Versailles Series Book 9: The Lawyer [COMPLETED]

CHAPTER 61

E N T E N G

I entered Damon's firm like it was my own office. I've been here so many times that people are not even shocked I'm here. Cath smiled at me formally and stood as I approached. She wasn't as warm as she used to be when Hera and I were still dating. I saw Hilda's Aussie souvenir for her girlfriend. We arrived a week ago and after fixing some stuff for Horizon Capital, my venture capital, I am finally ready for Hera. I wanted to present myself to her in a state where I knew where my life was going and that truthfully this time, I had my life together. My plans for her are in place, I just need to find her. First, I need to talk to Damon and let him know of my plans. I don't know where they are in their relationship right now but he is still my friend and he sounded supportive last time. I wonder if that changed after his date with Hera.

"Sir Enteng."

"Is Damon here? Is he in a meeting?" His door is always closed and I don't want to barge in if he's busy.

"Wala naman po. Tanungin ko lang po siya, Sir." She opened the door after getting Damon's response.

I stopped by the door when I saw Savannah, Hera's friend on Damon's lap. What the fuck?

"I thought you were dating Hera?" Both of them looked very comfortable in their position as if they had been doing it for a long time.

Savannah and Damon glanced at each other before giggling.

"Hello to you too, Enteng." Damon said.

"I asked Hera to ask Damon on a date on my behalf," Savannah said while wiping the tears from her eyes. "It isn't Hera who went on the date. It's me."

Damon was smiling after giving Savannah a kiss on the cheek. "I told her how Hera asked me out and you were there. Looks like it helped you realize something too, huh?"

"And you never bothered to tell me?"

Damon shrugged. "You didn't ask."

"Asshole."

Savannah leaned her head on Damon's shoulder. "Why are you here, Enteng?"

"Where is Hera?"

"Are you looking for her to take her back?" Damon asked, his finger caressing Savannah's arm.

"Yes."

"She's out of town. She's currently at her parents' house. She'll be there for a week." He glanced at his girlfriend. "Are you the reason she is on leave right now?"

Savannah shrugged. "I told her that she needs time for herself."

"She is taking a lot of that lately which is good. About time she looks after herself."

Damon pinched her cheek. "And so should you, baby. You have been working so hard."

"I know. How about we take some time off too?"

I cleared my throat. "I'm here, lovebirds. As much as I am happy that you are not dating Hera after all, I want to look for her and get her back."

Damon scribbled something on a paper and pushed it towards me. "Don't mess it up this time, Enteng."

"I won't. Thanks."

I left his office in a hurry and went straight to my house. It's a different place now because the penthouse was bought by the company so Enchong have stayed there since I resigned. I bought a house not far from my Mom's. I figured Zeus needed a place to roam around while I was at work.

I packed up a week's worth of clothes and some of Zeus' stuff. I don't know how long will I stay there but I will make sure to not go back without anything from Hera. It is just right for her to make me work for it after everything that has happened.

I placed the location in Google Maps before starting our road trip. Zeus does well on road trips since we have been doing it way back when he was a pup. I drove as the city slowly turned into farms. As I exited the expressway, the roads became narrower and more bumpy or dusty.

Damon doesn't know the specific address so I may resort to asking around town. He said that her father is known by a lot so I can easily be pointed to their house. I parked my car in front of a convenience store, got down to buy some cold water and asked the cashier if they knew where the Marquezes lived.

"Sakto Sir! Nandito si Mang Ferdie!" May kinawayan ito sa likod ko. "Mang Ferdie! May naghahanap po sa bahay niyo rito." Right. Just my luck.

I turned around as the old man approached. I met him before at Hera's building but we never got to speak longer. He sized me up and I've never felt so intimidated by someone's assessment.

"Hindi ba ikaw iyung kaibigan ng anak ko?"

I cleared my throat. "Ah...opo. Enteng Llamanzares po."

"Ah...ikaw nga. Ikaw iyung nanakit sa anak ko. Anong ginagawa mo rito?"

Here we go.. "Gusto ko pong humingi ng tawad at ligawan ulit siya."

Bumuntong-hininga ito at bakas sa mukha ang alinlangan pero tumango pa rin ito. "Hindi ako ang dapat magdesisyon para sa anak ko kasi malaki na siya at isang matalinong bata. Kung ano man ang desisyon niya, iyon ang papanigan ko. Pero dito pa lang sinasabi ko na sa iyo na huwag kang magkakamaling saktan ulit ang anak ko. Nahasa ko na ang itak ko at hindi ako magdadalawang isip na hasain ulit iyon sa leeg mo."

Napalunok ako. So violent. Tumango ako at tinaas ang kamay ko. "Pangako po."

"O siya, pauwi na rin naman ako. May sasakyan ka ba?"

"Opo. Nasa labas po."

"May kailangan akong iuwi na tatlong sako ng uling na binili ko. Saka dalawang kahon ng daing. Kasya ba iyon sa sasakyan mo?"

Tumango ako bago iginiya ito papunta sa sasakyan ko. Napahinto ito nang makita ang sasakyan ko.

"Okay lang ba na isakay ko ang mga uling diyan? Saka baka mangamoy iyung sasakyan mo ng daing."

I looked at my shiny Mercedes Benz and understood where his question came from.

"Oo naman po." I may have to thoroughly clean it but it's a small hassle.

I transferred our stuff beside Zeus and arranged the sacks in the compartment. The big bouquet that sat on the passenger seat that I brought for Hera felt like it was mocking me. I saw him assessing the interior of my car as we got in and I started driving. Her father looked softer with the flowers on his lap.

"Gusto na sana kitang makausap ngayon pa lamang pero ayokong maimpluwensiyahan ng sasabihin mo ang iisipin ko bago ka makita ng anak ko. Kapag tinanggap ka niya ulit, saka kita kakausapin."

"Naiintindihan ko po."

He gave me directions towards a two-storey house. The back of the house is surrounded by trees while the front has lots of plants and a couple of garden chairs to sit on. It looked like a typical house, far from the villas and mansions I'm used to in the city and back at the club. He got down and opened up the gate.

Theia, Hera's mom goes out with a broom in her hand and studies me as if trying to remember who I was.

"Kaya pala hindi tricycle ang narinig ko." Sabi nito sa asawa.

"Eh hinahanap ang bahay natin eh."

"Tay? Ikaw na ba iyan? Handa na iyung karne na iihawin..." Hera was just wearing a simple shirt a pair of shorts, her toned legs on full display. Her eyes widened as she saw me. "Anong ginagawa mo rito?"

I knelt beside Zeus as I calmed him down with the other hand holding the bouquet. I looked up at her and even with the erratic beat of my heart, I stared into her familiar chinita eyes. "Nandito ako para...ligawan ka."