Lahat ng Kabanata ng Too Late To Regret, Mr. Billionaire: Kabanata 71 - Kabanata 80

PAGKARATING nila sa main door, biglang nagbalik ang composure ni Talia. Itinuwid niya ang likod, pilit na ibinabalik ang pagiging kalmado kahit buhat-buhat pa rin siya ni Caden.“Wait,” bulong niya, medyo naguguluhan. “Hindi ba nasa gilid ng bundok ‘tong manor n’yo? ‘Di naman makakaakyat ang sasakyan dito, ‘di ba?”Napangiti si Caden nang bahagya, 'yung tipong hindi halata pero mayabang sa ilalim.“Inconvenient ba na bitbit kita nang ganito?” tanong niya, mababa ang tono.“Yes,” sagot ni Talia agad. “Very.”Hindi napigilan ni Caden ang bahagyang matawa nang mahina, na para bang ayaw ipahalata sa babae.“It’s fine,” sagot niya. “May special transportation tayo paakyat.”Napakunot ang noo ni Talia. Special transportation? Parang may kakaiba doon.Bumilis ang tibok ng puso niya.“Caden… huwag mong sabihing—”Hindi niya natapos ang linya.Pero sa isip niya, may helicopter ba ‘to? May helipad ba sa bundok? Pilot ba si Caden? Hindi niya malaman.Habang nag-iisip pa siya, nakalabas na sila s

WHEN Talia slowly drifted back to consciousness, ang unang naramdaman niya ay bigat sa ulo na parang may banayad na hampas na naiwan sa sentido niya.Tahimik ang paligid. Pagmulat niya, napansin niyang naka-soft cotton pajamas na siya at may maliit na bandage pa sa likod ng kanan niyang kamay na may trace ng IV drip.She blinked, trying to orient herself.Nakahiga siya sa isang malapad na kama, white sheets, soft pillows, at open-air windows na may sheer curtains swaying gently.bAng amoy ng lavender diffuser at malamig na simoy galing Tagaytay Highlands ay gumagawa ng faint calming atmosphere.She moved slightly.Agad kumilos ang nakatayong kasambahay sa gilid na hindi niya napansin na may tao pala roon.“Ma’am Talia, gising na po kayo?” Concerned at medyo kinakabahan ang tono nito.Talia cleared her throat softly. “Yeah. I’m awake.”“Sandali lang po, ma’am. Tawagin ko ang doctor, pati si Sir Caden.”At bago pa makapagsalita si Talia, mabilis nang lumabas ang maid. Ilang sandaling nam

KINABUKASAN, maalinsangan pero tahimik ang simoy ng hangin sa Tagaytay Highlands. Maaga pa, pero malinaw ang liwanag na pumapasok sa malaking bintana ng guest room na tinutuluyan ni Talia.Nagising siya nang maramdaman niyang hindi na masyadong masakit ang pagkabagsak niya kagabi. She gently moved her ankle, testing it.“Hmm. Better than last night,” sabi niya sa isip.She pushed herself up, nakasuot pa rin ng soft cotton pajamas na pinahiram ng kasambahay. May maliit pang bandage sa likod ng kamay niya mula sa IV. Slowly, she stood, two steps, testing her balance.“Ayos ka na ba?”She froze.Sa pinto, nakasandal si Caden. Suot ang black lounge shirt at freshly-washed hair na bahagyang basa pa sa gilid. His expression? Stoic. Parang hindi natulog buong gabi pero ayaw umamin.Talia blinked at him. “Hindi mo ba kayang kumatok?”Caden ignored the remark at naglakad papasok, parang automatic na sinusuri ang bawat galaw niya.“You shouldn’t be walking yet.”“I’m fine,” she muttered.He did

TALIA froze.Si Caden lasing, at sobrang lapit nito sa kan'ya. Mainit ng hininga na amoy whiskey, na humalo sa faint scent ng aftershave na laging suot nito. His eyes, normally sharp, calculating, were now dark, unfocused, burning with something she couldn’t quite name. Possessiveness? Frustration? A hunger na hindi niya alam kung saan nanggagaling.“Talia…” he murmured again, voice hoarse, mababa, parang nanggagaling sa pinakailalim ng dibdib.Before she could react, Caden lowered his head and kissed her fiercely. Hindi iyon simpleng halik. Hindi malambing. Hindi gentle. It was a claim.His lips crashed onto hers with a force that made her entire body jolt. Talia’s mind went blank, nag-shutdown, leaving only the sting of his kiss and the heat spreading across her mouth.She gasped, pero Caden’s hand moved faster, his large palm cupping the back of her head, holding her still, giving her no chance to pull away.“C-Caden—” her voice cracked against his mouth.But he didn’t stop. His li

SAMANTALA, that afternoon, kahit na nakuha na ni Jessica Velasquez ang lead role sa bagong pelikulang “Pearl of the Silent Shore,” hindi pa rin siya masaya.In theory, dapat ecstatic siya dahil lead role iyon, dream project ng marami.Pero instead of smiling, she was pacing inside her condo, her heels clacking on the floor, agitation in every breath.Bakit? Simple lang. She had been calling Caden the whole day. And he still didn’t answer. Hindi man lang siya sinasagot. Hindi nagre-reply. Not even a single “busy.”Worse, narinig niyang reason behind the chaos that her father, si Mr. Velasquez mismo had been bragging around that Caden Montclair was his “future son-in-law.”As if entitled. As if assured. At siyempre, nalaman iyon ni Caden. The moment he learned, he pulled out Montclair Biotech’s entire partnership with the Velasquez Family. Parang simpleng paglipat ng chess piece. Swift. Cold. Final.Halos nalugmok tuloy ang buong board ng daddy niya. At siyempre, dahil opportunistic ang