Embers From Within (Casa Fuego Series #6)

Chapter 23

Falling Apart

"Welcome home, Senyorita..." bungisngis ni Manang Vilma nang nakababa ako sa Limousine.

I smiled at Manang who was oozing with excitement now that I'm back in Casa Fuego. Naging sobrang abala ako sa trabaho at pati na rin sa pag-aasikaso ng itatayong negosyo kaya si Mama na lang ang bumibisita sa akin sa Maynila. Kapag naman binibisita ko sila Lolo at Lola, madalas sa Davao na ang diretso ko.

It's my birthday weekend and my mother and grandparents wanted me to spend it here. Art will be here, too. Just that he's still in Manila for a business meeting.

One more step and I halted. I could still feel his member inside of me. Siya kasi ang naghatid sa akin sa helipad at bago kami umalis ng penthouse ko, we had a quickie. And the night before this morning, we made love countless times. In the living room, in the kitchen, in the bathtub, and I think two rounds in my bed. I could feel my legs wobbling but I tried to still remain composed.

After our first night, halos gabi-gabi na naming ginagawa iyon. Minsan nga kahit sa araw pa. O sa tanghali. O pagkagising.

And he kept his promise. The next ones were hard and rough that I couldn't stand on my own the next morning. Mabuti na lang at siya ang nagluluto ng breakfast, at binubuhat niya ako patungong bathroom para paliguan kaming dalawa bago pumasok sa trabaho. I think it's now a muscle memory to him to cuddle me and serve me after making love.

"Senyorita, ayos ka lang po ba?"

I snapped back to reality. My cheeks heated when I realized I zoned out remembering how he railed me last night, right in the middle of the manor's front porch. Goodness me, Therese!

"Yes, Manang. Is my mother here already?"

"Opo. Pati po sila Senyor at Senyora. Nasa drawing room po."

The clink of my heels against the baroque floor echoed in the empty ballroom. Lumiko ako patungo sa drawing room, and there I saw my mother leaning on the nook with a coffee mug in her hand. And my grandparents both reading a newspaper.

"Hello, hello..."

"Why, hello, birthday girl! You look beautiful!" Mama walked towards me, her eyes surveyed me from head to toe.

She looked at me like I was foreign in her eyes. And I knew exactly what she was thinking.

I have been very confident about myself lately. I've been trying to dress more formally and corporate-themed, not because I'm trying hard to be like Art's ex girlfriends, but because my fashion sense somehow changed. I am wearing a tweed skirt with its matching tweed suit, and a black blouse underneath. My legs were covered with black stockings. My heels were from Gianvito Rossi, and my bag from Versace.

After that night and the conversation we had, he washed away all my worries. The way he made love to me that night, making me feel his devotion and passion for me and only for me, I suddenly felt safe and secured. Parehong dahilan kung bakit ganado rin akong magtrabaho nitong nakaraan.

"It's my birthday, Mama. Let me dress up," I joked.

Mama chuckled and kissed both my cheeks. "I'm sorry. You just look so breath-taking. And I missed you even though we saw each other last week!"

Ngumisi ako. Naglakad ako patungo kanila Lolo at Lola at nagbeso sa kanilang dalawa. Lola was so engrossed with the article in the newspaper that she quickly went back to reading after kissing me. Si Lolo naman, lagpas ang tingin sa akin.

"Where's your boyfriend?" I could almost taste the bitterness of his last word.

"He has a business meeting. Two business meetings, actually. So susunod na lang siya for my birthday dinner tonight."