"And what about you? Why do you hate the name Krystal? I know my first name sounds plain, but it's still a nice and classic name," I asked him, genuinely curious about his aversion to the name.
I could sense that he had been avoiding this topic for a long time, and my guess was that he must have had a painful experience or a past with a woman named Krystal. He avoided making eye contact, indicating that it might be difficult for him to open up. I understood that pain often blocked our emotions, and I didn't blame him for his hesitation. But I wanted to let him know that it was okay if he wasn't ready to talk about it.
"It's okay if you're not ready to share or if you can't say it. You can call me Krystal; it won't be a big deal for me," I said, trying to change the mood and lighten the atmosphere.
He smiled and shook his head. "That wouldn't be fair to you. Since you opened up, I should too," he replied.
His willingness to open up delighted me, as it was a sign of trust growing between us. Trust was one of the greatest foundations for any relationship.
"I met a girl before, and she was the total opposite of you," he began, and my brows furrowed. A sense of jealousy crept into my heart, but I tried not to let it show.
"Okay..." I responded, hoping I didn't sound too jealous because it would embarrass me.
"We eventually went from being enemies to friends because I disliked girls who were fragile and overly sweet. But then, our friendship turned into a romantic relationship," he continued.
His words made my chest ache a little, and I needed to calm my racing heart. I reminded myself that there must be a reason why Logan hated that girl now.
"Our relationship was forbidden in the end, as her family was our strict rival. We secretly met and loved each other," he shared, his tone bitter.
I wanted to stop him from telling the story. It wasn't enjoyable anymore, but I knew he wouldn't have brought up this topic if I hadn't asked about it.
"Because of my intense love for her, I became rebellious against my family. I was planning to leave, and we had even made plans to run away together. But then, three days before our planned departure, she left me. She flew to Europe with her family. I guess she betrayed me too much, and now I hate every single detail of her, even the sound of her name," he concluded, bitterness evident in his voice.
Part of me couldn't help but feel relieved that the namesake hadn't stayed, as it would have meant the man I dreamed of marrying might already be married. But I also didn't want to see Logan sad. The last thing I wanted was to witness his pain. I wanted to be the one to comfort him.
"You'll be okay too. I know you're strong and brave. I don't know if I'm in the right position to say this, but you're more than what you think," I reassured him, aware that even the most confident person had moments of vulnerability.
He smiled and playfully tousled my hair. "Yeah, now that I've met a different Krystal, I know I'm in good hands," he said affectionately.
The excitement I felt was overwhelming. This man gave me a rollercoaster ride of emotions. One moment, he unintentionally made me jealous, and the next, he made me smile like an idiot.
"You're being cheeky again," I teased him. He winked, and I felt a surge of joy.
"I'm just getting started," he replied mischievously.
Of course, despite wanting to stay together, I still had to go home, or my mom would probably suspect something. Around six in the evening, Logan accompanied me back to my house. In his eyes, I could see that he didn't want to let me go, as if tomorrow wasn't Sunday and we didn't have our bonding time.
"There's still tomorrow, Logan," I said, trying to lighten the mood by laughing.
He sighed. "I know, but can you just have a sleepover at our manor? There are plenty of rooms there," he suggested, insisting that our time together wasn't over yet.
If it were up to me, I would pause the day for a while, just to make our little bonding session last longer. However, I didn't want to create any issues. During my time working at the Lopez mansion, some household staff members had given me mean looks, as if I had done something wrong to them. If they already had an issue with me back then, I didn't want to add to it now.
"What are you doing? It's very unethical for me to sleep at your place," I reminded him as I unbuckled my seatbelt. But his grip on my hand was firm, and he didn't want to let go.
"Please? You can bring your friends along, so it won't be obvious," he suggested, his cleverness shining through as he found a good alibi.
"Oh, maybe next time. And stop being so persistent, okay?" I insisted, playfully reminding him that I held the upper hand.
He looked disappointed, but I preferred that over spoiling his mood.
Summoning the courage, I leaned in and kissed him on the cheek before getting out of his car. "See you tomorrow," I said, giving him a meaningful look that seemed to jolt him with electricity.
I hurriedly entered the house, leaning against the gate as I closed it.
"Oh, look at you, Ms. Miranda! So lucky!" a familiar voice exclaimed, causing me to startle.
"Oh gosh!" I exclaimed, recognizing Alice's mischievous face.
"You always appear out of nowhere," I complained, feigning annoyance.
She tilted her head, her eyes twinkling mischievously. This girl seemed to have a knack for teasing me, but she soon broke into a wide smile.
"I told you that you couldn't resist. You're so predictable," she said, sounding pleased with herself.
"And how did you know this would happen?" I asked, genuinely curious.
She shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, I comforted both you and Master Logan. I should be getting double pay from you! Being the bridge between you two isn't easy, you know?" she said, leaving me in awe of her frankness.
"Alice, you betrayed me!" I exclaimed, pretending to be hurt. But she simply gave me a stern look, which soon turned into a mischievous smile.
"Oh, you're both so dramatic, and you love to bicker! It's better that way. You should just flirt with each other rather than having misunderstandings. That way, everyone's happy," she declared, speaking her mind. When did this girl become so straightforward?
We entered the house, and Kyla was already there. The two of them had planned to sleep over, and as usual, no boys were allowed for now. Even though Kyla was gay, she still had a woman's heart, so she was in.
"What? Are you back to 'servant' mode?" Kyla teased as soon as she saw me.
The two of them were in my room, watching a movie on my laptop.
"I'm done with my service," I replied, a hint of satisfaction in my voice.
"Huh? But you were supposed to help Master Logan for two more weeks," Kyla reminded me.
I shook my head. "My service is already complete, and I am free from any work commitment with him," I clarified.
Alice chimed in, sounding disappointed. "So, you won't have your weekend moments with Master Logan anymore? What's that? I thought the battle was on," she lamented.
I chuckled. "No, even though I no longer have a job at the mansion, I'm still invited there every weekend. Thanks to your big mouth, you mentioned to him that I don't know how to ride a bike. So, he will personally train me starting today," I revealed.
Both Alice and Kyla exchanged excited glances before bursting into screams. They were both a little crazy, but that was why I loved them.
Alice dramatically stood up and pretended to place a crown on my head. "You now have the Four Diamonds! Clap! Who are you? Why is our friend so beautiful? This was not part of the plan!" We all laughed at their silliness.
"My advice to you is to be cautious. Even though Master Logan seems perfect now, never let your guard down. Let's be as safe as possible from any inevitable pain," Kyla advised, her words filled with wisdom.
As I accepted my feelings for him, I also acknowledged that complications might arise. It was important not to set my expectations too high, as not meeting them could lead to disappointment and heartache.
The next day, Logan picked me up again. I couldn't escape my mom's scrutinizing gaze, especially after Logan personally picked me up yesterday and now arrived with flowers.
"Wow, what will Mom think when she sees the bouquet of flowers you gave me?" I teased him as we drove.
He chuckled. "It's even better that way. At least she knows we're interested in each other," he replied unabashedly. This guy never held back with his words.
"Whatever," I said, trying to brush off the situation.
I also noticed that we weren't heading to the mansion today. "Wait, aren't we going the wrong way?" I asked, puzzled.
"You caught that. I've arranged a little swimming session for us. We're going a bit earlier, but your friends will join us later," he explained.
"You mean, we're going to the waterfalls today?" I exclaimed with excitement.
"Yeah, that place is memorable to me because that's where I first met you, even though it wasn't the best encounter. I want to replace that memory with better ones," he revealed.
I agreed with his idea, and the journey wasn't too far.
When we arrived, I realized he wasn't joking about the preparations. He had brought baskets filled with food, fruits, and everything we needed for our swimming outing.
As I looked at Logan, I couldn't help but notice that he was only wearing swimming trunks. He looked incredibly attractive, with his chiseled abs and a hint of body hair. His beard added to his appeal, and his overall physique was simply perfect.
He wasted no time and splashed into the water, while I was still mesmerized by the sight of him.
But I didn't want to be left behind. I quickly stripped off my clothes and dove into the water, making sure to stay in the shallow area for now.
"Why are you staying in the shallow area?" he called out, swimming towards me.
I shook my head, water dripping from my hair. "I'll stay here," I replied.
"Just stay here. I promise nothing bad will happen to you," he reassured me, as he scooped me up and carried me to the deeper part of the water.
With him by my side, I felt safe and unafraid. We swam together in the deeper section, feeling refreshed and joyful. And in an unexpected moment, while underwater, he pulled me into an embrace and kissed me passionately. It was a slow, tender, and magical kiss that fulfilled my dreams.
I eagerly kissed him back, and he guided me, our tongues dancing in a rhythmic harmony. It wasn't my first kiss, but it made me feel like it was, with the intensity of his touch and the depth of his emotions.
When we resurfaced, both of us were smiling, our eyes locked with an unspoken understanding. I was falling in love with this man, and I couldn't have been happier.