Alluring The Fire [Under Revision]

IKA-LIMAMPU'T WALONG KABANATA

IKA-LIMAMPU'T WALONG KABANATA

"Fuck," Lorenzo muttered when he saw Cassandra hadn't responded to his message. He tried to call her again, but it didn't even ring.

Priscilla paused mid-sentence. She gave the wedding coordinator a faint smile before moving closer to whisper something to Lorenzo.

"Could you please focus on this first? I'm still upset at you for leaving me alone in that hotel, and it irritated me much more that I couldn't even speak to you last weekend, so please pay attention here and stop getting on my nerves." Nanggagalaiting bulong ni Priscilla. Her gaze darted to his phone. "What's on that phone?"

Mabilis na naibulsa iyon ni Lorenzo bago pa man mahawakan ni Priscilla. "It's nothing. Just work-related matters,"

Priscilla rolled her eyes. "Just freaking turn it off,"

Lorenzo's jaw clenched but remained silent. Maya-maya'y muling itinuon ni Priscilla ang atensyon sa kausap.

Naiwan namang tahimik ang alkalde habang nakikinig. Gusto niya sanang ipamukhang may naiintindihan siya ngunit masyadong malayo ang nililipad ng kaniyang isipan. How can he focus if he feels Cassandra has an issue with him again? It's a never-ending series of complication. He feels like he's just going around the circle. When will all this crap end?

His fist balled as his thoughts suddenly shifted to Theo. That bastard, he thought. He had no idea what happened to that guy, and he suddenly stopped responding to his messages. They'd already worked out an agreement, but he felt as though he had left him hanging.

Kung naging banayad lang siguro ang lahat, hindi na niya kakailanganin pang magtiis ng ilang oras sa kinauupuan niya ngayon.

Napainom ng tubig si Lorenzo matapos ang halos tatlong oras na diskusyon tungkol sa kasal. When the wedding planner vanished from his sight, he felt relieved.

He glanced at Priscilla. Tahimik itong kumakain. Hindi man nito sabihin, sigurado ang alkalde na iritable ito sa naging resulta ng usapan kanina. Halos ito lang kasi ang nakakapagbigay ng opinyon. Kapag tinatanong naman siya nito, kung wala siyang masabi, ay napaka ikli naman ng naisasagot niya.

"I hope you're pleased that you ruined my day," Priscilla suddenly said. She set the fork down and glared at him. "You barely contributed anything to the planning earlier. I'm so disappointed in you. Are you even sure you want to marry me?"

"Are you?" Mabilis na bawi ng alkalde.

"What?" Naguguluhang tanong ng dalaga.  "Tinatanong kita, Lorenzo, tapos ibabalik mo sa'kin 'yung tanong ko? Are you serious?"

"I was just curious," he said. "You said that you're disappointed with me; why do you want us to continue arranging the wedding?"