Versailles Series Book 9: The Lawyer [COMPLETED]

CHAPTER 41

E N T E N G

Nasa park kami ni Hera ngayon kasama si Zeus na nilakad naming dalawa. She still went to grump about going on walking and jogging but she still packed some active wear anyway. She was pouting and all that drama like my dog Zeus but at least she came with us.

"I'll just buy some coffee. Are you sure you want to stay behind with that monster?"

She smiled at me. "He's not a monster. Stop calling him that."

I kissed her temple before leaving her. The coffee shop isn't far so I won't be long. While waiting in line, I was listening to the radio the coffee shop was tuning to.

DJ1: Na-in love ka na ba?

DJ2: Oo naman. Ikaw ba?

DJ1: Sa tingin ko naman, oo.

DJ2: Bakit parang hindi ka sigurado?

DJ1: Hindi ko kasi alam kung nagandahan lang ako sa kanya talaga. Ikaw ba, paano mo ba masasabi na mahal mo na ang isang tao?

DJ2: Iba-iba naman iyan ano? Pero ito ang pinakamadalas nararamdaman ng tao kapag in-love. Siyempre, kilig. Ang kilig, unique iyan sa Pinoy. Hindi mo nga ma-translate iyan eh. Pero iyan ang nararamdaman mo tuwing nariyan ang taong gusto mo. Pangalawa, iba ang kabog ng dibdib mo. Para kang nag-marathon kahit hindi naman. Parang laging may kaba sa dibdib ba. Pangatlo, naku akala mo ba sa mga pelikula mo lang ito nakikita? Iyung kapag nagdikit ang mga kamay niyo, may kuryenteng dumadaloy sa iyo. Tumatayo lahat ng balahibo mo. At pang-apat, lagi siyang nasa isip mo.

DJ1: Ah, nagandahan nga lang ako sa kanya...

I watched Hera from the window as she played with Zeus. From the looks of it, she looked like she was teaching him something. If she didn't notice, she was smiling more now, laughing even. When I met her, I never thought she could smile like that.

With my father's visit just a week away, I'll know if this charade will continue or not. If the routine that we fell into will cease or not. I haven't told her that yet. I've been so busy with work lately that when I am with her, I don't even want to think about it. Don't even want to think that all the evenings and mornings we spend together are numbered now.

I can't fall for Hera. I have always told myself that I won't find someone like that. Someone that I will cherish and love only to lose them in the end. That's the reason why I stayed in safe and casual relationships. We both know the score. Having a serious relationship will just derail me from performing in the company. I need my full mind to get the CEO position. People already think I am not focused on the job.

Hera's role in my life is to make me look like I have my life planned out. To paint me as someone whose life has been put together. Someone perfect and deserving of the CEO position even if that's far from the truth. Fake it til you make it, right?

I got our coffees and when I returned to where I left Hera, she and Zeus were leaning on the tree with Zeus' head on her lap. Zeus' water bowl was on the side.

"You okay?" She asked me while I handed her the coffee.

"Yeah." I sat beside her and she leaned her head on my shoulder as I extended my arm until I was cupping her shoulder. We look like a typical, normal couple.

I've never been like this with the women I dated. I never cook for them. I never slept in their place. I never do these walks with them. Heck, Hera is the only woman I chased and chased just for a fucking date. I have never done that for a woman.

As I looked at Hera while she enjoyed her cold brew, an uncomfortable feeling settled in my stomach. Am I treating her as a girlfriend more than I should? The girlfriend part is just a press release. We know what this arrangement is and I'll stick to that.