TLH2: Royal Comeback (Completed) #Wattys2016

TLH2: Chapter 12

Erin's POV

The sound of the clock is the only thing that can be heard inside the room. I'm sitting uncomfortably on my seat while the adoring man is sitting on my working chair. It's been a few minutes while I.. we finished eating. I kept scolding myself for what I have done earlier. What was I thinking? Napasunod nanaman ako ni Ivan ng hindi ko namamalayan.

My eyes were fixed to the man gorgeously cursed by the heavens while he's busy doing only he knows what's he's doing. Every time my eyes wonder on him, my breathing suddenly became uneasy and my heart is thumping like a bass drum. His face is serious, a hint of distraction isn't visible on his perfectly sculptured face. His brows furrowed and I can see his Adam's apple goes up and down. I lick my lower lip. I can feel my throat dried up. Just by his simple gestures makes him hot. He is hot even if he's not doing anything!

He turned his head, probably sensing someone was staring at him and our eyes met. Those smokey gray orbs. Agad akong nag-iwas ng tingin at binaba ito sa magazine na kanina ko pang hawak. I cleared my throat as I flipped the pages. That was embarassing, Erin! I looked like an idiot for sure. Damn it. Damn Ivan and his undying Greek God features.

"Eunica"

My inner self suddenly tensed up when he called me. It was husky and... hot. Unti-unti akong nag-angat ng mukha. I kept a straight face.

"Are you done?" Tanong ko.

He smiled at me pagkatapos ay tumayo na. He's recovering the files that I was about to send nung bigla niya nalang sinara basta-basta yung laptop ko dahil ayoko pang kumain. Tumayo na din ako, ako naman ang naupo and looked at my laptop. Lumuwag naman ang hininga ko ng makita yung file na kanina ko ginawa. He really did recovered it.

"Well, you've done it very well Mr. Clarks--"

I stopped mid-sentence when I realized how close our faces are with each other! I was supposed to look at him nang pag-angat ko ng mukha ay mukha na niya na sobrang lapit ang nakita ko! Saglit kaming nagkatitigan and I looked away before all the red wondered around my face.

"I...uhm.. I-I'm sorry."

Nagulat ako ng humingi ito ng paumanhin. That was new.

"I..Thank you for this, Ivan. I think you should go." My heart is beating fast right now.

"Eunica.."

Napalingon ako dito. "What?"

Ivan furrowed his brows. "Are you okay? Namumula ka."

Shit. Sinasabi ko na nga ba eh. Bakit kasi hindi pa 'to umalis?

"O-Of course. Why wouldn't I be okay?"

"Are you sure?" Mataman akong tinignan nito.

Inilayo ko ang mukha ko dito at kita ko naman ang pagkabigla na napalitan ng pagtataka ang mukha nito.

"I said, I'm okay. You can go. Wala ka bang trabaho?"

"Hindi ako aalis ng ganyan ka." Sabi nito. I can see that he's worried.

My chest thumped hard when he said those words. Bumalik nanaman sa memorya ko ang mga sinabi niya sa akin dati. The last time that we've seen each other before he left for Chicago. Bakit ba bumabalik nanaman ang nangyayari? This is not good. I inhaled deeply and counted to 10. I need to calm myself. I won't let it happen again.

"I'm fine, Ivan. Can you please go now? Madami pa akong gagawin."

Matagal akong tinitigan ni Ivan. Hindi ako nagpatalo at nakipagtitigan din ako. I need to make him see that I'm okay. That I'm not affected by his presence. In that way, makaalis na siya ng opisina ko. Because right now, I don't like the atmosphere that we have. It suffocates me.

Napalitan ang pag-aalala ni Ivan ng isang malungkot na ngiti. I erased that thought in my mind. "Okay. I guess I'll be leaving now."

There's this unknown relief that I've felt. "Good then." Pagkasabi ko nu'n ay agad kong itinuon ang atensyon ko sa laptop ko trying to divert my attention on Ivan.

Kailangan kong ipakita na okay lang ako. Never will I let him see that I am being uneasy in front of him. Ayokong ipakita na hanggang ngayon ay apektado pa din ako sa kanya. Kahit ang totoo ay parang palaging may banda sa loob ng dibdib ko whenever he's near me.

"It was nice having lunch with you again, Eunica. I'll see you tomorrow."

Hindi ko siya sinagot para ipakitang hindi na ako interesado pa sa mga pinagsasabi niya. All I want is to be away from him. I'm starting to hate this feeling that is starting to grow within me. Narinig ko nalang ang pagbukas-sara ng pinto at parang doon palang ako nakahinga ng maluwag.

Nanghihinang napasandal ako sa swivel chair ko. It was like an hour of life and death. Ang laki-laki ng office ko pero parang napaka-liit nito noong kaming dalawa lang ni Ivan ang nandirito kanina. It was so suffocating and I couldn't barely move. Parang konting galaw ko lang, pakiramdam ko maglalapat ang mga balat namin sa katawan. Hindi nga ako nakakain ng maayos kanina because Ivan was staring at me like a piece of meat!

I closed my eyes. Hindi ko inaasahan na aabot kami sa ganito ni Ivan. We've met each other in a minimum amount of time. It was so fast. Parang kakadating ko lang kahapon from London, and now nagkita na agad kami. We even ate lunch together! This was far far far away from what I've expected.

Pakiramdam ko parang lahat nang tao from my past, will be haunting me once again. Lalo na ngayon, our family was the front cover of a worldwide magazine. It's the first time that our family had a photo. Hindi naman ako makatanggi sa pamilya ko, because I know they've been longing for me for a long time. And they have sacrificed too much. I think it'll be the right thing to do to return them a favor.

I was startled when I heard my phone rang. Napahawak ako sa dibdib ko dahil sa gulat. Too much thinking could give you a heart attack. Napa-iling ako sa sarili and regained posture before picking up the call. Napakunot ang noo ko ng makita kung sino ang tumatawag.

"Hello, Mom?"

"Erin, you need to go home now."

Lalong napakunot ang noo ko. "Why? What happened?"

"Nothing happened, darling. Just.. Just go home, please?"

"O-Okay, Mom. I'll be leaving now."

"Thank you, Erin. Keep safe."

Agad akong nagligpit ng mga gamit pagkababa ko palang ng phone. It's very unusual for Mom to call like that. Ano naman kaya ang nangyari? There's this thumping in my chest again but this time I'm feeling nervous. Baka kung anong nangyari sa bahay. Minsan lang tumawag sa akin si Mommy kaya nakakapagtaka talaga.

Nagsabi na ako kay Danni na maaga akong uuwi at pagkatapos ay agad akong bumaba ng elevator. Lakad-takbo ang ginawa ko pagkababa ng elevator to the main door of TGC. Sakto naman na kakadating lang ng valet kaya agad akong nakasakay ng kotse ko and drive my way home.

It took me an hour before I reached our home. The guards opened the large wooden gate when they noticed my car at agad ko naman itong pinasok. I parked in front of the main door of the house. Agad naman akong bumaba at sabay nu'n ay pagbukas ng maid ng pinto.

My brows furrowed when silence welcomed me. Then I heard some voices maybe coming from the living room. Agad naman lumakad ang mga paa ko to where the voices are and there I saw three familiar figures. I'm at the threshold of the living room and my heart suddenly raced.

"Mommy!"