Kristine Series 24 - Ivan Henrick (UNEDITED)(COMPLETED)

10

"Sabihin na lang nating overdue vacation ang ginagawa kong ito," aniya, nagbuntong-hininga. "And my way of saying, I wanna be free."

"Pero hindi mo maiisip gawin ito kung hindi masama ang loob mo, 'di ba?"

Matagal bago niya nasagot iyon. "Siguro. Pero matagal ko nang gustong maging malaya, Kurt. Yaya Adora's overprotective. Ganoon din si Papa at James."

Napakalalim ng hiningang pinakawalan ni Kurt. "You can't blame your family for being so overprotective, Naya. Bunso at nag-iisa kang babae."

"Nasasakal ako, Kurt. Hindi na ako makahinga. Magmula nang mangyari ang tangkang pagkidnap sa akin six years ago, may pakiramdam akong gusto nila akong ilagay sa kaha at susian doon. Still, I would have continued to be an obedient daughter had I not found that Alvaro deceived me..."

"Na napatunayan mong tama naman siya. Sa pagkakaalam ko'y may reputasyon ang Ranjo na iyon bilang gigolo at—"

"Maybe so. Pero hindi iyon ang punto. Hindi tinupad ni Papa ang salita niya. And he would do it again, that I am certain. And then there's Adora... kay tagal nilang inilihim ang tungkol sa pagkatao ko."

"Okay, give yourself some time. But why Davao, Naya?" Kurt was puzzled. "You could have saved Alvaro and Adora half the worry had you went to the States and joined James and Chantal."

"The place just popped up in my mind. Anyway, I was enjoying it until your bodyguard appeared out of nowhere. Call off your greyhound, Kurt! I don't need a protector."

"If I'll pull him out, Alvaro would send a battalion. So, alin na lang sa dalawa: ang sumakay ka bukas nang umaga sa unang barko patungong Maynila o mananatili si Ivan hanggang nariyan ka."

She groaned in frustration. Pabagsak siyang umupo sa gilid ng kama. "I don't like your bodyguard, Kurt. He's so rude!"

"Is he?"

Was it amusement she heard from his voice?

"At paano mo siyang nakilala?""Ask him.""Well, I demand you tell me how you come to know this man," giit niya sa determinadong tono. "Or I'll make his life miserable while I am here. I won't cooperate, Kurt. And it would be easy for me to do just that now that I've found my freedom. I'm sick and tired of arrogant men telling me what to do and not to do!"

"Kaya nahulog ang loob mo kay Ranjo. By the way, ano ang nangyari nang huli kayong magkita?"

"Don't sidetrack me, Kurt. Who is this man? How did you come to know him? Ipagkakatiwala mo ba ako sa taong ito?"

Ilang sandali ang pinalipas nito bago atubiling sumagot. "His name's Ivan Henrick. American-Dutch-Filipino. His father's grandfather was Dutch. Ang mother niya'y purong Pilipino mula sa Davao. He was very young when his father forced him to join the SEAL. When his father died years later, the organization where his father worked took him. He lived in Europe, Asia, and Middle East for most of his career. He quit three years ago."