 
The Hottie Billionaires Series: Romancing A Banking Magnate Book 1

(The Billionaire Meets The Damsel In Distress)

Written by SHARON ROSE

Published by: Timeless Bestsellers/TBI Publishing House

Copyright 2015

All Rights Reserved

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

We all dream of a knight in shining armor who doesn't come riding on a horse, because hey, that's already dead as a dodo, a thing of the past, but instead, wrapped in an expensive Armani, with stash of billions at his disposal, ready to spend the last drop of his money for his destined damsel in distress, his ladylove. That was more romantic, right? Stuff of 21st century women's fantasy. And I'm giving life to that kind of fantasy in this book, Romancing A Banking Magnate. This is the first release under the series The Hottie Billionaires, which is, you guessed it right, about the closely-knit brotherhood of equally drop dead gorgeous, fully loaded billionaires who are the stuff of women's wild fantasies. Certified panty creamers. No. 1 womanizers. Most-sought bachelors. Jerks who think they're God's best gift to women. Just when you're about to hate them deep in your bones, they fall in love. And then, bam! They turn into a possessive, very territorial, one-woman man, and hopeless romantic heroes who would surely melt your heart.

Romancing A Banking Magnate is divided into three books:

Book 1 – The Billionaire Meets The Damsel In Distress

Book 2 – The Billionaire Falls In Love

Book 3 – The Billionaire and His Happily Ever After

I also have other published books that you can add to your TBR list. Please check my author's profile for more information. Xoxo!

SHARON ROSE
Prologue

She stopped in front of him, her faint shadow cast on him, making her look dominant as if she could put him under her mercy. But it only added exhilaration to the rush of excitement that was pounding in his blood.

Xavier looked up, keeping up with her pace, with her tantalizing movements.

She smiled at him, a sweet smile that made his world turn upside down. God, this woman was beautiful, so fucking beautiful, that she took his breath away!

He was surrounded by a lot of hot chicks in his jet-setting world, but it was the first time that he had stumbled upon her kind of beauty. He just couldn't explain it. She looked innocent, yet feisty. The unique combo surely made a lasting impression on him.

She ducked her head, shoving her face closer to his. Her sweet scent assaulted his nostrils, dug deep in his lungs, and his senses ran amok.

Damn! This woman wasn't just lovely, but she smelled like the sweetest flower in the world, too!

"Hello, Xavier..." she whispered in an oh-so-sexy voice. Her warm breath tickled the sensitive tissues in his ear.

A sharp fireball of heat blasted through his core, rushed to every fiber of his being, and exponentially concentrated in painful assemblage in his gut.

Holy fuck! But he could feel his rock hard erection, straining against the fabric of his pants, violently wanting to break free from confinement.

"Yes... I can turn you on, Xavier. I'll make you go crazy over me, until you'll want me like you have never wanted anyone else in your life."  Katrina's sweet promise reverberated in his mind.

He took a sharp intake of breath. He was more than just fucking turned on at this bloody moment.

Katrina was just starting to seduce him, yet he was already panting in agonizing need to be buried deep in her creamy, molten sheets. His hands were itching to grab her, pin her down the floor, strip her of her clothes, and thrust his throbbing cock full and deep in her core. The need to be inside her was overwhelming!

Ah... it had been a while since he was panting in desperate need to fuck a pussy. How he missed the feeling! It felt so darn good to be a testosterone-driven man again. Finally, he was back on track. Thank God!

Her arms draped around his shoulders, imprisoning him, shoving her intoxicating sweet scent more to his nose. He breathed through her fresh, sweet scent. It was more potent than the most expensive perfume.

Oh, how he dug her scent!

She sat on his lap, spread her legs openly in front of him, straddling him. She was wearing a pair of skin-tight jeans, and the mound of flesh between the junction of her thighs was fleshy and apparent.

The thought that he was looking at her feminity made his mouth water. That was the most precious part of a woman, and it could make a man go out of his mind. And oh Lordy, it was such a lovely, carnal sight!

Her soft hands crawled, slipped inside his suit, and touched his bare chest. Her soft fingers scraped against the hardness of his swollen nipple. It created ripples of sensations all over him.

It was a gripping moment where sensations plagued through him, titillated him, and uncontrollably took over his sanity. He just closed his eyes to savor the moment, amazed at how this woman could make him feel.

He was horny as fuck!

Nobody had just simply touched him, and immediately turned him into a volcano that was about to erupt. Or maybe a hopeless, romantic fool?

"Hmmmn..." she purred right in front of his ear.

That faint, below a whisper sound triggered sexy, carnal thoughts in his mind. He wanted her to purr like that when he was pounding hard in her, maybe even louder and harder, until he had deliciously made her pussy sore and red, until she was clenching tight around him, lost and drowned in the intensity of her own release.

Whoah! This lovely woman was surely a tease! And he was beyond turned on. His manhood stirred in violent frenzy, and suddenly, a creamy liquid smeared around the tip of his cock, dampening his cotton boxer shorts.

Damn precum! He cussed under his breath. That fast! That easy! And he wanted to already mercilessly jack off like a silly, inexperienced boy.

Darn!

And he lost control. With his body craving in intense need, he stood on his feet, dragged her in his arms, and pushed her against the wall. His one hand held her leg, pulled it up, and strapped it around his hips.

He was breathing hard now. His whole body was clamoring to have a taste of her, to have a fill of her. He was dying to indulge in the decadent pleasure of her wanton offer.

He wanted her. He wanted her so bad like he had never wanted anyone else in his life. 
Chapter 1

Xavier drank his bottle of beer in one gulp, his expression was grim. Agitation was printed all over his face, and as much as he wanted to stay cool, he just simply couldn't.

He fumed as he took another swig of his beer. He had a tiff with his girlfriend just hours ago, and it turned out awry.

He shut his eyes hard as Janine's disappointed and furious face popped in his mind.

Frustrated, he cringed in embarrassment.

How could he forget his girlfriend's epic annoyance? It was hard to erase from his memory when he was the sole culprit.

Janine had never been furious in the course of their year-long relationship, but he pushed her to her breaking limits. He knew he had disappointed the woman, but it wasn't as if he intended to. It was purely unpremeditated.

Well, he did try his best to please her. The devil knew how much he wanted to make Janine purr. How he wanted her to shout his name while on the verge of passion. It was just that his efforts went in vain as his own body forsook him.

He had a lot of girlfriends in the past. He hopped from one lap to another. But Janine could be the best sex partner he could ever find. Passionate and experienced, she knew a lot of tricks and acrobatics in bed. Her lips and mouth were simply talented. She could make a guy jerk off his loads in just a few minutes. No pun intended!

Well, she actually made their bedroom encounters one helluva experience for the past twelve months. She was a gem, he knew that, but sad to say that he lost her in the most notorious and embarrassing way.

He groaned inwardly at the thought, shaking his head in incredulity. It was something that he couldn't take, a bitter pill that was hard to swallow.

What happened to him was the worst thing that could happen to a man. It was a nightmare and a curse.

Heck, but what the hell really happened to him? All he knew was that, he was having the time of his life, then, suddenly, everything dissipated from there. He didn't know exactly when his dilemma started, and how it started. It just happened. And boom! He was owned.

And it horrendously became a notorious problem that he must deal with. He was really puzzled at how his body behaved in the past few days. He knew that something was wrong with him, but he was in a state of denial for some time.

His problem had worsened as the days passed by, and he was at the point in his life where he just couldn't ignore it anymore. Sooner or later, he would need to face the truth and deal with his fear. And the incident a while ago with Janine inside his bedroom cinched the deal. He knew that he was a dead meat from now on.

He gripped his bottle of beer as firm as he could. His face darkened in frustration. He shouted a series of expletives in his mind, hoping that it would make him feel better, but it didn't.

"Hey, bro, what's up?"

Xavier felt the gentle tap on his shoulder, and he blinked his eyes. He tilted his head, looked at his side, and he saw Nikolas peering at him in curiosity. He was momentarily lost in his thoughts that he had forgotten the fact that he was with his friend in an expensive club in the Metro, sharing some bottles of beer as his problem tortured him.

Nikolas snapped him back to reality. The booming music in the club filled his ears. Suddenly, his world became chaotic, just like his thoughts.

He didn't like the way Nikolas peered at him with his inquisitive eyes. He happened to be one of his best buddies, but no, he wouldn't tell him his dreaded problem.

He pressed his lips together as he remained mum. He didn't dare answer Nikolas' question. Instead, he took another bottle of beer and drank it like a thirsty mammal, consuming the content in one, long shot.

"Looks like you have one hell of a problem there, brother," Nikolas commented seriously. "You're not your usual self tonight. Did you have a squabble with Janine, or something like that? You know..." He shrugged his shoulders.

Damn! His muscles tensed as his friend reminded him of his nasty tiff with his girlfriend. How could Nikolas have a clue? Was he really that transparent? One of the things that he liked about his pal was that he could easily read his mind, but he hated it sometimes. Just like now.

"Oh, come on, buddy," Nikolas sounded as if he wouldn't let the topic just slip away.

He sighed softly, then, gently nodded his head in confirmation. His eyes sparkled with animosity as he opened his lips to speak. "That bitch just dropped a bomb on me hours ago as if World War III is coming."

"Why?"

Xavier swallowed hard. The monosyllabic question of Nikolas drilled inside him like a hammer, taunting his already bruised male ego. He sighed again.

"Well..." his voice trailed off. He struggled to verbalize the embarrassing words at the tip of his tongue.

Shit!

He was shy to confess his silly problem to his friend. He knew that Nikolas would just laugh at him. And if he would get unluckier, his struggle would be the subject of his friends' annoying jokes for until God knows when. It was funny, alright, but not to him. And he wouldn't want to be the subject of such a demeaning joke.

"Well? I'm waiting, Xavier," Nikolas spoke after some time. His eyes became sharper as he waited for him to spill the beans out.

"Oh, never mind!" he answered in haste. He wasn't ready to embarrass himself in front of his friend yet.

Nikolas shrugged his shoulders. "You know, Xavier, I don't wanna see you looking like this. You look miserable, man. What's going on?"

Nikolas sounded really so sincere, but he wouldn't buy that. His bloody ego was more important to him than to have a friend whom he could share his problem with.

"Maybe I can help you?" Nikolas continued to goad him to speak up. "You're one of my best buddies, along with Kiehl, Tristan and Benjamin, Xavier. The five of us are like brothers already. We will always be here for each other, right? You know, I won't hesitate on helping you to the best of my abilities should you need so. I hope you know that, bud..."

What Nikolas said made a poke in his conscience. He knew that he was a friend, and that he could count on him. But he was suffering from something embarrassing, and it wouldn't be easy for him to share it with his friends. "Thanks, bro, but this is just," he shrugged his shoulders, "a petty problem, you know." He pulled a laugh, but it was hollow.

"You won't be affected like this if it's not a big deal, Xavier. I know you." But Nikolas did not buy his alibi.

Well, he should try harder, but convincing him wouldn't be that easy, especially now that he couldn't hide his frustration anymore.

He pulled a sigh, harder this time around.

He called Nikolas after his explosive but humiliating argument with Janine. It ended in a disaster. Right at that moment, Janine bade goodbye to him, and put an end to their relationship.

He was devastated. His sex goddess of a girlfriend ditched him in the most degrading way. His own body defied him after so many years. It was too much for him to bear.

He knew that he needed to go out and unwind. He had to find a way to momentarily forget about his ordeal, or else he might go mad. So he phoned his friend, Nikolas, and almost begged for him to be with him tonight as his drinking buddy. He was so mad at himself, and was frustrated at how things transpired that he needed a diversion and a form of escape.

He didn't bother to disturb their other friends. As far as he knew, Kiehl got his own affairs, and so were Benjamin and Tristan. Tristan just got married and he was busy with his wife, Naya. Altesia also occupied most of Kiehl's time. He knew that Nikolas was the only one among his peers who would be available for a drinking session tonight, so he phoned him instead. He really had the urge to drink, to find an escape for a moment, so that he could stop worrying about his dreaded problem.

"I hate to think about it as a big problem, Nikolas," he whispered carelessly, and toyed with the bottle of beer. "It really shouldn't be a problem in the first place." But the words stung like a bug bite on his tongue. He looked at the ceiling and fumed.

"Now you got me, Xavier. Come on, spill it out," Nikolas persuaded. "I know you. When you act like you don't care, it means that it's bothering you a lot."

He was hit home with that. He just couldn't lie to Nikolas.

Xavier took a sharp breath as he opened his lips. "You know the saying hell hath no fury than a woman scorned... in bed?" Finally, he spilled the beans out. Well, Nikolas got him cornered. He found himself confessing to him. Anyways, he needed an outlet, too, and an ear to listen to his foolish problem.

Nikolas' eyebrows cocked in curiosity. "What have you been doing wrong, man?" He shook his head in disbelief. "I won't believe it had it not slip from your own lips. You're a ladies' man. You know how to freaking play with a woman's weakness. How come?"

How come? He shut his eyes hard, frustrated as ever. He pulled a jaded sigh and when he opened his eyes, he threw Nikolas a shaky glance. "That's the problem, Nik. Janine was so pissed off I couldn't give her big "O" anymore. It had been a while, and she got fed up." It took him bucks of guts to finally spill the real deal to Nikolas.

Oh, please! Somebody could shoot him to death now.
Chapter 2

"Oh!" Nikolas gaped at him in disbelief. He couldn't say a word. His friend just looked at him as if he'd grown two horns. Then, his eyes twinkled humorously, and his face cracked into a huge grin.

"Now don't fuckin' laugh at me, you pig of a friend!" he squeaked in annoyance. But his friend, nevertheless, broke into humorous laughter. And he looked at Nikolas angrily, his eyes were screaming murder.

Xavier wanted to regret that he dared spill his ridiculous problem. How he wished that the earth would crack open and eat him alive.

This was embarrassing! No, not just embarrassing, but it was demeaning to his bloody masculinity!

He felt as if he wasn't a man at the moment. He felt useless. But the fact that he knew Nikolas was a true friend somehow gave him comfort.

"You're joking..." Nikolas retorted when he stopped laughing. His expression changed from being amused to concerned. He looked as if his curiosity was piqued.

"Well, yeah, as much as I want to make it a bloody joke, hell, it's not! It's true," he hissed at him. He was very frustrated. He wanted to laugh at himself, too, to mock his bruised ego senseless, but it was the effing truth!

Nikolas drank his bottle of beer, but he almost choked up when he heard his intense confession. "Really?!" His reaction was priceless. "What happened?"

"I don't know!" His reply was gruff. He really wanted to shout at his friend now. He was fully annoyed. "I don't know what the hell happened. I just woke up one morning without the usual morning erection, and then, the dilemma started right away. I can't deliver anymore, Nikolas. Fuck!" he cussed colorfully; frustration was printed all over his face. He raked his fingers in his hair, ruffling the neatly-styled tendrils.

Nikolas eyed him seriously. He looked as if he was contemplating. He wasn't laughing anymore, and that made him heave a silent sigh of relief. He really didn't like it when someone was laughing at him, just because his bloody dick couldn't shag a chick anymore. That was very degrading, and he wasn't used to that.

"Well, maybe you're just stressed, bro. Too much stress can lessen our sex drive, they say. Why don't you take a break?" Nikolas suggested after a pensive thought.

At last, his friend said something that made sense. It made him weigh his situation.

He straightened his back, and took a deep breath. "Maybe, Nik, but my schedule was not really loaded the last few months. Actually, I'm taking a break from too much work. So this is kinda unexpected."

"So there's no stress from work?" Nikolas asked with a bit of skepticism.

"Yes," he answered curtly. "But there's one kind of pressure though, that's been hounding me like a mad dog for a few months now. Mama is pressuring me to settle down and produce an heir. And it's stressing me, really. I don't wanna get hitched yet, you know. But Mama is sick, and I'm not really an inconsiderate son. I want her to be happy for the remaining days of her life. Right now, I just wanted to indulge her wishes. We rushed her to the hospital again three days ago when her blood sugar rose to a dangerous level. I am really worried. She's losing a lot of weight. The doctor said that her health was hitting a high low. So I'm now thinking about settling down and making babies so she'll have grandchildren. But how can I do that with this absurd erectile dilemma that I have right now?"

"Tsk... tsk..." was what Nikolas could only say. He became pensive as if he was seriously contemplating. "That's really a problem, buddy," he agreed after a moment of silence. "But your Mom is right. You're not getting any younger. It's time for you to look for a wife and have kids. Look at you. You're now having a mid-life crisis." He cracked up again, eyes twinkling in infuriating humor. "You know, why don't you just marry Janine so you two can start raising a family?"

"I have already considered that idea, but I have to scrap it. It will be just useless. I can't even shag her anymore, so there's no way we can make babies with that. And besides, she broke up with me already for failing to make her come. Oh, I so hate that bitch!" He fumed as he thought of Janine.

Nikolas laughed out loud again.

He just gritted his jaws as he took another swig of his beer.

"Aren't you already fed up with Janine, Xavier? Maybe your dick wants another meal on the platter - someone saucier, hotter, and younger. Someone who can make you grow hard like hell. Someone who can bring back the vigor in you. Yeah, I think you need a new girl, man."

He looked at Nikolas thoroughly. He was lost in a deep thought. Well, his friend had a point. Not that Janine wasn't in her usual self lately. In fact, she was still the same gorgeous chick that she was, ever since they first met. It was just that she couldn't thrill him anymore.

She couldn't excite his blood anymore, or set him on fire with her usual antics, even when she gave him head, or did acrobatics in front of him. That was why the woman was so pissed off, because she really tried so hard to get him into action, but her efforts were useless. As much as he wanted to shag her and drift to heaven with her, as his mind wanted to fuck her senseless, his suddenly unresponsive and bloody head down there wouldn't cooperate!

"I think so, too, Nikolas..." he spoke, but his voice was kinda shaky.

"That's my man!" his friend cheered. "And you will start tonight. Right, buddy?"

"Of course!" he answered right away.

Xavier grinned at Nikolas. Well, he just restored his faith in his dick. They were really partners in crime. And he was thankful that his friend allotted time to talk to him and be with him tonight. He had a friend to share his dreaded problem, and he felt as if a boulder of rock was pushed from his chest.

Nikolas gave him a sound advice. And he seemed as if he was right. Maybe Janine really had worn him down. They'd been a couple for more than a year, and that was already a record breaker in his series of short relationships.

He was not the type who would go serious with a woman. He was fond of casual hookups, and no-strings-attached setups. His relationships wouldn't last for a year. It was only with Janine that he made it past one year. That was because, in all fairness, Janine was an extra-ordinary partner. Their sexual conquests were always filled with adrenaline pumping stints. Well, until lately, when his dick started to behave in a humiliating manner.

So maybe Nikolas was spot on. Maybe he needed a new meal on his platter. A new girl who could arouse his insatiable sexual appetite, something that Janine couldn't do anymore.

Alright. He would find a hell of a hot bella tonight who would make him a pervert again. He was once a pervert, and would always be a pervert. Things should always be like that.

His arrogant ego was restored. He didn't feel bad anymore. It was now time to find a solution to his dreaded problem.

He raked his surroundings with his eyes. His predatory instincts suddenly took over him. They were in Accordion. It was an expensive club in the Metro where he and his friends usually hang out. Scantily-clothed women, most of them looking really hot, were just scattered around the four corners of the club. But no one had taken his fancy yet.

Usually, during his younger years, he was excited when he goes to a place like this. Just the mere sight of lovely women clad in skimpy outfits that could pass as a lingerie, could instantly arouse him. And he would sport a boner all throughout the night. Then, he would have a sex marathon with a Barbie whom he gets to bring home.

Oh, Lordy, would he just call those moments those were the days? Of course not! Knock on wood, but please not!

He just couldn't imagine his life making a 180-degree turn upside-down. He used to be a voracious, sexually active Adam, the kind that gets to shag every beautiful girl in town, and he wanted to stay as such. He had a reputation with women, and it would be such a shame if he would continue having this stupid problem in the coming days. He needed to stop this dilemma, and put an end to it. He couldn't accept that his happiness would be held kaput. Not now. Not in the coming years!

"There are a handful of hot and lovely ladies tonight, Xave. Work your way around, and take home one of them. Tomorrow, I'm sure you'll be sporting a huge grin again." Nikolas tapped him in the shoulders as he gave him moral support.

"Thanks, bro..." He sighed in gratitude. Then, his eyes darted from one hot chick to another, looking for his target.

It was a ladies' night, and he certainly had a handful to choose from. He knew that the women who patronize the club belong to the rich and famous in the Metro. Models, socialites, spoiled brats, It girls - just to name a few.

He spotted a chick with a banging body and an exotic face in one corner. She was looking at him, too, as she danced seductively on the dance floor. She had a partner, but she seemed as if she was not interested with the poor stud.

She raised her hand, and gave him a finger while her eyes seduced him with promises of wild nights. He was sure the damsel was a tigress in bed. His eyes splurged at her D-cup breasts that bounced lusciously as she moves.

His mouth watered. He wanted to come to her, run his hands all over her, and then, drag her home, but he uttered expletives as his maleness remained unresponsive.

"Wow, that's one hell of a hot bella, Xavier," Nikolas commented when he saw the woman who was outrageously flirting with him.

"But sadly, she doesn't excite me, too, bro..." He didn't want to admit that, but it was the effing truth.

"What?!" Nikolas' eyes grew wide in disbelief. "Your dick doesn't like her?" He shook his head. Then, his eyes went back to the well-endowed chick. "Look at her breasts, man. They're fuckin' huge! They can do a lot of wonders to any man in a snap of a finger. Imagine what you can do with those..." his friend commented with a dirty malice, provoking his sexual desires to come out in the open.

And he put his imagination to work. He imagined all the filthy things that he wanted to do with the willing bitch, but he just groaned in frustration. "It's not really working," he grumbled after a moment.

"Wow, I don't get it..." Even Nikolas couldn't understand him now. "Okay, if that girl is not enough for you, I know someone who's fuckingly irresistible. And mind you, she's the greatest in bed. She knows a lot of tricks and acrobatics, so I'm quite sure that this one will work." Nikolas looked confident as he tinkered on his phone.

"Are you sure with that?" He didn't want to buy it. He was starting to become skeptical again.

"A hundred percent sure, Xavier," Nikolas quipped as he gave him a quick glance. "Wait, I'm gonna call her to see if she can come tonight." He rang a number on his phone.

"Okay..." He just shrugged his shoulders. "Let's see..." He was silently hoping that his friend's idea would work. He really wanted to find a solution to his dreaded erectile problem. And he just couldn't wait.

An hour after Nikolas made a phone call, a woman with a breathtaking beauty stood in front of him. And his jaw literally fell to the floor.

The hot chick was an exact replica of Megan Fox. He had a fixation with the hottie actress a few years ago when she just hit Hollywood by storm. He felt as if his dream became a reality.

The woman really had a beautiful face and an amazing, toned body. Her curves were bountiful, and she looked fucking perfect!

He couldn't ask for more. He felt as if he hit a jackpot. Thanks to Nikolas! He really was not over-exaggerating when he said that she was irresistible. The chick really was!

A huge grin broke on his face. "Hi, babe..." he smoothly whispered.

"Hi, Xavier..." she greeted him with a saucy smile. Her sultry, bedroom voice added more appeal to her already overflowing, seductive charms.

"Wanna party tonight?" He couldn't contain his huge grin. Damn him if he looked like an idiot. He really couldn't help but be one.

"Of course!" she purred sweetly, licking her lips sensually with her tongue.

What she did left him mesmerized.

Goddammit, but the woman was an absolute tease!
Chapter 3

"Doctor, how's my father?" Katrina had been dying to talk to the doctor to check about her father's condition, and now that she's in front of him, she couldn't wait to hear what he's about to say.

"We're done removing the blood clot in his brain, Ms. de Leon," he answered as he arranged his spectacles. "Hopefully, it will improve his condition. But the patient is still under observation. He's in a coma right now. Probably until a few days, or maybe weeks. We still don't know yet until the patient shows signs of recovery."

"Is he already okay, doc? Is my father already out of imminent danger? Can we expect him to recover in a few days?" she asked hastily. She really wanted to know so that she could breathe properly. The last twenty-four hours had been hell to her.

She had no decent sleep yet after they rushed his father to the hospital. She was told that he suffered from a stroke, and that he badly needed an emergency operation to remove the blood clot that was damaging an essential part of his brain. She immediately gave her go signal, and signed necessary papers to conduct the operation.

"I can't guarantee that, Miss de Leon," the doctor looked sympathetically at her. "We're still observing the patient. As of the moment, the immediate danger was removed, but your father is still in a critical condition. The blood clot has already damaged some parts of your father's brain. We're still assessing the extent of the damage though. I'll check the patient tonight, and see if his condition has stabilized. For now, he'll be in life support. Pray for your father, Ms. de Leon, and keep the faith. He needs it."

Katrina heaved a deep sigh. She had been praying relentlessly. Prayer was the only thing that she could turn to now that her father was fighting for his life.

"Let's hope for the best, Ms. de Leon. We'll do our best to save your father. I hope the patient will do his best to respond to his medications as well. This won't be an easy battle. You should prepare yourself for the worst."

Her eyes stung with tears. She could feel her body softening in worry and fear. She couldn't afford to lose her father.

"Anyway," the doctor checked his watch. He looked tired and worn down. "I have to go now. I have to take some rest. Been here in the hospital for already twenty-four hours. I'll be back tonight to check the patient's progress."

"Thank you, doc," she whispered softly. "Thank you for everything." She couldn't eloquently verbalize how grateful she was for the doctor's help. He had rendered OT for her father's emergency operation which lasted for more than eight hours. He might have attended to another patient because it was already four hours since his father was transferred in the ICU. And she was just grateful that he decided to check on her father's condition before going home. She had the opportunity to talk to him.

"I'm just doing my job, Ms. de Leon." He smiled at her. He gently tapped her shoulder. "I have to go now." Then, he stood up.

They were talking in one corner of the ICU, a few meters away from where her father's hospital bed was located.

"Take care and have some rest, doc. Again, thank you!" She smiled gratefully to the kind doctor before he turned his back on her.

She sighed wearily when she was left alone with her father. Her conversation with the doctor didn't give her the assurance she longed to hear. She still had to pray hard for his safety.

She walked to her father's bed, sat on the stool beside him, and looked at him with distress in her eyes. Her heart wanted to break at the sight. Her father's life was sustained by advanced medical apparatus. He was breathing through the aid of oxygen, looking limp and unresponsive, as if he was already dead.

Oh, God!

The thought that her father's life was floating in limbo made her shoulders shook unabashedly. Melancholic sobs vibrated in her throat, until she couldn't contain her emotions anymore and she broke into tears, her heart was breaking apart as she covered her mouth.

What was happening to her family? She couldn't help but ponder on things. First, it was her mom. Now, it was her father. They had just emotionally commemorated the second death anniversary of her mother. And now this, her father, too, was on the brink of death.

God, she really couldn't bear it if her father would leave them as well. Knock on wood, but, God, please, don't! She couldn't bear it. She couldn't afford it!

What would happen to her and Brenda, if ever? Her younger sister was still schooling, just like her. Brenda was a sophomore in college, taking up Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at the Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU). She, too, was schooling in ADDU, taking up Law, and she still had more or less two years to painstakingly burn her brows before she could be a lawyer.

Surely, they need their father. They already lost their mother, and losing another parent would be a big blow that would be hard to deal with. Her family would surely crumble and scatter to pieces.

She sobbed harder. Her shoulders shook as emotions washed through her, as tears streamed down her damp cheeks. It was such an ordeal to sit beside her father and see his dire condition. She really couldn't help but be worried for him.

Actually, she wasn't really worried about her and Brenda's future should their father die. She was more worried of his condition, of his situation. She just didn't want their father to leave them yet, and be reunited with their mother in heaven. She loved him so much, and the thought of losing him was already breaking her heart. If she could just do something, she surely wouldn't allow it. She would do her best to keep her father alive.

If the decision was only hers to make!

"Papa..." She sighed desperately. She was still distraught when she wiped her tears with her fingers.

She couldn't believe that this kind of mess would happen to her father. He suffered from a stroke when he received a letter from the bank, informing him that he only had a month left to pay for his debt, and failure to do so would allow the bank to sequester their farm.

Her father made their twenty hectares of land in Davao City a collateral when he loaned money from the bank. The property was a lush farmland which had been their source of income for a long time now. It was teeming with fruit-bearing trees such as mango, durian, and mangosteen. A good portion of it was a productive banana plantation.

Ronaldo, her father, inherited the farm from his parents. He was doing well in managing their primary source of livelihood as she grew up. They have always enjoyed a bountiful harvest, and their life was pretty good. It was full of happiness and love. But not lately.

Things drastically changed when her mother died in a car accident. Since then, her father became miserable and depressed. She knew why. He blamed himself for the death of his wife.

She actually understood how he felt. It wasn't easy when he was the driver of the ill-fated car that crashed with the back of a bus. Her father survived the accident, but her mother didn't. And it left Ronaldo very devastated.

She knew that her father loved her mother so much, and that his life revolved around his wife and children. Her mother was the only woman his father had ever loved. They were childhood sweethearts who fell in love with each other. They'd been inseparable ever since. And the death of her mother dimmed the lights in his life.

They were once a picture of a happy family. Her father was a responsible husband, a fun father, and a good provider. Her mother, on the other hand, was the most loving and supportive mother in the world. Their family lived in bliss for a long time. She thought that they would stay that way forever – happy and contented. Until tragedy brought total misery to every member of her family. She and Brenda lost their mother, while their father lost his greatest love.

The three of them were deeply hurt, and each struggled to survive the tragedy. They developed coping mechanisms unique from each other as they all grieved for the tragic loss.

She focused her attention to her studies. When her mother was still alive, she promised her that she would become a lawyer someday, that she would make her proud, and so she dedicated all her efforts and energy to fulfill that promise. She's doing well at school. Her grades were excellent, and her name constantly tops in the honors' list of the university.

Her sister on the other hand, focused her attention to her peers. Brenda would usually hang out with her friends. She did that to distract herself from thinking too much about the death of their mom. She was just glad that her sister found a good set of friends, a strong support system that gave her inspiration to continue with her life, and most of all, that they are not a bunch of bad influences.

So she and Brenda were actually coping well, but their father was an entirely different story. And she was sad that she discovered about his dilemma and his struggles when it was already too late. He already got himself in trouble. Worse, he had sloppily put the family's legacy and their future at risk.

Ronaldo, in his struggle to fight depression, turned to alcohol and vices. He also started to socialize, which he didn't usually do before. His newfound set of peers taught him how to frequent casinos and cockfighting derbies. It didn't take long, and he was plunged into a situation where alcohol, gambling and vices took control of his life.

In the span of two years, he didn't do anything but indulge his vices. He had neglected the management of their farm, which as a result, suffered a great loss. The produce of the de Leon's farm took a drastic nosedive.

She had no idea that they were already facing bankruptcy. She was busy with her studies, and so was Brenda. They would usually stay and spend most of their time in their rented apartment that was located in the downtown area, near their university, busy with their affairs at school. They only get to go home during weekends. Sometimes, even the weekends would be consumed by extra-curricular activities. That was the reason why she and Brenda had no idea that their father was already addicted to alcohol and gambling.

Six months ago, she discovered the problem on their farm when she took a stroll, just to see what was going on. She happened to talk to one of their employees, and she was told that the farm was suffering from bad business decisions and neglect. The produce wasn't aplenty anymore, and of low quality. Fertilizers and pesticides needed to maintain the farm weren't properly provided.

That discovery came as a total shock to her. All the while, she thought that everything was in order, that their life was in order. But it wasn't. So she started to dig for more information and that was how she discovered her father's vices. She was really surprised to know about it.

She never thought that her very responsible father would turn out to be a drunkard, a gambler, and worse, a lenient head of the family. He messily dipped his family in debt just to sustain his vices.

She was told that her father splurged hundreds of thousands of pesos from his gambling and cockfighting habits. He lost significant amount of money in the last two years, millions in particular.

She thought that they were already recovering from her mother's sudden death, but here they were now, facing another storm in their lives.

Then, they started receiving letters from the bank. That was when she fully realized how her father was deeply entangled in his bad habits. He had spent millions of pesos just to indulge his vices that he even had to loan money from the bank, so that he could support his gambling and alcohol addiction.

She was shaken by the realization. She knew that her father was problematic, that he was dealing with a dilemma that was hard to fight, but he just couldn't do this to them – betray her and Brenda, and put the family's future in jeopardy.

She bravely confronted her father one day, but she couldn't talk to him properly as he was always drunk. If he was trying to hide his drinking habits from them before, lately, he wasn't anymore. He already would drink in the open, even if his children were at home.

She knew something was bothering him. He would show desperation every time a letter from the bank would arrive. Of course, he was the only one who knew the severity of their financial crisis, and it was his own undoing.

For the sake of their family and their future, she dared to have a heart-to-heart talk with her father. She was angry that he had been gambling and drinking for the past two years. She wanted to berate him for the bad person he had become, but when he started confessing to her, telling her how he had been miserable after the death of his wife, her anger melted.

She couldn't help but feel bad for her father. That was how she realized the extent of the effects of her mother's death to him. He died, too, along with her. He suffered from trauma and devastating depression, critical factors why he turned to drinking and gambling.

She felt so sorry for her father's misery. She, too, was deeply saddened by the untimely passing of her mother. She had been crying for months after her death, but she had realized that life must go on. She wouldn't forget her mother, of course. She would forever be dear in her heart, but she had her own life to live. She studied diligently to please her mother, wherever she was. But she was sorry that by focusing her attention on her studies,, she had unintentionally neglected her own father. She wasn't there to help him get through the tragic loss of her mother. She didn't help him recover. She didn't share his pain, misery, and regrets.

And she felt guilty.

Maybe, if someone had been there for her father during the crucial moments of his struggle, he wouldn't turn to alcohol and gambling. He would have someone to be with him, to share his struggle, and someone who would lift his spirit up.

If she had been there for her father, then, maybe they wouldn't have this financial dilemma right now. Her father wouldn't have to suffer from a stroke, and fight for his life.

Oh, if she could only turn back time!

Her tears streamed profusely, drowning the glow of hope in her eyes. The fear that she would lose her father any time was haunting her. She was slowly getting desperate, but she knew that she had to remain strong for her family. She had to fight for them.

She was the eldest child and she had to be that someone. It was her responsibility to take good care of her family now that her father was on the brink of death.

She composed herself. She wiped her tears that were spilling from her grief-stricken eyes.

She stopped herself from crying.

There were more important things she needed to do instead of crying a river of tears.

She had to remain strong. Her father and her sister were both depending on her now.

What would happen to them if she would let devastation wreck her? No, she would never succumb to devastation.

She would never surrender.

She would fight for her family.

She would fight for her father.

She would do her best to keep him alive!

"Pa..." She reached for his hand. She held his limp hand very gently, with full of love. "Don't give up, please..." her hoarse voice sounded begging.

"We still need you here. Don't leave us yet. Don't be with Mama yet..." She choked a sob. The dreadful thought scared her big time.

"Please... hold on, Pa. Brenda and I love you so much. You're the only one we've got. I can't afford to lose you, you know that. Please... I won't bear it. Papa..."

Her eyes stung once more, and tears started to well again.

"Please fight... for me... for Brenda... We love you so much, Papa... We care for you... We really do..." She choked another despondent sob.

"We love you, and we need you. Please stay alive... for us..."

How she wanted to touch her father's face, but he had an oxygen mask. His head was carefully wrapped in a bandage. Her heart bled at the sight of him. It was painful to look at her father when she knew that he was fighting for his life.

But aside from her father's medical condition, they still had another big, pressing problem. There was their farm, which was facing foreclosure from the bank.

Like her father, the farm was also important to them. It was their source of livelihood.

If it would be sequestered by the bank, where would they get money if ever? What would be left of them? She couldn't even answer the question herself.

The farm was something that all of them couldn't afford to lose. Without it, they would all be thrown in a stinky dumpster.

She knew that her strength would really be tested during these hard times, but she wouldn't buckle. That was for sure. She would fight to the very end, as long as she had her family by her side. She would try to find ways to provide solutions to their immense problems.

But how?

She sighed desperately. She needed to think fast, before it's too late!

"I will do everything, Papa," she fervently whispered.

"I will do everything to fix the mess that we are now in. Just promise me that you'll hold on, that you'll fight with us. Be strong, and please, hang on to your dear life. You are my strength, please know that. If you'll leave us, too, just like what Mama did, I won't bear it... We won't bear it..."

Her chest constricted. Devastation was starting to crawl in her heart again, but she instantly threw it away. She didn't need that in her life. All she needed was the strength and the will to fight. This was just another trial that they would surely recover from. This, too, shall pass.

She kissed her father's hand lovingly.

"I'll go for now, but I'll be back the soonest. I just have to do something very important. This is for us, Papa. For us." She held his hand again, and after a brief moment, she stood up.

"See you later, Pa." She tenderly kissed her father goodbye, and walked to the door, leaving him in the ICU.

She was walking in the hallway of the hospital when she called Brenda. She instructed her to go to the hospital after she was done packing things that they need in the hospital. She told her sister that she had to attend to their father because she had to do something very important.

She would go to her godfather, Christopher Maraullo, to ask for help. Maybe he could lend her some money that she could use to pay off their debt.

That was her initial plan. She would resort to plan B, if plan A fails. And then plan C, and so on, and so forth. She would gladly use all the letters in the alphabet if she needed to.

She was also thinking about postponing her studies and find work instead. She needed a source of income, especially during these troubled times. And she couldn't think of anything else but find a decent job.

She needed to think of other alternatives that she could exploit, too. She could try borrowing from some of her rich friends, but she knew that she couldn't really borrow a large sum of money from them. Ah... she really had to exhaust her options. The bigger amount of money she could raise, the better.

As far as she knew, his father's debt already amounted to a staggering five million pesos. She had no effing idea how to raise such big amount of money, especially now that her father had depleted the balance in their primary bank account.

But she wasn't losing hope. Maybe somewhere, somehow, a solution was waiting for her. She just had to find it. But right now, she could only turn to God.

Lord, please... give me miracles! she murmured and sighed.

Yes, that was what she really needed. Miracles! A lot of them!
Chapter 4

"I am so sorry, hija, but this is just what I can lend you. You know, business is not really doing well right now. Pardon my limited help." Christopher Maraullo, her godfather, was apologetic when he signed the check.

But she could only sigh in relief. At least, he was lending her some. That was more than enough.

"Thank you, Ninong." She was emotional when she accepted the check he handed her. Her eyes shone with gratitude. "This is already a big help..." She looked at the check with amounting to six hundred fifty thousand pesos. It already meant a lot to her. Six hundred fifty thousand pesos. It was way better than receiving nothing.

She brought the check to her chest as she closed her eyes, trying to contain her emotions. Her eyes stung with tears when she looked at her godfather. "Thank you very much, Ninong Chris. Don't worry, I'll pay you the second I have the money-"

"Please don't think about paying at this moment, Kat," he interrupted. "You have a lot more important things to worry about. I won't ask for the money back soon. You can take your time. I understand."

Her eyes watered more. She was deeply touched by her godfather's concern. She was right. She could run to him. He would never let her down.

"I am so sorry about what happened to Ronaldo. I wish him a fast recovery. Regina and I will visit the hospital one of these days."

"Thank you, really, Ninong Chris." She couldn't thank him enough. With teary eyes, she hugged him. Gratitude was overflowing in her chest.

He was her only godparent and she was lucky to have him. Christopher Maraullo was one of the most generous people she had ever met. In fact, every year, on her birthdays and during Christmases, she would always receive a gift from him and his family.

"You're already like my biological child, Katrina," he said as he hugged her back and comforted her. "Your Ninang Regina and I will always be here for you, should you need help."

A sob escaped from her. The tears that she was trying to hold back slipped. She cried as she hugged him tight.

In the midst of the tribulation that her family was facing right now, she was just so thankful that there were people like her godfather who was there to lend them a hand. And that was more than enough to nurture the tiny spring of hope in her heart.

She should not feel helpless. She must not feel hopeless. Whatever problems that they have been facing right now, they could get past through it. They definitely would.

She went to her apartment after talking to her godfather. Then, she called her friends in ADDU Law School and told them about her ordeal. They didn't disappoint her, much to her relief. She was able to borrow a total of two hundred fifty thousand pesos from her friends. Now, she was able to raise nine hundred thousand pesos.

She checked her bank account. She had half a million pesos as remaining balance. But of course, she couldn't use the full amount to pay for her father's debt because they still had to pay for his hospital bills. She knew that they would spend a considerable amount of money for her father's hospitalization, especially after his brain operation.

Brenda had money of her own, and she would check if she could ask some amount from her sister. She had to check their family's several bank accounts, too. She was just hoping that her father didn't zero out the balance in their four, family bank accounts.

She also had to sell their cars. Her father's Pajero, her Honda City and Brenda's Mitsubishi Lancer. She wasn't sure if her sister would agree to her plan though.

Five million pesos. She needed to raise five million pesos in order to save their farm from forfeiture. But what she had in her hands was not enough to cover even half of the huge debt.

Don't lose hope, girl... she told herself. You're one brilliant woman, and you can come up with a solution to any problem. Just stay focused! And think hard!

Positive thinking... positive thinking... she was repeating that in her mind like a passionate mantra. And it helped her a lot. It gave her assurance that she really could find ways to fix her family's dilemma.

She went to the bank the next day to negotiate about her father's debt. She would ask for an extension, and she would pay in partial. She had to come up with any arrangement that would allow them to keep their property. But she was crestfallen to know that the bank wouldn't consider her pleas anymore because her father neglected the last two final notices they've sent.

She did her best to beg, but her father's case was already escalated, and the forfeiture was up for execution. She felt as if the world ruthlessly crashed on her shoulders, but she didn't lose hope. She tried another branch, and luckily, she was able to come up with an arrangement.

Fortunately, the Bank Manager in the other branch was a middle-aged man who looked smitten by her beauty. So she did her best to use that to her advantage. Her charms worked on the middle-aged man, much to her delight. He granted her request and she almost jumped in joy.

She paid the bank a sum of one million two hundred fifty thousand pesos, and the deadline to pay the remaining balance was agreed to be extended to six months. So she had six months to look for ways to raise three million and seven hundred fifty thousand pesos. If she could do that, she could pay their debt in full, and their farm would be saved from forfeiture.

She knew that her family's future was still on the edge of uncertainty, but at least for now, she could take a full, deep breath. In the meantime, she would dedicate all her energies to her father's fast recovery.

Thank God! One problem down, one left. She was doing fine and she was pleased.
Chapter 5

Xavier was damned pissed off. He almost wasted his entire day interviewing numerous women who applied for the foolish advertisement that he published in the Daily Inquirer.

He was laughing at his own ad, and he goddamned knew how stupid it was, but he took a risk. His impotency dilemma had come to a point where it already got under his skin. Now more than ever, he realized how serious his dreaded problem had become. It has already affected his whole fucked-up life.

And to make matters even worse, they ran his mother to the hospital a couple of days ago. Again. Her blood sugar rose to a dangerous level. Again. The doctor had to administer an emergency insulin shot just to stabilize her condition.

His mother had been suffering from a serious case of diabetes for a long time now, and a few years ago, it developed some severe complications. Her health was slowly fading away. She had lost a lot of weight since her sickness worsened. The doctors, who were attending to her, were now alarmed and even warned him of the worst-case scenarios.

He was worried sick of his mother. She was the only parent he had after losing his dad ten years ago. And they were close, really close, that he was actually a closet Mama's boy. He treasured his mother in his heart more than he could show it in his deeds. But for the past weeks, he took advantage of the opportunity to bond with her. He just wanted to let his mother feel that she was dearly loved and cherished.

But his mother would always push him to get married and start a family, a topic that he always evaded in the past, but she always loved to bring up. She would always tell him that she wanted grandchildren who would fill their huge mansion with giddy laughter. Her fervent wish was to see just one grandchild before she passes away, something that he had difficulty digesting. He loved his mother, and losing her was unacceptable. He didn't even want to think about it.

His mom always told him that she was already getting old and really sick, but she couldn't leave in peace thinking that her son's life was not yet in a right path. He was a filthy rich banker, being the CEO of UNB, yet he remains unfulfilled. Well, his mother's definition of fulfillment was inclined on having a happy family life, and despite of his huge success in his business, he didn't have that in his list of credentials yet. And his mom was getting frustrated.

Sometimes, he feels guilty because in a way, he was making her illness worsen by aggravating her.

As much as he would just want to indulge his mother's wish, so as to make her finally happy - he actually wanted to cave in to her prodding already; he simply didn't have the balls to tell her straight in the face that he couldn't grant her request. His erectile problem continued to persist, despite his efforts to cure it with the help of a lot of fantastic women. And he had never been as frustrated as this all his life.

He actually understood his mother. She was right. He was really getting older, and he needs to start raising a family of his own. Finally, he realized that. He was already thirty-five. Now was the perfect time for him to get married, father one or two kids, and be a doting family man.

He already had enough of the bachelor life, had tasted countless of women, and engaged in adrenaline-seeking adventures. It was now his time to slow down, to take life seriously, and be a devoted family man, just like his friend, Tristan. Naya, Tristan's wife, just gave birth to a cute-as-a-button little girl, and when he held the little angel in his arms during one of his visits, he suddenly longed to have his own.

Alas, his take about life and things around him suddenly matured. It was sudden and drastic, like a 180-degree turn, but it was for the better. If he could just fix his life in a snap of a finger, he definitely would. But his dreaded erectile problem continued to haunt him. And he was afraid, really afraid, that Nikolas might have hit the nail in the head by saying that he was already undergoing a mid-life crisis. Dang, he hoped not!

Well, Nikolas had been there for him in his awkward struggle. He had been a really good friend, a confidante, and a passionate supporter to find a cure to his epic, temporary impotence. Nikolas was quite positive at first that he could help him, but all of the hot, lovely women whom he recommended to get his groove back, did nothing to excite his sleeping junior.

His mind really wanted to fuck, yet his bloody dick wouldn't cooperate. Even that hottie Megan Fox look-alike, who was better than a bitch in heat, simply wasn't enough to put him on fire.

He was really smitten by her incredible beauty and hotness, and he thought that she was already what he was looking for - an elusive cure to his impotence. He had high hopes, but when they got to the bedroom, and the woman worked her ass out arousing him, seducing him, setting his mood for a hot sexual encounter, his bull-headed junior excruciatingly remained passive. And the hottie Megan Fox look-alike went bonkers.

Damn! He had never been embarrassed like hell in front of a woman that he wished for the earth to crack open and eat him alive. He didn't even want to think about it, but since it's gotten inside his mind, he couldn't help but painfully cringe.

He still could hear how she cursed and crushed his masculinity in blatant insults. His ego was bruised like hell, his manhood was disparagingly shaken. And it was just so frustrating because he couldn't do anything about it.

He became the subject of his friends' demeaning jokes when they learned about the incident. Until now.

He was enjoying the title as the most womanizer among his friends, a sex god who was happily humping from one lap to another, and of all people, he was the unlucky one to suffer from the dreaded curse called impotence. It was indeed unfair!

It wasn't easy to stomach, yet he needed to deal with it. He had been in denial for a period of time, and it gave him more harm than good. So he really had to put up with this kind of shit, and address the root cause of the issue.

Maybe that way, he could dig what was wrong with him, and find the mysterious solution to end his ordeal.

Damn, but he just simply couldn't accept that he was really having a midlife crisis. Nikolas must be wrong. For Pete's sake, he is just thirty-five, still on his prime, and not a fifty-year-old filthy, old man!

Sometimes, he couldn't help but think that maybe karma was already smacking him hard in the ass. He had toyed with women, he wouldn't deny that, and maybe that was why he was being punished now. He was a perennial playboy, and he would change girlfriends as often as he would change briefs. People around him would always point that out to him, especially his mom.

But, oh well, despite him being a playboy and all, he treated his women well. He showered them with expensive material things and indulging gifts. He was not a complete asshole, if that was some sort of a consolation. It was just that his romantic streak was fleeting. No woman was able to hold his interest for a long time.

He was a busy bee. He loved darting from one flower to another, and when it's time to say goodbye, he would not buy his time to bid his farewell.

Janine was his only girlfriend who lasted for a year. He thought that she was already the girl for him, the one who would stay with him through thick and thin, but they parted ways already. And that was all because he couldn't give her big "O" anymore. Shame!

His life was in great jeopardy, really, and he needed to find a solution fast. There was a ticking time bomb that he must beat, or else, he would be a dead meat, yet he was fucking helpless in beating the odds.

And then, one day, he was surfing the net when he came along an article that says: CHINESE BILLIONAIRE SEEKS WIFE: ONLY VIRGINS NEED APPLY. He got curious, and he read the entire article. It was about a Chinese businessman who had aplenty of moolah at his disposal, and he was seeking for a wife. Not just an ordinary wife, but still a virgin wife. It sounded absurd at this time and age, and he was actually amused as he read the article.

But an idea struck his mind. He, too, was looking for a wife, for that one particular woman who could turn him on big time, who would bring back his voracious appetite in bed, and someone who could give him an heir. He badly needed that kind of a woman. Until now, it was horrifying, but he still couldn't screw a pussy just because his bloody dick wouldn't do so.

And he was already fucking frustrated with his boring, celibate life. He had never imagined himself to be deprived of sex. It was his food supplement since he learned the art of fuckery, yet he was now in a pervasive situation wherein he was living his most terrifying nightmare.

Reluctantly, yet hoping, he decided to make a cathartic decision, something like what the Chinese businessman came up in the article he just read. Right there and then, he called the Daily Inquirer and placed a full-page advertisement.

His ad in the most prestigious newspaper in the Philippines read: BANKING MAGNATE, LOOKING FOR A WIFE TO BEAR HIM AN HEIR. ONLY LOVELY, HOT WOMEN WITH MATERNAL INSTINCTS NEED APPLY.

Hilarious, he knew that, but he was able to put up such a desperate ad in the Daily Inquirer as he was actually really desperate. There was no sense in denying that when his whole life was in jeopardy. He was doing this to find a cure to his dreaded illness and fix his already fucked-up life.

With his ad, he was actually hitting two birds with one stone. He could solve all of his problems with the help of one woman - THE ONE who could bail him out of his misery, save his goddamned future, and continue his next generation. He just needed one woman to do all of those amazing things for him.

Once he could get back at banging a hot pussy, everything would fall in their right places. He could secure a wife, fuck till he drops, and produce an heir. His mother would be happy, and he would be singing a happy tune again.

Just one woman. He needed just one woman to give him miracles. And he just couldn't wait to meet her!
Chapter 6

Xavier colorfully cursed when he heard hysterical moans echoing on the other line. His sharp radar instantly picked up what was going on even before he heard Nikolas' perverted voice. His bastard of a friend was having a great time with one of his fuck buddies. And suddenly, he envied Nik.

Well, good for him. As usual, his friend's sex life was astoundingly over the moon. Unlike him. He was still trapped in a bloody nightmare.

"Hey, buddy!" Nikolas was panting heavily when he answered his call.

The scandalous moaning of a woman who was with him did not stop. It continued to irritate his ears that he thought his ear drums might agonizingly explode any moment.

He momentarily took the phone away from his ear. He sighed deeply , and his brows cocked as if he didn't approve of his friend's scandalous humping playmate. "Nik are you free tonight?" he asked as he placed the phone back to his ear.

"Obviously, not, Xave," he answered crisply. "Can't you hear that, man? But in case not, hey, I'm busy!" His panting became harder. The woman's moans went more hysterical on the background.

"Fuck you, Nik!" he snarled furiously and cancelled the call.

Nikolas talked to him while having sex! What a bloody way to totally ruin his already terrible night!

Pissed off, he carelessly threw his phone on his bed. The electronic gadget bounced on the soft mattress and fell on the floor. The case and the battery were detached to the phone, but he didn't dare pick them up.

He was fuming as he paced inside his luxurious room. The thought that Nikolas was having a great time humping a pussy, and here he was alone in his room, frustrated as ever as his problem continued to haunt him, made him want to cut his friend's bloody dick so that he could personally drag him to share his painful ordeal.

Oh, if he could just do that!

He called Nikolas to ask him if they could hang out tonight. He was damned pissed off and frustrated the whole day, and he needed to unwind. He had wasted another day in his office, interviewing a handful of women who responded to his ad in the Daily Inquirer. It had been two months since he published the ad, and still, he hadn't found anyone from the hundreds of applicants who showed up that could fill his purpose.

There were actually a lot of decent women who went to see him. Some of them were models, actresses, and beauty queens, but his bull-headed junior wouldn't even flinch a bit, much to his dismay and frustration.

He had already invested a lot - time, money and patience, but his quest to find the elusive cure to his impotence seemed out of nowhere. He felt hopeless. He felt helpless. He was already very frustrated, and he was on the verge of giving up.

He didn't expect that the simple but crazy stint that he pulled off in the Daily Inquirer would give him a pounding headache. He had encountered pushy and desperate women who would run the mile just so he would pick them as his choice. It was hard to dismiss clingy and frantic applicants who would desperately kneel at his feet, begging to be his wife. The experience was exhausting, and it was consuming much of his energy.

He was a private businessman, but he dared face a lot of women and expose his identity in a bid to find what he was looking for. He had just attracted desperate women who wanted his name and the luxury that comes with it, yet he hadn't got his purpose in the first place.

Well, who wouldn't wish to be his wife? He was worth an ass whopping billions of pesos. Not to mention that aside from having super fat bank accounts, he also got the looks to boot, too. A deadly combo women go gaga over with, a woman's ultimate fantasy. He wondered at how women would treat him if they would know about his dirty, little secret. Would they still worship him like a pagan god if he couldn't bang them in the bedroom anymore?

He groaned aloud in exasperation. It was a painful truth, and a secret that he wanted to lock in his closet, then, lose the key so that no one could dare open it, and let the cat out of the bag.

He, himself, couldn't simply accept that he was suffering from impotence. And how about those women who were after him because of sex? They surely wouldn't like it. He was pretty sure of that.

What would happen to his notorious reputation among women, courtesy of his long list of exes, that he was good in bed?

He cringed at the thought. His end was coming near. He dreaded that, but unless he could find ways to solve his erectile dilemma, he would surely be a dead meat. Whether he liked it or not.

Oh, how miserable he felt!

He rubbed his palms on his problematic face, hoping that by doing so, he could also rub his problem off him. But it wasn't as easy as that. He could only wish.

In the midst of his dilemma, he couldn't help but think about his friends. Tristan, Kiehl, Nikolas and Benjamin seemed to be having the time of their lives.

Their sex lives were healthy. He was the only one who was stuck with this nightmarish ordeal, and to think that he wasn't the oldest in the group. Nikolas is actually older than him by a year, yet he was still at the prime of his life.

This was so unlike him. It was already months since his life took a drastic turn, and this felt as if he was crucified on the cross. Zero sex life for months was something that he did not aspire for. He wasn't used to it. He would never get used to it.

Should he now seek medical help, then? Should he go and ask one of the hottest doctors in town to help him treat his diminishing sex drive?

Benjamin told him that he knew of a very good doctor with impotency as specialization. He wasn't buying the idea yet.

Nikolas suggested that he should try Viagra, or other sex stimulant drugs in the market. Which he actually tried, but it wasn't effective. He had a lousy erection, but he still did not have the drive to fuck a girl. That for him was kinda mind-blowing. He just couldn't explain why.

So Nikolas concluded that his impotency problem may be psychological in nature. He told him about a rare case which he read somewhere where an impotent patient was cured by a girl who miraculously turned him on big time.

Nikolas actually suggested that he should look for that particular woman, someone whom he would have lots of hots for, someone who could arouse his sexual drive like no other.

The idea appealed to him. So his friends introduced him to a lot of hot, beautiful women within their circle. Unfortunately, that wasn't the trick.

He also did his best to help himself. He ran an ad in the Daily Inquirer so he could increase his chance of meeting a lot of hot, lovely women who could awaken his sexual appetite which seems to be in a deep slumber. That was his main purpose. But at the rate that his ad was going right now, he could excruciatingly say that it was an epic failure.

He took a deep breath. Desperation was really creeping into every fiber of his being, dragging his confidence and peace of mind down the drain.

So what would he do now with his plans not working just the way he wanted?

He was ready to shell out bucks of money just so he could solve his dreaded dilemma.

Oh well, he was spending money right now anyway. He paid an expensive full-page ad in the leading newspaper in the country. And he would splurge once more when he finds the right woman who could fill his purpose. She would be entitled to a whopping one million pesos upfront payment and a hefty monthly allowance, aside from a big chunk of money from the shares of UNB. She would also be a billionaire in her own right.

These were just some of the things that his future wife and baby momma would comfortably enjoy in her lifetime while being married to him. It was an irresistible offer that a lot of women might kill for.

And he was not just throwing money away; he wasted his precious time, too, by interviewing countless of women who poured at his doorstep graciously, instead of attending board meetings and business conferences.

He was doing all of these, even risking his own wealth, just so he could find a cure to his epic erectile problem.

But things weren't looking good for him, no matter how much he really tried to do his best.

He sighed miserably again.

Was there still hope that he could drag his ass out of this fucking ordeal?

He didn't want to lose hope. He couldn't afford that. But he really was becoming desperate.

He really wished that his dreaded problem would come to an end... sooner. Not fucking later. Because, damn, he was really already running out of patience.
Chapter 7

Katrina's heart was pounding hard inside her chest. Her knees were weakening. She felt as if she might trip on the granite floor that she was walking on any moment. She was having an anxiety attack, and she couldn't help it.

Her breathing was restrained due to the effect of the overwhelming riot of emotions inside her. She was scared, really scared, that she wanted to turn her back and just run away, but she knew that she had to do this.

She had plans, and she must do it by hook or by crook. This was the last option she had on her list. It was her only hope, her vulnerable lifeline, and she had to cling to it as hard as she could.

Her legs became numb, and she stopped walking. With a hand gently pressed on her chest, she took a long, deep breath.

She was having cold feet, but she toughened her resolve. She was already here. No more backing out. It wasn't even an option.

She thought of her family, and suddenly, courage brimmed in her heart. She had to do this. This was her only hope to help her family get out of their financial predicament. She had already exhausted all her luck and means for the last five months, but unfortunately, it wasn't enough.

Her family's future depended on her, and she couldn't think of any better idea to raise a bigger amount of money in a short span of time than wanting to be a wife of a billionaire extraordinaire. She was running out of time, and she needed to act fast.

She took a couple of long, deep breaths. She convinced herself she could do this. She only had to put up a brave front. After all, she was really desperate. She wouldn't be putting her all in the line - her last ounce of money, dignity and future, if she still had other remaining options.

They only had a month left to fully settle their debt with the bank. The six-month allowance was fast approaching, and they still had around three million pesos as balance.

Three million pesos! She didn't know where the heck she would get that huge amount. She had already sold their cars, jewelries and other expensive items, had withdrawn the last dime of their savings, and she had already borrowed money from all of her contacts, which she actually didn't know how to pay for at this point. Well, her only consolation was that, she could bide her time in paying her family's personal debt, but not the loan from the bank.

She murmured a prayer as she composed herself. She knew that she was a strong woman, a fighter in particular, but she needed all kinds of strength right now to back her up.

She was already sporting a calm and composed demeanor when she started pacing.

This was it!

She was now ready to face this new challenge in her life. For her family. She would do everything for the sake of her family. She wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice for them. They were her life.

She swallowed the lump in her throat when her eyes caught the figure of the receptionist who was in her designated post. She is clad in a tidy executive suit that reminded her that it's business as usual.

She stopped for a moment just to breathe some air. Then, she approached the receptionist with a pleasant smile on her face. "Good morning, Miss!" Her voice was polite and crisp when she spoke. It didn't reflect the nervous feeling she was nursing inside her. Well and good.

"Good morning, Ma'am. How may I help you?" The woman smiled graciously at her.

She cleared her throat as muscles in her stomach tightened in tension. "Uhmmm... I'm here to see Mr. Xavier Yuchengco," she managed to pull the right words out of her mouth.

"Do you have an appointment?" the receptionist retorted back in a polite manner.

"No, but... yes," she couldn't help but stammer. And she groaned secretly at what she did.

Confidence, girl. C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-C-E. She reminded herself.

She instantly redeemed her poise, pushed her chest out, and sported an assured smile. "Oh, I don't have an appointment, but I was told that I can go to his office anytime to see him. You know, this is an important matter." She was really trying hard to remain calm and composed even if her knees were discreetly shaking.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am, but you have to have an appointment before we can entertain you. Mr. Yuchengco is busy with very important matters."

That was a red flag that she needed to overcome. She knew that.

If she was a bit hesitant a moment ago, she was more persistent now to attain her goal – and that was to talk to Xavier Yuchengco. She had spent her precious money to fly all the way to Metro Manila just to see him. She wouldn't go without talking to the man. He was her lifeline.

She widened her smile even more, unfazed by the obstacle that the receptionist waged against her. "Oh, by the way, I'm a lawyer," she lied just to intimidate the woman. She was still a law student, but she had to do something drastic just to pursue the reason why she was here in the first place. "Atty. Katrina de Leon," she continued. And I'm here for a very important, legal matter. I want to talk to Mr. Yuchengco. We have something to discuss about." She raised her face as if she really meant serious legal business. "You know, just tell your boss about me, and we won't have any problems at all. He's expecting me today." She was really thankful that she didn't falter, that she delivered her lines as smoothly as she could. She would punch herself in the face if she hadn't. She wouldn't disappoint her family.

"May I have your name again?" the woman reluctantly asked, but it seemed as if her trick worked on her.

"Katrina. Katrina De Leon. Atty. Katrina De Leon," she emphasized the word attorney.

"Okay, Atty. De Leon, please have a seat while I go and talk to Mr. Yuchengco." She pointed to the black, leather-enclosed couch in the corner.

She flashed the receptionist a grateful smile. "Thank you!"

The woman turned her back on her, and she walked to the couch. The moment that her ass sank on the couch, she sighed in relief.

Whew! That was close! Thank God the receptionist accommodated her request. She now had the chance to get close to the man who would bail her out of her financial woes. She really hoped that things would go in her favor. She really hoped so!

She held her quivering knees with her cold hands. She followed the receptionist with her eyes. The woman slid in a corridor and disappeared from her sight.

She raked her eyes around her surroundings. All she could see was modern architecture, from the granite floor tiles, to the still granite tiled walls, to the black leatherette furniture, and to the floor to ceiling glass windows. The place was indeed impeccable and organized.

A moment ago, when she arrived in the vicinity of the tall building of Unified National Bank, she couldn't help but be amazed. It was an imposing, modern-looking skyscraper that was made of glass and steel. It represented immense wealth and power. Just like its owner. Certainly, Xavier Yuchengco was a very powerful and rich man. And she needed him. He was the answer to her mundane financial problem.

She waited for the receptionist to come back. Her chest was heaving with apprehension. She had nothing to do in the reception area, but to rove her eyes around where she was at.

She noticed a huge canvas that hung in the center of a tinted glass wall. It was an impressive work of art of one of the most famous painters in the world - Picasso. It took her attention, and with admiration in her eyes, she stood up, and walked closer to the magnificent painting.

She was an art lover, and she couldn't resist adoring the splendid painting that was now in front of her. She wouldn't miss a Picasso creation, especially when it looked authentic. That was for sure.
Chapter 8

"Come in," Xavier answered as he heard knocks at the door. He raised his head, and he saw the door of his private office swing open. Chona, his assistant, popped in his line of vision.

"Sir, a certain Atty. Katrina De Leon is outside, and she wants to talk to you," she informed him.

His eyebrows cocked. He tried to rake his brain for the mentioned name, but it was not familiar. "Atty. Katrina De Leon, who?" He covered the mouthpiece of the telephone as he spoke. He was talking to an important client on the other line. "Do I have an appointment with her?" he asked, quite uninterested.

"No, sir, but she was told to come here to see you. That's what the receptionist said."

The lines on his forehead burrowed deeper as he tried harder to remember a certain Atty. Katrina de Leon, but it really didn't ring a bell. He didn't know her, he was sure of that now. "I don't know her, Chona. If she has no appointment with me, I don't feel the need to talk to her."

Then, he silently cringed when a thought passed his mind. What if she was one of the girls who wanted to apply for his ad? Well, the more he had the reason not to see her. He had already terminated his ad two weeks ago, and he wasn't accepting applicants anymore. He had already lost his interest on it, and he was eyeing for a new plan on how to fucking save his life from being doomed.

Xavier pressed his black, leather shoes against the soft-carpeted floor and pivoted his swivel chair, dismissing his assistant. He was about to resume his conversation over the phone when his stare landed on the one way mirror that served as a partition between his spacious office and the visitor's receiving area. And from where he was at, he saw an unforgettable face, something that made a huge impact on him.

"Who is she?" he couldn't help but mumble.

Dang, but he felt as if he saw Venus descended to Earth and stunned his eyes. The woman was apparently very pretty with a sexy, guitar-like figure. She was sure to give J.Lo a run for her money in a body beautiful competition. And he would bet on her, of course!

He could see her fully as she was facing his direction. With keen interest, he studied her features without the woman's knowledge. Her attention was focused on scrutinizing the Picasso painting that hung on the one way reflective glass partition of his office.

Her beauty was the kind that could make heads turn. His head actually snapped when he caught a glimpse of her. Clad in a booty-accentuating skinny jeans and body-hugging baby tee, the woman looked breathtaking. He could say that she wasn't one of the usual hot chicks who walk on his orbit. Despite looking like a sex goddess, she still maintained an aura of class and refreshing innocence. And that separated her from the rest.

His stare zeroed in on her oval-shaped, pretty face sans make-up. Her sleek, one-sided, flowing tresses that draped around her shoulders emphasized her high cheekbones. She had thick, but well-shaped eyebrows à la Audrey Hepburn, almond eyes rimmed with heavy lashes, an upturned nose that was quite pointed at the end, and oh, she had full, luscious lips, too!

He had to admit that her facial features were quite smashing. It made a great impact on him, but as facially appealing as she was, her body, too, required immediate attention.

And he assessed her further.

His eyes traveled down to her swan-like neck, and settled for some time at the exciting swell of her breasts.

Xavier swallowed hard as his eyes stopped at her chest. He could picture out how round and firm her sweet peaks were as they strain against the fabric of her tee.

The swell of her breasts elicited a violent reaction deep within him. It was a strange feeling, but something that he was hoping to feel for the last few months now.

And damn! How he missed the feeling!

Her breasts were already an aphrodisiac, but when his eyes traveled down some more and landed at the junction of her waist and wide hips, the killer curves were too hot to handle.

And her booty, ah... the mound of the flesh that filled her skinny jeans was insane!

He wanted to grab her right there and then, and run his hands all over her body. Just the thought of him touching her instantly put him afire. It was like an involuntary reaction to a carnal stimulus.

She was dressed simply, but the effect that she created in his system was kinda like a hurricane. The gorgeous brunette, with dark-as-midnight eyes, blew him away in an unimaginable proportion.

His testosterone rose up to a higher level, surging in intoxicating speed that left him panting for more.

"Who the hell is she?!" he snapped, blood rushing all over him, flooding his senses with electrifying, overflowing excitement.

Suddenly, he felt so alive and horny, and his body reacted just the way he wanted.

Thank God!

At last, he had successfully found THE ELUSIVE ONE whom he had painstakingly tried looking for in the last couple of months - the woman who would bail him out of his misery, save his goddamned future and continue his next generation.

He could now execute his plans and pro-create!

Well, it seemed as if his dreaded problem had come to an end.

Finally!

"Oh, that's Atty. Katrina De Leon, sir..." Chona mumbled as she took a step back.

His assistant was surprised to hear the sudden rise in his pitch. But he couldn't blame himself. He was just so excited, and he just couldn't hide it!

"Send her in..." he told Chona as he brushed his suit with his suddenly shaky fingers.

He could feel his heartbeat gradually increasing in speed as he prepared himself for a face-to-face encounter with the chosen woman who would save his fucked up life.

Katrina... What a beautiful name. He forgot about the other words that his assistant blurted. His mind only processed the word Katrina. His Katrina.

He couldn't help but smile as he pondered on the thought. He already branded her as his as early as now. Well, she would be his in due time.

He would make sure of that.

He felt as if there was a burning ball of fire under his seat. And it was burning him in an uncontrollable madness. But it was something that he was looking forward to experience.

He was talking to an important client on the phone, but he abruptly ended their conversation and rescheduled another call.

Well, there was no other important matter to attend to now than Katrina. She was his future, and his only hope to live a normal life again.

He reached for his necktie and loosened it a bit.

Something was going on inside him that was primitive and wild, something that he couldn't contain.

Instinctively, his hand groped at his crotch and he closed his eyes as he felt his pulsating maleness.

Oh fuck! But he had never been this hard, long and thick like this all his life until now. Thank heavens!

He heard her footsteps coming closer, and he froze in his seat, overwhelmed by brimming excitement.

His cock flexed, his blood flowed in his veins like volatile, liquid fire. And he grew even longer and thicker, much to his own amazement.

Oh my!
Chapter 9

Katrina was told that she could now see Xavier Yuchengco, and was allowed to go to his private office.

She was very happy when the receptionist told her the good news.

A pleased smile was plastered on her lips while she was being escorted to see his personal assistant.

She prayed for this, and she couldn't thank God enough that He had granted her fervent request.

And here she was now, standing in front of the boss' door that was left slightly ajar, knees quivering with apprehension.

She would finally see the man who would answer her financial dilemma face-to-face.

Katrina breathed deeply and composed herself. She raised her hand, and with shaky fingers, she gently knocked on the door.

"Please come in..."

She heard a full, authoritative voice, and butterflies in her stomach started to fly uncontrollably in different directions.

So this was it! There was no backing out now. She would never do that anyway.

With her heart instantaneously beating harder, she pushed the wood-paneled door, and slowly walked inside the neat, spacious, modern office.

Her apprehension increased even more as she spotted a masculine figure that was comfortably lounging in a swivel chair. He was in a prime position, sitting behind a shiny, glass-topped desk that had only a cute pen holder sitting on it.

The bright daylight that was shining radiantly at his back, coming from the floor to ceiling glass wall, cast a haunting shadow around his lounging figure.

She could see him, but couldn't clearly distinguish the details of his face.

"Mr. Yuchengco?" she asked in a tiny voice, blinking her eyes for a few times, while her vision adjusted to the glaring, bright light.

But when his face became apparent, she silently sucked in a breath.

What filled her sight was something she thoroughly didn't expect. Not one bit. She saw a good-looking man. No, not just a good-looking man, but a drop dead gorgeous man. Probably the most handsome one she had ever seen on the surface of the planet. Give or take.

He was looking at her straight in the eyes, like a smooth predator that was carefully checking his prey. Her cheeks tinged at the intense way he was looking at her. It even made the muscles around her throat tighten with tension.

She wanted to tear her eyes away from him, but she just couldn't do so. It was as if he held her stare hostage.

"Yes," his crisp voice echoed in the four walls of his office, answering her question. His eyes became even more intense.

Her heartbeat was erratic. Her knees were slowly turning into a soft puddle of jelly.

She tried to look for someone else in the room, but she couldn't find anyone aside from the drop dead gorgeous man, who was now staring at her intimidatingly.

"I'm Xavier Yuchengco," he continued as if he sensed her hesitation.

And she sucked her breath again in surprise.

So Xavier Yuchengco wasn't the middle-aged man with a pudgy body and diminishing hairline, just like how she painted him on her mind?

Instead, he was young and fit, and totally the opposite of her expectations.

He looked so captivating and intimidatingly powerful inside his luxurious office fit for a king.

Everything about him screamed luxury and power - from his sleek, black tuxedo, to his diamond studded Cartier wristwatch. His one hand was holding an expensive brand of a smart phone that looked custom-built. And he did exude menacing authority and power. Those were the only things that matched her expectations.

She had never pictured a young, good-looking billionaire who was in dire need of a wife. He looked as if he was a man with a generous supply of women at his disposal.

Why was she here again?

She pursed her lips. She was here to be the wife of a filthy-rich billionaire. She was here to find the solution to her family's financial predicament, she reminded herself.

That was enough to put her back on track.

"Good morning, Mr. Yuchengco," she greeted him in a surprisingly steady voice. She didn't know how she pulled it off, as she was really shaking inside, every bit of her. She wasn't just anxious; she was also melting under his intense gaze.

One corner of his lips twisted. "I'm sure you have a lot of good stuff with you to make my morning really good, right, Katrina?"

The way he spoke her name made her heart beat even faster. It was like a sweet endearment. It was the first time that she dug someone speaking her name. Or was it because of his full, manly voice?

He was looking at her with his intimidating chinky eyes, with a mysterious smirk on his lips. She took a second-long look at his eyes. She could distinguish every little detail on his face now.

Were his eyes gray?

Goodness, but yes, his eyes were really gray!

She could clearly see that now, and she couldn't help but be amazed. He had the most breathtaking pair of eyes she had ever seen. It was so unique and captivating! He had chinky, but intense, gray eyes. Not the usual stuff among those with Filipino-Chinese bloodlines. It was like the East meets the West, in a really eye-candy way. She was quite sure that he had Caucasian blood, too. He looked very mestizo with his gray eyes and pronounced aquiline nose, but maintained his Oriental touch courtesy of his cute, chinky eyes.

She studied him further.

His square-shaped face and angular jaw line gave him a striking personality. He looked authoritative, arresting and dangerous, too. He had an unforgettable face that would surely linger on her mind. That was a no-brainer, considering how he had affected her now, in their first encounter.

Her stare dropped to his broad shoulders. Despite wearing a three-piece suit, she could see how he was endowed with a bulky, but very lean, muscular body. The cut of his suit gave a hint of what lies beneath.

It was easy to tell that he was a tall, big man, even if he was sitting in a chair. His arms were long. His frame was wider than the average joe. He must be over six feet tall.

He put his phone down on the table, and she saw his big hand. It seemed rough, but experienced.

"So what can you say about my good stuff, huh, Katrina?" he asked with a subtle hint of teasing in his voice.

He ran his pinkie over his lower lip as if thinking, his eyes were roaming all over her, assessing her in a manner she did to him, but in a more sinister way.

She almost jumped to her feet when he spoke. His question made her stomach lurch.

"Uhhmmm... Mr. Yuchengco..." The words at the tip of her tongue retreated inside her mouth.

Shame on her!

She was embarrassed at how he caught her red-handed checking his goods.

But he flashed her a smile. A smile that momentarily blinded her eyes, yet made her feel a little better.

For a moment, there was silence between them.

It didn't take long, and he broke it. "Okay, so how can I help you?"

She sensed impatience in his voice, and that made her realize that she might have been a bore to him. That couldn't be. She had to get the interest of this man. The chance to make her family get out of their financial woes was now in her hands, but she needed to play her cards well.

And that was enough to put her back to business.

She smiled sweetly at him.

She now regretted that she didn't thoroughly doll herself up. If she had just known that she would be meeting a very attractive man, she would have put more effort to make sure that she was flawless in his eyes. The competition was tough after all. For sure, there were already a lot of women who came to see him.

But she was here now. And she had to seize the moment. She only had one chance. One chance to get this man to marry her so that he could provide her with the millions she needed. So she better deliver and close the deal, or she would surely go home drowned in tears.

She looked at him in the eyes. She softened the formal look on her face, and donned a flirty smile.

She had to, at least, arouse this man's interest.

"I'm here because of this..." she mumbled softly as she fluttered her eyelashes. She walked towards his desk, put the canary yellow tote bag that she was holding in her hand on top of the table.

She was clutching at the bag the entire time that he was making her knees shudder under his penetrating gaze.

She rummaged through the contents of her bag, then, she pulled a newspaper. She flipped to the pages, and stopped at somewhere where she made a dog-ear as a mark.

"This..." She showed the part of the newspaper that she was referring to him. She carefully spread the folded page on the table so that he could take a good look.

She was hunting for a job when she got a hold of that newspaper. She was waiting for her turn to be interviewed, and was waiting for the time to pass through reading. That was when something caught her attention. It consumed the whole page, and it was difficult for her not to notice it when the big words were literally screaming in her eyes.

BANKING MAGNATE, LOOKING FOR A WIFE TO BEAR HIM AN HEIR. ONLY LOVELY, HOT WOMEN WITH MATERNAL INSTINCTS NEED APPLY.

The ad caught her attention. She couldn't help but read the entire advertisement, which looked ridiculous at first glance. She found out that a very rich man was looking for a wife, and the lucky, chosen one would be paid one million pesos in cold cash, would receive a generous monthly allowance, and would get a big chunk of shares from the family's established banking business.

For someone who was in dire need for money, the ad was very tempting, like an answered prayer to her predicament. So she folded the newspaper and sneakily put it in her bag, keeping it.

When she got home, she texted right away the mobile number that was provided in the ad. Someone answered her message, asking her to email her résumé and a recent photo. Which she did.

She got a call the next day from a woman who introduced herself as Xavier Yuchengco's personal assistant. She was given little information about the filthy-rich banker who was looking for a wife who would bear him an heir.

She was informed that she was qualified to apply for the ad, and was given his name and the address where she had to go for a personal interview.

She wrote all the information she needed. She was seriously considering the idea to apply, but she was from the far South, and she couldn't leave in an instant. There was her sick father who needed to be taken care of. Though Brenda could look after him, she still had to make sure his needs were properly addressed.

It took her two weeks to fix what she needed to do so she could fly to Manila and stay there for a few days, or maybe longer, depending on the outcome of her almost desperate mission.

She was hoping for the better, so she took care of the long-term plan.

She just arrived in the city yesterday, late at night, and she didn't waste her time. She prepared the next morning to meet the billionaire who had the money to save their farm from foreclosure. Her only hope when they had one month left to pay off their debt in the bank.

"Please have a seat..." he said, as he took a look at the newspaper that she spread on his desk.

His voice stopped the trail of thoughts in her mind. Her knees were really turning into jelly, so she sat on the chair that was at the side of his desk.

Thank God, she now had a chair to support her weight!

She grabbed her tote bag and deposited it on her lap. Her hands clutched around the handle firmly, as if her life depended on it.

He scanned the newspaper with his eyes, and when he looked at her again, she saw how his eyes sparked mysteriously. "Oh, so you're applying to this ad?" his voice sounded calm and relaxed.

She nodded her head in confirmation. "Yes, I am."

His eyes riveted on her.

He was looking at her intensely as if his eyes were piercing even to the deepest recesses of her soul, assessing her from head to foot, sizing her up. He just stared at her, lips pressed firmly, as if he was contemplating.

She didn't know what was going on in his mind. The crease on his forehead and the strain on his brows didn't give her a good feeling. Her heart pounded nervously as he remained silent for some time.

Didn't he like her? Oh, how she hoped not! She knew she had some extra-ordinary good stuff to boot, enough to warrant a man's attention, but he was looking at her as if her physical assets didn't interest him.

"Aren't you aware, Ms. De Leon, that this ad had been suspended for two weeks already?" he said, as he casually shifted position in his swivel chair.

She instantly panicked at what he just said. That couldn't be! He just couldn't cancel his ad just like that! Not now. Not when she had already spent the last dime of her money just to be here.

She took a deep breath. She felt as if the world had mercilessly crashed on her shoulders, thumping the stubborn sense of positivism that she refused to let go in the midst of their financial woes.

She came here with the hope that, finally, it was the answer to her prayers, but sadly, it wasn't.

And she felt hopeless.

"Did someone already get the position?" Her voice became wobbly. It was difficult to act okay when all she wanted that moment was to break down, and cry in helplessness.

But he chuckled, as if amused, while she was losing hope.

"You sound as if it was a job position," he blandly commented.

Well, it was. At least for her. But she kept her mouth shut.

What would she do now? Her world was crumbling down, and it wasn't a good thing. She traveled all the way from down South just to try her luck. She spent her last dime for this.

She hadn't bothered to double check if the ad was still active after two weeks, as she was really determined to snatch the coveted position.

Now, she felt stupid for doing so. If she had just used her common sense, she hadn't wasted her precious money for nothing.

She started to hyperventilate.

What would happen to her now?

To her family?

To their farm?

Oh my God!

She couldn't think of the darn possibilities. Her brain refused to process the unwanted thought.

"Well, to answer your question, no, I haven't had someone fill the 'position' just yet," he gave emphasis to the word 'position.'

He was still sporting that amused look on his face, but that was enough to ease the boulder of rock in her chest. It was good news, at least.

Hope sprang in her heart again.

"So, can I still apply?" she asked eagerly. If she could just beg at him, she would do so in a snap of a finger.

He looked at her intimidatingly, but she did her best to remain calm. She fought his intent stare, oblivious to the fact that he seemed into her.

Her stomach wanted to lurch, as his eyes bored into her soul, but she toughened her resolve. She knew that she had to use her charms to get him under her spell, but she was so overwhelmed by his bloody presence, that she couldn't flirt with him anymore.

"Would you like me to consider you for the position?" he asked, after some time.

"Of course!" she answered in an instant. That was the reason why she was here in the first place! She wanted to be picked as his choice.

He ran his pinkie over his lip again, his eyes hooded at her. There were a lot of things mirrored in his eyes, intensifying the mysterious smoke in his irises, making his gray eyes appear darker.

Her throat constricted in tension, but she tried her best to fight his intent stare.

Making an eye contact was one of the things that men watch out for when they want to hit on a woman, she reminded herself. But when his stare landed on her lips, something in his eyes flickered, a burning flame of desire that gave her chills.

She looked away, and darted her eyes to the impeccable glass wall. She saw the magnificent backdrop of the flourishing Metro. It was breathtaking. But not as breath-taking as Xavier Yuchengco. The man was literally stealing her breath away.

"But tell me this first, Katrina..."

Her eyes darted back at him.

He looked serious this time around.

"Why should I consider you?"

She was about to open her mouth when his stare landed on her chest.

He didn't hide the malice as he raked his eyes on the swell of her breasts as if he was undressing her.

She felt as if something enveloped her, like a surge of heat that instantly lighted a fire under her seat, and her body shuddered involuntarily.

She gasped silently at her body's reaction.

My, but that was carnal!

Her cheeks burned. It was hard to feel at ease under his intense gaze, and the feeling of uneasiness tripled when he made it apparent that he was sexually checking her out.

Unknowingly, she pulled her bag up, arranged it in a way that it covered her breasts. But then, she realized that she had to display her assets to him. She had to seduce him. And what she was doing was kinda stupid.

So she willed herself to remove the bag in front of her chest, so that he could freely look at her nice rack.

His eyes darted back on her face.

She silently swallowed the lump in her throat. My goodness! Something between them was building up, a sinister attraction that appeared difficult for her to handle.

"Anyways, are you fertile?" it was a straightforward question.

She still hadn't recovered from his previous question when he fired her another one that was more sinister, something that she thoroughly didn't expect.

What kind of a question was that?

What the heck?

For a moment, she just gaped at him. She completely lost her wits and her goddamned tongue. Her cheeks were burning unabashedly, and she knew that she was blushing like hell!

For the past few months, she had been in a lot of job interviews, some were really nerve-wracking. She was never thrown such a question. It was indeed ridiculous, not the usual witty question that she had to answer in a smart way, so she struggled to rake her brain for a meaty answer.

God, what had she gotten herself into with?

"Don't get me wrong," he said defensively when he saw her reaction. He straightened his back with an air of confidence. "You are applying as my wife and baby momma, Katrina, and I'm just making sure that you're fit for the role. I hope you understand." His eyebrows were cocking as he explained, and it made him look more mercurial.

"Of course!" she answered in reflex.

She sighed silently. She was really having a stupid brain freeze.

Well, he was right. His question was legit. She just took it in a bad light.

"So how many kids do you want? Two? Three? A dozen? I can definitely give you those," she blurted like crazy.

Then, she realized how awkward she sounded. And she wanted to punch herself, right in the face.

What happened to her? Why couldn't she pull her thoughts properly and act cool?

Well, blame this gorgeous billionaire and his chinky, gray eyes! He was the sole reason why she felt like an empty potato.

He laughed, quite amused by her answer.

And she was mesmerized by how his eyes slanted even more, how his Adam's apple moved up and down his throat, how his laughter filled the room. It was the most attractive thing she had ever seen from a man.

"Well, a dozen will do," he was shaking his head gently when he answered.

Her jaw dropped in surprise. Of course, she was just joking when she said a dozen. She couldn't imagine herself giving birth to a dozen children!

My, that would be a hard thing to do. She wasn't a swine, for crying out loud!

He laughed again, louder this time around, as she gaped at him with mouth wide open. He really could take her breath away.

"Did I scare you with that?" he asked. His eyes were twinkling as he looked at her.

She pursed her lips when their eyes met, still in a state of shock.

Why was she so transparent?

She disliked it when he could read her mind. It was embarrassing.

He turned serious. "Okay, one kid will do. I just need an heir," he formally whispered after a few moments.

"That's good to know." She sighed in relief.

Whew! At least, she wouldn't become a baby-making factory.

She tried to pull a smile, hiding the pang of nervousness that she felt inside.

His eyes lingered at her again, and chills were starting to creep in her spine. His pinkie ran over his lower lip once more, a gesture that she was getting familiar with, yet still makes her skin tingle for no apparent reason every time that he would do that.

"So... are you good in bed?" he asked saltily. His voice became a soft growl.

The smile on her lips immediately disappeared. His heated gaze burned not just her cheeks more, but her entire body.

And his question... Goodness! But it flipped her wits.

Was she good in bed?

It was a totally crazy question for someone like her who hadn't had any intimate experience with the opposite sex. But she wasn't completely naïve either. She'd had sex education, had read books discussing about sex and romance, and she'd heard tales of sexual conquests from her friends, so she wasn't completely clueless.

And she was here now, applying as his wife and baby momma, and of course, it was expected that she was good in bed. The competition was tough, and she had to be really competitive.

"Of course, I am!" Her answer made her blush to the roots of her hair. And it was a good thing that she didn't choke on it.

His smile broadened, openly pleased by her answer. His pearly set of white teeth flashed, and she blinked. "That's my kind of girl." He was grinning from ear to ear now.

Just like what she expected. That's what he wanted to hear.

Well, it didn't need rocket science. He wouldn't shell out buckets of money for nothing. Of course, everyone wanted to get their money's worth.

Her job entails that she would please him in bed in exchange of financial benefits. She clearly understood that.

When she went to see Xavier Yuchengco today, she fully understood the nature and the extent of the position and the role that she wanted to snatch – a wife and a baby momma.

She already expected that they would be talking about sex, but she just wasn't expecting that it would be this intense.

Finally, it made her feel better when she saw the playful smile on his lips. It looked as if she made a really good impression on him. She suddenly felt hopeful that she would grab the chance to pay off her family's debt.

"So am I accepted?" she couldn't help but ask. She was holding her breath in suspense as she waited for his answer, fervently praying that it would be a positive response.

He shook his head. "Oh no, not yet. Not so fast..." he answered as if he didn't want to end their kind of conversation yet.

"Okay," she sighed softly. "I know you would want to know more about me, so I brought my resume for you to peruse, Mr. Yuchengco." She rummaged through the contents of her bag again. She pulled out a two-paged bond papers that were neatly folded. "Here, please check this out."

She handed her resume to him. She was really serious to nail this job interview so she could convince this man to choose her as his wife and baby momma, and not anyone else.

"Okay..." He accepted her resume, straightened the folded papers, and scanned the contents with his eyes. But he didn't look interested. His face became impassive.

That made her feel nervous when he looked at her again.

"Why are you applying to this ad, Katrina?" He shifted to a serious, business-like tone. "As I can see, you're a decent woman, and you're taking Law. That says a lot of things about you." He tossed her resume on the table.

She couldn't help but swallow. They were warming up to each other a moment ago, but right now, the atmosphere became somewhat restrained.

Were they back to zero?

"Why, Mr. Yuchengco, what do you expect? Do you just want a woman who could just be uprooted anytime from the streets? I'll bet that you'll not just pick any random stranger to be your wife and baby momma. At least, you'll make sure that she has a decent background, right?" she asked bravely like a shrewd lawyer.

"Right." He snapped his fingers.

"There, you answered your question, Mr. Yuchengco." She smiled in satisfaction when she clearly made her point.

"Let's drop the formality, Katrina. You can call me Xavier, from now on."

"Oh... okay... Xavier..." She was surprised to discover that she liked the sound of his name at the tip of her tongue. It sounded sexy.

"You quite impressed me, you know," he said, sort of a personal opinion, and chuckled amusedly.

"Thank you!" She couldn't help but smile.

"And I like you more when you're smiling like that. You're such a refreshing sight amidst all the tensions and turmoil in my banking life."

She couldn't help but blush. For the life of her, she'd heard a handful of people giving her compliments, but his was something that tugged at her heartstrings.

"Why, thank you." He looked sincere, though, so she accepted his compliment heartily.

He tilted his head so that he could see her face squarely. "Seriously, Katrina, I just want to know this..."

There was a serious shift in his voice, though his eyes were still twinkling with amusement. But she could feel that they were gearing towards a more serious conversation.

"Why did you come here today?" His steady eyes probed at her.

It was an important question that she knew held a pivotal position for her to finally secure her goal.

She cleared her throat. "Well, I need money," she honestly answered.

She didn't want to picture herself as a gold digger, but that was in all honesty, the reason why she was here. She desperately needed money to save their farm from being sequestered by the bank.

"I'm sure that every woman who comes here to apply to your ad has got something to do with the money in the first place. It may not sound good, but I need a good sum of money." She didn't want to lie. It would be totally inappropriate to hide her true purpose why she responded to his ad when it was obvious in the first place.

The reason wasn't anything noble, nor romantic, but purely in terms of financial gain. Money. It was all about the goddamned money.

He went silent for some time while his eyes lingered at her, studying her face and her reaction, maybe her sincerity, too, in a closer range.

And she couldn't help but feel damned nervous. Her palms started to sweat out. She wasn't sure if she fucked up her chance by being candid. She couldn't tell that by the mere look on his face alone.

"I admire your honesty, Katrina..." He broke the gaping silence between them after a few, uncomfortable moments. "But-"

"Did I offend you with my answer?" she instantly cut him off. She immediately panicked when she heard the word 'but,' and she became defensive.

Oh dear Lord, please, let him not lose his interest on her! Let him not be offended by her! She didn't want to blow her only chance to solve her family's financial woes.

"Well..." He straightened his back as his eyes bored at her. "Yes... and no..." he answered pensively.

His vague answer made her feel more nervous.

Anxiously, she clasped her hands, in an unknowing position, as if she was praying. "I didn't mean to offend you, Xavier," she hastily tried to explain her side. "It's just that..." Crap! She and her big mouth! Now she had a lot of explaining to do. And she better eloquently explain herself. Argh!

She swallowed real hard, pacifying the hysterical tension that gripped through her. "I'm just being honest here, you know." She couldn't think of anything else to say to avoid hurting her chances more. How could she screw herself?

"I know, Katrina," his voice was smooth when he spoke. There was no sense of bitterness in it. "You're actually right. Those women who came here and applied to my ad are just like you. They're after the money they can get from it. That's a given when I made money the bait in the first place. I actually don't care about that..."

She breathed a sigh of relief. That was good to know. Thank God, she didn't fuck up her chances, after all.

"But there's just one thing that I do care about, and this is very important. What I'm after, Katrina, is this - I want to know this, can you turn me on? Can you do that... Katrina?" His gray eyes held her gaze, sending waves of electrical sensations all over her, challenging her. "That's all I want to know. If you can do it, then, you're in."

Her heart hammered like crazy inside her chest. Her body tingled from head to foot.

Oh God, could she do that?

Could she turn this intimidating billionaire on?

How?

She was inexperienced when it comes to sex. She clearly told him something that wasn't true. She wasn't good in bed.

Damn!

But there was only one thing that she needed to do in order to make this man marry her, and that was to turn him on. For a well-experienced woman, it was an easy thing to do. Surely, a piece of cake. But for someone like her who was still completely innocent and inexperienced, it was a challenge.

She hadn't seduced any man all her life, but she had to now. Her family's future depended on it. It was their only hope.

She would seduce him. She would turn this billionaire on big time with her little knowledge of the opposite sex. She would drive him wild until he goes out of his mind. That way, she could do her own bidding.

She raised her face, and looked at him straight in the eyes, accepting his carnal challenge. "Yes," she answered with conviction. "I can turn you on, Xavier," she confidently declared. "I'll make you go crazy over me, until you'll want me like you have never wanted anyone else in your life."

Geezzz... was that her speaking? Even her own voice sounded strange to her. It was embarrassing to talk to a man like this, but she hid her embarrassment, for it wouldn't bring her good. She had to be a completely different person, at least today.

She'd never talked in a sexual manner with a man before. She was raised in a modest household, and she wasn't really the type of a lady who's fixated with the opposite sex. Instead, she loved spending her time studying her lessons. She got even more dedicated to her studies after her mother died. She was taking up Law, and her ceiling-high reading materials ate most of her time.

She had male friends and acquaintances, but she only shared a platonic relationship with a limited number of the male population. But she was a different person today. She wasn't an inexperienced, innocent, never been touched, never been kissed, demure woman. Today, she was a sex goddess, a nymph who could turn on any man, especially this hot billionaire who must marry her, by hook or by crook.

She willed all her guts to back her up, and bravely fought his intimidating stare. Instinctively, she ran her tongue over her lips, initially, just to draw moisture, but she could see the sinister effect it brought to him.

His eyes riveted on her lips. She saw something flickered in his eyes – a huge fireball of desire that made her palms sweat even more, but it vanished the moment she blinked.

"Okay, hun, show me your moves. Turn me on," he whispered softly in a thickening accent.

And the air inside the fully-air-conditioned office became humid. She felt as if she broke a sweat or two. Her heartbeat was thudding heavily against her chest, her insides wanted to churn.

Geezzz, what had she gotten herself into? This was absolutely crazy!

"I'm waiting, Katrina..." he whispered with a hint of impatience in his throaty voice.

She jumped to her feet. The last thing that she wanted was to forfeit her only ticket to solve her family's dilemma. She was here to impress him, and not to make him wait.

With shaking knees, she stood up. Her heartbeat was erratic, but she tried her best to remain calm and composed. She placed her bag on the table, while drawing a long, deep breath. Then, she slowly but confidently approached him.

He was sitting comfortably in his swivel chair, looking like a hedonistic patriarch.

It's now or never, she told herself. This was the make or break moment. And she better had to give her best to make it, and not to break her only chance to get her family out of their predicament.

Images of her sick father, her sister dropping out of school, and their about to be forfeited farm, flashed in her mind.

And those were more than enough to give her the courage to do something that she had never done before - seduce a man. An extraordinary man. A man like Xavier Yuchengco – billionaire extraordinaire, stuff of every woman's desire, and the only man who could make her stomach flutter.
Chapter 10

Xavier held his breath as he looked at her, as she walked slowly towards him. Blood was coursing through his veins, pounding in excitement as it filled his bloodstream in a rushing speed. He had never been so excited like this all his life.

His eyes were riveted on her. He wanted to capture every bit of her – her face, her body, her movements, and even tiny, trivial things about her. And he couldn't take his eyes off her. He was completely smitten.

Katrina had an amazing gracefulness as she swayed her wide, full hips, as she approached him in a manner that made the heavy thudding in his chest became an intense earthquake. She was looking at him straight in the eyes, but behind the facade of boldness that she bravely put on, he could sense that she was quite shy, but there was something in her that looked so fierce and determined.

She stopped in front of him, her faint shadow cast on him, making her look dominant as if she could put him under her mercy. But it only added exhilaration to the rush of excitement in his blood.

He looked up, keeping up with her pace, with her tantalizing movements.

She smiled at him, a sweet smile that made his world turn upside down.

She ducked her head, shoving her face closer to his. Her sweet scent assaulted his nostrils, and his senses ran amok.

Damn! This woman wasn't just lovely, but she smelled like the sweetest flower, too!

"Hello, Xavier..." she whispered in an oh-so-sexy voice. Her warm breath tickled the sensitive tissues in his ear.

A sharp fireball of heat blasted through his core, rushed to every fiber of his being, and exponentially concentrated in painful concentration in his gut.

Holy fuck! But he could feel his hard erection, straining against the fabric of his pants!

"Yes... I can turn you on, Xavier. I'll make you go crazy over me, until you'll want me like you have never wanted anyone else in your life."

He took a sharp intake of breath. He was more than fucking just turned on at this bloody moment.

Katrina was just starting to seduce him, yet he was already panting in agonizing need to be buried deep in her molten sheets.

His hands were itching to grab her, pin her down the floor, strip her of her clothes, and dig his throbbing cock in her pussy. The need to be inside her was overwhelming.

Ah... it had been a while since he was panting in desperate need to fuck a pussy. How he missed the feeling! It felt so darn good!

Finally, he was back on track. Thank God!

Her arms draped around his shoulders, imprisoning him, shoving her intoxicating sweet scent more to his nose. He breathed through her fresh, sweet scent. It was more potent than the most expensive perfume.

She sat on his lap, spread her legs openly in front of him, straddling him. She was wearing a skin-tight jeans, and the mound of flesh between the junction of her thighs was fleshy and apparent.

The thought that he was looking at her feminity made his mouth water. That was the most precious part of a woman, and it could make a man go out of his mind. And oh Lordy, it was such a lovely, carnal sight!

Her soft hands crawled, slipped inside his suit, and touched his bare chest. Her soft fingers scraped against the hardness of his pert nipple. It created ripples of sensations all over him. It was a gripping moment where sensations plagued through him, titillated him, and uncontrollably took over his sanity.

He just closed his eyes to savor the moment, amazed at how this woman could make him feel.

"Hmmmn..." she purred right in his ear.

That faint, below a whisper sound triggered sexy thoughts in his mind. He wanted her to purr like that when he was pounding hard in her, maybe even louder and harder, until he made her pussy sore and red, until she was clenching hard around him, lost in the intensity of her own release.

He groaned hard with the thought. His cock violently twitched in his pants. It was demanding to break free from confinement.

He opened his eyes. Her face was just a few millimeters away from his. Her hot breathing was blowing on his face, and so was his into hers. It was intimate.

He caught her looking at him with a carnal hunger in her eyes, as if she wanted to devour him. Their eyes locked at each other, as their faces moved closer, like there was a magnetic force between them.

For a moment, he thought that she would kiss him. But she didn't. Her lips landed on his chest instead. But it wasn't a bit less intense.

His heart skipped a beat when her lips pressed on his chest. He groaned aloud, as if in pain, as shock waves of sensations exploded like a powerful dynamite in that region of his body.

Whoah! This lovely woman was surely a tease! And he was beyond turned on. His manhood stirred in violent frenzy, and suddenly, a creamy liquid smeared around the tip of his cock, dampening his cotton boxers.

Damn precum!

He cussed under his breath.

That fast! That easy! And he already wanted to mercilessly jack off like a silly, inexperienced boy.

And he lost control. With his body craving in intense need, he stood on his feet, dragged her in his arms, and pushed her against the wall. His one hand held her leg, pulled it up, and strapped it around his hips. His other hand cupped her chin, and his face crashed into hers, lips covered her mouth, kissing her thoroughly as if there was no tomorrow.

Fuck, but he had never desired a woman as much as he desired her right now! The intensity was just so overwhelming, and he couldn't contain it.

He was dying to possess her.

He was agonizingly longing to go as deep as he could in her creamy, burning core. He simply couldn't wait to fuck this woman for as long as he pleased, but her lips tasted saccharine sweet, that he wanted to devour every corner of her mouth.

And he delved his tongue deep in her mouth, ravaging every recess that he could unravel, tasting her sweetness as if it was like food that could satisfy his hunger.

She moaned. And he liked the sound that came out of her throat. It was sexy, just like her.

And he wanted her to moan for him, harder and louder, until he couldn't hear anything else but her whimpers and cries.

The rampaging need inside him roared even more.

Her lips tasted like an oasis in the desert, but he wanted more. He wanted to explore everything that she could offer. He wanted to unravel how and why this woman could make him feel like this – ravenous to the point that he was losing control.

His lips abandoned her mouth, only to trail wet and hard kisses down her neck, sucking her skin, leaving little, reddish marks that would be more evident a few hours later. Marks that would remind her that she was owned. Owned by him.

His burning lips slipped further down, down to the valley between her breasts. Then, with greedy movements, his mouth hungrily claimed her breasts one after the other. He was panting hard as he alternately sucked her tips, randomly biting her nipples every time that the flare of burning desire that was housed inside him would intensely fluctuate.

It didn't matter that she still had her clothes on, or that she was still wearing her bra. There were no thick pads, anyways, that prevented him from freely devouring the lusciousness of her full, firm breasts.

Ah... so he was right. Her breasts were naturally luscious, round and full. Just like how he imagined them to be.

"Xavier... oh..." she moaned softly. Her back arched, shoving her breasts closer to his face.

Her sexy, soft moan pumped more supply of testosterone in his bloodstream. His manhood pulsated even more as he grew insanely longer and thicker in his pants. The pain in his groin became unbearable. The clamor at the top of his cock was surging uncontrollably and was threatening to explode any moment.

Fuck, he had to consummate their union before he messed up!

Undress her. Fuck her. Now!

That was what his whole body was screaming at him. That was what he was dying to do. And he couldn't take it anymore.

He groaned hard as all consuming passion ripped every sense of remaining control he still had in possession. With his mouth deliciously latched at one of her breasts, his hands attacked the button of her jeans.

He wanted to strip her naked for as fast as he could. The need in his gut couldn't wait any longer, but he struggled to unbutton her pants.

"Fuck buttons!" he cursed impatiently. His hands were horrendously shaking, and in frustration and impatience, he had the urge to just rip her pants off.

He hated to take his mouth off her tit, but he had to. He had to use his goddamned eyes if he wanted to successfully strip her off of her pants.

He straightened his back, pulled the tip of her blouse up, so he could take a good look at the button of her pants. His fingers successfully unsnapped the button, much to his relief.

Finally!

He was about to unzip her fly when her hands stopped him.

"No..." she softly protested.

"No..." she repeated, harder this time around.

But his fingers continued to move, and dragged the zipper down, opening her fly.

"No!" Her body froze.

She looked as if she had just awakened from a dream.

"No!" she screamed at him. Then, she shoved his hands off her fly, and pushed him away. "Stop... stop it!"

The anger that assaulted him right at that very moment was appalling.

She just couldn't say no to him!

She just couldn't left him hanging by the thread, and insanely about to cum, when she'd carnally seduced him!

How dare her do this to him!

He disregarded her. He was fuming mad. It was as if he hadn't heard anything. He grabbed her pants back, and attempted to pull it down her hips. All he wanted was for her to spread her legs for him, so that he could fuck her really nice and hard.

But she struggled and fought, slapping his hands away from her.

"I said, stop! Stop it, Xavier!" She was feisty when she scowled at him.

He was panting when he took a step back. His eyes were emitting embers of dangerous passion that was exorbitantly denied.

He cussed under his breath.

Things suddenly turned ugly.

"What is this all about, Katrina?" he snapped angrily at her. His groin was aching really bad, and every fiber of his body was sweltering in rebellion.

And he was furious, too furious, that she made him feel like a fool.

Was she toying on him?

They had a deal. She had to turn him on so that he would accept her as his wife and his baby momma. And she had cinched that deal. That was bloody obvious when he couldn't wait to get his hands inside her pants. He wanted her so bad that he thought he might go out of his mind if he couldn't have her.

Right at this very minute.

She pulled her zipper up, and snapped her pants back.

"We have a deal, woman," he said through clenched teeth.

She faced him squarely, unfazed by the fury on his face.

"Yes, we have a deal, Xavier," she spoke in a relaxed manner.

"Then, what is this all about?" He snatched her elbow, as he snarled at her furiously. "You'll soon be my wife—"

"But we're not married yet, Xavier," she cut him off. "You can't fuck me yet. Not yet," she emphasized every word that came out of her saucy mouth. "Not until we're married," she declared with finality.

He answered with a disgruntled groan. The thought that he couldn't have her right then and there made his cock violently yank inside his pants out of rebellion.

He was Xavier Yuchengco. A king in his own banking empire. A man who does his own bidding. Everybody scuttles when he barks his celestial orders.

No one had ever dared say no to him.

No one had ever dared deny him of sex.

Until today.

Until this feisty woman named Katrina de Leon walked in his orbit.

She looked at him straight in the eyes, challenging him. "Well, I can see that you're more than just turned on by me, Xavier."

He just fumed at her as she continued to open her saucy mouth. He groaned inwardly when his eyes dropped at her chest. He'd damped her blouse with his saliva when he devoured her breasts a moment ago. Her hard nipples were straining against the soft fabric.

Ah... he could tell that she wanted him, too, just like how he wanted her.

"I passed your challenge with flying colors, right, Xavier?" she continued.

His eyes darted back at her face.

"So, am I already in?" Her eyes lit up as she raised her chin.

He fumed at her. He hated to admit that she got him owned. But she did. She really did.

"Yes! Bloody yes!" he hissed at her, still throbbing hard in madness.
Chapter 11

Katrina looked at him straight in the eyes, challenging him. She was melting inside, but she did her best to hide her mushy feelings. She was fighting for something she dearly needed, and she had to put up a brave front.

"Well, I can see that you're more than just turned on by me, Xavier," she muttered as she swallowed hard. Looking at him straight in the eyes could really make her goddamn anxious, but she fought his intense stare.

Their eyes locked. Hers was a reflection of a determined soul, while his radiated an all-consuming passion. Passion that could easily burn her, too.

"I passed your challenge with flying colors, right?" she continued. She needed to know that, even though the answer was already obvious. She could tell it through his mere reaction. He wanted her. But she had to make sure.

His eyes that were roaming around her body darted back to her face.

She raised her chin higher, looking up to him squarely. "So, am I already in?" Heck, she wasn't sure where she got the courage to do that. All she knew was that she needed to seize the opportunity. She had to get this man's yes. Once that happened, she would have access to the money she direly needed.

His face darkened. His eyes were emitting something emotional, yet she couldn't fully determine what it was. Only one thing was apparent though. Desire. He clearly desired her.

His firmly pressed lips parted. His gray eyes turned two shades darker.

"Yes! Bloody yes!" he hissed at her.

And she couldn't help but smile in jubilation. She wanted to jump in joy with his answer. That was the moment she'd been longing to happen.

Yes! She made it!

She got what she wanted. She had successfully seduced him to pick her as his wife and baby momma.

Mission accomplished!

Every penny that she spent, every hassle that she went through, paid off. Her family's financial dilemma was about to be ended. And that eased the boulder of rock in her chest.

"But there's just one thing that you need to know first," he quipped in a still sullen mood, eyes hooding at her.

"What is it?"

"You'll be signing a nuptial agreement," he stated that as if it was a necessity.

"Oh... okay..." She just shrugged her shoulders. She surely didn't care about that. She understood why he wanted her to sign an agreement. He just wanted to protect his family's assets. She wouldn't make a big fuss about it, but she had to call her shots as well. "I'll sign your nuptial agreement, Xavier, or any financial agreement that you will come up with. I'm amicable to anything. But there's just one thing that I will demand from you."

"And what is it?" His eyes narrowed at her.

"I want ten million pesos right away after we get married," she spoke in a firm, unyielding voice.

"What?!" he sounded in disbelief. "That's how expensive your pussy is?"

Her face silently twisted. Ouch! It hurt her, but she stood her ground.

"You know, here's the thing..." She took a deep breath. She had to make him understand why she wanted ten million pesos right away. "This may not look good to you at first glance, but you'll actually benefit from it in the long run. I don't need monthly allowance, or any shares from your huge banking empire. You can cancel those. But I need ten million pesos in cold hard cash, right after our wedding. Ten million pesos, Xavier. That's just what I wanted. Not bad, right?"

But he didn't look convinced. "Wow, you're a shrewd negotiator, lady..." he said, shaking his head, as if what she just explained didn't look appealing to him.

"Well, come to think of it, Xavier. What you actually wanted is not that easy. I'll bear you a child, which is like putting my life on the line. You know, ten million pesos is actually just a cheap price to pay. Come on, with the amount of money you have, I'm sure it's just a pocket change."

"We just don't pick up money from the streets, Katrina..."

"Okay, let's just make it this way." She was really racking her brain for ways on how to convince this man to agree to her plan. "Let's just make the monthly allowance a lump sum payment. I don't know how long will ten million pesos cover, but I'm pretty sure that it won't be that long, maybe just over five years. Give or take. In the long run, you really can save money here. I just need ten million pesos ASAP, Xavier. I will never ask for anything else after that."

"And what if I won't agree with you?" He looked at her as if he was weighing her decision.

Well, she was here to raise money so that they could pay off their debt in the bank. If she couldn't do that, then, there's no need to talk to this man. It defeats her purpose. "Then, we can just forget all about this," she seriously muttered.

They stared at each other for quite some time, as they gauged each other's stance. She wouldn't capitulate, that's for sure. She knew that he could grant her request if he wanted to. He had the means. Ten million pesos would just be a dent to his billions. He only had to trust her.

When he remained silent for a long time, she took it as his answer. Maybe he was just too stingy with his money that he couldn't afford to give in to her condition when it actually wouldn't hurt his pocket. And that's not a good thing.

Her world was crumbling down when she grabbed her bag, and walked to the door with a defeated sigh.

Oh God, please let him change his mind! she silently prayed.

She was thinking about changing her tactics. Maybe ten million pesos was really a big deal, but what if she would just ask for the exact amount she needed to pay the bank? That was three million pesos. The ten million pesos she asked for was to cover for their overall debt – the remaining balance in the bank and the personal money she borrowed from her friends and relatives - and the remaining amount would be for her family's financial support and for the recovery of their farm.

Her eyes started to sting with tears when she reached the door. She reluctantly held the doorknob. Her fingers were shaking, and she didn't know if she still had the strength to turn the knob.

Would she just walk away now? Wouldn't she try to salvage the remaining hope that she could exploit to convince Xavier to give her the money she direly needed, like at least three million pesos and not ten million pesos anymore? Maybe that amount was amicable to him.

She was about to take a turn when he spoke.

"Katrina..." he called her name. It was so soft that she could barely hear it.

She immediately spun around. Her face was hopeful when she looked at him. Did he change his mind?

His gray eyes were calm as his eyes hovered on her. And she held her breath when he opened his mouth. "Okay, I'll take it," his voice was crisp, and it was louder this time around. She heard him loud and clear.

If she hadn't just restrained herself, she must have shouted and jumped in overjoy.

Oh, thank God! He finally agreed to her fervent wish! At long last, things turned out the way she wanted! Her decision to spend the last dime of her money just to try her luck was the right decision after all.

Her eyes shone with happiness. The huge boulder of rock in her chest, courtesy of their financial woes, was finally pushed aside. She could now breathe comfortably thinking that she would have the money to save their farm from being sequestered by the bank. And not only that, they could be debt-free, and her family would have a brighter future. Her father would have enough money for his long term recovery treatment and medications. Her sister wouldn't need to drop out of school. Their farm would have enough financial assistance to get to its toes again.

Everything appeared to be running according to her plans. And that's absolutely great news! Thanks to this very gorgeous man who would soon be her husband!
Chapter 12

Katrina was already gone for a few hours, yet Xavier still hadn't recovered from the aftermath of their explosive encounter. He was pissed off, and he was surely not in the mood to do anything. He actually just stayed inside his office, standing beside the floor to ceiling glass wall with his arms in his pockets, as he stared blankly into the rich skyline of Metro Manila.

He couldn't shake off Katrina from his mind. He felt as if he had been hit by a hurricane, and she'd left a lasting impression on him. Not just a lasting impression, but an avalanche of emotions.

That woman was surely one hell of a tease. Right after she had successfully stirred his dick to life, like no other woman had successfully done so while he was in his pursuit to cure his impotence, she just left him hanging in the middle of nowhere. And that was the major reason why he couldn't normally function after she left his office.

He hadn't had sex for months now. And today, the drive to bang a woman after a long hiatus snapped back at him, but she refused him. He was jilted, and it wasn't a good feeling at all. His loins were aching really badly. His entire system was clamoring to have a good ol' sex, but she'd made him wait. And he had never been frustrated like this all his life.

Damn!

Now, he couldn't wait to be married to that woman named Katrina de Leon. He couldn't wait to get her to his bed and bang her to his hearts' content. He would surely feast on her delectable body. He wouldn't stop fucking her until his bloody dick surrenders. He would make sure that he would get every dime of his money's worth.

The thought made his blood rush exhilaratingly to his nerves. His cock violently yanked inside his pants, and the pain in his gut intensified. He was already nursing a painful erection since Katrina popped in his line of vision, and right now, his boner was tempting him to take matters in his own hands.

He was literally fucking her on his mind when his perverted thoughts were cut off by the annoying ringtone that was originating from his phone.

He walked to his desk and picked up his phone. He checked the name that appeared on the screen. It was Nikolas. His bastard of a friend.

He pushed the answer button. "Hello, Nikolas?" he answered with an irritation in his voice.

"Hey, bro, what's up?" Nikolas quipped in his usual playful tone.

"I'm not in the mood, Nik, so spill the beans right away. Why are you calling?" he asked straightforwardly. He had no time putting up with his usual antic. Not when his thoughts were monopolized by Katrina.

"Oh, wow! What the hell happened to you, man, and you sound like that?" Nikolas' teasing chuckles filled the line.

"None of your business, dumbass. Now speak, or I'll cut this call." He was goddamned serious. He would drop the call if Nik wouldn't engage in a serious conversation.

"Okay, I got it, Xave. You're really pissed off. I don't know why, but well, I just called to ask you if you're already taking the capsules I gave you a few days ago? The Everec? It's for your own good, buddy."

His eyebrows cocked. Nikolas gave him another sex stimulant drug days ago, and urged him to try it. He was reluctant, but his friend was pushy enough so he yielded to his idea. He knew Nikolas only cared for him, and for the sake of his little junior, he accepted the capsules.

"Yes. I've been drinking that for three days now," he answered lazily. His eyes darted back to the glass wall, to the rows of skyscrapers that littered around his own pride – the UNB Tower.

Katrina's face popped in his mind. She was smiling sweetly at him, fucking his mind titillatingly, as she carnally seduced his overall consciousness. Just the mere thought of her made his cock react in an outrageous manner. His massive erection strained against the fabric of his pants, furiously demanding freedom from confinement.

Fuck, but he was really in lust with her! It was surely lust at first sight when his cock reacted for the first time after months of slumber when he first saw her.

He was talking with Nikolas, yet his thoughts were occupied by Katrina. And what the hell were they talking about? He would rather think about the woman he was in lust with, than discuss about an effing sex stimulant drug with Nikolas.

"And what can you say about it? Is it working? I heard it's really good man. I even tried it, too, just for the sake of it. And know what, my sex life has never been any happier. Those women whom I shackled in bed? They keep coming back telling me I'm the best." Nikolas sounded over the moon as he shared his colorful sexcapades to him.

Nikolas didn't interest him with the topic of their conversation, but he stole his ears with his loud voice. He unenthusiastically listened to him. But what he said took his attention.

"Don't tell me you're having a midlife crisis, too?" He laughed out loud.

His bastard of a friend tried drinking a sex stimulant drug? Why? Was he running out of his usual vigor? He was suddenly amused.

"Now I believe that we're really good friends, Nik. You're not just a supportive friend, but you ran a mile just so you could personally feel my ordeal. Wow, man. I'm touched, really."

Nikolas exploded in a hearty laughter.

He had to temporarily pull his phone away from his ear so his eardrum wouldn't hurt. Nik's laughter was outrageous.

"I don't want to burst your bubble, man, but hey, I'm certainly not like you. Don't tag me with your curse. That's all yours. My dick's stronger than ever." He laughed again, as if irritating him.

He just fumed. Nikolas really knew how to get on his nerves. He was irked.

"But you damn well know how much I care about you, bud, right? And I want the best for you. That's why I really wish that you can go back screwing a pussy, since I bloody know how barren your life is right now. And that's not good, right? The four of us are having a great time humping from one pussy to another, yet here you are, having zero sex life for like how many months already? Tsk..."

"Drop it, Nik," he dangerously snarled. What his friend said was just like a big slap on his face. When it comes to his masculinity, the topic was super sensitive. Of course, he despised it when someone ridicules his dick, even if he was a close friend.

"Don't get me wrong, Xave," Nikolas became defensive. "Anyways, let's go back to Everec," he shifted their conversation to a safer ground, much to his relief. "This is surely not a joke, but you know, since I started taking the capsules, all I can say is that my performance levelled up when it comes to screwing a pussy. That pride you get when women compliment you by saying that you're the greatest in bed? It's fucking priceless, man! Do you get my drift?"

He just laughed out loud. Nikolas was really arrogant when it comes to his colorful sexcapades.

Well, he was living the dream. He wouldn't wonder why. The bastard was finally happy that he had stolen the title from him.

"Man, this is an honest testimony," he continued. "Well, you can ask the women whom I shackled in bed, if you want. They can testify about my claim," he suggested. "But hey, let's forget about that. Anyways, I just wanted to share with you this amazing find. Everec is effective, Xave. No pun. And this is good news for you, right? You'll never know, maybe this is already the answer to your problem, the cure to your epic impotence. You badly need it, man. You know, I'm just a friend who wants to help. It worked on me. And maybe, it might work on you, too."

"Really?" he mused.

"Really!" Nikolas answered right away, backing up his claims. "That's the reason why I called you because I want to check on you if you're taking Everec. Believe me, bro, it really works! This is the best sex stimulant drug I have ever tried. It's definitely cool. And you know what? Everec has no dangerous side effects. That's why I was tempted to try it. And I'm glad I did."

"Wow, Nik! Do you hear yourself?" he amusedly commented. "I think they should get you as an ambassador, man, really. You nailed a lot of points there. You deserve more than just an applause."

He was fooling around, but he snapped when he realized something. Then, his grin widened.

"Ah... that one? Everec, right? Well, I think, yeah, it works, Nik."

"Really? You did try it?"

"Yeah... I think so..." He'd been drinking the capsules for a few days already. And his explosive encounter with Katrina was a hard proof that his dick was finally back on track, ready to fuck a pussy, any time, any day. He still had the evidence – his painful hard on.

"So are you saying that, at last, your little junior down there is back to its usual zest?"

"Fuck you, Nikolas! It's not little!" he roared at his pal. If he could just slip his hand in the screen of his phone and grab Nikolas from there so he could throw him a bloody punch, he would. The last thing he wanted to hear was someone calling his precious dick 'little', even if that's from a friend. What a bloody insult!

Nikolas laughed heartily, as if he was very amused, annoying him further. "Ooopps! Calm down, Xavier. You know, that's not what I meant. It's not about the literal size of your dick. Come on!"

"Don't play innocent, Nik. I know you're insulting me," he continued to lash out. He was damned pissed off.

"Oh, would you please swallow your blue pill? Chill, man. I'm just kidding around, you know that."

He fumed. He knew Nik for being the clown in the group, but his joke this time was way over the line. He wouldn't tolerate that. "That's not a good joke to throw at me, Nik. Always bear that in mind." He made sure that he sent his message across to him loud and clear.

"Okay, got it, man." But Nikolas was still laughing on the background. "Anyways, so you're saying that you're okay now? As in you're good? Were you able to screw a chick already?"

"Well..." His grin was wide and playful when he thought about Katrina. His blood excitedly pounded in his veins again, heating him up. "Not yet," he answered. "But I'll start screwing her tomorrow like we're rabbits." And he meant that, every word he said.

"Oh? Then, why wait for tomorrow when you can screw her today? Man, you're procrastinating! That's not being an alpha, you know."

He disregarded what Nikolas said. Well, if it was his choice, he already got laid by now, but that's not what Katrina wanted. He could only start screwing her once they already got married. He disliked that but he had no other choice. Anyways, he only had a day to wait. Tomorrow, he could already have a fill of her. And he just couldn't wait for the sun to set.

"By the way, Nik, please make yourself available tomorrow. I'll get you as a witness to my civil wedding," he informed his friend about his plan. "That will be tomorrow, four o'clock in the afternoon, at the Resorts World Manila. Cancel your conflicting appointments, if you have any."

"Huwwaaat???"

His eardrums almost exploded when Nikolas shouted in total surprise on the other line. He was thankful that he had fast reflexes, that he automatically took his phone away from his ear, before he could throw it away. Then, he turned the speaker on. That way, he could protect his ears.

"You're getting married?" Nikolas was still in a state of disbelief. It was apparent in his voice.

"Yes," he calmly answered.

"Are you sure you're okay, Xavier? Aren't you sick? Aren't you out of your mind?"

He couldn't help but chuckle. He really had surprised Nikolas. Well, his announcement was something that would really surprise everyone. He could already imagine Tristan, Benjamin and Kiehl's reaction. For sure, they would go bonkers. He would inform the others once he's done talking with Nikolas, especially his mother.

"I'm okay, Nik," he assured him.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," he crisply answered. "You know, I already found her, Nik. My wife and my baby momma. And we're getting married tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? That's ridiculous! What's that? Instant marriage? You can have an instant noodles, instant coffee, or even an instant girlfriend, but definitely not an instant wife. Marriage has serious, legal repercussions, Xavier. There's no divorce in our country, you know that."

"I know, Nik." He just smiled, while Nikolas acted as if a mother hen to him. "But I've been waiting for this to happen. To finally find that elusive woman who would solve my dilemma. At last, I found her, Nik. I can now bid goodbye to my impotency problem. I can already get married and raise a family. My mother will surely be happy to hear the good news."

"Aw! With that, I wish you the best, bro. May you live happily ever after. Happily ever after in the company of a woman who will nag you every fucking day of your life." And Nikolas laughed as if he was looking forward to witness his miserable, married life.

He got fed up. He disconnected his friend's call. Nikolas could really get on his nerves sometimes. And he didn't want him to ruin his day.

But his phone rang again, and it was his bastard friend. Again. He hated to talk to him anymore, but he decided to answer his call.

"So who's the lucky girl?" he asked right away.

"A certain Katrina De Leon," he lazily supplied the information.

"What does she look like?"

"A goddess..." He smiled as he reminisced how beautiful she was in his imagination.

"Really?" Nikolas sounded as if he doubted him.

"Really," he answered seriously. "Well, you can see her yourself, if you like."

"Sure! Where can I see her?"

His bastard of a friend literally took his suggestion. And the thought that Nik would be checking out his soon to be wife didn't sit well with him. His friend was a serial womanizer, and Katrina was a very beautiful woman. He didn't want any man loitering around her. She already belonged to him.

He suddenly became territorial. Nik was surely his good friend. They'd been friends since their college days. That's over a decade-long friendship. But he also had a dick, a man with a bloody healthy testosterone. Surely, he didn't want him around his girl. He didn't want to take chances.

"You'll be seeing her tomorrow, Nikolas, at our wedding. You'll be there to witness our nuptials. Don't forget it."

"Aw, yeah, I don't forget it, Xave. Tomorrow's your execution date. I'm done stamping that on my mind. And hey, I'm already too excited, you know." He laughed amusedly again. Nikolas was back to his usual annoying quirks. "Anyways, are you really sure that you're marrying this lady, Xavier? What's her name again?"

"Katrina..." he repeated.

"Okay, so Katrina it is. Her name sounds nice, but you barely know her. Aren't you putting yourself in trouble by doing this? You know, there are a lot of social climbers and gold diggers who just lurk around. She might be one of them."

He drew a sharp breath. Nikolas actually had a point. He was well aware of that. "I know what you're trying to say, Nik, but don't worry. I already arranged a nuptial agreement between the two of us. In case shit happens, I'm fully protected."

"That's good," Nikolas sounded pleased with what he said. "It's hard to trust people nowadays especially if it's about money matters. I know you're desperate, but you need to take precautions, too, man."

"Thanks, buddy," he sincerely said. Nikolas might be an annoying friend, especially if he's fooling around, but he truly was a good friend. Most of the time, he could count on him.
Chapter 13

Katrina was in the mall where she planned to shop for a simple, white, long dress and nude pointed shoes that she would be wearing for her wedding with Xavier Yuchengco tomorrow.

The deal was sealed, and she would be Mrs. Katrina De Leon-Yuchengco by four o'clock in the afternoon, tomorrow. She wouldn't be single anymore. She would embark on a new journey as a married woman.

The thought made her stomach flutter in anticipation. She had mixed emotions. She was nervous, but she's also looking forward to tomorrow's event. Not only because she would get a hold of the money she needed, but because she would be married to a man who owned the most unique pair of chinky, gray eyes in the world. Chinky, gray eyes that could light up embers of scorching desire in her body.

She released a soft sigh. She could still remember every detail of Xavier's handsome face. She could still feel his presence around her - how his solid frame felt against her soft body when he pulled her into him, how his lips devoured her mouth, and how he sensually fondled her breasts. The memory of their unexpected, steamy, first encounter filled her mind. And instantly, carnal heat of desire simmered in her blood. Her nipples tightened in sexual tension, and she could feel tingles of excitement bursting in the center of her being.

She blushed. She was embarrassed at how sexual her thoughts became and how her body sinfully reacted, but she couldn't help it. There's something about Xavier Yuchengco that gave her chills. Not the scary one though, but something that excitedher, sexually.

Well, the chemistry between them was irrefutable. It was shooting way over the roof since their eyes clashed with each other. And when he started touching her, her senses totally had gone haywire.

She had never been sexually responsive to any man, maybe because no one had ever touched her intimately yet. She had no comparison, but she was pretty sure that she would get a different reaction from another man, that what she felt for Xavier was something that he could only make her feel.

Her phone rang, stopping her train of thought. She was just holding her phone in her hand, as she was just done exchanging text messages with Brenda, while she checked the displayed white dresses in a decent boutique that caught her fancy.

The number that was blinking on the screen was not in her contact list. She was reluctant to answer the call because she didn't like talking with strangers. There were already some instances when she received a call from a random stranger who just happened to randomly push a button on his phone and luckily came up with her cellphone number.

But the caller was persistent. Her phone did not stop ringing. After a few moments of hesitation, she pressed the answer button.

"Hello?" she answered, as she flipped on the row of dresses.

"Katrina..."

Her heart instantly stopped beating as she heard that distinct voice. Even if she had just met him for the first time, she couldn't mistake his voice for someone else. It was already etched in her memory.

How did he know her number? She didn't give it to him. But she smacked her palm on her forehead when she realized that her number was written on her resume. Probably, he got it from there.

"Y-yes?" she answered softly. She could feel her heartbeat literally thudding hard in her chest.

"Where are you?" he asked in his crisp, full voice.

"Mall?" she quipped, and then, roamed her eyes around the place where she was at. It was blocks away from the decent, affordable inn where she checked in when she arrived in the Metro.

"Mall? Exact location, please?" He sounded authoritative.

"Why?" she asked instead of answering his question.

"I'll have someone accompany you to shop for your bridal gown and other stuff that you'll need tomorrow for our wedding day," he informed her as if he was having a meeting with her. It was as if he had already made the decision, and he was just letting her know about his plan.

Her eyebrows clashed, forming a straight line above her eyes. "No need, Xavier. I can manage. In fact, I'm here in the mall looking for a decent dress that I can wear to our wedding. I'm already preparing everything that I'll need for tomorrow's event."

"I'll have you use my credit card—"

"No need," she cut him off. "I can manage, really..." She heard his sharp intake of breath. He sounded as if he didn't like her refusing his offer.

"No, I insist, Katrina. You'll be my wife tomorrow. Sure, we're not having a lavish church wedding, a rushed civil one instead, but I want you to be presentable. My friends and family will be there to grace the event."

She pursed her lips. She let him talk, but when he's done, she stood her ground. "I know what I'm doing, Xavier, okay? I can manage on my own. You don't need to send someone to accompany me to shop. I also don't need your credit card. But rest be assured that I'll come to our wedding as presentable as you would want me to look like. You have no reasons to fret."

"You sure you don't need my money?"

"For now, yes, I don't need your money," she answered in a firm voice.

But of course, tomorrow, right after their wedding, she would surely collect ten million pesos from him. In cold cash. That's their agreement. But right now, she could still manage. She still had something to splurge for a decent, white long dress that she could use as her wedding dress, and a nice, comfy, nude peeptoes.

"See you tomorrow. Bye!" She didn't want to prolong their conversation anymore so she cut the call.

She let go of a long, deep breath. Xavier's call made her insides churn.

She kicked him out of her mind, and continued to check out the white dresses in the rack.

She wanted to wear something simple yet sophisticated, and most importantly, affordable. Most of the time, she's practical, and she hates spending money on things that aren't a necessity. Besides, she didn't want to show off. She just wanted to look simple and natural.

While she was looking for her perfect wedding dress that she could wear for tomorrow's big day, she couldn't help but think about her future, and the life that awaits her as Mrs. Xavier Yuchengco.

She wanted to know what the future has in store for her. Would she have her own happily ever after?

Though she was a rational and practical woman when it comes to her decisions and outlook in life, she was still that little girl who believed in fairy tales, prince charming, and happy endings. She was a closet hopeless romantic. She'd been reading romance novels when she still had the luxury of time before she got immersed in her piles of textbooks.

But oh well, everybody had a different story in life. Some had their own exciting fairytale stories where a prince wooed a princess. She surely wasn't having that kind of romance trope, but she's not complaining.

Well, hers was a different case. She could live with it. But somehow, her delusional side wanted to indulge her girly fantasies. She could actually romanticize her situation. She was a damsel in distress, and Xavier became her knight in shining armor by saving her family's financial dilemma. How's that for a good romantic flick?

She shook her head in incredulity. Her imagination was colorful, she could attest to that, but she just couldn't help it. And as an added icing on the cake, Xavier Yuchengco turned out to be a dashing bachelor. It was indeed a consolation that she would be marrying a gorgeous banking magnate, but she still has reservations. There were a lot of what ifs looming in her mind.

What would happen to them? Would they have a smooth married life? How would Xavier treat her as a spouse? How would they fair as husband and wife?

She really had no effing idea, but she'll just cross the bridge when she gets there. She had doubts and reservations, but she threw those in the wind.

Marrying Xavier was a matter of life and death, for her family's sake, a noble sacrifice that would override whatever bumps and humps that she'll encounter along the road someday.

She wasn't here for any romantic pursuits. She was just here for her family's sake. That was just what she had to think about.
Chapter 14

After a few hours, Katrina finally found the perfect white, wedding dress that she painstakingly hunted in almost a dozen of boutiques in the mall. It was just a simple, long, white dress, but with an exquisite, fine lace that comprised its elegant off-shoulder sleeves. The fabric was soft, hugging her figures just fine. It was pretty decent, but shows some skin as well, courtesy of her exposed shoulders.

She didn't linger in the mall after she bought what she needed. She went straight back to the inn where she was staying.

There was a commotion in the hallway when she arrived, blocking her way, so she decided to go to the cafeteria to grab a dinner instead. She hadn't eaten yet, and she was starving.

The cafeteria was self-serviced, and she lined up in the counter to order her meal, holding the bags of goodies in her hands. There was only a middle-aged man before her in the line, who was currently waiting for his order to be served, and she was thankful. It was almost eight o'clock in the evening, and she had a long, busy day, and her stomach was already craving for food.

She was looking at the display of food on the menu when something hit her elbow.

She glanced back.

She saw a good looking couple who were smiling at her. Out of courtesy, she smiled back.

"Hi! Do you know what's the best food to order here?"

It was the guy who asked her that question. His face looked calm and meek, but he was sporting a playful grin on his face. Filipino-Chinese, she thought after noticing his chinky eyes. He was good looking.

"We've just checked in, you know. My girl and I didn't know what to order, and we thought you have some suggestions?"

"Yeah," his girlfriend agreed.

Her eyes quickly hovered at the woman beside him. She was beautiful and sexy in her black mini skirt and crop top blouse.

"Okay..." She decided to help the couple. Anyway, they were just asking for a small favor. It was something that she could just easily do.

She had already tried eating in the cafeteria since she checked in last night, and she could say that the food was great. She could make some fine suggestions.

The customer in front of her was done taking his order, and it was her turn. She walked closer to the cashier.

The couple behind her went by her side, joining her.

She gave her order to the cashier when the man butted in.

"Is that nice?" He pertained to the meal that she just ordered.

She nodded her head. "Yup." That was her dinner last night. The food was delicious and it suited her palate so much that she would like to try it again.

"Anyways, my name is Nikolas," he introduced himself. "And this is my girlfriend, Charlotte."

His companion smiled and waved at her. "Hi!"

Out of courtesy, she smiled back. "Hi!"

They exchanged pleasantries.

"And you are?"

She faced Nikolas. "Katrina," she supplied the information.

"Nice meeting you, Katrina." His smile was broad when he stuck out his hand for a handshake.

She shook his hand. "Nice meeting you, too."

Charlotte also exchanged handshakes with her.

"So..." Nikolas looked at the menu. "What do you think is the best meal here? I want to hear your suggestion." His eyes scanned the pictures of delicious meals that were displayed colorfully on the menu board.

She had already tried eating in the cafeteria since she checked in last night, and she could say that the food was great, so she gave some suggestions.

They gladly ordered everything she suggested. They got along well so easily that after getting their orders they shared a table.

They were exchanging some casual conversations while they ate their dinner. She just arrived in the city last night, and she hadn't had any acquaintances yet. Nikolas and Charlotte made her feel welcome in the new place.

"So where are you two from?" she asked them. That was her first kinda personal question since they shared an informal chitchat.

Nikolas saw her paper bags. "Oh, what's that?" he asked her, instead of answering her question.

She looked at her side. "Ah... this..." She reached out for her shopping bags. One of the bags was open, showing a good view of the white, long dress that she would be wearing tomorrow.

"What's the dress for?" Charlotte looked curious as she peeped in the bag.

"That's my dress that I'll be wearing to my wedding tomorrow," she casually answered.

"Really? You're getting married?" Nikolas and Charlotte chorused in surprise.

She smiled a bit. "Yep."

"Congratulations!" Again, the couple harmoniously congratulated her.

She couldn't help but smile in amusement. "Thanks!"

Charlotte peered at her curiously, and then, she tried to check what was inside the paper bag, wanting a good view of her wedding dress.

"You know, I'll just be having a civil wedding so that's not a wedding gown, but a decent white dress," she quickly elaborated, quite shy that some people got to take a peek of her personal life.

"It looks nice," Charlotte commented. She might have felt her hesitation, and she stopped checking her stuff. "Anyways, your groom is such a lucky guy. You're a very pretty woman."

She smiled at her genuinely. Her compliment made her blush though. "Thank you."

Nikolas was quiet, but she noticed that he was looking at her, ogling her maybe, and it made her feel uncomfortable.

Their conversation paused, and they continued eating their food. When she finished her meal, she excused herself from the couple. She got up and grabbed her paper bags. "I gotta get going. Thanks for your time."

They both smiled at her and thanked her.

She turned around and started to walk away.

She was already in the hallway when she suddenly noticed that Nikolas was following her. Her eyebrows cocked. What for?

She picked up her pace. There was something in him that made her feel uncomfortable. She didn't know, but something was off with him.

"Katrina..."

He called her so she stopped. He was really following her.

"Yes?" She turned around and faced him.

He smiled at her boyishly, the kind of smile that was naughty and flirty, and suddenly, she wasn't sure if he was trying to woo her, or if it was just normal for him to do so.

Nikolas was good looking, alright. She could clearly see that. He was tall, too, most likely a six footer, and he had a lean muscular built. His black tee fitted to his torso, showcasing pounds of ripped muscles in his chest and biceps.

He was very attractive, but nothing fancy enough that could make her heart somersault. Just like what she felt when she was in front of Xavier Yuchengco. He could actually be lined up with Xavier, in terms of physical assets. Nikolas was chinito, too, and he's a force to reckon in his own right.

But there's only one man who could take her breath away. And that was Xavier, her soon-to-be-husband.

"Can I talk to you for a moment?" He approached her.

"'Kay..." She waited for him to eclipse the distance between them.

He was in front of her now, but he looked fidgety while looking at her in a perverse way, as if he's sizing up what would be her reaction if he's gonna open his mouth.

She waited for him to speak up.

"Well," he sounded reluctant, but he pursued, "You know, we have this idea. Charlotte and I really like you. So we're thinking about... about having fun with you..." he paused for some time.

She could sense his hesitation, but she let him finish what he's about to say.

"Will it be okay with you... if... if..." He shrugged his shoulders.

"What do you want to say, Nikolas?" she asked him straightforwardly.

"You know, we wanna have fun with you..." He suddenly became animated.

Her eyebrow rose. "Have fun?" she retorted. He really confused her.

Have fun? Like hanging out? But there was something on Nikolas' face that was telling her that he wasn't just merely talking about a friendly hang-out.

"Yeah..." he said, shrugging his shoulders again. "Let's have fun... you, I, and my girl... let's have some fun. I'm sure you'll love it."

She furrowed her brows. "What do you mean?" She didn't like the malice and the glint of mischief in his eyes. "I don't get you, Nikolas. Please, make yourself clear."

"Can we have a threesome?" he said, point blank.

Her eyes widened in surprise. "A threesome?!" she incredulously exclaimed. She couldn't believe what she just heard! What the hell was that?

Nikolas remained cool. "Yes, a threesome. You, I, and Charlotte. We want to have a threesome with you," this time, he said it seriously.

She felt as if he slapped her hard on the face. Her cheeks blushed in anger and embarrassment.

Did he just offer her an indecent proposal?

"Hey, don't get me wrong." He knew that she got offended. "You know, we like you a lot, and we're looking for an adventure. We thought that maybe, you know, you can join us. We'll actually be paying you with a large sum of money should you agree-"

"I'm not interested!" she quickly cut him off. Whatever he had to say, she didn't give a damn. He certainly had picked the wrong person.

What did he think of her? A slut? Shame on him!

Rage exploded on her face. The nerve of this guy to show up and try to coax her into a proposal so indecent! A threesome? Que horror!

"Look, we'll pay you one million pesos just to have a threesome with us. That's one million pesos, Katrina, in cold hard cash," he said that in a very tempting way.

So what?

She knew that he was trying to dazzle her with the power of money. If he thought that her dignity was that cheap, well, he was dead wrong. She won't stoop that low. Never would she have a threesome with some perverted assholes just to earn a dirty one million pesos!

She bit her lower lip, trying to contain her anger. "Why, thank you. That was such a kind offer, Nikolas, but I'm not interested," she blurted sarcastically. She had never been so insulted like this in her entire life. He treated her lowly, even worse than a whore.

"We'll be coming back to the States tomorrow, and this is your only chance to have one million pesos-"

She fumed at him. Her hand was already itching to slap him hard in the face. "Never!" she angrily scowled at him. "Not even for two million pesos, Nikolas. Never will I accept your offer!"

"Okay, I'll make it two million pesos, then. In cold hard cash. There's no problem with that. If you want, we can bring it up front, so that you'll know for sure that we aren't messing up with you. We're serious about this, Katrina. We have that sum of money right now."

Her temper was rising. Sure, it was apparent that he could really shut her up with a stash of two million pesos. Nikolas looked undoubtedly filthy rich, though he was just dressed in a simple, black tee and faded jeans. She could easily tell that he's fully-loaded through his looks and good skin. She saw the mark of a crocodile on his shirt. Even his pair of faded jeans was a signature item. And his pair of shoes, it was an authentic Reebok.

Typical rich kid. She snorted in disgust. Brats who would splurge insane amounts of money for the most ridiculous reason. Two million pesos for a threesome? Wow! Only a stupid pervert would do that.

She couldn't believe what she had gotten herself with. Her friendly chitchat with two strangers ended up in the most humiliating indecent proposal of her life.

And all that she wanted to do right now was just to punch Nikolas hard in the face. Maybe that way, she could make him clearly understand that she was not a slut, or a whore, who would happily accept his filthy offer.

"I'm not changing my mind," she quipped, trying her best not to lose her cool. Some people could really push her mean button, but she wasn't the scandalous type. As much as possible, she wanted to handle things with grace and tact. "Go find someone else. I'm sure that others will grab your offer in a heartbeat. But this I tell you, it's not my kind of thing. Okay?" She still had a lot of things to say. She wanted to berate Nikolas for simply insulting her, but she chose to just avoid him.

She turned around, and immediately walked away from him, feeling indignant inside.

She was rolling her eyes in disbelief. Whew! What an unforgettable way to end her long day!

She still hadn't completely recovered from her memorable encounter with Xavier. Then, this. Another guy walked in her orbit. He, too, had something in store for her. But it was something that she could never accept.

Sure, she had been in a situation where she badly needed money. But that was already miraculously solved. She's already out of the predicament, which she was really thankful for. There was no need for her to feel helpless anymore.

Agreeing to marry Xavier due to the fact that she needs money didn't automatically mean that she's gonna go all-out, stoop low, and accept every sexual offer that would be thrown at her.
Chapter 15

"Hey! You're calling again?" Xavier answered his phone when he saw Nikolas' name blinking on his caller ID. It was his third phone call for the day, or maybe the fourth. He lost count already.

Nikolas snickered. "I missed you, bro. You're getting hitched tomorrow so I'm just here to savor the last moment of your bachelorhood. You know, things would surely be bloody different if you're already under the dominance of your wife."

"Aw, that's so sweet of you, buddy," he sarcastically replied. He knew very well that his friend was just being the goof that he was. And he could also be the king of sarcasm if he wanted to.

Nikolas laughed even louder. It seemed as if he was having a great time. At his expense!

"I'm just doing you a favor, you know. And guess what I've found out tonight?" Nik amusedly quipped.

He groaned. Nikolas sounded cryptic, but he was not in the mood to play Sherlock Holmes. He wondered what shenanigan was this guy up to next?

"Oh, come on, Nik. Just spill it out." He wasn't interested.

"Well, we just had a rendezvous with your soon to be wife."

"What!" he exclaimed in shock. He didn't see that coming. Now, Nik completely got his attention.

He almost fell off his chair. Nikolas had a...?

"Fuck you!" he cussed crisply. His nostrils flared in rage when he successfully processed what he just said. If he was just right in front of him, he could have already beaten the shit out of him.

How dare this jerk tried to hit on his girl! Not just his girl, but his soon to be wife! What the fuck was he thinking?

He saw blood. It was something so offending that he could smash Nikolas hard against the wall. Prank or not, he despised it.

Nikolas was laughing harder on the other line, and it infuriated him more. He wouldn't accept this kind of offending joke. His bastard of a friend could joke about anyone else, but not about Katrina. She's off-limits to anybody.

He cursed colorfully again, losing his cool. Definitely, Nikolas succeeded on his purpose to piss him off.

"Hey, bro, relax, okay? I'm just kidding. No need to have that kind of intense violent reaction." But he continued on laughing.

"What have you done to Katrina?" He was gritting his teeth in anger now.

"Oh, nothing really fancy," he answered as if he wasn't intimidated a bit by his anger. "We just had dinner together. She's very nice and sweet... and..."

"Fuck you, Nik! Fuck you!" His ears burned in rage.

Nikolas and Katrina had dinner together?

Green-eyed monster lurched in his chest. He started pacing in his office. It was already late yet he was still not at home. Well, he got busy for the day. He almost spent his time on the phone talking with people who were busy on the ground arranging for his wedding tomorrow. He just got off the phone with his wedding coordinator when Nikolas called again.

He was jealous. So goddamned jealous that he wanted to run amok. And to think that Katrina refused his offer to buy her things!

"Where the fucking hell are you? We need to talk!" He was already ready to challenge Nikolas in a game of Russian roulette. He was itching to dig a bullet in his head.

"We're talking already right now, Xave," he answered innocently, as if he was still clueless of his rage.

"Don't fucking mess up with me, Nik," he dangerously snarled.

"Hey, buddy, relax, okay?" He tried to pacify him. "Relax. We just had dinner with Katrina. Dinner only. Okay?"

But he still couldn't fucking relax. What the heck was Nikolas up to? He didn't want him around a beautiful woman like Katrina. He didn't trust him. He knew how perverted that man was. Katrina was his. Only his.

"You know what, I'm actually calling you to tell you a good news," Nikolas continued.

"What good news?" He was still pissed off.

"Well, I just wanna tell you how lucky of a bastard you are, Xavier."

His eyebrows cocked even more.

"Man, in what part of the ocean did you fish Katrina? That girl is a keeper. I actually pranked her, offered her two million pesos for a threesome, but she vehemently turned my offer down. Could you believe that? She said no to two million pesos! Only stupid hoes do that."

"What the heck did you do, Nik?" He didn't see that coming again. Nikolas could really be the king of stupid pranks. Though he didn't like the idea that he toyed with Katrina. And he did stalk her.

"Well, I just tested your soon to be wife's character. See if she's a smart hoe or a stupid gold digger. But she didn't bite my bait, because she said that she's not into it, and I actually believed her. That sweet chick has morals. So, there, draw your conclusion, buddy."

"Really?" his anger quickly melted. He even laughed ecstatically, really pleased. So Katrina turned Nikolas down? That was epic!

"Yup!" Nik guffawed.

His laughter became animated and lively. He wanted to hug Katrina for putting his bastard of a friend in his proper place.

He wasn't angry now. He already realized the logic behind Nikolas' epic fail prank. And he loved the outcome.

So Katrina wasn't really the cheap, gold digger and opportunist type of a woman? That, he was glad to know.

"So I'm not discouraging you from marrying her anymore. I'm now resting any opposition and doubts I have for her. I'm actually green with envy, you know. Xave, you're really one lucky bastard. She's got the right package and a natural beauty. No wonder your dick fell for her."

He laughed harder in amusement. Nikolas was right. His dick really fell for Katrina. His friend hit the nail on the head there.

He suddenly felt giddy. He was grinning like an idiot, but he didn't give a damn. He was happy, alright.

"Thank you, Nik. See you tomorrow..."

He was dreamy when he ended the call. Oh, how he wished that he could push forward the time and make the world spin faster. He couldn't wait to see Katrina again.
Chapter 16

It was already late at night when Xavier got home to their mansion at Corinthian Gardens. His whole afternoon was well spent discussing the logistics of his wedding preparations and getting things done.

He hired a wedding coordinator who handled the affairs at Resorts World Manila, the venue, to make sure that his wedding tomorrow would push through as smooth as possible. Everything was rushed, but he had the money to pay for an overnight wedding preparation, so no sweat.

He also contacted his closest friends and family who would grace the momentous moment. He invited just a few people. It would be a very intimate affair.

It was a good feeling that, finally, his life was back on track. He was now as normal as everybody. Man, but he couldn't wait to go back banging a pussy again. He couldn't wait to be with Katrina, to marry that woman, and to consummate their union. Just the thought made him rock hard.

He drew a deep breath. Tomorrow, he would be married to the woman who could make him feel like this. He actually didn't understand himself anymore. He felt strange. He had never been like this before. He just met a woman, and suddenly, he was slowly becoming a different person.

Well, this might just be the effect of his excitement to get inside Katrina's pants. He had been sexually deprived for a long time, which actually made him a horrible person, and now that someone got him grooving back to playing in the bedroom again, he was as if flying way over the moon. He was just simply too happy and pleased that his dilemma had finally come to an end.

He went straight to his mom's room. He already called her a while ago to break the good news that he was finally tying the knot. His mother was overjoyed, and couldn't contain her happiness. She was too happy for him.

His mother was still awake when he got inside her room. She might have been waiting for him to come home.

"Ma..." He approached his mom who was lying in her bed while watching TV. Beside her were her two private nurses who were tasked to monitor her health.

"Xavier!" His mom's face brightened up when she saw him.

He kissed her on the cheek. "How are you feeling, Mama?"

She smiled at him. "I'm doing fine, son. My blood sugar is back to normal. I just had my insulin shots this morning. So I'm well enough to attend your wedding tomorrow." She was gushing like an excited kiddo.

"Glad to hear that, Ma..." He smiled broadly. He, too, was excited for his wedding tomorrow. "But you should take a rest now. Tomorrow will be a long day. My wedding's gonna be at four o'clock in the afternoon at Resorts World Manila."

She combed his hair as she looked at him with happiness in her eyes. "I am just so happy that at last you're getting married, son..." she emotionally said. Her eyes became watery. "I'm so happy for you. Finally, you made me proud."

"C'mon, Ma..." He lovingly touched her cheek. "No crying please. We're going to a wedding, not a funeral, okay?" He had to divert her attention. He knew his mother for being a cry baby. And the last thing he wanted was for someone to cry over him getting married, even if it's tears of joy.

"Oh, you! You're always a joker!" Her face lit up, then, she broke in laughter.

He just embraced her.

"You know, I'm very excited to meet your bride," she whispered as they hugged each other.

He gently pushed her away, and kept a little distance between them, though her arms were still around his mom in a loose hug. "You'll meet her tomorrow, Ma. I'm sure you'll like her. She's amazing..." He wasn't aware, but his eyes were twinkling as he talked about Katrina.

His mother smiled. "I'm happy for you, Xavier. Finally, you're settling down. You'll have a family of your own. And look at you. You look happy. That's all that matters. I just wish you happiness and, of course, babies right away, son."

He laughed heartily. The babies killed it for him. That's what he wanted, too. The baby making part. He was really looking forward to have an unlimited baby making sessions with his wife.

He grinned at the thought. "Thanks, Ma."

"You really look happy, son. I have never seen you this happy in a long time."

He just gently squeezed his mom's hand, still sporting a huge smile on his face. His mother was right. He was really happy. The kind of happiness that radiates to his whole being. Something that he just simply couldn't hide.

It was just the break of dawn, yet Xavier was already wide awake. Well, he couldn't sleep properly last night. Maybe he had pre-wedding jitters, or maybe, he's just too freaking excited about his wedding with Katrina.

He was thinking about her the whole night. He even dreamed about her. In his dream, they had a hot rendezvous, and he woke up with a painful erection.

Shit! She really was the ONE.

A huge grin broke on his face as he thought about his bride. He was amazed at how she could make him feel, like horny as fuck, just by thinking about her.

At four o'clock in the afternoon today, they'll get married. She would be his wife after that. And then, they could spend some crazy time in the bedroom, fucking each other like rabbits. Man, but he was really looking forward to their honeymoon, which would surely be a one helluva of an explosive encounter in bed. Or maybe they could do it without the help of the bed, too.

His grin widened even more. He was being silly, but he just couldn't help it. It was the first time in months that he woke up without feeling any pressure from the outside world. In fact, even if he only had a few hours of sleep, he felt refreshed, and he was looking forward to a beautiful day.

Right now he realized that getting married wasn't really that bad, that traumatic, just like how he would react with the thought a few years back. In fact, he was looking forward to it.

Well, things were bloody different now than a few years ago. He needed to get hitched, that was the cold hard truth, and he was just too pleased that he had finally found the woman who could make his plans prosper into reality.

He spent the next few hours just daydreaming in his bed, oblivious of the passing of time. The bright rays of the sun were filling his room with an ample amount of daylight when he decided to get up and took a bath.

He was prepping himself after he emerged from the bathroom when he called his wedding coordinator. He wanted to double check if everything was okay. He surely didn't want glitches. He liked what he heard though, that everything was in tip-top shape, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

He, then, called his wardrobe specialist to request for a brand new pair of tuxedo that he could use later. It arrived an hour after he made the phone call. It was brought to his room by Meding, their butler, and was neatly hung in the rack.

Well, it seemed that everything was in order. He was already ready. The venue in the Resorts World Manila would be ready just before the intended schedule of their wedding ceremony.

He had nothing to do but to wait for a few more hours.

What about Katrina? He wondered. He was curious about how she's doing right now. Was she ready, too? Did she supposedly do what she had to do?

She refused his offer yesterday to shop for her wardrobe and other things that she might need for their wedding, that she could manage alone, and that he had nothing to worry. He was hoping that she was doing well, too.

He blew some air as he looked at his reflection in the mirror, assessing himself. He wanted to look his best today, so he shaved his days-old stubble, and styled his hair. He wasn't a naturally vain man, but he wanted to put in extra effort to make sure that he, indeed, looked his best in his wedding day.

Finally, his curiosity about how his bride was doing right at the moment got the better of him. He was dying to know. So he grabbed his phone and keyed in what was playing on his mind.

Hi, Kat! Are you okay there? I hope so. Let me know if you need any help.

He was anxious when he sent his text message. It didn't take long and she answered back.

I'm okay, Xavier. Doing just fine. See u later.

I'll send my driver to fetch you. That was what he replied to her. He wanted to make sure that she's properly taken care of.

No need. I can manage. I can go to the venue alone. See yah!

He shook his head when he read her reply. She, again, refused his offer. Are you sure? His lips were thinly pressed as he sent his message.

Yes.

He drew a sharp breath. He didn't like what he read though, but he tried to remain cool. Okay. Take good care!

Thanks!

He put down his phone after reading her text. He was against her idea, but he let her do her own thing. As long as she would show up later, there's no problem with that. He didn't want to argue this early.

Everything was well-prepared, including the stash of ten million that she'd asked in return. The money was safely kept in a briefcase, ready to be given to her after their wedding. He also had already made his attorney draft the post nuptial agreement that she needed to sign.

Everything was all good. Few more hours and he would be meeting his bride.

He checked the time on his watch. Past one o'clock in the afternoon.

Xavier was all set to go, ready to ditch his bachelorhood and embrace a new chapter in his life.

He took a one long look at the mirror, and when he was satisfied with his own reflection, he went to his mother's room to check on her, but he saw her in the den, all set to go, too, as if she was just waiting for him.

His mother looked radiant in her expensive, white, Filipiniana dress. She was a Dutch national who fell in love with his Filipino-Chinese father, and fell in love with the rich culture of the Philippines, too. She was an avid follower of Imelda Marcos sense of fashion, including the latter's fixation with modern Filipinianas.

Her hair was sprayed in place, in an elegant bun, looking like a regal matriarch. Hers was a classic beauty, with her ash brown hair and gray eyes, which he inherited from her.

"You look beautiful, Mama!" he praised her.

"Thank you, Xavier," she smiled graciously at him. Her admiring eyes were assessing him. Pride was evident on her beaming face. "You know what, you look dashing today, son. I'm crossing my fingers that no woman would crash at your wedding and object to the marriage. No one should ruin this beautiful day." She giggled at the thought.

"Oh, Mama," he shook his head in amusement. "'That's what you get for watching too many sappy soap operas on TV." He gave her a loose hug.

"Which is just a reflection of what real life is, you know," she preached at him, still giggling.

He just smiled, indulging his mother. "Ready?" But he had to divert the topic. He knew his mother. Once she started blabbering about soap operas, they'll surely have an endless conversation. They still had a wedding to attend to. His wedding, to be exact.

"I've been ready since this morning, Xavier, and I'm quite excited to be honest," she gushed at him.

And he could see that. "Good! Let's go, then, Ma."

"Okay!"

He offered his arm to her, and he assisted her as they walked to the driveway where the driver was waiting, with his mother happily gushing about inane things.

Looking at her, he couldn't help but smile. He was just so happy that his mother looked jolly and strong, as if she wasn't weak and sick. He was hoping that she would bounce back from her illness, gain more weight and would stay healthy, from now on.

It was almost four o'clock in the afternoon, but his bride still hadn't shown up yet. He had been in the Resorts World Manila an hour early, just to make sure that everything was in order, and it was.

The venue was ready. All of his visitors were already there, including the judge who would head the union. The time was ticking. The minutes were drawing near. But there was no sight of his bride, still.

Where was Katrina?

He told her so, she should've been here already, had she agreed to be fetched by his driver.

Xavier drew a sharp breath, pacifying the growing tension that was slowly filling his chest. What if she changed her mind at the last minute, and decided not to pursue with the wedding?

Shit! That couldn't be!

Suddenly, his chest constricted.

He breathed harder, calming himself down.

He didn't want to welcome negativity but... but... what if?

He fumed at the thought. What if, be damned! He had already spent money preparing for their rush wedding ceremony, and everything was in order. It should go through, by hook or by crook!

Worried, he fished for his phone in his pocket. He was about to call her when he received a text message.

I'm almost there. I just got stuck in a traffic. Sorry.

His relief was enormous after reading her text message. Thank God! So she was coming all along. He should just wait for her. Alright, no need to worry.

He chewed the fat with his friends in order to forget about his long wait. That way, he could stay cool and relaxed.

His best buddies were all present. Kiehl, Tristan, Benjamin and Nikolas cleared up their afternoon schedules so that they could attend his wedding.

Tristan arrived with his wife, Naya, and their little angel, Deanna. Their daughter was only one month old, but they already brought her with them, just to attend his wedding.

The presence of a little baby in his wedding day excited him. He, too, soon would have his own, the brat who would inherit his fortune.

He played with Deanna, as Naya carefully held her in her arms. She was so cute, like a live, adorable doll.

"Oooppsss... try not to pinch her cheeks, okay?" Naya instantly warned him when she saw him holding her baby's soft cheeks.

He grinned at Naya. "Sorry, but Deanna is just so cute, I can't help it," he explained, cooing at the baby. "She makes me excited to have my own baby, too."

Tristan patted him on the shoulder. "Good to hear that you want to be a father now, Xave."

"Well," he shrugged his shoulders. "Mama also wanted a grandchild, Tristan. She's actually rushing me to have one already. She won't stop bugging me unless, you know, she's already playing with one."

"Well, you're getting married today. Then, you can start making babies. You have to hurry up. Tita Minerva won't like it if you'll keep her waiting. "

He laughed at what Tristan said. Of course, he would! He wouldn't make his mother wait. Making babies was the first in his list.

From time to time, even if he was chatting with his friends, he was checking if Katrina already arrived. And he froze on his feet when he saw a white figure that was walking towards their direction. He held his breath when he recognized her. It was Katrina, his beautiful bride.

His back straightened as he faced her squarely. She looked breathtaking in her off-shoulder, white dress. The long, flowing skirt draped around the heels of her shoes, dancing in the wind as she takes her steps. Her white wedding gown was made of soft, fine fabric, and it hugged her figure perfectly, emphasizing her narrow waistline and wide hips. The dress was very simple yet she looked ethereal, so pure, and so radiantly beautiful.

She was the most beautiful bride he had ever seen.

His gaze fixed on her, and when she looked at him, locking their eyes together, the world stopped spinning. There was only him and her, in a whole new world, where everybody just became obscure objects in the background.
Chapter 17

Katrina sucked her breath when she saw him. Xavier, her gorgeous groom, was sleek and polished in his black tuxedo and shiny leather shoes. His slicked back hairstyle complimented his raven-colored hair, emphasizing every fine detail of his handsome face, creating a striking contrast with the lightness of his chinky, gray eyes.

He was wearing an all-black ensemble, including his inner shirt and tie, which drew attention solely to his face. He was already looking drop dead gorgeous yesterday when she first saw him, but he was more than that now. She actually ran out of adjectives.

How could she describe a man who could simply take her breath away? Perfection. He was indeed perfection.

Their eyes met.

She silently flinched. For a moment, she felt as if she was transfixed, as she gaped at him. Her heart stopped beating, then, it suddenly picked up an erratic beats.

It took her a few moments to gather back her wits. Swallowing, she transferred her gaze to a safer ground, the floor.

She came here well-prepared, ready to marry the man who would bail her family out of their financial woes, even if he was a complete stranger. But she wasn't expecting this, this feeling of apprehension that consumed her, as she walked towards him.

Xavier could annihilate her defenses and confidence with his eyes alone.

She could feel butterflies in her stomach, competing with the erratic beating of her heart, making her world spin uncontrollably. But she had to compose herself. She had to if she wanted for the event to push through smoothly.

She took a deep breath, calming her rioting senses, getting back her lost composure. She flipped her hair, her mannerisms when she was nervous, and pursed her lips. She could do this. She could marry a complete stranger in a hasty wedding ceremony, all for the sake of her family.

Silently sighing, she walked slowly towards him, taking her time in the world. He was standing a few meters away from her, doing nothing, just looking at her, as he waited for her to come close.

She still had time to back out, but no, she wouldn't do that. She had to do this. She had no other choice. Xavier was their only hope. And looking at how things transpire, this wasn't a completely bad idea, after all.

Who wouldn't want to marry a man like Xavier Yuchengco? For sure, there were women who would not hesitate to kill just to covet her position. And she had to admit, she was kinda excited.

She walked even slower as she approached him. Her erratic heartbeat was suffocating her, freezing her now goddamn cold as ice feet.

Impatiently, he eclipsed the distance between them. He looked happy to see her. "Hi!" he greeted in a perky and excited voice, and before she could react, he ducked his head and kissed her on the cheek.

Her nerve endings suddenly burned as his lips brushed over her soft skin. A lightning bolt of heat swept through her, instantly heating her up. It was a good thing that she applied a cherry blush on her face. The tint of the frail red color offered a good cover up, hiding her blushing face from him.

She tried her best to look great today by dashing a little bit of color on her face. She wasn't a fan of makeup, but she exerted effort to doll herself up. She applied pressed powder on her usually powder-free face, brushed her cheeks with a cherry blush on, and dabbed lipstick on her lips. Her lush brows remained natural, and she enhanced her long, curved lashes with mascara.

She tied her hair to the side of her head, in a low ponytail, letting her locks flow from the side of her neck down to her chest, and adorned it with a flowery white hair clip, just a simple bridal headpiece that she decided to use in the last minute.

"Sorry, I'm late..." she softly said, her lips were quivering. She hadn't anticipated the heavy traffic that she got stuck with. She was embarrassed that she made the groom and their wedding guests wait for twenty minutes.

"It's okay..." he shrugged his broad shoulders. "What matters is that you're here now." He flashed her a smile, a close up smile that pulled out a silent sigh of admiration in her throat. Gosh, he was really gorgeous!

"Come... I'll introduce you to my family..." He held her hand, locking their fingers in a firm clasp, and then, he pulled her with him.

She just tried to smile, even if she wanted to pull her hand back. She knew that it would be foolish for her to do so. She would be marrying this man, and everyone expected sweetness from the two of them, like a normal couple. Hence, she just went with the flow.

He brought her to a group of people whose eyes were all glued to her in curiosity. She felt uneasy, but she kept the friendly smile on her lips. She already expected this, that Xavier would introduce her to his family and friends.

It felt awkward because she didn't know anyone, but well, she barely knew her groom, too, so what was she expecting?

"Ma... this is my bride, Katrina..." Xavier introduced her to a beautiful and dignified woman. She was a classic beauty, and her attention was instantly caught by her ash hair and gray eyes. No doubt, the woman was Xavier's mother.

"Hello, Mrs. Yuchengco..." She smiled at her, gently bowing her head in courtesy.

"I'm happy to meet you at long last, Katrina..." she happily said with a wide smile on her welcoming face. "My son was right. You look amazing!"

His mother's adoration was flattering. It was easy to like her when she's very friendly. Actually, she had reservations at how Xavier's family would react to her presence, or how would they welcome her to the family. But meeting his mother erased any worries she previously had.

They hugged and exchanged chaste kisses on the cheeks.

"Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Yuchengco..."

"Nah! It's Mama, Katrina," she corrected her, still smiling graciously. "You're about to marry my son, and in a few minutes, you'll legally be my daughter-in-law, you know."

She just smiled at her.

"And by the way, these are my friends..." Xavier pointed out to the small group of people beside his mother.

"Aww, what a cute baby!" she gushed. The baby was the first thing that captured her attention.

"That's, Deanna..." Xavier introduced. "Daughter of Tristan and Naya." He gestured to the couple.

"Hi, Katrina..." they harmoniously greeted her.

"Hi..." Her stare riveted at Naya. She looked beautiful and familiar, as if she already saw her somewhere. She was trying to remember where exactly she saw her when Xavier spoke.

"Naya is a commercial model, hun," he said, as if he read her mind.

"Oh!" she gasped. That's why she looked familiar because she saw her on TV. "The model of a famous brand of soap?" she clarified. That commercial was aired a few years ago, but it became well-known, and later on turned out to be a household name.

Naya smiled. "Yeah..."

"Oh!" She was happy to meet her. "Nice meeting you, Naya... Tristan..." She smiled at her husband, too. Tristan was a good looking man who stood happy and contented beside his wife. They were a picture of a happy family.

"And these are..." Xavier took her attention back. Three men lined up in front of her. He introduced them one by one. "This is Kiehl..."

"Hi, Katrina!" Kiehl extended his hand for a handshake, which she accepted.

"This is Benjamin..." Xavier continued.

"Hi! I'm Benj..." Benjamin introduced himself to her, which she just nodded her head as an acknowledgment, and they shook hands, too.

"...and... Nikolas..."

She gasped when she saw the man whom Xavier introduced last. He was grinning at her, with that naughty spark in his eyes.

Nikolas, the pervert, who offered her with an indecent proposal - a threesome with his girlfriend for two million pesos.

Her friendly smile dispersed on her face. Her eyes sharpened as she formally looked at him.

"We meet again, Katrina..." he said, still sporting a huge, naughty smile.

"You were the jerk last night!" she couldn't help but exclaim.

Xavier burst in laughter.

Nikolas just scratched his head. "Yeah, I know, and I'm sorry about last night. It was just a trick."

"A trick?!" her voice notched a few octaves. What trick was he talking about?

Xavier's arm draped around her shoulder, pulling her to him. "Never mind Nik, Katrina. He's just being an asshole that he was." He sounded apologetic.

Their bodies brushed, and she squirmed inside. He was too close for comfort, as if he was intimately hugging her, and her senses became so aware of their closeness.

Oh God, she felt as if her skin became so sensitive, and her nerves would violently react even with his slightest move.

She forgot about last night's incident with Nikolas. Xavier took her full attention. How could she think of anyone else when they were this close?

"Now that my bride is already here, let's start the wedding ceremony," he announced to the small crowd.

And her heart pounded hard against her chest like crazy. So this was the inevitable moment. Her life was about to change. She would be Mrs. Katrina De Leon-Yuchengco in a few minutes.

Someone approached her and put a veil on her head, and then, she was handed a beautiful bouquet of flowers, a bunch of white lilies. Then, she was ushered towards the center of a makeshift aisle, where she would walk towards the altar where her groom awaits.

Her knees were softening, her breathing was abated. How she wished that her father was with her right now, walking with her, handing her to the man she was about to marry, with her sister cheering in the audience.

Her eyes watered as she became emotional. She was thinking of a romantic wedding, with her family deeply involved, but that wouldn't happen, of course. Silly her for even thinking about it.

Well, hers was an arranged marriage, a marriage of convenience, or rather, just a mutual agreement between two consenting adults. So she better had to stop acting like a romantic fool, and just get it over with.

"With the power bestowed upon me, I now pronounce you, husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride," the judge signaled that the ceremony was over.

Katrina held her breath. Everything that was happening felt surreal. One thing was sure though, she wasn't single anymore. She's now married, in a legal binding ceremony. Xavier was now her husband, and she was his wife.

She felt his hands cup her shoulders, drawing her near him. Then, he removed her veil, exposing her blushing face. She was trembling inside, her palms were sweaty, but she tried her best to remain calm and still composed under pressure.

His eyes were intense as he held her gaze, rendering her muscles paralyzed. She knew that her groom would kiss her, as what the judge advised, like every newlywed couples do, but she wanted to panic.

His fingers cupped her chin, and when his head bent down to her face, she swallowed hard.

His lips touched hers. Hot and wet.

And OMG! But she forgot to breathe.

He kissed her gently at first. His lips moved in a controlled, feather-light manner over hers, but when his hand held her neck to angle her head as he deepened the kiss, her mouth opened, and his tongue delved inside her mouth – searing, exploring, and dominating.

Her body shivered involuntarily, overwhelmed by the sudden intensity of his kiss. It simply took her breath away.

They had already kissed yesterday, but she was still astounded at how passionate he could get, how badly her body reacted to him. The kiss was as if inviting embers of burning flames to, little-by-little, set her whole system on fire.

She was captivated, thoroughly enthralled, as he continued to claim her lips. When she thought that she would literally melt in his hands, he pulled away.

She quickly breathed for air. She was still gasping when Xavier's arms draped around her shoulder, pulling her to his side.

The wedding guests cheered in glee. Happiness echoed from the four corners of the extravagant wedding venue. Then, everyone approached them, congratulated the two of them as newlyweds, and gave them their best wishes.

She felt as if everything was just a dream, but it was a good dream.

The flash that was coming from the lens of the photographer's camera momentarily blinded her as he snapped their photos. A quick pictorial followed. She just went with the flow, following Xavier's order, or doing what was expected from her.

Her fingers were trembling when she signed their marriage certificate, the hard proof that she was now officially married... married to one of the most powerful bankers in the Philippines and South East Asia... married to Xavier Yuchengco.

"Hey..."

She was startled when he whispered on her ear. His hands wrapped around her waist, taking her attention. She was just done affixing her signature in their marriage contract.

Someone took the paper and kept the document.

She turned around to face him. He was looking at her with a dark spark in his chinky, gray eyes, and the words at the tip of her tongue suddenly dissipated.

"We're going now..." he whispered silkily. His warm breathing fanned her face, filling her nostrils with fresh, minty scent.

She sighed softly. With his face just a few inches away from hers, it was hard to look at him without swooning. She really had to get used to her husband's handsome face. Maybe she would in the coming days.

"We're going?" she absentmindedly parroted. That was what she heard, but her full attention was drawn by his handsome face. She didn't even understand the words that came out of her mouth. It was mechanical.

"Yes."

That was when her mind processed the meaning of what he just said. "But everyone is still having fun and... and..." She looked around them, eyes wandered at their select guests. She noticed that the staff who were in-charge of the wedding were actually more than the number of his family and friends who attended their wedding.

"Let them stay here and enjoy the food and the music, but the two of us will go," he cut her off. His arms clasped tighter around her waist.

"Go where?"

"I have reserved a Presidential Suite at the Hyatt Hotel."

She gulped. She saw a dark cloud of smoke in his gray eyes when he answered her, intensifying the feeling of anxiousness that she was nursing deep inside her.

They were going to a hotel? Her knees buckled, but at the same time, excitement lighted her blood, pushing her fine bodily hair to stand erect in a wild display of goosebumps.

They were already married. What comes next? Of course, the honeymoon!

She gulped again. That was the part of their setup that she had no freaking idea how to prepare, but she was damned well aware that it should happen.

Their marriage would be consummated, that was for sure. She would be his wife and his baby momma. She wouldn't fulfill her duties and obligation without having sex with Xavier.

Suddenly, she got cold feet. She had the urge to prolong the inevitable moment. But he already spoke about going to the Hyatt Hotel. Were they going to spend their honeymoon there? Her insides churned at the thought. "But... but... I still have to get my things at... at where I'm staying-"

"I'll have someone take care of that." He brought his lips closer to her ear, whispering at her intimately. His breath, warm and fresh, blew at her, tickling the sensitive skin of her earlobe. "Let's go..."

She was reluctant. Her body was already melting right now, just because he was too close for comfort, even if they were still surrounded by people. What more if they would be alone in a suite in the Hyatt Hotel?

When he pulled her with him, she glued her feet on the floor, resisting him. She couldn't think properly. Xavier's sinister effect in her entire system was really clouding her sense of judgment and fine reasoning.

"Come on, Kat..." He looked impatient, brows cocking in a crooked line. "We still have a very important matter to settle, right? Your money's waiting for you at the Hyatt."

Money... That did the trick. Her brain instantly functioned when she heard the word money. Yeah, she was here all along because of that damned money. Why did it abandon her mind for a moment?

"Okay..." she let out a heavy sigh.

And when he guided her to leave the place, she didn't protest anymore. With her heart beating hard against the wall of her chest, she followed his lead.
Chapter 18

She could see the magnificent view of the Manila Bay from where she was standing at. The Presidential Suite Xavier had reserved for them had a balcony and she was awestruck by what she saw. She could see the skyline of Metro Manila, and the breathtaking sunset along Manila Bay.

They arrived on time, just a few minutes after the sun started to turn golden red and scatter magnificent burst of colors that comprised the breathtaking elements of the beautiful sunset in the Manila Bay. The sky was painted with golden red, and the amazing rays of the setting sun spread like overwhelming wildfire on the surface of the sea. It was picturesque!

"Like it?"

She gently closed her eyes. Xavier's soft voice caressed her soul like a fine feather. That was how he could affect her.

She turned around, and saw him looking at the sunset, too, while his hands were in his pockets.

Her heart leapt out of her chest as she gazed at him. She was awed at the reflection of the setting sun on his perfectly handsome face, highlighting his cheekbones, while casting a shadow around his chiseled jaws.

Lump suddenly formed in her throat. Xavier, plus a beautiful sunset, was a dangerous combination that could really take her breath away.

Swallowing, she averted her gaze back to the beautiful scenery. The burst of red fiery colors were mesmerizing.

"Yes," she answered softly. "It's breathtaking..." She couldn't help but sigh.

"Breathtaking... right..." His voice was cool and deep, with apparent lace of admiration.

There was something in his voice that sent chills down her spine, and when she turned around, she saw him staring at her, and not at the sunset, as if his compliment was solely intended for her.

She blushed instantly, averting her gaze away from him. There were just the two of them inside the luxurious Presidential Suite of the Hyatt Hotel Manila, and her knees have been shaking ever since they arrived.

She breathed heavily, trying to keep her composure, but she just couldn't maintain her cool.

When she heard his footsteps drawing closer to her, she panicked inside. Her breath was stuck in her pharynx. Moments later, she felt his hands snake around her waist, as he embraced her from the back.

"Katrina..." his voice was low, but smooth when he spoke. His warm, hard body pressed against hers, as his arms draped around her possessively.

She squirmed as his hot breathing fanned her neck, as their bodies intimately brushed. Their intimacy sent wild goosebumps all over her again, sending her senses reeling in excitement.

She clung to his arm when he gently nibbled her earlobe. Volts of electricity traveled to her nerve fibers, straight to the core of her womanhood, softening her knees.

She was melting literally when he made her turn around. She just sighed softly when she faced him squarely. Xavier was looking at her with intense passion in his eyes. The reflection coming from the sunset intensified the spark of golden, burning desire that she could clearly see emanating from his irises.

"Xavier..." It was a soft whisper. The beating of her heart was now insane, especially when he bent his head.

Instinctively, she shoved him away. She knew that he was about to kiss her. With just the two of them inside the room, he could do everything to her, and she wasn't sure if she could resist his advances.

"Wait!" She gasped. "I... I haven't had... my money yet." That was what she could think of just to escape the heat of the moment.

Yes, she still hadn't got a hold of her money yet. That was their agreement. Ten million pesos right after their wedding.

She didn't care if she looked like a gold-digger by saying that, but she just wanted to make sure.

Money first before anything else.

Xavier groaned softly and reluctantly released her. He didn't want to be disturbed, but he had to indulge Katrina. He definitely had a word of honor, and he knew how to keep a promise.

Anyways, they were already married, and he wouldn't wait that long to claim his prize. His coveted prize.

He walked towards the center table in the living area where a briefcase was comfortably laid. He took it and brought it to the study table.

"Come here..." he called Katrina, and she strode over.

He opened the briefcase, and it displayed loads of cash stashed in rows. "Ten million pesos in cold cash, just like what we agreed to," he muttered.

He heard her soft intake of breath as she scrutinized the money with her ardent eyes.

"You can count it if you like..." He crossed his arms across his chest, watching the reaction on her face.

"It's okay. No need," she formally declined.

Well, he wouldn't cheat on her anyway. The money was exactly ten million pesos. He counted that himself.

He grabbed the paper outlaid with the money inside the case. "Here's the nuptial agreement... a post-nuptial agreement in particular. Please sign it." He copped for a pen in his pocket, and handed it to her.

She took the pen and signed the agreement without any qualms, then, gave it back to him after.

Good! She now had her money, and he had his post-nuptial agreement. Now it was time to claim what was rightfully his.

His blood rushed at the thought. Every fiber of his being came alive. He looked at her with so much passion in his eyes, with intensity that was enough to burn her. Finally, Katrina would be his tonight. And he couldn't wait.

He was about to hold her and pull her against his body when he heard knocks on the door, to which he reluctantly attended to. When he opened the door, he saw the butler.

"Sir, your dinner has arrived," he politely informed.

He groaned in protest. Bad timing. He just wanted to spend time with his wife, and he didn't want nuisance. He had the urge to push the butler away, but the thought that Katrina might be starving made him just drew a deep breath.

"Okay," he opened the door, and he let the butler and some other hotel staff enter the suite.

They arranged the table and served the food in the dining area. Some of the staff left the suite when they're done, but the butler, accompanied by two servers, remained in the room with them.

"Your dinner is ready, sir, ma'am..." They gestured towards the delicious food that were delectably served on the table, and pulled the seats for them.

He held Katrina's arm and guided her to sit in one of the chairs that lined up around the dining table. He was already seated in his own chair when someone knocked on the door.

The butler opened the door and let four musicians carrying violins and saxophones enter the suite. They stood at the side of the dining table, in front of them, and then, they started playing a romantic song.

He smiled at Katrina while the servers served food on their plates. He had arranged for this. He wanted to make their first dinner together, at least, memorable. He wasn't the romantic type, but he spent an effort to pull this crazy, romantic shit together.

"Let's eat..." he said, as he picked up his spoon and fork. That was the only time he noticed that he was, indeed, starving.

It was a romantic candle-lit dinner with live background music inside the Presidential Suite of the Hyatt Hotel Manila.

Impressed by the effort, Katrina was glad to discover that her now husband, Xavier Yuchengco, knew how to pull off a romantic date. She didn't expect that considering how the two of them were brought together by an odd circumstance.

She wanted to act calm, as if there's no big deal with what's happening at the moment, but oh well, she couldn't help not to feel giddy. The effort put on by Xavier made her feel warm and fluttery inside. She was impressed.

The musicians played classic love songs which heightened the touch of romanticism in the air, entertaining them. The food was great and delicious, tempting her appetite.

She wasn't able to eat at the reception because she was so damned nervous. Well, she was still nervous as hell right now, but her stomach was already growling, and she just couldn't ignore her hunger anymore.

The lavender scent of the scented candles that adorned the table filled her nose, and created a soothing effect in her system, calming her nervousness.

They ate in silence, sometimes glancing at each other, and when that happens, she would avert her eyes to her food. She didn't initiate a conversation, nor was he, which she was silently thankful for. She didn't know what to say, especially that there were people around them.

After they ate, the hotel staff quickly cleaned up the set and went on their way, leaving her and Xavier alone in the luxurious suite, and again, her heartbeat rose faster than necessary.

He received a text message, so he took his cell phone from his pocket, and checked it. After a moment, he raised his head and apologetically looked at her.

"I have to go, but I'll be back in a moment, Kat. I just have some very important matters to attend to," he excused himself. "Please make yourself comfortable. There's wardrobe in the closet. Just get something you need. I won't be away for long. I'll be back in a sec. Okay?"

"Okay..." she softly answered.

He took a long glance at her, then, walked to the door, and off he went, attending to his important personal affair.

Katrina breathed a sigh of relief when she was left all alone in the hotel suite.

Whew!

It was as if something that was stuck in her throat was quickly gone as soon as Xavier stepped away, leaving her in peace.

She breathed deeply, filling her lungs with ample supply of oxygen. But she knew that her relief was only short lived. Any moment from now, Xavier would come back. And she couldn't prolong the inevitable moment anymore.

They had a deal. She knew that, alright. She already had the ten million pesos in cold cash. He had already fulfilled his part of the bargain. Now, it was her turn.

Again, she drew a deep breath. She quickly entered into an agreement with Xavier. She knew the repercussions of what she did. She knew her duties and responsibilities. She thought that fulfilling her part of the bargain was just a piece of cake. But reality, certainly, was far different from mere expectations.

She found out that it wasn't easy, just like what she thought it would be. She was full of apprehensions. But she had to do her best and fulfill her duties and responsibilities.

Sighing, she went inside the bedroom. The Presidential suite was such a huge, luxurious suite that comprised of a 1-bedroom dig, complete with other amenities such as living room, dining hall, kitchen, a huge luxurious bathroom with a Victorian tub, and a dry sauna. It also comes with a first class hotel service like a personalized butler and readily available service crews.

She was utterly awed at what she saw. They weren't that poor, but she had never been in this kind of a hotel room, where she was sure that Xavier might have spent a dime of fortune even for just a day of stay.

He wasn't back yet. He'd been gone for about ten minutes.

Now what would she do?

She hadn't changed yet. She's still wearing her wedding dress. She's used to taking a bath at night, and she wanted to change her clothes so bad, but she had nothing right now except for her hand bag. Her things were still in her inn.

She opened the closet, just to check things out, only to discover that it was filled with a lot of stuff. There were casual dresses, underwear, sexy lingerie and comfy pajamas. So she had something to change into. She could now take a bath.

Katrina took one of the towels that were neatly placed on the king-sized bed. She unzipped her dress and slipped out of it. The soft fabric pooled around her feet. Kicking it away, she removed her hair clip, and flipped her hair. She took off her underwear, then, she wrapped the towel around her now naked body, and slid inside the spacious and luxurious bathroom.

The Presidential Suite was really quite impressive. It screamed luxury from all its four corners. Even the bathroom was intricately designed with expensive tiles and custom built fixtures.

She saw the glass-enclosed rain shower and the exquisite Victorian tub. There was also a dry sauna in one corner. She wanted to take a shower, but her interest was piqued by the Victorian tub.

Oh well, she needed to relax so she chose the tub. She closed in on the tub and turned on the faucet. She checked the expensive smelling liquid soaps and scented oils, then, poured some in the water. Bubbles filled the tub.

When the tub was appropriately filled with water, she turned off the faucet. She removed her towel, and got in the tub, submerging herself in the company of richly-scented bubbled water.

It was such a pleasurable experience taking a bath in a Victorian tub that was filled with expensive liquid soaps and scented oils. The water was lukewarm, and she felt really good.

How she wished that she could just stay in the tub, close her eyes, and probably take a short nap, but the thought that Xavier might come back any moment prevented her from doing so.

She didn't linger. Of course, she didn't want Xavier to come across the room and found her skinny dipping in the tub.

Her cheeks blushed at the thought.

She was already done taking a bath and had changed into a comfortable night clothes that she found in the closet, but Xavier still hadn't come back yet, which was good anyways.

She just wished that he wouldn't be back anytime sooner, but there's a part of her that contradicted with the thought.

She sighed. That must be her conscience. She knew she had a deal with Xavier, and that deal should be consummated.

But what if he changed his mind, and realized how stupid their arrangement was, and decided to just walk away? That he wouldn't be coming back?

Well, she already had the ten million pesos she needed. If he wouldn't come back anymore, that would be amazing. But she knew it was next to impossible. He just shelled out ten million pesos, married her, only to stupidly walk away from it all?

She shook her head. She was just dreaming about impossible things to happen. Of course, Xavier was just stuck with a very important matter that was why he wasn't back yet. But he would. Whether she liked it or not, he would be coming back. And he would be asking for her dues.

But what if she would just go, bring the ten million with her, and stage an escape? Xavier wasn't around. She had the opportunity to go and run away from him.

So what if she's already married to him? So what if she already signed their marriage certificate? She could always go in hiding after getting the money she needed.

But would she be able to hide from him? He was powerful and rich, and he could hire a dozen detectives to track her. He had the resources. He surely wouldn't let her slip from his hands.

Even Nikolas found out where she stayed in Makati when he pranked her. Xavier also didn't ask for specifics when he told her that he would assign someone to check her out and fetch her belongings. She didn't write her complete address in Davao City in her resume, but citing her city was more than enough for him to pinpoint her exact location.

A man like Xavier Yuchengco could pull his resources in just a snap of his fingers. She was a no match to him. She simply couldn't hide. So she needed to stay and fulfill their deal.
Chapter 19

Katrina couldn't contain her joy when she held the briefcase that contained ten million pesos in her hands. At last, she finally had the money to save their farm in Davao City from being forfeited by the bank.

Her dilemma was finally solved. She could now breathe properly, and forget about her ordeal. That chapter of her life was already a closed book. But there was something else right now that was making her worry. It was Xavier, her husband.

Xavier had finally returned, which was the reason why her stomach was fluttering like crazy.

He was inside the bathroom, and was taking a bath. She could hear the sound of the rain shower, and it made her hands feel really cold and moist.

She could imagine him, naked under the shower, as water rained over him, dripping all over his chiseled, lean body.

She swallowed hard. Xavier's naked body was very vivid in her imagination. The specks and bulges of muscles under his skin were apparent, heating her up, and her cheeks burned in embarrassment as she realized how sinfully colorful her thoughts became.

She had to divert her attention so that she could stop thinking about Xavier and his sexy stint in the bathroom, so she decided to give Brenda a call and told her sister about the good news.

"Really, sis? You finally have the money to pay for our debt in the bank?" Brenda was obviously overjoyed with the news.

"Yes, Bren. I'll be depositing the money tomorrow in our bank account. You can already withdraw a day after that. Please pay off our balance with the bank, okay?"

"Okay," Brenda curtly replied. "This is surely a good news. But wait, where did you get the money, anyway?"

She knew that her sister was just curious, but she couldn't spill the truth to her yet. Not now.

She sighed softly. "Someone lent me the money, Brenda," that was a lie, of course. "But don't worry about details anymore, okay? What's important is that we'll finally be able to settle our debt in the bank. So how's Papa?" She diverted their topic, and talking about her father surely did the trick. "I hope he's just okay. I really miss you all."

"We miss you, too, sissy. Papa is doing well. We are constantly monitoring his health. The private nurse said that his vital signs are in good shape. The session with the physical therapist is also going smoothly. You have nothing to worry about."

"Good!" That was what all she wanted to hear. She just wanted to make sure that her father was perfectly fine, and that he was smoothly recuperating from his illness. "You take care of Papa while I'm away, okay?"

"No worries, big sister. Our father is in good hands. I'll take good care of him."

Well, she knew that. Brenda wouldn't surely let her down when it comes to their father's well-being. They both loved him.

"Anyways, how's Manila treating you, sissy?"

That was another question that she dreaded to answer honestly. Brenda knew that she have flown to Manila to find ways solving their financial predicament, but she hadn't told her about the real deal, that she got hitched in exchange of ten million pesos.

"So far so good, Bren. Nothing to worry about." She heard the shower halted. Xavier might have already done taking a bath. "Don't forget to go to the bank the next day and pay our debt, okay? I have to go now. Bye, little sis."

She quickly ended the call and took a long, deep breath. She laid the briefcase carefully back on the study table, placing her phone on top of it.

The bathroom door creaked open.

Her heartbeat palpitated. The fresh scent of the soap and shampoo that he used wafted in her nose. Inhaling his scent, she darted her eyes to the direction of the bathroom door. And her breath was taken away by the sight of her husband, half-naked, scantily-clad by a towel that covered his most intimate parts.

She was mesmerized to see like him this, almost naked, with his ripped body on full display. Her eyes took in the entirety of his being. From his wide, muscled torso to his corrugated abs, down to his burly legs.

She gulped hard. She already expected that Xavier boasts of hard, lean muscles beneath his clothes, but she was still awed at how ripped he was, now that he took his clothes off.

My, but his body was hard, lean and fit! And what was that 'thing' that was poking beneath the towel that draped around his hips?

The bulge was really huge. And she gasped when she realized what it was.

Was it his...? his...

OMG!

She relentlessly blushed, and averted her eyes away from the sinful view, embarrassed with the fact that she was caught red-handed checking his huge package.

Damn!

Xavier chuckled in amusement as he saw Katrina's face turn scarlet red. She retracted her eyes from his crotch and shyly looked away. He found what she did endearing.

He wondered at how his shy bride would react should he slip off the towel draping around his hips, and be completely naked in front of her. That would be priceless.

His lips curved in a teasing smile. He was already excited to strip the towel off his body, pull her on the bed with him, and consummate their union. It was their honeymoon, and he couldn't wait to make a series of hot and explosive lovemaking with his lovely bride. Tonight would surely be a one hell of a memorable night between him and Katrina.

He didn't care if he just met her. He couldn't care less of their hasty engagement either. They had just exchanged I dos in a simple, but beautiful wedding ceremony. And this lovely woman, who stood like a goddess in front of him, was already his wife.

His eyes hovered at her, basking at the exquisite details of her splendid beauty. He studied all of her, from her lovely face to the dainty contour of her body. He could see a glimpse of her exciting curves that were only covered with a thin film of clothing. Clad in a champagne-colored, satin pajama, Katrina looked decent enough, but her alluring sensuality managed to mesmerize his eyes.

She was sexy, alright, and her curves filled the pajama with hotness overload. The satin fabric couldn't contain the sexiness and raw sex appeal of her full and rounded booty. Her perky nipples on the other hand were peeking against the soft fabric. The sight was scintillating enough to make his mouth water. Literally.

He ran his tongue over his lower lip, as her lovely crowns teased his eyes with promises of carnal pleasure.

His cock was already rock hard, even though he just stepped out of the shower. He was actually thinking about her as he washed himself, which tempted him to touch his bloody cock, run his hands over his length, until he was pulsing with intense need to jack off inside a sweet pussy.

Ah... Katrina could really make him rock hard, just by imagining about her. And now that she was in front of him, looking so sexy and tempting in her flimsy pajama, his cock was seriously turning into the hardest erection he ever had in his life.

He wasn't complaining anyway. He was more than happy and willing to let his cock stir as hard as it could. Anyways, Katrina was here now to serve her purpose – be his willing bed fuckner.

His eyes continued to roam around her delectable body. He had seen a lot of women in sexy lingerie, and though she chose to wear pajamas, which was simply unusual to the women he had lured to his bed before, she could excite his blood like no other. He liked how her face, with no hint of make-up at all, glows with such beauty that could bewitch men. And he was surely bewitched right now.

She wore a simple, white dress in their wedding a while ago, but her unique brand of beauty managed to stand out despite of her simplicity. He just couldn't take his eyes off her. Well, she managed to take his breath away from the first time they met. And she continued to mystify him, especially now that they were inside the bedroom, with the spacious bed just waiting on the sideline.

Tonight was their first night as husband and wife, their honeymoon as folks say, and he was already very excited to take this woman, and finally, make her his.

With blood running in his veins, he took steps towards her. But she jumped in the bed, and hid under the thick blanket.

He chuckled in amusement.

His bride was playing hide and seek?

Well, he would be more than happy to join her in her kind of game.

He smiled wickedly, and slowly walked towards the bed. He removed the towel that covered the lower part of his body, and it dropped to the carpeted floor, leaving him fully naked from head to toe.

Then, he joined her on the luxurious king-sized bed, with his heart beating wildly in anticipation.

Katrina tightly clutched at the helm of the blanket as if she was holding for her dear life. Her breathing was labored. She could hear the heavy thudding of her heart, and it was deafening her.

She knew that this was the inevitable moment, and she could do nothing to neither avoid nor prolong it anymore.

Xavier would now claim his right over her body. She had no reasons to say no, because in the first place, she was here to satisfy him with regards to his sexual needs. She was now his wife, and she was bound to give him an heir.

But even if she was nervous as hell, she could feel the heat of excitement that was slowly enveloping her senses.

She felt the bed move, and the mattress sank a little.

She couldn't see him, but she could literally feel him. That searing heat of passion couldn't come from anyone else, but Xavier, her husband.

She was just so glad that she was facing the opposite direction, and he was positioned at her back.

"Hon..." he murmured softly.

Hon...

She swallowed hard. The endearment tickled the sensitive romantic bone in her body. It was the first time that he called her that.

Hon...

That was short for honey?

"Katrina..." His soft voice was enough to send tiny shivers of unexplainable excitement down her spine, curling her toes.

She tightly closed her eyes, and pretended to be asleep, but she gasped silently when his hand crawled under the sheets, and connected to her waist. Their flesh rubbed, as he traced the contour of her hips in a sensual movement.

It made her gasp in awe.

Moments later, they were both under the thick blanket. He embraced her from behind, spoon fashion.

"Katrina..." he whispered her name in her ear. "I want you..." The deep need in his voice mirrored the all-consuming heat that was emanating from his body.

She bit her lower lip as she felt her world turn upside down.

Oh my God! Her heart thumped wildly against the wall of her chest. She knew that she couldn't escape from him from now on, and that the best thing that she must do was just to prepare herself to submit her body to him. He bought her, and she had to pay the price.

She was well aware of that. She had been reminding herself of their agreement for a lot of times. She might have already sounded like a broken record, but she had to, just to put everything in their proper places.

She felt his ragged breathing hover her nape, and her fine body hair stood in exhilaration. It made her heart beat even faster. But she melted as she felt his warm lips kiss her sensitive skin, tracing the side of her neck. It sent electrifying sensations all over her, setting her senses pooling into an uncontrollable wildfire.

She gasped again in awe.

God, but he knew how to seduce her! He knew where to touch her to make her melt! What else was he capable to do?

This man was simply irresistible. And she couldn't say no to his sweet advances. How could she when she was literally melting under his carnal prodding and ministrations?

She was at his mercy. That was for sure.

His lips sensually moved and traced the shape of her sensitive earlobe, and when his tongue darted in the opening of her ear, she jerked involuntarily, shamelessly moaning in pleasure.

She briefly forgotten the fact that she was pretending to be asleep. Stupid her.

He pushed the blanket that covered them, and then, he rolled on top of her, pinning her body on the bed.

He caught her hands, and securely placed them over her head.

Katrina didn't know exactly what to do. So she chose to just close her eyes, but that made her feel his every little movement. She wasn't sure if that was the best thing to do either, for she became too sensitive of his every move. She could even feel his ragged breathing. Should she just open her eyes then and just look at him?

His hot lips covered her mouth, shutting her brain from entertaining any kind of thought but his kiss.

She was awed.

He kissed her passionately, thoroughly, hungrily.

Katrina marveled at how her body behaved wantonly as he kissed her hard, as he devoured her mouth, as his tongue twirled around hers, coaxing her, prodding her to answer his kiss.

And she followed her instincts. She caved in to the overwhelming need that his kiss evoked from her. Her lips moved, and danced with his own brand of seduction.

She kissed him with parallel fervor, as waves of desire enslaved her from the roots of her hair down to her toenails.

He was hot, and so was she. Whatever part of her body his hands and lips landed possessively burned with menacing intensity. That was when she realized that she wouldn't have any problems surrendering her body to this man. That he could claim his right over her anytime he wanted.

His hands unbuttoned her pajama top, while his lips were still deliciously latched with hers, and in due time, she was naked underneath him. His hands worshipped her body everywhere, touching every corner of her sharp curves, leaving no area thoroughly explored, planting more flames of desire all over her, while relentlessly kissing her lips.

She instantly gasped for air as he left her mouth, only to trail wet and sucking kisses down her neck. She could only squirm as her whole body turned into a burning inferno, as her skin singed with atrocious longing.

He traced the fullness of one of her breasts, until his mouth took in one of her perky nipples. Her breasts swelled in delight. Her nipples stubbornly taunted his lips, and he responded by laving her crowns censoriously.

Her hands instinctively grabbed for something that she could hold on to, and she found his thick, mane of shiny hair. Her back arched, giving him full access to worship her breasts in any way he wanted.

Her body temperature rose to fever pitch. She felt hot, so effing hot, as if she might burst into a wicked series of convulsions any moment. Something inside her was building pretty fast and intense, and it was uncontrollable.

"Xavier!" She mouthed his name as his lips and tongue alternately laved and sucked on her swollen nipples. His hands were all over her body, touching, pinching, kneading, and caressing.

Katrina was running short of breath. She felt as if she lost control over her body, as she succumbed to the overwhelming fire of passion and desire that swept through her. She marveled at how Xavier could make her feel lost in the intensity of his carnal foreplay.

Her moans and whimpers echoed in the four walls of the room. Shame, but she realized how loud she could get inside the bedroom. She didn't want to. It would be embarrassing if someone could overhear them, but her moans and whimpers were shamelessly uncontrollable.

"Katrina..." he agonizingly murmured as he continued to alternately suckle on her breasts.

His voice sounded so sexy, and that was enough to solicit a violent reaction from her tingly nerve endings. She involuntarily whimpered, as hot liquid slithered between her thighs, dampening the sheets.

She was still gasping for air when her heart stopped beating. Damn, but he slid a digit in her drenched core. She could feel her tightness resisting his invasion, but he was persistent.

It was uncomfortable to have a foreign object, his finger, pushed in her core, but the slickness of her wet and dripping pussy eased the sense of discomfort.

"Shit, you're tight, Katrina..." He groaned his impatience. Just when his digit was buried deep in her core, his thumb gently rubbed over her very sensitive clitoris, and the burst of carnal sensations made her roll her eyes in pleasure.

"Xavier!" she could only cry his name as he continued to make her world spin round and round.

She didn't know what to do. She didn't know where to exactly put her attention to. His lips were busy venerating her breasts, gently biting and sucking her tits, while his skillful fingers played with her throbbing pussy. His thumb continued to strum her clit, which would really make her toes curl, while his middle finger deliciously slid in and out of her core.

And she was lost. Pool of erotic, wanton sensations flogged her every nerve fiber. Her head tossed on the bed. She could only sprawl her hands over her head in a complete surrender.

He stopped kissing her breasts, and concentrated on rubbing her clit, and fucking her with his digit.

Oh my God, but what he was doing to her was sheer madness.

"Xavier!" she whimpered impatiently, wiggling her hips. She felt the strong urge to reach for something beyond her wildest imaginings. And as he continued to pleasure her whole body with intense maneuvering, she felt her walls contract and her body started to convulse in involuntary spasms, her mind was blown somewhere unknown as she shouted his name again and again.

What was that that hit her? She had no effing idea, but it was freaking awesome! And as she slowly drifted back to Earth, he kissed her on the lips again, gentler this time.

She could only sigh in contentment.

"Kat..."

"Hmmmnn?" she murmured softly. She was still marveling at the intensity of her orgasm, her first ever orgasm in her entire life.

He did not answer. Instead, he took her hand and guided her to touch his long, thick, pulsating shaft. And her eyes suddenly flung open in shock as she felt him so huge and hard in her hand. She swallowed real hard, her heart beating in anticipation.

Geezzz... He was huge and thick and long and... and...

Could she take him? She wondered, swallowing hard in anticipation.

"Touch me, please..." he begged hoarsely, and guided her hands on how to touch him properly.

She finally felt the need to chicken out, yet the sight of him, kneeling on her, teaching her how to pleasure him, looking like he was under her spell, was so riveting that she couldn't take her eyes off him.

She finally saw a male anatomy in flesh, and she was amazed. Dear Lord, but she was actually touching it with her bare hands! And every time Xavier would hiss something erotic and vulgar, as her fingers moved over his silky skin, milking his cock, it made her feel strong and empowered as a woman.

She let go of her of inhibitions. She touched him with her two, powerful hands, and his handsome face twisted in pleasure.

"Oh... Kat... That's it! Fuck, baby, you're so good..." he mumbled as his face drowned in ecstasy, as the vein on his neck bulged intensely.

Katrina smiled. She never knew she had this kind of power over men. Xavier seemed as if he was at her mercy. And when she glided her hands over his turgid erection as smooth and fast as she could, he cursed colorfully and brushed her hands off.

"Enough!" he snarled in labored breaths. He gently pushed her to lie on the bed, and she followed him.

He parted her thighs apart.

Her heart raced in anticipation.

For a moment, she was embarrassed that she was bloody exposed to a man, all of her private parts. But this man was already her husband, who had all the rights to explore her hidden gems.

Blushing, she just closed her eyes, letting Xavier do what he wanted to do with her body. She sucked her breath when his fingers skimmed the length of her thigh, moving up to where her pussy was located.

He cupped the mound of her womanhood. His fingers separated her folds. She wasn't breathing anymore when his fingers skimmed the cleft of her pussy.

"Beautiful..." he rasped.

He pushed her thighs wider, and she jolted on the bed when she felt his mouth crash in her core, devouring her pussy like the most delicious meal he had ever tasted.

"Xavier!" her cry was loud and pitchy. Her back arched, as her womb shuddered in ecstasy.

Her pussy singed with atrocious longing. Every fiber of her being was reeling in shockwaves of frenzy, as his mouth and tongue ran over her nub, licked her inner lips, and rimmed the corners of her shuddering hole.

The sinister impact of decadent pleasure was mind-boggling. She was hurled into another level of pure unbridled ecstasy, where she could only moan, gasp and cry, as her body surrendered to the most powerful form of pleasure that she had ever experienced all her life.

Xavier, going down on her, with his lips and mouth doing wonders in her most private parts, was something that she had underestimated. It was so powerful, so pleasurable, that it could make her lose her mind.

Her cries and whimpers notched a few octaves, until she was already shouting incomprehensible sounds, as if she had gone crazy. That was when her body wickedly twisted, and she shuddered involuntarily, as if she was possessed.

This time, her orgasm was more intense than her first. And it completely took her breath away.

"Like it?" He planted soft kisses on her still gasping mouth.

She hadn't realized that he was already on top of her, leveling their faces. Her body was still squirming from the aftermath of her intense release.

She just nodded her head, while her eyes remained tightly shut.

She just didn't like what he did to her. She dug it. It was freaking addicting!

"You want more?" he whispered seductively as he moved on top of her, positioning himself between her wide parted legs.

Her body involuntarily squirmed at the decadent invitation. Would he go down on her again?

She moaned, nodding her head. She would love to!

He chuckled amusedly, brushing his lips over hers. "Insatiable..." he whispered in a teasing voice.

She just moaned as a response. She was embarrassed with what she did, but the hell she cares.

"We'll have a lot of going down sessions later, but right now, I need you," he whispered saltily in her ear, as he gently nibbled her earlobe.

I need you...

And everything dawned on her.

Oh God, was he going to...?

He held her hips and thrust at her, answering the damned question that floated in her mind. She felt his rigid cock seared in her tight opening, pushing the thin barrier that resisted his invasion, taking her.

Her fingers clutched at the sheets as firm as she could.

"Xavier!" she cried, as pain that was so intense formed between her thighs. She broke a sweat or two, as she tried to fight the intense nagging pain that was ripping her body into two halves.

He thrust once more. The tip of his cock advanced a little, consuming a considerable space deep inside her.

She whimpered harder in pain.

Her face twisted. Everything was becoming an ordeal now that he was insisting to be buried deep inside her tight core.

Well, he was huge, so effing huge, that right at the moment, she doubted if the two of them could fit together.

"Fuck!" he cussed. His frustration was apparent. He held her hips firmer, and then, he drove into her, completely taking her, all of her.

"Xavier!" she cried as her hands clung at him, as her nails plowed at his back.
Chapter 20

Xavier was surely in a state of frenzy. All that he wanted was to get inside of her. The need to finally unite their bodies was driving him crazy. And he was getting impatient every passing second.

He had never been so impatient like this before in taking a woman, but she was so tight and small, and fuck, but he was having a hard time pushing his cock deep in her core.

He felt as if he was trying to get in a tight unwelcoming territory, and it was becoming a painful struggle.

He thrust harder, but he could only advance a little.

Her tight walls wrapped around the tip of his cock, squeezing his throbbing maleness like a firm rubber band. It was painful.

"Fuck!" he cursed under his breath. He had never been in this kind of a tight pussy for a long time, since he avoided fucking little jailbaits, poor him, and it was something that readily ate his patience.

He wanted to consummate their union, now and fast, and he didn't want any form of resistance.

So he started to thrust again and again, hating and loving her tightness at the same time, doing his best to break into her, and he groaned aloud in satisfaction as he successfully dug his thick pulsating shaft totally deep inside her molten sheets.

Her silky walls wrapped around him greedily, milking him from the base of his cock, all the way to his swelling tip. He stopped for a moment, just so he could breathe, for he was awed at how pleasantly tight and hot it was to be inside her.

He embraced her soft body, as his heart stopped beating. When he thought that his heartbeat returned to normal, he raised his head, and he was surprised to see her crying in pain.

"Katrina?" he reluctantly asked.

He didn't know what was happening. Why the fuck was she crying? Her sobs were faint though, as if she was trying to contain them, but he saw tears pricked in her eyes.

"You're hurting me, damn you!" she wailed. This time, her sobs became louder.

What?! He was taken aback by her reaction. Then, he panicked as he realized something.

He didn't want to hurt her, of course, for crying out loud! But she was twisting in pain underneath him. And a thought struck his mind.

"Are you still a virgin?" he mouthed his thoughts into words.

"Yes!" she hissed at him, eyes squinting in pain.

"Oh!" He just looked at her.

Xavier was momentarily at a loss for words.

Katrina was still a virgin?

Man, but he never expected that she still was.

He was quite surprised at the intensity of happiness that filled his heart knowing that he was the first man in her life. That he was her first lover.

He hugged her tight, as if he was afraid that someone might snatch his wife away from him any moment.

Katrina was a sweet little thing, and the fact that he was snugged deep in her core added intensity to the influx of emotions in his chest. It was a very intimate moment, with them physically joined together, and he felt as if their souls were knotted, too, in a sweet embrace.

He really had an awesome surprise tonight – his wife's precious virginity.

And he was sorry for hurting her. Damn, he had been rough.

"I'm so sorry, hon. I promise I'll make it up to you," he said sincerely, gently. Then, he searched for her mouth, and kissed her lovingly.

But she continued to sob, and he didn't know what to do. He didn't want to withdraw from her, but he willed his self-control to do what he had to do.

Groaning hard, he pulled out from her.

The emptiness that rushed in his gut was appalling, but Katrina stopped sobbing, which drew a sigh of relief from his throat.

He'd hurt her, but he would make up for it. He would soothe the pain away.

He grabbed the towel, and gently dabbed it on her pussy, cleaning the faint streaks of blood that already mixed with her own juices. It was the hard evidence of her virginity. And the fact that he was the lucky asshole who was able to break her still crunchy cherry gave him so much pride and joy.

When she's already clean, his hands draped around her thighs, pushing them apart. He settled his head in between her legs, his fingers spread her fleshy folds apart, exposing her nub.

He could see every exquisite detail of her beautiful pussy, and he was thoroughly enthralled. His wife was beautiful, even in the most remote places of her delectable body. The kind of beauty that was only reserved to him. His and only his to explore and possess.

"Katrina..." he moaned her name. And with a gaping hunger that filled his soul, he covered her pussy with his mouth, tasting her, eating her in the most sinful way he had ever done in his life.

Katrina felt as if live wire hit her, as his tongue darted at her already sensitive and throbbing nub.

Her body jerked in wild abandon. Her gasp was too loud. She couldn't help not to when she squirmed like a goner, as he flicked his rigid tongue over the hypersensitive bud of her clitoris.

Xavier was down on her again, and the pain that she was nursing in her core vanished to oblivion. It was replaced with a decadent form of pleasure that was too hard to ignore, something that made her body shudder in wild abandon.

She had totally forgotten the fact that he had hurt her just moments ago. He had replaced the not so good experience with something that's goddamned pleasurable. She was floating in cloud nine again, her body was totally drowned in ecstasy. And he continued to do his thing on her, sucking her nub, kissing her folds, and licking whatever he could get his mouth to in her most private parts.

She wiggled and whimpered wildly. Her hands clamped at his head, pushing his face closer to her core. She was saying something she couldn't understand. What the hell was happening to her? She had no effing idea. Maybe she had gotten out of her mind. All she knew was that she was totally gripped by a massive force that was now dominating her body, mind and soul.

And then, there was that ticking time bomb again that was threatening to explode inside of her any moment. As Xavier continued to lick and lave her pussy, the buildup of sensations rushed like a howling hurricane.

Her consciousness soared up to the highest heights, and then, the time bomb exploded, in wicked carnal fashion, sending her reeling in ecstatic bubbles of mind-blowing orgasm.

Her body continued to shudder in reckless abandon, but he just held her hips tight and continued to lick her. The rush of indescribable sensations continued to plague her body. It didn't take long and the buildup of momentum became intense again, and all that she could do was just to let go of it.

She came again and again. It was a beautiful moment of mind-blowing pleasure wherein she could only see the burst of wonderful colors, like a magnificent fireworks display, that left her fully satiated.

She was still floating in a sea of orgasmic feelings, oblivious of anything but the momentous moment, and she lost track of what was happening around her.

She didn't even notice that Xavier started to possess her again, that he had managed to take her without an ounce of pain. Sure, there was still a little sense of discomfort, but nothing really scary nor painful than that. Her whole body was still in a state of euphoria, and she welcomed him with open arms.

His cock filled her fully, consuming every space inside her, and it felt wonderful. He slowly withdrew from her, only to push deeper, sending his cock searing so deep within her, eliciting a moan of pleasure from her mouth.

Her walls vibrated around him, wrapping his length, milking him in a delicious way.

He groaned hard. His eyes shut, face twisted, as if he thoroughly enjoyed the physical union of their bodies.

Xavier still looked as handsome as the devil even on the verge of passion. His gray eyes slanted like a narrow line, making his eyes looked chinkier than ever. He was breathing through his open mouth, and he would groan and moan in satisfaction as he continued to thrust in her.

With their eyes locked together, he pounded into her. His thrusts became more possessive, harder, faster, until she was left squirming in ecstasy.

The physical union of their bodies created a very pleasurable form of friction that intensifies in momentum as he increased his rhythm. She felt so full and filled, but she just parted her legs more, giving more room for his pulsating cock to go as deep as possible inside her.

"Katrina!" he cried her name.

She clung so tight at his shoulders, holding her breath. Her womb was starting to shudder in rebellion; her eyeballs were rolling in her eye sockets, as ecstasy rushed so decadently in every fiber of her being.

She screamed his name again and again. Her walls were clenching hard, milking his turgid erection as firm as she could, as he shoved her ass on the bed.

"Ah!!!!!!! Xavier!" she whimpered, clutching so tight at him, as her body came in wild abandon.

"Shit! Katrina! Ahhhhh..." he groaned aloud. And just after she hit hers, he jerked hard into her, burying his cock so deep in her core.

She felt his hot seed ripple inside her womb, filling her abundantly.

Gasping, he collapsed on top of her. His hands draped around her back, pulling her body closer to him in a tight embrace.

She and Xavier just made love. Yes, that was it. They just didn't have sex. It was too beautiful and exquisite to be just sex.

She sighed in satisfaction, as she waited for her heartbeat to return to normal. Their bodies were still sweetly joined together, with a hot creampie nestled deep in her core.

Images of beautiful children flashed in her mind, and she smiled.

Soon, she would also be the mother of his children, in addition to her being his wife.

NOTE: CONTINUED IN BOOK 2

The Hottie Billionaires Series: Romancing A Banking Magnate

(The Billionaire Falls In Love)

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