A Setback Beauty

Kabanata 36: KISS OF DEVIL

Kiss Of Devil.

- - -

"IT'S OKAY. Mag-text ka na lang sa'kin kung anong oras kita susunduin kay Star."

I ended the call after Raki said goodbye. I will be alone in the mansion this evening, dahil sa apartment ni Star matutulog si Raki.

Lumabas na ako ng shop. I came here to check on my students after meeting Cleah, who I thought was only interested in Mango Farm when we last met, but now... she is interested in Gallego Garden.

Bumalik tuloy sa isip ko ang sinabi sa'kin ni Star. She hated Cleah and even warned me not to trust the latter.

"Be careful with the people you're meeting with, because not all of them are only interested in business. You never know what they might want from you."

My shoulders dropped. What else could Cleah possibly want from me, just in case? The resort? Eh mas mayaman sila sa'min. The Mango Farm? They have a lot of land that could be turned into a farm. The Pottery Shop? I do not think she is interested in this sort of thing.

With those thoughts in mind, I walked closer to my car. I buckled my seatbelt and looked out the window. I looked up at the sky.

Madilim at makapal na ulap sa kalangitan ang bumungad sa'kin. Papunta ito sa direksyon ko na parang ako ang unang puntirya ng nagbabadyang ulan. Ang ganda ng araw kanina, bakit uulan na naman?

Ibinaba ko na ang bintana at binuhay na ang makina. Pero nakapalingon ako sa side mirror nang makarinig ako ng katok doon.

My expression darkened when I saw him peeking at me from there.

"What the hell are you doing here?" mariing tanong ko pagkatapos kong ibaba ang bintana ng sasakyan.

His lips curved into a sardonic smile. "Fetching you."

"How do you know I'm here?" Ang pagbangon ng kaba sa'kin ang nagpakalabog sa dibdib ko, but I masked it with my rage. I gave him a death stare, na kung nakakamatay lang ay baka kanina pa bumulagta si Lexus.

I can't show him that I'm scared because I know he will just do what he wants. Seeing me terrified of him gives him more confidence in his ability to manipulate me.

Napatalon ako sa matinding gulat nang pinasok niya ang kamay niya mula sa nakababang bintana ng sasakyan at sapilitang inalis ang pagkaka-lock ng pintuan!

Padarag niyang binuksan ang pinto ng sasakyan at pabalibag niya ring isinara!

Napaatras ako. Kinapa ko ang lock ng kabilang pintuan sa'king likuran pero maagap niyang hinuli ang kamay ko.

"It's pointless, baby. You cannot get away from me," mala-demonyong ngisi niya.

I winced in pain when he tightened his grip on my wrist, as if he wanted to squeeze it.

"Was I too hard?" He asked in a dark tone as he caressed my frightened face. Bumaba ang mukha niya sa'kin. "What curse have you cast on me that I am madly obsessed with you like hell?"

Iniwas ko ang mukha ko pero dumampi pa rin sa kanang pisngi ko ang labi niya.

Darn it! Pumatak ang luha sa mata ko. Mariin akong pumikit. I promised him that I would never let this man get this close to me again...

"Why are you damn crying?!"

Napamulat ako nang maramdaman ko ang pagsapo ni Lexus sa'king panga. Pinisil niya ang pisngi ko at puwersahan akong ipinaharap sa kanya.

"Is it because you are afraid of me that your body is trembling?"

"No...I-I'm not." Matapang kong sinalubong ang mata niya.