The Possessive Protector

Sealed With A Kiss

NATALIE

"Good morning, Ms. Andrada!" - Guard.

"Good morning, Ma'am!" - Three of my employees.

"Good morning, Ms. Jane!" - My personal secretary, Diana.

Everyone greets me with amusement in their eyes.

I can't blame them. First, I go to the office this early wherein in, very unusual of me because I'm always arriving 5 minutes before the start of our office hour or meeting. But today is different because I'm two hours earlier.

Second, naka-sunglass ako which is unusual again for all of them because they all know I want to talk to them seeing my full face and I always want an eye to eye contact.

I just nod at them with a serious face and walk inside my office. I rest on my executive chair but before that, I ask Diana for a cup of coffee latte. She knows my taste and that's one thing why I want her as my secretary. She's also a good friend to me outside office. She always cares like a big sister to me.

Diana put my hot coffee latte on my table and I just tell her I don't want any disturbance or even a single visitor. Even my Dad. Sya na bahalang magdahilan.

Ini-off ko rin yung cellphone ko na kanina ko lang rin naman binuksan.

Ayoko namang nasa bahay lang ako dahil magkakaharap lang kami ni Papa. Yung condo ko naman hindi pa tapos i-renovate. Hindi ko pa nga pala nadadalaw ulit yun. I'll give Fiona a ring for the update, maybe later. She's my interior designer and I love her designs sa house naming magkakaibigan. Kabisado na nya kami kaya hindi na ko nagulat na nagustuhan ko agad yung proposal nya sa condo ko.

When Diana goes out my door, that's the time I remove my sunglasses. And fuck! Ang sakit ng mga mata ko! Namamaga pa rin until now because of non-stop crying. Ilang araw na nga ba 'kong umiiyak? Dumaan din kasi yung week ends kaya nagmukmok lang ako sa kwarto ko for two days. Better that Papa and Mama are out of town for some business matter and this afternoon ang balik nila. And that's what one of the reasons why I am here. I don't want to see them see me like this.

Three days... three fucking days! I can still feel how hurt I am to what he said that night. I never knew na hindi pa pala sya nakakarating dun. Ako lang pala. Sabagay, kahit ako, that night lang tsaka ko nalamang nakarating na pala ko dun... And I'm fucking alone! No one will reciprocate my feelings towards him. Urgh!

Ngayon ko lang napagtanto, umasa pala ko ng hindi ko ini-expect, hindi ko sinasadya. Dahil sya yung nakauna sa'kin, dahil sya yung nandyan nung umiiyak ako dahil namumrublemang ikakasal na ko sa lalaking hindi ko kilala na kapatid pala nya, dahil sa mga ipinapakita at ipinaparamdam nya sa'kin, umaasa na pala ko ng hindi ko namamalayan. And expectation hurts gazillion times when reality hits your face. At ngayon? Ito yung nararamdaman ko. Fuck this! Ang sakit!

After I reached my bed that night with tears on my eyes, wala na syang tigil sa pagtawag sa'kin. Even texts, wala syang tigil. Pero ni isa wala akong sinagot. I just cried my heart out after I turned off my phone. Kinabukasan halos hindi rin ako kumain at umiiyak lang pag naaalala ko yung sinabi nya. Nagpapahatid lang ako ng pagkain kay Yaya Nelly pero tinataon kong nasa C.R. ako para hindi nya makita yung itsura ko. Titikman ko lang pero hindi ko naman maubos yung mga pagkain na hinahatid nya. Hanggang kagabi, iyak pa rin ako ng iyak kaya ngayon, magang-maga pa rin mga mata ko.

I never realized I'll dwell myself into this kind of misery. Pa'no pa kung mas malala pa dito? Nasan na un matapang na Natalie Jane Andrada? Ang O.A. ko na. I know that. But what can I do? Ang sakit pala at hindi ako nakapag-ready for this. But who ever did ready their selves for this? Manghuhula, ganun?