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Chapter XXXI: Captain Lestina
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2024-10-29 19:42:56“Don’t worry, I’m at the lobby na. Let’s just say that I got here late because a douchebag decided to start a fist fight,” he said from the other line. Agad akong kinabahan. He got into a fight, siguradong may pasa or sugat s’ya.
“You got into a fight at the club?” tanong ko. Nakarinig na lang ako ng mahina tawa. He didn’t speak but I heard a ding. Looks like he’s already coming up. Shortly after the ding the call ended.
In my hospital gown, I stepped out of my room to fetch Elias. Nurses were looking at me. Wala na akong pakialam sa kanila at pumunta na ako sa may elevator. Saktong pagdating ko sa tapat ng elevator ay bumukas ito. A drunk Elias with a bruise on the lips greeted me. He spazzed out from the elevator. He looks like
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One Temptation Chapter XXXII: Blood on their hands
I finally gave up arguing with kuya since there’s no point. We stopped by a coffee shop to pick-up coffee and pastries for Mom. Hindi ko alam kung anong itsura ng bagong bahay namin. The worst is I don’t even know what my room looks like and how they arranged my things!“Kuya, who moved my things?” tanong ko kay Kuya nang makasakay na ulit kami sa kotse. He placed our coffee in between us and the pastries at the back with my things.“Isla was the one who moved and arranged your stuff,” sabi nito matapos ikabit ang seatbelt. Hindi na ako umimik pa. I just hope that my new room is not that different from my old one. I opened the window to let the wind blow my hair.I guess I’m part of the c
One Temptation Chapter XXXIII: Like Before
“Welcome home to your new house, Miss Savannah,” Kuya Jerome’s voice sends shivers to my spine. There’s something in it that gives me goosebumps rather than warmth. Lumabas ako sa sasakyan at nagmasid. Just like our previous house there is a huge front yawn. The only different thing is that the walls are higher. It feels more like a prison than a home. Lumakad ako papunta sa main entrance. Pagpasok ko ay agad akong sinalubong ng mga kasambahay. Drastic changes huh? “Nakahanda na po ako iyong kwarto, Miss,” wika ng hindi ko kilalang babae. Tinitigan ko lang s’ya. She’s definitely a new face inside our house. Bumaling ako sa babaeng kakalabas lang ng kusina at nagpupunas pa ng kamay habang naglalakad papalapit samin. Ngumiti ito sakin at tila ba inaanalisa kung anong maling ginawa ng babaeng kaharap ko. I knew Isla back when I was in highschool. Isla is the same age as me. S’ya ang tumutulong noon kay mom tuwing may handaan sa bahay. Like dinner with relatives. “Sav, naayos ko na ang
One Temptation Chapter XXXIV: Opportunity
Adjusting to the new house took time. Unlike our house before, I don’t seem to see my mom that often now. The house is too big to fill like a home. In order to divert my attention I often stay behind at the university just to get some time away from the house. I almost didn’t even go home when we were preparing for the anniversary of the university.“Sav, Dr. Apu is looking for you. Punta ka daw sa office n’ya,” Francine, one of our volunteers, said on my first day back at the campus.Iniwan ko ang finafinalize kong powerpoint presentation at dinampot ang phone bago ako nagtungo sa may elevator. Our org room is on the fifth floor while Dr. Apu’s office is on the ground floor, so it will be more convenient to take the elevator rather than the stairs.I knocked at the door before I entered. Dr. Apu was in his usual attire. White dress shirt, navy blue blazer,black slacks, sleek-back hair, and rounded glasses. People always mistaken him for a bachelor when in fact he’s already happily mar
One Temptation Chapter XXXV: Bro Bond
That same night we moved into my grandma’s house in Batangas. I’m pissed off because ever since the ambush, things keep changing. I feel suffocated inside my grandma’s house since I must act prim and proper all the time. Nakakapagod na.“Mom, the anniversary is tomorrow. The venue is Okada Manila, so I’ll be driving to my condo in Manila. Doon na ako magmumula para less hassle,” I told mom while I was fixing my luggage. We’ve been staying in Batangas for 2 weeks and I’m not having it. Every dinner, they always talk about politics and how I should follow my dad’s footsteps. Hindi na lang ako kumikibo para makaiwas sa gulo.“Alright. Are you going to get your car? Or you want someone to go get it na lang?”tanong ni mom. Well, that was easy.“Sasabay na lang ako kay Isla pabalik sa bahay since kukuha s’ya ng mga gamit.” I stood up to collect my books from the console table. Babalik si Isla sa bahay to get dad some clothes and supplies.Dad also requested some files from his office. Wala t
One Temptation Chapter XXXVI: Yielding
“Savannah,Can we talk?” I was shocked to see Lyle. Anong ginagawa n’ya sa cafe dito sa baba ng condominium? He’s wearing a dark blue sweatshirt and dress pants. I can tell that he just got out of his classes because he is still wearing his ID.“Oh.. L-Lyle” I want to smack myself for sounding hesitant. Why am I still doubting him? In fact, he is not proven a bad guy. I looked at him and tried to give him a warm smile but it looks like I failed. I saw how his eyes became gloomy when he looked at me.“Are you in a rush? I just want to talk to you.” He then gave me a soft smile. He knows what’s up. Alam niya kung bakit ako nilayo sa kanya. Of course he knows! He’s a freaking law student. He knows how to read people and their actions. Meeting Lyle after what Kuya has told me really changed how I perceive him. And I think that’s unfair.He ordered me a coffee and strawberry shortcake. I can sense that he’s testing the waters. I took a bite of the shortcake before speaking up.“Galing kang
One Temptation Chapter XXXVII: Sides
Never in my life have I imagined that I’ll be having so much excitement in my life. Pakiramdam ko bumalik ako sa pagkabata na aliw na aliw sa mga bagong bagay. Dwight and I drove away from the campus . I managed to escape my bodyguards and here we are now at the mall parking lot enjoying our coffee. “Seems like I’ve missed so much in your life,” Dwight said before handing me my coffee. I smiled at him. Unlike his younger brother, he preferred black coffee. Well I guess it suits their personality. Eli is the playful one while Dwight is the mysterious one. “Yeah, my life has been a rollercoaster since I got back from Bahrain.” I stared at him waiting for his reaction. This will be a great start. I opted to start from the moment I left him in Bahrain. “I heard that you booked a different flight. You went to the States,” I said. He smiled bitterly before taking a sip of his coffee. “Yeah, I needed to talk to my mom. I was so lost. You made me feel ecstatic while we were in Bahrain t
One Temptation Chapter XXXVIII: Isaac
Never in my life I thought that there would be a day that my brother would ever hurt me, but he just did. Umalingawngaw ang sampal ni kuya sakin. I stared at him for a moment. We were both stunned by what just happened. Moments later we finally came back to our senses.Sinubukan akong hawakan ni kuya ngunit iniiwas ko ang braso ko. Tahimik kong iniligpit ang gamit ko at kalmadong umalis kahit gusto ko ng tumakbo. Pagdating ko sa kotse ay agad na namalisbis ang luha sa pisngi ko. Looks like the world is failing me, huh? Ako na lang talaga mag-isa.The handing ceremony went well. Isaac really pushed for the date after the event. We went to the movies and ate dinner in a restaurant in BGC, Hindi ko na sinabi pa kay Dwight dahil baka maging dahilan pa iyon ng away namin.“Sav, we’ll be graduating soon,” Isaac said while we’re having dinner. Yeah we will graduate in a few. Dalawang linggo na lang at opisyal na akong tapos sa kolehiyo. Starting on Monday we will start to vacate our offices
One Temptation Chapter XXXIX: Our First
“Hoy, bakit ka umiiyak?” Hinawakan ko ang pisngi ko at totoo ngang may luha. This is so frustrating. I stood up from the sofa which made them pay attention to me. Isaac also stood up to guide me out of the sofa. I was about to thank him and tell the group that I’ll be going when a baritone voice behind me spoke which made me gasp. “I’ll take her home.” Napapikit na lang ako. How the heck will I explain it to them? “Sav, do you know this guy?”tanong ni Isaac na ngayon ay masama na ang tingin kay Eli. Tumango ako bago humarap sa grupo. “Mauna na ako sa inyo. Just call me kung papunta na kayo sa unit para masabihan ko ang front desk.” They all just nodded and continue to talk and drink. Naramdaman kong hinawakan ni Eli ang braso ko para alalayan ako. “Sav, ako na lang ang maghahatid sa’yo,”wika ni Isaac na ngayon ay nakasunod sa’min ni Eli. “Bro, it’s alright. She knows me. She will go home without a scratch I promised.” Nakita kong nagtatagis na ang bagang ni Eli, indikasyon na nau
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One Temptation Chapter L: Wild and Free
My relationship with Dwight didn’t get any better after our talk. Emotions got the best of me when we last talked. At this point, I don’t even know if we really have a relationship.He’s busy training with the national team while I’m at my dad’s office. It’s just a few days before the election, so our security is at its max. Our house security system has been upgraded. More bodyguards are deployed.“Caily, you should ask your manager to reschedule all your shoots to a week after the election. It’s your dad and aunt’s request,” Mom said when she sat beside me. My schedule has already been pushed far too long. If I do what I was asked, I might lose a few contracts in these coming years.“Mom, I hope they will understand me. I’ve pushed the shoots far too long. I might lose my contracts next year, or worse, they might sue me.” I fidgeted with my phone. Mom sighed beside me. Modeling is becoming my full-time job, and I know my mom has something to say about it because she did modeling as
One Temptation Chapter XLIX: Where were you ?
“Dwight?” He was horrified when he saw me in the lift, but he tried to hide it.“Sav,” matipid n’yang bati. By the sound of it, I already know what’s up. This is not the proper way to handle the situation, keeping in mind that our relationship is not public. Bumaba ang mata ko sa bitbit nya. He held a bouquet of red roses and a Starbucks paper bag. Breakfast for Sam, I guess?The elevator ride was awkward. We couldn’t talk much because there were other people on the lift. Nang tumigil ang elevator sa fifth floor ay tinignan ko muna s’ya bago lumabas. He better explain why he’s been avoiding me these past few days.The sound of my stilettos against tiled flooring was eerie. It is straight out of a movie, if I must say. There is so much tension and anticipation.I hate to admit it, but seeing Dwight holding a bouquet of flowers pains me. He was busy with Sam while I desperately waited for his texts or calls. He even partied out with Eli and didn’t bother to inform me.Bumalik sakin ang
One Temptation Chapter XLVIII: Unexpected Encounter
“Alam ko na kung bakit umuwi ang jowa mo!” sigaw ni Brithey. She showed me her phone. It was a news article with Samantha as the headline. It turns out that Samantha and her family got involved in a car accident. Bigla akong kinabahan para kay Samantha. Is she okay? Gaano kalala ang injuries n’ya? Kamusta naman ang pamilya n’ya?I grabbed Brithey’s phone to read the article. The Chen Family was involved in a car accident in Cebu City. Is it a coincidence? We were also in Cebu when we got ambushed. Samantha was with their driver, her dad, her mom, and her younger sister. It was ruled as an accident because of the heavy rain. Agad naman silang naisugod sa malapit na ospital. I doubt that it is an accident. There is something fishy going on in Cebu. “Minor injuries lang naman siguro ‘yun,” Brithey commented. “It’s nothing compared to what happened to you.” I was pissed at what she said. Oo, aminado ako hindi maganda ang relasyon namin ni Samantha but to say that is unacceptable.“Kahi
One Temptation Chapter XLVII: Territorial
“It’s been a while, love” Tumayo ang mga balahibo ko ng maramdaman ko ang mainit n'yang hiningi sa likod ng tenga. It sends shivers to my spine. I looked at Isaac. He was stunned."Hey," malumanay kong bati sa kanya. He's wearing a black polo shirt and khaki pants. How can someone look so good in such simple clothes?I almost lost my breath when he leaned over to kiss my forehead. Damn!“Hey,”malambing n’yang bati pabalit at umupo sa tabi ko. Nararamdaman ko ang titig ni Isaac sa’min. They already knew each other so introduction will be stupid.“How have you been, bro?” Dwight casually asked as he placed his hands on my thigh. Wala akong magawa kung hindi ngumiti na lang ng hilaw. Someone’s getting teritorial.“Thanks for asking. I’ve been busy establishing businesses after we graduated from college. What about you?” Isaac answered before drinking one of his shots.“I’ve been busy with training. It’s only just now that we got our vacation. When I found out my girl flew to Thailand for
One Temptation Chapter XLVI: Thailand
I flew to Thailand as planned. Maayos naman na ang lagay ni Bella. It was a miracle that the baby survived. Kuya offered Bella to stay in his house but Bella refuses. Bella reasoned out that it is too dangerous for her to be around kuya after the incident. Kuya Jerome is still investigating. Hindi namin alam kung kami ba ang dahilan kung bakit nangyari yun kay Bella o may sarili silang alitan ng mga armadong lalake. “Caily, we will be staying for 2 days and 3 nights. Tanghali ang dating natin ng Thailand. Your first day is your free day. If you want to explore the city, we can do that. Then, the next days will be filled with shoots. Bali 3 layouts per day tayo. Sa huling araw natin naman, we will have dinner with the CEO.” Sumandal na lang ako sa upuan ko at pumikit. Pinapakinggan ko pa lang ang mga sinasabi ni Brithey pagod na ako.Thailand is not that different from the Philippines that’s why I’m not that interested in exploring the country. Plano kong magpahinga lang ngayong araw
One Temptation Chapter XLV: Misfortune or An Organized Crime?
“Baby, you should get some sleep na. Don’t worry about mommy. I will sleep once your Kuya is asleep,” mom said after putting me to bed.It’s Kuya’s Midterm Exam tomorrow. I know to myself that both of them will stay up all night. Leading up to his exams, Kuya always becomes erratic, so mom is scared to leave him alone. “But Kuya won’t be sleeping tonight since his exam is tomorrow,” I said as I tucked myself into bed. Mom was smiling at me while leaning on the door.“Very observant of you, my little princess.” She walked towards me, turned off the side lamp, and kissed my forehead.“Good night, my princess.” She walked away and closed the door.I slept that night assured that everything would be fine the following day, but it was far from the reality I faced the next morning. A loud banging awakened me, not on my door but perhaps in the room beside me, my brother’s room. I went out of bed to check on what was happening. It was my mom knocking non-stop on kuya’s door.“What’s happeni
One Temptation Chapter XLIV: Close Call
It’s been weeks since I last saw my brother as well as Dwight. Kuya was true to his words, he didn’t do anything to Dwight. Well, anything physical I guess? It’s not unbeknownst to me that my brother has a sharp tongue.“Caily, I just got an email from an international brand. They are asking if you can fly to Thailand to discuss a potential contract with them,” Brithey said. Kasalukuyan kaming nasa Cebu para sa isang shot. We did five layouts today and it’s all by the beach. Inabutan ako ni Brithey ng tuwalya para takpan ang katawan ko.We shot a magazine cover. The main theme is about standing out so I wore a latex dress accessorized with chunky jewelry.“Kailan naman yan?”tanong ko habang tinatanggal ang suot na alahas.“The day after tomorrow,”tipid n’yang sagot habang nakatutok sa iPad. Tinignan ko ang relo ko. It’s already 5:30 pm. “Uuwi na rin ba tayo ngayon o bukas na ng umaga?” Hindi ako sigurado kung kakayanin ko pang bumiyahe pauwi ng Laguna matapos ang trabaho ko ngayong a
One Temptation Chapter XLIII: Fatherly Love from a Brother
Ever since my early childhood I’m always the type of kid who will just stare around and instantly comprehend what’s going on in my surroundings. Some adults deemed me as mature but the reason that I’m quick to pick up on what’s happening in the surrounding is because in our house we rarely speak to one another. As I grew older, I realized that I’m not that aware anymore of what’s happening around me. It’s like I’ve dived into the abyss.“Are you alright, ate?” I was brought back to my senses when Eli gently racked my body. I looked at him. I can’t figure out his look. Is he apologetic or worried? I didn’t speak. Brithey just looked at me and Eli as if she was trying to grasp what’s happening. I stared at Eli for a few minutes before my phone rang. It was Erica calling. Eli took my phone and answered it. Lumakad s’ya papunta sa may kitchen. Akala ko ba okay na ako? Akala ko tanggap ko na ang katotohanan? Napahawak ako sa noo ko. That’s bullsh*t! I’ll never be alright with it! I neve
One Temptation Chapter XLII: Photos That Haunt Me
I was still shocked from what went down during our lunch. Malapit na bang mamatay si dad? Why on earth is he suddenly sweet and understanding?“Sapphire, I’m talking to you.” I was caught off-guard when dad uttered my name. “Po?” tanong ko dito dahil sa tingin ko mali ang narinig ko kanina.“I’m asking you when you are free. Balak ko kasing pumunta tayo sa ibang bansa bilang pamilya. That’s my graduation gift for you. So when are you free?” paliwanag ni dad.Ibinaba ko ang kubyertos na hawak ko at sandaling inalala ang schedule ko. If my memory serves right, I’ll be free after a month.“I’m not sure if I remember it correctly but I’m free by next month, I guess? I’ll confirm it tomorrow after talking to my manager.” Dad nodded and continued his meal.I swear that was the first time that he acknowledged me. If I only know that this is how I can gain his acknowledgement I should have studied way earlier. Wala sa sarili akong naglakad papasok ng lobby nang bigla akong tawagin ng recept
