Tiffany

I couldn’t help but smile as I looked at the photos I took of each church. I was currently taking a break and catching my breath in Lemery, where I could see Fantasy Land, which I planned to visit next.

I went to Padre Pio Parish and National Shrine, St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, and the Minor Basilica of St. Martin of Tours— commonly known as Taal Church. It is renowned as the largest Catholic Church in Asia.

There are still many beautiful churches in Batangas. However, as much as I want to visit each one of them, I can’t do it right now. The churches are at varying distances from each other, and I don’t want to be too late on the road. Perhaps I’ll visit them next time if I decide to stay here in Batangas.

It’s a shame that I wasn’t able to capture the beauty of Caleruega Church while I was there earlier. My mind got distracted as soon as I saw Travis.

But I still couldn’t help but wonder about the current state of Travis and Jela’s relationship. I’m updated on the latest news about Travis’ life. He has been linked to many women. However, because he and Jela are close to each other, controversies inevitably arise between them.

I massaged my temple. It’s starting to hurt from overthinking.

I decided to have a meal at a nearby Lomi house before heading home. I also texted my best friend to let him know that he didn’t need to worry.

But that scoundrel hasn’t even given me any updates about how his date went.

It didn’t take long before darkness started to envelop the surroundings. I was already in Tagaytay, near the turn towards Magallanes, when my car suddenly stopped. Thankfully, it was safely on the side.

I tried to restart the engine, but it was no use. Frustrated, I hit the steering wheel. Why did my car have to break down now?

Jairus has been telling me to replace my car, but I can’t just let it go like that. Especially since it’s the first thing I acquired through my hard work.

I had it checked the other day. But it’s still not working correctly.

I glanced outside, feeling a bit weak. There didn’t seem to be much traffic in this area at the moment, although some cars were passing by quickly. I grabbed my phone and turned on the data, hoping to find a nearby auto repair shop.

But before I could find anything, I froze. I noticed a car that passed by where I was stranded and stopped right in front of me. Shortly after, a man stepped out of the car. I couldn’t clearly see his face because it was somewhat dark in this area, and he was also wearing a cap.

I took a deep breath, unable to shake off the nervousness. Various scenarios immediately played out in my mind. I felt my hands trembling as the man slowly approached me.

But before I could scream, his face was suddenly illuminated by a nearby streetlight, replacing my fear with confusion. A mix of annoyance and concern was evident on his handsome face.

“T-Travis...” I whispered, staring at him in disbelief.

What the hell is he doing here?

I blinked when I heard his loud knock on the window. I quickly lowered it.

“What happened?” He slightly leaned in, his forehead creased with a serious expression as he looked at me.

I ignored his question. I was still confused about why he was here.

“What the hell are you doing here? Didn’t you leave this morning?” I countered.

He stood up straight, running his fingers through his hair. “I was the first one to ask.”

I raised an eyebrow. “My car broke down. If it’s not that obvious.”

He looked at me intensely. After a moment, he pulled out his phone from his pocket and made a call. I couldn’t hear what he was discussing with the person on the other end because he walked away from where I was.

When he returned, he gestured for me to get out of my car.

“Get out. Ride in my car so you can come with me back. I already called an auto repair shop nearby. We’ll just wait for them to arrive. They’ll take care of your car. I know the owner, so your car will be just fine,” he explained, his words stretching out.

I involuntarily shook my head. There’s no way that I will leave my car!

“No! I’ll come along wherever that auto repair shop is,” I insisted.

He gritted his teeth. Patience was barely visible on his face; he was about to snap.

“Don’t be stubborn. Get out of there and transfer to my car. They won’t take long to arrive here anyway. Besides, you don’t have to worry because they will be the ones to bring it to your house once they’re done fixing it.”

I shook my head firmly. “I don’t want to!” I crossed my arms.

He looked at me without emotion.

“You haven’t changed. You’re still as stubborn as ever.”

I widened my eyes at what he said. I felt like we were no longer just talking about the car.

I met his gaze courageously. “You too. You haven’t changed. You still tend to control the people around you and make them obey you no matter what.”

An indescribable emotion flickered in his eyes but quickly disappeared. He took a deep breath.

“Just listen to me, Tiffany. I assure you that your car will be fine.”

I remained silent.

He stood upright. “Now, if you really have no intention of coming out and riding with me, that’s up to you. It won’t be difficult for me to wait for a ride home. Besides, I can’t stay here for long, so I don’t have time to argue with you.”

I gripped the steering wheel tightly. I understood what he meant. After all, he’s not just a normal person.

He’s now a celebrity.

Anyone who sees or meets him, even just one person here, is sure to start spreading rumors about him immediately.

He was about to turn around to leave when I let out a heavy sigh and reluctantly got out of the car. I quickly walked towards where his car was parked. He looked up and adjusted his cap.

After a moment, the person he called arrived. I couldn’t help but notice the mischievous smile on their faces when they glanced in my direction. Travis must have whispered something to them because their eyes widened and they nodded in response.

What are they talking about? Even though I strained my ears, I couldn’t hear a single word.

A few minutes later, I found myself inside Travis’ car. The situation seemed to be in my favor now, but not in a good way.

However, even so, I couldn’t help but wonder. Ever since our first encounter in the park, it seemed like our paths kept crossing.

It seems like even fate wants us to get back together. Well, who am I to go against fate at this moment?

Besides, he probably wouldn’t help me if it were just out of the kindness of his heart, right? After all, he could have just passed by and ignored me if he truly didn’t care anymore. But still, he chose to stop by and help me.

That’s something, right? Or am I just assuming things?

“By the way, what are you doing here? I thought you and Jela had already left earlier,” I asked again while looking outside.

Silence filled the car. So, I thought he wouldn’t answer my question anymore. But I was surprised when he suddenly spoke up.

“I just dropped by to see someone I know in Batangas. I let Jela go ahead because she said there was an emergency,” he casually replied.

I clenched my teeth. “If that’s the case, you should have accompanied her. You shouldn’t neglect your girlfriend, especially in an emergency situation,” I said dismissively to him. Even though the truth was that I was waiting to see his reaction because of what I said.

But I was taken aback when he suddenly pulled over to the side. Thankfully, I was wearing a seatbelt because otherwise, I would have bumped into the dashboard.

“What the hell is your problem?” I glared at him.

He didn’t seem to care about my expression and just continued to stare at me seriously. It’s as if I saw a flickering fire in his eyes.

“What did you say? Don’t tell me you believe that rumor.” His jaw tightened.

I furrowed my eyebrows. “What rumor?”

“That Jela is my girlfriend.”

I gasped. When I understood what he was implying, I forcefully suppressed the smile on my lips.

“So, she’s not your girlfriend?” I faked a shocked expression.

He shook his head firmly. “No. You know she’s been my best friend since college and like a sister to me, just like you with Jairus. So why would you even think that?”

I shrugged and adjusted my seating position. “It’s just a hunch.”

He stared at me for a few more minutes, as if scrutinizing whether I was telling the truth. I met his gaze boldly, causing him to look away and continue driving.

I remained silent and decided to take out my camera from my sling bag. Since we were stuck in traffic, I thought it was a good opportunity to browse through the photos I took earlier.

I was busy browsing the photos when I remembered something. Jela mentioned earlier that their photographers were having a hard time capturing photos of Travis because of his stubbornness and his own decisions in life.

I turned to him slowly. His right hand was gripping the steering wheel, while his left hand was stroking his chin. He had a serious look on his face, as if deep in thought.

Perfect timing.

I quickly pointed the camera at him and took a picture. But since the flash was on, he was startled and turned to look at me.

“What do you think you’re doing?” he exclaimed, surprised.

I winced. I had forgotten that the flash was still on. “I’m just pretending to be a paparazzi,” I joked.

“Delete it.” His voice carried a hint of threat.

I immediately hid the camera inside my bag when I noticed his stern gaze on it.

“No. It’s not going to happen,” I teased.

Just then, the cars started moving. I could faintly hear him mutter a curse before continuing to drive.

I secretly grinned and shifted my attention outside. The rest of the journey remained silent. Until I suddenly realized that our vehicle had stopped right in front of my house. I furrowed my brow and looked at him.

“How did you know where I live?”