20

Liam Parker

It was a scene out of a movie.

My phone rang all of sudden and I was wondering who it was at one in the morning. I checked my phone and to my surprise, Iris' name was on the screen. I even had to look twice to make sure that it was her that was calling.

I had to calm myself down and answered the call. However, I was even more surprised to hear her sobbing.

"L-Liam. I need to see you please." she says, her voice breaking. I stood up immediately and started to put my jacket.

"Where are you?"

"I'm at the gate." I looked at outside and saw how hard it was raining. What's she doing here? Moreover, why did she need to see me?

For some reason, my heart started to race. I ran downstairs and found an umbrella by the door. I paced up to run to the gate while I called the guard to open the door.

I was already shocked enough today when she called me all of a sudden and told me that the triplets would be staying with me for a few days. When I picked them up, I didn't even see her. And when I asked the triplets about her, they said they didn't know.

And now, all of a sudden, she calls me and tells me that I need to see her.

No complaints though. I have been dying to see her also. But the heavy pain I felt in my chest every time I heard her cry scared me. What if I hurt her again even though I try not to? What if I do something worse? What if my love is not enough to keep me from hurting her?

Wait, what the heck Liam. This is not the time to be thinking of those things.

I ran faster when I could distinguish her silhouette from where I was. She was wearing a black long sleeves and blue pair of denim jeans. She was hugging herself, shivering, maybe trying to keep herself warm from the cold rain.

What was she even thinking going out in the rain without an umbrella?!

Slowly the gates started opening and Iris turned around, she stopped when she saw me but only to run towards me. Though, what I didn't expect was how she hugged me so tightly and she sobbed on my neck.

I was a bit confused and shocked, but I let her. She was crying hard, for what, I had no idea but it worried me. I hope I didn't do anything that hurt her again. I didn't know why she was crying, but I wanted to comfort her. So I did the only thing I thought would make her feel better.

I slowly brought my hands to her back and rubbed it, but she only cried harder.

"Okay, calm down. It's okay, now. Why don't we go inside first? You're soaking wet." I said as I let go for a while and tried wiping her tears, but that was useless because the rain got in the way.

She didn't say anything, but she nodded. I sighed in relief and smiled at her while I put the umbrella over her, shielding her away from the rain.

We started walking towards the house and I was slowly telling her to calm down. Thankfully, it was working because she wasn't sobbing anymore. She was trying her best to be calm.

Finally, we reached the door step and I had to let go of her to fix the umbrella by the side. Iris was still shivering when I got back to her.

"What were you thinking going out without an umbrella?" Was all I could say. But she didn't say anything, she just went up to me again and hugged me.

Is she drunk?

Why is she doing things she doesn't usually do?

"I'm so sorry, Liam. Everything's my fault. I thought it was the right thing to do, but I just ended up hurting a lot of people. I'm so so sorry." she started and again, the tears started.

What happened? Why is she being like this?

I momentarily let go of her and took a good look of her beautiful face. How could she look so perfect even when crying?

"What happened, Iris?" I asked calmly. However, I was already getting pissed at whoever made her cry.

"I-- I know about everything, now, Liam. My dad told me everything. About why you did that, how you saved him and helped him while I was gone. About your family, about Italy. I know, I know. You don't have to hide anything from me anymore." she said anxiously, touching my face and bringing her forehead to mine.

She was cold, but her touch against my skin was warm.

I smiled and nodded as I pulled her closer to me.

"So why are you sorry? Nothing's your fault. It was me that wanted to acquire more power. And I did anything to get it, even if it meant hurting my parents, hurting you." I whispered, but I was sure that she heard me.

"I know, I know. But you instantly regretted it, didn't you? That's why you helped my dad and kept our company going. You're the reason he's still here."

I bit my lip and pushed her slightly away from me. The topic about my involvement in her family was always a sensitive topic to me. Especially after five years ago.

"Don't treat me as a hero, Iris. He wouldn't have been in that state if it wasn't because of me."

She approached me again and made me look at her.

"And now, you're the reason he's still here." she tried to comfort me and smiled.

She seemed genuinely convinced that I was the reason he was still here and for now, nothing can change her mind about that. I noticed that she was still shivering under her wet clothes. So I tried my best to smile at her and held her hand.

"Okay, so why don't we get you changed first before you catch a cold?" I said and start pulling her with me upstairs.

However, we weren't far when she suddenly stopped. "No, wait. I have something to tell you." Iris said. A chuckle escaped my lips because whatever she wanted to say, she looked so pressed to say.

I took a few strides towards her and towered over her. Her eyes widened a bit and she started taking a few steps back.

Ah, acting all innocent again. What am I to do with this woman?

"What's wrong? I thought you were going to tell me something." I teased.

She looked flustered, her cheeks turning red and her eyes roaming the room to look for an exit, but I caught her arms before she could go somewhere else.

She loves to run away, you see.

"Uh-uhm, yeah. I need to tell you someth--"

One, I pulled her to me till her hands her on my chest and held her tightly. Two, I lifted her chin up so she could look at me straightly.

"Then, spill, Mrs. Parker." Iris tried to break free, but I didn't let her.

"Yeah, but in order to do so, I need a few spaces between us."

I tilted my head in feigned confusion. "Hmm? I don't think you minded this proximity before?"

Her cheeks flamed and she facepalmed, shaking her head. "Stop teasing me, I'm serious!"

Three, ki--

"Oh my, oh my! What's happening here!"

Perfect timing, nanay Grace.

Iris Parker

I wish the ground would just swallow me whole.

Nanay Grace had been scolding both Liam and I for the past half an hour now about how we were wet from the rain and how we didn't change yet. But before she started her sermon, she made Liam and I take a shower first. Separately, of course.

We were at the kitchen as she served us hot tea to warm us up. Most of the time, Liam and I both kept our heads down, but occasionally, when our eyes met, we sneaked a giggle. I felt like we were some high school kids caught in a date or something.

"You're not kids anymore, what were you thinking going out in the rain like that. What, you think we're some kind of movie?" she said again, putting cookies in front of us.

Although she was getting all riled up, I know it's because she cared for us. She reminds me of my mom, that's why I love her so much.

"I'm happy that you're getting alone, but take care of yourselves! It's hard to get sick, you know. A cold may be just a cold, but it can turn into worse--"

Finally, Liam stood up, walking towards nanay Grace.

"'Nay," he says in a foreign accent "kalma lang." [Tr: Calm down]

I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. I knew he understood and spoke little Filipino, but whenever I heard him try to speak it, even I could notice how heavily unnatural the words rolled off his tongue. He shot me a glare to which I giggled to.

However, the charm seemed to work since nanay Grace fixed her eyeglasses and sighed.

"We're not going to die from the rain. Besides," he stops and looks at me before whispering something into her ears. This time, it was my turn to send him a questioning glare, but he kept whispering something to her.

The lovely lady smiled all of a sudden as her eyes met mine. I could see her dark brown eyes glistening mischievously. Why does that make me feel uneasy?

When Liam stepped away from her, she cleared her throat and nodded. "O-okay, then. Well, I hope you two learned your lesson. It's already late, so I'll go sleep now." she says and starts walking out of the kitchen. But before she could completely disappear, she turned to us again. "Don't stay up too late." she says with a smile and leaves and Liam laughs.

I squinted my eyes at him as I tried to figure out what he told her to actually make her stop scolding us and sending her out. When she starts her sermons, at minimum, she would tell us off for an hour.

He walked around the counter and stood in front of me. He put his hands at both sides of the chair handles, completely blocking both of my sides. Then, he leans closer to me as he stared at me.

I loved looking into his eyes, the clearness of it is so refreshing and relaxing. Plus, when he looked at me like that, it made me feel all jittery or whatever.

However, right now, he was testing me. Probably wants to know how long I can stand staring at him back without crumbling, but he's wrong. I won't be the first one to give in this time.

"How 'bout we pick up where we left off earlier?" he suggested and I can't help but laugh.

"I didn't know we were into something, earlier." It was his turn to laugh now.

I always felt like whenever he smiled, his eyes smiled too. If that ever makes sense. Somehow, it does.

"Ah, look at you, playing with fire."

A grin was still plastered on my face. He stepped back, rubbing the back of his neck, a sullen look on his face.

I won.

"I really don't know what you're talking about." I joked, taking a sip of my tea while silently laughing. But he didn't say anything afterward he just... walked away?

How petty, did he really leave? I waited for a few minutes to see if he'd come back but there were no signs of him.

I got up from my chair and starting looking for him.

"Liam? Where are you?" I ask as I walked out the kitchen and towards the living room.

However, I saw him climbing the last staircase and turned left. He was going towards our bedroom.

I huffed air and rolled my eyes. Did he really get upset?

I hurried up the grand staircase and turned to the left. Before entering the room, I took a sigh first and briefly rehearsed an apology in my head.

I turned the handle of the door and opened it. As I stepped inside, immediately, I was pinned into the wall.

It definitely scared me for a while, but when I saw the mischievous look in Liam's eyes, I understood that I had just fallen into his plan.

I lost.

"You shouldn't play with fire, Iris. You might get burned." he warns before pressing his lips into mine.

It all happened so fast so I took a moment to register what was happening.

I smiled through the kiss and put my arms around his neck and kissed him back. At first, it was a playful kiss, but soon, it turned into something deeper. A passionate one that held so much meaning in it.

His hands worked their way under my shirt and before I knew it, I was topless and we were close to the bed.

I closed my eyes and lived in the moment. In his kisses, in his touch, I know he understood what I wanted to say. And I understand, too. The words he must want to tell me too.

We both loved each other deeply.