Way of Forever

Kabanata 23

Napatikom ng bibig si Victoria. Mukhang nasobrahan ata siya at nakalimutang ang Presidente ng kumpanya na pinagtatrabahuhan niya ang kausap. Isa pa mukhang pagod din ito sa biyahe. This is the first time that she saw him being irritated by her. Damn it!

“Sorry, President,” paumanhin niya. She bit the inside of her cheeks. Limit yourself Victoria. You don’t want to have a bad impression of yourself to the man you like, right? Be classy.

“Leave me. I’ll be in my room and tell Levine that I’ll meet him later.”

“Okay, President.”

Naglakad na papunta si Lorenzo sa room niya. He’s aura was so powerful that it attracted so many people’s attention and just by looking at him they are intimidated. They know who he is, the eldest son of the Mondragon and the heir of their company. Four years ago nang biglang uminit ang pangalan nito hindi lang sa lokal na media maging sa ibang bahagi din ng mundo.

But it’s nothing for Lorenzo. Ginagawa niya iyon dahil responsibilidad niya bilang panganay. Nasa kanya ang pressure at mahirap sa kanya mamili lalo pa’t ang laki ng expectation ng magulang sa kanya. They will never allow—especially his father to marry him with just a random woman. Ilang beses na siyang pinag-blind date nito at ilang beses din niyang tinanggihan. Isa lang ang babaeng gusto niya—ang babaeng iniwan niya. He’s hoping na sana mapakinggan siya ng dalaga. Marami siyang gustong sabihin, marami s’yang gustong gawin pero hindi iyon nangyari dahil umalis siya. Mahal na mahal niya si Maeve and leaving her is the only way for him to love her.

Years have passed pero naroon pa din si Maeve sa puso niya. Hindi naman ito nawala. He’s not ready to let go. Kung hindi niya ipinaglaban noon, ngayon ilalaban na niya. Maeve was his happiness, his calming wind in a storm kahit pa mag-away sila ni Levine.

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“Hmm!” Napapalo si Maeve sa braso ni Levine dahil bigla siya nitong hinigit pababa at iniangat din kaagad pataas habang hawak-hawak ang bewang niya.

“Jerk!” singhal niya. Levine just laughed at her.

“Sorry,” he said in the middle of laughing. Dahil buhat ni Levine ang dalaga kitang-kita niya ang malulusog na dibdib nito na talagang ka-level ng mukha niya. Ang sarap sigurong ilubog ang mukha niya sa dibdib nito. Mas malambot pa ata sa unan niya kapag natutulog siya sa gabi.

“Ano ang ini-imagine mo na naman?” nakataas na kilay na tanong ni Maeve. Akala ba nito hindi niya napansin ang lust sa mga mata nito. Tsk!

“Can I sleep with you tonight?” tanong ni Levine na para bang bata.

“Why?”

“I’m so lonely. Kailangan ko ng yakap mo.” At hinigpitan nito ang pagkakayakap sa dalaga. All his life he only counts on himself. Kahit pa may mga kaibigan siya feeling niya mag-isa pa din siya. Kahit maraming babae ang gustong makipaglandian sa kanya it’s not what he wants. He wants someone who can understand him and can calm him whenever they are together. Iyong tipong nagiging instant happy siya. Tulad ngayon, he felt contented with the woman in his arms.

Shock man ay hinayaan nalang ni Maeve si Levine na nakayakap sa kanya. He’s like a lost child that needed love and care. Pinasadahan niya ng kamay ang basang buhok nito na para bang sinusuklay. They stayed like that for a minute under the orange sky that was glistening at the ocean. The sunset was setting down.

Sa ‘di kalayuan nakatanaw si Lorenzo sa dalawang tao na tila ba isang magandang pinta ng larawan. The atmosphere seems like for the two of them. Ramdam niya ng kirot na puso na para bang paulit-ulit na tinutusok ng karayom. May kung ano na bumara sa lalamunan niya na hindi niya magawang ibuka ang bibig para sana tawagin ang pangalan nito.

‘Is she really happy with Levine?’

Hindi niya magawang maniwala sa nakikita niya dahil ramdam niya na may pagtingin pa din si Maeve sa kanya. The way she looked at him kahit pa malamig ito naroon pa din ang katiting na nararamdaman para sa kanya and he was determined to fulfill it again. Hindi pa ang huli ang lahat, may pagkakataon pa siya.

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“My brother is here?” natutuwang ulit ni Levine nang ipaalam ni Victoria na dumating ang kapatid niya dito. Good news! His brother can take a break from his working days na bihira lang mangyari. Makakapag-bonding din sila.

“Yes, and he wants to talk to you.”

“When?”

“If you are free right now you can talk to him. He’s just in his room.”

Tumayo si Levine. “Okay. I’ll be in his room in a minute,” tugon nito. Nagpaalam na din si Victoria para sabihin kay Lorenzo ang reply ng kapatid. Gosh! Makikita niya ulit ito!

Maeve on the other hand was wondering why the hell Lorenzo was here? Narinig niya ang sinabi ni Victoria nang papalapit na sana siya kay Levine. What does he want now? Aaminin niya, she was still longing for his presence. It was hard for her to forget the first man who loved her tenderly. The first man who made her feel so special. Right, Lorenzo was his first boyfriend, her first love.

It was devastating for her when he left. He left with no goodbye. Hindi man lang nito sinabi kung bakit at gabi-gabi palagi niyang iniisip kung ano ba ang dahilan ng paglisan nito. Is it her? May nagawa ba siya? Ang hirap! Ang hirap dahil hindi mo alam kung ano ang mali sa relasyon niyo. It is not the word that breaks her it was the silence he kept.

Naiinis at nagagalit siya sa sarili. Tinatanong niya palagi sa sarili kung nasa kanya ba ang mali. But as the time goes by, naisip niya… why should she think of him for a long time kung parang wala lang kay Lorenzo ang pag-iwan nito sa kanya? She’s a girl, she’s the chase.

Nakakatawa lang dahil sa iisang tao lang pala sila pagtatagpuin. Iyon ay si Levine. She took a sharp breath at inalis sa isip niya kung ano ang ginugulo nito. She walked out but stopped mid-air when she saw the man she was thinking for a while.

“How are you, Mae?”

“President,” tawag niya. She saw him clenched his jaw as his eyes narrowed at her.

“Call me by my name,” ani nito.

“Why would I do that? You are my boss—”

“I was once your lover,” putol ni Lorenzo at lumapit sa dalaga. Hindi gumalaw si Maeve pero lumakas ang t***k ng puso niya. Katulad noon.

She lightly stepped back and had a smirk playing on her lips. “Ikaw na ang nagsabi I am once your lover. Past na kaya don’t bring it back again. Sa ating dalawa sino ba nag may kasalanan? Sino ba ang umalis ng walang paalam? You lost me, Lorenzo,” may diing sambit ni Maeve. Her eyes was cold and she was holding back not to shout at him.

“It’s my fault. Pero pakikinggan mo kaya ang explanation ko?” he asked tenderly like he used to talk to her.

“Bakit ka mage-explain? Wala na tayo.”

Lorenzo pursed his lips. “We never broke up?”

Maeve chuckles darkly. Ang kapal ng mukha ng lalaking ‘to. Anong ibig nitong sabihin?

“But for me, we’re done.”

Lorenzo held her arms. “Paano kung malaman ni Levine kung ano ako sa buhay mo? SA tingin mo magiging maayos pa din kayo?”