Warning: This chapter contains SPG scenes. Proceed at your own risk.

"Can I stay here instead?" Alicia pleaded, resisting the idea of returning to Cebu. We grew closer during the week we spent together, sharing stories and applying makeup.

"Alicia, you know you can't," her mother said, shaking her head.

"But I want to spend more time with Ate Zylene," she said, her voice cracking. I smiled and approached her.

Sa ilang linggo nilang nag stay rito masasabi kong mas naging close kami to the point na nag seselos na si Mateo.

"We can always bond another time," I reassured her, taking her hand. But she shook her head repeatedly.

"When is that other time? It's not enough. I still want to spend time with you." Tears finally spilled down her cheeks, which she had been holding back.

"How about we celebrate New Year's at your resort? It's only a few days away," her mother suggested, which stopped Alicia's tears.

"Okay," Alicia said happily, running towards me for a hug.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of your stay," Tita Kristine assured me with a wink.

"I'll wait for you, Ate," Alicia said, giving me a quick kiss before getting into the car. I waved goodbye.

~~~

"Ayusin niyo na mga gamit niyo December 29 na babyahe pa tayo" utos samin ni Mom tumango kami ni Mateo at nag paalam.

Andito ako ngayon sa kwarto namin ni Mateo at nag aayos nang bagahe dahil ngayon kami pupunta nang Montefalco Resort. sa resort nila Alicia upang ipag diwang ang new year. bumukas ang pintuan kaya alam kong anjan na si Mateo.

"Done packing?" tanong nito at ng makalapit hinagkan ako sa noo.

"Malapit na" sabi ko ng hindi ito nililingon dahil busy ako sa pag aayos ng gamit.

"Wife, look at me when you're talking. I didn't have time to have a sweet moments with because of Alicia" wika nito nagtatampo natawa ako at nilingon ito.

"Wife, look at me" parang bata niyang sabi pero hindi ko ito binalingan.

"You don't love me anymore" nagtatampong sabi nito at ngumuso.

"You love Alicia more than me" napairap ako dahil sa pag dadrama nito kaya nilingon ko ito.

"Ano ba 'yon?" nakita ko itong nakaupo sa couch habang naka titig saakin tumayo ako lumapit dito at hinalikan ito sa labi at agad naman itong tumogon sa halik ko pero tumigil din ito at tiningnan ako sa mata.

"You want this?" kita ko ang pagnanasa sa mukha nito pero tinanong padin ako "Answer me honestly, I don't want to force you. now answer me, wife." ani pa nito tumango ako.

"I want this" hinila ang leeg nito at hinalikan ulit ito.

"Shit, you can't stop me now, wife," He said but before I could kiss him again he stopped me.

"I will ask you again, Zylene. you want this?" He grinned unti-unti nitong tinataas ang damit ko, tumango ako dito.

"Y-yes. I want this," naiiyak kong saad dahil sa init na nararamdaman.

"Fuck" He murmured.

After a brief pause, he tored the last piece of fabric covering me.

Napapikit na lang ako at napakagat na lang saking labi nang halikan at dilaan nito ang aking leeg papunta saking panga.

"Mateo...." I cried out his name when I felt his hand slowly cupping my mound.

The heat spread like wildfire as he teased me down there. He played with my clit outside the underwear I am wearing, stroking it in a circular motion, Mariin kong kinagat ang aking ibabang labi habang paulit ulit niya iyong ginawa.

"Ohh....shit, ah! Mateo...." ungol ko nang dagdagan niya ng isa pang dalari.

"Your moans sound like music to my ears, wife" He then finger-fucked me roughly.

As the overwhelming pleasure invaded my body, I moved my hips to meet his fingers. I was about to reach my climax when he suddenly pulled out his fingers.

"Mateo!" galit kong turan habang hinihingal.

He unbuckled his belt and unzipped his pants.

"Calm down, woman." nasa tono nito ang pang aasar.

"Ride me if you want to come, baby, my friend's size is enoug for you to moan, Zylene." he said mockingly.

He leaned against our bed and seat he looked at me with desire and lust. lumapit ako dito then removed my underwear at umupo sa kandungan nito.

Slowly, he teased me by rubbing his manhood to my feminity. I groaned and he held my ass tightly.

"I'll enter now" he said puno ng pagnanasa tumango ako.

I was about to speak when he slid his cock against me.

When he successfully entered he slowly move, I move my hips para sabayan ang galaw niya.

"Ahh... deeper, hubby," I murmured one after another as he stretched his length inside me. he touched my right boobs at isinubo nito ang isa.

"I-I'm near...." I informed as I came down onto his shaft, grinding my hips against his balls.

"Move your hips faster" he demanded and slapped my butt cheek.

I rode his manhood at an inhuman speed. I arched my back every time he hit my spot perfectly. it was a hard, rough, and fast thrust.

Moans ecaped my lips. We no longer cared if our moans carried outside; what matter was expressing the pleasure I was experiencing.

Morning approached, he finally decided to cease his actions.

~~~

We're finally at Montefalco Resort.

Gazing out the window. My whole body ached, especially my midsection, but I was glad to be away from the city for a while. Dad couldn't join us this time, as he was busy with Grandpa on a business trip, but they were supposed to follow later.

I drifted off to sleep, lulled by the sound of crashing waves. When I woke up, I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder. The sound of the ocean was louder now, so we must have arrived at the resort.

"Still sore?" Mateo asked, his voice full of concern. I nodded, blushing with embarrassment. He chuckled and scooped me up in his arms, bridal style. I yelped in surprise and instinctively swatted his shoulder.

"Mateo! Put me down! People are looking!" I whispered, hiding my face in his chest.

"So what if they are? You're still sore, and I want everyone to know you're mine and I'm your husband," he declared, seemingly oblivious to the stares.

I didn't argue, just yawned and let sleep claim me again. I felt the soft bed beneath me and a gentle kiss on my forehead. "Sleep tight, my wife," Mateo murmured before I drifted back to sleep.

"Good evening, Ate Zylene! I missed you!" I was startled by Alicia's sudden appearance. She threw her arms around me, and I hugged her back. "Evening? Did I sleep that long?" I asked, chuckling.

She nodded. "I was bored, but not anymore now that you're here!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement. I smiled, knowing that the next few days would be filled with laughter and fun.

"Kanina ka pa ba rito?" tanong ko napansin ko rin ang pagkain niya sa mesa.

"Yeah, I've been waiting for you to wake up. I miss our chats," Alicia said. "I was looking for you earlier, but Kuya Mateo said you were tired and needed to rest." I nodded slowly.

"O-oh, yeah. I was busy packing," I mumbled, wishing I could disappear into the floor.

"Oh, okay. Come on, Ate, let's go downstairs. Everyone's preparing for New Year's. You're the only one left up here," she said, and I nodded again. I quickly changed into a fresh outfit.

As we descended the stairs, Alicia suddenly let out a high-pitched shriek that startled me. It was completely unexpected and a little jarring.

"Argh! I hate Kuya Mateo's friend! She's so pretentious," she exclaimed, her voice laced with annoyance. Friend? I was confused.

"Friend? Who?" I asked, my brow furrowed.

"You know, Chatalina Jace Monteverde? Ate, she's so annoying. She has such a terrible personality. I don't know why she's even here. This is supposed to be a family bonding trip!" she huffed, her frustration evident. Chatalina? Who was she?

May kaibigan siyang babae? Sino 'yon? Bakit hindi ko kilala at walang sinasabi sa akin si Mateo na may babae siyang kaibigan?

"I don't know her. Has she been his friend for a long time?" I asked, curious. Alicia shook her head.

"Actually, Ate, I don't know when they became friends, but from the first time I met her, she was already nasty to me," she said with a frown.

"How do you know she has a bad personality?" I pressed, curiosity getting the better of me.

"How? She's always giving us the cold shoulder, me and Tayrence, and she bossy. Even Mommy and Tita Majika don't like her. Mommy doesn't know she's bossing us around because we never tell her," Alicia explained, and I nodded.

It seemed like Chatalina had a bad reputation, even Mommy disliked her.

We were still chatting when someone called out my name. "Zylene!" I heard Mateo's voice in the distance.

I looked towards the sound and saw them at the cottage. We hurried our pace.

"Mom, Tita, Tito, Tayrence, good evening," I greeted them. The two men nodded in response. I went to hug Mommy.

"Good evening, how was your sleep?" she asked, covering the food with a lid.

"It was fine, Mom. Is there anything I can help with?" I asked. Mom looked over the food on the table.

"Actually, we're done with the cooking, but could you help us with the decorations?" she asked, and I readily agreed.

"We need to hurry! We only have two hours left to decorate. Go change into your outfits," Mom announced, and everyone nodded except for the guys.

Alicia held my hand, "Come on, Ate Zy, let's change together," Alicia offered, but Mateo quickly intervened.

"I'm her husband here, I should be the one with her," he insisted, looking annoyed at Alicia. I shook my head, trying to stay neutral.

"Why? Kuya, It's girly stuff. Are you gay now?" Alicia retorted, rolling her eyes.

"What? Just hurry up!" Mateo grumbled, defeated. He couldn't argue with that. Alicia pulled me up the stairs, and we headed to our room.

"This is the most peaceful New Year's Eve I've ever had. Chatalina's not here. I thought she'd be here again, ruining my New Year's. Thankfully, she's not," Alicia said with a triumphant smile, as if she'd won the lottery.

"Did you have her around last New Year's?" I asked, confused.

I was in coma for years. Kaya wala akong malay na magkasama sila last year.

"Yeah, and she did nothing but act like a princess the whole time," Alicia said, tapping her finger thoughtfully against her lips.

"Do you hate her that much?" I asked carefully. She nodded emphatically.

"Yes, Ate. Maybe if you meet her, you'll feel the same way we do," she said. I nodded, too, but remained quiet as we approached our unit.

"Are we all here?" Tita Kristine asked, and we all nodded in agreement.

"One hour to go!" Mom shouted, and a wave of excitement pulsed through the room.

We all got ready for the countdown, anticipation hanging thick in the air.

"3"

"2"

"1"

"Happy New Year!" we all shouted in unison, as fireworks exploded in the sky, lighting up the night.

"Happy New Year, Tita, Tito," I said, hugging Tita Kristine and Tito Jaron.

"Happy New Year, Ija," they replied in unison, returning the hug. I then approached Tayrence and Alicia.

"Happy New Year," I greeted them, and they beamed back at me.

"Happy New Year, Ate," they said in unison, hugging me tightly.

"Happy New Year, Mommy," I said, hugging her.

"Happy New Year, Ija," she hugged me back and kissed my cheek. Next, I turned to my husband.

"Happy New Year, hubby," I said, kissing him. He responded with a quick kiss.

"Happy New Year, wife," he said, pulling me into a hug and kissing my forehead.

We continued to celebrate and have fun until midnight.

I had just finished blow-drying my hair when Mateo started getting ready. He seemed to have somewhere to go.

"Sleep now, I have something important to do. I'll be back in the morning," he said softly.

After we made love, a call came in. He seemed upset when he returned to the room.

"Be careful," I advised, and he nodded, kissing me before leaving.

"I will, babe, sleep now, I love you." He murmured softly, kissing my forehead again.I yawned, nodded, and closed my eyes, pretending to fall asleep.

It seemed to work because I felt him kiss my forehead one more time before I felt him get out of bed.

The moment I heard the door open and close, I opened my eyes and quickly got up, heading straight for our walk-in closet.

There were three closets in there, but I didn't go for mine. I went straight for Mateo's.

I remembered seeing something hidden among his clothes earlier. I had pretended not to notice when I went to the bathroom.

I rummaged through his clothes. It wasn't in the first section, so I moved on to the second. I started checking each piece of clothing, and I was right. It was tucked away in his black polo.

It was a plastic bag filled with pictures.

I removed the plastic and stopped dead in my tracks.

It was a picture of me. My face was staring back at me. There were pictures of me as a child, and some from my 15th birthday, where I was dressed in a gown with a "Happy 15th Birthday Luliana" decoration behind me.

Luliana? Naguguluhan ako, Bakit Luliana kung Ashianna Zylene ang pangalan ko?

"Luliana? I'm confused. Why Luliana? My name is Ashianna," I muttered, my voice laced with bewilderment.

I stared intently at the picture of a smiling young woman with a man's arm around her. I was pulled out of my trance by a sharp pain in my head and a stinging sensation in my nose. I felt something warm and wet trickling down my face. Blood.

Panic seized me as I heard a knock on the door. I quickly shoved the pictures back into the plastic bag and returned it to its hiding place. Then, I hurried out of the walk-in closet and into the bathroom to wash my face.

"Just a minute!" I shouted, hoping she had heard me. She stopped knocking.I wiped my face and opened the door.

"A-Alicia, what are you doing here?" I asked, widening the doorway.

She pouted and walked in. "Can I sleep with you, Ate?" she asked, settling down on the bed. "I can't sleep because Tayrence is snoring so loud. He's annoying."

"Okay, your brother's not here anyway," I said, and she smiled, jumping onto the bed.

"That's another reason why I came here," she added, hugging a pillow and getting ready to sleep.

If I asked her about Mateo's marriage, would she know anything?

I snapped back to reality as Alicia flicked her fingers in front of my face. "You're zoning out, Ate. Something's bothering you, right? You can ask me anything. I know some stuff."

I hesitated for a moment, torn between curiosity and fear.

Kinagat ko ang labi, "May alam ka ba tungkol sa marriage namin ng Kuya mo?" I asked. taka naman siyang umupo at tumingin sa akin.

"Huh? What do you mean by that po?" she asked, tilting her head. I shook my head, changing my mind.

"Nothing. Just go to sleep. I'm getting sleepy too," I said, settling into the bed. She just stared at me for a moment before lying down beside me.

I switched off the lamp and closed my eyes.

"Are you doubting your married life with Kuya Mateo, Ate?" she asked cautiously. I shook my head again, even though she couldn't see me in the darkness.

"It's not like that. I love your Kuya Mateo. It's just that... you know I had amnesia before untill now, right?" I said, changing the subject. I felt her nod. "I don't remember what happened at our wedding. So, I can't help but wonder what happened during our wedding." I admitted, biting my lip.

"I don't know what happened at your wedding, Ate. I lived in France for years, and I..." She trailed off, yawning and not finishing her sentence.

"Alicia?" I called out, but she didn't respond. I peeked at her and saw that she was already asleep.

I shook my head, pulled the blanket over her, and decided to go to sleep as well. The mystery of her wedding, the name Luliana, and the hidden pictures would have to wait until morning.