Chapter Seventeen
David and and I were walking on the beach after eating at a fancy restaurant. I suddenly felt a hand on mine. I looked down at our hands, he entangled his fingers with mine . I looked back up at him and he gave me a smile. A walk on the beach at sunset with him holding my hands. This was so romantic.
Huminto kami at hinubad ni David ang jacket niya, he laid his jacket on the sand. Umupo siya doon at kinuha ang kamay ko. He pulled me to him until I was sitting in between his legs, my back against his chest. Matagal kaming walang kibo habang nakatingin sa dagat. This was how I pictured it would be like with David. I felt him brush his fingers through my hair.
“Ano’ng iniisip mo?” He asked.
“Nothing.” I said.
“Maybe we could have a beach wedding someday?” He chuckled.
“I – I don’t know.” Kibit-balikat na sabi ko. Why couldn’t I see myself marrying him?
“No beach wedding then.” He said. “Maybe we should just stick to the traditional church wedding.”
Hindi ako sumagot.
“Valerie…” He called.
I turned my head to look at him. He cupped my chin with his fingers.
“I love you, Valerie.” Sabi niya. I stared blankly at him for a few seconds. He kissed me and I immediately pulled away from the kiss. That was when I realized something. Romance is all well and good… but it wasn’t what I wanted. I didn’t want an ordinary love like this. I wanted to drown in passion and be ravaged. I want mad, passionate love. It was something only one guy had shown me.
“Let’s go home.” Sabi ko.
“Is something wrong?” Kunot ang noong tanong niya.
Yes, there’s something wrong with my head… “Wala, gusto ko lang umuwi.”
Hinatid na ako ni David sa bahay pagkatapos nun.
“Daddy…” Parang batang napayakap ako sa kanya habang nakaupo siya sa couch niya sa loob ng library at nagbabasa ng libro. He put the book down the side table and he took of his glasses.
“What’s wrong, baby?” He asked, worried, as he brushed his fingers through my hair.
I shook my head.
“Come on. You know you can talk to me about anything.” He said in a warm and gentle voice.
I let out a deep sigh. I was confused with everything. With how my mind worked, how it couldn’t stop thinking about Axel. And my body wanting him so bad. It was driving me insane. Hindi ko na alam kung ano ang gagawin ko. Wala naman akong masabihan. Not even Trina, Venus, or Amy.
I rested my head on daddy’s chest. “How did you know you were in love with mommy?
“Ah, I see.” He chuckled. “Is my little Valerie now a lady in love?”
I didn’t say anything.
He looked down at me with a reminiscent smile on his face. "I just...knew. It's one of those things that you have to have a gut feeling about. We just knew."
“Is it possible to fall in love with the person you don’t even like?”
He laughed softly. “Hindi mo pwedeng piliin kung kanino ka mahuhulog, kung kailan o kung paano. It just happens. Our hearts have minds of their own. You can make lists in your head about what you want in a guy but you’ll never really know what and who you want until it’s right in front of you, sweetheart.”
“What if you really, really hate that person?”
“Yan ang problema sa inyong mga kabataan. You think you’re in love the person who makes you happy but it’s not always like that. Sometimes it’s the person who makes you feel the most.”
“Dad…”
“Yes, sweety.”
“I’m in love.”I said in a small voice.
He gave me a kiss on the forehead. “My little Valerie is finally a grown woman.”
I was doing the craziest thing ever. Pumunta ako dito sa Manila para makita si Axel. Pinayagan ako ni dad na pumunta dito. I told him na pumapayag na ako sa offer dati ni Axel. I would be working for his company. Matagal ng gusto ni dad na magkatrabaho ako kaya hindi siya nagdalawang-isip.
“Girl, we so missed you!” Sabi ni Amy. We were at her house where I would be staying for awhile.
“Finally! Nakalaya ka na din sa bilibid prison two-point-oh!” Natatawang sabi ni Trina.
“You missed out on all the fun.” Venus said. “Buti pinayagan ka na ni tito Jaime na mag-stay dito.”
“Yeah, but there’s a catch. Kailangan kong magtrabaho. Dad said he wants me to be independent.”
“Oh, poor baby.” Lumabi si Trina. “Buti na lang ang daddy ko… he won’t even let me lift a finger.”
“Yeah, who needs a job when you have trust funds.” Venus laughed.
“I know, right?”Amy agreed.
A day after I arrived in Manila, pumunta na agad ako sa kumpanya na pagmamay-ari ng pamilya ni Axel. I stopped outside of the building and looked at it for a few moment. It was big, so intimidating, so precisely shaped and dark. Just like Axel. It was as if this was especially made for him. This was his kingdom which means I have to play by his rules. I took a deep breath before stepping in to the black revolving door in front of me. How could I willingly walk in to this?
My heart was beating so loud with every step I took. I walked up to the reception that was sitting in the middle of the huge lobby.
“Hi, good morning. Can I see Mr. Atticus Xavier Enrique Lavigne?” Tanong ko ng makaharap ang receptionist.
“Do you have an appointment, ma’am?” The receptionist politely asked.
“No, but he and I are… good friends. Sabi niya sa akin welcome daw ako dito kung kailan ko ng trabaho.”
“I’m sorry, ma’am but we have strict orders not to disturb Mr. Lavigne or let anyone up unless you have an appointment.”
I sighed. “Can you just please tell him Valerie Zamora is here to see him?”
“Excuse me? Ano po ulit ang panagalan niyo?” She asked.
“Valerie Zamora.” I repeated.
“Can you hold on for a second, Ms. Valerie Zamora?” Sabi sa akin ng receptionist bago siya tumalikod sa akin. I saw her pick up the phone and dialed. She was talking to somebody pero hindi koi yon marinig. After a minute or so, she came back to me with a huge, warm smile on her face. “Ms. Zamora, pwede na po kayong umakyat. Mr. Lavigne’s office is on the 32nd floor, it’s the door at the end of the hall.
“Thank you.” I nodded my head and headed to the elevator. It had been a little over two weeks since the last time I saw him. My heart thumped with anticipation, excitement and anxiety. God, I couldn’t believe I was here. Para akong pumasok sa hawla ng tigre para magpakain. The elevator tinged and the door opened. I swallowed to ease my dry throat before I stepped out. I stood in the huge hall and at the very end of it laid a large, black double door. I slowly walked down the hall and I was half way there when it opened. My insides went wild when I saw him. He was in a gray suit and he looked hot and intimidating. Nakababa ang tingin niya sa papel na binabasa niya habang nakasunod sa kanya ang isang babaeng nakaitim na skirt at blazer. I just froze right on the spot.
“Mr. Lavigne, she’s here.” Sabi ng babaeng nakasunod sa kanya.
Axel’s eyes averted to me from the folder. I tried to keep my cool but inside I was hyperventilating. Those dark eyes... they suck me in like a black hole. Empty, intense, frightening and freeing. They were the very same eyes that had seen my naked body. His gaze didn’t even last five seconds before he looked straight ahead, ignoring my existence. I quietly watched as he walked passed me. Like I wasn’t there. Like I was just some crumpled paper in the middle of the hall.
“Have her talk to Cindy. You know I have no time for that.” May bakas ng pagkairita sa boses niya
“Yes, Mr. Lavigne.” The girl immediately answered.
I felt a lump forming in my throat. Pakiramdam ko pinipiga ang dibdib ko. He couldn’t even be bothered to look at me. Wala na siyang kailangan sa akin.I was useless to him now.
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