Princess Series Two: The Bitter Bitch

5: The Date

JASMINE

"Miss!" hinihingal na tawag ni Diana sa'kin as I exited my car. Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay at napalunok siya. She must've sensed na bad trip ako. "U-uhm... Kanina pa po n-naghihintay si Ma'am Sandra."

I nodded and quietly let her lead the way. I was still fuming mad that I saw Satan's spawn. Maganda na sana ang araw ko dahil maganda ang simula, but that damned prick just had to ruin it for me. Bakit ba parang dumadami ang mga lalaking bumabagabag sa'kin? One is hot, one is not. But still...

What did I do to receive the ultimate curse——Men?

"Miss, this way," sambit ni Diana and I thanked her before entering the private room of the restaurant where we were meeting with Sandra Reyes.

I instantly saw her and didn't doubt why someone as Raymond Andres would marry someone like her. She's rich and strikingly beautiful. Hindi ako lesbian, pero alam ko ang isang magandang mukha. And from what I've heard from Erella, the woman is down to Earth and nice.

"Miss Jasmine Cortez," aniya at tumayo with a smile that could soften anyone. Anyone else but me, I thought bitterly as I remembered Keslow's face again. That damned bastard.

"Just call me Jasmine," ani ko at kinamayan siya. "Nice to meet you, Miss Sandra Reyes."

She laughed and offered for us to sit, and we did. "Nah. Sandra lang, please," sambit niya at tumango ako. "Masyadong pa-sosyal, e. Mas malaki naman influence mo kesa sa'kin."

I smiled a bit. "Courtesy," sabi ko at nagkibit-balikat. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Order first," she said kaya naman napataas ang kilay ko. She chuckled and added, "Business meeting 'to, I know. But still, you're kind of my guests. Right, Diana?"

My secretary blushed crimson, like she always does. "Uh, opo."

"Your secretary is adorable!" komento ni Sandra kaya naman napataas ang kilay ko.

I observed her quietly and saw how flushed she was, and she had that womanly glow. Tumingin ako sa tyan niya and there it was: the small, barely noticeable bump. She's pregnant.

When the waitress came, we ordered and fell into a friendly and casual conversation. I was thankful dahil nakalimutan ko ng konti ang pagka-bad trip ko. Sandra is truly a bubble of light, and Raymond is lucky to marry her and have someone like her for the rest of his life. Syempre, it confuses me how someone as serious as Raymond would marry someone as happy Sandra. Alam ko 'to because I actually slept with Raymond once--a one night stand. It was during my final year in college, when we were designing the Andres Villa.

Hindi naman ako apektado, it was a one time thing and there were no feelings attached at all. Hindi ko siya hinabol or whatnot. It was just plain and simple sex. Pero alam kong masungit siya at snob talaga. He made me feel so insecure during that one night because he barely groaned. Ewan ko ba sa lalaking 'yan.

"So, I was wondering..." panimula ni Sandra as we were finishing off.

"Yes?"

Napangiti siya. "When I was a kid, I promised my nanay na magt-trabaho ako and earn my own money to build my own home. I was wondering if you could design it for me?"

Napasimangot ako. "Exterior?"

"And interior," she added with a nod.

Napailing ako. "Sandra, I'm an interior designer. Hindi ako magaling masyado sa exterior and stuff."

Napanguso siya. "Wala ka bang kilalang possible architect? I really want you to be the major boss in this."

"Baka may kilala ang fiancee mo," saad ko at tinaasan siya ng kilay.