The Empire Series 5: Vanna Lei Shrewd

Chapter 41: Clenched

Vanna woke up in a familiar blue room with a man's scent she loves sniffing. She felt the IV line on her wrist. Bahagya ring nanakit ang tiyan niya nang pilitin niyang gumalaw.

Her heart almost jumped when Cloud entered the room. Ngumiti ito ng alanganin nang makita siyang gising. He walked slowly towards her.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart." He sat on her side as he slowly held her hand and kissed it. Her heatbeats raced as she smiled. Hindi na niya kailangang tanungin kung bakit nasa loob siya ng kuwarto nito. He had always been on the rescue for her since time immemorial.

"I was just frustrated because I wasn't the one who helped you fought those culprits," he explained.

"Iyon lang ba?" She wanted to laugh but she has no energy. Umiling naman ito.

"I was damn jealous. He's your first boyfriend," tugon nito. Her stomach ached when she attempted to laugh at him. Napangiwi tuloy siya.

"He's not," tugon na lamang niya.

"He was. Nagpakilala nga siya sa daddy mo," kontra nito.

Naalala niya ang naging tono ni Clyde kagabi nang sabihin nitong mabilis niya itong ipinagpalit sa iba. She's not sure what he meant by that. Hindi rin niya maintindihan kung bakit nito nasabi iyon.

Did he assume that they were lovers? Kung totoo ang sinabi ni Cloud na alam ni Clyde ang tungkol sa trabaho niya at nangangalap lang ito ng impormasyon, bakit ganoon na lamang ito magsalita?

Bakit may mga parang ninjas na naman na sumulpot kung kailan sumulpot rin ang binata?

She stopped herself from her own reverie. Tiningnan niya ang binatang kaharap. His reactions last night really show how jealous he was.

She smiled as she reached for Cloud's face. His stubbles tickled her skin and she loved it.

"Ikaw ang boyfriend ko," sambit niya rito. She doesn't want to make him mad. Not again. Hindi lang siya makapag-isip ng maayos kagabi dahil sa dinaramdam kaya napatulan niya ito. She was supposed to appease him last night not the other way around.

"You didn't even formally introduce me to your family," reklamo nito.

"Ikaw lang ang dinadala ko sa lahat ng okasyon sa bahay, alam na nila 'yon." She breathe in as she smiled at him. Hinawakan nito ang kamay niyang nakahawak sa pisngi nito at hinalikan. His hot breathe warmed her feeling.

"I don't think so," iling nito. Huminga ito ng malalim bago ibinaba ang kamay nang hindi binibitawan.

"Then go tell my dad, you're my boyfriend and we are sleeping together," biro niya rito.

Tumawa naman ito ng mahina.

"He'd kill me. Hindi na kita mapakakasalan," tugon naman nito. She wanted to chuckle but the chuckle stayed inside her mind. Sasakit kasi ang tiyan niya. She'd never felt this badly beaten before.

"I'm sorry about that. Maayos lang ang sitwasyon ni Liam, we'll really start arranging our wedding," she muttered to appease him. Pinisil nito ang palad niya at marahang minasahe. He smiled lovingly at her.

"Yeah, I understand," he told her. Ngumiti na lamang siya at hindi nagsalita. They both became silent feeling each other's presence.

"Ayoko talagang nag-uusap kayo ng koreano na 'yon," putol nito sa katahimikan.

Ngumiti siya ng tipid.

"Why are you so jealous of him?" she asked teasing.

"I saw how you stared at him. Iba," seryoso nitong saad. Hindi niya tuloy napigilang mapatawa ng mahina na sanhi para mapahawak siya sa tiyan na kumirot na nang tuluyan. Sa halip na alalayan siya ng binata ay nagsalubong pa ang kilay nito.