Perfect Strangers (Bachelorette Series 6)

Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Pagkalabas ng cafe ay mabilis siyang sumakay sa heavy tinted na sports car nito. Nakasunod sa kanila si Stacy at ang iba pang bodyguards gamit ang kanyang sasakyan. Mahirap na, mas kailangan niyang mag-ingat ngayon dahil sa nangyari.

"I missed you." Bungad nito pagkasara niya ng pinto.

She look at him with a deadpan face before fixing her seatbelt.

He chuckled lightly. "Yeah. I missed that look too."

"Whatever. Where can we talk? Iyong hindi tayo makikita ng mga taong sumusunod sa buhay mo. I don't want another picture of us on the internet."

"Baby..."

She crossed her arms and look at him. "Alam mo ba kung gaano kalaking gulo ito?" Seryoso ang mukha niyang saad.

He sighed. "Let's just talk on my condo." Pinaharurot nito ang sasakyan bago pa siya makapagsalita.

"Mag-uusap tayo sa basement ng condo mo." Pagdidiin niya. "After that hindi mo na ako kailangang ihatid. Nakasunod sa atin si Stacy."

He look at her briefly. "Don't you want to see my condo? I've seen yours."

"I'm not interested."

"Sabi ko nga." Tumahimik ito. Buti at nakaramdam na hindi talaga maganda ang mood niya.

Mabilis silang nakarating sa condo building nito. Kinalas niya ang seatbelt at humarap dito. "I will go straight to the point, Iver. Explain that viral photo of us."

Nag-alis din ito ng seatbelt at humarap sa kanya. "Sa condo na lang tayo mag-usap. It's bett..."

"No." Putol niya dito. "We'll talk here."

"You're mad." He concluded.

Tinaasan niya ito ng kilay. "Dapat ko bang ikatuwa na kalat na kalat sa internet ngayon ang pagmumuka ko at ang katawan ko?"

"Yeah. I hate that part na nakabalandara ang katawan mo sa mga social media sites ngayon. Ako lang dapat ang nakakakita ng naka-bikini ka." Ngisi nito

She look at him with a straight face. Telling him that she is serious.

He cleared his throat. "I do not have anything to do with that picture. Nagulat na lang din ako na kalat na iyon sa internet. Bago ko pa magawan ng paraan, it already went viral."

"Akala ko ba na-brief ang mga staffs doon? You assured me that my privacy is not at risk on that resort. Na walang lalabas na picture o ano man. I can sue you for this." Inis niyang saad.

"Woah. I'm not at fault here. I'm also a victim." Agap nito. "Nakausap ko na ang kaibigan kong may-ari ng resort tungkol dito. He's deeply sorry in behalf of his staffs."

"For sure isa sa mga staffs ang may gawa nito. Who else right? You got the whole resort reserved. And I don't accept apoligies on situations like this. My face is all over the internet. You know how much I value my privacy. I'll sue that resort and that's final." Seryoso niyang saad dito.

"Baby..." Hinawakan nito ang magkabila niyang pisngi. He held her gently. "Look at me."

Naiinis siyang tumingin dito.

"My friend is really sorry. Alam niya na isa kang abogado kaya the moment na kumalat ang picture natin, knowing that it's his resort hr called me and beg me to convince you not to sue him or the resort or his staffs." Paliwanag nito.

"And so?" Mataray niyang tanong. "Problema mo na iyon. In fact kasalanan mo kung bakit nagkalat ang picture natin sa internet. Kung hindi ka ganyan kasikat, wala sanang ganitong problema. Hindi na dapat ako sumama sa resort na iyon. If you weren't that persistent. In fact, I shouldn't have entertained you. Besides..."