3

INAAMIN ni Rodrigo na deserve niya ang ginawa ni Aiah. Was it harsh? No, but he really feel the frustration built up during those hours of waiting. Kung siya ang nasa posisyon ng babae ay matagal na siyang umalis. His time was too precious just to get wasted over some none sense. A splash of red wine on the face was just a minimal damage. It's not something that could easily tarnished his reputation.

The phone call he received earlier this morning was unexpected. The meeting was undeniable but not this soon, nasabi niya sa sarili. At itanggi man niya o hindi, he was astonished to hear her voice over the phone for the first time that his train of thought wonder elsewhere.

Sultry. Not the sweet type but sure Aiah knew how to allure men with just her voice. No wonder men followed her like fools. Boses pa lang nito ay nakakaakit na.

"Are you saying you're seduce?" Tudyo ng isang bahagi ng kanyang isipan. Rodrigo immediately ditched the thought. It would take more than that.

Everything wasn't intentional. He knew the time and place where they'll meet up. It's just that he's caught up with business as usual. Alam niyang hindi iyon excuse. At tanggap niya ng buong-buo ang inis at galit nito.

She ordered a full course meal, not the usual type of women of her calibre. He ordered the same and Rodrigo watched her eat the food with gusto. Still with poise, Aiah Villegas amazed him for the first time. She eat her meat as well as the veggies. Wala itong ni-set aside.

Natigil ito sa pagsubo nang magtagpo ang kanilang mga mata. Her brown eyes were cold and distant. At mukhang hindi nito nagustuhan ang ginagawa niya.

"Eat. I don't want to be stared at while eating," anito. He arched a brow.

"I can see you're not a picky eater," sambit niya bago inumpisahang hiwain ang steak. "I can only imagine the horrified looks of those women who prefer salad over meat---"

"I'm not one of those women. I am Aiah Villegas---"

"Yes, the Aiah Villegas of every headlines of entertainment news," Rodrigo mentioned. At kitang-kita niya ang pagtalim ng tingin nito. "Ano pa ba ang hindi ko alam sa'yo?"

"So you've judge me already? What's the verdict, Mr. CEO?" Tanong nito pabalik. Her words were meant to wound his ego. "Would you still want to get married to me?"

~•~

Get married to Aiah Villegas? It's probably every man's dream. Sino bang hindi magnanais maangkin ang dalaga? She's beautiful from head to toe. Was there a need to elaborate more?

Rodrigo bet that Aiah knew all her assets and using it all to her advantage. Natigilan siya hindi dahil sa tanong nito. The question was to damn easy to answer. Yet he find his words to honest for the woman to bear.

"Being honest was better that treated like a fool, don't you think?" He placed his cutlery back, shred the thought and answer her directly.

"To be frank. I don't like you, Aiah Villegas," panimula niya. "Malaki ang utang na loob ko sa lolo mo. Saving his company was one thing but marrying you was another story. He practically set this up," dugtong ni Rodrigo, still calm and composed. "You are not the only one getting played here. Ako ang mas lugi sa ating dalawa."

"Ha! You make it sound like marrying me was the worst case scenario," Aiah was fuming mad. He's literally seeing fumes coming out of her ears and nostrils. Rodrigo find the sight cute. Tila isa itong nanlilisik na kuting sa galit. "There's no need for marriage, Mr. Dela Costa---"

"Rodrigo would be enough."

"Mr. Dela Costa," diin pa ng dalaga. Now, even his name was something he despise. "I see you're man full of pride. Hindi ikaw ang klase ng lalaking magpapatali sa kasal."

"And I want to say the same, Aiah," kung bakit ang swabe lumabas sa kanyang labi ang pangalan nito ay hindi na niya binigyang pansin pa. He leaned forward, fingers interlock with each other. "Hindi ikaw ang klase ng babaeng magpapakasal ng dahil lang sa inutos iyon ng lolo mo. Why you're the pampered princess. And princess got to have princess treatment and not some kind of exchange deal---"

Hindi sukat akalain ni Rodrigo ang mga sumunod na pangyayari. Fair enough, he must've overdone it. Isang malakas na sampal ang dumapo sa kanyang kaliwang pisngi. His jaw hardened, eyes focused on the seemingly hurt woman before him.

"Too much for the first meeting. This is probably not the best time to talk about it," dignified, Aiah wiped the side of her lips with the napkin. She fixed herself and stood up. "I'll be going ---"

"Hindi ito ang huling beses na magkikita tayo, Aiah," sambit niya, but more like to himself. "I'll make the next one even better."

"I expect only the best. I don't want half-ass efforts only to blame me in the end if everything didn't work. Masyado nang gamit na gamit ang pangalan ko ng media para dagdagan mo pa."

"You're an attention seeker, am I correct?" He voiced out. Ilang hakbang na ang layo nito sa kanya. "Any form of publicity is still publicity, right?"

"Don't make me hate you to the core dahil hindi ko nakikitang ikasal sa isang lalaking kagaya mo!" And she stormed out of the restaurant, leaving him in deep silence. Lost the appetite, Rodrigo paid the bill and leave the place afterwards. There's no use on staying while being the center of gossip. Tiyak na may bagong balita na namang mababasa ang tao bukas. The topic between him and the Villegas' heiress.

How he made Aiah Villegas cry ay bago sa pandinig. Pero bakit hindi maalis sa kanyang isipan ang huling binaggit nito? Kagaya mo? Did she meant to level him with those fools? At bakit ba apektado pa rin siya ng mga salita nito?

"This is crazy," minasahe niya ang pagitan ng kanyang mga mata. He's heading back to his estate at nariyang naipit pa siya sa traffic. "She's getting on my nerves. I don't like any bit of this."

~•~

KUHANG-KUHA ng lalaking iyon ang galit niya.

Aiah stormed out of the restaurant and never look back. Agad siyang kumuha ng taxi at umuwi sa mansiyon. Hindi niya kayang makipagplastikan sa lalaki. Not when he already painted her image well on his righteous head.

Mukha ba siyang pakawalang babae? Did the media portray her so well that he assume the worst of her? Probably that's the case.

Nang makarating sa mansiyon ay didiretso na sana siya sa sariling kwarto kung hindi lang niya siya tinawag ng kanyang lolo. Aiah turned around to see her grandfather sitting at one of the settee in the sala. Malamlam ang ilaw na nakapaligid dito. He's holding a glass of brandy that he shouldn't be drinking because of age. Mukhang siya talaga ang iniintay nito. As always.

She refused to see him. She maintained her distance.

"Kumusta ang pagkikita niyo ni Rodrigo?" Tumaas ang isang kilay niya. Mukhang nakarating na dito smg balita. At malamang na pati ang ginawa niyang pagsampal sa lalaki'y hindi nakalampas. "I see it didn't quite went well."

"Tell me, lolo," nakagat niya ang ibabang labi, pilit tinitikis ang halu-halong emosyong lumulukob sa kanya. "Did you honestly think that he's good enough for me?" Tukoy niya kay Rodrigo Dela Costa.

"Of course. He's unlike anybody else," mabilis nitong sagot. "Wealth aside, he can provide anything for you."

"Clearly he didn't knew how to love," sambit niya out of the blue, remembering that brief chance the got together. He's not a woman hater but clearly he's distant to the opposite gender. "Men like women in general..."

"And by any chance you knew the matter by heart, Aiah?" Ang lolo niya ay tumayo at lumapit sa kanya. His knowing face was focused on her. Nilagay nito ang libreng kamay sa kanyang ulo, gently patting her. Hawak nito sa kabila ang isang wooden crane. "Love is complex, Aiah. No one knew better than the one who felt the genuine connection, only to be deceived by the other."

"Why don't you make the man fall in love with you and let's see where it goes..." Isang hamong binigay nito bago pumanhik sa hagdan yo retire for the night.

Aiah watched the back of her grandfather until it disappeared from her sight. Ang iniwan nitong mga salita ang nagpanatiling gising sa diwa ng dalaganh hanggang sumikat ang araw.