✧FAITH ZEICAN LEE✧
"SIGURADO ka?" may pagdududang tanong sa 'kin ni Chloe habang pinagmamasdan ako. Nasa isang restaurant kami ngayon, kaharap ko siya. Kahapon pa siya nakabalik sa bansa pero hindi niya ako nagawang puntahan dahil kinailangan niyang magpahinga.
Si Poppy naman ay naro'n na rin sa kanila. I called her last night to ask how her sister's arrival went. She said it was fine. Her sister didn't confront her, thankfully. Pero ngayon, kinukuwestyon ako ni Chloe kung may relasyon daw ba kami ng kapatid niyang si Poppy.
"Chloe, sa chat pa lang sinagot ko na 'yang tanong mo. Hindi ka naniwala. Ngayong sinagot kita sa personal, bakit duda ka pa rin? Wala ka bang tiwala sa 'kin?"
"Because I saw the way you looked at her, Faith. Even before I left for Singapore, I noticed that you looked at Poppy differently. It's something you never did when you looked at me."
Napalunok ako. "Chloe, I don't know what you mean. You're the only one thinking that way. Poppy is like family to us. My parents treat her like their own daughter, and my siblings see her as a little sister. That's how Poppy is to us. You're the only one giving it a different meaning."
I need to protect Poppy from her. Okay lang sa 'kin kahit puro kasinungalingan ang lumabas sa bibig ko. Hindi ako papayag na ma-trigger ang sama ng loob niya kay Poppy. Baka saktan niya pa ito kapag nalaman niya ang totoo na, oo. May something na 'kong nararamdaman sa kapatid niya.
"Sana nga, Faith. Sana nga totoo 'yang sinasabi mo." She looked down at her plate seriously and continued eating. "I hate being lied to, Faith."
"And I hate being doubted and made to feel like no one trusts me," I replied, my tone cold and serious. "If this is how we are after just a few months of being together, what do you think our marriage will be like?"
Gulat siyang napaangat ng tingin sa 'kin. "Ano'ng ibig mong sabihin?"
"Kapag hindi ka nagbago, Chloe, wala kang aasahang kasal sa 'kin."
"W-What?"
Imbes na sagutin siya at magpaliwanag pa, yumuko na lang ako sa pagkain ko. "Bilisan mong kumain para maihatid na kita sa mansyon. May mga dapat pa 'kong tapusin."
Binitawan niya ang utensils niya at inis na napasandal sa upuan niya. She huffed. "Aren't you being too harsh on me? You spent a month with my sister at your place, but we haven't even been together for an hour—barely twenty minutes—and you already want me to go home? Seriously?"
"Kung hindi mo sana 'ko ini-interrogate, kaya ko pang tumagal dito kahit limang oras."
"And now it's my fault?" Bakas ang inis sa boses niya, pero hindi na 'ko sumagot. Ayokong makipagtalo sa kaniya. Nakakapagod.
Naalala ko bigla 'yong sinabi sa 'kin ni Poppy. "Kapag kaharap kita, pakiramdam ko wala akong problema. Nakakalimutan ko lahat, tapos puro saya lang."
I miss that feeling. The one I only get with Poppy. Because whenever I'm with Chloe, all I feel is frustration and worry. I have no peace. Hindi ko nararamdaman sa kaniya 'yong gaan ng pakiramdam kapag si Poppy na ang kasama ko. 'Yon ang pagkakaiba nilang magkapatid.
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈
"Nasaan si Summer?" tanong ko sa kanila nang abutan ko si Mom, Dad at Love sa sala pag-uwi ko. Mukhang kanina pa nakauwi si Love dahil pambahay na ang suot niya.
Pabagsak akong naupo sa couch, sa tabi ni Love.
"Kasama ang Tita Baby n'yo. Maya-maya pa raw uuwi," sagot ni Mom.
BINABASA MO ANG
THE PERFECT HUSBAND (LEE BROTHERS #1)
Romance•COMPLETED• Arranged marriage is a longstanding tradition in the Lee family, and as Professor Lee's triplets come of age, they must marry the women chosen by their formidable late great-grandfather, Don Adolfo. Faith Zeican Lee, the kindest and gen...
