The Rancher's Soulmate

CHAPTER 4: Again

Iñigo apologized again, “I'm really sorry, Teia. I wasn't looking.” He handed her the passport and debit card.

“It's okay, Iñigo,” she accepted the passport and debit card. 

As their fingers slightly touched, Teia felt some sort of electricity flowing all over her veins just like in the past. 

It was the same feeling for Iñigo. 

She said, “It's my turn now.” 

He gave way to her, “Okay.” 

The bellman had already readied their baggage on the trolley so Iñigo, along with his chief-of-staff Ronnie and his flight crew, was already escorted up to the penthouse. 

November 19, 2017. Sunday. Teia woke up upon the morning call she asked from the hotel. A basketful of white roses were also delivered in her hotel room. It came with a note –

Teia,

White roses for a beautiful lady. Just to cheer you up.

Iñigo

Such had given her a smile on her face. She recalled the lingering admiration she had for Iñigo which she had set aside and thought –Does Iñigo have feelings for me?

Iñigo met with a Japanese businessman at the dining area of the hotel. Sunday was only his available day to meet up with the Japanese businessman for their business transactions on farming equipment. His other days in Japan would be devoted on meeting businessmen who wanted him to be the supplier of their dairy, poultry and meat needs.

Iñigo and the Japanese businessman just started with their business talk when Teia walked in to the dining room. She approached a Japanese lady who was waiting for her.

Meanwhile, Teia and her friend, Michiko Tanaka ate their breakfast and talked. Michiko was Miss Japan – International 2016. They competed for Miss International 2016 title. They became good friends since then.

Michiko asked,   “What’s your plan? Your breakup is already out in public. Troy punched your fiancé  last night.”

Teia answered, “I’ll just relax. I already talked to my parents and brother this morning. I requested them to be mum on the issue. It’s all over between us. I already returned the engagement ring. I won’t change my mind anymore. I’m here to relax and stay away from that scandal. And you promised to accompany me with shopping and sightseeing.”

Michiko was curious, “Aren’t you hurt at all?”

She confided, “Honestly, I felt relieved. Christopher had changed. When he was still pursuing me, he was so sweet and thoughtful. But as his career progressed, I haven’t been his top priority anymore. There were even instances that I felt like I'm just a trophy girlfriend. He loves showing me off to his clients more than he looks after my comfort.”

Michiko asked further, “Don’t you love him anymore?”

Teia divulged, “I don’t even know if I've really loved him. I'd somehow felt that something is lacking. I'd been happy with him but I didn’t feel exactly myself during our relationship. Maybe I was just moved by his perseverance and grand gestures. All the while, I have this recurring dream that I’m marrying another man, not him. The man's face wasn’t very clear but it seemed that I've known him all my life.”

Michiko got her point, “I understand. My husband wasn’t my first boyfriend. I also felt that sense of incompleteness with my ex. But with my husband, I feel complete. If soulmates are real, then my husband might be my soulmate.”

Teia commented, “Yeah, you are really so much in love with one another.”

Michiko then reminded her, “Anyway, you’ll be recognized if we go out. So, you need some disguise.”

“Yeah, I already took care of such, Mich. I’m really glad Rukawa allowed you to keep me company,” she responded.

Michiko stated, “Well, he knows I need to spend some time with my friends without him. Anyway, I also give him time with his friends without me.”

Teia expressed, “I’m already excited. We'd been planning on this a long time ago but our schedules won’t meet.”

“Yeah,” Michiko then voiced out, “That handsome man on the right most side of the dining room had been glancing at you since you walked in.”

She glanced at the direction her friend had mentioned, “He’s my former schoolmate.”

Michiko commented, “He looks familiar. I think I'd already seen him already.”

Teia told Michiko, “He’s a successful businessman. He is featured in several international business magazines already.”

Michiko recalled, “Yeah, he’s a billionaire rancher who won multimillions in the lottery then expanded his family’s farm into a very large ranch. He’s still single based on the article. He seems interested in you.”

Teia didn’t share to Michiko her unexplainable connection with  Iñigo as well as the fact that Iñigo was her one and only college crush, and that he had given her a basketful of white roses that morning. She just said, “It’s too soon, Mich. I just prefer focusing on myself for now. Once I return home, I'll start my dream animal clinic.”

Michiko commented, “Well there’s nothing wrong about mingling, Teia. You’re single already. Enjoy! If that man flirts with you then flirt back!”

Teia just smiled and said, “You’re really impossible, Mich.”

Michiko lightheartedly replied, “I’m not kidding, girl! Who knows, he might be your soulmate?”

The word soulmate had made her think of that unexplainable connection she felt whenever she encounters Iñigo. She just told her friend, “I’ll just cross the bridge when I get there.”

Michiko recalled, “Anyway, Rukawa asked me to invite you to a party in his private disco club next weekend after we’re done with all the shopping and sightseeing. I told him we both love dancing that’s why we hit it off easily.”

Teia agreed, “Sure!”

That afternoon, photos of Christopher and Louisse kissing surfaced out on the internet.

Iñigo was reclined on bed watching a newscast on a Filipino cable channel when the news about Teia and her fiancé came out.

The cheating allegation is confirmed! The photos of Mr. Poe and Ms. Barretto kissing say it all. Last night basketball superstar, Troy Sierra punched his sister’s fiancé, Christopher Poe because Miss International 2016 had apparently been cheated on. Now, intimate photos of the beauty queen’s fiancé with his ex-girlfriend TV/movie personality, Louisse Barretto had surfaced out in the internet.   The beauty queen hadn’t been seen in public since she returned in the country yesterday morning. She and her family had also kept mum regarding the issues. The beauty queen’s father news anchor, Nicolas Sierra just released an official statement which stated – “My daughter, Teia, had already broken up with her fiancé yesterday. There won’t be a wedding between them anymore. My daughter just wanted peace and quiet for now. I also apologize for my son’s behavior. Any loving brother who felt that his sister was aggrieved might have done the same thing or even worse. Our family wished that my daughter be given the peace and quiet she wished for. She had nothing else to say about her relationship with her ex-fiancé. She's having her much needed rest after being extremely busy in the year that passed for her reign.” On the other hand, Mr. Poe and Ms. Barretto declined to give any statement regarding the cheating scandal.

Iñigo was invited by the businessman he met that morning to go clubbing. He had agreed on the invitation the following weekend before he returned to Filipinas after all his business meetings in Japan.

As the week progressed, Teia had been busy shopping and visiting all the tourist spots within and near Tokyo with Michiko. She had also received more presents from Iñigo the entire week including: a Pandora bracelet with dog lover’s charms; an expensive wristwatch with dog design; and finally a white Japanese Spitz female puppy named Chloe with all the registration details, vaccine shots papers, travel documents, and complete accessories (leash, pet carrier crate, pet carrier bag, pet bed, clothes, toys, feeding supplies, grooming kits, and own travel luggage). She wanted to personally thank him for all the presents but she didn’t get the chance.

On the other hand, Iñigo had been busy with his business meetings within Tokyo.

Meanwhile, in Filipinas, Christopher was looking for Teia. He had no idea that she already left the country. She hadn't been publicly seen since their breakup. He already asked his men to observe at the Sierra Residence in Palmaine City and in Palay City or even looked at their vacation home in a coastal town of Vizas. But no Teia was sighted in all three places.

November 25, 2017. Saturday. Iñigo had given his executive assistant and the flight crew the entire afternoon and evening off so they could enjoy Tokyo before they flew back to Filipinas the following morning.

He spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing. He had already asked Ronnie to shop for some souvenir items that he could give his parents and sister upon their return.

When Iñigo reached the private disco club with his Japanese business colleague and the wife, what immediately caught his attention was the dance showdown between three-man dance crew and two cosplay-costumed ladies.

The two ladies were both wearing the heartstealer garb of Claire ‘Lightning’ Farron in Final Fantasy complete with pink wig and pale aqua contact lenses. Both ladies were excellent dancers thus they beat the three-man dance crew. There was something familiar with the other lady but he couldn’t pinpoint it.

After watching the dance showdown and having a few drinks, his business colleague’s wife had introduced him to the owner of the private disco club who was with the two ladies who won the dance showdown. His business colleague’s wife was a cousin to Rukawa Tanaka.

To Iñigo’s amazement, the two ladies were Teia and Michiko, her Japanese lady companion that morning he saw them at the hotel. He had seen Teia a few times at the same hotel throughout the week.

For the first time in so many years, Iñigo and Teia had a proper talk in one of the private lounging rooms they occupied with their Japanese friends. They were left alone by the two Japanese couples who decided to grace the dance floor for an upbeat dance.

Teia mustered the anxiety she felt and personally expressed her gratitude for the gifts, “Well, I want to take this opportunity to thank you personally for all the presents you sent me within the week. I didn’t have the chance to thank you personally these past few days because I’d been busy touring around with Mich.”

Iñigo acknowledged it, “You’re welcome. I hope they had cheered you up.”

Teia admitted, “They did! Especially Chloe. You see I just lost my Frenchie three months ago,” then she changed their topic, “So are you here for business?”

Iñigo confirmed it, “Yes. And you’re here to avoid the scandal, right?”

Teia responded, “Yeah. At least here I can go out without being followed by the press. I just need to wear a disguise.”

Iñigo supplied, “Like this cosplay costume.”

She smiled and agreed, “Yeah. The cosplay costume was actually Mich’s idea. We competed for Miss International title at the same year. Since then we’ve become good friends. I was even a bridesmaid on their wedding just a few months ago.”

Iñigo commented, “You’ve got good friends from them.”

She affirmed, “True!”

Iñigo then asked, “Did he really cheat on you?”

It was such a direct-to-the-point question. So, she answered it directly, “Yes, I caught him in the act,” then she asked, “How about you? Are you still with your college girlfriend?”

Iñigo confided, “Not anymore. A few days after our graduation, her parents came to our home confronting me about her pregnancy and me not taking responsibility of it.”

Teia asked, “Why didn’t you take responsibility of it?”

Iñigo answered, “The baby wasn’t mine. Nothing happened between us. The only intimate moments I had shared with her were kissing and heavy petting.”

Teia then inquired, “So she also cheated on you? We’re alike on that aspect.”

Iñigo agreed, “True.”

Teia then asked, “So why are you still single?”

Iñigo imparted, “Well, I focus on my graduate studies and having my own ranch. Contrary to the magazine articles written about me, Bermudez Farm still exists. Bermudez Ranch is just beside it. The farm and our farmhouse still remains with an added restaurant serving food from all its organic produce as well as a store selling all our fresh organic produce as well as the processed products. It would eventually be inherited by my only sister, Ingrid, who is by the way a big fan of yours. My parents refused to accept any amount from my lottery winnings. But I insisted on paying for the renovation of the farmhouse and the farm; and the construction of the restaurant and the store.  I have spent most of my winnings for my own ranch. I had always seen myself surrounded by so many animals and plants. Such vision had caused me to zone out every once in a while. The vision just stopped when I already established the ranch.”

Teia inquired further, “Haven’t you even dated?”

Iñigo confessed, “I did once in a while. But as it turned out, they’re more interested in my fortune than in me.”

She inquired more, “How about your ex-girlfriend? Where is she now?”

He answered, “I’d rather not talk about her anymore. I just want to focus on the present and the future.”

She asked, “Were you able to move on immediately?”

His answer was, “Yeah. I was already drawn to someone else even before we broke up. So, it was easy to let go.”

She queried, “Did you pursue that someone?”

He expounded, “I didn’t. I felt I wasn't good enough for her back then. Then when I was ready to act on it, I found that she already has a boyfriend.”

She commented, “That’s tough!”

“Yeah!” Iñigo then stood up then offered his right hand, “Let’s join them.”

She put her left hand on his right hand and he led them to the dance floor. Teia felt that electricity again.

The upbeat song had just ended when they joined the others then suddenly a slow romantic song played.

Iñigo then put his left hand around her right waist area, so she rested her right hand by his left shoulder and then he raised their joined hands together to sway on the beat.

He looked deeply into her eyes. Teia felt some sort of burning sensation, she lowered her sight.

Iñigo then whispered to her right ear. “You’re much prettier without the makeup.”

She looked into his eyes and said, “Thanks.”

He replied, “It's the truth. I'd seen you without it during our college days..”

Ironically, she could still feel that electricity flowing in all her veins yet she felt cherished and protected in his presence.

They had danced more and drunk more with their Japanese companions.

When Teia decided it was time to go back to the hotel, Iñigo offered her his limousine ride back to the hotel.

As they were seated at the privacy of the passenger seats of the limousine, silence had enveloped them for a while. Iñigo initiated a conversation.

He asked her, “How long will you be here in Japan?”

She said, “Indefinitely.”

He said directly, “When you’re ready to move forward, I hope you'll allow me to pursue you.”

Such confession had rendered her speechless and blushing.

“I’m serious, Teia,” he added.

She managed to respond, “Why me?”

He answered, “That someone I told you about is you.”

She was really surprised. The limousine stopped. The chauffeur had opened the door on her side, while Iñigo decided to open up the door on his side.

He escorted her to the elevator. At the privacy of the elevator when he was to press the top floor button, their eyes locked and then their pent up emotions just came out freely, no holds bar.

Iñigo gently touched her cheek and claimed her soft lips for a passionate kiss.

Teia instinctively put her arms around his neck and angled her face to give him more access of her mouth. She responded to his coaxing lips and tongue with no reservation. They kissed passionately. Their lips and tongue mated perfectly. When the elevator door opened up, he carried her into his arms. They weren’t able to resist the passion building inside of them anymore...