My Stepsister is Mine [Completed]

Chapter 17

"Are your requirements ready? Malapit na ang submission date next week, ha?" paalala ni Ashley, ang best friend niya at co-model na ngayon ay kasabay niyang nagbabalik mag-aral sa Paris.

"Oo, hinihintay ko lang na ma-transfer sakin ang pera ko. Wala pa akong pang-registration fee," dahilan niya and ate a small piece of her cake. Kasalukuyan silang nasa isang coffee shop dahil kakatapos lamang nilang magshopping.

"Wala kang pang-registration fee pero marami kang perang pambili ng mga mamahaling damit at sapatos. Niloloko mo ba ako?"

"This isn't my money," sagot niya.

"Oh, right. It's your allowance from your stepbrother."

Tumango-tango siya. "Hindi naman nauubusan ng limit ang credit card ko dahil nakapangalan iyon sa kanya. Kahit siguro bilhin ko ang buong mall na ito ay ayos lang."

"Then use that for your registration fee."

"I can't."

"Why?" biglang tanong nito.

"I want to use my own money for this, Ashley. Wala siyang alam sa plano kong mag-aral sa Paris. At ayokong malaman niya."

"Bakit naman? Hindi ba kayo close?"

Natawa siya bigla sa tanong ng kaibigan. "No, our parents were only together for almost a month ng mamatay ang mga ito sa accident. At pagkatapos noon, naghintay lamang ng ilang buwan ang stepbrother ko para maka-graduate siya so he can go to Singapore for training."

"Gwapo ba itong stepbrother mo?" interesadong tanong ni Ashley.

"Yuck, hindi no!" sagot niya. "Sana manatili na lang siya sa Singapore habang buhay. Nagtayo na rin lang naman siya ng satellite office doon kaya huwag na siyang bumalik."

"Wow, ang lalim naman pala ng galit mo sa kanya. Sige na nga, oo na! Hintayin mo na lamang ang pera mo."

"Yup, it'll be mine officially on my birthday, which is two weeks from now."

"Alright, hintayin ko na lang ang submission mo para sabay na tayo."

Tumango sya. "Thanks, friend!" Then, she resumed eating her cake slice. Strawberry cheesecake is her favorite flavor.

"Ang gwapo, shit!" Ahsley cursed habang nakatingin sa double glass doors ng cafe na iyon.

"Who?" she asked while sipping her coffee.

"Behind you," she whispered.

"Ha?" She dropped her coffee cup on the table.

"Behind you,"  Ashley mouthed again at tumuro sa likod niya.

So Celine turned around and she was greeted with very familiar eyes. Biglang parang tumatakbo ng marathon ang puso niya sa sobrang bilis ng pintig nito. How long has it been since she last saw this man? How many nights did she spend dreaming about him and those eyes?

How she loathed them... the devil! And speaking of the devil, nandito nga ito ngayon sa harapan niya. Alive. In the Philippines. In flesh!

"Hi," he greeted in his baritone voice na mas lalo pa yatang lumalim sa paglipas ng panahon. He wasn't smiling. It was just his stoic face.

"Hey," ganting bati ni Ashley at tumayo para makipagkamay dito. "I'm Ashley Sandejas. You are?"

He looked confused  pero nakipag kamay pa rin ito sa dalaga. "Atticus Alcaraz."

At nanlaki ang mga mata ni Ashley. "Her stepbrother?" manghang tanong nito habang nakatingin kay Celine. "This is your stepbrother? Ang sabi mo pangit siya."

His brows furrowed sa narinig.

"Yes, he's my stepbrother," she firmly said. Hinding-hindi niya ipapahalata ditong may epekto pa rin ito sa kanya. "So. What brings you here?" mataray na tanong niya.

"I'm here to talk to you, Celine."

"Wow, after five years, what made you decide to talk to me now?" nakangiting tanong niya.

"Ashley, is it okay if you give us some privacy? I need to talk to my sister."

Celine cringed at what he just said.

"Okay, bye, Celine. I'll catch you later," paalam nito and grabbed her purse to leave.

"Bye," she said and stared at her friend's back as she was walking away. Pero naharangan na iyon ni Atticus ng umupo ito sa harapan niya kung saan kaninang nakaupo si Ashley.

"My, my, how many years has it been? Four? Five?"

"I don't know," she casually answered and sipped her coffee again, while drinking in the man before her. He obviously aged pero mas naging gwapo ito through time. He looks glorious and impeccably dressed in his two-piece navy blue suit.

"I just got back this morning to talk to Atty. Lim. He urged me to go back here para mai-transfer na ang inheritance mo under your name. For now, it will just be the cash. Kailangan mong sumama sa'kin sa Singapore for training para makuha mo ang 20% ng shares ni Papa sa kumpanya."

Natawa siya sa sinabi nito. "Alam ko namang gusto mong mapasayo ang shares ko. If I don't fulfill the conditions in Tito Leo's Last Will, mapupunta sa'yo ang mga shares ko. So I just want to say congratulations. Hindi ako interesado sa kumpanya mo. You can have it all. Just give me my money because I do not intend to work for the corporate world."

Nagsalubong muli ang mga kilay nito. "You finished a straight to Master's program for five years para makakuha ng degree in Management. And now, you're telling me na ayaw mong gamitin ang kurso mo. Why? What are you planning to do?"

"Wala ka na don!" sagot niya.

"Prance around Paris' catwalks for men's eyes to feast on?" he sarcastically asked.

"How dare you! I'm a super model. I model clothes."

"That don't really cover much." He sat back and smiled. "I've seen all your magazine shoots and fashion shows, Celine. You've grown to a beautiful woman. No doubt. Pero hindi ako makakapayag na sayangin mo ang kursong pinaghirapan mo for the past five years."

Nagulat siya sa pag-amin nitong sinusubaybayan nito ang modelling career niya for the past years. "I only took that course because you wanted me to. And I know I'm at your mercy dahil wala pa akong sariling pera. But now that I'm tweny-one, I'll do what I want with my life and my money, kuya," she sarcastically said. "Wala ka ng magagawa doon."

She saw how his facial muscles moved in anger.

"If wala ka ng sasabihin, I have to go." Kinuha niya ang sandamakmak na paper bags sa tabi ng upuan niya.

"Hindi pa tayo tapos mag-usap. Let me drive you home. Mukhang marami kang dala," alok nito.

"Bulag ka ba? Marami talaga akong dala. But no thanks. You gave me a car on my eighteenth birthday, remember?" she asked sarcastically. "Bye, brother!" paalam niya at akmang tatalikod na siya.

But he was quick to pull her right arm. At inagaw nito ang mga paper bags mula sa kanya.

"Ano ba!" She tried to resist him from taking all her shopping bags but he was much stronger.

"My car is parked just right outside." At dire-diretso itong naglakad palabas dala-dala ang mga shopping bags niya.

She rolled her eyes and hesitantly followed him. She vowed five years ago that she will never ever talk to him kapag nagkita silang muli. He never allowed her to explain herself. He just decided to put her on exile.

Pero anong nangyayari ngayon? Looks like mahihirapan siyang iwasan ito for the next days na nasa Pilipinas ito.

***

#MulingIbalik

#LandianPartTwo

Vote, follow and comment kung gusto ninyo ng landian part two for this couple!!!! HAHAHAHHA salamat sa walang-sawang pagsuporta sa love story nina Celine at Atticus. :) Love you guys. Stay tuned for more updates. ;)

Love is sweeter the second time around, ika nga nila!