Versailles Series Book 7: The Ballerina [COMPLETED]

CHAPTER 1

=== J U A N M I G U E L ===

I was on my way back to my house from my jogging when I noticed Jarvis and Dallas in front of the house beside mine. As usual, nag-aaway nanaman ang dalawa.

"Shouldn't it be a lighter shade?"

"It is the exact shade. Iyan iyung napag-usapan natin."

"That's not the shade, Jarvis. Magkaiba ba tayo ng pinuntahan na meeting?"

Napalingon sa akin ang dalawa. I maintained my uninterested face as I looked at them.

Nilingon ni Dallas si Jarvis. "Change that fucking furniture, Jarvis." Pagkatapos niyon ay umalis na ito.

Napabuntong-hininga na lang si Jarvis. "That woman will be the death of me."

Napatingin ako sa bahay. There are a bunch of furnitures outside. Mula noong mag-settle down ako dito sa club ay walang permanenteng nakatira sa katabi kong bahay.

"Someone is moving in?"

Tumango si Jarvis. "Yes. And the client is very particular with this shade of yellow. May kapitbahay ka na next week. Pwede ba, patagalin mo naman ang titira diyan? Stop scaring people off."

"I'm not doing anything."

"Really? Not giving death glares? Not smiling?"

"Hindi ko na kasalanan kung hindi sila makatagal. Hindi naman nanganib buhay nila noong sinungitan ko sila. At paanong hindi mo sila titignan ng masama? Who wears a two-piece bikini when it's 10 degrees?"

Jarvis looked blankly at me. "She was hinting something, man."

"I get the hint. The death glare is the response."

Napailing-iling ito. "No wonder you're a bachelor. Still not over Georgina?"

"Georgina? She's my ex. And we're friends kaya dumadalaw siya minsan."

"Why not just get back together? Looks like you guys can still make it as a couple."

Umiling ako. "We're done. And I'm not interested in any relationships right now."

Jarvis smiled. "Your new neighbor is a lady. Hindi na ako magtataka kung aalis nanaman iyan after a month."

"It's not my fault. Hindi ko naman sinabi na diyan siya tumira."

"I don't know what vibe you have to still make women want you."

"I don't know myself."

"Well, I need to go. Mamaya makita pa ako ni dragona tuluyan na niya akong sunugin."

Nilingon ko ang mga furnitures na nasa labas. Sabi ni Dallas na maling shade ng yellow ang mga iyon. I remember a distinct shade of yellow that was more pleasing to the eye. The shade that makes you feel happy and light.

I shook my head when her face flashed on my mind. Now is not the time to reminisce. Pumasok na ako sa bahay ko at nag-shower.

Tulad ng sabi ni Jarvis, it's not the first time that someone moved in in my neighbor's house. The last one was a couple - an older man in his 50s and a younger woman in her late 20s. Everytime the man went out for business, the wife or girlfriend or mistress is left at the house. Those are the times when she would wear bikini at the verandah facing my house and pretend to sunbathe. The worst happened when she was fully naked while basking under the sun. I was never interested in her that's why when I knew that she'll be there, I'll go to the other part of my house where my study is.

I was confronted twice by the husband but when I asked him for proof that his woman was cheating with me, he can't show anything. And that's one of the many reasons why he was blacklisted from the club.

Now I get to enjoy my room's verandah for the last week before my new neighbor moves in. Whoever it is, I don't plan to socialize with them.

I enjoy alone time here kaya mas gusto ko magtrabaho rito kaysa sa opisina. I get more done when people don't interrupt me from time to time. I don't have time to engage in unnecessary conversations from other businessmen.

If I knew, they still think that I shouldn't be handling the company operations. Dahil daw anak ako ng may-ari kaya ko nakuha ang puwesto ko.

My family owns the biggest pharmaceutical company in the Philippines alongside the one which was established in Ireland. My father's company acquired my mother's company when they got married.

After my masters, I started working in the company's marketing department with an entry level position. I was transferred between departments until I got the VP position a year ago when I turned thirty. Now, my father just handed me the CEO position with him as the chairman.

I was grateful to have experienced what our employees are going through in our company. They didn't know I was the chairman's son until I became VP. That way, I was able to genuinely know the concerns of the employees. There were a couple of managers who enjoyed power tripping their subordinates and they are the ones that I had fired from the company.

From the time I got the CEO position, I had programs rolled out for our employees' development like trainings, profit sharing benefits, and more other incentives.

Napatigil ako sa pag-tipa sa laptop ko. I used to turn the television on to have news as my background. I am usually not interested in the news but what the current reporter is reporting caught my attention.

Kinumpirma ni Alexandria Illustre na magreretiro na ito mula sa pagba-ballet. Tumagal ng walong taon ang karera ni Alexandria sa Europa at isa sa mga Pilipinong naging kilala sa naturang larangan. Nang tanungin kung ano ang susunod na hakbang ay ito ang kanyang naging pahayag:

"Yes, I am retiring from the ballet scene. I think we have promising new talents that should experience performing in front of an audience. With that in mind, I plan on establishing my dance school. It's still under the planning stage but I am excited on this new chapter of my life."

"Do you plan on going back to the Philippines?"

"I'm still thinking about it but definitely, I will at some point."

"There are rumors that you are settling down finally. Is that true?"

"No! I don't even have someone with me at the moment so those are really just rumors."

"So you are confirming that you are single?"

"Yes. But I'll just leave it at that."

For so many years I was able to avoid seeing or hearing any news about her. But now my eyes are glued on the screen. She looked same but different. The last image of her in my mind is different from what the television is showing now.

She looked happy and radiant.

Binalik ko ang atensiyon ko sa laptop ko. I stopped caring about her a long time ago. Mula noong iwan ako nito noon ay hindi na ako nagtapon ng atensiyon dito. Kinalimutan ko na lahat ng mayroon kami pati lahat ng nararamdaman ko sa kanya.

Many people told me how much I've changed since we broke up. I always thought it was for the better. I still think it is. Many people sympathized with me during that time. Napasama ako sa mga taong iniwan kapalit ng kanilang mga pangarap.

CHAPTER 2 >>