Take My Breath Away

Ruby looked around vigilantly, afraid that someone was hiding around a corner or in the bushes. Some paparazzo trying to get a good candid shot of Debbie.

"Decker, I can't. I'm all tapped out and hurting for cash," Debbie snapped, turning down her brother's request. It wasn't an excuse. She'd already spent a ton of money on the detectives, and she was closing in on the limits of her expense account. She'd even withdrawn the money saved in her fixed deposit account.

Decker wasn't angry. He dragged the woman standing behind him forward. "We're getting married soon. I could use some cash to start my new life, you know? You're my sis, after all."

'Getting married?' Debbie was shocked. She sized the girl up. She'd barely reached twenty, but she sure dressed like an adult. Debbie suppressed the shock in her heart and asked the girl, "You sure about him? He's a parasite. You want to marry a man who lives off his sister?"

Angered by her remarks, Decker stepped in between them and glared at Debbie. "Hey! I resent that! What are you trying to do, anyway?"

Ignoring him, Debbie kept her eyes on the young girl, awaiting her answer. The girl had already retreated behind him. She leaned out and replied, "He treats me well. I want to marry him." Her tone was timid, halting, hushed. Debbie could tell she was afraid of offending him.

Debbie didn't expect a stupid answer like that. It seemed rehearsed, almost.

A smug smile crept across Decker's face. "You heard her! Now, the money!"

"Fine. I'll give you fifty thousand dollars. But you'll have to get a job first, to support this fine young lady. No job, no money." She couldn't bear to see her brother just doing nothing like that. If he didn't find a good job, his future would be bleak.

Debbie was done talking, so she turned on her heel and started walking back to her car.

Decker wanted to run up to her and stop Debbie in her tracks. He wanted the money now. But Ruby got in his way. "You know your sister know Tae Kwon Do, right? She could beat you to a pulp if she wanted. She hasn't done that so far, because you're her brother. Don't push it."

Reminded of Debbie's top-notch martial arts, Decker immediately chickened out. He shouted all sorts of insults as he watched, helpless, as the car drove away. He kicked his leg in the direction of the leaving

Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex.

To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him.

"As long as I'm alive, I'm still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses."

She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women.

Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few years later, to his astonishment.

quit her career and stay at home to be a good wife and a kind mother.

Carlos patted her hand. "You're tired. You should go to bed," he advised.

But she didn't take off. Instead, she sat on his lap, putting her face close to his. "I've been thinking. We've been together a while now... and we'll be engaged soon. So...how about we... have a kid first?"

She tried to beat around the bush to hint at him. But then she thought the direct approach might be better.

'A kid?' Carlos frowned. Myriad complicated feelings stirred in his heart. After a while, he simply pecked her lips and comforted, "No hurry. We're both busy. Wait until we're married."

Disappointed, Stephanie had no choice but to agree. "Okay." Then, she drew in closer and pressed her lips to his.

But in a split second, Carlos pushed her away. "Look, it's late. I need to reply to this email. Get some sleep, like I asked."

So she was frustrated again. Carlos never bugged her for sex. She was the one that had to get the ball rolling. But he turned her down every time.

There were times where she wondered if he were impotent. Now, she felt an urge to get it checked out at the hospital.

'What if he really can't get it up? What would I do?' she wondered worriedly.

In Z Country

Before Debbie could spend any time with her daughter, she was asked to shoot a public service announcement. Left with no choice, she gave Piggy to Ivan for a day.

"You're having dinner with a client, right? So you can drive Piggy back home before dinner," Debbie told Ivan worriedly.