C4 - Mr. Miller.

“Arianna, why don’t you rest first?” Si Bianca naman ang sunod na lumapit sa kanya makalipas ang ilang sandali. She even said exactly the same words as Dominic. 

“Hindi ako pagod,” sagot niya. Hindi naman talaga. Pero ang alam kasi ng mga ito, dumiretso siya ro’n galing airport. She did give them a wrong schedule of her arrival. Kaya hindi alam ng mga ito na dumating na siya kahapon pa. 

“I’m so sorry for what happened to Tito, Arianna,” sabi pa ni Bianca na ginagap ang mga palad niya. “We did our best. Pero hindi siya umabot sa ospital.” 

Anong sasabihin niya ro’n? Na hindi siya naniniwala na biglaan ang lahat? In any case, Arianna did not want to raise their suspicion.

Sasagot sana siya kay Bianca, pero naagaw ng bagong dating ang atensyon nilang dalawa. If her eyes weren’t playing tricks on her, the man who arrived was the man from the airport yesterday. He was wearing white long sleeves and black slacks, and of course, sunglasses. Even so, his simple attire did not hide his obvious well off status in life.

His presence alone screamed something domineering. Who was this man?

Nagmamadali na iniwan siya ni Bianca at sinalubong nito ang lalaki kasama si Dominic. 

Arianna was about to ignore them. Pero may importanteng bagay siyang naalala. The man had seen Maliah!

Dahil nag-alala siyang nakilala siya ng lalaki at mabanggit nito sa dalawa ang tungkol sa batang kasama niya, hindi na nag-iisip pang lumapit din siya. It wouldn’t be so weird if she did, surely, he was there to pay respect. At anak siya ni Samuel. Higit kanino man sa lahat ng nandoon, siya ang dapat tumatanggap ng pakikiramay.

“Arianna, you’re just in time.” Dominic held her hand. “Mr. Miller, this is Arianna. Mr. Lucero’s only daughter, and also my fiancee.”

Gusto niyang hilahin ang kamay mula sa pagkakahawak ni Dominic. Pero sa halip ay nagpilit siya ng ngiti, being introduced as his fiancee should be normal. They never announced otherwise either. 

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet Samuel’s daughter. Your father speaks so highly of you,” the man said in the most beautiful voice Arianna has ever heard. She was sure it was her first time to meet him. But why did he sound familiar? 

Inilahad nito ang kamay sa kanya habang inalis ng libre nitong kamay ang suot nitong sunglasses. 

“Pleasure is mine, Mr. Miller.” Bahagya niyang tiningnan ang palad nitong nakalahad. She was expecting a handshake, but she was surprised when he bent to kiss the back of her hand instead. And as he did so, their eyes met—

“Mr. Miller, you did not inform us that you’re coming today,” Bianca said, getting Mr. Miller’s attention. 

Samantalang siya ay pinilit na itago ang pagkasurpresa niya. The man’s eyes… They were blue! 

Kinalma niya ang sarili. Of course, hindi naman weird makakita ng blue eyes. It’s just that, well, Maliah’s were also blue.

“I’m not here for business, Ms. Palma.” 

“Mr. Miller is one of the company’s shareholders,” bulong sa kanya ni Dominic. 

She shrugged her shoulders at hinayaan na niya ang mga ito, pero hindi siya lumalayo. Natatakot pa rin siyang mabanggit nito ang anak niya.

She had reasons kung bakit ayaw niyang ipaalam ang tungkol kay Maliah kina Dominic at Bianca. Kapag nalaman nilang may anak siya, Dominic will have a reason to say that she was a cheater. Babaliktarin siya nito, sigurado siya. Syempre, sino ang maniniwala na hindi niya ito niloko kung nagkaroon siya ng anak na hindi ito ang ama? 

On the other hand, sinong maniniwala sa kanya kapag sinabi niyang cheater si Dominic kung wala siyang ebidensya?

But really, she only wanted to protect Maliah. Hangga’t hindi niya alam ang intensyon ng dalawa sa pananatili pa rin sa bahay nila, hindi siya magiging komportable na ipakita sa mga ito ang anak niya.

Oo at pwede niyang palayasin ang mga ito kung gugustuhin niya. But not yet. There had got to be a reason why despite their obvious fall out, they stayed. Especially Dominic. Sinong normal na kasintahan ang hindi gagawa ng paraan para alamin kung bakit siya biglang umalis? Yet Dominic did not insist on finding out the truth about her sudden decision to leave him. 

—

“May I ask you for a favor, Mr. Miller?” Nilapitan niya ang lalaki nang finally ay lubayan ito nina Dominic at Bianca. 

He was seated in the first row, his legs crossed, one arm over his chest while the other under his chin. 

“You can call me Ali, Rian…” 

Alanganin siyang ngumiti. They had just met and he already had a pet name for her? Rian, huh? 

“Arianna is fine, Mr. uhm, Ali. Is your name a short form of?” Naupo siya sa tabi nito.

“Alistair,” he replied, ngumiti rin, showing off a cute dimple in his right cheek.  

“You got a good name,” Arianna remarked, preparing to say her intent of approaching him. “Ali, listen–”

“I don’t have a habit of sticking my nose where it doesn’t belong,” he cut her off.

Her forehead creased. Wala pa nga siyang sinasabi. “Well,” alanganin siyang ngumiti ulit. “I told them I just arrived today and about my—” muli siyang na-interrupt nang pangunutan din siya nito ng noo.

It was as if he was telling her she didn't need to continue because he understood what she meant.

So Arianna supposed they really were on the same page. “Thanks,” saad na lang niya.

Hindi na siya nagkaroon ng pagkakataon na makausap pa ito dahil dumating si Dominic at nag-astang dakilang fiance sa kanya. 

She wanted to roll her eyes pero pinigilan niya ang sarili. Pumayag na lang siyang magpahinga. But instead of going to her old room, sa kwarto ng ama siya nagpunta. 

And there, she cried another time. It’s beginning to sink in for her now. Wala na siyang mga magulang… Ulila na siya.

She should be fine though. Arianna’s twenty-eight already and a mother of a four-year old. She should be fine, she must be. She needed to be strong for Maliah. Because her little girl only has her. 

“Dad, I’m sorry for not being here with you…” iyak niya. “But I promise you, I will find out the truth.”

Arianna was determined to know what really caused her father’s death. Because as far as she knew, he was healthy. He wouldn’t pass away so suddenly like that. But of course, she could also be wrong. There’s just something she was uneasy about.

Pagkalipas nang dalawa pang araw, inihatid na nila sa huli nitong hantungan si Samuel. 

“Tito’s lawyer will come and read his will this afternoon,” sabi ni Dominic sa kanya pagkauwi nila ng bahay. “Or do you want it to be done tomorrow instead? We’re not in a rush anyway.” 

“This afternoon is fine. Ask Bi to wake me up when the lawyer arrives. I’ll rest first,” dismissive niyang sagot.

“Arianna,” he stopped her by the arm. “Can we talk?” Malumanay naman ito pero bakit bigla pa ring uminit ang ulo niya?

“No,” mariin niyang sagot sabay bawi sa kamay. 

“At least tell me what we are now, Arianna,” he pleaded behind her. 

Huminto siya pero hindi siya lumingon.

“We’re still getting married, right?”

“You should know the answer by now,” aniyang nagpatuloy sa paglakad palayo.

Hindi na niya narinig pang sumagot si Dominic.