Prelude FOURTwo drunk men staggered along the beach, singing drunkenly while one of them waved a bottle of gin in his hand. After a while, he lifted the bottle to his mouth and drank, only to be disappointed when he realized it was empty.He said something to his companion, and they both laughed. The man then tossed the useless bottle onto the sand, and they continued their unsteady walk.After a few moments, one of them stopped and pointed towards the water, close to where the waves were crashing onto the sand. He let go of his friend's shoulder and waded in to retrieve whatever was floating there, pulling it towards the shore. It was a large sack tied with a rope, and something was inside.They struggled to untie the rope. From inside, something round began to emerge from the sack's opening.Suddenly, both men sobered up and started shouting, for there on the sand lay the head of a lifeless woman. Her long hair spread out on the sand, played with by the waves as if wanting to pull h
EliseThe next day, I arrived early at the office.Work hadn't started yet, but some people had stopped by to check on me. I was supposed to have fallen down my apartment stairs and gotten injured as an excuse for my leave. Janet, my secretary, told me that so far, she hadn't felt that anyone at the office knew about the revelation in Tagaytay regarding the Schultzes. I had already told her about it so not to keep her in the dark, given how closely she worked with me. This way, she could also try to look out for me and see what everyone was saying about whatever gossip found its way to work.Of course, I didn't mention the development between Gian and me. No one outside our families needed to know about that. Or at least, not yet.It made sense that no one here still knew about the formal breakup between Brandon and me. These employees weren't connected to people who would hear the news. Their concern and curiosity were the reasons they checked on me in my office, especially those old
“Can I join you?”I looked up from my Cosmo drink to the man standing next to me. It took me just a second to perk up from where I sat at the bar. Even in the dim light, I could se“CAN I join you?”I looked up from my Cosmo drink to the man standing next to me. It took me just a second to see him, and I perked up from where I sat at the bar.Even in the dim light, I could see that he was tall and extraordinarily handsome.He carried the black Levi’s jacket, the white shirt inside in a pair of jeans exceptionally well—hot.He was near enough for me to know I liked his smell—manly and expensive.Most of all, he’s got the sexiest smile of anyone I saw here tonight.But it was his voice, low-key, vibrating, and yet clear against the low hum of conversation around us—the timbre of a man’s voice after sex—that clinched it for me.There was soft music playing in the background to boost the intimate ambience, as it’s meant to, since this joint was supposedly one of the hottest places to hook
“ELISE?”I was almost asleep and was surprised by the voice that called my name. I knew he’d called several times before I realized it wasn’t a dream, and my head snapped up.I hurriedly spun my chair to face the tall man who was striding to my office and I stood up.Then I blushed as I swayed a little at the abrupt movement.Good thing I recovered before he actually appeared at the connecting door from his office to mine, and his head was bowed, busy with something he was doing.“Gian! Yes? I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you. Right away,” I said.But when my eyes focused on my boss—or my mentor—I almost swayed again.I was already holding the back of my swivel chair for support.I found myself gripping it harder.My office was sleek and modern in its black, gray, and silver theme. It was pretty sleek, with choices of drapes and other furniture in shades of color serving as accents to the sophisticated look. I was proud that I chose most of the additional decor.But tonight, Giancarlo’s suav
“YOU look great, Elise. New dress?”I sighed. He had to go there.Really.“Your mother sent this to my house to wear for the party tonight, so I’m wearing it,” I said, cinching his mother to him. It was Madam Soniah who chose this dress for me and I was so grateful when I saw it. I couldn’t choose something this sexy, elegant, and classy. I grew up in the province and was raised by provincial parents. I still have yet to learn about sophistication.When I opened the big pink box that arrived last night and saw the beautiful dress for the first time, I knew I was wearing it no matter what. It was a knee-length cocktail dress, with slits on both sides up to the middle of my thighs. The neckline on the front was conservative so there was no cleavage to expose, but it was backless without being too obvious when you were looking at the front or the side. It was cleverly designed to make it this way, and I wasn’t going to turn my back on him to help him see it. Not if I could help it, espe
I FIRST met Brandon at one of Gian’s cousins’ parties. He made it obvious he liked me from the very beginning. He made sure he was at every other party I would be at since that first meeting, would stay next to me, and wouldn’t go away as much as was possible. As I’d said, Gian was generally tolerant of him. In my book, that meant he was okay.Handsome, smart, and charming, he tickled my heart. He got my phone number, and we started chatting even when we were not together in my free time.We started dating, and he was very gentlemanly. He was smart and we could talk for hours. I was never bored when we were together. He was boyfriend material. My mom already advised me that I could start dating, but to make sure I do it properly and not rush things or be impulsive like the rest of the young people had, she’d said. She reminded me I and Anna were raised better than that.Yes, we were not allowed to date when still in school. Yes, even when I was in college. Finishing college firs
I FOLLOWED Gian out of the offices towards the elevator banks, and due to the argument, we were both quiet. No one else was there, so the clacking sound of the heels of my stilettos as I walked across the floor echoed between us. It somehow made me feel as if I was being castigated for daring to disobey Gian about the dress. We didn’t exchange words until we’d reached the end of that hallway, where the discreet and private elevator for family members and VIPs was located. It was also what a current date would use to visit him in the office. And boy, she could still feel the trauma of what happened when his last ex came to visit him.Or, more like, she managed to sneak in through the guards to get up here.I’d secretly nicknamed Gian’s ex-dates. I called them Ex’d, for ‘ex’ and ‘date,’ because he’d never ever gone past dating since I started working here. In fact, no one could tell me if he’d ever had a girlfriend aside from that first and last one when he was still at school. Th
I WAS shocked at first. I had never seen him that angry with me or anyone else. In the back of my mind, I still wondered what he’d said to Shiela to make her look truly sickly and pitiful, even to me, after everything she had shouted at me out there. But then I got very angry because I wasn’t the one who sneaked through professional security guards to get to someone who didn’t want to see me anymore. I had to admit to the woman’s ingenuity. But she was still bat-crazy. Who the hell would do what she just did if not a crazy person?And then he tells me it was my fault?“It’s my job to filter your guests when you are busy with something important,” I explained, but I was already scowling back at him.“Your job isn’t to let anyone speak to you like that! You should have called me!”“But Gian—”“If you ever do that again, you’ll go back to your parents. You can’t cut it here!”I was shocked. Okay, so I was also a personal friend. I should have expected his anger. But I didn’t expect
EliseThe next day, I arrived early at the office.Work hadn't started yet, but some people had stopped by to check on me. I was supposed to have fallen down my apartment stairs and gotten injured as an excuse for my leave. Janet, my secretary, told me that so far, she hadn't felt that anyone at the office knew about the revelation in Tagaytay regarding the Schultzes. I had already told her about it so not to keep her in the dark, given how closely she worked with me. This way, she could also try to look out for me and see what everyone was saying about whatever gossip found its way to work.Of course, I didn't mention the development between Gian and me. No one outside our families needed to know about that. Or at least, not yet.It made sense that no one here still knew about the formal breakup between Brandon and me. These employees weren't connected to people who would hear the news. Their concern and curiosity were the reasons they checked on me in my office, especially those old
Prelude FOURTwo drunk men staggered along the beach, singing drunkenly while one of them waved a bottle of gin in his hand. After a while, he lifted the bottle to his mouth and drank, only to be disappointed when he realized it was empty.He said something to his companion, and they both laughed. The man then tossed the useless bottle onto the sand, and they continued their unsteady walk.After a few moments, one of them stopped and pointed towards the water, close to where the waves were crashing onto the sand. He let go of his friend's shoulder and waded in to retrieve whatever was floating there, pulling it towards the shore. It was a large sack tied with a rope, and something was inside.They struggled to untie the rope. From inside, something round began to emerge from the sack's opening.Suddenly, both men sobered up and started shouting, for there on the sand lay the head of a lifeless woman. Her long hair spread out on the sand, played with by the waves as if wanting to pull h
Elise“For real? My God, Elise! Poor Tootsie! What kind of heartless person would do that to a poor dog?” exclaimed Alia on the other end of the line, shocked and on the verge of tears. I had called her first thing when I woke up in the morning.I sighed, massaging my forehead. “I don’t know. Anna was the first to find her, so she’s been crying nonstop. She even needed to take a tranq to calm down and rest.”“What about you, and Inay and Itay?”“We’re still in shock. But Tootsie has already been buried in the garden.” I realized tears were streaming down my face. I had been so worried about Anna that my own grief over what happened to our pet was just catching up with me now. “Alia…?” I said, wiping my tears. “Is it okay if we… if we have a pet there at our house?”“You’re thinking exactly what I’m thinking!” she exclaimed.I smiled. “I want to take one of the puppies once they’re stronger. I want to help take care of Tootsie’s remaining puppies.”“Please, pretty please?! I want to he
EliseI RECOVERED my senses as he showered sweet kisses over my face. I started to hear the waves again, and his hand that had worked wonders was arranging my clothes over me as if he had not wreaked havoc on the body that those covered.My heart was still beating very fast, and my mind was still stunned.“Welcome to the world of adults,” he whispered with our lips barely touching.My reply was to lift my chin to give him a passionately grateful kiss.It took a moment more before I could move. We laid in the sand in a tight embrace, and I moved my head. He looked down at me.“How do you feel?”I couldn’t help but smile. I felt so languid like I was warm liquid. I felt like I was dreaming but I knew I was not. “I feel wonderful.”“That’s great. I hope you don’t get mad at me…”I was still smiling like an idiot. “Why?”“It’s just that when we fell…? I landed on your rose.”I stared at him for a moment before my mind caught up. “What?!” I pushed him away so we could sit up. “Where?” I cr
EliseI PUSHED AWAY from him to get up, but I heard him grunt, and then I realized that my elbows were sticking to his ribs. “Oh!” I adjusted my position. “Sorry.” And I started to get up again.But his arms tightened around me. He looked winded, but he was smiling. My heart pounded as warmth spread somewhere in the vicinity of my lower abdomen. “Gian…”“You do know that all that stupid play was to get you exactly where you are right now? Minus this small accident.”I laughed. “Really? You didn’t plan to bump into my head?”He sighed. “I know… I should have just kissed you the moment Anna left,” he said, then reached up and pulled me by the nape of my neck so our lips met.I responded to him right away. As soon as he felt my response, he groaned and kissed me deeper. His mouth opened, and the next moment I tasted the sweetness of the chocolate we had shared in our heated kiss.I felt warmth permeating my body. His arms released me but his mouth didn’t. He worked his jacket off, kissin
EliseI GOT UP before Anna completely lost it. She was covering her entire face with her hands, feeling incredibly embarrassed that Gian heard what she said. She was also extremely thrilled.“It’s Valentine’s Day, so I brought flowers for two single, beautiful ladies I know are here. Here’s for you, Anna.”Anna quickly extended her right hand to take the flowers and chocolates, while still covering half her face with the other hand. “Thank you, Gian. Happy Valentine’s Day! Eeeeh!”Still screeching the longest screech ever, she turned and ran back to the beach house.Gian and I laughed while watching her, and Tootsie, who momentarily didn't know whether to follow or stay, eventually ran after her. Tootsie was, for all intents and purposes, really Anna’s dog.Then Gian turned to me. An awkward moment passed as he seemed unsure of what to say.“I thought you didn’t do Valentine’s?”He handed me a box with a long-stemmed rose and a ribbon-tied chocolate bar. “I don’t want you to be lonely
EliseAFTER A BURP and a sigh, I settled back in my chair, smiling. We had dinner on the balcony of the beach house that evening, at a long table filled with our favorite recipes cooked by Itay Jess. I was surrounded by soft conversation and laughter, and the atmosphere was relaxed. The smell of barbecue from the grill lingered in the air. The soft music of 2Cellos played from the speakers by the side of the house. The best part, though, was the steady white noise of waves lapping on the beach. I planned to get out there to walk or swim tonight, so I was wearing a bikini under my top and shorts.Right now, I felt so lazy.And happy.And without a care in the world.I heard the sound of a chair being pulled and looked up. Inay was standing up with the help of Itay Jess, who pulled her chair away from the table.“Look, guys. We need to scram.”Anna was all smiles. “Enjoy!”“Whe
Prelude IV“AYYY… wait, wait. Let’s stop. Stop…” The overweight woman stepped aside from the jogging trail in the woods and leaned against a tree. She wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her right hand before fanning herself. “Haaaay. Whose bright idea was it to come here? Why did I get dragged into this again?”Her jogging companion, a woman who had run ahead on the trail, jogged back with a grin. “Because you have a crush who only dates sexy women? C’mon, Betty. We’re almost done. Then you can have breakfast.”“Breakfast? My tongue’s already hanging out, Lorna. I don’t know if I can make it out!” Betty wailed, almost in tears.Lorna reached out and grabbed Betty's arm, trying to pull her along. But Betty was heavy, and Lorna momentarily lost her balance, bracing herself against the tree trunk. The two of them laughed.“You thought I was light, huh?” teased Betty.Lorna was about to respond but suddenly stopped. She crinkled her nose. “Why does it smell so bad? Like so
EliseMorning came when I woke up. I wasn't surprised to find that Gian was no longer beside me, but I grabbed the pillow where his head had rested and hugged it.He had stayed until almost morning. Before he left, he whispered that he needed to get up and go back to his room before his mother checked on me. I remember his touch on my cheek before I fell asleep again.As I slowly awakened, memories of the previous night started to come back. My drunkenness... the things I said...I opened my eyes, gazing at the rotating ceiling fan above the bed. Did I tell him I liked him? It felt like I did, but the details were hazy. Did I mean it in a simple way or something more?I slowly got up, feeling the ache in my entire body. I needed my medicine. My head throbbed, and I craved a cup of coffee. I needed a hot shower.I had to be ready when I face Gian again. And only because I couldn't hide fr