THE MAN WHO TEMPT ME (Taglish)

Chapter 14.2 (Trust)

Napatingin muna siya kay Ali. He was thinking kung paano ipapakilala ito sa mga kaibigan. He don't want to say anything na baka ikagalit nito. When he was about to introduced her as someone special to him ay bigla pinutol nito ang sasabihin niya.

"His girlfriend," she said with a cheeky smile and extended her hand to Ethan. The two of them shook their hands. “I’m your friend’s girlfriend.”

He smiled to her warmly. He never thought that Ali would said that. He felt proud, pakiramdam ay nakapag-deal siya ng billion project.

Kagabi, after pumayag ni Ali na sumama sa kaniya ay nakita niya ang reaksyon ni Lian at Andrew. The disbelief were all over their face but Ali insisted that she would be fine.

When he called Sabina and Adelle para ipaalam si Ali ng two days ay nakita niya ang excitement sa mukha ng dalaga.

Lian talked to Ali privately, sinabi nito na mag-usap muna silang magpinsan at pumunta ang mga ito sa pool area at naiwan silang dalawa ni Andrew.

"Brix, pare..." Andrew said after mawala sa paningin nila ang dalawa, "I don't want to sound intruding but Ali could be excited going with you but she's not like some women. You should not think of her that way."

"I am not thinking of her that way," he said at napatango si Andrew, nakampante sa sinabi niya, "I know that you and your wife are protecting her. I truly understand that you can't trust me at all when it comes to Ali, but she's already twenty-five, Andrew. She has the right to decide for herself."

"I like you for Ali," prangkang sabi naman nito sa kaniya, "I'm just hoping that you won't do anything with her kapag dalawa na lang kayo. She's idealistic, alam mo 'yan. If you can't be that serious with her then huwag mo siya iiwan na nasa puntong wala na ang pinanghahawakan niya."

"You are telling me not to bed your cousin-in-law," he chuckled, "I promise you this... I won't do that. I'm not interested in having a woman na hindi handa sa circumstances."

Andrew nodded with what he said and smiled warmly, "thanks for that assurance. Ako na bahala kay Lian."

PAGKATAPOS NG PLEASANTRIES AY NIYAYA NI SAMANTHA SI ALI at pumunta ang dalawa sa loob ng mansion. Samantha said she would prepare some food at gusto nito na makipag-kwentuhan kay Ali. He and Ethan went to the pool area at doon sila nag-usap.

"How old is Ali? She seems young," Ethan asked.

"Twenty-five. Are we that old?" tanong niya nang nakangiti. Dinampot ang isang baso ng juice na kaka-serve ng maid nila Ethan.

"We are not that old," Ethan smiled, "she looks younger than her age. I thought she's only nineteen or twenty."

Napatango siya sa sinabi nito. Ali could be mistaken younger than her age. Kahit naman siya dati ay inakala na nasa college pa lang ito noong una niyang kita rito.

"She's an accountant, a CPA and brat with strict parents and four older brothers," he smiled on that information. Naisip kung gaano kasaya ang family na kinalakihan ni Ali. He envy her.

"You already met her family? Wow! Kailan ang kasal?"

Nasamid siya ng juice na iniinom. Kasal? Kung pwede lang sana na ito ang nakatakda niyang pakasalan at hindi si Irina ay siguro sobrang saya na niya.

Ethan went silent sa naging reaksyon niya, nakakunot-noo. "Don't tell me you have no plans to marry her. I know you, Brix… and your ways with women. Remember her four brothers," pabiro na nitong dugtong.

"I think I love her..." he said in his voice with a hint of sadness.

"You love her... It's obvious," Ethan emphasized the first three words, "I never seen you look at any woman the way you look at Ali. She looks precious to you. I can see it in your eyes."

"She is."

"But you sounded sad, why?" naguguluhan nitong sabi, "if you don't want to marry her then it's up to you but... aren't you tired playing around?"

"I don't want to talk about wedding plans... yet. Kagabi lang niya ako binigyan ng pag-asa."

"Nanligaw ka? Haha..." at lalong lumakas ang tawa nito, "for the first time, I heard na may niligawan ka."

"Stop laughing…” naiinis niyang saway sa kaibigan. “Hindi siya basta-basta ligawan at allergic sa mga diskarte ko no'ng una," kwento niya pa.

"You finally met your match."

Yeah, I finally met someone na gusto ko kasama at nakikita. Na kahit kadalasan nagkakainisan lang kaming dalawa ay natutuwa pa rin ako basta makita ko siya.

Kagabi, after nila mag-usap ni Andrew ay tinawag na nito ang asawa at iniwan sila ni Ali sa salas. Hinayaan na sila nito mag-usap. He saw the trust in Andrew's eyes. He really wanted to tell Andrew ang totoong sitwasyon niya pero hindi niya ginawa. He could be called selfish now but he don't care. He wants to be with Ali and he will do anything para hindi matuloy ang plano ng ina para sa kaniya at kay Irina.

"Anong oras tayo babyahe bukas?" Ali asked him nang makalapit sa kaniya. Excitement on her pretty face.

"Okay lang ba sa'yo ang 4 A. M.?"

She nodded with a shy smile on her lips, "you are not going to r****h me, right? I told Lian that I won't do anything promiscuous and I trust you."

"You trust me? Bago 'yon ah..." nakangiti niyang sabi.

"I do, I really do..." she said at napayuko ito ng ulo, "lalabasin ba kita nakaraan kung wala ako tiwala sa'yo?"

"I know you do... Alam ko naman na nag-aalangan ka lang pero hindi naman ako gano'n kasama sa paningin mo. May pag-asa na ba ako?"

"I thought you don't ask me like that. I thought na dadaanin mo na lang ako sa halik ng paulit-ulit."

He chuckled at piniga ang ilong nito. She's really cute lalo na kapag nagtataray ito. Everytime she pouted her luscious plump lips ay lalo siyang naaakit na halikan ito. She's like a drug for him, he became addicted.

"May pag-asa na ba ako?" he asked again at namula naman ito.

She stared at him, then said "do you really like me, Brix? I mean, are you really into me?"

"Hindi ka pa rin ba kumbinsido?"

"Don't answer me with a question. I just want to know the answer from you."

"I really do like you, Ali."

Hindi naman ito umimik, nakatingin lang sa kaniya then she touched his face, kagaya ng ginawa niya kanina rito, her fingers ended on his lips then said, "I like you too, Brix."

"Do you like to be my girl now?" he said in his sexy and raspy voice. His eyes looked at her, full of passion. Ali was just touching only his face and lips but it fuels his desire.

He waits for her answer and her eyes look confused, as if she was looking too for some answer. She stared back in his eyes and moved her eyes to his lips then she kissed him lovingly. He never anticipated that but he cuddled her in his arms while kissing her back.

"BRIX..."

He raised his face to met Ethan's eyes. Hindi maisip kung paano sisimulan sabihin dito ang problema. He really wanted to ask Sammy's advice but he realized that it is Ethan that he needs to talk to.

"I said na kanina pa kita napapansin. Why you look gloomy? You should be in love and I know how in love you are while looking at Ali pero bakit parang malungkot ka habang pinag-uusapan natin si Ali ngayon?"

Napabuntong-hininga siya. Ethan's a psychologist like Sammy. Siguro iyon ang dahilan kaya ang dalawa ang gusto niya makausap.

"I have a problem actually. Kaya ako nadaan ay gusto ko sana ng payo mula sa inyo ni Samantha pero mukhang ikaw na lang kakausapin ko. You could tell Samantha later kapag nakaalis na kami."

"What about?"

He sighed again. Matagal na tumitig sa kawalan at saka nagsalita, "my mother arrange my marriage, she wants to announce my engagement with Irina, her best friend's daughter, sa birthday party niya."

Natigilan si Ethan, napatingin sa direksyon kung saan ang daan papasok sa loob ng mansion, "how about Ali?

"I said I think I love her or the truth is... I love her already. I'm in love, man."

"Love?" Ethan asked. "Are you sure about that?"

"Naguguluhan talaga ako sa sarili ko pero ngayon ko lang naramdaman ang ganito. Ayoko siya mawala sa akin, ayoko isipin masaktan siya, ayoko na isumpa niya ako."

"Yet you agree with the marriage plan in Russia? Sa palagay mo ba ay hindi siya masasaktan kapag nalaman ang totoo?"

Natahimik siya. Ayaw niya saktan si Ali pero tama ito, she will be hurt dahil selfish siya.

"Is that the reason kaya ka pupunta ng Russia? Gusto mo umatras sa kasal? Tama ba ako?"

He just nodded. Feeling dumbfounded. He cannot find any other words to justify himself in front of Ethan, mabuti na lang at wala si Sammy. Mas matindi iyon magtanong.

"Damn! You really are in trouble, pare."

"That is the reason I asked Ali to meet papa. I hope papa will help me."

Natawa ito sa sinabi niya, "you're a 30-year old billionaire but can't do anything to fight for what you want. Aren't you being selfish with her? You should settle your problem with your mother's plan first, bago mo sana itinuloy ligawan si Ali."

"Yeah, I'm really selfish, "pag-amin niya, "I just want to be with her for a while habang hindi pa ako nakakapunta sa Russia."

"Being selfish is not you, Brix."

"Probably I'm sad because... because deep inside I know that I cannot do anything to turn down my mother's will," he said with a weary voice. "I just met someone pero hindi ko naman kaya ipaglaban and I am like a three-year old boy looking for his father to help him fix his shoe lace. F*ck me!" pagalit na niyang sabi sa sarili.

"Your mother is really scary, I understand that. Sana lang ay iniwasan mo na muna si Ali. It's really unfair."

"You really know my mother and what she can do, right?"

"Yeah, I know how hard your situation is right now and if you pursue Ali without clearing your situation in Russia, your mother could harm her. Naisip mo na ba 'yon?"

Napatango siya. Wala talaga siya magagawa kung hindi ang gumawa ng paraan para hindi matuloy ang kasal na wala maaagrabyado. He promised to help Irina but not marrying her.

"That woman your mother wants you to marry. Do you have any feelings for her?"

"I have..."