Lucca's POV
After Seraphina told me that she liked me, I couldn't help but feel both happy and scared. I was scared of what would happen if the two of us entered into a relationship. Master's words were still echoing in my mind.
I looked at Seraphina, who was sleeping like a baby. I couldn't take my eyes off her. I hadn't been able to let Seraphina know how I felt about her. She suddenly scrunched her face and let out a little snore. She looked tired, and I knew she hadn't had a chance to rest since I was hospitalized.
I sighed deeply, wondering how I could break the curse that Master and Seraphina's grandmother had started. I was scared of the possibility that Seraphina and I would end up like Xavier and Monica. But I was determined to find a way to break the curse. I didn't know how, but I was sure I would find a way.
I heard the door open and close. Then Dominic entered. I signaled to him that Seraphina was already asleep.
"Did I disturb you?" Dominic asked in a whisper.
I shook my head. I wasn't sleepy yet since I had slept for quite a while that afternoon. In fact, I hadn't slept that peacefully in the last few months.
I carefully got out of bed. Dominic helped me move the stand holding my IV drip. I told him I needed some fresh air and wanted to spend some time on the terrace. He nodded and followed my request. He closed the sliding door so Seraphina's sleep wouldn't be disturbed.
"Can't sleep?" Dominic asked while looking at the sky.
"I slept this afternoon, so I can't fall asleep now," I answered.
He looked at me. "I can't sleep because something is bothering me," Dominic admitted.
"About what?"
"About what Master told me."
I wasn't even surprised that Dominic and Damian already knew about it. After all, they also had the right to know since we were family.
"I already talked to him," I said.
"Then what did he say? And what did you tell him?" he asked curiously.
"He wants me to get the ring as soon as possible," I replied.
"But you're getting closer to her now, aren't you? You've made Seraphina fall in love with you, just as we planned," he said.
"Yeah. I did it. I got close to her, hoping to get the ring as soon as possible so I could stay alive. I followed your advice when we were in Sagada. I did everything I could to get closer to her just so I could get the ring as soon as possible," I explained.
"Lucca..."
"But I didn't expect things to turn out this way. My goal is no longer just about the ring. Now, I have this urge to protect Seraphina and break the curse."
Dominic looked at me intently. He didn't say a word. He simply let me pour my heart out.
"When she was kidnapped, all I could think about was saving her, no matter what. I wasn't thinking about the ring anymore. All I could think about was her life," I admitted.
"I didn't know Master would oppose this."
"He wasn't opposing it. He was reminding me not to repeat what happened in the past. He didn't want either of us to get hurt," I said, finally understanding every word Master had told me.
"It was my fault for telling you to make her fall for you."
"It's no one's fault," I said, and I meant it. I had been so blinded by my goal that I hadn't even realized how close I had become to Seraphina.
"So, what will you do now? Get the ring and leave her?" Dominic asked.
"No. I'll stay with her, even if Master doesn't agree with it," I answered firmly.
Dominic smiled. "I haven't seen you like this before. I'm happy for you, dude! You've finally found someone who can make you smile and feel what it's like to be in love. I'm here for you, and I'll help you however I can."
I nodded, and we fell silent, gazing at the night sky. We stayed there for half an hour without saying a word until Dominic finally told me that he should return to Master's room.
He assisted me until I was settled on the bed, then he left the room. I looked at Seraphina's face once again before closing my eyes.
I woke up the next morning when I felt someone staring at me. As I opened my eyes, I saw Seraphina lying beside me, staring at me. When she noticed that I had caught her, she was about to get out of bed to avoid my gaze, but I didn't let her. I gently pulled her arm to bring her back to the bed. This time, our faces were just inches apart.
"I know you like me, but I didn't know you liked me this much," I said confidently.
Seraphina blushed and pushed me away. She got out of bed, and I didn't stop her.
"You are so full of yourself, mister. Just because I confessed my feelings last night doesn't mean I'm madly in love with you," she said, frowning.
I sat on the bed, amused as I watched her prepare some bread with spread.
"Here. Eat this," she said when she finished preparing the bread.
"Thanks," I said before taking a bite.
She prepared one for herself as well and immediately started eating.
"Do you want me to get you some coffee?" she asked.
"I don't want you to leave me alone or out of my sight. I'm fine with this," I said.
I didn't realize that my words would make her blush. I couldn't help but smile. Lately, I felt like I was blooming and glowing. I had always been confident in myself, but now I felt lighter and more comfortable than ever.
Someone suddenly barged into the room. As soon as I heard the voice, I already knew who it was.
"Did you sleep well, Sera?" Mira asked as she hugged her best friend.
Sera nodded with a smile, but Mira gave her a knowing look.
"I'm glad," Mira said before glancing at me.
"I bought some coffee for you," she said, handing me the coffee she had bought.
"Do you want some bread?" Seraphina asked Mira.
"No. I'm actually full. Damian and I had breakfast before heading here," she said.
"Did Damian sleep at your house?"
"Nope. He slept in Master's room."
I coughed loudly to get their attention. It seemed like they were starting to forget that I was even there.
The girls noticed and turned to look at me.
"Thanks for the coffee, Mira," I said.
"Wait, wait! Did you just say thank you to me, Lucca?" Mira asked, starting to get hysterical.
"Have I never thanked you before?" I asked.
"You never have! This is the first time I've heard you say thank you to me."
"Is that such a big deal?" I asked.
Seraphina answered for her. "Of course! We rarely see you smile, hear you speak nicely, or see you act without being rude and sarcastic. Anyone who knows you would say you've changed a lot."
"Maybe Sagada and Baguio changed you," Mira teased with a smile.
"Just leave me alone, girls," I said, trying to avoid the conversation.
"I already know about you and Seraphina. You don't have to hide it," Mira said.
"I'm not hiding anything," I replied.
Seraphina's POV
I couldn't help but giggle along with Mira. I didn't know why, but Lucca had made my morning. He had managed to make me blush as if he were an expert at it. However, there was still one question lingering in my mind: What are we?
I shook my head. Lucca was still recovering, and he hadn't told me that he liked me yet. Although I could feel it through his actions, I didn't want to assume anything. I didn't want to end up getting hurt.
The doctor and nurses entered the room. Mira and I sat on the sofa, chatting while they attended to Lucca.
"So, Sera... how was the night?" Mira asked, raising an eyebrow.
"What do you mean by 'the night'? We just slept," I replied.
"I know, I know," she said meaningfully.
I knew exactly what Mira was trying to do. She wanted to tease me.
"I confessed," I whispered, making sure only Mira could hear me.
"What did you just say?" Mira whispered back, careful not to interrupt the doctor and nurses.
"You heard me right," I said, trying to avoid her gaze.
"Then what did he say?" Mira asked excitedly.
"Nothing," I answered.
"Nothing? As in, he didn't respond?"
I nodded.
Mira shook her head. "Maybe he doesn't like you."
Her words made me feel a little sad. Lucca hadn't said anything after I confessed my feelings. He had just smiled at me before we both fell asleep. Did that mean he didn't like me?
"But let's not jump to conclusions just yet. He kissed you, didn't he? He even saved you. If he didn't like you, he wouldn't have done those things," Mira added, which made me feel a little better.
"I don't want to pressure him. I'm happy with what we have right now. Besides, we can just stay friends," I said.
"Friends who kiss each other?" Mira asked, frowning.
"Why not?" I asked.
"My... my Seraphina! I didn't know you thought that way. I thought you were very traditional, but here you are, telling me that it's okay to kiss a friend on the lips!"
I blushed. Yes, I had always thought of myself as a traditional woman, yet I had allowed a man to kiss me without us having a clear relationship. Not just once, but three times. And the third kiss had been particularly intense and passionate.
I shook my head, trying to push those memories away.
"So, what now?" she asked.
"I don't have any plans to ask Lucca about where we stand. As I've said, I'm happy being close to him. If he doesn't bring it up, that's fine with me," I answered.
But deep inside, I wanted Lucca to be my first boyfriend.
Our conversation was interrupted when the doctor and nurses excused themselves. I immediately approached Lucca, who was now sitting on the bed.
"What did the doctor say?" I asked.
"I need to take the medicines he prescribed, but my test results were fine."
I sighed in relief. "That's good news." I smiled at him.
"But I can't leave the hospital yet. Would it be okay if you stayed with me for a while?" he asked.
"Of course. I'm your personal assistant, remember? It's part of my job," I answered.
"So, you're doing this because you consider it work?" he asked.
"Isn't that right?" I asked back.
He frowned. "Yeah," he replied before falling silent.
I felt like he was suddenly in a bad mood.
After that exchange, he barely spoke to me. Had I said something wrong that annoyed him?
Mira went out to buy lunch for us. When Lucca's lunch arrived, I helped him with his meal.
"Finish your lunch, Lucca, so you can take your medicine," I said.
A while earlier, the nurse had already cleaned his wounds.
He looked serious and rather irritated. I wanted to ask him why he was upset, but I was afraid I might only annoy him even more.
He didn't say a word. He just ate all his lunch. After he finished eating, I gave him his medicine. That was when Mira entered the room, carrying several plastic bags.
"Do you need anything?" I asked.
He shook his head while still frowning. I smiled at him before heading to the table where Mira had placed the food.
"Maybe Lucca would like something to eat," Mira suggested.
She had brought fried chicken, pizza, milk tea, and fries. It was a very unhealthy lunch.
"Lucca, do you want some?" I called out so he could hear me.
He shook his head.
"What happened to Lucca? He hasn't even bothered to open his mouth. He's been frowning this whole time. Did you annoy him?" Mira asked while eating a chicken drumstick.
"I don't know what I did, but I don't think I said anything that could have annoyed him," I replied while taking a bite of my pizza.
"Think carefully. Remember everything you said earlier," Mira urged me.
"Maybe he's annoyed with the nurse who cleaned his wounds?" I wondered aloud.
"Why not just ask him?" Mira suggested.
"He looks angry. I don't want to be the reason he gets even more upset," I said.
"So, you're just going to sit here and try to figure out why he's acting like that?" she asked.
I didn't say anything, but her question left me thinking. I honestly had no idea what I had done to Lucca. This morning, he had been so sweet and had even made me blush. Then, all of a sudden, he started acting like this.
While we were eating, Dominic suddenly entered the room.
"Dominic!" Mira called out. "Come and eat with us!"
"Your timing couldn't be more perfect," he said with a laugh.
Then he looked at Lucca. "Hi, Lucca!" he greeted him, but Lucca only nodded in response.
"What happened to our dear friend? Why is he so moody today?" Dominic asked while munching on his pizza.
"That's exactly what we're trying to figure out. Seraphina told me she didn't do anything wrong. She even thought it might have something to do with the nurse who cleaned his wounds," Mira explained.
"Hmmm," Dominic murmured as he glanced at Lucca, who was busy watching TV.
After eating, Dominic approached Lucca and asked if he wanted to go outside for some fresh air. There was a park inside the hospital where patients could sit, relax, and enjoy the view of nature.
I saw Lucca nod at Dominic.
And so, Mira and I stayed behind in the room while the two of them headed outside.
Dominic's POV
I helped Lucca into the wheelchair, even though he was hesitant at first. He said he didn't want to use it because he wasn't disabled. However, I insisted since it would be easier to move around with his IV drip.
We took the elevator and headed straight to the park. The weather was pleasant today, but Lucca's mood seemed as gloomy as a rainy day. I found a bench near the narra tree and sat down.
"Ahhhh. Fresh air!" I exclaimed.
"Aren't you busy with your company?" Lucca asked.
"I finished my work this morning. In fact, I visited Master in his room before coming here. Damian is the one taking care of him now," I explained.
He nodded.
I looked at him. "What's with the mood? Are you mad at someone?" I asked.
He shook his head, but I knew he was hiding something. Being the nosy person that I was, I wasn't about to let it go.
"Are you mad at Seraphina?" I asked.
He looked at me with an even more irritated expression.
"So, it is Seraphina. What did she do to make you mad?"
"It's none of your business," he answered.
"It is my business, dude, because even Seraphina is curious about why you're mad. She doesn't even know the reason."
"She doesn't know the reason? As if!" he exclaimed angrily.
"Now, that's what I call being mad. Tell me!"
"Why would I?" he asked in return.
"Of course, because I thought you liked her, but all of a sudden, you've gone into beast mode."
"Tsk."
I laughed at his reaction. Apparently, it wasn't a simple matter. Maybe Seraphina had said something that upset him.
"I thought she was taking care of me because she liked me or because she felt indebted to me for saving her. Only to find out that she's doing all of this because it's part of her job as my personal assistant," Lucca ranted.
I didn't know whether to laugh or feel sorry for him. So, it was all about Seraphina saying that she was taking care of him because she was his personal assistant.
"Don't laugh at me, or I'll kill you," Lucca warned.
"I won't," I said, trying hard not to laugh.
"She ruined my day just because of what she said. Is money more important to her than I am?"
"Dude..." I couldn't finish my sentence because I couldn't stop myself from laughing. I laughed so hard that it only made him even more annoyed.
"Shut the fuck up!" he snapped.
"I'm sorry, okay? I just couldn't..." I continued laughing.
"Fuck you!" he shouted.
That's when I realized I had laughed too much. He was getting even more irritated.
"Are you here just to mock me? I'm already unhappy, and you're making me even more annoyed!"
"I'm sorry, okay? I was just shocked by your reason. Seraphina didn't even know that you felt that way. Why not tell her directly that you're upset because of what she said?"
"What for? It's already done. She should know what she's saying, especially after confessing her feelings to me and everything."
"Wait, she confessed?" I asked.
"Yeah."
"When?"
"You don't need to know."
"Okay... So, she confessed. What did you say to her?" I asked.
"Nothing."
"Nothing?" I repeated.
"Are you deaf or what?" he asked angrily.
"Why didn't you say anything after she confessed? Dude! She's a woman. She needs assurance, too. She wouldn't have confessed if she weren't sure about her feelings or if you hadn't given her any reason to believe that you liked her," I explained.
Lucca was really slow when it came to these things. No wonder he had never been interested in women before.
"I'm just not sure yet," he answered.
"Not sure yet? After telling me last night that you'd stay with her no matter what and that you'd find a way to break the curse? Are you changing your mind now just because you're mad at her?"
"No."
"Then what? Why haven't you confessed your feelings to her? Why do you keep saying you're not sure yet?"
"Can't you just shut up and be quiet? Your questions are annoying me," he replied.
"I'm just concerned, dude. You told me you're not sure yet, but you've done everything to protect her, even if it means risking your own life. Don't tell me it's because of the ring, because you just told me that you're no longer thinking about it," I said at length.
He didn't respond. He simply stared into the distance.
"In a relationship, you have to understand each other. Love isn't enough to make a relationship strong. That's what I've learned from my past," I said.
"I'm not asking for your advice," he replied.
"I know... I know... I'm not advising you. I'm just sharing my thoughts," I said.
"Tsk."
"You have to be clear with Seraphina about how you truly feel. You can't just leave her wondering whether you like her or not. You kissed her, didn't you? A traditional woman like her needs assurance and an explanation as to why you kissed her."
He fell silent again. I wondered if he was actually taking in everything I was telling him. I hoped he was.
"I'm still not sure if I should tell her how I feel. Would it make things better between us, or would it only make things worse?"