Dulling Glisters of the Diamond (Casa Fuego Series #5)

Chapter 29

Thank You

Tahimik siyang nakasunod sa akin. Ramdam kong marami siyang gustong sabihin pero nararamdaman niya ang tensyon ko kaya mas pinili niyang maghintay. Dumaan kami sa madilim na hallway palabas ng backyard. Nakasalubong ko pa ang sekretarya ni Conor pero agad din namang nagkahiwalay.

Niyakap ko ang aking fur coat nang salubungin ng pang-gabing hangin ang balat. Hawak ko rin ang dulo ng aking gown habang naglalakad sa damo. Medyo nahirapan pa ako dahil sa heels ko. I was about to stumble when he immediately held my elbow. Nagkatinginan kami.

"You'll fall," namamaos niyang sinabi.

Tumango na lang at agad nag-iwas ng tingin. Hawak niya ang siko ko habang inaalalayan ako. Tumigil lang kami sa paglalakad nang matapat sa ilalim ng ilaw ng lamppost. The muffled instrumental can be heard from here. There was a moon and a lone star in the sky, as the cold wind howled.

Nagulat ako nang tiningala ko siya at nakitang nakatitig na siya sa akin. He never tore his eyes off me the whole time. He was just staring at me intently like he couldn't believe I materialized in front of him. Ganoon din naman ang pakiramdam ko pero mas lamang ang kuryosidad at kaba sa akin.

"Are you cold?" he asked.

"I can manage," niyakap ko ang sarili ko.

But then he still removed his coat. Ipinatong niya iyon sa aking fur coat. He was left with his dress shirt perfectly hugging his biceps and chest. Tama nga ako. Lumaki nga ang katawan niya.

"Lalamigin ka. Sa 'yo na 'to-"

"It's okay. As long as you feel warm," he whispered.

Nagkatinginan kami. Pakiramdam ko wala talaga siyang pakealam kung ano man ang isipin ko basta't tititig siya sa akin. I cleared my throat and sighed heavily before asking the very question.

"What really happened... six years ago? I was there when the ambush happened. Kitang-kita ko na sasakyan niyo ang gamit ng mga taong 'yon. I couldn't be mistaken. Even the bodyguards you assigned for us didn't do anything while we were attacked," mabilis kong sinabi, tensyunado at uhaw sa sagot.

His jaw clenched tightly. Kitang-kita ko ang dumapong galit sa kanyang mga mata.

"First of all, I'm very sorry for what happened. I can't bring myself to imagine what I'd feel had something worse happened to you. I had no idea about that ambush, but I still blamed myself."

Umawang ang aking labi habang nakatitig sa kanya. Hindi ako makapaniwalang nangyayari na ang lahat ng ito. I couldn't digest what I just learned. I couldn't believe we're talking after six years!

"Paano mo masasabing wala kayong alam? Those men were under your company!"

"When we were still together..." he paused a bit. "You know that I've been going back and forth to Manila because our companies had issues from within. It was actually our former employees bringing in new employees to sabotage us. They betrayed us. The men we fired for failed jobs and negligence of responsibility teamed up to bring us down. They targeted your family because they know how powerful your family is."

Kumunot ang noo ko. Hindi ko maiwasang mapatitig sa kanya at kumalabog nang husto ang puso. I've longed for him so much and I realized just now that my feelings for him intensified tenfold. Lalo pa ngayong ganito ang titig niya sa akin. May pinaghalong pangungulila, pananabik, pagsisisi.

"And also because they know... they will have an advantage against me if they get a hold of you."

"And why is that?" bahagyang tumaas ang boses ko.