Charlie kept shifting on her seat. Bakit hindi? Aside from the fact that she's tensing because of Gael's presence smothering her still despite him eating silently beside her, it was the first time in weeks that another person, aside from her bodyguards and Gray and Jasmine, learned about Gael's return. Well, they're not romantically involved anymore but still... Gael wronged her. Her family will go after him now that he's back. Lalo na kapag nalaman ng mga ito na ito ang nasa likod sa tangkang pagpapabagsak sa SSL. Her family will retaliate, she's sure of that. That's why she's been keeping the truth about Gael's return. Gusto na niya sanang umiwas sa gulo. But Eric Samaniego is a family friend. He has worked closely with her family before and is still close with her parents even now that he has retired from intelligence work. She's sure one of these days he will talk to them and then... there will be more chaos again. She will be forced to answer the endless questions inside h
"Thank you for the dinner, Gray and Jasmsine. It was nice talking with you too, Sir Eric," ani Gael bago bumaling kay Charlie. His eyes bore instantly on her and she cannot look away. Aside from the natural pull his gray eyes had on her, her mind was preoccupied. Iniisip niya ang sinabi ni Jasmine sa kanya that Sir Eric is theorizing that someone might have deliberately fed Gael false information to make him hate her and put her family in a bad light. Kung totoo man 'yon, sino naman? Did their enemies try to use Gael against them? Her father has gained several business rivals in the past. But they were just healthy competitors, trying to do their business. Hindi rin niya maisip na pakana na naman iyon ng mga Mondragon. They don't play that way. They attack head-on. So, who? "Hindi ka pa sasabay? I can drive you home if you'd like," pukaw ni Gael sa kanya maya-maya. Kumurap siya mabilis na hinamig ang sarili. "Thanks for the offer but I-I'm good. I have my bodyguards with m
"What happened?" tanong ni Gael nakadirekta kay Jacob na nasa tabi ni Charlie. "Mukhang nag-overheat. Ipapa-check na sana kasi 'to dapat e kaso ginamit pa rin ni Axel ngayon," naiiling na sagot ni Jacob bago bumaling sa kanya. Charlie can almost figure out what he wanted to say next that's why she shook her head. "Do you want me to take you home, Charlize?" ani Gael, verbalizing what Jacob had in mind. She shot glance at Gael before returning her gaze Jacob. "You go. It's better be him than some stranger driver out there," ani Jacob, pabulong. She wanted to protest because clearly, Jacob doesn't really have any idea what he is saying. How can she be safe with Gael? Her emotions are all on edge whenever he is around. She's tensing up like some old robot needed to be drenched in oil just to function. Not to mention, Gael has threatened her many times before she had already lost count! "For Levi," sabi ulit ni Jacob. She released a slow breath. Right. She needs to go home as
"Charlie, are you even listening?" anang Grandma Liza ni Charlie sa kanya. Mabilis siyang nag-angat ng tingin sa kanyang lola na noon ay kasama niyang nag-aagahan sa family house nila sa Tagaytay. That's where she spent her weekend. She wanted to be away from the city for a while. Away from all her cares. Away from Gael. It was a beautiful Sunday morning. But she doesn't feel beautiful at all. She looks like shit and still feels conflicted. Why wouldn't she? She just learned that her stupid heart still loves Gael. How could she do that? How could her stupid heart do that? Hindi man lang ba siya nadala? Gael is her family's enemy now. Were his threats not enough to make her unlove him? How can she fall for him again-- the man who abandoned her for money? The cause of all her heartaches? She released a slow breath and collected her thoughts. "Sorry, Grandma. I was thinking about... What's your question again?" aniya. Her Grandma studied her face for a while and reached fo
Puno ng kaba ang dibdib ni Charlie habang pinagmamasdan niya ang floor counter ng elevator. She was on her way to Gael's penthouse. Doon nila napagkasunduang magkita ngayong gabi para sa pag-uusapan nila. Bumaba ang tingin niya sa envelope na hawak niya. Humigpit ng hawak niya roon. She doesn't know how Gael will react on it but she knew now what must be done.And that is her doing the right thing for her and her son. Nang bumukas ang pinto ng lift, tahimik niyang binagtas ang hallway hanggang sa marating niya ang mismong pinto ng penthouse. She was hesitant for a while. Until she mustered the strength to press the doorbell.Ilang sandali pa, bumukas ang pinto at bumungad sa kanya ang bulto ni Gael. He was wearing his casual jeans and shirt. His gray eyes are dancing as he looked at her, like she was his favorite person in the world. On his face, his familiar smirk. 'Dammit! Why does he has to look so good?' lihim niyang reklamo, lalong lumakas ang pagkabog ng dibdib.Niluwangan
Gael was staring blankly at the document in front of him. He had been staring at it for the last hour and yet he doesn’t seem to comprehend any single word written on it. The past three days had been the same. Pumapasok siya sa Crown Bank subalit lumilipad ang isip niya. He cannot think straight nor function well when his mind was preoccupied by Charlize. His thoughts are always for her, most from the night he insulted her. He knew he shouldn’t have said what he said. But he was angry when he served him their divorce papers. Kung bakit, hindi niya alam. For the past five years of his life he lived and breathed with only one thing in his mind, ang pabagsakin ang mga Sandejas dahil sa kasalanan ng mga ito sa kanya. He still wanted that. His mind was still set on bringing justice to what happened to his T’yo Berting—to him. But his heart, his damn heart doesn’t seem to agree with his mind anymore. Why, the fcking thing won’t stop beating for her! He had never felt that way for Lena
"Are the documents I've asked you to prepare now ready?" tanong ni Gael kay Hugo. Magkapanabay silang naglalakad ng assistant patungo sa opisina niya sa Crown Bank. "Yes, Sir. It's already in your office," mabilis na sagot nito. "Good. What about that thing that I've asked you to do?" aniya alanganin. Alanganing umiling si Hugo. "She said she won't see you anymore, Sir. And that's final," anito sa mababang tinig. A slight shot of disappointment rose from his chest. He'd been meaning to talk to Charlize for days now, subalit ayaw na talaga siya nitong kausapin. Kaya naman si Hugo na ang inutusan niyang gumawa ng paran para sa kanya. But even that, failed. He knew she has every right to be angry at him-- he's a damn confused jerk who cannot control his emotions when it comes to her. But... he really needs to talk to her, even for one final time. Nagpasya na siya, sa itinakbo ng mga pangyayari sa nakalipas na ilang araw matapos niya itong insultuhin nang huli silang magkita, a
Lena carefully roamed her eyes around the hotel suite Gael had booked for her. The place was fine, luxurious if she might add. But that did not ease the anger she's feeling right now. She went straight to his new office to surprise him but he didn't seem surprised at all! Gael was indifferent to her flirtatious advances. He didn't even responded to her kiss-- he just gently pushed her back and said that he had a lot of things to finish for the day. That he will just see her in the hotel suite. That's a first in the five years that he had known Gael. She was used to Gael following her wherever she goes-- needing her close to him from time to time. He was quite possesive of her but it does not bother her. She likes it in fact. It was just how they had planned. Gael's fondness of her for the past years had made things easier for her. It meant she was doing a great job of keeping him entertained-- distracted, easily manipulated. But now, the Gael she had known and left in Manil