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CHLOE Yawning from waking up while stretching, I look for Trace, but he’s not in the room. I checked the time, and it was already nine in the morning. I went to the bathroom he wasn't there either. I decided to go downstairs since wala si Trace sa kwarto. Obviously nasa baba na siya. I stood up because I couldn’t stay sleeping at that hour. I went to the bathroom and finished bathing in less than five minutes. I am not dirty naman dahil sa isang araw ay three to four times naman akong naliligo dahil sa trip ni Trace. Kagabi lang ay nagbabad pa kami sa bathtub while doing our deeds. Palabas na sana ako ng banyo nang maalala ko iyong... iyong picture na itinago ko before kami pumunta ng Palawan. I checked it kung saan ko iniwan but…why it wasn’t there anymore? So Trace took it of course. Kaming dalawa lang naman ang gumagamit ng kwarto at kung wala sa pinagtaguan ko ay si Trace lang ang possible na kumuha. I sighed. I will ask Trace later about that photo... I have the right to
TRACE Nilingon ko si Chloe na tahimik lang. We are going to Manila. Dumating na ang parents ni Chloe and they are staying at Dam Es Luxury, courtesy of my sister. Hindi ako sigurado kung nasa Manila na sina papa at Louisianna pero sana nando’n na para matapos na ang plano na engagement party na gaganapin. Daming kaartehan ni Louisianna, feeling stepmother ang puta! Muli kong sinulyapan si Chloe. Ilang minuto na lang ay lalapag na kami sa helipad ng tower ko sa Makati. Tahimik lang siya at kanina ko pa hindi maintindihan ang tinatakbo ng isip. And then I heard her sigh. “Why?” “Nothing. I am just an-towk…” Chloe reasoned out. “You are not yawning, you are sighing. What’s that for?” “I’m just bored travelling through this chopper. It seems Manila is so far from Agri— Agrian-thro-pos.” “Pinagloloko mo ko, Chloe. Kung yate ang gamit natin ay bukas pa tayo darating, mas matagal ang byahe.” “I don’t know.'' She shrugged her shoulders and pouted her lips. “Probably I am pa-gowd…” s
CHLOE “What is this talk leading to? I do all that illegally. Now, are you sure you wanna marry a man like me?” Trace asked me, and I noticed the doubt in his voice. I stared at him, thinking how I had loved him ever since. Aside from Oliver, I had never liked anyone before, but what I felt about the latter was pure admiration for his kindness and humility. Iba si Trace, I love him even though I know what life he has. I love him even though he always cusses, I love him even though I know he could quickly kill anyone, and I love him kahit alam ko na babaero pa siya. I love him even though I know how 'red flag' he is. To make it short, I love him no matter what... at walang makakapagbago no'n. Yeah... Although I know his way of living was more of illegal transactions rather than legal ones, I still believe he won’t harm kids and women. He is not like those members of 'aswangs' he was telling me about, nor the 'tikbalangs' and 'katres.' Trace is only mine now, and I will do ever
TRACE As soon as nasa loob na kami ng hotel ay umakyat na kami patungo sa rooftop garden dahil doon gaganapin ang engagement party. We were in the elevator at malamig pa rin ang kamay ni Chloe.There is something wrong in her, masyado siyang natatakot sa parents niya or mas tamang sabihin na takot siya sa mommy niya dahil iyon ang lagi niyang nababanggit, ang mommy niya. I remember some nights that she were crying in her sleep, calling her mom… I thought she missed her mother, pero ngayon ay mukhang duda ako na iba na ang rason. What if hindi pala dahil sa nami-miss niya ang mommy niya kaya umiiyak siya? What if natatakot siya sa mommy niya? But why? Dahil sa akin? Parang kalokohan naman… I held her hand tightly na malamig pa rin, at ginantihan niya rin ng pagpisil ang kamay ko. I decided to kiss her. To calm her. To remove her nervousness. I kissed Chloe deeply and I didn’t stop hanggang sa bumukas na ang elevator, at mukha ng nakakainis na si Louisianna ang nakita namin bago
CHLOE After namin lumabas ng elevator ni Trace at sabihin ni Miss Louisianna na nakausap niya si mommy, at excited na makita ako, ay nawala bigla ang ngiti ko. Why do I feel bad on that information? We were on one side of the area when Elliot and Malori approached us. Then Keyller and Kit. We were talking when they seemed amused at me at first and then later found me funny to laugh at. “What was that, Kit?” medyo nainis na ako sa ginagawa nila especially ni Kit na parang may nakakatawa sa sinabi ko. Or probably he is laughing because of my accent or Keyller’s accent. But no. He coughed after I explain the meaning of ‘tikbalang’ to Keyller. I explained it well, confidently, and yet he found me funny. “Nothing, Miss Chloe. Um, just a correction for the word. Tikbalang is a half-human and half-horse in Filipino mythical or folk sto—” “No! Of course not!” I cut him off. What is he saying? Half-horse and half-human? That’s ridiculous, and it is called centaurs. Duh! I am good at lite
TRACE “And I think I don’t need an introduction to you, Trace Dimagiba…” I look at Chloe's mother. Nang-uuri ang mga tingin niya sa akin. Hindi ko siya binati at hindi ko man lang tinanguan to recognize what she said. She was looking at me at nakipagtitigan lang ako. So this is Chloe's mother... She looks regal for her age. But she doesn’t look like her sister Mela na mukhang mabait. Mukha itong kontrabida sa buhay. I know that since she walks and talks like Louisianna. I know their kind… social climbers, freeloaders, and those who will do everything for power and money. But yeah, we are all the same... iba-ibang uri at diskarte pero pare-pareho nga naman kaming ganid. I glanced at Chloe and remembered what Elliot told me na hindi namin siya katulad... and yes, Chloe is genuinely different from us. She is too good to be true, and yet she chooses me. Ibinalik ko ang tingin sa mommy niya. Akala ko ay maayos ang ugali ng mga magulang niya kaya lumaki siyang family-oriented, but, look
CHLOE "I am so glad to see you happy, Chloe. Can't believe my sweet Chloe is now with the man she chooses." I smiled warmly at that. Daddy supports me, and it really matters. Mommy is obviously not happy for me, but as long as daddy makes me feel he understands my decision, it would be fine. "Thank you, daddy." I smiled and looked at him in his wheelchair. I really want him to walk me to the aisle, but obviously, he can't. He held my hand and smiled at me lovingly. His love for me was shown in his smile, and he was like telling me... na masaya siya para sa akin. I sighed, then pushed myself to make a cheeky smile. "And you need to be the one who will walk me to the aisle, so you better start exercising your legs to walk again," I joked, but I was really determined that he would still be the one who would give me to Trace on my wedding day. "I will..." Daddy said, and I felt delighted. He then looks at Trace again, and I feel awkward because he keeps glancing at Trace. It was
TRACEEverything that happened at the engagement party after I announced that no one should think of ruining my relationship with Chloe, made the night go well. Hindi ako sigurado kung naniniwala ba silang totohanin ko ang banta, but Alguien and his father know me well. Subukan lang nila kung matapang talaga sila. Hindi na ako natutuwa sa harapang pabida ni Alguien na pambabara kay Louisianna at sa mommy ni Chloe. Oo… inaamin kong natawa ako, slight, pero hindi ko nagustuhang siya pa ang naunang nambara sa mga babaeng alam kong may planong hindi maganda. Parang pinapakita lang sa akin ni Alguien na mas kaya niyang makigulo para kay Chloe. And that triggered me to announce that warning of mine. Well, what I said was true for I can wage war to anyone I like… Mga putangina nila, sino ba sila? Kung tatay ko nga kaya kong balewalian ay sila pa ba na hindi ko sila kadugo? I am only good, kung mayroon man akong kabutihan na tinatago, para sa iilan lang na alam kong dapat pahalagahan. Like