My Sweet Temptation

Chapter 5: The Unplanned Vacation

Ryker's POV

"Let's go. I'm excited..."

Daniel had his car, and I had mine. The bar I mentioned was far from where I worked. It consumed half an hour of our time, accounting for the time we spent traveling through the jam-packed thoroughfare. The establishment exuded an air of refinement, with a handful of vehicles occupying the nearby lot. As the building loomed nearer, a chuckle escaped Daniel's lips.

"Think we'll like where we're going?" Daniel asked me.

"My employee told me that most of them are usually here," I said with a smile.

Without delay, the guard scanned the area for our identification documents. I hastily produced my driver's license and presented it to the guard for inspection. When he saw my identification, he promptly stepped aside and unlatched the entrance.

The interior of the pub exudes a superb and nostalgic ambiance. The bustling atmosphere of the bar took us aback, rendering it quite noisy. As music filled the air, we wasted no time scouring the surroundings for the perfect spot. Upon arriving at an unoccupied table, Daniel emitted a slight chuckle. No sooner had we taken our seats than the server approached us.

"What should we drink, dude?" I asked Daniel.

"Dude, I'm only drinking a beer."

A frown creased my brow as he issued a command, requesting a beer. As the server departed, my gaze shifted toward Daniel.

"I thought we were supposed to drink? Why just beers?"

"My team could call me out of the blue. I can't go to work if I smell alcohol."

The silence was my only response. We survey our surroundings, allowing the music to sway our heads. Later, the bucket of beer I ordered arrived. The server left after setting the bucket and the pika-pika on our table.

"You're good at digging into things, right?" I asked.

"What exactly do you want me to dig?" With a beer in hand, Daniel posed his question.

"Mom has an admirer. Every 14th of the month, this admirer sends Mom a bouquet."

Without warning, a cough escaped Daniel's lips. "s**t!" The amber liquid forcefully erupted from his nostrils. What had happened made me laugh.

"What happened?" I asked after I stopped laughing.

Daniel used the tissue to clean out his nose and mouth. He took the handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped his face to dry it.

"It's good. I made you laugh," Daniel said.

"I can't blame you for how you felt because I felt the same way when I saw my mom take the flower from the delivery boy. But I have nothing to worry about because I won't let anyone send flowers to the house anymore."

"W-what? Why should you do that?" he asked, his voice tinged with a hint of accusation.

"Well, certainly, why not? Someone's hitting on Mom. And sometimes Dad was right there with her when she picked the flower. Dad said that he didn't give me the flower when I asked. It meant just one thing."

"Perhaps you are simply incorrectly interpreting the scenario."

"I might get it if the flowers were for Russell, but, dude, they're for my mom. The worst thing about it is that Mom knows who that bastard is. The note says, "I'm keeping my promise." I said. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Daniel drank beer again. "You should find out who that jerk is," I said, annoyed.

"Okay, then. I'll take care of it."

A smile graced my lips. "I can count on you, man." Daniel drank a beer. The phone rang all of a sudden.

I reached for the phone and muttered, "Jeez, I seem to have forgotten to pick up Russell. What? Bar? What do you plan to do there, huh?" I asked. "But who are you with?"

Daniel's phone rang, and he picked it up right away. "Where is the Swan Bar? I'll come to get you." I asked on the other line.

My gaze fell on Daniel. Simultaneously, we set aside our phones. I said, "That girl truly gets on my nerves," before tucking my phone into my pocket.

"Is Russell at the Swan Bar?" Daniel asked.

"Indeed, it is their friend's birthday," I retorted, irritated. "I need to go get her and bring her home."

"I'll do it," Daniel said.

"What?" Surprise overtook me.

Nothing else escaped Daniel's lips until the last drop of beer had been consumed. "I'll go and pick her up. I'm leaving. We're going to raid that bar now."

"What? Wait..."

"Let's hang out again," Daniel said, quickly getting up and leaving the bar.

"Geez, what just happened? Did he abandon me here?" I asked myself.

-

As I made my way homeward, my phone rang, and upon answering, I heard the voice of Daniel on the other end. As soon as Daniel shared the truth, the inebriating effects of the alcohol dissipated, prompting me to turn on my heel and make a beeline for the hospital.

I strode into the hospital premises with urgency, leaving my vehicle parked in the lot outside. With a surge of emotion, my gaze swept across the space where Russell stood. Sometimes putting my brother back in my mother's tummy is nice. It's like I'm caring for a high schooler. I rapped on the door with a sense of urgency, neglecting to pause for a response. With haste, I flung open the door and was met with the sight of Claire standing before me. As I swung the door open, my heart skipped a beat as I realized she was standing perilously close. The suddenness of the movement almost caused a collision, but I managed to halt the door just in time.

"Oh, my gosh," Claire exclaimed in shock.

"Oh s**t!" I went right into the room and held Claire. "Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"

My hand reached out instinctively to touch her as soon as I realized I had accidentally hit her with the door.

"I am well," she replied. "I'm just surprised,"

"Haist, disgusting!" With a look of disgust etched on her face, Russell spoke.

---

After I found out what had happened, I immediately told them off. "Are you guys listening?" I spoke with both Russell and Claire. We were on our way home after the doctor had checked me out.

"Sorry, Big B, okay? Rest assured, it shall not happen again," Russell stated.

"I shall ensure that you spend time in a cell so that you may learn your lesson," I said.

"Big B., that's way too much. You know what they're like, right?" Grumbling, Russell expressed her dismay.

"I know. You want something like this, don't you?" I said, "The center of attention."

Later, the phone rang. With a swift motion, I activated my earpiece and promptly responded to the incoming call. "Alright, Tess, confirm the meeting. How many meetings will I have with Germans?" With a furrowed brow, I scowled. "What? Haist, can the schedule be moved back with those French people?" I inhaled deeply. "Fine. Try finding a private resort in Batangas. I want it to be safe, with a limited number of cabins, and close to the hotel where my meeting is." I tilted my head to the side. "I understand what you're saying, but..." My eyes darted from Russell to Claire. "I prefer a private resort because I'll be with important people." A smile graced my lips. "Thanks, Tess."

Following the conversation, I directed my gaze toward Russell and Claire. Arching my brows, I gazed at them through the reflection of the rearview mirror. "You better not get in trouble over there, little sister, or I'll make good on my promise to you," I told her. "You're okay now, right?" I asked Russell.

"Yes, I guess so."

"Get ready because we're going to Batangas for a weekend getaway tomorrow." A swift glance at Claire was all I allowed myself. "Of course, you can go with us, Claire."

As Claire smiled in my direction, my heart leaped in my chest.