“What do you mean? How did that happen?” takang tanong ni Zyrone sa kausap niyang abogado ng Tan Propeties Inc. o TPI. Ang kumpanya na may hawak sa lupa kung saan niya sana itatayo ang Aurum Tower, ang condo building na bagong business venture ng kanilang kumpanya. The Aurum Tower will be the start of their company’s expansion to land development business. And he himself is spearheading the project. That's why the project is important to him. “Mrs. Tan said that the reservation fees made by your company about a year ago on the property has now been forfeited. It was written on the agreement your representative signed when you made the reservation that properties must be fully paid within the next six months after the reservation fee is paid. And the reservation period has already ceased 3 months ago. But since we haven’t heard from you in a while, Mrs. Tan has decided to give the property to the next interested client,” malumanay na paliwang ng abogado sa kabilang linya. He called
“It’s been a while Eliseo,” Zyrone heard his father greeted the old man in front of them. They were sitting down on one of the tables that were under the big tent they were in. The make-shift stage for the program is just a few steps away from them. “Indeed, Richard. The last time I saw you was decades ago, during Wyatt’s wake. Your father was a good friend. Allow me to personally apologize for not coming during your mother’s wake. I had an accident that year, I was bound to a wheelchair,” paliwanag nito, seryoso. The old man went on to tell a story about how he and his grandfather used to go along as friends. Stories he’s not interested to listen to because he is annoyed. Erase that. He is pissed as hell! Kung hindi lang kasalanan, baka kanina pa niya nasuntok ang matanda. Bakit hindi? This is the man Belle is now living in with! The old man is Belle’s husband. He clutched his fists tighter when his chest constricted with the thought. How can Belle stand to have sex with the ol
“Belle, are you okay?” untag ni Eliseo kay Belle habang nasa hapag sila at naghahapunan. “W-what? Y-you were saying, Eli?” tarantang tanong niya sa lolo niya, pilit hinahamig ang sarili sa pagkatulala.“I said, I’ll be going home in Bulacan tomorrow. I might stay there for a week.” Eliseo studied her for a while before he heaved a deep sigh. “Are you thinking about my announcement again this morning?”Kumurap siya. She was thinking about that, yes. But she's thinking also about Zyrone and their little encounter inside the makeshift holding room.How her heart raced when he walked over to her. How his scent and presence instantly drowned her, making her weak. And how she finally gave him a nice slap in the face because of his insults.She had heard about the worst rumors about her for the past three years. She had lived with it. In fact, she didn’t care. But why does it hurt her so much when the insult came from Zyrone?Umaasa ba siya na somehow, hindi ito maniniwala sa mga tsismis t
“So, were you able to talk to her?” tanong ni Richard kay Zyrone. They were by the dining room and having breakfast. Last night he had to come to the mansion because his mother asked him too. He thought they will talk about something but it turned out, she and his father had another fight again. They had been like that for some time now—quarelling over big and petty things. And unlike before, his mother never backs down now to an arguments. In fact, she creates them most of the time, irking his father. Maybe that’s what working again did to his mom. His mother now owns a high-end clothing line catering to the elite class. And he must say, he likes this version of his mother now than before. Gone was the meek and always submissive Miranda Craig. She now speaks her mind especially when it’s against his father. Mas kinakampihan na rin siya nito ngayon kaysa sa Daddy niya. It seemed like his mother now lives and breathes to annoy his father. Kaya laging nag-aaway ang mga ito. How he wi
“What are you doing here?” kunot ang noong bungad ni Belle kay Zyrone. She swallowed hard as panic coursed through her. How in the bloody hell did Zyrone got inside their building? She instructed Maricel clearly, she won’t allow any communications from the Craigs reach to her! But then… She groaned inwardly when she realized her mistake. Si Maricel lang ang binigyan niya ng instruction and not the head of security in the building. She thought that blocking any form of communications with her would make Zyrone realize that she is not interested in talking to him by any means. For the last few days, she thought he already got the message. Maging si Maricel itinigil na rin ang pagre-report sa kanya tungkol sa pagtawag-tawag ni Zyrone sa opisina niya. That’s why she felt there’s no need to inform the security team about banning any of the Craigs in the building. She thought she had that all sorted out. Malay ba niyang pupuntahan siya nito mismo sa opisina niya! “I have been calling y
Belle cursed under her breath when she accidentally dropped her bag on the elevator's floor. Kusa niya iyong nabitiwan dahil sa dumulas iyon sa ngayon ay pawisan na niyang mga kamay. They had been stuck the lift for some time now kaya naman nagpapawis na siya.She knelt down on the floor annoyed. Isa-isa niyang pinulot ang mga gamit niyang nagkalat at gigil iyong muling isinuksok sa bag niya. Tumulong din si Zyrone.Ilang sandali pa nakita nito ang keyholder niya. He looked at it for a while before lifting his gaze at her. "Who's Lillie?" tanong nito.Kumurap siya, sandaling nag-isip. "M-my daugther," sabi niya bago marahang kinuha sa kamay nito ang gamit niya. He smiled, a poignant one. "How old is she?"Tumayo siya at muling bumalik sa puwesto niya, sa kabilang dingding ng lift, opposite Zyrone's. "S-she's two," alanganin niyang sagot. He doesn't need to know that Lillie is turning three in 3 months. Tumango-tango ito. Sandaling natahimik. "Just after..." bulong nito. Hindi siya
Wala sa sariling pinagmamasdan ni Belle ang mga nagkikislapang mga ilaw sa ‘di kalayuan. Mula sa penthouse niya, tanaw na tanaw niya ang halos kabuuan ng siyudad. Malapit nang maghatinggabi subalit masigla pa rin sa pagkislap ang mga ilaw—tila walang kapaguran.Hindi gaya niya, pagod, upos at nanghihina. She had been like that since Zyrone left her inside that lift. She needed a good minute or two to collect herself after their encounter. At nang makarating siya sa sasakyan niya, she just broke down and cry. She was so confused and hurt. Kung paano siya nakapag-drive pauwi nang nasa ganoong estado, hindi niya alam.She was so distraught. She never wanted to be near him. How much more to be stuck with him in the blasted elevator!Mabilis niyang dinala sa bibig niya ang baso ng alak na hawak niya. Gumuhit ang pait niyon sa lalamunan niya. But it was not enough to make her forget of the way Zyrone has affected her still.She was done with him. Zyrone was pain. And she should flee from hi
“How are you?” tanong ni Eliseo kay Belle. She turned to the car’s window and watched the road outside. It was Eliseo’s routine every day—to call her while she’s on the way to her office. Nasa Bulacan pa ito at talagang ine-enjoy ang pahinga nito. And she wants him to do so.In few weeks time, Eliseo will be turning 75. And she knew, her grandfather would eventually be too weak to oversee their company. Kaya naman talagang doble-kayod siya sa pagta-trabaho. Sa umaga, nasa PSC siya. Sa hapon naman, ang atensiyon niya nasa Prime Mall. She had a lot of things in her hands now. But that’s just how things should be.She’s now the Interim CEO of PSC. Things are different now. Kung noon, halos wala siyang ginagawa sa kompanya kundi ang mag-obserba o magbigay lang ng advice kay Eliseo, iba na ngayon. All things that needed decisions are directed to her.And she doesn’t want to miss anything that needed her attention in the company. Because only by making sure that everything is settled at w