you’ll be okay? I'll let you talk to him first if you want, I'll wait for you here,” he said while seemingly staring at me carefully.

I winced and for a moment glanced at Abraham and Hector talking on the side. Hector was still looking at me so I quickly avoided looking at him.

“It's okay, sir. We will talk later,” I replied to him. Earlier, I was forced to go to the angry Hector first after what Abraham had told him. Suddenly, he became serious and seems to explode at any moment. Fortunately, stupid Abraham immediately said that he was only joking. He's the type of person that can't take a joke! Fucking absurd!

“Stop calling me sir, Anastacia. I'm your mother's brother, hija. You can call me uncle,” he said softly again so I just smiled.

“Ana, we'll go out first. Are you okay there?” Abraham caught my attention so I looked at him badly. He still seems to be teasing me. The man next to him, I could feel there was dark energy surrounding him.

"Don't come back," I replied to him who just laughed.

“I'll borrow your husband first. You didn't say you were married — fuck!” He screamed when I stepped on his foot. I felt intense heat all over my face.

“He is not my husband. Go away, Abraham,” I told him full of irritation, and pushed him away. But I guess that came out of my mouth wrong because the energy surrounding Hector got darker. I stared at him.

“Stop calling me Abraham. I told you, my name is Ulysses,” he whispered so I turned to him.

“Then stop bugging me, Abraham. Go away!”

“I’ll see you later. We have something important to talk about. ” Hector's deep voice gives a shiver to my spine. I was terrified there for a moment. After he said that, he left the office first. Next, I heard Ulysses laugh by my side.

"That idiot can't still take a joke," he said as if he knows Hector very well and then left.

When the two of them left, I was able to breathe easily. I feel the weight on my chest every time I face him but sometimes it is light. That is too light that I am not aware of the time when I am with him.

Uncle Uriel guided me to the sofa on the other side of his office. The view in front of it is the vast city at the bottom of this tall building. I even smiled when I saw how beautiful it was. Maybe it's better at night.

"Have you known about me since then?" I start to question him when we are both quiet for a few minutes. That was the first question that came to my mind when Ulysses told me everything. I didn't ask him that because I didn't think the answer should come from him.

“After your mom and your dad had an agreement, we didn’t get any news about your whereabouts anymore, Ana. It's been so long..." I heard him say. There was something drumming in my chest that immediately spread throughout my being. It was heavy and crowded.

"Agreement?" I managed to utter it even though my voice is slowly cracking.

“They had an agreement before and that is to hide you. Your dad accidentally impregnated your mom with you. They are not married and they have no intention of getting married because they are just partners in an organization. Our parents couldn't accept your dad back then because it was strictly forbidden in the organization they belonged to. Even though they love each other,” he explained to me. My heart kept pounding as everything got more and more chaotic for me.

"Why? What partner? I'm sorry but I don't really understand,” I asked him confused.

I saw his sad smile before sipping coffee and looking away.

“They were both leaders of a secret organization that ran industrial spies. You wouldn't expect it, but your mom was a badass assassin before, and she recruited your dad to be one of them. That was the day when their lives turned into chaos for the sake of both parties and businesses. That if your mommy hadn't just given birth to you, she wouldn't have stopped putting justice in her own hands.”

I gasped when I heard all that. I want to laugh because I feel like this old man is just joking — that it's impossible to have such scenarios in the business world — that secret organizations are real and that my parents are one of them. I only hear that often in the Aragon Empire especially with Ares when I was his secretary. This often became a problem for him and his father. I tried to understand what was in such but Ares had never explained it to me about it before. As if they were hiding something illegal and the justice system is part of it.

I turned to Uncle Uriel again and there I saw that he was not joking. I still wanted to ask him something — I still wanted to ask him a lot but I didn't know why it would be so hard for me to bring it out. I feel like I'm going crazy because of so much mess. It seems like just the last few days, I was only bothered by Hector and Amari’s future, but now it has suddenly increased.

“Ana hija, you probably don’t understand anything, but I am telling you the truth. We always wanted to find you but your dad didn't agree. Until one day he went to Ulysses at his house and instructed you. That was the day before he was shot. We tried to help him that night because we knew there were people chasing him but— ”

“Wait, what? Someone was chasing him?” I asked him nervously. It finally looked straight at me.

“Their enemy was after him that day. They intended to attack him while you were with him to give us a warning when he was about to die. What happened to you wasn't an accident. It was intentional and your stepmother knows everything about it even your older brother Matthew.”

I was still dumbfounded while walking out of Uncle Uriel’s office as all the things he said kept running through my mind. That was more than information about me, and I couldn't understand anything about it. The only thing I feel is fear and apprehension. I felt the fear I felt intensified — not for me but for Amari's safety. What if those people are still spying on me to this day?

I was about to leave the building when someone suddenly grabbed my wrist so I almost screamed. When I looked at who it was, I was exposed to Hector's dark expression. His forehead was still wrinkled.

"Where are you going?" He asked me. I felt his grip on my hand drop. That was tight but gentle.

"Home," I replied. His jaw tightened.

“Are you okay? What happened upstairs?” He asked referring to our conversation with Uncle. Could Ulysses have already told him what was there?

"I'm fine. Nothing,” I replied as if he didn't believe me. Suddenly, his stern expression softens. I could feel the periodic caress of his thumb on my hand as if he was saying something.

“Are you sure? Something's wrong? You can tell me anything,” he softly said to me.

I bit my lower lip as my heart stopped beating for a second. The way he stares at me — as if he was telling me to calm down and tell him everything, and he will do something about my worry. Is that it? Or maybe I just misunderstood that because I had always misunderstood.

I sighed tiredly and turned my back on him. "Maybe I'm just hungry," I said even though I really just wanted to be with him for a while — while I wasn't on my own.

Hector didn't say a thing after what I said. I just drifted with him to his car and realized that we were in front of an expensive restaurant so I quickly turned to him.

“Why here? I'm not dressed and I don't want to be here,” I said. He tilted his head and frowned at me.

"Then what do you want?" He asked in a harsh tone. I pout.

"Anywhere."

“I don’t know that place. Be specific, baby,” he said, seeming to extend his patience even more. I was stunned for a moment because of the last thing he said. I just heard him call me that and I feel like it’s better to listen to that than read.

I averted my eyes from him. "Anywhere you want, Hector."

"Damn it, Solei," he said as if he had lost his patience and then started the car again.

Sometime later, I realized that we had entered the parking lot of a condo building. I just stared out the window until the car stopped and this Hector turned out to open the door for me.

"Let's go," he still said rudely. I went out and looked at him.

"Where are we?"

"You said anywhere I wanted." I heard him whisper and he took me by the hand again and then pulled me into this building.

I stopped talking because I really didn't have the strength to argue with him. I just watched around us as we crossed the road to the elevator. I even notice the stare of those we meet but I didn't bother myself with that anymore.

"Do you have a plan for tomorrow?" He suddenly asked me when we got into the elevator. We were the only two inside but I felt like it was crowded there. I could feel the sweat on the hand that he was still holding.

"I'm not available," I replied directly to him. I glanced at him and saw his rugged stare at me.

"I know you'd say that," he said sparingly and never spoke again. I felt my cellphone vibrate so I picked it up and looked at who was texting.

ELENA

Someone's here, Ana. Looking to you. How did he know where you live?

I quickly withdrew my hand from Hector and typed a reply for Elena.

To ELENA

who is he??

"Who are you texting?" Hector asked after I sent that reply. I hid my cell phone and looked at him.

"None of your business."

“Who is it? Do you think I already forgot what you did earlier?” He said it seemed threatening so I almost laughed.

"Obviously Ulysses was just joking," I told him with a laugh as my cell phone rang again.

ELENA

Your lawyer and he said he's your cousin. Is it true?

To ELENA

just tell him I haven't come home yet, I'll tell you later,

"Stop texting while you're with me." Hector woke me up so I looked at him. He looked at my cell phone and his expression was soft but his forehead was still furrowed. I heave a sigh.

"I'm sorry," I almost whispered and hid my cell phone.

He no longer answered and took my hand again as we exited the elevator. We walk straight until we get into a unit. It is large and spacious inside. The aura is clean and light. It doesn't seem like men live here because of the cozy surroundings.

“Stay there. I'll prepare your food,” he ordered me and let go of my hand. I just followed him with my gaze until he entered a room and soon after, he came out of there again without any more top clothes. He was only wearing pants. I could clearly see the rocks on his body as he walked towards my guess, the kitchen area. I felt the gradual warming of my cheek.

He brought me here to his condo to cook something for me. I never thought someone like him would do it. I thought he knew nothing but arrogance and pure work.

I tiredly sat on the sofa there and looked at my cell phone. I saw a message from Elena and one from Ulysses.

ELENA

You and your jejemon text. Where are you? I thought he was the one you went to. Why he was looking for you?

To ELENA

i just had to go somewhere else

Necessary? Really, Ana?

Next, I opened this Ulysses text.

Abraham Narvaza

Where are you? I just left for a moment and you were gone. Has your husband taken you home yet?

I swear. This guy is really something. I don't know why he's like this when his dad looks serious in life.

To Abraham Narvaza

suit urself ABRAHAM !!!!

After I sent that, I decided to go to Hector. I looked around the unit for a while before heading to the area he had entered earlier. I saw him right there. His back is facing my direction and was wearing an apron. He faces the stove and seems to be cooking something. I sighed as I watched the entirety of him. He is not an ordinary man. I don’t know what’s up with him but his appeal always hit me. Its rocky muscles seemed to be slowly eating away my decent mind.

Soon, even before I could look away from him, he caught my eye. His forehead frowned at me for a moment. I saw him turn off the stove and quickly crossed the gap between us.

“What’s wrong? Do you need something?” He asked me so I immediately shook my head and sat in the highchair at the counter there then stared at him. It’s only now that I realize that I don’t know anything about him yet. As if I'm not that bothered to know anything about him. What he is now is enough for me.

“Why are you still doing this? You said you want to annul our marriage because you are already engaged to Ayanna.” I can not control myself anymore.

He leaned on the kitchen counter and stared at me intently. "That was just a test," he simply said.

I frowned. "Test?"

His eyes soften as he stares at me as if examining my whole face. "To know if you still want me to pursue you and I got the answer easily."

My cheeks warmed when I realized what he was referring to. “You’re really a jerk. You are going to have a child but here you are now and— ”

“I didn’t touch anyone but you, Solei. I didn’t do it with anyone because I always wanted you,” he said with a smile, full of desire and compassion. I don’t know what my reaction will be other than my heart pounding.

"But Ayanna said something happened—"

“Baby…” He interrupted what I was going to say and came closer to me. He raised his hand and gently stroked my face. His eyes were full of pleading. I don't know but is it sincerity that I see in him?

“Trust me, once I marked something, they are all mine. I already marked your body that night after our accidental wedding and no one can take you away from me anymore. You are all mine, and I am all yours. Your body and soul belong to me as well as my whole being. You don't know that much… but everything in me is already yours before you even met me,” he said in his hoarse voice.

My heart pounded. My mouth fell open and that seemed to be the signal for him to completely oppress me with his deep, hot, and passionate kiss. I feel like my whole being is being crushed by that kiss of his and that’s when I realized what a real impact Hector Apollo Aragon had on me.