The Man I Love

Chapter 1

Kababagsak lang ni Yelena ng telepono nang muli iyong tumunog. She picked up the phone and furiously snarled,

"I will never come home. Let him die alone!" She said at a phone

She was so angry she wanted to crush the phone nang sa gayon ay hindi na iyon tumunog pa at hindi na rin siya matatawagan.
Matagal na siyang nananahimik ngunit ngayon ay muli na namang ginugulo ng mga tauhan ng ama.

"Go home to your father, or else I will drag you home Brat!"

Bahagyang napapitlag si Yelena nang marinig ang malalim at baritonong boses na iyon. Bahagyang sumikdo ang kanyang dibdib. But she was so furious with her father that she could only accommodate hatred. Kung anuman ang mahiwagang. Damdaming pinukaw ng boses na iyon ay agad niyang itinaboy.

"At magkano ang ibinayad mg Papa sa iyo to convince me to come home?!" Sarkastikong turan niya habang mataas pa rin ang timbre ng boses niya.

"I can pay you double than that, even in US dollar's figures," Sabi niya rin ulit She stressed the currency

"Just leave me in peace!" She said again

Katatapos lang niyang makipag-usap sa assistant ng ama and she said her strong conviction not to come home. Subalit makulit ang assistant at nagmakaawa pa. Sa sobrang inis ay binagsakan niya ito ng telepono.

Ang kausap niya kanina ay babae, ngayon ay lalake naman. At iba ang ginagamit na paraan nito. Kung ang babae kanina ay kulang na lamang ay lumuhod sa pagmamakaawa umuwi lang siya, ngayon ay napakaarogante ng lalaki. He was using the opposite tactic, tinatakot siya nito! At ano ang palagay nito sa kanya? Then seventeen year old helpless girl?

Hindi na siya katulad ng dati. She has a stable life now
Malayo na ang kanyang narating after her mother's death.
Sukat doon ay bahagyang nalambungan ang kanyang mga mata subalit tinatagan niya ang dibdib. Ang tanging bagay na nakapagpapalambot ng kayang puso ay ang naging malungkot na
Kamatayan ng ina.

The restaurant that she put up two years ago in Maui was doing pretty well. She was not used living in luxury at ang perang naiwan sa kanya ng ina ay iningatan nuya at ginamit sa tamang paraan. And the hardwork she ventured in putting up Beach Cirque, the name of her restaurant which was inspired by the beautiful beaches in Hawaii, was paying off. And she was planning to pit up her second branch soon.

"Eat your dollars out, Sweetheart." The voice was undeniably male. His teeth gritted at malinaw iyong narinig
Ni Yelena sa kabilang linya.

"Pack your things now or I'll drag you home tomorrow" he said with full authority

"Ows? " Nag-isang linya ang kanyang mga kilay sa narinig. He sound like a king! Yet. The endearment he use made a way inside her snob heart. But she thew that away sharply. Walang puwedeng makabasag sa matigas
Na pader na inilagay niya sa pagitan ng sarili at lahat ng taong may kinalaman sa kanya ama.

"Oh, Sweetheart" she spat the endearment spitefully,
"You can die with my father -"
Hindi pa siya matapos ng sasabihin bilang sumikit sa kabilang linya.

"We'll die together then!" He hissed impatiently cutting her off

The harshness in his voice made the hair in her nape stood. There was a sense of authority in his voice that was indeed kingly. And she was getting pissed off. Sino ang taong ito upang utusan siya ng isang bagay na hinding-hindi niya gagawin sa tanag buhay niya? Sumumpa na siya sa puntod ng ina, at hinding-hindi niya babawiin ang sumpang iyong. Period!

"Hey! Who do you think you are-" Sabi ni Yelena

"I'll break your neck if you continue resisting a dying man's wish!" Sabi sa kabilang linya

Mas lalong nadagdagan ang galit at pagkaaburido sa boses nuto.

Napasinghap si Yelena. Subalit hindi siya nagpadala sa sinabi nito.

"He can use his money to buy his life! And he won't die so don't worry yourself too hard!" Buong pait na turan niya. She bit her lower lip to control her ranging temper.

Isang malalim na buntong hininga ang narinig ni Yelena sa kabilang linya. There was silence for some time. She was gropong for appropriate words more cunning and bitter if he would throw her another statement again.

"I'm giving you forty-eight hours to decide" he said in a flat voice "Give your father a ring within forty-eight hours And expect the worst if you resist I'm serious I'll drag you home if that's necessary" he said the threat solidly and the line went dead.

Napasinghap si Yelena sa narinig. And she could feel that whoever thay caller was he had the nerve to do the theat. Lalo siyang nagalit she would bow to no one sa loob ng sampung taon ay namuhay siyang nag-iisa at walang sinumang makakapagbago pa ng isip niya. Even her father did not succeed in getting her forgiveness

Napakibit siya ng balikat at malakas na ibinagsak sa cradle ang telepono.