Trieja: Jake And Josh [Under Revision]

Chapter 58

When war comes, you must prepare. Strengthen your shield. Sharpen your sword. Chastise your enemy as savage as you can. Spruce oneself up as wise as you could be, because this is the only way to win the battle. You must never conform to weakness. Frailty is something that you'd last want to display in front of the enemy.

Let them be feeble and bludgeon their sanity as they tremble in pain and anxiety . . . And only then you'll prevail.

"Can we talk?", said Jake, in a cold and dark voice.

Claire is busy entertaining Adriano's guests when he suddenly showed up. The Formal Party is about the success of Frivolous Escorts. At base sa nakalap niyang impormasyon, this is the first time the Amparo brothers showered the stockholders, Board of Trustees, and Board of Directors with festivities.

"Forgive me, Mr. Ignacio, but I'm not allowed to—" 'di na niya natapos ang sasabihin dahil hinila na siya nito palayo.

Adriano wasn't around, must be because of the Trieja tradition. Ang sabi sa kanya nina Sasha, bawat lalake ay mabibigyan ng pagkakataon na makasama at makausap siya. Demián's time already ended when she left him in the middle of the dance floor. Gusto pa sana nitong pigilan ang pag-alis niya pero 'di na ginawa nung dire-diretso siya sa puwesto ni Adriano kanina.

Jake took her outside of the hall and turned left in a dimly lit hallway. Marahas niyang binawi ang braso sa kamay nito at matalim na tinitigan ang lalake.

"What are you doing, Jake? Can't you see that I'm working?", mariing sabi niya.

Jake was slightly taken aback by her sudden anger but quickly to recover. Sinuklian niya ng matalim na tingin ang seryoso nitong mga mata. There's no doubt that with whatever he's about to say to her, Claire would never listen. And just thinking about his wife choosing not to believe him frustrates Jake.

"Nagawan ko na ng paraan ang pagtatrabaho mo sa Frivolous Escort. You were to never be accepted ever again."

Umarko ang kilay ni Claire. "By paying hundred millions of dollars?" Natahimik si Jake, gulat na may alam ang babae tungkol doon. "I'm not some lost treasure that could be auctioned off, Jake. I'm priceless."

Jake had no intention of being harsh, but it slipped out of his mouth even before he could control himself. Frustration and anger of not being able to hold his wife like he used got the best of him. Yearning for Claire had never been this extreme, until she was just right in front of his eyes. Though, she is close enough for him to reach her, it felt like he couldn't ... or wasn't able to because of this horrible and painful gap between them. And it maddens Jake, badly.

"Then why are you an Escort?", he said.

Nagtagis ang mga bagang ni Claire at napuno ng galit ang dibdib dahil sa lalake. And along with the tightening of her chest came with pain. An inkling of agony that's never left her ... had been tormenting her for almost two years. Buong akala niya'y wala na ito. Tapos na. But as soon as she heard those words, pain transformed into a thorny vine wrapping around her anger, bruising her heart as it embraced her. Yearning, the extreme urge to run towards Jake had been replaced, inevitably.

"My services are what's being paid, not my humanity. There is always a difference. Differences that you and Josh will never understand." Pain trickled Claire as she turned her back to Jake and left him.

The more pain throbbed inside of her, the more anger seethes. Unlike Jake, Josh had been gentle and sweet when he got the chance to talk to her. Earlier before she ended her dance with Demián, Josh butted in and coldly asked if he could dance with her. Though, Demián did not appreciate him intervening of what he thought was a sliver of chance he might have with Claire, he let Josh take her.