TRACE DIMAGIBA (Wild Men Series #1)

P1: TRACE

23rd Street, New York, USA

June 2021

CHLOE

"Chloe McIntyre! Wait!"

That was Oliver James calling my name, my handsome boss. The CEO of the real estate company where I am working as a junior interior designer for almost a year. My ultimate crush. The man of my dreams.

I smiled at Oliver and waited for him to come near me. I am about to go home and about to ride my car but he calls my name. Wondering what the possible reason is, I just stood beside my car and waited for him.

Actually, I was inspired to work every day because of Oliver. He is an epitome of a perfect gentleman, he is terribly rich but he is always on the good side. Twenty percent of his company's earnings go to charities and foundations, na hini-help niya. How I wished that Oliver may like me at sure na hindi ko talaga siya pahihirapan manligaw.

I am only twenty-three and Oliver was thirty-eight, a fifteen-year age gap is not a problem for me. Mas gusto ko pa nga ang malayong agwat namin kasi for sure na responsible na siya at hindi gaya ng mga ka-age ko na hindi pa serious sa relationship.

Then I remember Carly, my older sister na ngayon ay may depression dahil sa kaisa-isang lalaki that she trusted. I had no idea actually sa lalaking naging boyfriend ni Carly, but I know my sister was a sweet and kind-hearted person. Hindi ito mahilig gumala at conservative kaya hindi ko maunawaan kung bakit niloko siya ng naging boyfriend niya.

That damn man! Trace Dimagiba is his name and I hate him!

Yes! That was the man's name according to Carly. My sweet and loving sister, who was now in our home with our parents in California. Naiwan na lang ako rito sa New York mag-isa dahil need ni Carly nang tamang guidance.

Since I finished college ay nasa New York na ako kasama ni Carly. Nauna lang si Carly sa akin dito sa NYC, na tinatawag din na Big Apple o The City that Never Sleeps. Graduating pa lang si Carly ay may mga offers na siyang work dito. My sister graduated with flying colors and instantly, too many offers for her to choose where she wants to work.

Ang pagwo-work namin sa New York ay dahil dream naming magkapatid iyon noon pa. We wanted to be independent at nagawa naman namin, but... but everything change for Carly six months ago, naabutan ko na lang siya na nasa kama at duguan dahil sa pagsu-suicide, and the name and words written on Carly's baby-pink colored wall room was like 'Trace Dimagiba, I hate you!!!'

Gosh! Whoever that man eh sana mamatay na if buhay pa ito. How could that man hurt my loving sister? Napaka-bad na tao lang ang kayang manakit sa damdamin ng gaya ni Carly na napakabait. Carly was an exemplar of a woman with class, she act and talk like a dignified and respected woman. My sister has a heart for the poor too as Carly was always engaged in some charities that help orphans.

"Hi! I wanna ask if you are available on Saturday night?" Oliver asked, which disturbed my thoughts. Holy cow! I almost forgot about him.

I nodded to Oliver and looked into his eyes straightly. He is so dreamy... his eyes were like the clear sky.

"Yes, sir..." I answered to support the nod I did.

I feel the butterflies on my stomach dahil sa tuwa na na-feel ko, at last napansin na niya ako. He is obviously into me just as I am into him.

Saturday. Four days na lang ang hihintayin ko at next week pa naman ang schedule ng uwi ko sa California. Kung pwede lang isama ko si Oliver para ipakilala sa parents ko ay gagawin ko na.

Yeah... why not?! I think I would invite him to go to California. We could take a plane so we could get back here in New York on Monday.

"Is it alright if I asked you to please stop calling me 'sir'?" he asked me with his brightening smile.

"Oh..." kinikilig na reaksyon ko. "What should I call you then?"

"Just call me Oliver," he said, "I feel old every time you are calling me 'sir'."

I smiled and bit the inner side of my lower lip. "A'ight! Oliver then..." Hindi na ako magpapa-hard to get pa. This is my chance to be with him kaya hindi ko na sasayangin pa.

"I will see you on Saturday night then," nakangiti na sabi niya at tumango naman ako. Speechless. Wala na akong masabi sa kilig ko.

I am about to tell him my address nang biglang tumunog ang phone ko. I excused myself as I saw the caller's ID on my phone. Mom was the one calling me.

"I will go now," paalam ni Oliver at hindi na niya hinintay ang sagot ko, umalis na siya agad sa harap ko. Gusto kong manghinayang na umalis siya pero kailangan ko na rin talaga unahin sagutin ang tawag ni Mommy.

"Hello," I greeted my Mom as I opened the line for our phone conversation.

"You need to come home, Carly needs you..." umiiyak na sabi niya.

Hindi ako nakaimik agad. The problem with Carly is turning all our lives upside down.

"I will mom," I confirmed, "I just need to file leave first to the office tomorrow then I will be there on Sunday."

"Come home, Chloe," Mommy persisted. Nasa tono ng boses niya na dapat ko na lang siyang sundin.

"But... mom—"

"File a resignation and come home," seryosong sabi ni Mommy at napapikit ako.

Resignation? I love my job. At bakit ngayon pa kung kailan nagpaparamdam na sa akin ng interes si Oliver?

"Mom, I don't want to resign," katwiran ko. "I love my work and please... I am twenty-three and you said that no matter what work I like you will support me..." masama ang loob na dagdag ko pa.

"This is for Carly," humihikbing sabi ni Mommy. "You need to resign for your sister. Let us bring her to the Philippines. We need to find the man. He needs to help us."

"No! Why do we need to do that?" It can't be! Paanong naiisip ni Mommy ang bagay na iyon?

"We need to because Carly attempted suicide again. Chloe, please...makinig ka na lang!"

Iyon lang at nawala na si Mommy sa linya. I breathed deeply in and out. I was torn between my love for my sister and my dream to be in a relationship with Oliver.

"Trace Dimagiba, you asshole*!" gigil kong sabi sabay sipa sa gulong ng kotse ko. Wala naman akong ibang dapat i-blame kung hindi ang lalaking iyon.

"I would pray every day and every night for you to die miserably!" gigil na gigil ko pang dagdag sa sinasabi ko hanggang sa makapasok na ako sa loob ng kotse at paandarin iyon. Kung makikita ko lang ang lalaking iyon ay isusumpa niya ang araw ng pagtatagpo namin. I will make sure of it.

****

Pasadena, California, USA

"Carly," malungkot na bati ko. Tinitigan ko ang anyo niya. Carly's health was deteriorating at gusto kong maiyak sa itsura niya.

Last month nang huli akong umuwi ay napansin ko na lalo na siyang naging tulala at namayat pero ngayon ay mas payat pa siya sa dati.

"Chloe..." Carly whispered my name when she stared at me. Napalingon ako kay Mommy kasi sabi ay hindi na nagsasalita si Carly. Mommy was so happy looking at us, hope is in her eyes.

Kararating ko lang dito sa bahay namin at malayo rin ang binyahe ko. Almost two days akong nagbyahe at mamayang gabi sana ang date namin ni Oliver. Sinadya kong iuwi na ang kotse ko dahil nag-file na rin ako ng force resignation. Matagal na pakiusapan ang ginawa ko para lang mapagbigyan na mag-resign. Kinausap ko rin ang isang friend ko na interior designer din para pumalit sa akin. Mabuti na lang at sadyang mabait si Oliver at tinanggap ang resignation ko. Oliver promised me na kapag maluwag na ang schedule niya ay dadalawin niya ako dito sa California. How I really hope so.

"Do you wanna help me?" humihikbi na tanong ni Carly sa akin na ikinakunot ko ng noo. "I need your help, Chloe."

Tumango naman ako. Tinitigan siya. Carly is my only sister and my favorite person in the world, whom I looked up to since we were small. Carly needs my help at hindi ko siya bibiguin.

Pinalaki kami ni Mommy na malapit sa isa't isa at marunong kami sa Filipino language lalo na at ang mga naging nanny namin ay mga Pilipina. Si Mommy naman ay kahit matagal na rito sa California ay magaling pa rin mag-Tagalog at gano'n niya kami kausapin ni Carly, lalo na kapag pinapagalitan kami. Magaling naman kami sa Filipino language as long as hindi masyadong malalim ang words na sinasabi. We can understand Tagalog but me and Carly couldn't speak the language without sounding stupid because of our accent. Nakakaintindi lang kami usually.

I gazed at my sister's face and smiled even though I wanted to cry because of how she looked now. I will do my best for her. Hindi ako titigil until bumalik siya sa dati.

"I will help you, Carly... I wanna see you smile again and live your life as you did before." I meant it.

"Then... then please help me find Trace, Chloe..." umiiyak na sabi niya. "I love him, Chloe. I want to see him. I wanna see him and talk to him."

Napapikit ako sa inis na naramdaman ko. That Trace again!

"Yeah... I will, Carly. I promise! I promise that I will find him... for you," pangako ko.

Right. I will definitely find Trace Dimagiba and I will make sure he will regret that he's still alive.