CHAPTER 1

.

Present...

LIBBY put down the basket of fresh herbs on the kitchen sink and went to drink a full glass of water. She wiped her face with her palm and took a deep breath. She could feel the fatigue engulfing her all over again.

Tama si Arthur, her boss,she wasn't supposed to move around yet. Kagagaling niya lamang mula sa isang linggong trangkaso at kahapon sa return check up niya ay binilinan siya ng doctor na magpahinga ng dalawa hanggang tatlong araw pa bago bumalik sa trabaho.

But upon hearing that the famous influencer, Fiona Sevilla, was coming to the farm, she volunteered to gather the herbs from the greenhouse which was about 50 meters away from the main building.

It was only January and this is the 2nd celebrity na magiging client nila sa Mistwood Health Farm. This is such a big help to boost the business that Arthur re-opened only half a year ago.

As for Libby, napakaimportante sa kanya ng Mistwood. After all, sya ang utak ng lahat ng ito. When she first came to work here as a masseuse, isa lamang itong maliit na spa sa paanan ng bundok na iyon.

The business has been in operation for almost a year pero hindi kumikita. Arthur had this idea of a health farm but his ideas all failed.

He got Libby instead. And along with her was her mountain of ideas about how to improve his health farm.

They closed the business for a while and worked on the needed improvements. They moved farther up the mountain and focused on what the natured offered. Hiking and trekking trails, guided breathing and meditation spots, mountain-view soaking tubs, pick-your-own vegetables & herbs, bee farm and of course their now famous outdoor massage huts with mountain views.

Dahil sa planadong advertisement, their grand opening was a huge success.

On that grand opening day, magkatabi silang nakaupo ni Arthur sa main entrance at nakatingin sa labas kung saan nagtatawanan ang mga grupong galing sa hiking trail. A satisfying sight.

"This," itinuro ni Arthur ang paligid. "This is you. All you. Wala ito kung hindi dahil sa iyo. Thank you, Libby." Seryosong sabi ng lalaki.

And he was right. Almost everything was her idea. Hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin siya makapaniwala sa mga naisip niyang concepts habang ginagawa nila ito. ideas just kept on popping up from somewhere. Oh yes she did this.

Sa kaibuturan ng puso ay kumukurut-kurot ang nararamdamang guilt.

Arthur thought she did all these to help him. Lingid sa kaalaman nito, at sa kabila ng denial niya sa isipan, she actually did all these for herself.

She found a way to escape the city. She found a way not to worry about going out anymore. She found her sanctuary. Her very own world.

She can stay here forever...

BUMUKAS ang p***o at sumilip ang kasamahan sa trabahong si Annabel. "Andito na sila, napaaga. Pero nagche check-in pa sa reception, baka magpapahinga pa naman siguro bago sila sa cabin nila bago pupunta sa spa." It was customary for them to welcome guests with steam massage. si Annabel ang gagawa no'n ngayon dahil hindi pa nga siya masyadong malakas.

"Lilinisin ko lang ang mga itong mga gagamitin mo at dadalhin ko na sa spa." aniya.

Nauna na nga ang babae kaya't binilisan niya ang pagkilos saka lumabas na rin.

Mapapadaan siya sa reception on her way to the spa kaya't hindi maiwasang makita niya agad ang importanteng kliyente nila na hindi maiwasang makilala ng ilang mga customers at ngayon ay nagpapa picture kasama ang babae habang tahimik namang nakamasid ang ibang staff kasama si Arthur.

Fiona Sevilla was a goddess of beauty. She was tall, sexy, at pang beauty queen and ngiti habang pinagbibigyan ang mga fans.

"Hey there!" walang ligtas ang dalaga nang makita siya ni Arthur. "You weren't supposed to be here yet." anito nang makalapit sa kanya.

Tumatawang iniwasan niya ito pero dahil doon ay nawalan siya ng balanse at nabitiwan niya ang hawak na tray na naglalaman ng mga herbs na gagamitin nila. Lumikha iyon ng malakas na ingay at tumilapon ang mga laman. Natutop niya ang bibig para pigilang mapasigaw sa gulat.

Agad na yumuko si Arthur para pulutin ang tray, ngunit naunahan ito ng isang pigurang nagmula sa kung saan.

For a moment, for a very brief moment, parang tumigil ang pag-inog ng mundo ni Libby.

The man crouched down and managed to grab the tray before Arthur. He had wavy hair, broad shoulders. Very familiar hair. Very familiar shoulders.

Napaatras si Libby ng isang hakbang.

No. No...It can't be. Sigaw ng isipan niya.

It can't be him. Gusto niya pang mapatawa, just to convince herself. It can't be the man she thought she'd never see again. Life wouldn't give her such a big joke, would it?

The man slowly stood up, as if with difficulty. Saka ito dahan-dahang humarap sa kanya para iabot ang hawak na tray.

And there she was--face to face with the ghost from her past.

Jacob.

Libby's world stopped, but only for a few seconds. How she wished it could stop longer than that. Long enough for her to run away.

Wishful thinking…parang nanununtang bulong ng hangin.

Jacob's eyes were cold and on fire at the same time. How was that possible? They were burning with anger and yet she felt chilled to the bones.

Hindi niya magawang mag-iwas ng paningin. So she closed her eyes instead, hoping it would help.

It did not. Mas lalong tumatak sa isipan ang mukha ng lalaki. Agad niyang binuksan muli ang mga mata

Finally, it dawned on her. There was no escape.

Naramdaman niya ang mga braso ni Arthur na pumalibot sa kanya. Only then did she realize that her knees buckled and she almost fell down kung hindi lang sya naagapan nito.

"Hey are you alright?" Nag-aalalang tanong nito.

She didn't answer. Had she tried baka napasigaw siya. No of course not. She was not alright.

Maging si Helen ay lumapit na rin sa kanya. "Sabi kasi huwag ka munang eepal today eh." Nag-aalalang kastigo nito.

"Jacob, is everything alright?" Libby heard Fiona Sevilla speak, but as if from a distance. She was in total trance.

Muling napapikit si Libby nang maramdaman ang paglayo ni Arthur at lumapit sa kliyente nila para humingi ng paumanhin.

Si Helen ay bigla ring lumayo para pulutin ang ibang laman ng tray na nahulog sa sahig.

Without them beside her, Libby was exposed. She felt weak, trapped.

She stared at floor, hoping it would open up and swallow her whole.

Finally, he spoke. Finally she heard the voice she thought she would never hear again.

"I'm going to have my welcome massage right now."

Libby's whole body tensed. She knew what was coming.

Lumipat dito ang atensyon ni Arthur. "Of course sir. We're getting the cabins ready. Your massuese is already waiting-"

"I want her."

Hindi nakatingin si Libby sa lalaki pero ramdam niya ang mga mata nito sa kanya.

"I'm sorry sir, but she's not fit to work today." Sabi ni Arthur.

Sa gilid ng mga mata niya ay nakitang niyang pinagtiklop nito ang mga braso sa dibdib.

"Because?" his simple question sounded challenging.

"She's actually on a leave. She's not supposed to be here today."

"Really? Why don't you ask her if she would dare refuse my request." said in a very smooth voice. So smooth that to anyone else it sounded innocent.

Only Libby could feel the threat in every word.

"I apologize sir, but--"

"Arthur. It's okay. Ako na ang bahala." She cut in. She had to take charge. Hindi naiintindihan ng boss niya ang sitwasyon.

"Libby, you need to rest."

Jacob chuckled. Long. Sarcastic. Dangerous.

It caught everyone's attention. Lahat napatahimik.

"Libby," bigkas nito. Another sarcastic chuckle. "Seriously?"

Libby gathered all her courage to finally meet his eyes. Hers were pleading. Alam niya kung bakit galit ito. Libby was his name for her.

To everyone else she was Elizabeth, Beth, Eli. But to him she was Libby.

Why oh why did she introduce herself that way when she first came here?

"Sir, kung susunod po kayo sa akin?" paki-usap niya.

This time napahalakhak na ang lalaki. "Sir." Ulit nito. "This is getting really funny." But there was no humor in his tone.

"Libby, what is going on?" nalilitong tanong ni Arthur.

"Yes Libby. Kindly explain to them what is going on. Explain why I suddenly find this situation hilarious." hamon ni Jacob.

Nanginginig ang mga labi niya nang magsalita. "Mr. La Guardia and I knew each other before." mahinang sabi niya.

"Yeah," sang-ayon ng lalaki. "We used to live together before."