Kinaumagahan…Nagising na lamang si Oliver na mag-isa sa kanyang silid. Ruella was gone and the space she occupied had turned cold. Hindi nya maramdaman ang init na dala niya. Napailing siya at napabalikwas sa pagkakahiga then he snatched his mobile phone above his night stand."6 am palang ah, bakit tumayo na kaagad siya?" Saad nito sa sarili habang marahang naglakad palabas ng kanyang silid, hoping to see her around ngunit he was dismayed. Wala siya sa kusina o sa living room. Pagtingin nya pa ay wala na din ang kanyang mga gamit. Napabuntong hininga na lamang siya at nagsalita."Ruella, ano ba talaga ang dapat kong gawin para manatili ka sa tabi ko? Palage nalang ba tayong ganito?"Maya-maya pa ay tumunog na ang kanyang telepono. Sa pag-aakalang si Ruella ang tumawag, tumatakbo pa siya pabalik sa kanyang kwarto ngunit nang makita ang caller ID, he was displeased. It was Sofia's number displayed on his flickering screen. Gustuhin man niyang i-ignore ito, tiniis niya na lamang sa ka
OLYMPUS Office "I heard that you got her?" Tommy asked casually while walking into Ruella's office. "I'm glad you're back!" Ngumiti na saad ng dalaga. "Why don't you take a seat? I'll get you a cup of coffee." "Namiss ko talaga yan, Rue." Marahang sagot ng binata habang papaupo sa office couch. Ngumiti lang ang dalaga habang pumanhik sa kanyang pantry. Makalipas ang ilang segundo, she's back with a steaming cup of brewed coffee then carefully laid it on the table just right across from him. Naupo na rin sya upang makipag-usap sa binata. "So tell me..." she began habang marahan nitong inilapat ang likod sa kanyang upuan. "How did it go?" Napalunok ng marahan ang binata dahil hindi niya alam kong dapat niya ba banggitin sa dalaga ang bagay tungkol sa naging lakad niya. Ngunit sa kabilang banda, ayaw nito dagdagan pa ang guilt na nararamdaman kaya naman napag-isip isip niya na sabihin ito sa kanya. "Rue, the woman with me the other night..." Nagsisimula pa lamang siya magpaliwana
Oliver shut his eyes in despair then he whispered, grinding his teeth. "Emman, go and bring her back right now." But the latter shook his head in refusal. "Uh-uh! I'm not gonna ran after her, dude. Besides, hindi mo ba siya narinig? May date siya with pretty boy Tommy. I don't want to destroy their plan of being together." "Damn it!" Oliver cursed under his breath and said. "Kaya nga kailangan mo siya pigilan. I don't want here to be with that bastard! Not again when I nearly have everything turned back on track!" Emman arched his brow, asking. "Nagseselos ka ba?" "Ano ba sa tingin mo, ha?" Sagot nito. "I need to talk to her. I need to explain something to her." "Okay. Susubukan ko siyang pigilan for you." Emman said, running out of Sofia's room but before that, he waved goodbye to her. "Sofia, I forgot I still have something to do at home. I gotta go. Get well soon." "Huh?" Sofia sounds dumbfounded, but nevertheless, she gave out a nod. "O-okay." At nagmamadali na siyang umalis.
Her answer is so simple and Emman finds it quite convincing and satisfying therefore he didn't ask for more. He just sighed and went. "Living a life far from who you are must be very difficult for you, wasn't it?" "I was actually enjoying it," she chuckled as she went. "But there were things that I'm too naive to understand. And before I could take them, everything was crashing down on me. The simple world I tried to build was gone so here I am, back to who I really am..." Tumango lamang si Emman habang nakikinig. The way he looked at her, was full of admiration as he didn't expect her to say these words to him. It was rare for them to talk in a serious mode since the moment she went back as a new person. "It never occurred to me that my father was right all along. I never believed him, you know. I was too innocent and ignorant to think that the outside world was full of nice stuff..." she continued. "It was such a horrible yet life-changing journey for me and I learned a lot from i
Habang nagtatalo ang dalawa sa kabilang ward, si Tommy at Sofia naman ay nagkasundo."Miss Castillo, hindi na ako magpapaligoy-ligoy pa. I know you know why I'm here..." he began."Unfortunately, hindi ko talaga alam ang pakay mo sa pagbisita dito, Mr. Torres. Akala ko nakaramdam ka lang ng malasakit sa kapwa mo that's why you're here..." Ang tono ng pananalita nito ay animo'y sarcastic but Tommy ignored it and went on."Ruella is my woman. Kung ano man ang pinaplano mo about her, you better think it over otherwise you will lose him..." he threatened her ngunit tumawa lamang ang dalaga na para bang balewala lang sa kanya ang sinabi nito."I lost him already kaya naman wala na akong dapat pang ikatakot! And you know what?" she paused to take a deep breath then she went on. "He's going to be with her. And we can't do anything about it.""That's why I'm here. I want you to give your best and I'll help you. Huwag mo siya pakawalan. Don't let them be together." Tommy said, sounding despera
"Sierra, will you just keep your mouth shut?!" Tommy couldn't help hissing out loud. "Leave us!" "Huh!" Sierra scoffed, rolling her eyes. "I'm not going to leave. We have something to discuss." Then her cold eyes darted towards her silent sister. "Ruella, you probably know that this day will come right? I shared the same blood and flesh with you but..." "Sister, just half of your flesh and blood, if I remind you..." Ruella muttered sarcastically. "And I don't like to share what's yours so don't overthink." With that, she tilted sideways and added, "If nothing else. I want to excuse myself." Pagkatapos nito magsalita ay tumalikod na ang dalaga leaving the two alone. Instead of going directly inside the mansion, she checked on Andrea in the backyard. Pagktapat pa lamang nito sa pinto ay narinig na nito ang boses na nagmamakaawa. "Please, pakawalan ninyo ako... Parang awa n'yo na..." She rolled her eyes as she opened the iron door. There she saw her former best friend stinking and
Ruella hastily walked towards her car when the man she'd caught sight of earlier ran after her. "Miss Ventura, please wait!" He called her out from behind. She halted in her tracks and turned around. "You look familiar. Tell me, have we met before?" She asked. "Yes. Remember the maternity boutique?" he said, casting out a gentle smile. "Oh," she gasped after a quick recollection of her memory. "So you are that person. Funny how the world turns out small, isn't it? Sorry if you see me like this..." "Not actually. I'm here because your father called me. I heard that you need someone to work with but before we talk about that, let me drive you to your destination..." The man suggested politely, however, Ruella shook her head in refusal. "I'm sorry but I can't let anyone drive me. I want to be alone for now," "I promise not to talk if that would make you feel better..." the man insisted. "Hindi talaga pwede. Pasensya ka na." She said as she opened the door of the driver's seat but
"Rise and shine, Beautiful..." Pagmulat ng mga mata ni Ruella, isang boses ng lalaki ang kanyang narinig mula sa hindi kalayuan.Napalunok siya at biglang naalarma ng makita na wala siya sa pamilyar na lugar. Lalo pa siyang nataranta ng makita niya ang maskuladong lalaki. Wala itong pang-itaas habang nakatingin sa kanya mula sa may pintuan.Bumalikwas siya ng bangon at nagtanong. "Where am I?" "In my place..." Joseph said striding in. "Nakatulog ka kagabi sa puntod ng mother mo that's why I took you here."She looked down at herself. She noticed that she was wearing a new set of blue pajamas. Her eyes widened. "You! Did you..." She swallowed as her words halted when he chuckled."Relax..." Joseph said, "It wasn't me who changed your clothes but my nanny, however, I don't have a woman's clothes here so I hope you don't mind if I let you just wear mine..."She fell silent as she didn't know what to say. Hindi niya inaasahan na magkakaroon ulit siya ng utang na loob sa lalaking ito la