The Billionaire's Heart

Chapter 9

Damn those two couple! Kasama na din yung Lili na yun na hindi ako pinagtanggol. Iniisip ko lang naman ang kalagayan niya nagmukha pa akong masama.

Damn!

Shit!

Fuck!

Inis kong sinipa yung bato na nakita ko sa daan. I’m still here waiting outside of Lili’s home, kahit naiinis ako ay gusto ko pa ding malaman kung ligtas siya. Grey is still a man, it is inappropriate na pumasok siya sa bahay ng isang babae na silang dalawa lang. And that girlfriend of his, palibihasa pinaasa niya si Grey before kaya bumabawi ngayon. Tsk! Akala mo kung sinong loving couple, ilang beses ngang iniyakan ni Grey yung girlfriend niya before kasi hindi siya pinili.

Thinking about what her girlfriend said ay kumukulo ang dugo ko. Pare-pareho silang magkakapatid, Tsk! The rumours are true, San Diego’s siblings are crazy about their girlfriend. Hindi yan compliment, pangungutya yan.

I looked at my watch ng lumabas si Grey sa bahay ni Lili, almost 20 minutes siyang nandoon sa loob.

“You are still here” sabi nito sa akin, naiinis ko siyang tiningnan.

“Ofcourse, I’m still concern about her. Hindi mo ba naisip kung anong sasabihin ng ibang tao pag nakita nilang pumasok ka sa bahay ng isang babae na kayo lang?” Grey looked at me in the eye, I didn’t flinch and looked back at him.

“Hindi mo ba naisip kung ano sasabihin nila sa kaniya kapag sinama mo siya sa event na yun and then you leave her alone?” natigilan ako, I didn’t expect na matatagalan ako na makipag usap kay Mr. Hutton, maliban sa kaniya ay may iba pa akong kausap. I forgot the time; it was important business after all.

“My fault, I already told her that I can offer compensation sa ginawa ni Monique. She declined”

“Ghad! You did what? A simple sorry will suffice but compensation. Are you insulting her?!” Grey grabbed my polo; I grabbed his hand. How dare him!

“Why would I say sorry? I’m not the one who insulted her, it’s not my fault. Isa pa pinabantay ko siya kay Prince, even if hindi ka dumating. Prince can protect her” pabalyang binitawan ni Grey ang polo ko, inis ko siyang tiningnan. Why does he care to Lili to this extent?

“Do you perhaps like Lili?”

“You won’t act like that kung hindi mo siya gusto.”

“You don’t know Lili, hindi mo alam kung anong pinagdaanan niya. She’s like my younger sister. Hindi ba sabi ko sayo huwag si Lili, she’s 19. You’re 29, you’re older and should be more mature. Pero ano? Dinadamay mo siya sa laro mo, stop playing with her!”

No one can tell me to stop, she amuses me. Hindi ko kailanman naranasan na maging ordinaryong tao sa iba. I still have 3 months, and until the the third month, I won’t stop being with her.

“No” matigas kong tiningnan si Grey.

“I still have 3 months, tell that to me after the third month. Atsaka we both enjoy each other company.”

“Company my ass! I bet she’s uncomfortable breathing the same air with you. Hindi lahat ng tao dinadamay mo sa laro mo, the next time na pabayaan mo si Lili ng ganun. Ako mismo ang tatapos sa laro mo” I stare back at him, no one can tell me what I want to do.

“I respect Lili’s opinion, kaya hindi ako makikialam sa laro niyo but sa oras na you take advantage of her at pinabayaan mo siya. Duke, I will forget that we are friends!” I clenched my jaws in annoyance, after telling me those words ay agad na umalis si Grey.

How dare him na pagbantaan ako ng ganun?!

I’m Duke Terrance Hart! Territoryo ko ang lugar na toh, San Diego’s territory is in Manila. Pero kung pagbantaan niya ako. Damn!

Inis kong sinipa ang gulong ng sasakyan. I breath hard to calm myself. Tumingin ako sa bahay ni Lili, na ngayon ay nakapatay ang ilaw.

Dahil sayo ay pinagbabantaan na ako ngayon, My Love so sweet you should continue to amuse me in those 3 months to come.

I genuinely enjoyed your company.

“Thank you for coming, Mr. Cheng” nakangiti habang kinakamayan ko ang isa sa mga investors ng Hart Airlines. I’ve been staying in Cebu for about 3 days para sa opening na bagong home base ng company. 15 brand new airplanes are already sent by the manufacturer here in Cebu. We already inspect them and so far, ay maayos ang takbo ng 15 new planes.

“Lumalago na talaga ang Hart Airlines. I remember when your father founded the Airlines, there’s a lot of competitors not just in domestic market but also international. The bank won’t agree to lend him some capital for expansions.”

“So, you did, Mr. Cheng. You trusted my father kung hindi dahil sa inyo, hindi lalago ng ganito ang Hart Airlines making it the no. 1 Airlines in the Phillipines. We are happy to grow with you” complimenting him, mas lalong sumingkit ang mata ni Mr. Cheng sa narinig.

“Flowery words huh? So, what’s your next plan? Anong route lilipad ang mga bagong eroplanong ito?” Honestly, I have a bigger plan than being contented as an Airlines Company.

“If the Capital is enough, I would like to venture into an Aviation business” kita ko ang pagseryoso ng mukha nito.

“Aviation? That’s a big risk, you may lose all your money and assets. It’s either you expand the business to aviation or build another one, separating the Airlines. And to be honest, I don’t think the company is ready to enter Aviation business. In Chinese term do not bite more than you can chew.” I smiled and nodded my head.

“Relax, Mr. Cheng. That was just some random thoughts, it’s not too late for me dream right?” I jokingly said, it’s true that when you get older you lose your backbone and become coward.

“Brother!” nawala ang ngiti ko ng marinig ang boses na iyon. Tinapik ni MR. Cheng ang balikat ko.

“Your half brother is here, put him in his place” mahina at nakangiti nitong sabi sa akin sabay alis sa harapan ko. I faced Connor na mabilis na nakarating sa harap ko.

“I remember nasa Pampanga ka, what are you doing here?” kunot noong tanong ko rito.

“Why? Am I not allowed here? Dad told me to come here so that I could learn from you” mariin ko siyang tinignan, I keep calm even though his smile irritates me.

“I’m hungry, brother. Baka naman pakainin mo muna ako bago mo tanungin” I looked at my half brother one last time before walking inside the Airlines new base.

I’m sipping my wine as I’m watching my half-brother eating.

“May nagsabi na ba sayo na weird ka?” hindi ko ito pinansin at patuloy na nakatingin sa wine glass.

“You are the only person that I knew who put ice cubes in their wine” he’s right, one of my habits. I don’t really like the taste of wine and alcohol so to dilute their taste, I add ice to my drinks.

“And you are the only person that I knew that goes to an event, even if you are not invited” the last charity event ay hindi ito invited pero dahil sinama siya ni Monique to make me jealous kaya siya nakapunta. As if naman na this guy can make me jealous.

“By the way, sino yung babae na kasama mo sa charity event. I remember you detest weak woman. Nasabihan lang ni Monique yung date mo akala mo naman ay pinagbantaan na” kalmado ko siyang tiningnan, Lili is an introvert. Sa sobrang maldita ni Monique ay sigurado ako na ininsulto niya si Lili, ba’t ko nga ba pinatulan ang babaeng iyon.

“Oo nga pala, I have a surprise for you” tumingin sa likod si Connor at pakiramdam ko ay hindi ko magugustuhan ang surprise nito.

“Baby!” natigilan ako sa pag inom ng wine at masamang tiningnan si Connor na ngayo’t nakangisi na.

Hinarap ko ang babaeng nag mamay ari ng boses na iyon.

“Eunice”