My Untamed Princess

Chapter 12: The Deal 2

Madilim ang mukha ni Will nang maglakad ito palapit sa kanya. Agad  din siyang hinila mula sa lalaking may hawak sa braso niya. He possessively wrapped his arms around her waist and whispered, "Did they hurt you?"

She looked up to him. His eyes were soft, full of worry. Sa puntong iyon gusto na niyang maiyak pero pinigilan niya ang sarili.

"Almost," sagot niya, basag ang tinig.

Nagbuga ito ng hininga bago puno ng talim ang mga mata na bumaling sa mga tambay na pinagti-tripan siya.

"Anong problema mo sa asawa ko Boyet?" tanong nito sa lalaking unang lumapit sa kanya.

"W-wala wala nama, Tisoy," mabilis na sagot nito, namumutla.

"E ‘yang mga kasama mo?" tanong nito ulit habang pinapaikot ang tingin sa mga tambay na nakaharang sa hagdan.

"Wala," halos sabay-sabay na sagot ng mga ito. Isa-isa na ring umalis sa pagkakaharang sa hagdan.

Will’s lips twitched into a dangerous grin. "Mabuti kung gan'on. Pero sa oras na pagtripan niyo pa 'tong asawa ko, paduduguin ko yang mga bunganga hanggang malagas lahat ng mga ngipin niyo," pagbabanta nito bago sila tuluyang iginiya paakyat ng hagdan.

Agad siyang dumiretso sa sofa nang makarating sila sa apartment. She was shaking. She a good thing her knees didn’t give in.

Dumiretso si Will sa kusina at inilapag doon ang supot ng isang sikat na coffee shop bago siya hinarap.

"Were you planning to ran away from me, Ms. Echavez?" tanong nito.

Hindi siya umimik. She bit the insides of her cheeks.

"Puwede ba sa susunod mag-isip ka naman. Hindi yan kung anong unang pumasok sa isip mo, ‘yon na ang gagawin mo. Paano kung hindi ako dumating kanina? E ‘di kanina ka pa pinagsasawaan ng grupo nina Boyet. Wala ka na sa kaharian mo, mahal na prinsesa. Welcome to the slums, where life's value is as cheap as the next food on the table and dignity and respect is a never heard word."

Tumungo na siya. Nangilid na kasi ang luha niya. Totoo lahat ang sinabi nito.

"If... if you dislike me so much, why don't you just let me go?" aniya nagsusumamo.

"No. I made a deal with your Dad.”

Umangat ang tingin niya rito. "What deal?"

Umiling ito. "You don't need to know that."

Was it a business deal? Bakit pati sya kasama sa business deal? Lalo lamang nadagdagan ang hinanakit niya sa ama.

"Can you at least let me talk to my Dad?"

Umiling ulit ito. "Tito Ernie and Tita Bea is on a European tour."

Lalong siyang nanlumo. Her Dad deliberately gave her to Will para makapagliwaliw ito at si Beatriz nang walang istorbo? Is that it? Well, ano pa ba ang bago sa ugaling iyon ng Daddy niya. He used to leave her in the care of strangers.

"H-How about Lizzie? At least let me talk to my friend," samo niya rito.

"They left for Boston together with her fiancée early this morning," mabilis na sagot nito.

Napasinghap siya sandaling napatanga sa ibinalita nito. Kahit pala nakatawag siya kanina hindi rin niya makakusap si Lizzie. Bakit hindi niya alam na aalis ang mga ito?

Mariin siyang pumikit at pilit na pinakalma ang sarili.

She convinced herself that she was just in a nightmare, a very long nightmare she had to wake up from and that when she open her eyes, she'll be back in the comforts of her own room.

She opened her eyes and saw... the same.

She's still in the cramped up room with the man she promise to loathe for the rest of her life.

She got nowhere to go. She's alone. And she's broke!

"So, I'm really stuck with you, huh?" she bitterly asked.

He scoffed and sat on the wooden center table across her.

"Correction, we're both stuck with each other, Ms. Echavez. If you don't want to be stay with me, I don't want to stay with you either. But I had no choice. You're father have something I want to have. And babysitting you was the p*****t he asked," pahayag nito, madilim ang mukha habang nakatitig sa kanya. "Pero kung ayaw mo talaga tumira dito kasama ako,you're free to go.” Ikiniling pa nito ang ulo nito sa direksyon ng pinto.

Mabilis siyang umiling. She can't go out and meet those thugs again! Baka sa susunod hindi na siya makalusot.

"N-no, I'll... I'll stay..." alanganing sabi niya.

"Good!" anito bago tumayo at muling nagtungo sa kusina.

Nanghahaba ang mga ngusong minasahe niya ang nananakit na braso. Namumula na iyon sa marahas na paghigit kanina ni Boyet. Minasahe na lang niya iyon para mawala ang kaunting sakit.

She watched Will prance on the small kitchen. His moves were swift and sure, like he had mastered living in that small apartment-ish space for so long.

Why would he live in that rotten place when he can afford to buy a mansion or a posh condo if he wanted? Is living in the slums part of the deal he had with her father? Agad siyang nakonsensiya sa naisip.

"T-Thank you for... for... saving me earlier," mahinang sabi niya, maya-maya.

"I don't do thank you's Cassie. May bayad yung pagliligtas ko sa yo kanina."

Napangiwi na siya, naguluhan.

"I... I don't have any... money," nahihiyang amin niya.

Hinarap siya nito. His mouth slowly broke into a grin. "Your services would do."

"W-what services?" Panic in her voice.

"You'll be my maid," mabilis na sagot nito.

"What?!" she replied hysterically.

Anong alam niya sa gawaing bahay? She had led a very luxurious life all her life. Nasanay siya na ang lahat ng kailangan niya ay nariyan lang, all she had to do is ask. And now, this sick, arrogant and dreadfully hot reincarnation of a greek god would be her master! She can't believe this were all happening to her!

From an heiress to a housemaid?

She wanted to laugh hysterically. This must have all been a joke from the very beginning. Yes that's it! This might just be one of those reality prank shows she used to watch on TV.

"Fine! You got me," Tumayo siya at itinaas niya ang kanyang mga kamay. "So, tell me where are the cameras?" nangingiting tanong niya. Kunot-noo lamang ang isinagot sa kanya ni Will. "Aren't we on a reality TV show?"

Will scoffed. "Well I'm sorry to break you delusion babe, but this is reality spelled in all caps and not just some reality TV show. Remember, your Dad wants me to teach you. That life is far more than just partying and wasting money. Besides, ayaw mo n'on, matututunan mo ang lahat ng dapat mong matutunan para mabuhay ka. From cooking food, to washing the dishes, then my favorite part, doing the laundry. Now, tell me, aren't you excited yet?" anito, ngumiti pa ng sarkastiko. "So, what you say? Be my maid and stay here as long as you like, or you can go now at gagawin kang palahian ng grupo nila Boyet?"

She unbelievably gaped at him. He made it look like she really doesn't have a choice. Well she really doesn't have a choice!

Sinamaan niya muna ito ng tingin bago inis na sinabing, "Fine! I'll be your maid!"

"Good choice! I know you like me better than those thugs.”

"Ang yabang-yabang mo," inis na komento niya.

Lalong lumawak ang pagkakangisi nito. "Pero gustong-gusto mo." 

Oh the arrogance of the man!

Umirap siya, muling umupo sa sofa at humalukipkip. Gusto niyang pakalmahin ang sarili at itikom ang kanyang bibig. Besides wala na siya talagang energy na makipag-angilan dito. It was 2 in the afternoon at kanina pa tumutunog ang tyan niya.

A cup of cafe latté or bagel would do her wonders at this time of the day but....

She chewed her lower lip when she realized that she could not afford even those simple things now.

She was a cast away and broke!

"Hey princess," pukaw ni Will sa kanya. Nag-angat siya ng tingin dito. Inabot nito sa kanya ang paper bag na may tatak ng isang sikat na coffee shop. "Here, take it. I'm... I'm sorry for being an asshole kanina. If you want respect I'll give that to you.”

She blinked. "Peace offering?" 

"Nah! May nagbigay lang sa akin niyan kanina do’n sa pinuntahan ko. Busog pa ako e kaya tinake out ko na lang," kaswal na paliwanag nito. "Go ahead and eat. You need energy for the chores," anito bago tuluyang naglakad papunta sa kuwarto nito.

Kumibot ang labi niya, akala pa naman niya talagang nagtake out ito para sa kanya. Bigay lang pala. Kung sabagay, who is she that Will would be mindful of her?

Nagbuga siya ng hininga bago mabilis na binuksan ang laman ng take away bag.

It's a cup of coffee latte and a wheat bagel.

She smiled.