I woke up in the middle of the night because of a bad dream. I didn't know if it was a dream or something that happened. I looked at the clock and it was three in the morning. When I woke up, Mateo wasn't beside me, and I saw Alicia sleeping soundly. I just ignored it because I was tired and my whole body still ached.

I don't know how many hours I slept, but my whole body still felt like it had been beaten, and I wanted to sleep more because I was probably exhausted. I peeked at the wall clock and my eyes widened when I saw it was three in the afternoon. I quickly took a bath and went downstairs.

I didn't know where to look for them because I had been wandering around the hotel for hours. So I decided to search by the beach.

"Hi miss, why are you alone?" A man approached me. He looked nice, but I ignored him. I was about to walk away when he pulled me by the arm.

"I'm talking to you. Don't turn your back on me, pretty." He said forcefully, smiling. I tried to pull my arm away.

"Ano ba bitiwan mo nga ako, I'm married! May asawa ako!" inis na sabi ko.

"'Wag ka ng magpakipot miss, hindi naman malalaman ng husband mo. Sumaama ka na lang sa akin. Enjoy natin ang hapon hanggang gabi- Fuck!" Suddenly, someone punched the man. I was shocked.

"FRANCISCO!!" I shouted when he didn't stop punching the man. I tried to pull him away.

Francisco threw the man to the ground. People were starting to stare at us.

"Are you okay?" He asked emotionlessly. I nodded. He checked my arm, which was red.

We were in that situation when someone called my name.

"Zylene," When I turned around, it was Mateo. He hugged me, but my attention wasn't on him. It was on the woman with him, who had heavy makeup.

"Where have you been? I didn't see you in our hotel room," she said, which made me turn to her, but their attention was on Francisco.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, frowning and turning to me.

"Ah, I've been looking for you, but I didn't know where... you," I said, staring intently at the woman. She raised an eyebrow, but I didn't back down. When she looked away, that's when I looked away. "Where are Mommy and Alicia?" I asked, looking at the woman with Mateo. She discreetly rolled her eyes.

"We are also looking- What happened to your arm?" He took my arm and examined it. His jaw clenched, and he glared at the man who was walking away.

"Ah, Ito? Wala 'yan... ano lang naibanga ko lang ito kanina" pagsisinungaling ko, dumilim ang awra nito at umintig ang panga nanahimik mukhang nag uusap sila ni Francisco gamit ang mata, tumango si Francisco.

"Who are you?" takang tanong ko sa babaeng kasama ni Mateo.

Nag lakad ito papalapit sa akin at nag abot nang kamay.

"I'm Chatalina Monteverde, Mateo's friend. You are?" she said with a fake smile. It was obvious that it was fake because I saw her roll her eyes at me. So I looked at her from head to toe.

I accepted her hand and introduced myself.

"I'm Ashianna Zylene Montevallo, Mateo's WIFE," I smiled back at her, a fake one too. Her eyebrows were furrowed, looking like an angry bird from the cartoons.

This is what Alicia was talking about when she said she has a bad attitude. Well, it's true, we just met, and her true colors are already showing.

"Let's go. They're looking for you," Mateo pulled me along and fell silent again, as if thinking about something. I didn't know where they were, so I just let him pull me.

"Zy, darling saan ka galing? Pinapagising kita kay Mateo... pero wala ka sa room niyo?" nilapitan ako nito at niyakap napa aray ako nang masagi nito ang braso ko, agad naman itong bumitaw.

"What happened to your arm?" she asked, worriedly examining it. Tita Kristine's attention was also drawn to it.

"Ano, wala po iyan. Nabanga ko lang po sa kung saan," I said. Mommy and Tita Kristine didn't seem convinced and looked at Mateo.

"What happened to Zylene, Javier?" Mommy asked Mateo, but he just remained silent and his jaw clenched.

"Sa tabi-tabi po. Hindi ko po kayo mahanap kahit saan. Buti na lang po nakita ako ni Francisco," I changed the subject and sat beside Alicia, who was rolling her eyes repeatedly. I nudged her.

Mateo's eyebrows furrowed, he didn't seem to like what I said.

"We didn't eat because you weren't here yet, so since you're here now, let's eat," she smiled and pointed at the food. I suddenly felt embarrassed because they hadn't eaten yet, waiting for me.

Tumikhim ako, "Dapat po kumain na kayo, kagigising ko lang din po kanina... nagutom po ata tuloy kayo" nahihiya kong saad.

"It's fine, Ate. Wala lang iyon saamin," Alicia said, smiling slightly at me and then glared at the woman across from her, who reciprocated the glare.

"We're fine, Ija. Dapat pag kakain, sabay-sabay," she said and took some food. As I was about to scoop some food, Chatalina intervened. I raised an eyebrow at her.

"Where have you been ba? Kanina kapa namin hinihintay ang tagal mo. Gutom na gutom- Enough, Chatalina. She's here now, just eat." Chatalina didn't finish her sentence because Tita intervened and glared at the woman.

"Sorry, miss. You heard what I said earlier. I just woke up a while ago, and I looked for you. You're just being nosy. You're not even our family," I smiled fakely at her. She seemed offended by what I said, but she hid it with a glare.

Ngumisi siya saakin "Are you sure, you are part of this family?" ika niya at nginisihan ako. tumaas ang kilay ko dahil sa sinabi niya.

"Chatalina!" Mariing tawag sa kaniya ni Mommy.

Anong ibig niyang sabihin na hindi ako parte ng pamilyang 'to?

What does she mean I'm not part of this family? Mateo and I are married.

"Ate, don't mind her. And you, can you shut your filthy mouth? Wala ka ngang ambag sa family namin, e. You're not even invited, and you will never be welcome in this family po," she said and rolled her eyes. Tita Kristine stopped her.

"Enough, Alicia. Nasa harap tayo ng hapag kainan, and you, Chatalina. Fix your attitude... You are nothing but a friend of Mateo." she said and glared at her.

Alicia smirked, "Yeah, whatever Mommy." she continued eating, not knowing what to say. I looked at Tita, and she nodded at me. I don't know why, but I saw admiration in her eyes.

"Where's Mateo po, Mommy?" I asked because he wasn't here. There were only five of us at the table, including the witch who I just met, and her true colors are already showing.

"He's talking to someone, but he'll be back soon- Oh, he's here now," she said. I turned around and saw Mateo entering the hut. He looked angry, but when he saw me staring at him, he immediately smiled.

"Wife," he kissed my forehead and sat beside me.

"San ka galing?" I asked him and took another bite of food.

"By the beach, I just talked to someone about something important," he said and took some food. I just nodded.

"Seriously, Kuya Jav, when did you learn to speak Tagalog?" Alicia teased. Mateo just rolled his eyes at her.

"Shut up." She just glared playfully at Chatalina.

We finished eating, so we took a short break because we decided to swim by the beach and take pictures in the middle of the ocean while riding a crystal kayak. Even though I don't know how to swim, I'll still join because Mateo is with me. I don't want to be a killjoy.

"Are you going to join them?" He asked. I nodded and he hugged me from behind.

"You're with me, so don't worry. You'll see me, and you'll be on the other boat anyway," I said.

"Can you change your swimsuit first? A lot of boys are looking at your gorgeous body, and the guy who will take your picture later might do something bad to you, but if you're comfortable with that, I will let you wear that. I don't have a problem with what you're wearing, I can fight if someone ever catcalls you." I laughed when he used his pouty voice again. I hugged him even tighter, trying to hide my blush and the feeling of excitement.

This is why I love him. He let me wear what I want.

"Hubby, beach ito, kaya malamang na mag-swimsuit ako. Alangan naman na mag-pajama ako? 'Wag na mag-tampo," I said, laughing.

"Zylene, Mateo... turn niyo na," Mom's voice brought my attention to her. Chatalina was beside her, rolling her eyes while using her phone. I ignored her and pulled Mateo, but before we could get into the water, someone pulled me back.

"Can I go with Ate Zy na lang?" Alicia asked. Mateo's eyebrows furrowed.

"No," Mateo quickly protested.

"But I want to be with her- I said no, Alicia," he said. Alicia walked away pouting. I just watched her until she was far away, then I pulled Mateo again.

"Calm down, wife. Hindi aalis ang dagat," he said, laughing. He helped me get onto the crystal kayak. I was nervous because it was my first time. Mateo didn't want to take pictures, but he said he would accompany me in the middle of the sea, riding another crystal kayak.

"Kuya, hindi ba ito tataob?" I nervously asked when we were near the middle of the sea.

"No, ma'am. First time po ba ma'am?" I nodded shyly and looked down. I heard him chuckle.

"Nako, ma'am, okay lang 'yan. Madami na po kaming customer na kinakabahan sa ganito, pero enjoy naman po," he said. I nodded and took the camera that Tita gave me. I was wearing a red swimsuit, a gift from Tita.

I took pictures until I got tired. I didn't know what poses to do, so Manong helped me. Mateo just watched us, pouting. I tried to convince him to take pictures, but he refused, so I just let it go.

"Did you have fun?" He asked. I nodded repeatedly, like a child, and smiled at him.

"Oo, nag-enjoy ako. Sayang, ayaw mo mag-picture, hyst," I hugged him and buried my face in his chest.

"Hindi ako mahilig sa pictures po," I didn't bother with him and just nodded, pretending to be sulky.

"Tara, baka hanapin na tayo nila, Mommy," I said and pulled him towards the hut.

"Mommyyy," I called out to get her attention when I saw her taking pictures of the food.

"Oh, finally you're here. You and Mateo, stand over there. I'll take a picture of you," Mom stopped me and Mateo. Mateo protested, but I insisted, and he eventually gave in.

Mommy clapped her hands after she finished taking our picture.

"Let's eat dinner na. Alicia and I ordered a lot of seafoods, and we are gutom na rin. It's still early to eat, but I'm craving seafoods," she said and pulled me to sit down.

"Tita, wala bang ibang foods? I'm allergic to seafoods, e," Chatalina said, sounding spoiled. I saw Chatalina discreetly look at me and roll her eyes.

"Lah? Epal," I heard Alicia whisper beside me. I nudged her to stop her. She nudged me back.

I saw Mommy na umirap ng patago, nilingon ko si Alicia saktong lumingon din siya sa akin, palihim kaming tumawa.

"You're a grown-up lady, you can order foods by yourself. Go order your food. We're not your yaya's to get you food," Tita said, smiling, but I felt it was a fake smile. She pouted and turned to Mateo, who was busy getting my food and his own.

"Mateo, can you get me food?" she said to Mateo, pouting. I winced because she looked like a duck, and my husband seemed unfazed by her, busy getting me food.

"You're a grown-up lady, you can stand on your own," he said without even looking at her.

"Fine, I'll get my own food!" She stood up abruptly and left.

"Argh, what a brat. Why is she here, Mateo? I've been annoyed with her since earlier. She's so pretentious. She keeps ruining the mood," I could hear the annoyance in Mommy's voice.

"Bright ka riyan, Tita. Nakaka-sira siya ng day," Alicia said, fueling the fire. I saw her parents slap their foreheads. I just shook my head at her being mean.

"She wants to come. Bored daw siya sakanila," he said nonchalantly, continuing to pick at my food.

"Bored? Can't she go to the mall by herself?" Mom said with a roll of her eyes. Mateo didn't answer her, so Tita just kept quiet.

After dinner, we decided to rest because we would watch fire dancers tonight. When we got back to our room, I went straight to the bathroom to rinse off. After that, I lay down, feeling sleepy.

"Tired?" Mateo asked me after he changed clothes. I just nodded and didn't look at him.

"Hmm, okay, sleep-" He didn't finish his sentence when his phone rang.

"Sleep now, wife. I'll wake you up late at 8 pm," he said, kissing my forehead.

I didn't bother to answer because I was so sleepy. I felt him get off the bed.

Before I fell asleep, I heard the shower turn on.