LOGINThe business trip to Singapore was demanding, yet, despite the exhausting schedule, my mind kept drifting back to a specific person. I needed distance. I needed to purge the lingering scent of her cheap floral soap from my mind and reinstate the boundaries that had temporarily collapsed. My siblings, predictable as ever, hadn't helped maintain order in my absence. From the brief reports my assistant forwarded, Cindy had flown back from Europe only to throw tantrums over her wardrobe for the upcoming party, while Nathan continued to treat the estate like his personal country club. When the final meeting wrapped up early, my assistant suggested checking into a hotel near the airport to rest before tomorrow's scheduled flight. But instead, I canceled the remaining itinerary and boarded the earliest plane back to Manila, and drove straight toward the estate. I told myself I was just eager to clear my desk. I told myself I was just tired. Then, as my SUV approached the entrance, I sa
Anya’s sharp gasp didn't get past my ear. Her face was flushed bright crimson, her eyes wide like a cornered deer. "O-opo, Sir. Sorry po talaga. Akala ko po talaga kasi ikamamatay ko na 'yung kaba," she stammered out, her fingers twisting frantically into the hem of her oversized white shirt. I looked at her, trying to maintain my composure but the shirt she was wearing was completely bare. It was so old, thin, and washed-out that I can practically see the inside. Through the shirt, her body was unmistakably clear. Worse, the rise and fall of her chest distract me. We remained seated on her small bed. It creaked beneath my weight. I was aware of the close distance between us. The subtle scent of cheap soap mixed with something sweet that was entirely her own. I felt like boiling water, my own body heat spiking uncontrollably. Control yourself, Lucas, I thought, closing my eyes for a fraction of a second to steady my pulse. Dahil ba sa gulat kaya hindi niya na naisip na halos kita
Anya took my laundry this morning but it was already quarter past eleven and I still haven't gotten my clothes back. My flight to Singapore for the meeting was scheduled for four in the morning, and the car to take me to the airport would arrive at precisely three. Everything else in my leather luggage was packed aside from my suits. I checked my watch again. Nakatulog ba sya? I think I forgot to tell her to bring my clothes right after it dried. Pero hindi ba’t dapat naman talaga niyang i-lagay sa kwarto ko ang mga tuyong damit ko? I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed. Calling Manang Ruchel at this hour felt unnecessary and overly harsh, especially if the clothes were simply sitting downstairs waiting to be fetched. Deciding to handle the matter myself, I stepped out of my room and walked down the maid quarters. I stopped outside the door I knew was assigned to Anya and knocked lightly with my knuckles. But there was no answer. I knocked again, slightly firmer this time. "A
Years have passed and I didn't had the chance to see her again. A lot of things has changed and I could hardly remember her name. I was driving on my way home, when a sudden shadow blurred in front of my car, my heart practically stopped afraid that I might kill someone. I slammed my foot on the brakes, turning the steering wheel hard making the wheels make a squeak sound. My heart hammered against my ribs. Time seemed to freeze as I watched a woman collapse onto the hard pavement, her eyes shut tight and her shoulders trembling in sheer terror. I threw the driver's side door open and stepped out, a mix of adrenaline and frustration surging through my veins. “Bakit hindi ka tumitingin sa dinadaanan mo?!” I shouted. My voice came out deeper and harsher than intended. But beneath the anger was a wave of pure relief that my car hadn't actually struck her. I hurried over and grabbed her arm to help her up. When she lifted her face, I froze. Her eyes were glossy with unshed tears,
Mr. Ramos looked at me confusingly. Mukhang nanibago dahil sa pagpapakita ko ng interes kay Anya, "She officially dropped out early this week, Lucas. Her paperwork was finalized last Monday." Dropped out? My brows furrowed. Nag-drop out siya? How come? She worked herself to the bone every single day just to keep up with the curriculum. I had seen her sitting in the library until closing hours, surrounded by thick reference books, stubbornly memorizing terms she clearly struggled to understand. Someone who fought that hard doesn't just pack up and drop out overnight. "Why?" the word slipped past my lips before I could stop it. I quickly caught myself, adjusting my posture and adding a slight touch of cold curiosity. "I mean... the semester is almost halfway through. It seems sudden." Mr. Ramos sighed again, waving a dismissive hand in the air as he zipped his briefcase shut. "Well, to put it simply, she just couldn't keep up with the standard here. Henry isn't an easy school, Luca
A full week passed after that day, and true to her timid nature, Anya didn’t make a single move to approach me. Bakit ba siya nahihiya? She mustered up the courage to gave me the cake but now she can't even get close to me. Every single morning, I walked through the main gates expecting her to suddenly pop up from behind staring at me. Every afternoon in the library, I sat in my usual spot near the back row, keeping my eyes fixed on my tablet screen while waiting for that familiar, slight shift in the air that meant someone was peeking at me from behind the history section. But there was nothing. She kept her distance too well. Whenever our eyes accidentally crossed paths in the hallway, her face would still flush but instead of lingering, she would duck her head, clutch her worn-out Minnie Mouse backpack tightly against her chest, and scurry off in the opposite direction like a frightened rabbit. She was taking her unspoken rule of staying out of my social sight far too seriously.
Matapos ang gabing muntik nang maging 'Rated SPG' ang buhay ko ay biglang naglaho si Sir Lucas. Akala ko pa naman ay masusundan ang aming moment, pero mukhang sa panaginip ko muna itutuloy ang mga naudlot na halik. Ang dalawang linggong wala si Sir Lucas ay parang dalawang taon para sa akin. Para
Naramdaman ko ang biglang pag-akyat ng lahat ng dugo ko sa mukha. "O-opo, Sir. Sorry po talaga. Akala ko po talaga kasi ikamamatay ko na 'yung kaba," sabi ko habang pilit na inaayos ang suot kong manipis na puting t-shirt. Sa sobrang luma nito, halos maging transparent na siya, at sa sobrang kaba k
Pagod na pagod ako pagdating ng gabi. Parang kinuha ng mga polo shirt ni Sir Lucas ang lahat ng energy sa katawan ko. Pagkatapos ng hapunan at paglilinis sa kusina, diretso na ako sa servant’s quarters. Ang plano ko talaga, ititupi ko pa 'yung mga bagong tuyong damit ni Sir na kinuha ko sa sampayan
Halos mag-split ako sa tuwa habang tinatahak ang daan patungong labanderya. Pagdating ko doon, nadatnan ko ang tatlong iba pang maid na abala sa pagtitiklop at pag-aayos ng mga telang puting-puti.“Uy, ang bagong salta!” bati ng isang morenang babae na may name tag na ‘Gina’. “Si Sir Lucas ba ang







