Chapter 2

Ang matinding tahimik sa loob ng luxury Maybach ay tila mas maingay pa kaysa sa malakas na buhos ng ulan sa labas.

My hand felt like it was on fire beneath Javier's grip. His palm was large, warm, and calloused in a way that spoke of subtle power and authority. Sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon sa loob ng limang taon, naramdaman kong tila nawalan ako ng kontrol sa sarili kong katawan. My breath trapped inside my chest, and my heart beat against my ribs so violently that I was terrified he might actually hear it.

“Javier...” I tried to pull my hand back gently, but his fingers tightened just enough to keep me from retreating, yet soft enough not to hurt me.

“Bakit, Joy?” He shifted his body sideways, leaning closer against the leather headrest. Under the dim amber light of the car interior, his sharp jawline and deep-set dark eyes looked almost dangerously handsome. “Nakatatakot ba na marinig ang totoo?”

“Hindi sa ganun,” nauutal kong paliwanag, habang pilit kong iniiwas ang tingin ko sa kaniya. “Masyado lang mabilis ang lahat. At isa pa... kapatid ka ni Bea. Nagtatrabaho ako sa isang normal na kumpanya habang ikaw, billionaire CEO ka na ng Valderrama Holdings. Hindi tayo nababagay sa ganitong klase ng biro.”

A soft, low chuckle escaped his lips, but there was no humor in his eyes.

“Tingin mo ba nagbibiro ako?” he asked softly, his thumb slowly caressing the back of my hand. That tiny, deliberate motion sent a wave of goosebumps straight up my arm. “Inisip mo ba na sa loob ng limang taon na nasa ibang bansa ako, nagpakahirap akong itayo ang sarili kong imperyo para lang magpaka-billionaire sa harap ng ibang tao? No, Joy. I worked my ass off to become a man who could finally stand beside you, without anyone telling me I’m just a kid.”

Natulala ako. The absolute sincerity in his heavy voice stunned me into silence.

I remembered him five years ago—he was twenty-five then, quiet, serious, and always lingering in the background whenever I visited Bea’s place. Dati, lagi ko lang siyang binibilhan ng meryenda tuwing nag-aaral siya para sa board exams niya. I treated him like my own younger brother. But now, looking at this grown thirty-year-old man in his custom-tailored suit, commanding an empire worth billions, I realized how blind I had been.

“Javier, magkaiba ang mundo natin ngayon,” I whispered, trying to bring back a sense of reality. “35 na ako. Brokenhearted, baon sa pressure ng pamilya at trabaho. Habang ikaw, nasa peak ka ng buhay mo. Ang daming mas batang babae sa society niyo na mas nababagay sa 'yo—”

“I don’t give a damn about society,” he cut me off firmly, his eyes darkening with possessiveness. “At huwag mong liitin ang sarili mo sa harap ko. You were the only person who believed in me when I had nothing. You cared for me when everyone else treated me like a spare heir. So don't tell me who I should want, Joy.”

Bago pa ako makasagot, the car slowly came to a halt in front of my apartment complex in BGC.

The driver lowered the partition slightly. “Sir Javier, we have arrived at the condo tower.”

“Thank you, Ben,” Javier replied without breaking eye contact with me.

Pilit kong binawi ang kamay ko, and this time, he let me go, though his gaze never left my face. “Salamat sa hatid, Javier. M-Mag-iingat ka sa pag-uwi.”

Hawak ko na ang handle ng p***o nang bigla siyang magsalita ulit.

“Ate Bea is holding a welcome-back dinner for me tomorrow night at her house,” he said softly. “You’re coming, right?”

Napatigil ako. Si Bea ang matalik kong kaibigan, at paniguradong hindi ako makakatanggi kung siya ang mag-aanyaya.

“I... I’m not sure. Marami pa akong kailangang tapusin sa office—”

“I already asked Ate Bea to invite you. She said you promised to come,” Javier smiled, a mischievous yet dangerously charming smirk on his lips. “See you tomorrow night, Joy. Don’t make me come up here and fetch you myself.”

I practically ran out of the car, shielding my head from the rain as I hurried into the lobby of my building. Nang makapasok ako sa elevator, napasandal ako sa glass wall at napahawak sa dibdib ko. My cheeks were burning hot, and my pulse was racing out of control.

Kinabukasan, buong araw akong hindi makapukos sa trabaho. Every time I looked at my laptop screen, ang mukha ni Javier at ang boses niyang nagsasabing “Hindi na lang din simpleng 'Ate' ang tingin ko sa 'yo” ang nagpapakita.

When 7:00 PM came, I found myself standing outside Bea’s grand family mansion in Forbes Park. I was wearing a simple navy blue knee-length dress—nothing extravagant, just enough to look presentable. Pero sobrang kaba ang nararamdaman ko habang naglalakad pabalik-loob sa bahay ng matalik kong kaibigan.

“Joy! Thank God you made it!” sigaw ni Bea habang patakbong yumakap sa akin sa may foyer. “Sobrang miss na kita! Nag-handa ako ng napakaraming pagkain dahil sa wakas, nakauwi na rin ang paborito mong nakababatang kapatid!”

“Bea, ikaw talaga...” halos mawalan ako ng boses. “Kamusta ka na?”

“Mabuti naman! At masayang-masaya kasi kumpleto tayo. Halika sa dining room!” hila sa akin ni Bea.

Nang makapasok kami sa dining room, the long mahogany table was lavishly set with fine china and silver. Nakaupo na doon ang ilang mga kamag-anak nila Bea, at sa dulo ng mesa—reigning over the room with a calm, commanding presence—was Javier.

He was dressed in a dark burgundy dress shirt with the top buttons unbuttoned, looking effortlessly handsome. When his eyes met mine, a subtle, slow smirk played on his lips.

“Joy, maupo ka rito sa tabi ni Javier,” aya ng nanay ni Bea na si Donya Teresa. “Mabuti at nakarating ka. Naalala mo pa ba si Javier? Naku, napakalaking tao na ngayon at napakayaman pa!”

“Magandang gabi po, Tita,” bati ko habang dahan-dahang umuupo sa bakanteng upuan sa tabi ni Javier.

The scent of his expensive cologne instantly engulfed me. I tried to keep my posture rigid and professional, looking straight at my plate.

“Joy,” Javier’s deep voice vibrated right beside my ear as he leaned in slightly to pour white wine into my glass. “I’m glad you came.”

“Salamat,” mabilis kong bulong nang hindi tumitingin sa kaniya.

Habang nagpapatuloy ang hapunan, ang buong pamilya ay busy sa pakikipagkwentuhan tungkol sa mga negosyo ni Javier sa Europe at sa tagumpay ng kaniyang kumpanya. Everyone was praising him, treating him like an unreachable king.

Gusto kong maging proud sa kaniya bilang dating nakababatang kapatid ng kaibigan ko, pero ang matinding tensyon sa pagitan naming dalawa ay hindi ko kayang balewalain.

Midway through the dinner, habang abala ang lahat sa pagtawa sa kwento ni Bea, naramdaman ko ang isang dahan-dahang galaw sa ilalim ng mesa.

Gulat na gulat akong napatigil nang maramdaman ko ang kamay ni Javier sa ibabaw ng hita ko.

Nalaglag ang tinidor ko sa plato dahil sa gulat.

“Joy, okay ka lang?” tanong ni Bea mula sa kabilang dulo ng mesa.

“A-Ah, oo! Pasensya na, nadulas lang ang tinidor ko,” kaba kong sagot habang pilit na ngumingiti.

Sa ilalim ng mesa, Javier’s hand was completely covered by the long white tablecloth. His fingers slowly slid up my knee, tracing the hem of my dress, before smoothly wrapping around my hand resting on my lap.

I shot a sharp, panicked look at Javier. Pero ang lalaki? Nakikipag-inuman at nakikipagkwentuhan lang sa tito niya na para bang walang ginagawang kababalaghan sa ilalim ng mesa! His expression was cool, calm, and completely innocent, pero ang hawak ng kamay niya sa akin ay higpit at puno ng pagnanasa.

Pilit kong hinitak ang kamay ko, pero mas lalo niyang hinigpitan ang paghawak, intertwining his long fingers with mine. Slowly, he used his thumb to stroke the sensitive skin of my wrist.

Javier, nababaliw ka na ba?! gusto kong isigaw sa kaniya. Pag nalaman ni Bea o ni Donya Teresa ito, katapusan ko na! Ang diskriminasyon sa antas ng pamumuhay at ang galit ng pamilya nila ay pwedeng sumira sa buhay ko.

Pero habang patuloy niyang pinipisil ang kamay ko sa ilalim ng mesa sa gitna ng maraming tao, isang hindi maipaliwanag na kilig at takot ang gumapang sa buo kong katawan. It was dangerous, forbidden, and utterly intoxicating.

Nang mag-toast ang lahat para sa kaniyang pagbabalik, inangat ni Javier ang kaniyang glass gamit ang kaniyang kanang kamay, habang ang kaliwang kamay niya ay patuloy na nakahawak nang mahigpit sa kamay ko sa ilalim ng mesa.

Lumingon siya sa akin, tiningnan ang mga labi ko, at binuksan ang kaniyang bibig para magmungkahi ng toast.

“To new beginnings,” Javier said softly, his dark eyes staring directly into my soul. “And to claiming what has always been mine.”