Stonehearts 3: Aquamarine

Seven

"Hindi ako payag sa gusto mo Marina! Manahimik ka!" Matigas na tugon ni Ate Gie. Kakapanganak niya palang pero yung kasungitan niya abot langit parin.

Picture this. She's still on her hospital bed. Binisita ko siya para malaman ang lagay niya at ng mga inaanak ko. Kaso napunta nanaman nag usapan namin kay Brinx, kaya heto. Sermon nanaman ang abot ko.

"Ate, pinagisipan ko na ng mabuti 'to." I insisted.

She furrowed her eyebrows more before glaring at me. Her sharp eyes piercing through my soul. "Inintindi mo ba ang mga sinabi ko sa iyo dati? You will make him fall for you again and them break his heart? Jusko naman Marina! Hindi ka na natuto sa mga palabas at mga libro. Hindi mangyayari yang binabalak mo dahil sa huli ikaw ang maiinlove sa kanya at ikaw lang ang matatalo." She said with conviction, na para bang sigurado siya na un talaga ang mangyayari.

"Watch me make a difference ate." I said with a shrug. I heard her groan in defeat and frustration.

Dumaan pa ako sa nursery para masilip sila War at Peace, two cute little babies. They look so identical, yung itim at wavy na buhok ni Ate Gie nakuha nila. And Kuya Lev's looking like the proudest father ever, hindi nga niya maialis ang titig niya mula sa mga anak niya. Halos malunod na nga ang kambal sa titig niya.

I crashed my body on my soft bed after my hospital visit. Hindi na magbabago ang gusto ko. Sigurado na ako rito. Papa-ibigin ko ulit si Brinx. I will use his weakness against him. Besides, ito ang gusto niya diba? Kung hindi man, I will make sure na gugustuhin niya. Once he's head over heels inlove with me, saka ko siya bibitawan. Like what he did to me. I will break him, ung tipong wala ng makakaayos sa kanya.

Inihanda ko talaga ang sarili ko para sa contract signing namin. I dolled up extra special for Brinx. Kinakabahan ako sa mga gagawin ko pero kailangan kong tatagan ang sarili ko. If I wanted revenge, dapat hindi ako mapanghihinaan ng loob. Especially once I am in the process of delivering it to my old self.

"Dio Padre mi aiuti." Bulong ko sa sarili ko bago ako pumasok ng conference room. Everyone's there. At katulad ng unang beses na pagpasok ko rito, lahat nanaman sila natahimik.

"Wow." Allen said out of consciousness. I smirked at him, "I'll take that as a compliment. Grazie."

Brinx cleared his throat before he spoke, "Let's start the signing of the contracts." He muttered in a dangerous tone. He didn't even take his time to look at me which made me a little frustrated. Para sa kanya pa man din ito.

"Shall I call Mr. & Mr. Godorecci?" Paalam ni Karen. I nodded my head before she set the laptop and the projector for a video call. After a few rings, sumagot na sila Papa.

"Principessa!" Masayang tawag ni Papa ng nakita niya ako na nakaupo sa kabisera ng mahabang mesa. Nagusap naman kami bago ako nagpunta rito pero excited pa rin akong makita at makausap sila ni daddy.

"Papa, daddy. Siamo pronto per la firma del contratto. (Papa, daddy. We're ready to sign the contracts.)" I uttered. The whole room clouding with confusion as we continue to speak Italian.

"Non ha incontrato alcum problema per quanto riguarda la terra e le tue condizioni? (Wala ka namang naging problema sa lupa at sa mga kondisyon na gusto mong nasunod?)" Daddy asked. Habang si Papa pasimpleng tumitingin kay Brinx na siyang nakaupo sa pinakaharap nila.

I shook my head, "Nessuno daddy. Tutto quello che volevo e stata segutia. (Wala naman daddy. Lahat naman ng gusto ko nasunod nila)."

Daddy nodded before Papa shoot the next question. "E l'uomo seduto propio di fronte a noi e l'uomo che ha ferito la mia principessa? (Itong lalakeng ba na ito na nakaupo sa harap ko ay yung lalakeng nanakit sa iyo?)"

I gulped before I nodded my head. Hindi nila alam ang mga plano ko kay Brinx. Alam kong kapag sinabi ko, magagalit silang parehas sakin. At baka pauwiin lang nila ako agad ng Italya. I don't want that. I won't go home unless I rendered the same pain Brinx gave me.

Nagkatinginan silang dalawa, may mga binulong si Papa kay daddy bago nagsalita si Papa. Addressing everyone in the room, "As we said before we signed the initial agreement, ang masusunod sa kung ano mang gagawin sa hacienda ay walang iba kundi ang prinsesa namin. Since she didn't encounter any problem upon arriving to her decision now, we would like you to fax the contracts to us so we could sign too. This is a done deal."

I heard the Bardoquillo's sighing in relief. Nag-apir naman si Alexa at Lizzie. Oh no! 'Wag kayong magsaya, lagi niyong tandaan na laging may kasamang pait ang bawat tamis na mararamdaman niyo.

I signed my part of the contract, my parents watching me intently when I did it. "Thank you Sir. Thank you for this opportunity." Brinx said, talking to my parents.

But Papa's face remained stolid, so was daddy's. "This opportunity will fly out of the window once we heard complaints from our lovely daughter. Just one, single gripe from our dolce, bella figlia can send this agreement running to the hills." Daddy said in a deadly voice.

I saw Brinx's throat bobbing before he nodded his head. We sealed the contract with a hand shake. Lahat ng kamay nila pinasadahan ko at ang pinakahuling kamay ay yung kay Brinx.

He was staring at me with no shame when our hands met. I smiled at him, his cheeks automatically flaring. "I am looking forward to this partnership Mr. Bardoquillo." I said sweetly.

Nagiwas siya ng tingin, but his hand tightening its grasp. "Me too Miss Q." He answered faintly.

Oh you should Brinx. You should anticipate what to do next once I tear your heart muscle by muscle.