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KASALUKUYANG nasa kalagitnaan na ng meeting sina Isabel at Mr. Cruz. They already talked about the price and the documents of the lot she's selling and there are still some details that they have to discuss.
Samantala, ang kambal ay nasa may malapit na counter, kausap ang nakangiting staff ng inn at pumipili ng dessert na gusto nilang kainin. Every now and then ay tinitingnan niya ang dalawa, making sure they're okay.
Nang maipaliwanag niya sa mga ito, lalo na kay Tiago, na business nga lang talaga ang pinag-uusapan nila ni Mr. Cruz at nang mabanggit ang salitang "dessert" ay nawala na sakanila ang atensyon nito.
"My boss already inspected the land that you are selling Ms. Ruiz and he wants me to tell you that he is very interested in buying y---"
"Hold on" putol ni Isabel sa mga sasabihin pa sana ni Mr. Cruz. "What do you mean your boss?" tanong niya sa lalaki. Buong akala niya ay ito ang bibili ng lupa niya, bakit ngayon ay may nabanggit itong boss umano nito?
"I apologize if I failed to inform you that it is not me but my boss who is interested in buying your lot Ms. Ruiz" kalmadong sagot ni Mr. Cruz sa tanong niya.
"Failed to inform me? What do you mean?" tanong niyang muli. Sa hindi niya maipaliwanag na kadahilanan ay kinabahan siya sa ideyang nakikipagtransaksyon siya sa isang taong hindi niya kilala.
"My boss wanted to make his identity anonymous" muling sagot ng lalaki. Nangunot ang noo ni Isabel sa sinabing yun ni Mr. Cruz.
"Do I get to meet your boss or would I be negotiating with you all throughout?" tanong niya.
"Actually..." saad ni Mr. Cruz sabay tingin sa direksyon ng pinto ng restaurant. Wala sa sariling napatuwid ng upo si Isabel at parang slow motion na napalingon siya sa direksyon na tinutumbok ng mga mata ni Mr. Cruz.
Ilang sandaling gumala ang tingin ni Isabel hoping to see an old man in a suit pero iba ang nakita niya. She saw a familiar form by the door and she could swear that her heart skipped a beat.
This can't be.
Isa lang ito sa mga masasama niyang panaginip since she got back. Hindi totoo ang imaheng nakikita niya ng mga oras na yun. He was just a figment of her imagination.
She was still trying to convince herself that her mind was playing tricks on her when the well-built man moved. Forward. A step closer to her direction. Sa pagkakatitig nito sakanya ay parang nanigas ang buo niyang katawan.
She cannot move. Literally.
Gusto niyang tumayo mula sa kinauupuan niya, hilahin ang kambal at tumakbo palayo. Palayo sa restaurant na yun. Palayo sa lugar na yun. At palayo sa lalaking papalapit na nang papalapit sakanya.
Gusto niyang sumigaw at umiyak. Because for the first time since she left this place, she felt like she has no control of what was happening. Of everything. Parang kahit yata ang huminga nang normal ay hindi niya magawa ng mga oras na yun.
"Isabel.."
It was one word and he didn't speak louder than a faint whisper but his baritone voice sounded like an echoing shout in her ears. Nobody else had that effect on her. It was him. There was no doubt about it now.
It was Alexander, the last man she wanted to see.
"YOU'RE not going to try and run away, Isabel" saad ni Alexander while staring at the stone cold Isabel. It was a firm command, not a question. Pero muntikan pang hindi rumehistro sa utak ni Isabel ang sinabing iyon ng lalaki kung hindi pa nito binanggit ang pangalan niya.
It was the second time today that he called her by her name at pareho ang naging epekto nun sakanya. Parang may humaplos na kung ano sa kaloob-looban niya. Her name seemed to roll in his tongue like it always did.
At dahil hindi pa rin siya makagalaw ay wala siyang ibang magawa kundi ang tumitig sa napakagwapo nitong mukha. His face didn't change much except for the noticeable stubbles that suit him perfectly.
His eyes were still as raven black as before and he still had that perfectly chiseled jaw that perfectly matched his firm lips. Kapansin-pansin rin ang matangos nitong ilong. God, he was gorgeous!
"Wala ka man lang bang sasabihin?" tanong nito, waking her from here reverie. "Wala man lang bang 'Hi' o kahit 'Kumusta' man lang?" dugtong pa nito with a smirk on his handsome face.
She opened her mouth to say something but she forgot what she was about to say when Alexander's eyes shifted to the direction behind her. For the second time that day, her heart skipped a beat.
Bago pa man siya lumingon ay alam na niya kung ano ang tinitingnan nito. Nang sa wakas ay makagalaw siya at nagawa niyang lumingon ay nakumpirma ang hinala niya. The twins were behind her.
Napansin marahil ng kambal ang takot at pamumutla ng mukha niya kaya agad na lumapit ang mga ito sakanya. Luisa wrapped her arms around Isabel's left leg and Santiago held her right hand tightly.
Bigla ay parang gusto niyang maiyak. Luisa and Santiago are both so young and they looked like dwarves compared to the almost seven footer man in front of them but they both seemed ready to protect her.
Nang bumaling ang tingin niya kay Alexander ay nagulat siya sa tenderness na nakita niya sa mga mata nito. One thing was obvious. Alexander knew who Luisa and Tiago were. He knew they were his and nothing scared her more than anything in the world.
KANINA lang ay kitang-kita ni Alexander kung panong nanigas ang katawan ni Isabel when she laid her eyes on him. Pero ngayon, it seemed like the tables have turned dahil siya naman ngayon ang hindi makagalaw sa kinatatayuan niya.
For three months, nakita niya lamang ang kambal sa mga pictures na kinuhanan ng private investigator na pinag-imbestiga niya sa mag-iina. Back then, his mind was boggled by the thought that they are his. Now, seeing them in the flesh almost stopped his breathing.
There was no doubt that they were his. Santiago is his spitting image when he was still a kid and Luisa looked like a female version of Santiago. Nanatili siyang nakatitig sa dalawa ng ilang sandali and he noticed that both were in a protective stance.
They were protecting Isabel from him!
Napalunok siya at dahan-dahan siyang lumuhod sa harap ng dalawang bata. He smiled at them and he saw the little girls face looking at him expectantly.
"Hi" simula niya. It was a wonder that he was able to find his voice samantalang nakakabingi ang pagkabog ng dibdib niya.
Kahit kailan ay hindi siya kinabahan sa kahit na sinong investor at businessmen na nakaharap niya sa kahit na anong parte ng mundo and it amazed him that he was more than nervous in front of two little kids.
"I-I'm Alexander Sebastian" dugtong pa niya. Shit! He just stammered. "And I am your f----"
"Alex... Wag dito please" putol ng nanginginig na boses ni Isabel sa sasabihin sana niya. Agad siyang tumingala dito with confused eyes. "Mag-usap tayo" dugtong pa nito, pleading.
"Nang tayong dalawa lang" sabi pa nito.
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BINABASA MO ANG
Until You Love Me Again
RomanceWARNING: This story has mature content is not advisable for young readers. Read at your own risk! Since birth, they were best of friends. Ten years ago, she loved him secretly. Six years ago, they made love. Or so she thought. Six years ago, he brok...
