SAM POV
I woke up suddenly, gasping as I sat straight up in bed. My heart raced, my skin damp with sweat, and my head filled with swirling thoughts and images. It was a dream, but not just any dream. It was a clear and unsettling replay of something that happened a month ago.
"I dreamt about that night again," I whispered to the empty room, my voice trembling. The memory of that night felt recent, like it happened yesterday. The secret looks, the soft words, the gentle touches, and the deep kisses. It was a foolish night, where I dropped my guard and surrendered to the charm of a man I hardly knew. A man named Tristan.
I thought it was a one-time thing, a brief moment of weakness. I thought I could forget it, move forward, and carry on with my life. But fate had different ideas. The man I tried to forget was now my boss's partner. The man I thought I'd never see again was back in my life.
"I thought he was going back to Manila," I said out loud, my voice full of disbelief and confusion. "Why did he come back here? Is this some sort of mean joke?" The questions kept coming, but I couldn't find any answers. Fate was indeed playing a mean game, and I was the unwilling player.
I gently slapped my cheek, trying to shake off my swirling thoughts. I had to pull myself together, to come up with a plan for when I inevitably saw him. I couldn't let my emotions get in the way of my work, of my commitment to my job.
As I sat on the edge of my bed, thinking about what to do next, I understood that I had to face the situation directly. But inside, I knew I couldn't avoid it. Sooner or later, I'd have to talk to him, but how? How could I meet his gaze and act like everything was okay, when the memory of our secret encounter still lingered in my mind?
Cursing to myself, I pulled at the stubborn corner of the bedsheet, wishing it would just cooperate as I tried to smooth out the wrinkles. Saturday mornings were supposed to be a break from the chaos of the workweek, a chance to sleep in and be lazy. But not today. Today, I found myself in a struggle with this stubborn sheet, getting more and more frustrated with each passing moment.
The loud knocks on the door pulled me out of my frustration, the sound slicing through the air sharply. With a sigh of defeat, I gave up trying to fix the bedsheet and went to the door.
As I opened it, seeing my grandmother at the door brought a little comfort to my tense nerves. Her calm presence always eased me, even on the toughest days.
"Grandchild, aren't you going out yet?" she asked, her voice soft and concerned.
I gave her a faint smile, trying to hide the chaos inside me. "I'll be done soon, grandma," I promised, pointing to the messy bed. "Just tidying up this blanket."
She nodded, her eyes showing kindness as she looked around the room. "Okay, hurry," she said softly. "Oh, by the way, Kent is waiting outside. He mentioned you have plans."
Hearing Alex's name confused me. Plans? When did he mention that? I tried to remember any discussions or arrangements, but couldn't recall any. Recent events had consumed my thoughts, leaving me oblivious to everything else.
"Kent is here?" I repeated, puzzled. "I didn't know we had any plans."
"He seemed pretty insistent," she said casually. "Said it was urgent."
Urgent? The word lingered, stirring my curiosity. What could be so pressing that Alex had to find me on a Saturday morning, without warning?
I looked around the room, my thoughts spinning with countless possibilities. Was it about work? Or maybe something personal? The uncertainty nagged at me, making me even more curious and eager to find out.
With a firm nod, I faced my grandmother again. "Okay, I'll go find out," I said, trying to sound resolute. "Thanks for telling me, grandma."
She smiled kindly, her eyes shining with love. "Sure, honey," she said, her voice filled with motherly comfort. "Just remember, no matter what it is, you've got this."
As my grandmother shut the door, leaving me to think about Kent's surprise visit and the strange messages on my phone, I felt a mix of excitement and worry. Quickly picking up my phone, I turned it on, my fingers shaking a bit as I unlocked it to see a bunch of notifications.
Five messages awaited me, each one a puzzle piece in the mystery that had taken over my morning. My heart raced as I read through them, feeling both puzzled and intrigued.
The first message, simple and friendly, surprised me with its unexpected familiarity. "Morning! Did you eat breakfast?" it said, making me feel a strange warmth. But the fact that it came from an unknown number left me feeling uneasy. Who was this person, and why were they reaching out to me?
The second message, though, was even more confusing. "Want to grab breakfast today? On me, Baby." My thoughts raced with questions as I wondered about the sender's motives. Who was this, and why were they suddenly offering to buy me breakfast?
The word "baby" made me uneasy. It felt too familiar, too forward. Who was this, and why were they using such a term? I couldn't shake the feeling of discomfort growing inside me.
And then, I read the final message, my heart jumping in my chest.
"Maybe another time, okay? Just take care, Baby. Love you."
Love you?
The mention of "Love" sent my mind spinning. What did it mean? Who was this, and why were they saying they loved me? It felt like a cruel joke, Who was this sender, and what did those three words mean? Were they for me, or had they been sent to the wrong person by mistake?
I scolded my heart for its erratic beating, for letting this stranger stir up emotions. I couldn't get caught up in their game, let their words get to me.  
The mystery of the unknown sender bothered me as I stand there, looking at my phone screen with both frustration and curiosity. How did they get my number? And why did they decide to send me such intimate messages?
Is this one of those new scams? Scammers are everywhere, always coming up with new tricks to fool people. They'll do anything, even play with people's emotions, to get what they want. But they picked the wrong person this time. They thought I'd be dumb enough to believe it.
Taking a deep breath, I started typing with doubt and anger. "Who are you?" I asked, not believing it. "And how did you get my number? I'm not falling for any tricks, so stop it. And if you're going to deceive someone at least have the decency to use tactics that aren't so blatantly obvious. Only a fool would believe this nonsense. Got it? Fuck you, whoever you are!"
After I pressed the text, a grin appeared on my face. Then I blocked the number. They thought they could fool me, but they're the ones who got fooled. It's early, but my day was already ruined. I thought today would be fine. No work, no meetings, and calls, but why is this the first thing I encounter? Is there nothing good going to happen today?