The Empire Series 5: Vanna Lei Shrewd

Chapter 28: Last Time

Vanna Lei wants to shut her mind from everything but it kept streaming on every fiber of her being.

Cloud tried to manipulate her life.

Ni sa hinagap ay hindi niya inaasahang magagawa nito iyon kaya pilit niyang itinanggi sa sarili. But now, it is as clear as the sun, his admission of the hacking is enough proof how deceptive and manipulative he is.

Wala siyang ibang lalaking nagustuhan sa tana ng buhay niya maliban kay Klein. Pero bakit gano'n? Sa tuwing handa na siyang papasukin ito sa buhay niya, may mga bagay na magtutulak sa kanila palayo sa isa't-isa.

...at ang mga dahilang iyon ay nagmumula sa pagiging duwag nito.

She wants to love him but how could she ever love a man like that?

Saglit siyang napatigil nang makitang papasok sa agency ang kakambal pero nilagpasan na lamang niya ito nang magkasalubong sila.

Why is she surrounded by cowards?

She shook her head and continued walking as she gritted her teeth bitterly.

She found herself staring at nothingness inside her car. Her heart is pounding hard as a lone tear escaped her eye. She used to believe she was strong and that nothing could tear her down, not even love. But this time, she thinks she needed someone's embrace.

She wiped her eyes as she started the engine.

*****

"I'm sorry but I will only allow my daughter to marry at 37." She heard her dad talking. She was about to move a step so she could see whom he was talking to when she heard the man spoke.

"That's not for you to decide, sir."

She inhaled deeply. Even without seeing his face she immediately recognized Clyde's voice. Napatigil siya at 'di agad nakakilos.

"Nobody controls her life except her," Clyde added. His voice was low but there is strength in it yet it didn't sound disrespectful.

"That's courageous of you, young man," Vaughn's voice was rather mocking. She even imagined her father smirking at Clyde. Gustong-gusto niyang sumilip pero parang naitulos na siya sa kinatatayuan.

"Standing for one's self is not bravery, Mr. Filan. It's a necessity."

Napailing siya at napangiti ng mapait sa narinig mula sa binata.

Naalala niya ang sinabi ni Cloud sa kanya noong nakaraan.

"Tell me, what will you do if he suddenly appears at your house and tell your parents that he's your boyfriend?"

Pakiramdam niya lahat ng inaalala ni Cloud na maaaring mangyari ay isa-isang nagiging totoo. She didn't see it coming.

She forcibly closed her eyes to shut off that feeling. Pero hanggang sa ibukas niya ang mga mata ay nandoon pa rin ang isiping 'yon.

She turned around and made her way out. Dinala siya ng mga paa sa comfort room.

Why does Clyde need to be what Klein wasn't?

Lahat ng bagay na gusto niyang gawin ni Klein noon pa man ay unti-unti niyang nakikita sa binata. Kaya siguro ganoon na lamang ang nararamdaman niya kapag kaharap ito at kaya rin nagugustuhan na niya ito.

Yes, she likes Clyde and she may not admit it but she might've fallen for him.

That thought made her static for minutes before she decided to finally walked out of the washroom.