My Stepsister is Mine [Completed]

Chapter 23

Celine slept like a baby the entire night. Masyado siyang napagod sa pakikibaka kay Amelia kagabi kung kaya't hinayaan siya ni Atticus na matulog ng mahimbing.

If he knew she was perfectly well last night, malamang ay kung ano-ano na naman ang gawin sa kanya ng lalaking iyon!

She went out of the room at nadatnan si Atticus na nagluluto ng agahan nila. Naatalikod ito sa kanya at nakaharap sa stove.

"You really like to cook, huh?" bati niya rito.

Nang humarap sa kanya ang binata ay naka-apron ito.

She snorted, trying to control her laughter. "I've lived alone for the past five years, I needed to learn how to feed myself."

She sat at a high chair by the kitchen bar and stared hard at him. He's topless pero naka-apron kaya kitang-kita niya ang back muscles nito habang nagluluto ito. "Wala ka bang babaeng naloko doon na pwede mong maging yaya?"

She heard him smirk. "A lot," he answered.

Nadismaya siya sa sagot nito. At parang may biglang nakakainis na emosyong pilit nagsusumiksik sa puso niya. Well, he's handsome. Natural lamang na magkaroon ito ng iba. And besides, naghiwalay sila noon dahil kasalanan din niya. She cheated on him... She may not distinctly remember doing it but she's hurt him.

Naghain ito ng bacon sa harapan niya. "Don't overthink it, Celine. Most of those girls were just for sex."

"Like me now?" biglang tanong niya.

Nagtitigan silang dalawa.

"Atticus, let's have a deal," she initiated. "You can have my body anytime you want habang nandito ka sa Pilipinas. In exchange, hahayaan mo na akong magdesisyon para sa sarili ko with my own money. And I'll leave the compay shares to you. It's a win-win situation, right?"

He sat beside her in the kitchen bar. "I'll be losing in that deal, babe." At nagsimula na itong kumain.

"Why? Mapapasayo ang lahat ng shares ni Tito Leo."

He looked intently at her. "We both know I can have you anytime I want. Your body says so. Kaya hindi ko na kailangang makipag-deal sayo just to have you."

"Bastos ka! Are you saying I'm easy?"

Pero hindi siya pinansin nito. "Second, I might gain the company but I'll be losing you again. What's 20% shares of my father compared to having you beside me forever?"

Napanganga siya sa biglang sinabi nito. She was speechless. Hindi niya alam kung anong isasagot sa sinabi nito. Is he saying that he still wants to get back with her?

"Why are you shocked?"

"N-nothing. It's just that... Do you even know what you're saying?"

Tumango ito. "I think I perfectly know what I'm saying. At alam kong naiintindihan mo ang sinasabi ko."

She breathed deeply and stared at her empty plate. "But you left me years ago. Pinalayas mo rin ako sa bahay mo."

He held her shoulders para magharap silang dalawa. "I know that I've failed you then. But I hope you can forgive me now. I'm really sorry... We can start again and forget about the past."

She was shocked all the more at his revelation. He's saying sorry??? "What about me? Kaya mo ba akong patawarin sa ginawa ko?"

He just looked at her, stunned at her question. "I... I'm trying. And I'll get there, for sure. I just need time."

"What changed your mind?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. All I know is that when I saw you again in that coffee shop after five years, when I heard your voice again, I.... I felt so alive. I've never felt this way again since five years ago. My life away from you was hell, Celine."

"I doubt that."

"I am a man with no family. I may have all the riches in the world but I'm not happy. But I found it again when I saw you," seryosong litanya nito.

And she laughed. Literally, laughed in the middle of their conversation. "So you just need me because pakiramdam mo walang nagmamahal sa'yo? And what makes you think I'm enough? What if I commit another mistake? Ipapatapon mo ba ako ulit? Or worse, baka this time ipatapon mo na ako sa ibang bansa."

He looked hurt all of a sudden. "Hindi ka ba naniniwalang kaya kong magbago?"

She removed his hold on her. "Prove it. Hindi pa ako makapaniwala sa ngayon. Hindi ko alam kung anong totoong pakay mo sa'kin. I've been hurt as well, Atticus. You should know that. At iisa lang ang natutunan ko sa lahat ng mga pinagdaanan ko. I only have myself now. I can't just simply put my trust on anyone anymore..." And all of a sudden, a tear spilled from her eyes. "I depended on you before and I won't let that happen again. I'm not that naive, little girl anymore."

She stood up. "Thank you for the breakfast. I'll eat later. I need to take a bath." And she walked away at hinayaang tumulo ang mga luha sa mga mata niya pagkatapos talikuran ang binata.

Hindi niya alam kung bakit parang may baul ng alaalang nabuksan sa puso niya ngayon. Parang bumalik ang sakit na naramdaman niya noon. Probably because she hasn't fully healed yet. At ngayon lang niya hinaharap ang sakit. Because what she did then was escape the pain rather than face it.

And now, it's haunting her.

****

Nagbabad siya sa bath tub ng isang oras ng magutom siya at naisipan niyang lumabas ng kwarto. Hindi naman siya ginambala ng binata sa loob ng isang oras na iyon.

Pagkabihis at pagkalabas niya ng kwarto, nakita niya si Atticus na naka white shirt at jeans. Mukhang hindi ito papasok ng opisina ngayong umaga.

"Where are you going?" tanong niya dito.

"I'll be attending the company outreach sa may Sta. Monica, Batangas," tipid na sagot nito habang nakatingin sa screen ng phone nito, busily typing an e-mail to someone.

"Outreach?" tanong niya. She never knew he'd be nice enough to have a company outreach and be present in it.

"Yes, we've been setting up schools in the mountains of Sta. Monica in Batangas since three years ago. I want to personally see the progress of the students there now."

Nagulat siya sa sinabi nito. She didn't know about that.

"I'll be back tomorrow morning. We'll camp in the mountains tonight," balita nito, still not looking at her. Nasa smartphone lang nito ang attention.

"Sino-sinong kasama?" she asked. She suddenly felt uneasy knowing that he won't be staying in the condo tonight. What if bigla na lamang itong hindi bumalik kagaya noon?

Before he could answer, his phone rang. "Yes, Sari?" he answered. "Yes, I'll be there in twenty minutes. We can go together since on the way naman ang condo mo..."

Nagpanting ang tainga niya sa narinig. Who can this person be?

"Sure... I think around 9PM... Yes, okay. I'll see you. Bye." At ibinaba ni Atticus ang phone. He grabbed his backpack. "I have to go, babe. Iiwan ko ang isang bodyguard dito kung may kailangan ka."

"I'm coming with you," she announced.

Kumunot bigla ang noo nito. "What?"

"You want me to accept the 20% shares? Then, I have to know what the company's up to," dahilan niya. "So I'm coming with you."

Nagulat ito sa sinabi niya but he didn't try to stop her. He just sat back on the couch. "Quickly pack your things, then."

****

A/N: Ang saya naman! Magca-camping sila. Hahahahahaha. Abangan ang susunod na kabanata. Marami kasi talagang nagaganap sa mga tent. Wahahaha!

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