Matapos iwanan ni Amber si Jasper ay nagmamadali naman itong naglakad papasok sa isang pribadong silid sa loob ng restaurant, kung saan naroon sina Zendaya at West na nagtatawanan.
May puot sa dibdib si Jasper na napaupo ito sa tapat nina West at Zendaya. Nasasaktan siya sa kanyang nakita, pero anong magagawa niya? He chose this way. Mas pinili niyang pakawalan si Zendaya dahil alam niyang sasaya ang babae sa piling ni West.
“What about me?” he asked himself.
Agad niyang nilagok ang alak at napansin naman iyon ni Zendaya. Kunot-noo itong sinuway ang lalaki.
“Drinking too much without eating anything is not good for your stomach, Jasper.”
Jasper chuckled. “Well, waiting for you to take care of me.
“I see,” bulong niya. “So he’s back.”Napayuko si Amber, nilalaro ang mga daliri. Kagat ang labi at nagdadalawang isip kung tatanungin niya ba ang tungkol sa kaibigan nito. Pero huminga siya ng malalim. “How is he?”Bago pa makasagot si Jael ay siyang malakas na pagbukas ng pintuan. Sabay na napatingin sina Amber at Jael doon at nakita si West Lee na madilim ang mukha na hinanap ng mga mata si Amber.Napatayo si Amber nang makita ang asawa nito.“You don’t need to open the door that harshly, West. Wala naman akong ginagawa sa asawa mo,” pilyong saad ni Jael. Ang mahahabang daliri ay patapik-tapik sa kanyang tuhod.“Shut up!” galit na sigaw ni West sa lalaki. Ang mga mata’y namumula sa galit, maging ang leeg.Lumakad ito papalapit kay Amber at hinila ang kamay ng babae paalis ng lugar. But Jael grabbed her other hand, making them stop from walking away.Namumula ang mga mata ni West na nilingon ang lalaki.“Let her go,” malamig na saad nito kay Jael.But Jael pursed his lips with amus
“Oh, there’s one more thing,” Jael’s voice rang again, cold and sharp like steel.Napalingon si Jasper, bahagyang nangangatog pa rin. Maging si Amber, na pinilit manatiling tahimik sa isang sulok, ay napalingon din sa lalaking tila isang demonyo sa anyo ng anghel—his smile was gone, replaced by sheer authority and iron command.“The one from the Madrigal? Zendaya Madrigal?” Jael's eyes burned down into Jasper’s soul. “Cut ties with her.Jasper blinked, unsure if he had heard right. “W–what…?”“Kuya! I can do anything you want, ‘wag lang ito! I love her, and you can’t stop me from seeing her!”Jael leaned forward slightly, enough to make the shadows on his face look darker. “I don’t want her anywhere near my table. My house. My family. If she shows her face again, I won’t just stop with you.”Nang makita na ni Amber na binigyan na ng leksyon ni Jael ang kapatid nitong si Jasper at okay na siya ngayon sa ginawa sa kanya ng lalaki, she wanted to say goodbye and leave.But before she coul
At the second floor of the hotel.Her eyes widened at the scene unfolding before her. Napasinghap siya, awtomatikong napahawak sa kanyang bibig, pilit pinipigilan ang sarili na huminga nang malakas o magbitaw ng salita.The gentle, composed man she just met downstairs—Jael Cassian Yoshiro—who wore a warm smile like it was stitched into his soul, suddenly shifted before her very eyes.Without a word, Jael’s hand flew across Jasper’s face. A sharp, resounding slap echoed in the quiet room.Jasper staggered back, stunned, his cheek reddening from the force.Jael wasn’t smiling now. His jaw clenched tight, his eyes no longer held warmth—they were cold, sharp, and filled with
Isang babae ang nakasuot sa isang kulay gintong gown. Sobrang ganda niya na halos napalingon sa kanya ang lahat at nakalimutan ang gulong nangyayari kanina sa pagitan nina Jasper at Amber.Napaismid naman si Amber sa kanyang nakita. It was Zendaya. Of course, sino pa ba ang babaeng isasama ni West sa ganitong salo-salo?Narinig naman ni Jasper ang pag-ismid ni Amber kaya nilingon niya ito na kanina lang ay manghang-mangha itong nakatitig kay Zendaya.“Mabuti pa umalis ka na dito, Amber. You’re not belong here.”Hindi pinansin ni Amber ang lalaki at kinuha na lamang ang cellphone para sabihin kay Jael na hindi na ito makakadalo pa. She didn’t even wanted to be here at the first place.“Ate A
“Ano? Naibigay mo na ba?” tanong ni Natasha sa kanya mula sa kabilang linya.Amber left her phone on the table ng naka-loud speaker habang inaasikaso ang kanyang portfolio na ipapakita niya sa Tita Eliza niya sa oras na makauwi ito.“Yes, I did. And do you know what he did?” she paused, waiting for Natasha to reply.“Ano, ano?” mahina pero bakas ang excitement sa boses.Napairap naman si Amber saka bumuga ng malalim na paghinga kaya nang marinig iyon ni Natasha ay nawala ang excitement sa kanyang katawan.“Pinagpupunit niya ang papel sa harapan ko!”Natasha who’s on the other line, giggled. “As expected. He won&rsqu
At Amber’s last request, she boldly said, “Let me disappear from your life. This is what you wanted, right? Binibigyan na kita ng kalayaan, West Markus Lee. I will do as you wish.”Naging tahimik ang buong silid.West frowned and finally realized the problem. “Dahil ba ito kay Zendaya?”He finally understood why Amber wanted to divorce him. His eyes narrowed and the look on his face became more and more disgusted and impatient.“Amber, there should be a limit to jealousy!” sigaw ni West, punong-puno ng inis at pagod sa boses. “If you want to continue making a scene like this, then maybe it’s time you give up being Madam Lee—take this, and get out!”With fury in