Hawk himself felt too many butterflies in his stomach while looking at Simione. She was beautiful as always, standing there in front of him with her mouth parting slightly and eyes that reminded him of trees in bright summer. With his hands that had gone sweaty despite the cold breeze that surrounded them, Hawk pulled something from his pocket. A blue box that he had waited for so many days to give to her.

Going through each day wondering where she is, what she was doing, and whether she’ll come and give him company for a while again made Hawk grow impatient and doubtful. Those were the days when he had made Lucas go insane and all his employees left wondering what made Hawk’s Monsanto’s temperament go that bad.

​​

“This is for you,” Hawk managed to let the words out of his mouth after a few seconds of struggle. For some reason, he knew he blushed and thanks to his tanned skin and complexion, it didn’t go that obvious in his face unlike that of Simione’s. Simione had a pearl-like skin, very smooth and white that a single blush can never hide from it. While his eyes still fixed into her, he opened the box and inside it was something that got Simione lost for words.

It was the mariposa verde. 

The beautiful piece of jewelry glittered in front of Simione’s eyes with so much elegance and beauty the girl knew was worth more than millions. When she first saw it in the store, she knew right away it wasn’t ordinary and she wondered why then Hawk Monsanto would ever give a random stranger, who just danced like a stripper a few hours ago such jewelry of value. 

However, because so was surprised and drawn to it, she lost all the strength to protest at Hawk’s gift. She was not even able to move, nor say a single word when Hawk took the jewelry out of the box and wear it in Simione’s neck. 

“Beautiful,” Hawk was amazed at how perfect the piece was in Simione’s neck. Since the chain was thin, you can’t barely notice it until it was worn around the girl’s neck. Since Simione had an ivory skin, the thin chain of the piece was lost into it. However because it was made of fine gold, it shone ever beautifully in the girl’s neck like her skin was filled with fine glitters.

Simione’s brain couldn’t process what was happening and all she was able to do right then was touch the jewelry that hung in her neck. She felt the piece in her hand, signifying that she wasn’t dreaming and that this was all true. She looked down on her breast and saw the butterfly pendant filled with rubies and her heart just fell in love, either with Hawk or the mariposa verde in her neck.

“Do you like it?” Hawk whispered in her ears as his two hands settled from her neck to her bare shoulder and felt all the warmth he had for her. Simione couldn’t understand what she was feeling then as she never had a chance to be familiar with all the things that went on to her. Or probably she had just long forgotten them. She closed her eyes for a moment, inhaling everything in before she answered him.

“Yes,” She replied as if her heart weren’t fluttering endlessly. She turned to meet his eyes that only drowned her into a dream. A dream that says he was hers although she knew very well he wasn’t. Couldn’t take it all in, Simione who was bombarded with rising hopes and complicated feelings tiptoed to give Hawk a kiss. The only salvation she had for her raging feelings.

Hawk didn’t expect that sudden kiss and although he had tasted her lips for many times already, it always felt different every time. Like her insides were made of so many flavors and he got to taste each of it every single kiss. It was so sudden and sweet, and yet he enjoyed her lead. If this was his kind of reward for giving her the mariposa verde..Oh God! He’ll go and buy her even more!

Simione’s lips in his mouth got Hawk very hungry and in just seconds, he had wrapped one of  his hands on her head, pressing her in and the other at her back, supporting her. Her kisses then were so sincere, like a million loving thoughts condensed into a moment that Hawk ended up hoping she’ll stay and become his. However, he knew she was something that cannot be contained. Something that no man, not even him, the great Hawk Monsanto, ever deserved. So right then he was enjoying the moment while it lasted because he knew he’ll have to crave and dream for her for the rest of the days ahead.

When the kiss broke, they were both breathless. Simione’s face reddened at such an intense passion and she bit her lips shamefully. Seeing it made Hawk want to kiss her even more but he chose not to because right then he was afraid he might not have the strength to make her leave.

“Thank you,” Simione wanted to return the gift as she knew she didn’t deserve it but her inner self didn’t allow her to. Instead she ended up saying her thanks for such a valuable piece. “I like it very much,”

“I know,” Hawk smiled and although confused with his answer, Simione didn’t ask anymore. 

Soon they left the bay completely and the moment they emerged on the main road, a car stopped in front of them. It wasn’t one of Hawk’s cars and so he knew it came for the girl.

“Thank you for tonight,” Simione bid the M Conglomerate’s president a farewell. The night they spent together was so beautiful and splendid that the girl knew she’ll have a hard time forgetting it. All the more ignored that it happened.

“When will I see you again?” Hawk someone felt a bit of panic knowing that she might not appear in his life anymore. She’s a woman who left without traces and so he wanted some assurance that she’ll come back.

“I will see you again,” Simione assured him, “This will not be the last time Hawk Monsanto,”

“I’ll look forward to that,” Hawk hoped and without waiting for anything, he grabbed Simione’s hips, pressed her to him and landed a warm kiss on her head. “Goodbye mi amore, don’t make me wait for long,”

Simione just smiled and eased himself out of Hawk’s grab. She went into the car and left Hawk without looking back. At the car, she held a very deep sigh and cursed herself for being such a stupid fool. How could she let herself enjoy Hawk’s company, all the more allowed herself to succumb into the feeling that went on to her while she was with him.

“Foolish Simione,” She chided her own self, “How very foolish of you,”

****

The moment Simione appeared in the door, Lucy’s heart leaped with thorough excitement. She had asked the driver to bring Simione back to the hotel where she was waiting for her all night. She had dismissed herself from Walter Wong’s presence to make him enjoy the night with his friends because she was very aware that her presence then only killed the men’s fun.

“Omigod Sisi!” Lucy dragged her immediately to the sofa to check for any signs that would give her a glimpse of what took place between her and Hawk Monsanto. Although she had asked someone to spy on them, she instructed them very carefully not to come near and ruin the forbidden lover’s moment.

Lucy’s eyes went from Simione’s shoulder to her neck and when she saw the thing hanging in her friend’s neck, her soul kind of went away with her shock!

“Sh*t Sisi,” Lucy gasped dreadfully, “This is the mariposa verde,”

Lucy couldn’t believe her eyes. It was a recent hot topic amongst the elite how Hawk Monsanto almost destroyed the Verde Jewelries Incorporated just so he can have the piece. Everyone of course suspected it was for Feather as it was the same day that the ballerina’s social media accounts posted the fact that she and Hawk had gone jewelry shopping.

“I know,” Simione answered, her voice shaking when she saw how Lucy got bewildered at it. “Please don’t tell me there is a huge story about this piece,”

“Nothing actually apart from Hawk making business chaos just to get this piece,” Lucy played innocently at her words, “My God Simione! This is huge! Hawk was so into you already!…oh wait….oh noh Sisi….he must be in love… he must have been in love with you already!”

Lucy’s blabber got Simione’s inside twitched. A huge amount of guilt went into her. If it’s true that the M Conglomerate’s president was already in love with her, will his heart not shatter into pieces once he knew what she was after?

“I don’t think that’s the case Lucy,” Simione refused to believe it.