"My sister, Lady Catherine, was ecstatic when I told her about Theo getting married soon," masiglang umpisa ni Camilla Mondragon, ang nanay ni Theo.The old woman looked thinner now dahil na rin sa pinagdaanan nitong medical scare. Subalit gano'n pa rin ito, sopistikada, magaling magsalita at attention-getter. She used to like the woman because she was really kind and had not shown anything ill towards her. Subalit ngayon, hindi maintindihan ni Charlie kung bakit bigla siyang nainis sa nakatatandang babae.Inis siyang sumimsim ng alak mula sa wine glass at muling nagpigil ng emosyon.Today has been a total disaster! Matapos siyang mapilitan mag-lunch kasama si Theo, hindi siya agad nakabalik sa SSL dahil inaya siya ulit ni Theo sa bagong bukas na architecture firm ng pamilya nito. She wanted to protest but Theo annoyingly asked permission from her Dad again. At ang lalong nakakainis, pumayag ang Daddy niya sa gusto ni Theo. She argued about the proposal she's working that was due
Charlie took in a sharp breath before she began to descend on the grandstaircase of their home. Masama ang kanyang pakiramdam dahil wala siyang tulog. Sa ibang pagkakataon, baka nagmukmok na siya sa kanyang kuwarto at nagkulong na lang doon maghapon.Subalit may mga kailangan siyang gawin sa SSL na hindi niya maaring ipagpaliban. She sighed. She's exhausted from all the crying and thinking. But she just realized today, that rest would really be a luxury once her real work at SSL begins. Agad siyang napahinto nang marating niya ang dining. Her Mom and Dad are already there silently having breakfast with her younger brother, Caleb. Nakabalik na pala ito mula sa bakasyon nito sa San Gabriel. Kung sabagay, halos isang linggo na lang, magbubukas na ulit ang klase. Her brother will enter the university this year. "Ate!" nakangiting pukaw ni Caleb sa kanya nang mag-angat ito ng tingin. Agad din na lumipad ang tingin ng mga magulang niya sa kanya. Her mother gave her familiar knowing s
Ang malakas na pagtawag ng kanyang pangalan na nagmumula sa kung saan ang tuluyang nagpagising kay Gael. “Gael!” muling tawag sa kanya ng pamilyar na tinig. Boses iyon ng T’yo Berting niya. Unti-unti siyang nagmulat. Noon niya nagpagtanto na umaga na. Hindi naglipat sandali, the memory of yesterday filled his mind. Theo talking Charlie to somewhere and his boss putting him in a forced furlough without any clear reasons—relieving him from all his duties as an elite bodyguard of SSA. Not that he didn’t ask his boss Eric Samaniego. He did, dozens of times until he got all fed up and almost shot him in annoyance. Subalit iisa lang ang sinabi nito, kailangan daw nitong gawin iyon for smooth transition of things. He groaned and sat up on the cold floor he was in. His damn back was aching and his head was pounding. Napasulyap siya sa ilang bote ng beer malapit sa pwesto niya. That explains his headache. Smooth transition of things, paguulit niya sa isip. He scoffed. He knew his boss
Hindi mapakali si Charlie habang sakay siya ng sasakyan niya patungo sa St. Gabriel University. Today is the start of classes. She's now an official part of the graduating class -- a thing she had always looked forward to in the past. She initially dreamed of going to Oxford for her masters after she graduates from college. And after that, she will take the helm of SSL and lead it. It was a perfect plan. Well that was before. Before her life got all messed up when her future was decided for her by people other than herself! Mahigit isang linggo na mula nang makasagutan niya ang Daddy niya. Isang linggo na rin mula nang pumutok ang balita tungkol sa engagement nila ni Theo. Isang linggo na rin siyang grounded. Her father took her phone away. Pinagbawalan na rin siya nitong pumasok sa SSL. She's basically a prisoner in her own home Home. Mapait na ngumiti ang dalaga. Kung papipilii siya, gusto mina niyang umalis sa kanilang bahay. She felt suffocated there, voiceless. Gusto muna ni
"I heard my princess was crying so I came," ani Gael, masuyong pinunasan ang luha ni Charlie. Hindi na siya nag-aksaya pa ng oras at niyakap si Gael. His warmth and presence enveloped her in an instant. His arms felt like home. Her home. "I-I thought... I won't see you again. I-I thought you already l-left me." "I'm sorry, love. I had no way of contacting you. So I just took my chance to come here and see you. Sinabi sa akin ng janitress na dito ka madalas nagagawi kapag nasa campus ka dahil hindi madalas nagagamit ang CR na 'to." He explained in a hushed voice. He then told her about the talk he and her Dad had after she and Theo left that day. Ikinuwento rin nito kung ano ang nangyari sa trabaho nito. And her heart felt heavier with everything she had learned. "Sinubukan kitang puntahan sa mansiyon. But the guards won't allow me to go in," paliwanag nito sa naghihinanakit na tinig. She knew it. Gael just won't leave her like that. Not unless someone pushed him away.
"What did he do to you?" malumanay ang boses na tanong ni Gael sa kanya. They were parked under a tree na sa tingin niya ay parte ng isang natural park sa labas ng Maynila. They drove in silence for more than three hours. Ngayon lang sila huminto. Bumaling siya kay Gael. The storm in his eyes didn't go away, but it was more subtle now. She knew he was fighting his emotions. Siya rin naman. But what Theo did to her today was unforgivable. Hindi niya lubos maisip kung ano man ang maaring nangyari sa kanya kung wala si Gael sa malapit. "H-he k-kissed me and tried to..." Napahawak siya sa damit niya, sa may bandang dibdib. Theo almost touched her there. Gael cursed under his breath, gripping the steering wheel tight, his knuckles almost turned white. "I will not let this pass, Charlie. He will pay. He will damn pay for what he did to you today!" Humagulgol na siya, tuluyang napayakap dito. "P-please, Gael. Just let it go. A-ayokong mapahamak ka," panay ang hikbi na pakiusap
Tahimik si Charlie habang nakaupo siya sa waiting room sa bahay ng judge na kakilala ni Gael. She looked at the simple infinity ring on her finger as it slightly glistened against the soft light of the room she was in. She removed it from her finger and looked at the engraving inside the band. Palagi. Iyon ang nakasulat sa singsing. A promise of forever and always. Just a few minutes ago she made a decision that will change her life forever. She married Gael. Matapos pumayag si Gael na pakasalan siya, muli nitong tinawagan si Gray at pinahanda ang mga papeles na kailangan nila. She's glad that Gael has connections too kaya nagawa nilang magpakasal nang madalian at walang aberya. She knew marrying the man she had always loved is the best solution for her situation. It was the escape she was always longing for. Subalit bakit gano'n? She still feel troubled. Maybe because this is the first time that she defied her parent's will. This is the first time she was able to make a de
"What? Tonto! What am I paying you for? Hindi mo na naman inaayos ang trabaho mo!" singhal ng Mommy ni Theo sa kausap nito sa telepono bago tumingin sa kanya. Sigurado siya, kausap na naman nito ang secretary nito. "Well make a way! If you should move the heaven and earth just to get to that client, then do it. No! You do it or else you're fired!" He grinned. He really took after his mother's impatience. Kaya nga siya nagtataka kung paano niya natagalan ang sang gaya ni Charlie. Charlie. That stubborn girl. Naalala na naman niya ang ginawa nito kanina. He will make sure that she'll pay once he found her. He will bang her and taste every inch of that beautiful body of hers. Masyado na siyang matagal na naghihintay. And waiting is not even his cup of tea. His mother told him that marrying Charlie would be good for him-- for his image. So that he would gain the favor of her aunt's husband, the baron who doesn't really like him ever since. Kaya naman pinipigilan nito ang asawa ni