Wild Touch (Hacienda Alegre Series #1)

Chapter 2.2

Unedited.

FUCK. Iyon ang bulong ni Greco sa sarili. Hinilot niya ang kanyang sentido. Sumasakit ang ulo na tinitigan ang mga papel sa ibabaw ng kanyang mahabang mesa. His home office was dark, cool and quiet. This was the peace he needed.

Ginagambala siya ng mga ex-flings niya. Some of them asked about him. Pumupunta pa ang mga ito sa kanilang architectural firm.

Simula nang lokohin siya ni Janine ay naging mapait na ang buhay niya. His heart was coated with anger, rage and bitterness. At para mawala ang sakit ay sa ibang babae siya sumama. Just to forget her, he bed girls and considered sex as his stress reliever.

There was a point in his life that he questioned his worth. Binigay niya ang lahat kay Janine, pero bakit nagawa pa siyang lokohin ng asawa.

Ex-wife. His mind corrected him.

Dalawang taon na rin silang annuled. Sumama kasi ang babae sa Kuya niya. She didn't even confess that she loves his brother from the start. Nahantong pa sila sa magpapakasal.

At hindi niya pa rin makalimutan si Janine. Hindi niya pa rin matanggap na pinagpalit siya nito sa kapatid niya. Fuck! Kailangan na niya yata niyang pumunta sa Hacienda Alegre.

That place that had been built by his friend. Para raw may mapuntahan silang lahat sa tuwing broken-hearted sila. Seemed coincidental because all of his friends including him were broken-hearted because of their first love. Lahat sila ay may karumadal-dumal na karanasan sa una nilang pag-ibig. Some of them had been healed but his heart was still aching.

Isang katok ang nagpukaw sa kanya mula sa lungkot. Yes, he was still sad. He couldn't forget Janine. She was the love of his life, his answered prayer from God. Si Janine lang ang nagpaparamdam sa kanya ng ganito. He thought of her as a lifetime partner. The first ever woman he had made as the center of his world. He sighed, chasing away old memories.

"Sir," boses iyon ni Manang Dolores. Ang mayordoma ng pamilyang Servano na ngayon ay sa kanya na naninilbihan.

Sumandal siya sa upuan, kinalma ang sarili. "Pasok po." Manang Dolores was his trusted person in the house. Baka nagpunta ito dahil nagpapahanap siya ng bagong nanny ni Gray.

"Sir, patungkol po sa nanny ni Gray. May nahanap na po ako."

Tumango siya. Gusto niyang mang-usisa kung mapagkakatiwalaan ba ang bagong nanny pero pagod na talaga siyang magtanong. "Mabuti naman po. She can start working tomorrow."

"Sir?" gulat nitong ani. "Ayaw niyo ba siyang interview-hin muna?" Naglakad si Manang papunta sa kanya, sabay lapag ng long white folder sa mesa. "Resume niya. Baka kakailanganin mo, hijo. Pinagkakatiwalaan ko siya pero baka hindi mo siya magustuhan. Basahin mo lang." Ngiti ni Manang.

He stared at her blankly and opened the folder. Unang tumama sa kanyang paningin ang picture na nandoon. This was the girl he had seen a while ago!

That beautiful little lady who shouted at him. Hindi niya maintindihan ang sarili kanina kung bakit natulala siya sa maganda nitong mukha.

Malvine Avi Camerino. Twenty-five. Single. Tila'y biglang gumaan ang pakiramdma niya sa nabasa. She was still studying but desperately needed a job. Nakapagtataka dahil dati itong OFW sa Amerika, at may apat na taon ng experience sa pagiging nanny.

She was impressive. Her little smile on the photo could hypnotize him in seconds. Fuck!

"She's hired, Manang." He couldn't afford to lost such beauty—working skills.