The Self-Made Billionaire Series 3 Ambrose La Cuesta (Completed)

Chapter Twelve

TAHIMIK na kumakain si Ambrose katabi ang anak na si Amber. Malayo ang iniisip niya. He was still figuring out how it happened. How he let himself lose control like that. And how he just let her emerge from the room earlier. He should have stopped her; he should have said something.

"Daddy?"

Napatingin siya sa anak. "Yes, baby?"

"You're sad," anito, hinaplos ang kanyang pisngi.

Napatingin siya sa ina nito na halatang hindi rin inaasahan ang narinig mula sa anak.

"No, I'm not sad. Daddy is just tired, that's all." Sinundan niya ng isang ngiti ang sinabi.

"No, you're sad." Sabi nito sabay haplos ulit sa kanyang pisngi. "I don't like seeing you sad, Daddy. I just want us to be happy. Always."

He hugged her and kissed her forehead. "Wow! It's like magic. I'm okay now. You see?" he was smiling at her from ear to ear.

Amber giggled.

"Sir, magkamukhang-magkamukha kayong mag-ama," sabi ni Manang Susan.

"Sinabi mo pa!" ani Manang Aurea. "Siguro ay ikaw ang pinaglihian ni Wendy noon."

Nakita niya ang pagngiti ni Wendy bagama't halatang iniiwasang mapatingin sa kanya. She must be thinking how much of a fool he was.

After dinner, he decided to spend time in the library. Inabala niya ang sarili sa pagsasalansan ng mga libro. Sa isang bahagi niyon ay isang bookshelf na kinalalagyan ng mga bedtime story books ng anak.

He looked around him. He liked the library even better after putting children's books for his daughter. He also liked the changes in his life. Noon, uuwi lamang siya para matulog, ngayon ay gusto niyang makaabot sa hapunan para sumalo sa mga ito. Gusto niyang hindi umalis kapag weekend para makasama ang anak.

He loved being a father. Sana nga lang ay naroon siya noong ipinanganak si Amber. He would have loved to hear her first cry, he would have loved to see her first smile. At ano kaya ang unang salita na binigkas nito? He missed a lot of milestones in her life and he was not planning to miss any more of it in the coming years.

He was about to pick one good storybook for tonight's bedtime storytelling when he heard someone came in.

Napalingon siya.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Hindi ko alam na narito ka."

He didn't know how his heart suddenly beat so fast when he saw her. It must have been how she looked. Simpleng blue jeans na tinernuhan ng kulay puting T-shirt. Simple lang rin ang make up nito at nakalugay lang ang buhok na lagpas sa mga balikat. But she was gorgeous as hell. How was that even possible?

"Yeah. I...was just gonna pick one book to read for Amber tonight."

Nakita niyang napaatras ito nang bahagya. He must have done really something stupid for her to avoid him like that. Hindi ba nito nagustuhan ang halik na pinagsaluhan nila? Thinking of that possibility suddenly made him sad.

"Ah, ako rin sana ay kukuha ng—"

"Hey, um, I'm sorry...about what happened. I wasn't taking advantage of you. I should know better. Sorry. Hindi na mauulit 'yon."

Hindi na mauulit 'yon? Parang gusto niyang saktan ang sarili sa sinabi. That was plain bullshit. Hindi ito nagsalita at nanatili lamang na nakatingin sa kanya. Maybe she wanted that, too. Maybe she didn't want that to happen again.

At siguro...kailangan na niyang itanim sa kanyang isip na wala nang rason para patuloy siyang magpakahibang sa nararamdaman para dito.

Yes, he was starting to feel something towards her. Something he had already felt before. But this time, it became more intense, more real. But he knew that it was impossible for her to feel the same.