The Rancher's Soulmate

CHAPTER 9: Pull

The morning rounds at the ranch of the Bermudez Family along with Teia turned out to be a very enjoyable one for all of them. Teia was so amazed with all there was at the ranch as well as at the farm.

Iñigo and his family came to love Teia even more. She wasn’t whiny touching all the animals and plants. She was well adjusted to the countryside’s life. She woke up early, dressed up appropriately for the ranch tour, and didn’t complain a bit.

She loved smelling the early morning dew, petting the animals, and trying new things that Tatay Manuel had asked her to try like milking a cow, milking a goat, picking out some fruits and vegetable the proper way and many more. She also enjoyed watching as the workers balled pine trees and palm trees of different heights for landscaping orders.  She was genuinely interested on how the animals and plants were taken care of at the ranch. She even asked several questions.

As they were having breakfast at the meadows, Ingrid who was seated beside her brother asked Teia, who was on the other side of her brother, “How did you and Kuya first meet, Teia?”

She answered, “We bumped at each other at the corridor of CVM.”

He added, “It was the first day of school for my sixth and final year in DVM. I was distributing flyers for the student assembly while she was reading one of the flyers.”

Tatay Manuel recalled more details of such story.

Flashback

“Tay, what will you do if you bumped into someone who seems to be connected to you for so long and yet you're already in a serious relationship with someone else,” Iñigo asked him.

“I will have to weigh my feelings first. I won’t rush to any decision. Are you referring to Noreen and some other girl?”

“Yes, Tay. I bumped into a pretty girl this afternoon. I couldn’t take her off my mind as if I've known her all my life. I feel connected to her and I really don’t know why,” Iñigo confessed.

“She could be your soulmate. I also had experienced such unexplainable connection with your mother the first time we met. That's why I pursued her. But you cannot just end what you have with Noreen, son. You need to be sure that this isn't just an infatuation or intense admiration forher beauty.”

Iñigo asked, “How will I know, Tay?”

“It will need time, son. If it passed after a while, then she might not be the one. She should also feel that conenction.”

Manuel observed his son and Teia intently. They seemed to read each other’s mind, and they couldn’t help but look at each other’s eyes when they spoke to each other no matter how Teia resisted.

After their sumptuous breakfast at the meadows, Iñigo’s parents talked to him privately regarding Teia. He told them about his feelings, what happened in Tokyo, and his future plans for them.

Meanwhile, Teia finally had decided to come out publicly. She accompanied Ingrid with her morning tour at the store and at the restaurant after taking a quick shower at the farmhouse.

At the fully air-conditioned store, she allowed photo opportunities with the customers and employees but she graciously declined for autograph signing because she wanted to tour around the store.

As for the fully air-conditioned indoor area of the restaurant, Teia had already allowed autograph signing along with photo opportunities with the customers one after the other as she and Ingrid sat down by lounging area to chat in between the coming of the fans.

Ingrid commented, “I’m glad that you finally come out publicly.”

Teia responded, “I’m already kind of tired of hiding. Besides, I know that I’ll be safe here knowing the security of the entire property. Press people couldn’t just freely walk-in interviewing me.”

Ingrid asked, “What about your ex?”

Teia confided to Ingrid, “He would be marrying her ex-girlfriend on our supposed wedding date.”

Ingrid was shocked, “What?” Then she asked, “How did you know?”

Teia answered, “Louisse sent me a snap of their wedding invitation to spite me and also a snap of her ultrasound with a caption – the fruit of Christopher’s love for me.”

Ingrid was so furious for her, "b***h!”

Teia assured Ingrid, “Don't be angry, Ingrid. I don’t know but I'm not affected. With what Manong Dario and Manang Lara experienced with Christopher yesterday, I'm  more convinced that I did the right thing breaking up with him. I already changed my number, I already blocked him, Louisse, and his sisters on all my social media accounts. There’s no point communicating with them anymore. They're all on Christopher’s side. Christopher is wrong , but his siblings would always side on him. Plus, they're closer to Louisse than me. I even think they like Louisse more for Christopher.”

When Ingrid decided to go on with her accounting and auditing work at the home office at the farmhouse, Teia also did her online shopping and planning for the family reunion. She already ordered food from Ingrid’s restaurant. She already contacted a catering service for the tents, photo booth, sound system, videoke, chairs, venue set up, buffet table setup, food warmers, plates, cutleries, drinking glasses, food servers, waiters, bartenders, dishwashers and cleaners. She already ordered poinsettia plants and pine tree from the Bermudez Store. She also followed up the printing on the t-shirts for the reunion.

She also contacted Kerri. She sent a message first to her cousin/best friend informing her of her new Smartphone number before calling her. “Where have you been, Teia? We're all worried about you. Your parents said you're just fine.”

She responded, “I went back to Tokyo after the breakup. I stayed there for a week before going home here at Jinan. I’m currently with the Bermudezes because Christopher has sent men to watch over there.  I also know you’re busy with work so I didn’t bother you. But I hope you can come to the beach house by the weekend. I’ll be decorating for Christmas.”

Kerri commented, “But that's supposed to be your wedding day. Why not we just have some fun?”

Teia assured her best friend, “I have my freedom back, Kerri. So every day is fun. That’s also the only time when Christopher would be occupied with his wedding with Louisse...”

Kerri cut her in, “He would marry that b***h on your wedding day?!”

Teia confirmed, “I broke up with him. I called off the wedding. If he marries his ex, that's none of my business anymore. So, would you be able to come?”

Kerri replied, “Sure, I’ll tag along my fiancé. I want you to personally meet him. Shall I contact our other cousins?”

“Yeah, that would be nice, the more the merrier. Kindly contact for me our uncle-attorney. I want to file a civil harassment restraining order against Christopher. He threatened Manong Dario and Manang Lara yesterday just to extract my whereabouts. His men even aimed a gun on them. I cannot contact uncle. Maybe he already changed his number. I don’t have their home phone number.”

Kerri agreed, “Okay, I will. I'll also give him your new number.”

Meanwhile at the internet, Teia’s short first public appearance went trending. It was reported in the afternoon newscast celebrity news segment –

Our very own Miss International 2016 Teia Sierra had finally been sighted after her breakup with her businessman fiancé, Christopher Poe. There were photos of her with the customers of Bermudez Store and Bermudez’ Garden Restaurant. It seems that she was a customer as well. Just recently she posted on her social media accounts her travel photos in Japan so there had been an assumption that she was out of the country. But it's now confirmed that she's indeed back in the country. The glow in her eyes was quite noticeable. She has become even more radiantly beautiful. It seems that she isn’t at all affected by the breakup even if there are rumors that his ex-fiancé would be marrying Louisse Barretto on their supposed wedding date.

After the photos on the internet, press people had come by the front gate of the beachfront property of the Sierras in Jinan and in the front gates of the exclusive subdivision on their residence in Palay City. But no Teia was sighted. They even visited Bermudez’ Store and Bermudez’ Garden Restaurant as customers but no Teia was sighted. 

Iñigo and Ingrid already told all their employees not to leak Teia’s stay at the farmhouse because she was a valued guest of the family and the privacy that the family wished on them before they were hired should be extended to Teia. So whoever asked the employees regarding Teia’s whereabouts wouldn’t get an answer.

As days passed, Teia had regularly seen Iñigo during breakfast, lunch and dinner at the farmhouse. Teia had been a constant help to Nanay Pilar at the kitchen. Nanay Pilar had taught Teia how to cook her dishes. 

Her paternal uncle, a first cousin of her father, had already filed the civil harassment restraining order against Christopher and his men. The footages of the security cameras installed outdoors of the Sierra beachfront property were used as supporting evidence. The order had been granted. Thus, the armed men watching over the property weren’t seen anymore.

But such didn’t stop Christopher to have the surveillance on the Sierra’s properties to progress. He sent other men, just to observe if Teia would appear or not. 

Teia’s feelings for Iñigo just heightened each passing day. But she avoided being alone in his presence. Iñigo had continued giving her white roses and love notes. It was quite old-fashion but it was working.

December 1, 2017. Friday evening. Teia had moved back to their beach house because her brother had already arrived. Missi Towers had lost on the semi-finals so Troy won’t be playing for the finals on the month of December. Troy’s basketball practice would resume by January.

Teia was fetched by Troy at the farmhouse using Teia’s SUV. He had thanked the Bermudezes for their hospitality and even brought them a thank you gift in the form of VIP Cards to all his business establishments and expensive wines and fragrances from their parents.

Troy and Iñigo also had a private man-to-man talk before he left with Teia.

Troy started, “Thanks for looking after the security of my sister. I know what happened between you and her in Tokyo. Rest assured that I’ll have your back when it comes to her. I know that your intentions on her are true. You could have taken advantage of her vulnerability here in your domain but you didn’t. You surrounded her with your very loving family. You would always be welcome to our homes here in Vizas or even in Missi.”

Iñigo expressed his appreciation, “Thank you also. I'll do anything for your sister, Troy. I love her and I’ll do anything to keep her safe.” He also informed Troy, “By the way, the armed men watching over your family’s property were already gone but there are still two different men watching over the property. My men will continue observing and be on guard. Should anything happen, the fastest route to this property is through the beach.”

Troy acknowledged it, “Yes, I'll keep that in mind. By the way, you and your family are all invited to the family reunion. Teia might have already said it but our parents told me to repeat it,” then he gave Iñigo some pieces of advice, “Just have more patience with my sister. She would eventually let her guard down again. You already succeeded in Tokyo, anyway.”

Iñigo replied, “It was just perhaps because she was under the influence of alcohol.”

Troy assured Iñigo, “My sister wouldn’t do anything that she would regret afterwards drunk or not. She had let it happened. She’s just overthinking the swiftness of what happened. Once she’s done overthinking, things would be better between the two of you.” 

“I really hope so,” Iñigo uttered. “I've shelved my feelings for her long enough because I thought she was happy with her ex. But that man is making things difficult for her. I have a bad feeling about him. She should be well guarded whenever she comes out. I had already asked my men to follow her around from afar so they can act immediately if those men do something untoward.”

Troy acknowledged such, “Thanks for worrying much for her safety. I already hired another close-in bodyguard. My former bodyguard would be driving her SUV and escorting her around should she decide to come out. And yeah do continue with your men to guard her from afar. We need all the help we can get when it comes to her security.”

Kerri and their other cousins also arrived that night at the beach house.

Teia shared her bedroom with Kerri. At the privacy of her bedroom, Kerri teased her, “So how was your stay with the family of your college crush?”

Teia’s cheeks blushed, “Don’t you ever bring such topic in front of everyone. You’re the only one who knows about it.”

Kerri repeated her question, “Okay. But how was your stay there?”

Teia answered, “They're all very nice to me.”

Kerri followed up, “And how does it feel that your college crush is finally within your reach? I heard he had send you white roses as soon as you arrived here.”

Teia affirmed, “Yeah, he did. He's courting me.”

Kerri felt so happy for her cousin/best friend, “Yes! Finally! My fiancé is Iñigo’s executive assistant. He told me he had seen you in Tokyo when he accompanied him for his business trip.”

Teia confirmed it, “That’s true! So your fiancé works for Iñigo. When will he comes here?”

Kerri answered, “Sunday, I think.”

Teia asked, “When is the wedding?”

Kerri responded, “We’re planning to have it early June. You’ll be my maid of honor.”

Teia acknowledged it, “Of course. We already agreed on such long before.”

Kerri said, “True! But I'm getting married first.”

Teia added lightheartedly, “Yes, because I called off my wedding. Anyway, let’s sleep already. We need to do a lot of things this weekend.”

Kerri then asked, “Have you done it with Christopher?”

Teia knew what her cousin was talking about, “Nope. I didn’t give him everything. I wasn’t ready. Remember when I told you that I had a recurring dream where I'm marrying another man and not Christopher.”

Kerri recalled such, “Yeah, and the face of the man wasn’t very clear. What about Iñigo? Could he be that man?”

Teia felt that it could be Iñigo but said, “I don’t know.”

Kerri then asked, “But do you still have a crush on him?”

Teia answered, “I’m already too old for those crushes, Kerri.”

Kerri reacted lightheartedly, “You know what I mean. Do you still like him?”

She confided, “Yes, but it’s too soon for me to think about it. Others will think that I've moved on quickly if I acted on my attraction to Iñigo immediately?”

Kerri then argued, “Why do you always think of what others will say about you? Your ex was the one who cheated. Don’t mind others, just mind your happiness. Noreen is doing everything to win Iñigo back. There are also a lot of women lurking. You should stake your claim on him immediately. He’s already courting you. You have that edge.”

“He’s not mine,” she said to her cousin, “Honestly I’m afraid to trust a man again?”

Kerri informed her, “Iñigo is a righteous man. He’s very different from your ex. From the start, I really didn’t like Christopher for you. Yes, he had treated you like a princess. But with others, he's a jerk.”

Teia then asked, “Why tell me about these only now?”

Kerri answered, “You're gushy with all his grand gestures. I didn’t want to be the villain. You're happy with him so I stayed mum. But when he cheated, that's it!”

Teia voiced out, “I have no idea how I'll handle my attraction towards Iñigo.”

Kerri said, “If I were you, I'll grab every opportunity knowing him better.”

But in Teia's mind – I'm afraid being alone with  Iñigo coz  I might just give in again with my strong desire for him . I never felt such with Christopher.