Cerise POV
Tahimik ang gabi. Parang pati mga bituin ay nakisama sa plano ko. Ngayon ang ika-10 anibersaryo namin ni Whrix, at wala kaming ibang kasama si Aurelian ay hiniram muna nina mama at papa na kakarating lang mula abroad dahil gusto nila itong mayakap magmula noong malaman nila kung ano ang nangyari kay Aurelian. 
Mula kasi noong araw na iyon ay hindi agad naka uwi sila Mama at Papa. Pati na rin sila Tita-Mama at Tito-Papa dahil na rin sa busy sila sa kanilang bagong business. Sinabi ko naman na huwag na masyadong mag alala pa at baka makasama lang sa kanila. Ngayon ay nag bobonding silang tatlo. Sila tita-mama at tito-papa naman ay sa susunod na linggo na raw nila hihiramin si Aurelian. 
Kaya ngayon, kaming dalawa muna ni Whrix ang mag kasama sa loob ng dalawang linggo. Umayon naman ang mga magulang namin dahil gusto nila mag spend kami ng oras sa isa't isa. 
Maingat kong inayos ang mesa sa gitna ng sala namin. May puting mantel, dalawang plato, wine glasses, at isang maliit na kandilang nakapatong sa gitna. May mga petals ng rosas na ikinalat ko sa mesa at sa sahig, parang eksena sa pelikula. Hinanda ko na rin ang mga kakainin naming steak at pasta na aming isa sa paborito. Hinanda ko na ang wine at isinalin sa wine glass. 
Nang makarinig ako ng susi sa pinto, mabilis akong tumayo at kinuha ang remote ng speaker. Pinindot ko ang play, at tumunog ang mabagal at malambing na musika iyong kanta na tinugtog noong unang sayaw namin bilang mag-asawa. 
Pumasok si Whrix, hawak pa ang coat niya, at parang natulala nang makita ang setup.
“Cerise…Love.” mababa at halos bulong ang boses niya. “Ano ’to?”
Lumapit ako sa kanya, ngumiti at ikinawit ang mga braso sa kaniyang batok. “Happy 10th anniversary, mahal.” aniko atsaka siya hinalikan sa pisngi at pari sa labi na nagtagal ng ilang segundo. 
Kitang-kita ko sa mga mata niya ang pagkamangha. Nilapag niya ang coat sa sofa at marahan akong niyakap, mahigpit, parang ayaw na akong bitawan.
“Hindi mo alam kung gaano ako kaswerte,” bulong niya sa tenga ko.
“Alam ko,” biro ko, sabay tawa. Pero totoo pareho kaming maswerte.
Umupo kami at kumain habang nagkukuwentuhan. Walang cellphone sa mesa, walang saglit na naiiba ang tingin namin mula sa isa’t isa. Lahat ng tawanan, lahat ng tingin, parang bumabalik kami sa panahong bago pa kami maging magulang noong kami lang dalawa sa mundo.
Pagkatapos ng hapunan, tumayo ako at hinila siya mula sa upuan. “Dance with me?”
Tumawa siya ng mahina. “Here? Wala naman tayong dance floor.”
“This is enough,” sagot ko, inilagay ang kamay ko sa balikat niya habang ang isa niyang kamay ay marahang humawak sa bewang ko.
Sumabay kami sa mabagal na tugtog, halos magkadikit ang noo namin. This is our moment. 
“Alam mo ba,” sabi niya, “sa lahat ng laban na pinagdaanan natin, ikaw pa rin ang pipiliin ko. Kahit sampung beses pa tayong magsimula ulit.”
Naramdaman kong namuo ang luha sa mga mata ko. “Ganun din ako, Whrix. Hindi ko maipaliwanag kung gaano ako nagpapasalamat na ikaw ang kasama ko sa buhay. Kayo ni Aurelian. I am so happy God gave the both you to me. You are my strength, Whrix. " 
Humigpit ang hawak niya sa akin. “At ikaw ang tahanan ko, Cerise.”
Tahimik kaming sumayaw, maririnig lang ang tibok ng puso namin at ang tunog ng musika. Minsan, nagkakatitigan kami na para bang walang ibang tao sa mundo.
“Thank you,” bulong ko. “For being the best husband and the best father.”
Ngumiti siya at hinalikan ako sa noo. “And thank you… for being my everything.”
He kissed my temple and seconds passed, his kisses trailed down to my cheeks, brushing so softly it felt like every breath he gave me carried a piece of his love. His lips found their way to my ear, warm and teasing, his voice low as he whispered my name like it was something sacred.
“Cerise…” The way he said it was different heavier, almost trembling.
I closed my eyes, my breath catching when I felt his hand at my waist, pulling me closer until there was no space left between us. The faint music from the sala still played in the background, but all I could hear was the thud of my own heartbeat and the steady rhythm of his breathing.
"Fuck! I still can't get enough for you."
His lips going up into my ear and nibbled it. I release a soft whimper when he bit my lower ear. 
My lips curved into a shy smile, but my chest tightened. “I still fall for you every day.”
He chuckled softly, the sound vibrating against me. His fingers brushed my jaw, tilting my face so he could see me fully. Then, without breaking eye contact, he kissed me, slow at first, tasting, memorizing, like he had all the time in the world. I could feel him smiling in the kiss, but it deepened quickly, and I found my hands curling against the fabric of his shirt, wanting him closer.
We swayed gently at first, still in the middle of the room, as if dancing again without realizing it. His hands roamed, one cradling the back of my neck, the other sliding to my lower back, and my knees nearly gave in.
The candlelight flickered, casting gold over his face, and for a moment, I simply stared. 
“Whrix…” I whispered, almost like a plea.
He took it as an invitation, his kisses drifting to my neck, slow, deliberate, sending shivers down my spine. I clutched his shoulders, breathing him in.
Somewhere between his laughter and my soft gasps, we stumbled toward the hallway. He didn’t rush every step felt intentional, every touch lingering. My back met the wall gently, and he leaned in, one hand braced beside my head, the other tracing the side of my arm in a way that made my whole body hum.
“Do you have any idea,” he said between kisses, “how much I love you?”
“Yes…” My voice was shaky. “But… maybe you should show me again.”
His eyes darkened not in anger, but in that unspoken passion I knew so well. He kissed me again, harder this time, and I felt my resolve melt completely.
We made our way to our room, the air between us thick with warmth and want. The moment we stepped inside, he shut the door softly, like sealing us away from the rest of the world.
The bed was waiting, but neither of us seemed in a hurry to get there. He took his time, brushing my hair back, tracing his fingers down my arm until he reached my hand, intertwining our fingers.
When he finally led me to the bed, it wasn’t rushed it was reverent. He sat first, pulling me gently toward him, and I found myself straddling his lap, my hands cupping his face.
I kissed him again, tasting the sincerity in his words. His hands roamed over my back, my waist, memorizing me like he hadn’t already memorized me a thousand times before.
The rest of the night blurred into warmth, whispers, and the kind of closeness that only came from years of loving, losing, and finding each other again.
Every kiss was deeper, every touch surer, but there was still that same tenderness from our first nights together. His words, his laughter, the way he murmured “I love you” like it was the only sentence that mattered all of it wrapped around me until the rest of the world disappeared.
His fingers tightened on my waist, and I could feel the quiet strength in his touch. The room was dim, the only light coming from the candles, making his eyes look deeper, darker.
“I love you.” he whispered against my lips, his tone deeper, more commanding now.
“I love you too. ” I replied, and that seemed to undo him completely.
In one swift motion, he lifted me effortlessly, my legs instinctively wrapping around him. My back met the wall again, but this time his body pinned me there, his lips finding my neck with a heat that made me gasp. His teeth grazed my skin just enough to make me hold my breath, and his chuckle was low, knowing.
“Sensitive…” he teased, his breath hot against my ear.
I bit my lip. Pinipigilan maglabas ng ingay dahil sa ginagawa ngayon ni Whrix sa sistema ko. 
His eyes locked on mine, something possessive flickering there. “God." 
He carried me to the bed, every step deliberate, like he wanted me to feel just how much control he had over the moment. When he laid me down, he didn’t follow immediately he stood there for a second, looking at me like he was memorizing every detail.
The air felt heavier, electric.
“Love." he murmured, his voice dark and slow. “I still want to ruin you in the best way.”
My breath caught, my heart pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears. “Then… ruin me.”
That was all it took. He leaned over me, his hands caging me in, his mouth claiming mine with a heat that made my head spin. His kisses weren’t just on my lips anymore they trailed down, tasting every inch of skin like he had a right to it, like he owned it.
Every touch was intentional, every movement slow but with an edge of danger, like he was holding back something wilder. His words between kisses made my chest tighten confessions, praises, possessive promises.
“You’re so beautiful…”
“No one will ever have you but me." 
I didn't answer. I only nodded .Wala nang mailabas na salita mula sa bibig ko dahil langong lango na ako ang sistema ko sa mga dampi ng kamay at labi ni Whrix. 
" Answer me, Love. I need answer." 
"Y-yes, love. Yes. " .
His lips lingered at the edge of my jaw, the warmth of his breath making my pulse quicken. My hands slid up his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart under my palms steady, but fast enough that I knew I wasn’t the only one losing composure.
“Whrix…” I breathed, and it sounded more like a plea than his name.
He pulled back just enough to meet my eyes. “You have no idea how much I missed you like this.”
Something in his gaze was unrelenting, almost devouring. My stomach flipped when his hand cupped my face, thumb brushing my lower lip as if he was deciding whether to kiss me or make me wait.
I whispered, “Then don’t stop.”
That was all the permission he needed. His mouth crashed onto mine again, deeper this time, his hand slipping to the back of my neck to keep me close. The kiss was demanding, pulling every breath from me until I had no choice but to melt into him.
He broke away just to trail kisses down my throat, each one slower, firmer, like he wanted to leave invisible marks only we knew about.
“You still taste the same,” he murmured against my skin, “like home.”
My heart clenched, my breath hitching. “And you still feel like… everything.”
His lips curved into a smirk against my collarbone. “Careful, Cerise. You say things like that and I might not let you rest tonight.”
The teasing spark in his tone made heat rush to my cheeks. “Maybe I don’t want to rest.”
His answering growl was low and dangerous the kind of sound that promised he’d take those words seriously. In one smooth motion, he leaned down and pressed me fully into the mattress, his body heavy but protective, his weight a reminder that I was safe here, even in the wildness of his love.
When his fingers intertwined with mine, pinning my hands gently above my head, I gasped softly. “Whrix…”
“Shh,” he murmured, lips brushing my ear. “Just feel.”
And I did. Every slow press of his body against mine, every kiss that deepened until I forgot where I ended and he began. The world outside didn’t exist it was only us, our breaths mixing, hearts pounding in sync and releasing a sounds that only us can hear. 
He shifted, his free hand tracing the curve of my waist, my hip, down my thigh. It was reverent, but the way he looked at me made it feel like something far more consuming.
“Still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” he said, his voice low and rough.
I smiled faintly, the words hitting deeper than I expected. “Even after everything?”
“Especially after everything.”
That tenderness mixed with the fire in his gaze broke something in me. My own hands pulled him closer, urging him on, my body answering him without words. His kisses turned more urgent, our breaths ragged now, and soon I was lost in the rhythm we’d always had familiar, yet intense as if it was the first time again.
There was teasing in between his lips hovering just inches from mine, making me chase the kiss, his smirk growing every time I whispered his name like a secret.
"Ah, Wrix..." 
The heat between us built until neither of us could think, only feel the mix of soft moans, whispered endearments, and the sound of our hearts racing.
The moment stretched on, the lines between tenderness and hunger blurring until they were one. His hands never left me, always anchored, always sure, and every time I thought he’d slow down, he surprised me by pulling me even deeper into him.
By the time the pace eased, the air was thick with warmth and the kind of silence that wasn’t empty but full full of love, of history, of the unspoken truth that after ten years, our passion hadn’t faded it had only grown stronger.
We lay tangled together, my head resting on his chest, his fingers lazily tracing patterns on my back. His breathing was still uneven, his lips occasionally pressing against my hair.
“Still with me, Mrs. Fuentrevello?” he murmured, the smile in his voice obvious.
I chuckled softly, eyes closing. “Always. You can’t get rid of me.”
“Good,” he said, his tone softening. “Because I’d spend another years lifetimes finding you.”
The sincerity in his voice made my chest ache in the best way. I tilted my head up to kiss him one last time, slow and lingering, like sealing a promise.
“Happy anniversary, Whrix,” I whispered.
He kissed my forehead, his arms tightening around me. “Happy anniversary, Cerise… my forever.”
And as the candlelight flickered in the quiet room, I realized that no matter how wild or gentle our nights were, every moment was just another way of saying I love you and that was all we’d ever need.