Sin City

Prologue

This story contains explicit content so, please, read at your own risk.

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"Inuman, later?"

I immediately shook my head because of my cousin from my dad's side, Eunice Mikaela or Eumika's question. I put my sunglasses on when the elevator landed on the ground floor.

"Pass muna, pahinga din beh! kakainom lang natin noong isang araw eh," I replied.

Hangover pa din ako until now. Napapagod na ako kakainom. Paano naman kasi itong si Eumika, hindi pa din makamove on kahit iniwan na siya ng ex niya seven years ago. She's filling the void with alcohol, sex, and work.

We're both working for our parents company. My dad, Chaos Baez, and Eumi's dad, tito Charm Baez, are the owners of Baez Empire. We build and own hotels, condominiums, and apartments. My eldest brother, Aidan, is the president of the empire after dad retired. Kuya Aidan and his wife ate Aeone reside in Chicago right now, habang ang CEO naman sa Pilipinas ay ang isa ko pang kapatid na si kuya Adrian.

The board have been considering to promote Eumika as the COO, habang ako ay isa sa Department managers. I don't want way too much responsibilities. I don't even want this job to be my career. Hindi ko pa lang talaga alam kung anong gusto kong gawin sa buhay ko kahit may degree akong Business Management.

"Boring naman nito," Eumi rolled her eyes at me nang bumukas ang pintuan ng elevator.

"Babawi ako sayo next time," I answered while we are walking to our cars. I then kissed her cheeks goodbye nang makita ko na ang sasakyan ko. "You drive safe, yummy," pagpapaalam ko sa kanya.

"You too, dandan," she blew me a kiss before walking towards her car.

Agad kong pinaandar ang pulang porsche ko. It sounded like a lightning when I pumped the gas, it even echoed in the whole parking floor. Hindi ko mapigilang mapangisi sa ganda ng tunog nito.

I drove all the way to the Global City to meet my friend, Ruth. She texted me earlier na may chika daw siya for me, but she wanted to talk about it over ramen and sushi.

"Hello, hello," Ruth excitedly said when she saw me entered the ramen place. Tumayo agad ito sa kinauupuan niya para daluhin ako.

I've been friends with her ever since I moved to Las Vegas five years ago. We met unexpectedly and became good friends after that. Siguro din ay dahil pareho kaming Pilipino at pareho kami ng rason kung bakit nagpunta kami sa Vegas. She moved to Las Vegas to recover from a heartbreak, too, just like what I did.

"I missed you!" pinanggigilan ko siya nang yakapin ko ito, I was even rocking her while hugging her.

"My Dany! Namiss rin kita! Here, upo ka. I have a surprise for you," masayang pagkwento nito. Agad akong umupo across her. "But first, kain muna tayo," she grinned.

"Hay nako, pa suspense ka pa ha," I playfully rolled my eyes. "Pero sige, I'm starving na din."

I decided to get fried dumplings, salmon roll, and unagi roll, my go to sushi orders. Habang si Ruth naman ay nag order ng tonkatsu ramen and siomai.

"So kumusta naman ang adulting life mo, girl?" she asked after the waitress served us our food.

I grabbed my chopsticks. "Okay naman pero ewan ko ba. There are days where I'm dreading to go back to work and just wanna live off my trust fund," we both giggled.

"But most days I'm like really motivated to go to work kahit ayoko naman sa trabaho ko," I honestly answered while chuckling. Kumuha agad ako ng sushi.

"It's just your independent self lang yan, you don't like depending on your family's name anymore, but girl, if I were you, I'd be living my Nardan Jillian Baez life and live off my trust fund," she giggled while trying to get noodles with her chopsticks.

Mapait akong napatawa nang may maalala ako. "Ayoko na, baka ma judge pa ulit ako na I depend on my family's name and wealth, anak mayaman, spoiled brat, and that I've never experienced a real struggle," I rolled my eyes and savored my sushi again.

The smile on Ruth's face slowly faded and she gave me a sad smile, halata pa sa mga mata niya ang lungkot.

"I'm sure Rouqil didn't mean those, Dany."

Napalunok ako when I heard his name. I felt a pang in my chest again that I haven't felt for a while. Masakit pa din pala.

"He meant it, Ruth. Every single word that he told me he meant it," I clenched my jaw. Nawalan na ako ng gana na kumain.

"Lasing lang siya noong sinabi niya iyon," pagpapaliwanag pa ni Ruth. Why is she defending him?

"You know what they always say," I nonchalantly shrugged my shoulders. "Drunk thoughts are sober thoughts meaning he meant all those things that he said to me," nanggagalaiti kong sabi.

Magsasalita pa sana si Ruth but I immediately cut her off. "Let's not talk about him anymore. Dalawang taon na mula noong nangyari iyon. Iniwan niya ako diba kahit ilang beses ako magmakaawa sa kanya so he's irrelevant in my life," I tried to sweetly smiled at her kahit ang sakit sakit na ng puso ko.

"Anyway," siniglahan ko ang boses ko. "What's your chika?" nakangisi kong tanong. I looked at her while devouring my fried dumplings. Malungkot pa din ang mga mata nito at wala nang ngiti sa mga labi.

Ruth heaved a sad sigh and smiled at me. "I saw Rouqil last week, he asked me for your contact information and everything, and he explained things to me, Nardan."

I swallowed the lump in my throat hoping it would ease the pain that I'm feeling right now. Siguro if I heard this two years ago, maglulundag ako sa saya, pero ngayon, tila namumuot sa galit ang puso ko.

"Gusto niyang makita at makausap ka ulit," she added.

Nanigas ako sa kinauupuan ko when Ruth's gaze landed on my back and I heard the ramen's place's door open.

Unti unti akong napatalikod to look at what Ruth was looking at and I could just feel my heart shattering into pieces when I saw the man who left me after filling the void that I had since I was a kid. He left me and left an even bigger void.

"Jillian."

Naiiyak akong lumingon ulit kay Ruth at dismayadong napailing sa ginawa niya. Ang sakit sakit pa din pala na marinig ang pangalan ko galing sa bibig niya.

I aggressively wiped the tears that betrayed me, too, at mabilis akong kumuha ng pera mula sa pitaka ko at inilagay ito sa mesa. I quickly stood up and left the building, nabangga ko pa si Rouqil on my way out.

"Jillian, please, mag-usap tayo!" he grabbed my arm to stop me.

Agad kong tinabig ang kamay niya at luminga linga pa dahil nahihiya akong makita kami ng ibang tao. "What?" I aggressively wiped my tears away again.

I hate myself for crying, I don't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing me still affected of his existence.

"What do you want, Roux?! Ayaw mo na sa akin diba? Why are you even here?" mariin kong tanong sa kanya, I muttered to not get anyone's attention.

"I want us, Jillian. I want us again. I'm sorry, sobrang nagsisisi na ako na iniwan kita. Ikaw pa rin ang gusto ko."

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Pronunciation of Rouqil is Ro-kil and Roux is Ru :)