Thank you sa mga patuloy na sumusubaybay sa TROWE. Thank you sa pagmamahal at thank you sa mga pa-gems. I owe you everything.
TRACE For the last one month had passed ay wala na akong ginawa kung hindi ang ikulong ang sarili ko sa manor. Ako lang mag-isa rito kasama ang mga alaga ko. Pinauwi ko na sina Simoun at Ibarra sa kabilang isla. Samahan na lang muna nila ang pamilya nila. Kahapon ay lumabas ako para mamili ng pagkain namin ng mga alaga ko. Pagkain at alak. Alak, dahil iyon na lang ang paraan para makalimot ako at makatulog. Iniiwasan ko muna ang iba. Mas mabuti pa ang Doze na muna ang kasama ko. Ayaw ko rin magpakita muna kahit kanino. Nandito ako sa Agrianthropos pero ayokong maistorbo. Ayokong um-attend sa kahit anong meeting, at bahala na muna si Elliot. Logan should be the one acting as head now for he is the one under me but after our fight ay wala na akong balita sa kaniya. Ang sabi ay busy sa kampanya but I know he is more busy hating me. Sa isang buwan din na ikinukulong ko ang sarili ko ay si Ice at Lash lang ang mga kinakausap ko thru phone and emails. They are the two helping me to
CHLOE “Hi!” I smiled at the beautiful woman in front of me. She’s so pretty. No, she’s gorgeous and exquisite. Some can be gorgeous without being exquisite, and some can be exquisite but not gorgeous. But this woman, smiling widely before me… can be associated with all beautiful adjectives. She seems that she has it all. “Hello…” I shyly replied. I am thinking about who she might be. She just got inside Alguien’s house like she used to live here. “I’m—” “Chloe." Alguien cut my words. Nasa taas pa siya at nakatingin lang sa amin dito sa baba. "That’s her name. My baby sister’s name, Willow,” he added. I awkwardly smile at that. Baby sister, indeed. Baby sister but instead of spoiling me and indulging my wishes to see Trace, ay lagi na lang kaming nag-aaway dahil sa request ko. “She’s pretty, Alguien.” “Obviously. Saan pa ba siya magmamana kung pangit siya?” The woman named Willow giggled and then stared again at me. She smiled sweetly and warmly. I will like her. Definitely. “W
TRACE “Here is all I got.” Pabagsak na inilapag ni Lash sa harap ko ang dala niyang envelope. “Ipapasa ko sana sa iyo sa email pero naisip kong mag-print kaya isinabay ko na.” “Himala at sinipag ka,” sabi ko na lang. “Ang ganda eh… sheesh!” Did he say sheesh? Seriously? Tangina… anong kakornihan pinaggagawa nito sa buhay?! Napailing na lang ako. Ibinalik ko ang atensyon sa envelope dahil iyon ang sadya ko sa kaniya. Bahala siya sa mga trip niyang expression, ang importante ay nagawa niya ang utos ko. Inilabas ko ang laman ng envelope at nakita ko agad ang tinutukoy niyang maganda. I pursed my lips while staring at the picture of a woman named… “Willow Esposito Ivanov,” basa ko sa pangalan ng nasa picture. Kailan pa naging babae si Alguien? Si Alguien ang pinaiimbestigahan ko pero ang pinsan ang sinubaybayan. 'Nice one, Lash!' “She’s a hot one, right?” tanong pa niya na nakangisi sa harap ko. “She is…” sang-ayon ko at napahilot na lang ako sa sentido ko sa asar. “You mus
CHLOE“Ready for the party?” Willow asked me as soon as she appeared in my room. “Yes, but... but I don't know, Willow. I do feel kinda hesitant. Like... Oh, God!” I exclaimed. "The truth is..." I trailed off, as I am nervous, and I am stuttering, kanina pa.I am excited to see Trace, which is true, especially since Willow said he would surely come. Even so... I am beginning to fear what may be the devil's plan Alguien is preparing for him. “Truth is… what?” with a broad smile, Willow asked me, which made me feel I wanna think positive thoughts, too. Willow has a beautiful disposition as always, as she’s looking for the brighter side for every situation. She influences me, but Alguien’s grimness always disturbs my mind. “That I am... becoming pessimistic, Willow. God! It's just that I know Alguien is planning bad things for Trace and... and—”“Stop those thoughts, Chloe. Isipin mong hindi basta-basta si Trace. Your man will not be easily bullied by Alguien.”Yeah, Willow is right a
TRACE “Ready?” tanong ni Lash na ikinalingon ko sa kaniya. “I'm ready,” I answered. “Two weeks ago na akong ready, Lash. Alam mo ‘yan,” tinatamad kong dagdag. Tinatamad. Oo, tinatamad kasi noong malaman ko mula sa kaniya na kumpirmado nga na nasa mga Esposito si Chloe ay handa na akong sumugod kaso magulo siya. Siya at si Julianna ang nanggulo sa plano ko. “Sheesh… anong feeling na para kang gago kay Chloe?” pang-asar niyang tanong. Tiningnan ko siya ng masama. Fucking dumbass! Does he need to ask that? Kailangan pa bang tanungin ay alam niyang si Chloe lang ang bumubuo ng pangarap ko, ng pagbabago ko… ng pagiging positibo ko. And the hell with Alguien, huwag niya akong tatakutin dahil akin si Chloe. Whatever the fuck he said na magkapatid sila, based from Willow's chat with Lash, ay akin pa rin si Chloe. Bago niya man nalaman na kapatid niya si Chloe ay una na naging akin si Chloe. Tangina niya para umastang concern na kapatid. “Ayan ka na naman…” natatawang wika ni Lash na an
CHLOE “Lash said na darating sila ni Trace. What you need to do is act normal sa party paglabas mo mamaya.” Tumango na lang ako. And yes… Willow’s right. That is all I need to do. Pretend I am fine. Pretend I am following Alguien's rules. Pretending I will accept Zeno Scotto as my fiance. Argh! Being an Esposito is exhausting. Kung pwede lang bumalik ako kina mommy at daddy ay mas pipiliin ko pa sila. But I'm afraid Alguien will hurt them kapag pinilit kong bumalik sa Pasadena. Someone knocked on the door, and Bruno was there when Willow opened it. I heard he is asking if I am ready. I sighed. Ready or not, what can I do? If it’s not only for a chance to see Trace tonight, I won't attend the goddamn party. “Si, Bruno. Dile a Alguien que estamos listos,” Willow said those words to Bruno before the old man left us. When Willow got back to me, she sprayed me with the perfume she bought intentionally for me. Being three-month pregnant made me hate the smell of strong perfume, so
TRACE I am staring at Chloe’s naked body in my bed. I brought her to my penthouse here in Taguig. Dito ko dinala para siguradong walang makakaistorbo sa amin. And the moment we enter the penthouse ay mga katawan na lang namin ang nag-usap pagkatapos ng ilang diskusyon tungkol sa kalagayan naming dalawa. Diskusyon na siya rin ang panalo. I closed the door. Kakagaling ko lang kasi sa labas dahil pinatawag ko si Franco. Inutusan ko siyang magdala ng balut, ice cream, fresh milk, fruit juices, at mga prutas dito. While Chloe is sleeping, dahil na rin sa pagod sa ginawa namin at siguro dahil panatag siya na kasama niya ako, sinaglitan ko si Franco kausapin at kunin ang mga pinabili ko. Nasa freezer na ang ice cream, ang mga fruit juices at fresh milk ay inayos ko na lang sa chiller, at ang mga balut naman ay sa mesa lang kasama ng mga prutas. I am just readying food for Chloe at kapag nagising ay baka maghanap siya ng pagkain. I checked the time—2 A.M. May ilang oras pa bago ko siya ib
CHLOE I told Trace that it should only be me. I don’t know. I am not saying I don’t trust him he could lock his cock on his pants everytime na malayo kami sa bawat isa, pero alam ko na maraming babae ang nagkakagusto sa kaniya at takot akong matukso siya. I am not a jealous type of woman, but I know the kind of life we have now. Women are everywhere. And much more that Alguien wants everyone to advertise I am marrying his friend; it will make any female creature know that Trace is available. And that Zeno! I definitely don’t like him! How could he said that I am his fiancee in front of Trace?! We haven’t talked. That was the first time I saw him. Feeling niya ba magugustuhan ko siya palibhasa siya ang gusto ni Alguien for me? No! Of course, no! I removed them with my mind and continued swaying my body, to and fro, above Trace. I miss my Patricio so much. And I won’t waste my moment with him. And I hope Alguien won’t interrupt us. Sana hindi niya maisip umistorbo. I stopped mov