Isla De Fuego Series 3: Attention (EROTIC-ROMANCE)

Chapter Eight: Soup

Chapter Eight: Soup

A few hours ago...

Liana helped with mopping the floor while the other waiters and waitresses placed the chairs on top of the table.

Lahat ng staff ay masaya dahil may mga activities mamayang gabi para sa selebrasyon.

Nararamdaman niya rin ang kasiyahan sa paligid. Puno ng mga tao ang mga tindahang nasa tabi ng kalsada na nagtitinda ng souveneirs at mga delicacies ng Isla.

The phone in her pocket rang and she immediately answered it. It was Andre's nanny.

"Ma'am, umalis po kami sa bahay na inuupahan namin sa Cebu, Ma'am."

"Why, yaya?" Fear immediately engulfed her as her body almost froze in shock. What happened? Did Marco discovered Andre's location?

Liana silently prayed that the reason of the call is about Andre's asthma instead of the worst case scenario she had in mind earlier.

"Sinabihan po kasi ako nung pinsan kong nagtatrabaho sa barangay hall na may naghahanap daw po sa inyo at kay Andre gamit ang family picture niyo. Eh, ma'am, kilala ka po ng pinsan ko kasi lookout ko siya, ma'am."

Liana's fears became true. She immediately removed her apron and asked John that she needed to attend to an emergency.

Tumakbo siya papunta sa daungan ng mga bangka na nasa di-kalayuan mula sa Island Restaurant. She ran as if time itself is racing with her. Adrenaline rushed through her veins as tears fell on the white sand.

Liana dialled Yaya Ging's number again when she realized that she accidentally ended the call, and ordered Yaya Ging to take the earliest flight from Cebu to Manila airport.

"Kukuhanin ko na si Andre, yaya. Kung mahuli man kami ni Marco, papatayin niya muna ako bago niya tangkaing saktan ang kapatid ko."

Liana is hours away from Manila and she needed to ride a boat to Batangas first. She can endure the hassle of riding a boat to Batangas just as long as she arrives on the airport before Marco's goons does.

.

.

.

THE next morning, Liana called-in sick.

Nick cannot believe it. Liana, for the first time in eternity, is sick.

He doubts it. Was it because of the boy he saw last night with her? Is that her secret? Hiding an illegitimate child? Is that why Liana's been hiding her real identity? Because of an affair? A scandal, perhaps?

Just the thought of someone touching Liana's body instead of him makes him feel a little... jealous. Nick sighed and tried to distract himself by looking at the customers but he can't. Why is he envious because of a possibility that someone had touched Liana?

He shook his head. His mother was right. He needed to get laid.

"Naku! Lutuan ko nga ng sopas ang batang 'yun, ano? Baka walang makain, eh, siya lang naman ang mag-isa sa boarding house niya." Alok ng head chef na nakasilip mula sa kusina.

"Sige po, dadalhin ko na lang mamaya," John offered. May hawak itong disinfectant spray at pamunas sa magkabilang kamay.

"No, I will bring it," Nick also offered. "I always pass by her boarding house on the way to the HQ. Since, I will be checking my friend Raizen in the HQ, might as well bring your soup with me?" Nick lied. He doesn't need to check on Raizen Levinthal because that motherfucker is an adult and a popular defense attorney, to boot.

"Okay po, Sir. Lulutuan ko na siya ng sopas ngayon para may tanghalian siya."

He thanked the head chef and patiently waited in his office for the soup to be cooked.

Nick's curiousity about Liana heightened eversince last night and he had to know why he saw her terrified that night. He had to know. Because even hell knows that he's mind is full of questions that needed answering.

He had to know. For the sake of his sanity.

.

.

NICK is now standing in front of Liana's boarding house holding a plastic with a soup in a microwavable tupperwear. He knocked on the door and the tenant opened it. The z gasped in shock at the sight of him.

"Sir Nick, good afternoon po."

Everyone in the island knew the seven owners so it isn't a shock to know that a stranger knows him.

"Nasaan po si Liana?"

"Nasa taas po, eh. May sakit ho ata."

So, it's true? She really is sick?

"I needed to give this to her? May I see her? Tell her I'm here."

Halatang kinabahan ang landlady dahil biglang nanlaki ang mga mata nito.

As if on cue, Liana went dowstairs with a red nose and a blanket over her. She is being assisted by a kid as she walk downstairs. Nick's brows clashed. He estimated that the child is at least six years old.

"Ate Elle, you need to breathe the fresh air from outside."

"Andre, I've told you I'm not feeling well!" Liana protested like a kid. The way she spoke earlier sounded like her nose is stuffy and as if she's about to sneeze.

"You need the humidity outside, Ate. Yaya Ging instructed me."

Liana walked downstairs without bothering to check her surroundings. Hindi napansin ng dalaga si Nick na nakatayo sa doorway at pinagmamasdan siyang dahan-dahang bumababa sa hagdan. The kid, on the other hand, noticed Nick's presence.

"Woah!" The kid's emerald eyes that resembles Liana's natural eyecolor sparkled with joy as he looked at Nick. Though, the kid's eyes has a bit of an amber hue to it. "He looked like Urameshi Yusuke!"

Liana looked up and she almost fainted in shock at the sight of Nick.

What the hell?

"Ate! He looked exactly like Yusuke! Your crush!" The kid covered his mouth and tried to hide his excitement. "Am I supposed to say that?"

"Don't worry, Andre. He knows." Dahan-dahang naglakad papunta sa doorway si Liana at pinagmasdang mabuti si Nick. She was just making sure that he's not a product of her imagination. Sa daming beses ba naman na in-imagine ni Liana ang binata ay baka gumagawa na ang kanyang utak ng hallucinations.

"I am real, Elle."

"Okay."

Clearly, she's not in the mood to think about anything. Her head feels heavy and her nose is clogged. Nilalamig pa siya at parang masusuka.

"Here," he handed the plastic bag that's containing the tupperwear. "You'll need it."

She nodded and smiled before closing her eyes. Liana didn't know exactly what happened after she felt her body's energy drained from her body.