As Yna approached, everything seemed to move in slow motion. Everyone was left in awe, even Alas himself. She was breathtakingly beautiful, looking like a goddess. She saw their eyes fixed on her, as if they had never seen such beauty in their lives.
When she reached them, she smiled warmly. "Hi everyone, how are you?" she greeted them. But they seemed too stunned to speak. She raised her voice slightly. "Hello, how are you all?"
They were completely star-struck by her beauty, including Alas. But her ex-boyfriend had never appreciated her like this. He had even cheated on her and left her without any explanation.
"Hello, Ma'am," they finally managed to reply, snapping back to reality. They were delighted to see her.
She smiled back. "Nice to meet you all. I am really amazed by your place. I hope you will give me a chance to look around. I think one day is enough to do that, right?" she said excitedly.
"Of course you can, Miss Beautiful."
"Thank you," she said happily. She was pleased that the people were so kind to her, unlike how they treated Alas, whom they clearly disliked.
Yna glanced at Alas with a knowing smile. He understood exactly what she meant. He remembered now—this was how Yna used to be: wise and kind-hearted.
"I am Yna, I am his sec—" she started to say, but Alas interrupted her.
"She is my co-investor. We are here to talk to you about our wonderful plans for your village. We hope you will allow us and give us a chance to prove that our intentions are true."
"Yes, we only want what is best for everyone," Yna added smoothly.
"Alright, we will give you a chance," the village leader declared.
They were provided with a small nipa hut to rest in for the day. They spoke with the leader, Apo Larry, and he finally agreed to their plans. He only asked for their assurance that the village and its people would not be harmed in any way.
Alas had no bad intentions. Once the construction of the housing projects began, his priority was everyone's welfare. He had successfully completed many projects before, and everyone had benefited greatly.
If the place became popular with tourists, it would significantly help the locals' livelihood. Yna even volunteered to handle the promotion, promising to create blogs and post about the place online.
She effortlessly won everyone's hearts, unlike Alas who had been negotiating with them for months with no success. Yna truly was his lucky charm.
"Why didn't you tell them the truth? That I am just your secretary?" she asked Alas, who was sitting on the floor of the hut.
"Well. It doesn't matter whether they know the truth or not. The important thing is, you helped me... Thank you."
She hissed, annoyed that he avoided her question. "Okay. I wanted to walk around, but it looks like it's going to rain." She felt even more disappointed when she saw Alas leaning against the wall with his eyes closed. 'Is he already asleep? That was fast. I was still talking and he's already out.'
Why did he fall asleep so quickly? It was still noon. Perhaps he was just exhausted from the long drive.
Her eyes lingered on his sleeping face. He looked handsome and peaceful, despite traces of tiredness. She wanted to pinch herself for secretly staring at him, but her eyes refused to look away.
She moved closer to him, checking if he was just pretending to be asleep. When she caught a whiff of his scent, a strange warmth spread through her body. She mentally scolded herself for having such thoughts.
Loud thunder rumbled and lightning flashed, followed by a torrential downpour.
Yna had a phobia of thunder and lightning. She instinctively pressed herself against the wall near Alas, wrapping her arms around herself. She felt freezing cold, even though she wasn't wet. She wanted to ask for a blanket or a jacket, but she was too afraid to go outside, terrified of being struck by lightning. Thankfully, even though the hut was small, they were safe inside.
She was startled when a pair of warm arms suddenly wrapped around her waist.
"Shhh, don't protest. This is the only way I can help you. My coat was left in the car."
She gasped, her eyes blinking rapidly. She almost slapped herself to check if she was dreaming or not.
When she realized she was awake, she didn't push him away. Besides, she needed the warmth. She closed her eyes tightly as a deafening thunderclap struck right near their hut. Alas pulled her even closer to shield her.
"Alas, what are you doing?" she asked softly.
He placed a finger on her lips. "Don't make a sound. I won't hurt you," his voice was full of concern and assurance.
Yna nodded and hugged him tightly when another loud boom echoed. Alas felt an electric jolt the moment their bodies touched. He gasped slightly and hugged her back instinctively. It felt so comfortable holding her like this. It was a feeling he had been longing for a very long time.
"Yna," he called out huskily.
"Alas, why are you doing this? Why do you care so much?" Yna asked.
Alas cleared his throat. "Well... I just don't want to be blamed if something happens to you. Your Dad will surely kill me. I promised him I would protect you no matter what."
"Okay, so it's just because of Daddy," she said, seeming satisfied with his answer.
"Yeah. Try to sleep for a while. Don't worry, I won't leave you alone. Trust me," he said, closing his eyes.
The rain poured even harder, showing no signs of stopping. As she lay in Alas's embrace, Yna felt completely safe and secure. Instead of just waiting for the storm to pass, they both eventually drifted off to sleep, still holding onto each other.