"Clarence, I passed." Her smiles were unending. She couldn't believe she did it. After she arrived home, she called him in that instant.

"Congratulations! Good to hear that." He was facing the computer and a pile of documents was standing tall at the right side of the table.

"I'm not sure what to expect. They said the next rounds will be held somewhere. Do you know what will happen next?" The sensation of success and enthusiasm gnawed her curiosity and wished to know in advance on the specifics of the ongoing event.

"Honestly, this is also my first time to join the open competition but…I'll go straight to the nationals, so I really don't know much. My friends just told me this and that but not sure. Actually, it's not the same every year." He paused for a minute, a bit hesitant to tell her of the special privileges given to him. "Actually…I was chosen for the training camp but Mom insists I'll go through like the others. She also wants the two of us to face-off on the nationals."

"Great, Mommy Claire. Now I'm pressured," pouted Beauty. Her victorious countenance banished and replaced by a frown.

"Don't feel bad, I still love you when you lose to me. I also want to face you head on personally. Don't you wanna try competing with me? Just for fun." He closed the Word document he was encoding and let the wallpaper remained open, which was Beauty's smiling face.

Hearing him say she would lose to him challenged her. "Honestly… I also want to. I wanna try crushing the egoistic and two-time junior master chef champion, the great Clarence Peres. I will stop your winning streak. Haha." She said every word heavily with a slight mockery tone.

"Oooh, I'm terrified. If I'll win can I have a kiss?" He touched her lips on the wallpaper.

"I'll change my mind then."

"Whoa! No, no, please no. Let's do it for fun then." Her words tensed him and made him stiff. He didn't want any misunderstandings between them.

She was no longer excited. All her adrenaline dwindled after their talk. Beauty let her tired body fell on her soft bed, yawned and said with a dog-tired voice, "Gotta go, call me again later. Need to nap. I won't call you, no load, no money." She laid her head on the comfy pillow.

"Poor girl. But since I'm your boyfriend then I'll be lenient and kind to be your knight in shining armor and save you from such perilous situation. It would be my pleasure to call my precious and lovable Beauty," he kissed her lips on the wallpaper.

Beauty heard a smooching sound and found herself laughing with his corny words. Clarence got one of her weaknesses. She enjoyed listening to his jokes.

. . . . .

A day before the second round.

In an obscene disco pub, Cathy was walking wearing a sexy red dress showcasing her deep cleavage and legs with high heeled shoes. The men lustful stares focused on her as she passed by.

She went into an office at the corner where only a few people allowed to go in. A bearded guy wearing a skinny-fit shirt was sitting busy playing a game with his computer. Cathy remained standing but the guy ignored her making her uneasy. "Oh come on, Jack. Can you spare me a little of your time and put that game aside?"

"Huh? Look, who's here?" He was eyeing Cathy as he closed the game. "Haha… my, your dress is really eye-catching." His eyes focused on Cathy's deep cleavage full of lustful desire. "Since you've dressed up wickedly, surely, you came for a favor."

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"Do I need to wear like this to ask a favor?" She sat at the edge of the table enticing the guy more with her legs. However, the man didn't show interest.

"Oh? Then excuse me I'm busy." He shifted his body to start playing again.

She didn't expect him like this. This man had been inviting her for a date ever since they'd met. She said straightaway, "I admit. I have a request."

"Come here." Jack patted his lap as he spoke. "Disturbing me wasn't nice at all. Entertain me and I'll listen to your request."

Cathy placed a bulky brown envelope on the table. "I won't sit on your lap. Here's the entertainment you seek."

. . . . .

An hour passed, Cathy left the office with a cryptic smile. I need to do this. Clarence, you will be mine. She recalled her negotiation with Jack.

She placed a photo on the table, "Do as you wish with her but spare her life."

Jack observed the photo. "Nice, really nice. This girl is really pretty. Why do you wanna hurt her? What made you upset?"

"No need to ask, just do it. I pay, you work."

"What if I don't want this kind of payment?" His tongue licked his lips as he stared at her big boobs.

"..."

"Why are you so obsessed with that guy when I'm here waiting for you?" Jack spoke with a devious smile.

. . . . .

Clarence couldn't sleep that night so he called Beauty.

"Hi, can't sleep. Miss you." He leaned on his bed's headboard.

"Clarence, my clock said it's still 1 a.m. What's wrong with you?" She was dead tired after several days of practice cooking at home. She was still sleepy.

"Nothing, I can't sleep. Miss you a lot. I want to fly to Cebu earlier but they insisted I'll stay. Mom doesn't want me to disturb you during the trials. Ahh, so frustrating." His closed his eyes and his palm covered his forehead.

She yawned, "Sorry to hear that but thanks to Mommy Claire. She's right, if you're here I won't be able to concentrate."

He furrowed his brow, "So I'm a bother now?"

"Not exactly but it's more like...I can't focus. I miss you too, but let's bear with it for a while. I still have a week for the regionals."

"Yup, a week but seems a year for me. How can you bear not seeing me for that long?"

"I can still hear your voice and that's enough. I'm busy unlike you who goes straight to nationals. So please let me go to sleep. Tomorrow is the second round." She yawned again.

He heard her continuous yawns and felt like he really bothered her. "Never mind. Have a good sleep and win."

"Goodnight." Beauty hung up the phone and went back to dreamland.

Yet, Clarence was still uneasy because his mother told him that Cathy also passed. He had a premonition that something bad might happen. This nagging feeling wasn't new to him and his ignorance caused someone's life in danger. He dialed a number and a ringing tone resounded. After a while…

"Clarence, why did you call? It's past midnight. What's bothering you?" Clyde, still awake in his pajamas, was busy reading a document in his laptop while sitting on his bed. Claire was sleeping next to him.

"Dad, you really know me. I'm not sure but I have a bad feeling. Cathy might do something to Beauty. What happened at the resort seems related to her. Why would that guy attack Beauty? Remember Julie who was hospitalized two years ago?" He looked up at the ceiling.

The father stopped reading and put his reading glasses on the side table. "That girl Julie you worked with at school? Yeah, I remember."

"The whole evidence pointed to Cathy but 'twas not enough to send her to jail. I really felt sorry for Julie. I don't want Beauty to experience the same thing. Please help me, Dad." The frustration in his voice was very clear.

"That Cathy is really obsessed with you… okay, I got what you mean. I'll let Paul send some of his men to guard her. I also suggest you let go of Ronald. Instruct him to work with Paul's men to look after Beauty."

"What? You mean Ronald will accompany Beauty the whole time there?" he squeaked in helplessness. He stood up and paced around the room.

"Son, don't let jealousy muddle your brain and good judgment. If he is with her, we can be at ease. Remember, she doesn't know any of our men aside from Ronald and Paul. Trust him."

Clarence lightly thumped his forehead on the wall as he massaged the back of his neck feeling powerless, "I trust him, Dad. I just miss her so much. I really wish to be with her now. Why not let me go instead?"

"You still have a job. Be responsible."

Silence prevailed for a minute.

"I know… Thanks, Dad." He hit the wall with his fist in desperation.

"No problem." Clyde heard a striking sound but let him be. He understood what his son felt.

Ronald flew back to Cebu three hours after he received the call from Clarence.

Beauty was still sound asleep when Ronald's plane touched down the airport in Cebu.