Pasado tanghalian na subalit wala pa rin ni anino ni Lila Mati. Nakaligo na siya. Nakapagpalit na rin siya ng damit mula sa mga pinahiram nitong damit sa kanila ni Zyrone kahapon. She even did the least thing she could do, magsaing ng kanin. Pero wala pa rin ang matanda.
Nag-aalangan naman siyang galawin ang pagkain na naka-imbak sa basket na nakasabit sa kisame ng matanda dahil baka ayaw nito iyong ipagalaw. Baka sabihin pa nito pagbalik nito na abusado siya.
Maya-maya pa, nakarinig siya ng kaluskos sa sala. She hurriedly opened up the door of her room only to be disappointed when it’s not Lila Mati she saw on the living room but it was Zyrone. Basa ang buhok nito pero tuyo na ang suot na damit. Namumula na rin ang balat nito. Mukhang kakaahon lang nito mula sa pagsu-swimming.
“It’s lunch,” tipid nitong sabi.
“So?” Umirap siya. Kahit hindi siya nito diretsahin, nakuha niya agad ang ibig sabihin ng suplado. Mukhan
Kinabukasan, maagang nagising si Belle upang maghanda ng agahan nila ni Zyrone. Subalit kahit na maaga na siyang nagising, mas maaga pa rin talagang bumangon si Zyrone kaysa sa kanya. Nang magising siya, wala na ito sa tabi niya. But instead of checking where he went, she just went straight to the kitchen and prepared breakfast for the two of them. Though she slept well, she doesn’t feel well rested compared yesterday when she woke up. Hindi niya alam bakit. Kaya naisipan niyang harapin agad ang pagluluto to jumpstart her day.She toasted the tasty bread on the pan and made some scrambled eggs. Nag-init din siya ng mainit na tubig para sa kape.Ilang sandali pa, sumungaw na ang bulto ng suplado sa back door. He was wet and his chest was heaving from catching his breath. She reckoned he took a swim again.Lumipad ang tingin niya sa bintana na nakatapat sa mismong baybayin. The sky is till dark and the waves are still angry from last night’
“Has she been found yet?” tanong ni Zyrone sa assistant niyang si Treyton.“N-not yet, Sir. Ms. Audrey is still missing,” sagot nito, alanganin.He huffed, anger slowly rising on his chest. Three days. It’s have been three damn days since the scandal and Audrey is still missing.Up until now, hindi pa rin niya alam kung anong dahilan nito kung bakit ito hindi sumipot sa kasal nila. Their contract was good. He thought she was in it, fully. And then now, this…He raked his fingers through his hair. This is the toughest situation yet he had to face in a long time. And truth be told, more than he wanted to admit, this might be the beginning of his downfall. He paced on the sandy ground—trying to rein in his temper.“What about Pastel? Did you do what I told you?” aniya, pilit pinakakalma ang sarili.“Yes, Sir. Your mother also talked to the Chens. The damages had already
Gigil na nagpaparoo’t-parito si Belle sa loob ng kuwarto. Pakiramdam niya inaaltapresyon siya. Bakit hindi? Zyrone just told her the most preposterous thing she had ever heard.Marry me.Paulit-ulit na um-echo sa isip niya ang sinabi nitong solusyon sa problema nila. At lalo lang siyang nanggigil. Paanong solusyon ang pagpapakasal niya rito? Ni hindi nga sila magkakilala tapos pakakasal siya rito?Lintek talaga na suplado!Umupo na siya sa kama at pinagsusuntok niya ang mga unan. Gigil na gigil siyang tunay. Kulang na kulang pa ang sampal na iginawad niya rito kanina. Ang bagay rito, mag-asawang sampal , roundhouse kick at uppercut!Baka kapag ginawa niya iyon, matauhan na ito nang tuluyan.Nagbuga siya ng marahas na hininga at ibinaling ang tingin sa langit. Nahawi na ang madilim na ulap at unti-unti nang lumalagos ang init nga araw sa paligid. But even then, she doesn’t feel comforted at all!
Halos isang oras nang nakaupo si Belle sa natumbang puno ng niyog. Umiinit na ang sinag ng araw at alam niyang malapit nang magtanghali. But she cannot bring herself to go back to the house. Not when she knows that what they’ll have for lunch was the same chicken who was fighting for her life when she left.She gathered her knees closer to her chest and rested her head on it sideways. She gently played with the sand—trying to take her mind off her immediate cares for the day.Maya-maya pa, nakarinig siya ng mga yabag na papalapit sa kanya. Agad siyang nag-angat ng tingin. And there she saw Zyrone walking towards her.“It’s lunch. Nagtatawag na si Lila,” pahayag nito.Hindi siya umimik, itinuloy lang ang ginagawa niya. Kung ‘yong manok lang din ang ulam, hindi na siya kakain. She’d rather starve than eat the poor chicken.Naramdaman niya ang pag-upo nito sa tabi niya subalit ni hindi siya
Hapon na at malapit nang lumubog ang araw subalit hindi na muling nag-usap pa sina Belle at Zyrone. Belle felt like she doesn’t really have a need to talk to him. She let her silence do the talking.Besides, hindi na rin naman siya kinulit ni Zyrone tungkol sa plano nito. Sa plano nitong parang hindi naman talaga pinag-isipan.Zyrone stayed out of the house the whole afternoon. Kung saan ito nagpunta, hindi niya alam. At siya naman nanatili sa bahay at nakipagkuwentuhan kay Lila Mati.They were having a late afternoon coffee and the old woman was talking about her late husband.“Si Nardo ko noon, madalas din na sakit sa ulo. Paano, mahilig makipag-inuman kapag hindi pumapalaot. Pero bukod doon, wala na akong reklamo. Masipag siya. Mabait na ama. Mabait din na asawa,” anang matanda bago natigilan. She turned to the wall and looked at the picture of the old man there lovingly. She didn’t need to ask. That’s Lila M
Zyrone didn’t have dinner. Nang pumasok ito sa bahay kanina bago mag-hapunan, pormal itong nagpaalam kay Lila Mati tungkol sa pag-alis nila kinabukasan. The old woman was a little bit sad with the news but she did wished them luck for their supposed new life together. Matapos niyon, lumabas din ng bahay si Zyrone at naglagi sa kotse.At aminin man ni Belle o hindi, nag-aalala siya para dito. The sudden shift in his mood was bothering her. He was not his usual, c*cky self when he talked to her earlier. She’s sure something might’ve happened that made him changed his mind about things. And whatever it was, she doesn’t have any clue.She was readying herself to sleep when she saw through the window of the room a soft glow of light coming from nearby. Sumilip siya sa bintana upang sana ay tignan kung saan iyon nanggagaling subalit hindi niya makita. Napilitan siya tuloy lumabas kuwarto upang tignan kung saan nanggagaling ang ilaw na iy
“What do you think? Do you agree or not?” ani Zyrone kay Belle habang naroon silang dalawa sa loob ng sasakyan at nag-uusap.Zyrone has just showed her a soft copy of the contract from his phone. It is the contract she needs to sign before they get married. Kaiba pa iyon sa pre-nup agrrement. And so far she’s not liking it.Ngayon na naroon na sila at pinag-uusapan ang kanilang kasal, lalong tumindi ang paniniwala niya na isang malaking kabaliwan ang nakatakda niyang gawin. Hindi niya matukoy kung may lumukob ba sa kanya na kakaibang elemento o sadya talaga siyang gaga kaya siya nagdesisyon nang gano’n.Isa lang ang sigurado siya, she cannot allow Zyrone’s parents to wreak havoc just because their son won’t bow down to their wishes.Masyadong malambot ang puso niya para sa mga inosenteng nadadamay sa galit ng magulang ni Zyrone. She wants to prove to them na hindi dahil sa mayaman 
Present“You don’t have to do the talking, Belle. Allow me to answer all their questions. But be prepared. I know they will be angry, specially my father. But as long as I’m with you, they won’t hurt you. I promise,” ani Zyrone habang papasok sila sa isang exclusive high-end subdivision na tirahan ng mga sikat at may sinasabi sa buhay.Once they entered Manila, Belle has become restless. Panay ang kabog ng dibdib niya at panginginig ng tuhod niya. Bakit hindi? Ihaharap siya ni Zyrone sa mga magulang nito sa unang pagkakataon.Mga magulang nito na sinuway nito nang pakasalan siya nito ilang oras lang ang nakakalipas.Muli siyang napalunok. She wanted to calm her heart but she can’t. Lalo pa at paulit-ulit na nagre-replay sa isip niya ang itsura ng mga magulang nito noong nakita niya ang mga ito sa simbahan. His father looked stern exuding an authoritarian aura. Ang mommy nama