Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

M/V Marisa is a fifty feet long yacht moored along Manila Bay along with other yachts owned by prominent family. Angelo named it as tribute to her mother. The foods are already ready and the caterers and waiters are on standby waiting for instructions.

Angelo glanced at his watch. It was almost seven o clock but a little early for the arrival of Don Arnald Lopez. He took a sip of champagne and look around. The sun had long gone and the western horizon was but a shadows of darkness which is in contrast with the night image of the metropolis. The towering buildings were well lighted but on the northern part was a silhouette of houses of the slam duelers. It was the part of Tondo where he grew up.

Angelo remembered those days when he slept at night without foods in his stomach. He literally knew the true meaning of hunger. Growing up without a mother and father is like growing up in hell. There are times that his conscience was losing and the fiber of morality flew away because of hunger. Choosing between right and wrong is very hard with an empty stomach. He was forced do against morals, the word he often heard from Fr. Benny. He learned to do the tricks of pick pocketing just to fed his stomach thru the guidance of Mang Marcus. His soul may rest in peace.

It was really the true meaning of survival and as he suffered those sufferings he remembered his father who abandoned him. How he hated his father. But those unfortunate experiences made him strong and he learned to live away with emotions. He uses his mind not his heart for every decision he made. And it suits him well. He became tough and ruthless.

Exactly eight o’clock, Arnald Lopez arrived. Angelo welcome him aboard. At some point Angelo, noticed that Arnald was time conscious. Eight o clock was the call time and it was exact. Along with the man is his secretary, Melody. He met the girl earlier at Arnald’s office. Melody is pretty with curvaceous body. Angelo doubted if the woman is just a mere secretary or Arnald’s another woman.

“Welcome aboard, Sir.”

“Remember my secretary, Melody.”

Melody smiled and he shake hands with both of them. The uniformed waiter offered champagne.

“Nice yacht.” Arnald complemented. “You must be doing well.”

“Thank you, Sir. This is one of my hobby.”

Arnald drink his champagne. Angelo do the same and waved for another. The waiter come rushing with the drinks.

“Stop calling me sir. Don Arnald or just Don will do.”

Angelo can’t help but smile thinking where the hell is the title Don comes from. However, he obliged. He is accustomed to calling sir and ma’am to anyone. Not because of subservience but a proven technique he learned. In marketing you have to be cunning to get the sales. Angelo mastered those techniques long ago. Every man or woman are always wanted to be superior. Ego dictates human

nature. Being subservient does not mean you submit, but it’s a trick to gain other’s respect and get what you wanted. Respect begets trust and trust is very important in business. But it seems that Arnald is quite different, Angelo noticed.

“As you wish Don Arnald.”

“Much better.” The old man said followed by loud laughter that almost echoed but lost by the wind as the yacht started its course smoothly sailing west ward.

As the vehicle getting far from where it was anchored a little while, the metropolis became prominent with its blinking lights of both buildings and the rushing traffic. The shadows of ships anchored in the north harbor, complete the total picture of the city at night.

Don Arnald. What a presumptuous title?

Angelo almost came to laugh out loud but restraint himself. Maybe the man had watched many Mafia movies like Al Capone the famous Italian boss. But Angelo cannot even link the life of a mafia boss with that of Arnald Lopez. The only similarity is they both came from penniless back ground. But unlike the Mafia boss, Arnald acquired his wealth from rich women. The mafia boss used their courage and strength to gain respect. Don Arnald used his charm to win the heart of those wealthy but lonely women. In the end, the man siphoned their wealth and left them for another.

Angelo’s research was thorough. It is clear now that even though his mother Marisa was far beautiful than Divina Montes, Arnald left his mother for the wealthy heir of the Pharmaceutical magnate. And then he left Divina for Marieta de Asis the daughter of the sugar magnate of Visaya.

What a disgrace, worm and parasitic hearted you are. I despised you as my father. But just wait. I will teach you the meaning of true revenge.

The dinner was good. Angelo seen to it to hire the best caterer in town. The food was superb. The wine was from the best wine store. Branded and aged well and the name itself supersedes the quality.

As the night goes, Angelo found out that Arnald was really a despicable man. He is a talker and a pompous ass who pretended to know everything. The alcohol drove the man to become more arrogant and took a pride of being a womanizer.

“It is not really our fault when women came to us begging for love.” Arnald boost. “But do you believed that there is no such thing as love?”

Angelo has taken aback of what he heard. Of course he believed in love. He loved his mother so much and now he is beginning to fall for Samantha.

He gritted his teeth and tried hard to wave Samantha out of his mind. He is annoyed of what is happening to him recently. The angelic face and that scent of woman that drive him almost crazy every time he remembered Samantha, is no longer right. That cute smile that melted his heart and the voluptuous body that aroused him and wake him in his dream occupied his thought more than thinking of himself. But he had already planned his future ahead and Samantha is not included.

“Of course i believe in love.” Angelo answered truthfully.” Why’d you say that?” “Have you been in love?” Arnald answered with a question.

“No. Not yet.” An answer not far from truth.

“How pathetic you are, then. You are still in the limbo of dreams. An idealistic foolishness.” Arnald said seriously. His smile had gone and look around as if trying to conceal such turbulent emotions within.

Angelo realized the expression of a man who had suffered so much pain remembering the past. He is also aware of Arnald first love. Antonette, the daughter of poor fish vendor from his hometown who married Marianito Madrigal the son of the rich hotel magnate. Arnald was so hurt and that experience drove him not to trust any woman after Antonette.

“It seems you have a very bad experience about relationship. Care to share?”

Upon hearing what Angelo said, Arnald seems to come back to his senses. He laughed aloud.

“Never mind. And sorry for being melodramatic.” Arnald said to change the topic. “But remember this, when you happened to have a woman do not bet your one hundred percent because it will hurt you. Destroy your sanity. Destroy your dreams and even destroy you physically.”

I will never fall in love. Never! Ever!

He is hearing himself saying but his heart is not listening. It’s Samantha again.

MELODY was good in bed. Angelo was so consumed as they share the night. Arnald left Melody to Angelo to have company. It is one of Arnald techniques to share his woman to any upcoming business partner as a token to remember. It was written in Melody’s job description. Arnald un board the MV Marisa and the chauffeur drove the man home.

But the sex was casual. Melody is no different from all other women he bedded. The irony is, lately even though he is with other naked woman, it is Samantha that occupied his mind.

I have to do something about this.

SLEEP was elusive for Samantha after she woke up in the middle of the night. She smiled remembering her dream. It was an erotic dream with Angelo. It was a dream but she can still felt Angelo’s kiss that caress her entire body and the warmth of his manhood inside her. She felt that strange ecstasy and the hotness that is beginning to grow between her legs. Samantha gasp as she unconsciously touched in between her thigh. The sensation grew stronger.

But Angelo is just a dream. She keeps on wondering what is wrong with the guy.

Is he gay? Am I not beautiful enough?

The memory of their first meeting in New York almost one year ago is still clear and vivid in her memory. It was one of many fashion shows she attended. Her roadshow manager Buggy introduced Angelo to her.

“I am a fun of yours Ms. Samantha.” She still remembered that first meeting. “I keep following you on I*******m, F******k, magazines and your TV appearances. I am honored to meeting you.”

“What is your name again?” She asked just to be sure she heard Buggy right.

“Angelo Lopez.” The man smiled and said while still holding her hands.

“Are we related? Cousins perhaps?” Samantha asked beginning to blush. There is that current of sensation she felt just mere touching the man’s hand. She awkwardly took her hand away from Angelo’s hand shake.

“Ohhh! I’m sorry.” Angelo said apologetic and a little embarrassed.

THAT first meeting was the beginning of casual dinner date wherever Samantha participate in her modelling. Angelo pop up in any country she was, from New York, Paris, Spain. It seems that the man is really following her everywhere she performed. And she like it. She had already fallen for the man who became so mysterious as the time goes by. Angelo literally evade her advances.

She was so confused. In all gesture it shows that Angelo was really interested in her. One reason that she already told her many suitors that she was engaged was because of Angelo. She wanted the man to be his husband so badly.

Before Angelo came to her life, Samantha never believed in love nor a serious relationship with men. She doesn’t want to become like her mother who blindly loved her father so much but eventually ended in divorce. But the man, changed her belief and she fall for him eventually. But worst is that the man had treated her just a little sister.

I have to do something about this before I become crazy. You will be mine Angelo, my love.

That was not just a promise but an affirmation of doing everything, no matter it takes. After all, she was Samantha Lopez, the Goddess on earth that every man dreamt of.