Five O'clock Sky (Nueva Caceres#1)

CHAPTER 31

Chapter 31: Charm

"W-what are you saying, Dahlia?" Ani ko sa nangangapang tono. "You're joking, aren't you?" My voice amused and awkwardly hopeful.

"I wish I am, brat." Mahinahon ngunit matabang niyang sagot. "But I'm not."

Umawang ang aking labi. Then, I huffed a humorless laughter. "You couldn't... How... I mean..." I was so lost of words. "Okay, what the hell?" I blurted. "You only met Sandro once, Dahlia. That was four years ago nong pauwi na kayo sa Nevada. Hindi ba't ganon nalang ang disgusto at pangmamaliit mo sa kanya noon? And now you're saying..." Ni hindi ko magawang tapusin ang aking sasabihin sa pagkamangha. I stared at her, confused and ridiculed.

She sighed and nodded. She sentimentally stared at the wine cabinets in front of us as if she can see the past right through the mirrors. "Back then, Lucy, I couldn't get your obsession over a guy who had nothing at all. No profession. No stable career. Not even a university degree." She chuckled humorlessly, mocking her own self. "You talked about him with so much fascination that your eyes would twinkle all the time. Like he's the most amazing guy for you. And I found you so foolish for being like a love sick brat over a guy who was a good for nothing handsome farmer."

"That's what you all thought, Dahlia." Hindi ko alam kung saan nanggagaling ang pagnanais na itama ang maling akala niya noon kay Sandro. "He had quiet achievements. He wasn't a regular farmer, but a stockholder. And he genetically modified a pineapple patented under our company's name na hanggang ngayon ay may naghahanap pa rin sa market kahit na matagal ng tinigil ni Adam ang produksyon."

Sandro might be the one who genetically modified the pink glow pineapple, but it was patented under our family's company, The Alta. Kaya kahit hindi na parte ng kompanya si Sandro, we have the right to continue the production since we hold the ownership. Pero hindi ugali ni Adam na makinabang sa pinaghirapan ng iba. Hindi kaya ng prinsipyo niya iyon and oh well, his ego too. When Sandro left, my brother also cut off the production of pink glow pineapple kahit na malaki ang potensyal na kikitain ng kompanya doon. Now, it's no longer available in the market like it never existed.

But what tops it all, Adam knew what truly happened between Sandro and I four years ago. Sandro was a total jerk for telling my brother. Nanghihinayang din ako. They would make great partners in doing business. They used to trust each other's back sa usaping negosyo. But now, there's nothing between them but bad blood.

"Really?" She sounded amused. Her eyes fantasizing.  "I didn't know that. Hindi iyon naikwento sa'kin ni Sandro. Buong akala ko'y isang hamak na magsasaka lamang siya sa plantasyon ninyo noon. And that he only got successful after finishing his degree in Agricultural engineering."

For unfathomable reason, I hated the way she mentioned Sandro's name like it's so natural on her lips na kung tutuusin ay hindi sila ganoong magkakilala. Unless...

"Have you... Have you r-really been seeing him lately?"

"Hmm." Walang pag-aalinlangan niyang pagsang-ayon.

Napalunok ako. "E-explain it to me." Saad ko sa halos pabulong na tinig.

She sighed heavily. "A day after I arrived, I borrowed Adam's car to roam around Nueva Caceres." Panimula niya. "I happened to pass by over a place where the aroma of roasted coffee beans was all over the air. It got me and I went out of the car. Doon ko natantong may coffee farm sa gilid ng daan. A part of the farm's fens was broken, so I entered without worrying that I could be trespassing someone's property." Walang tinig siyang natawa. "I just had the desire to do so. Touring around a coffee farm would be a great experience for someone like me who can't function well enough without my morning coffee."