Lahat ng Kabanata ng The Disguised Billionaire: Kabanata 171 - Kabanata 180

My friends didn’t let me have a day to rest after my long flight from France. Nang malaman nilang dumating ako, sa gabi rin iyon ay nag-set sila ng night out sa Richas. I told them we should just see each other the next day, but they couldn't wait. Kaya wala akong choice kundi ang sumipot.Nagpa-park pa lang ako sa parking lot ay nagri-ring na ang cellphone ko para sa tawag nila. Kanina pa noong papunta ako ay tumatawag rin sila.“My God, Kelsi, I am coming, okay? Nasa parking lot na ako!” sagot ko sa tawag.“Just make sure you’re coming. You owe us an update!”I snorted. Isinara ko ang pinto ng kotse ko at saka dumiretso na sa loob. May mga nakakasabay akong pumapasok.“Devina. It’s been a while since you went here,” bati ng isang kakilala. He smiled at me boyishly.I smiled at him. Sumabay siya sa paglalakad ko.“I was in France for two weeks. Kakabalik ko lang.”He chuckled. May sasabihin pa sana siya pero hindi na niya naituloy dahil napansin niyang kumakaway na ang mga kasama ko

“But you're also invited, please Devina,” pangungumbinsi ni Monique sa akin.Nasa kwarto niya kami. Kelsi was doing something on Monique's vanity table. Alyson went to the bathroom. I was lying on her bed while Monique was stressing, walking back and forth. Nakahawak sa bewang ang dalawang kamay. “I'm getting dizzy, Monique,” suway ni Kelsi habang pinagmamasdan siya nito sa mirror ng vanity.“Tell Tita that you don't want to come,” I advised her.Pero agaran ang pag-iling niya.“I can't! They want me to look for my brother. They feel like he will meet someone at this masquerade ball. He's been acting suspicious,” she said warily.Umirap ako. “And how do you plan to find him? It’s a masquerade ball—everyone will be masked and anonymous. I don’t want to go. Politicians, aristocrats, and powerful families will be there, probably making deals behind their masks.”“Sana pala, naimbitahan din ako. Who knows I get to talk with someone influential tapos ipapahanap niya ako,” sabi ni Kelsi. “

After spending time with Elijah at the masquerade ball, isang linggo na naman siyang nawala. I called him and he always answered. Kaso kapag sinasabi ko na pupunta ako sa opisina niya, sinasabi niya na wala siya doon. I thought he just didn’t want to see me at alibi lang niya iyon. So despite him telling me that he was not at his office, pumupunta pa rin ako sa kumpanya niya. Pero wala nga akong dinadatnan doon.“Sir Rocco is hard to meet, ma’am. You have to set an appointment because most of the time, he is not around.”I raised a brow. It’s true then, na palagi siyang wala. Akala ko lang, nag-aalibi lang siya dahil ayaw niya akong makita.I felt relieved because it wasn’t that he didn’t want to see me, he was just busy. I just didn’t know where he was busy.“Kung wala ka sa opisina mo, nasaan ka?” tanong ko, nakataas na ang kilay.I called him again. Because for heaven’s sake, after he kissed me like that at the masquerade ball, hindi siya magpapakita? That’s not how things work.“I’

Tumigil din ako sa pag-iyak nang maisip kong wala na akong magagawa. Kahit ang pangit-pangit ng daster ko at pareho pa kami nitong matanda. Elijah looked at me with amusement as he put rice on my plate. He also put gulay and one piece of fried fish. Titig na titig ako doon kasi what the hell? Iyon ang kakainin namin? “Naku, hijo, maselan din ba sa pagkain itong asawa mo? Hindi ata gusto ang pagkain na hinahanda mo,” disappointed na sabi ng matandang babae. “I don’t eat rice for breakfast, Elijah. I want avocado egg on toast,” baling ko sa kanya. Suminghap ang matandang babae. “Jusko, mga ganitong babae, mahirap na pinapakasalan.” Hinigit ni Elijah ang upuan ko at saka niya ito nilapit sa kanya. Nahagip niya ang tenga ko at saka bumulong sa akin. “Devina, ito muna ang kakainin natin, okay?” marahan niyang bulong. Pero hindi ko gusto kaya magwawala na sana ako nang pigilan niya ako. Pinigilan niya ang hita kong gustong magpadyak at saka lumapit ulit sa akin. “Come on, don’t be ha

I had expectations from the new clothes Elijah was talking about. But I was so shocked when I saw that it was not the clothes I had in mind! Puro t-shirt lang at pajama ang nakikita namin sa palengke. It had a variety of colors and sizes. And that's just it! So cheap!“Ito na lang, hija?” alok ng tindera sa isang purple na shirt. “Maganda ’to,” dagdag niya.I don't see why she says maganda. It's just a basic shirt with nothing special in it.Ngumiwi ako at saka tumingin kay Elijah. He was silent beside me.“What is this?” reklamo ko. “Mas maganda pa ’tong duster!”Bumaba ang tingin niya sa damit ko. “Sabi ko nga. Ngayon mo lang napansin?” he chuckled.I scoffed in disbelief. “Elijah!”“Shhh… There’s no mall here, Devina. These are the clothes they can offer. Pipili ka diyan o dadagdagan ko ang duster mo?”I looked at the available clothes. Wala ni isa ang nagustuhan ko doon. It's all basic! I don't even wear something like that.I groaned. “Kailan tayo babalik sa Manila?”“Soon. For n