Chapter 31

Finally, I lay in my bed and stared at the ceiling. Mamoru and I were now history. There was no more Mamoru and Bunny, never again. I nostalgically thought about all the beautiful moments we had experienced in our four years together. Mamoru. He would surely be a good father.

Now, only Diamond remained, and I had to clarify things with him, which would be much more difficult than originally anticipated. His last visit still weighed heavily on me. I kept asking myself the same question: Why couldn't I let go of him? Why did he evoke such feelings in me that made me forget everything else?

I pulled the covers over my head and tried to find sleep, but my thoughts continued to circle incessantly. Saphir remained dangerous, Haruka was always near me, even if I didn't always notice her directly. On the way back from the restaurant, I was certain I caught a glimpse of her from the corner of my eye. And Seiya – was he back in our apartment by now? Did it feel as empty to him without me? Hours passed, and my thoughts simply wouldn't rest. New questions and considerations kept shooting through my mind. It was almost midnight by now, and I made myself a hot milk with honey and snuggled up on the sofa.

At some point, it seemed that I had fallen asleep because I woke up the next morning on the sofa. My decision was firm: I had to confront Diamond at last.

Please let me know when you're in Tokyo. We need to talk.

I got ready calmly and made my way to the office. Hotaru was already at her desk next to mine, sorting through the folders for the day. Over time, my responsibilities had changed a bit. Sato introduced me to several clients and increasingly entrusted me with conversations and negotiations. I still felt exhausted as I slumped into my chair.

"Good morning. Is he here already?" I asked Hotaru, who nodded eagerly. "Yes, I'm supposed to send you to him as soon as you arrive. But be warned, his mood isn't the best."

That was often the case when complications arose. I took a big sip of my café au lait. Well, let the battle begin. I knocked loudly on his door and waited until he grumbled irritably, "Come in."

"Good morning, Mr. Sato. Hotaru said you wanted to speak with me," I began, and he gestured to the chair opposite him. His expression was grim. Had I done something wrong? I quickly ran through my actions of the past week, but nothing negative came to mind. I had signed exclusive contracts with two artists, so only we could sell their works. Thanks to Hotaru, the inventory was completely sorted and relisted, and the catalogs had been revised. I couldn't think of any reason why he should be angry.

Sato massaged his temples tensely as I innocently took a seat in front of him.

"Sometimes I really wonder who you're working for, Ms. Tsukino," he began, looking intensely at me.

"Of course, I'm working for you. Why would you think I'm working for someone else?" Sato furrowed his brow thoughtfully.

"If it weren't for the family being such good customers... Well, I'll make it short: You will fly to Davao for business for 2 days."

Please, what? Davao? Where was that supposed to be? And why wasn't he going himself? I had never traveled for business before. Then I paused for a moment – the family... he could only mean one. I struggled to maintain my composure.

"Um... and when? I don't quite understand. You always attended the international appointments yourself."

"Prince Junior insisted on having you as a consultant. Your flight is in 3 hours. Is the intern ready to take over your tasks?" My boss was slightly annoyed.

He loved the international appointments, but Diamond must have promised him a considerable sum to be able to take me with him... Then I caught my breath. There had been a mix-up like this before. Sato hadn't mentioned which of the two brothers it was. What if it was Saphir...

"Um... Mr. Sato... sorry to ask, but which of the Prince brothers am I going to accompany?" Sato rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Diamond. He called earlier saying he wants to fly you in today. It must be urgent." I felt relieved, but that feeling didn't last long. He was clearly overstepping his boundaries again. It was so typical of him. Don't get worked up, it wouldn't change anything. Where was Davao anyway? Before leaving the office, I gave Hotaru some instructions on what she needed to take care of in the next few days. On the way home, I did a quick search. Davao was located in the Philippines. Of course, a art dealer or an art dealer's assistant was needed there... No wonder Sato was so annoyed. At least he didn't kick me out immediately. Call Diamond.

"Are you already on the plane?" he asked directly after the first ring. "No. What's this about? We've already discussed this. Work is work and private is private. Why should I go to the Philippines now?" "Just pack your things and stop questioning everything. Massaru is waiting outside your apartment, and the jet is ready. See you later."

He hung up. Why wasn't I surprised? Ahh... he was driving me crazy! In fact, I recognized the car from afar. Once upstairs, I took out my small pink suitcase. It should be enough for two days. I threw in some change of clothes – mainly dresses, since the Philippines would be warm – and as a precaution, a bikini. Then I went back downstairs.

As usual, Massaru held the car door open for me and nodded politely. He was never a man of many words. I forced myself to give him a smile and got in.

Even though I would have loved to strangle Diamond again, there was something deep inside me that was excited. I had never been to the Philippines, and I would finally have the opportunity to discuss everything with him calmly. Perhaps even finally detach myself from Diamond... At least we would have two days to have an intense conversation about it.

So, about 5 hours later, I landed in Davao. The temperatures here were much warmer than in Japan. Diamond, of course, didn't miss the chance to pick me up from the airport. I was still angry, and I wanted to show him that. Although I knew the effect my anger had on him, I glared at him. "Usagi, how lovely that you could make it," he said with exaggerated politeness and kissed me on the cheek. Breathe, breathe, and let him live, I kept telling myself.

"Diamond, as if I had much of a choice when my boss sends me on a business trip," I growled at him. A mischievous grin spread across his face. "Be glad it's the Philippines. It would be much colder in Canada or Greenland." I abruptly stopped. "What the hell, Diamond?" He kept walking towards the car and opened the door for me. "Get in. I'll tell you everything once we're there."

So, here we go again. He was treating me like his property, one of his artworks, that he could dispose of however he wanted. He could forget about that!

"No. Before I set foot in that car, I want to know what's going on!" I shouted at him. He left the car door open and took two big strides towards me. His dark eyes had once again captivated me. "Get in the car, now," he growled.

His tone allowed no room for objections, and my knees grew weak. I knew I could trust Diamond, that he would never harm me, and yet he seemed threatening, without triggering a deeper fear within me. Reluctantly, I started moving and got into the silver convertible. It was the first time Diamond himself was behind the wheel. With crossed arms, I glared angrily at him while he shifted into first gear and calmly drove off. Once again, he had gotten his way.

"Relax, Usagi," he said after a while. "I will, as soon as I know what's going on," I grumbled back. Diamond rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Haruka is out of town for a few days, Saphir is still missing, and since I have appointments here that I can't reschedule, it's safest for you to stay close to me." "Why do you just decide things like that? You can talk to me about these things, and making decisions without consulting me is clearly the wrong approach. I've told you that before!"

Of course, I could somewhat understand him. He was concerned about my safety, but his constant solo actions were getting on my nerves.

He pulled up in front of a small villa near the beach. My mouth dropped open. It looked like a dream, like paradise. I had never been to such a enchanting place before.

"Welcome to my retreat," he said with an inviting gesture.

For him, the subject seemed to be closed, but he had another thing coming. I also got out of the car and followed him. "Diamond, stop, I'm talking to you, damn it! The subject is not over yet!" I called after him.

He turned on his heel in the grand reception hall. As far as I could tell, we were alone. There it was again, his predatory gaze. He approached me with slow steps. I reminded myself to keep my senses together and took a few steps backward until I felt the wall behind me. With his arms, he closed in on me, there was no escape.

"Stop being so stubborn! Just once, do what you're told."

"You'd like that, wouldn't you!" I retorted angrily and stuck my tongue out at him.

"Usagi, I'm not doing this for fun or to annoy you! When will that finally sink into your stubborn head?" he said.

We gazed deeply into each other's eyes, and the tension between us grew stronger. It was almost unbearable. I could feel his warm breath on my neck and gently inhale his intoxicating scent, all while never taking my eyes off him. The little addict inside me crawled out of its corner, jubilant and grinning, taking control.

Time seemed to stand still for a moment before he grabbed me. Within seconds, I found myself sitting on his lap, his hard erection pressing against my thigh, and his lips demanding an intense kiss as he carried me through the house and pushed open a door. Then he roughly threw me onto the bed and impatiently pulled down my pants. He was charged up, and I could feel it—all his frustration being unleashed on me. Foreplay was a foreign concept to him tonight. Within seconds, he had already discarded his pants and plunged into me.

Sex was his outlet for releasing stress and anger. The more stressed or angry he was, the more exhilarating the sex became. I could hardly move, just lie there and gasp for air. Diamond seemed to be in a similar state, panting beside me. I turned my head to him. He appeared noticeably more relaxed now. I hated that I was usually naked or semi-naked during these conversations with him, but since I was able to gather my thoughts again, I had to bring it up now. I gently ran my hand along his upper arm to get his attention. He opened one eye and looked at me.

"What?" he asked curtly.

"I... I've been trying to tell you something for a while now... Um... well, it's like this..."

"Usagi, stop stuttering and say what you need to say."

I swallowed. Now or never. "I have decided to be in a monogamous relationship with Seiya."

There, it was out. Diamond propped himself up on his forearms and furrowed his eyebrows before putting on his poker face. What was going on inside him? What would I give to peek into his mind just once?

He stood up, pulled aside the curtain, and opened a patio door. His white shirt loosely hung off his shoulders, the buttons torn off in the heat of the moment. Other than that, he wore nothing. I remained motionless for a moment before getting up and following him. He stood in front of a pool, gazing at the horizon. I gently placed my hands on his hips and nestled up against him from behind.

"Fine. Once you're back, I will distance myself from you. But Haruka will keep an eye on you."

I froze. Once again, he surprised me with his reaction. I had expected much more resistance. His hands clenched into light fists, but otherwise, he appeared composed. "Fine," I murmured. I had grown accustomed to Haruka by now. She would occasionally show up here and there but hardly spoke to me. I rested my forehead against his shoulder blade and pulled him even closer.

"So, these are our last days together," I whispered, grateful that he couldn't see my face because the tears were welling up inside me again. I didn't want him to run away again. With a sudden spin, he grabbed me and jumped into the pool together. When the cold water touched me, I involuntarily flinched, and then he pressed me against the edge of the pool.

"Then we'll enjoy them to the fullest," he whispered seductively in my ear. Fireworks exploded in my stomach. I couldn't even respond to him because I was already lost in an intense kiss.

Oh, Diamond, what are you doing to me?