Restraint Heart (Eligible Heiress #1)

Chapter 3

Pushing my cart while scanning my to-buy list, napansin ko na puro lang naman pagkain ang naisulat ko. And on top of the list, "Coffee." I said smiling.

I went to the 'international' section of the market to find my preferred brand of coffee. I'm holding two brands on my hand and debating kung alin ang kukunin ko. The something new para bago naman or the tried and tested?

"hmmm... let's get both para win-win." Wala sa sariling kinausap ang sarili.

Pagtalikod ko ay may nabangga akong parang poste dahilan ng pagka-out of balance ko.

"Oh shit!" Boses ng natatarantang lalaki.

Mabilis naman niyang nahawakan ang kaliwang braso ko kaya hindi ako tuluyang napa-upo sa sahig. Lumipad ang mga kamay ko sa aking dibdib dahil sa sobrang kaba habang hawak-hawak parin ang dalawang garapon ng kape.

Mabilis ang paghinga ko kaya mas lalong nag-alala ang lalaking kaharap. "Sorry miss. Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Sorry din." I shyly smiled at him and he smiled back.

He looked very friendly but still manly. I have to tilt my head up to look at his face. His tall like maybe 6 flat while I am just 5'2. Lalo na I'm just wearing a ballet flats to go with my skinny jeans and ribbed top.

"Have we met before?" he asked gamit ang nagtatanong niyang mga mata.

Is that a pick up line I'm hearing?

"You think you're smooth?" natatawa kong tanong.

He laughed heartily at my comeback. "No, no. Really, I have seen you somewhere. I swear." Sagot niya nang humupa ang kanyang pagtawa.

Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay beacause I don't think we've met before. Is he playing tricks on me?

Lumayo siya ng bahagya kagat ang kanyang ibabang labi at tinitigan ako mula ulo hanggang paa.

I felt my cheeks flushed. I suddenly felt awkward.

Why is he looking at me like that?

"Even if you're not all glammed up...." He pointed at me up and down. "Hindi ako pwedeng magkamali. I can't forget that pretty little face of yours." He smirked.

He said I'm pretty but at the same time sinabi niya din na maliit ang mukha ko. Compliment ba yun or what? At least I am not a bobblehead.

"You're a Lopèz." He said very surely.

Namilog ang mga mata ko. "How did you know? Who are you?" Gulat kong tanong sakanya.

He smiled widely at iniabot niya ang kanyang kanang kamay sa akin. "James De Veyra."

I was shocked. The one and only James De Veyra, the new CEO of De Veyra Industries, One of the most eligible bachelors in the Philippines, is indeed in front of me.

He moved his right hand to my unmoving one na may hawak paring kape and shake it a little. I just stared at him and blinked twice.

"Nice to meet you...." He said waiting.

"Hope." I said as a finally find my voice.

"Hope?"

"Scarlet Hope is my name. Pero Hope nalang."

"That gives me hope." He said smiling and winked at me.

Napailing ako and started walking back to my cart.

"You don't remember me do you?" he ask as he follows me around.

"No I don't. But you know I'm a Lopèz. How?" I gave him a side glance.

He helps me with my groceries while telling me how he knows about me. It was one of this major fundraising event where I attended together with my sisters last summer.

"You bid the highest sa auction and won it. Golf memorabilia right?" he smiled.

I laughed remembering that day. Me, Serene, and Ace was seated in front. A golf memorabilia was being auctioned as a fourth prize. Lolo Joaquin is a golf enthusiast that's why ganoon nalang kami ka-determinadong manalo sa bidding para ma-iregalo namin sa kanya. Very competitive si Serene at desedidong manalo si Ace kaya pinaglaban namin ang bidding. In the end, we bid the highest at nakuha ang golf memorabilia.

"Thirteen million and four hundred thousand pesos to be exact." Natatawa ko pang sabi.

"Yeah. My friend was devastated that he lost that bid pero masaya siyang natalo para sa Lopèz sisters. You and your siblings are talk of the evening. Everyone in the room is aware of your presence."

I do not like being in the spotlight as well as Ace. As much as possible we avoid getting noticed but I guess that is impossible especially if you are the granddaughter of the wealthy Joaquin Azucena. Even the media labeled us as 'Eligible Heiress'.

Hindi lang namin kayang hindi magpunta sa fundraising event na 'yun because it's a charity for the homeless children at malapit sa puso namin ang Children's village, an orphanage kung saan mapupunta ang pera na malilikom sa event.

We continued chatting while we finished my grocery. Wala naman siyang cart, he only holds a jar of coffee, shaver and shaving cream. He even helped me put the brown bags in my car.

"Thank you James." I smiled at him genuinely. "I believe we will see each other again." He is my boss after all at magsisimula na ang trabaho ko sa lunes sa kompanya niya. And that is tomorrow.

"I hope so. Ingat sa pag-drive, sayang ang audi kung sakali." He laughed and went to his car not far from mine.

Hindi na ako nakahirit pa dahil mabilis din siyang nakasakay sa kanyang asul na Maserati.

I don't know if I will like him or not. Pero hindi ko maitatanggi na masaya naman siyang kausap plus he is going to be my boss. Therefore, he is on my positive side.

Satisfied with the arrangement of my kitchen, I called Serene while I 'm cooking my dinner. I learned how to cook dahil lagi kong tinutulungan si mommy noon sa kitchen, I was like an apprentice chef to her. I also like watching cooking shows when I'm bored.

I put my phone on speaker and put it on the island bar.

"Hello, this is Mcdonald's. What's your order?" A cheerful woman on the other end of the line answered.

"One chicken nuggets with fries and plain sundae please."

"Ay ate, soup na yung sundae pag nakarating sayo." Serene said.

Natawa ako sa kalokohan niya. "How are you? Ace and Lolo?"

"Lolo is still the same, I make sure na hindi niya nakakalimutan ang vitamins niya." Wala naman sakit si Lolo pero I still worry for him, tumatanda na rin siya. He's 70 for goodness sake. "Ace is still pretty and sexy kahit na puyat at pagod sa pagpaplano ng publishing niya." Ace is very busy putting her publishing into reality.

"And you? Wala ka bang lakad?"

"I don't want to go out tonight, wala ako sa mood." Tamad niyang sagot. Hindi ko nalang siya tinanong kung bakit at iniba nalang ang topic.

"Okay. I have a question."

"What? Basta not about food ate because I don't know anything about cooking. You know that." Natawa ako dahil totoo naman. Wala siyang alam na iluto at never siyang naging interesado sa pagluluto.

"Do you know the CEO of De Veyra Industries?"

"Of course. James De Veyra. Are you doing a background check sa company na papasukan mo?"

"Have you met him?" Curious kong tanong.

"No. I haven't met him in person. But I do know his cousin, Charity Saavedra. Madalas din siya sa parties and events na pinupuntahan ko. Why?"

"Nothing. He is gonna be my boss kaya curious lang ako." I was hoping na may makukuha akong information from Serene tungkol kay James.

"If you are so curious ate Hope then google him. I am sure magkaka-information overload ka." She suggested.

Maybe I will just do that. Baka bogus ang James De Veyra na nakilala ko kanina. He is too nice for a James De Veyra guy.