RafaelAs we settle down at La Estrella, I couldn’t help but stifle a laugh, my shoulders shaking slightly.“What’s going on?” Amara arched her left eyebrow as she reached for her coffee and gently took a sip.She’s so incredibly pretty and elegant in every way she moves. For a moment, I just stared at her, as if in this bustling coffee shop, everything around us blurred, and all I could see was her.I couldn’t resist snapping my fingers in the air, which made her jump a little.“You know Amara, if I were a woman, I’d be even prettier than you,” I said, chuckling.Amara rolled her eyes, and unknowingly, I smiled.Damn. I’m so lucky to have her as my best friend. Of course, a beauty like hers needs a goddess like me. If I had long hair, I’d already be flipping it.“You seems so happy today.”Marahan nitong ibinaba ang kaniyang tasa sa mesa.Isang malawak na ngiti naman ang binigay ko sa kaniya, “Of course! We should celebrate your successful meeting with Ms. Guevarra.Bahagya naman namu
After Rafael left and went to the washroom, I lightly tapped my chest, trying to calm myself.I can't deny that I was surprised when he said those things.Maybe even he, didn't realize that I heard what he said. I'm well aware that Rafa is a big fan of jokes and loves to tease me whenever he gets the chance.But what I didn't expect was, when he whispered about his preference between his thighs.Because of what he said, I couldn't help but feel embarrassed and awkward. I know Rafa didn't mean anything by it; even though he's gay, he has a buff, muscular body, and his features are masculine enough to fool any woman into thinking he's a real man.Dahil sa pakiramdam ko ay umiinit pa rin ang pisngi ko, tumayo na ako sa kinauupuan ko upang um-order ng ice cream. Habang nasa counter ay napabaling naman ang tingin ko sa wall tv na naka attached sa may gilid. Hindi ko napansin na mayroon TV pala doon kung hindi i-on ng isang staff nila. Bahagyang lumaki ang mga mata ko matapos makita an
RafaelAfter our coffee time, I drove Amara to one of my penthouses near the beach. To be honest, I was a bit surprised when she asked if she could stay there for a while. And who am I to refuse? After all, I'm her devoted best friend.Pagdating namin doon ay sinalubong kami ng malamig na hangin kasabay ng tunog ng mga alon. Pinanood ko si Amara habang nililipad ng hangin ang kanyang buhok, at tahimik niya itong isinuklay pabalik sa likod ng kaniyang tainga.Bigla ko naman naalala ang eksena namin sa loob ng coffee shop. Mukhang nag-aalala siya para sa mga empleyado ni Javier, pero naramdaman ko rin ang matinding galit niya para sa kanya.She might have sounded like she was worried about him, but the truth was, she wasn’t. At first, I had doubts, maybe, she still had lingering feelings for him. That’s why I tried to remind her that he wasn’t worth it.I was relieved to hear that her concern was solely for the employees and not for her ex-husband.She may have spoken calmly, but I coul
Javier Napakapit ako sa gilid ng lamesa upang mapanatili ang balanse matapos ang huling sampal na natamo ko dahil sa galit ni Mr. Wei. Ramdam ko ang malamig na patak ng dugo na umaagos mula sa sugat sa aking pisngi, ngunit pinilit kong pigilan ang sarili na ipakita ang sakit o galit ko. Alam kong hindi ako maaaring magpakita ng kahinaan, lalo na sa harapan ng taong ito. "Mr. Wei," mahina pero mariing sabi ko habang tinititigan siya ng diretso sa mata, "I assure you, I will handle this. Hindi makakaligtas ang Montellions sa ginawa nila. Hindi ko hahayaang tuluyang masira ang negosyo mo dahil sa kanila." Patuloy siyang naglalakad paikot sa opisina, parang isang hayop na na-trap, puno ng galit at kawalan ng tiwala. Tumigil siya sa harapan ko, ang mabigat na hininga niya ay parang nagbabantang bagyo. Nakita ko ang pait at galit sa kanyang mga mata hindi lang dahil sa pagkalugi, kundi dahil sa pride na tila nabasag. "Don't you dare make promises you can't keep, Villanueva," mari
AmaraIsang malakas na sampal ang dumapo sa aking pisngi galing sa ina ng aking asawa. Napatungo ako sa sakit, habang iniinda ito. "You still can't have a child after all this time? Pinahintulutan ko ang anak kong pakasalan ka, kahit na ayaw ko! Ngunit hindi mo pa rin mabigyan ng anak si Javier?" Sigaw nito sa mismong mukha ko.I noticed that ate Deanne stood up from her seat at inakay ang anak. She looked apologetically at me, bago ito lumayo kasama ang anak dahil sa ginawa ni mama. Si kuya Francis naman ay nanatili sa upuan na walang kibo. Napalitan ng seryosong ekspresyon ang mukha nitong kanina lamang ay may malapad na ngiti.Pakiramdam ko sa tuwing may pagsasalo ang pamilya ay ako ang sumisira nito. Ang dining hall na dapat napapalibutan ng kasiyahan ay napalitan ng kaguluhan. Kahit anong pagtitipon ay walang takas itong binabanggit ni mama. Wala akong nagagawa kung hindi ay yumuko at manahimik."Hindi naman kami nagmamadali mama." Sagot ng asawa ko sa marahan na boses ngunit an
AmaraNagising ako dahil sa naramdamang haplos mula sa ulo. Dahan dahan kong iminulat ang mga mata dahil sa araw na tumatama sa aking mukha mula sa bintana ng aming kwarto.My husband gazed at me with tenderness in his eyes as he gently glided his fingers through my hair, his touch a soft and soothing caress. "Good morning," he murmured, his voice husky and rough from sleep. His arms instantly enveloped me, drawing me close in a warm embrace. "Let’s have breakfast," he said, his breath tickling my neck. I responded with a gentle nod as he helped me to my feet. He chuckled softly at the sight. Ganito kami palagi tuwing umaga. Nagigising ako hindi sa sikat ng araw na tumatama sa aking mga mata. Ngunit dahil sa marahang haplos niya sa aking buhok. Ganitong buhay lamang ang nais ko. Masaya at payapa. Ngunit nararanasan ko lamang ito sa tuwing siya lang ang kasama ko. Dahil sa tuwing may pagtitipon kasama ang pamilya niya, palagi ko lamang itong sinisira.My thoughts were interrupted
AmaraTuluyan na bumagsak ang mga luha ko nang marinig iyon sa kabilang linya. Agaran namang kinuha ni Javier ang phone ko sa aking mga kamay."What do you want?" Javier demanded, his voice edged with anger.I couldn't hear what she said on the other line, but Javier's expression shifted to confusion and fury. Despite his emotions, he reached out and took my hand.Walang tigil sa pagbuhos ang mga luha ko, bakit pinagbibintangan niya ako sa bagay na hindi ko naman ginawa? Sanay na ako sa maliliit niyang pagtangka na sirain kami. Pero huwag naman sana siyang umabot sa ganito. Lahat ng pagmamaliit niya sakin, tinanggap ko. Ang hindi niya pagkagusto sa akin bilang asawa ni Javier, tinanggap ko. Hindi ba talaga siya titigil hangga't hindi kami nasisirang dalawa?Baka nga kasalanan ko rin... Ang dami kong pagkukulang kay Javier.Napakuyom ang kamay ko sa galit, poot at sakit. Gusto ko siyang labanan, pero wala akong lakas ng loob para gawin iyon. Naiinis ako sa sarili ko, pero wala akong ma
AmaraTumigil ang mundo ko sa sinabi niya. His eyes blazed with anger and betrayal, each word slicing through me like a knife.Walang tigil sa pag unos ang luha ko nang marinig iyon sakanya. Naalala ko ang mga sinabi ni mama kanina. Is this what she wanted to do? Break me completely?I walked towards Javier, my heart aching with every step. I wanted to reach for him, to feel some kind of connection, but the pain and fear in my chest were overwhelming. My hands trembled as I extended them, the distance between us felt impossibly wide. Each step felt like a desperate plea for comfort that I was terrified I might not receive. Ngunit parang binagsakan ako ng langit nang makita ko siyang umatras.“Don’t come near me, Amara,” he said, his voice cold and distant. The coldness in his voice sent a chill through my entire body, leaving me feeling frozen and utterly alone. Nanginginig ang mga tuhod kong huminto sa harap niya. Nakayuko habang walang tigil sa pag patak ang mga luha ko sa aking p
Javier Napakapit ako sa gilid ng lamesa upang mapanatili ang balanse matapos ang huling sampal na natamo ko dahil sa galit ni Mr. Wei. Ramdam ko ang malamig na patak ng dugo na umaagos mula sa sugat sa aking pisngi, ngunit pinilit kong pigilan ang sarili na ipakita ang sakit o galit ko. Alam kong hindi ako maaaring magpakita ng kahinaan, lalo na sa harapan ng taong ito. "Mr. Wei," mahina pero mariing sabi ko habang tinititigan siya ng diretso sa mata, "I assure you, I will handle this. Hindi makakaligtas ang Montellions sa ginawa nila. Hindi ko hahayaang tuluyang masira ang negosyo mo dahil sa kanila." Patuloy siyang naglalakad paikot sa opisina, parang isang hayop na na-trap, puno ng galit at kawalan ng tiwala. Tumigil siya sa harapan ko, ang mabigat na hininga niya ay parang nagbabantang bagyo. Nakita ko ang pait at galit sa kanyang mga mata hindi lang dahil sa pagkalugi, kundi dahil sa pride na tila nabasag. "Don't you dare make promises you can't keep, Villanueva," mari
RafaelAfter our coffee time, I drove Amara to one of my penthouses near the beach. To be honest, I was a bit surprised when she asked if she could stay there for a while. And who am I to refuse? After all, I'm her devoted best friend.Pagdating namin doon ay sinalubong kami ng malamig na hangin kasabay ng tunog ng mga alon. Pinanood ko si Amara habang nililipad ng hangin ang kanyang buhok, at tahimik niya itong isinuklay pabalik sa likod ng kaniyang tainga.Bigla ko naman naalala ang eksena namin sa loob ng coffee shop. Mukhang nag-aalala siya para sa mga empleyado ni Javier, pero naramdaman ko rin ang matinding galit niya para sa kanya.She might have sounded like she was worried about him, but the truth was, she wasn’t. At first, I had doubts, maybe, she still had lingering feelings for him. That’s why I tried to remind her that he wasn’t worth it.I was relieved to hear that her concern was solely for the employees and not for her ex-husband.She may have spoken calmly, but I coul
After Rafael left and went to the washroom, I lightly tapped my chest, trying to calm myself.I can't deny that I was surprised when he said those things.Maybe even he, didn't realize that I heard what he said. I'm well aware that Rafa is a big fan of jokes and loves to tease me whenever he gets the chance.But what I didn't expect was, when he whispered about his preference between his thighs.Because of what he said, I couldn't help but feel embarrassed and awkward. I know Rafa didn't mean anything by it; even though he's gay, he has a buff, muscular body, and his features are masculine enough to fool any woman into thinking he's a real man.Dahil sa pakiramdam ko ay umiinit pa rin ang pisngi ko, tumayo na ako sa kinauupuan ko upang um-order ng ice cream. Habang nasa counter ay napabaling naman ang tingin ko sa wall tv na naka attached sa may gilid. Hindi ko napansin na mayroon TV pala doon kung hindi i-on ng isang staff nila. Bahagyang lumaki ang mga mata ko matapos makita an
RafaelAs we settle down at La Estrella, I couldn’t help but stifle a laugh, my shoulders shaking slightly.“What’s going on?” Amara arched her left eyebrow as she reached for her coffee and gently took a sip.She’s so incredibly pretty and elegant in every way she moves. For a moment, I just stared at her, as if in this bustling coffee shop, everything around us blurred, and all I could see was her.I couldn’t resist snapping my fingers in the air, which made her jump a little.“You know Amara, if I were a woman, I’d be even prettier than you,” I said, chuckling.Amara rolled her eyes, and unknowingly, I smiled.Damn. I’m so lucky to have her as my best friend. Of course, a beauty like hers needs a goddess like me. If I had long hair, I’d already be flipping it.“You seems so happy today.”Marahan nitong ibinaba ang kaniyang tasa sa mesa.Isang malawak na ngiti naman ang binigay ko sa kaniya, “Of course! We should celebrate your successful meeting with Ms. Guevarra.Bahagya naman namu
JavierAfter calming myself down, I immediately executed my plan to address the problems that kept coming one after another.I turned to Serena, who was standing in front of me.“Please handle the press for me, Serena. If possible, tell them that I will hold a press conference with them as long as they take down the news,” I instructed.“Noted, boss. Then, I’ll take my leave,” she replied, bowing slightly before leaving my office.I looked up at the ceiling with a frustrated sigh.If Amara were beside me, she would have told me to stay calm and gather my thoughts. Even though we’ve been apart for a year, her presence still lingers in my mind.I shook my head, trying to push thoughts of Amara aside. There was no time for distractions. I had to focus on salvaging what was left of my crumbling plans.With a deep breath, I reached for my phone and dialed the number of my head of operations.“David, I need an immediate status update on the site where the collapse occurred,” I said, my voice
JavierNaantala ang pagpunta ko sa meeting matapos kong mabalitaan na nagkaroon ng aksidente na nangyari sa mga dini-deliver namin na construction items.At first, it seemed like a minor issue, something that could easily be fixed by using another courier.Pero huli ko na malaman na mas malala pa pala ang sitwasyon. Our delivered items had been swapped, and some of it had already been used at the construction sites, leading to a major collapse.The replacement items were nothing but low-quality materials, halatang sinadyang palitan upang sabotahiin ang negosyo ko.And upon the investigation, it was revealed that the Montellions were behind it.I remembered how fiercely we competed to win Mr. Wei's favor, and despite the odds, I managed to convince him to side with us, causing a significant loss for the Montellions.I clenched my fist tightly, frustration washing over me.Ang insidenteng ito, kasama pa ang pagkakasugat ng ilan sa mga tauhan ni Mr. Wei, would severely damage our busines
RafaelI was little bit impatient today. I can’t call my assistant because right now, she’s maybe at Javier’s side attending all his schedule.And the only one who left me is Norrine, one of my people I planted inside of his company. Her great intellegent towards at mathematics raise her position as Accounting Manager. I picked up my phone and dialed her number. It took two rings before she finally answered.“Sir,” she said, her voice steady and professional."Norrine, what's the status on the plan?" My voice was steady, but beneath the surface, a storm brewed.I stood before the towering glass wall. The sky was a brilliant blue, the sun casting a warm serene light over the chaos of my thoughts.My eyes traced the buzzling city but all I could see was my reflection on the glass wall with a dark expression on my face. I couldn’t help but to feel anxious now that I know that Javier would be there in the collaboration of Amara and Penelope’s business venture. The knowledge that he wou
RafaelI stood on the balcony, overlooking the beach as the moonlight danced on the waves. Ang payapang kapaligiran ay siya namang kabaliktaran ng isipan ko. I pulled out my phone and called my assistant, needing to get updates on the situation with Javier’s company."Hello" I said when my assistant picked up. "What's the latest update on sabotaging Javier's company?"I leaned over the balcony, watching the waves crash against the shore. The night air was cool and crisp as I took a long drag from my cigarette, the tip briefly lighting up in the darkness.Matagal ko nang minamatyagan ang kompanya ni Javier, ex husband ni Amara. Simula nang malaman ko ang bagay na ginawa niya noon, hindi ko maiwasan ang hindi magalit. Hindi naman ako ang niloko, pero sa tuwing iniisip kong sinaktan nito si Amara, parang may kung ano sa loob ko na gusto siyang pahirapan.At iyon ang naghantong sa akin sa ganitong posisyon. Ako rin naman ang dahilan bakit ang lapit nila ngayon nang hindi nila alam. Malaki
AmaraI stayed at the mansion with my daughter Ayala, who was sleeping so peacefully. Her tiny body curled up under the soft blankets, completely relaxed after the long journey. Rafael and Yuan had gone out to explore, leaving the house in a gentle, serene quiet.Settling into a cozy armchair, I opened my book and let myself get lost in its pages. The silence was comforting, a rare moment of calm.Mabuti na rin na pumayag akong pumunta rito. Napakaganda ng lugar na ito, malayong malayo sa kinalakihan kong lugar. Kung sa lugar na nakasanayan ko ay halos malalaking building ang makikita, dito naman ay konti lang. Wala masyadong malalaking gusali.Noong nalaman ko kay Rafael na Capiz ang probinsya nito, ayoko na tumuloy. Ngunit pumayag nalang ako, kaysa bawiin yung sinabi ko.Naalala ko ang mga nangyari dati, hindi naman na dapat pang inaalala. Ang sinabi dati ng mama ni Javier na nandito sila ni Tiana, nag babakasyon habang ako ay naiwang mag isa. Matagal nang tapos iyon. Kaya mas mabut