Love in the Time of Vanity Fair

Chapter 11: Time

It wasn't love at first sight, that he was certain of.

The first time he saw her speak atop that lectern in front of a crowd, confident not because she was full of herself but because she knew exactly what she was talking about- he was caught off guard.

There was something about her he couldn't put a finger on. She was a woman of substance and she intrigued him.

He went to the House of Grauer for a cigar fix but when he stumbled on the Aficionado's Collection, he knew he just had to buy it for her. It reminded him of her, after all, an Aficionado is someone very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about a particular subject. And she was that exactly.

He flew home and the thoughts of her never left his mind. He sent for his secretary to search for the address of one Lea Isabella Lopez from the Psychology Department of the School of Sciences of Ateneo de Manila. As luck would have it, it didn't take much time seeing as she had her's published in PLDT's yellow book directory.

He didn't believe in fate, but if he did, he would have said that it was on his side.

He decided that he was going to drop by for a visit but before that, he sent her a bouquet. Each flower carefully picked to represent how he sees her.

Red Amaryllis for passionate

Blue Delphinium for peaceful

Purple orchids for majestic

She was all three of those in a calm synergy.

He grew up getting everything he wanted, so when she refused to go out with him, she challenged every ounce of his being. When she outsmarted him through the Code of Ethics clause, he was amazed by her. And that's when he knew that this woman is layers upon layers of mystery he wanted to unravel.

She knew what she wanted and would stop at nothing to get it. He wanted to see how far her curiosity and thirst for knowledge would take her so he agreed when she asked him to show her the business world.

He was only going to show her the tip of the iceberg, he had no plans to involve her in the dirty dealings of business politics.

When her car broke down and she refused to ride with him, he opted to sit with her to just hear her talk. He would discreetly sit in during her classes for the same reason. And every time she speaks, he finds himself wanting to hear more.

He outwitted her and brought her to dinner. That night when she realized he got her exactly where he wanted, her face reddened to the colour of a ripe tomato. He barely restrained himself from pinching her cheeks then.

He thought she was a passing fancy. She was not... and it only took them one dinner for him to realize that.

He flew to Madrid and accompanied a cousin to an auction he had no plans to participate in it but then the first edition of her favourite piece of literature was offered. He knew he had to get it for her. And her reaction when she realized what he did was priceless. It was then that he realized that he loved putting that expression of glee in her face.

She gave him her number and he felt bold to insist on calling her by the first name she didn't really like. She got used to him doing so.

His family has been an investor of the Loyola Schools for as long as he can remember and he was going to milk that connection in the best way it would suit him. His father's schedule had a conflict with the groundbreaking at Ateneo. He unusually volunteered to go despite him adamantly saying "no" to representing his father in the past. Just to see her.

His family's gala was approaching and he made sure to procure her a black invite. She deserved nothing less.

When he saw her in that green off-shoulder dress that evening that accentuated her shoulders, his breath was taken away. He just had to introduce her to his Abuelo and the Zobel siblings. She was going to astound them with her mind. He felt proud that he was the arm she was holding as they entered the gala. During that night, his uncle pulled him away.