Several hours BEFORE the incident of kissing a stranger…


  "Liam, your father called to remind you about your lunch meeting today. He said you should not miss it or else he won't eat the whole week." Jorge, Liam's assistant, relayed as soon as he was inside Liam's office.

  Jorge grinned seeing the sudden distressed look of Liam. "I'm just a mere messenger," Jorge whimpered as Liam gave him a sharp look. He immediately bid his leave and ran out of his office. He was with Atty. Liam Sy since the day he was born. He practically grew up at Sy's household with the benevolence of Senior Levi Sy, Liam's father. He was not only the assistant of Liam but was a little more than that, much like his older brother so Liam insisted that he call him by name even if they were in the company. Liam felt awkward being called Sir or Boss by him.

  Liam scrunched up his face and heaved a frustrated sigh as he looked at the door where Jorge left. His father was now even pestering Jorge to remind him for those stupid meetings.

  His father had set up another blind date for him. Lately, he was being mean, blackmailing Liam with his health, to force him not to ditch every blind date he was arranging.

  "What?!" Liam hissed at his friend Daryl who was grinning mischievously, sitting opposite him. They were having tea in his office while discussing various cases.

  "Bro… Relax. Why are you so annoyed? You should appreciate your father's efforts to make you a man!" Daryl teased and hurriedly stood up from the couch to run out of Liam's office. One more minute's delay and he would surely have received a good beating from his friend.

  Liam irritatingly brushed his already messed up hair. He hated all this… Going on blind dates and meeting women with their thick make-up laden faces, prim and proper acts then asking him a lot of personal things.

  'Irritating!'

  He looked at his wrist watch and grieved with defeat.?At first he ignored his father's rant about him settling down already. But his father suddenly thought of blackmailing him using his health as the bait just to force him to entertain the candidates he had selected for becoming his daughter-in-law.

  He insisted that Liam should at least meet them and he might find someone to his liking among them. It was more like the saying, collect and collect then select.

  'Women…' he impatiently mused. He, unlike many men, was not fond of interacting with women at all. He did not trust them because according to him women were all vicious and vile. His belief was that all women simply wanted to use men by leaning on them and reap all benefits from them.

  After checking out a few case files, Liam stepped out of his office to go to meet his today's blind date. He saw a small commotion as he passed by the HR department, some of the lawyers stood there and were loudly discussing something.

  He turned his head a little and asked Jorge, who was walking behind him, "What's going on?"

  Jorge smiled and excitedly exclaimed, "It's about the incoming interns… The HR already finalized the pick and they had chosen a lot of pretty newcomers this time."

  Liam's face cringed as he whispered, "Look at those losers, excited like predators when actually they would end up being the prey…"

  Jorge shook his head then he coughed and cleared his throat before commenting, "Well not all women are that bad Liam… Geez. How can you get a perfect mate if you are always this pessimistic about women? You have to move on Liam. Not all women are like……"

  Liam paused and turned around to give Jorge a glare… a gesture for him to stop…


  Jorge stopped talking and just ended up with a frustrated sigh. He and Senior Sy would soon go crazy because of Liam's temperament against women. To be honest, it was because of the rumor that the Sy's only heir might actually liked men was the reason why Senior Sy was this desperate for Liam to settle down soon. He could not accept the fact that the lineage of Sy would be cut down to Liam.

  Senior Sy actually had two children, Liam and Miley. But Senior Sy wanted Liam to have a wife and continue his lineage with the Sy surname.

  "Good morning Atty. Sy." Liam was startled when Atty. Cha, one of the newly hired lawyers in their firm, greeted him in the hallway as they walked towards the elevator. What startled him was not her greeting but the paperbag she was trying to hand him.

  "What is this?" He snapped, not accepting the paper bag from her hands.

  "I just want to show my admiration to you and express my liking for you." Liam heard the woman whisper. "I like you…"

  Liam's ears reddened with anger as he looked around. Good thing no one was around except for Jorge.

  Jorge, who witnessed that could not believe how brave and bold the woman was for a newcomer. But hats off to her, to pull a brave confession as this in front of the devil himself……

  "If you keep liking me… Then I will have no choice but to remove you from my firm." Liam plainly cautioned with a cold stare at Atty. Cha before he entered the elevator.

  Jorge followed Liam inside the elevator and shook his head as he looked at Atty. Cha who dropped her jaw and stood like a statue where she was.

  "Bro… Seriously? Firing her because she likes you? Gosh it's a loss again and we have to pay for another penalty because it's against the labor code." Jorge cried because it was not the first time Liam had fired an employee who bravely confessed her feelings about liking him.

  "I don't understand you guys. You should have briefed all women you are about to hire regarding this matter because I don't want an embarrassing moment like this again." Liam complained.

  Jorge's face twisted as he sarcastically countered, "What? Do you want the HR to say it beforehand like -Hey you, make sure not to like and confess your feelings to our CEO, because you will lose your job- Seriously Liam?"

  "Why not? Better brief the HR about it Jorge if it bothers you to see all this happening all over again." Liam plainly answered. Jorge no longer said a word

  As they reached the parking lot, Liam turned at him and said, "Give me the keys…"

  Jorge shook his head and said, "No… Your father will kill me. I have to drive you at the meeting place myself."

  Liam laughed and scorned, "Jorge… I will not run away anywhere and hide, alright? I will go and meet her. Remember… Dad will starve? I'm not that heartless Jorge!"

  Jorge grinned and muttered, "You are heartless bro. I'm surprised you're not aware of it. Anyway, be nice to your date Liam. women have feelings too even though you hate them…"

  "Such a feminist…" Liam mumbled with his blank face. And Jorge only shrugged his shoulders then threw the keys towards him. "Here…"

  Jorge watched Liam get inside the car. He stood there staring at the car which moved smoothly and left. He wondered how many more dates Liam would have to attend and how many more women would curse at him.

  Women were so lovely and delicate, he didn't know why Liam's thick walls were still barring him to look at women differently. He was hoping Liam could meet his match soon. Someone who could bring his heart back from the deep abyss he had thrown it into.

  "Liam Sy, you are a heartless lawyer indeed." Jorge murmured before going back inside the Sy Law Firm building.