Habang nakatingin ako kay Elijah na iniikot ang tingin sa buong silid ko ay naalala ko ang sinabi ni Kio kanina. Kung sinabi daw ba sa akin ni Eli na ang papa mismo ang may nais na hindi ako malapitan ng mga lalake. I know my father is just being protective of me, pero alam ko rin na hindi naman siya ganoon kaingat to the point na bawal akong malapitan ng ibang lalake unless if may bago na naman banta sa buhay ko at lahat ay pinagdududahan niya.Should I talk to papa? Pero sa pagbalik na niya.But looking back, I don't remember Eli ever saying that it was papa's order. I just assumed because he's taking orders from my father. Pero kung pakikipagkaibigan lang naman ay siguro hindi bawal. Should I open this to him? Mukha namang kalmado na siya ngayon at hindi tulad kanina na parang pag may narinig siya na hindi niya nagustuhan ay magsusungit na naman siya."Have you finished with your dinner?" tanong niya pagkabalik ng pansin sa akin. Ilang segundo rin niya na tinitigan ang buong silid
Sa halos isang taon nang maging bodyguard ko si Elijah ay ngayon lang talaga kami nagtalo ng ganito."What?" I snapped.When he looked at me again, the moonlight helped me see the displeasure on his face. Parang nauubos na rin ang pasensiya niya sa usapan namin na ito--na hindi ko alam kung saan papunta."So innocent, he's looking at you differently, Pristine," he said as if he was struggling to release it. He even licked his lips. Ako ay mas nagtaka, nangunot ang noo sa inaakto niya."Eli, sa tingin ko walang kapupuntahan ang usapan natin na 'to. If you think masama na makipag-usap ako kay Sebastian at pagbabawalan mo ako then it's a no this time. Hindi ako susunod sa 'yo. I will still see it for myself. Hindi ako judgemental na tao at alam mo 'yon."Hindi niya 'yon nagustuhan. Inilayo niya kasi agad ang tingin niya at pansin na pansin ko ang pagngangalit ng panga niya. Pinipigilan niya na magsalita dahil mukhang hindi maganda ang lalabas sa bibig niya.Napabuntong hininga ako at hin
I don't know why, but even though I had a little argument with Elijah, it doesn't bother me at all. I found his reactions earlier amusing, natuwa talaga ako! And if he hadn't said that I'm just a 'little sister,' I would think he's madly jealous of Sebastian, which is why he doesn't want me talking to him.Kasi bakit naman ayaw niya? His reason--or papa's reason for not letting me have a male friend is too shallow for me. Napag-isip ko na mababaw 'yon at kung si Sebastian, papa will not decline because he knew the Ynares clan."Pristine, your lolo is here already. Are you going to have your dinner? Pumunta muna tayo sa opisina niya at ipakita ang mga damit."Nakuha ang atensyon ko ng Ate Lena nang tawagin niya ako. She looked nervous. Nagsalubong ang mga kilay ko dahil hindi naman siya usually ganito, oo may kaba siya pero parang mas kabado siya ngayon."Did something happen, ate?" nag-aalala ko na tanong.Magkasalikop ang mga kamay niya. I looked at Kio at the back, he was standing n
Pagkalabas ng Ate Lena ay saka ko napagtanto na hindi ako ipinatawag ng lolo tungkol sa pag-uusap sa susuotin na damit sa Charity gala. Naramdaman ko ang panlalamig ng mga kamay ko nang tumingin ito sa akin. Pero sandali lang dahil mas matagal ang naging atensyon niya kay Elijah."I thought you were working on a special case in Karmona?"He knew? Akala ko ay sa papa lang nagsabi si Eli. Pero sabagay rin walang nakakalampas na balita sa lolo. Lahat dito ay nalalaman niya. He has eyes and ears inside this mansion."I'm done with my work, sir.""Three weeks, and you're done with barely a single day completed?" sagot ng lolo habang napapailing. Hindi kumbinsido sa sagot ni Eli.Hindi naman na niya tinuloy ang pagtatanong dahil na sa akin na ulit ang pansin niya. Ang nanlilisik na mga mata. Umayos ako ng tayo at nakatingin lang rin sa lolo. He doesn't like it when he's talking to me and I'm not looking at him."Gael will no longer be your fiancé, Pristine. If he ever talks to you or shows
I know Elijah isn't afraid of lolo, but that doesn't mean he should be talking back right now! Lolo Yago is still mad, and the reaction I see in him makes me think of the cruel things he might do to Eli for speaking up. Kita ko rin ang gulat, ang galit sa mukha pagkatapos habang nakatingin ito sa amin."How dare you speak to me like that?" bawat salita ay may diiin nang marinig ko 'yon sa lolo. I bit my lower lip and felt so much fear when I heard his footsteps coming to us.Ang bilis ng ginawa kong paghawak sa kamay ni Elijah kahit na alam ko na hindi siya padadaig ngayon sa galit. He's not looking at me, diretso rin ang tingin niya sa lolo habang nanlilisik ang mga mata."You're nothing but a damn bodyguard—how dare you question me about my granddaughter!"Dumagundong ang malakas na boses ng Lolo Yago sa buong silid na ikinanginig ko pang lalo sa takot. I pushed Elijah hard but he was standing firm like he was ready of anything that might happen to him.Nang masiguro ko na hindi tal
Elijah Clementine Kirovsky Regalonte"Ma'am," I greeted, bowing my head in front of the co-owner of Regalontes, the private security company where I work."I don't remember asking you to come back home, Clementine."Home.Tumaas ang sulok ng mga labi ko sa sinagot nito.It wasn't an order but a reminder to come back every time I heard she would be in the country. Not because I needed to report to her about work, but because I knew the chaos that would happen at home whenever she returned.She and my father would play their usual game—a dangerous game of life and death.I walked towards her.Sitting on the couch was my mother, Elena Kamila Kirovskaya, 56, a retired Russian assassin. She is the co-owner of the private security company owned by my father, where I was a bodyguard.And the reason why I work as a bodyguard after resigning as a navy seal is because of their plans for me—which I never questioned because I trust them. They told me that in order for me to be the next head, I ne
"Clementine."I looked at my mother again. Tumuwid ako ng pagkakatayo nang makita ang nanunuri niyang mga mata. Hindi ko rin namalayan na kuyom na naman ang mga kamay ko. Napagtanto ko lang nang tumingin siya doon."She's... fine.""You took a long time to answer. No threats?""There are still a few. Last week, she was being followed, but it was handled quietly."Tumango siya sa sagot ko. Hindi nauubos ang mga tao na gustong makuha bilang hostage si Pristine dahil sa lolo niya, she's not just aware of it because I made sure that even before she noticed, those assholes were already deeply buried."I received the photos you sent me last week about her. Thank you for that. Anything that I need to know? Si Pierre? May sinasabi ba siya sa 'yo tungkol sa pagbabantay mo sa anak niya?"Umiling ako. "He's satisfied with our service.""Good. Keep what you are doing. Don't make a mistake that will make him fire you, Clementine.""Yes, ma'am."Do we need the Vera Esperanzas that much? Siguro. Lal
PristineI already expected Elijah to let go of me, but not so quickly. After I asked him if that was part of how he treated me as his 'little sister,' he did not only moved away. Pagkabitaw ay walang salita na lumabas siya ng silid ko na ikinakunot ko ng noo. Umalis na hindi ako sinagot."After hugging me so tight like that?" hindi makapaniwala na tanong ko.I can't help but to smile. Nailapat ko ang palad ko sa leeg ko kung saan ko naramdaman ang mukha niya kanina. That was the first time he did that. Inaamoy niya ako when he noticed that I smell different--or if I am wearing perfumes but not that close."And his arms were so huge..." I whispered. Napahimas ako sa mga braso ko dahil kulong na kulong ako kanina sa mga bisig ni Elijah.How am I going to forgot this feeling if he's being like this? Like a possessive brother who doesn't want his little sister to get married? Napaka unfair naman sa parte ko, dahil kung si Eli ay ang tingin sa akin nakababatang kapatid kaya mas lumalapit