《You Were Mine [ Billionaire Series #3 ]》CHAPTER 27
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CRIZIA
"TAHAN NA..." Paula hushed me while I was crying hard on her shoulder. She caressed my hair habang pinapatahan ako. "Zia, please..."
"G-ginawa niya 'yon para makuha yung company na 'yon? Pinagpalit niya ako do'n after everything? Pagkatapos kong ibigay sakanya ang lahat lahat?" She wiped my tears pero hindi talaga mawala 'yon.
"B-baka naipit lang siya..."
"May choice siya, Paula. Pwede niya akong piliin pero hindi niya ginawa. I sacrificed everything for him. All for him... I gave up myself, my dream, my family, and my goals. Lahat 'yon para sakanya..."
Nakauwi na kami ng Singapore. Kinabukasan pagkatapos nang sagutan namin. Malambot na ang tingin niya sakin simula no'n at hindi ako kinakausap kung hindi importante.
"He said he's in love with you..." Ngumiwi ako.
"In love my ass! Kung mahal niya ako, pipiliin niya ako!" Natahimik siya. "Hindi man lang ba niya inisip kung anong nararamdaman ko? Pagkatapos kong gawin lahat para sakanya?"
Pagkatapos ng sinabi kong 'yon ay biglang may nag-doorbell. I wiped my tears as I stood up to open the door.
May delivery boy do'n. What? May nagpa-deliver ba?
"Yes?" Ngumiti agad ito sakin.
"Good evening, Miss Crizia Rivera?" Napangiwi ako. Pano naman nalaman ng taong 'to ang pangalan ko?
"Uh... Yes."
"Someone ordered for you!" Maligaya niyang sambit. Binuksan siya ang bag at naglabas ng mga pagkain. Iba iba 'yon at may donuts pa. Saan naman galing 'yan...
"Uy? Ano 'yan?" Biglang sumulpot si Paula. "Nagpa-deliver ka? Akala ko magluluto ako?"
"Hindi ako nagpa-deliver! Bigla na lang dumating 'to." Hinarap ko ang delivery boy. "Is that already paid? Who ordered these?" Nag-angat ito ng tingin.
"Yes, ma'am. These are paid already," Sumingit bigla si Paula at kumuha na ng pagkain.
"Ipapasok ko na ito kung gano'n!" Hindi naman ako umangal.
"Who ordered these?" Tanong ko.
"Your husband ordered these for you, Miss Crizia," Sa isang bag niya ay may nilabas siyang bouquet at teddy bear na may chocolates. I bit my lower lip nang mapagtanto kong si Diego ang nagpapabigay.
"Return these! I don't want-" Tumalikod na ito at tumakbo.
"Enjoy your food!" Ngumiwi ako. What?
Tinignan ko si Paula na tuloy tuloy sa pagpasok ng mga pagkain. Sunod kong tinignan ang teddy bear na may hawak pang heart! What the fuck?
"I'm sorry. I love you?" 'Yon ang nakasulat. Halos masuka ako pero hindi ko magawa.
Yung bouquet naman sa kabilang bisig ko ang tinignan ko. May maliit na letter do'n. Ngumuso ako bago ko binuklat 'yon. It's from Diego...
Don't skip your dinner, love.
Biglang bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko. Seriously?! Love?! He called me that? After 5 years?!
"Hala! Bigay pala ng asawa mo 'to." Humalakhak si Paula sa likod ko. Sumimangot ako at inabot sakanya ang teddy bear at pumasok sa loob. "Oh, bakit? Ang cute ng teddy bear, ha! Color pink."
"So?" Umirap siya dahil sa kaartehan ko.
"Masasarap rin yung mga pagkain! Kain na tayo." Tumango lang ako pero pumuslit na ako papunta sa kwarto para tawagan si Diego.
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Saglit lang ay sumagot na rin siya.
["Yes? Need something?"] Umirap ako. Maang-maangan?
"Ano 'tong pakulo mo? Mukha bang naghihirap ako?" Mahina siyang tumawa sa kabilang linya. Napairap ako dahil do'n. May nakakatawa sa sinabi ko? Kung makatawa ang bruhong 'to akala mo okay kami.
["I just don't want you to skip your dinner."] Umirap ulit ako.
"Oh? Bakit tinawag mo pa akong 'love'? Para saan naman 'yon, ha?"
["What's wrong with that? That's our endearment... love."] Mariin akong napapikit. Kumibot ang sentido ko sa inis.
"Shut up." Ibababa ko na dapat ang telepono pero kailangan ko pa palang magpasalamat. "Anyways, salamat sa pagkain at kay teddy." He chuckled sexily.
["You're welcome."]
Binaba ko ang tawag at ngumuso sa kawalan. Ang boba ko. Feeling ko ay nagpapa-akit na naman ako kay Diego. Wala bang pwedeng umuntog sakin para magising naman ako sa katotohanan?
"Huy! Tulala ka dyan?" Siniko ako ni Paula.
"Hindi ako tulala!" Kontra ko agad pero humalakhak lang siya tulad ng lagi niyang ginagawa.
"'Wag mong isipin 'yon, mahal ka no'n." I showed my middle finger to her.
"Manahimik ka, may boyfriend ako!" Mas lalong lumakas ang tawa niya. Kulang na lang ay palunukin ko siya ng kung ano para matigil sa kabaliwan.
"Kumain na tayo rito, 'wag kang pabebe d'yan."
Wala akong nagawa kung hindi ang kumain kasama siya.
KINABUKASAN ay normal naman ang lahat. Iwas lang talaga ako kay Diego dahil ang awkward pala sa personal. Binati ko lang siya bago ako pumasok sa maliit na opisina ko.
Sa kalagitnaan ng ginagawa ko ay biglang nag-ring ang telepono sa gilid ko. Si Diego ang tumatawag! I cleared my troath before I grabbed the telephone to answer him.
"Sir," Bungad ko. Narinig ko ang pag-tikhim niya sa kabilang linya.
["Please, bring me a coffee."] Kinagat ko ang ibabang labi.
"Just coffee?"
["I want to know my schedule again, too. Can you please repeat it?"] Kinagat ko ang sariling daliri. Kailan pa naging makakalimutin ito?
"Right away, Sir." I ended our call.
Tumayo agad ako para ipagtimpla siya ng paborito niyang kape. Kinuha ko rin ang folder ko na naglalaman ng sandamakmak niyang schedule. Hindi na rin sinubukan noong girlfriend niya na tumawag pa dito.
Kumatok ako sa pinto ng office niya bago ako pumasok. Nag-tama agad ang paningin namin kaya binalik ko agad ang tingin ko sa kape. Shit. Calm your ass, Crizia!
"Here's your, uhm, coffee." Nilapag ko 'yon sa coffee table niya sa gilid.
Hindi nakatakas sa mga mata ko ang umuusok sa gilid niya. He's smoking. He's still smoking. Umatras ako ng kaonti para hindi ko malanghap 'yon.
"My schedule?" Binuklat ko ang folder na hawak ko.
"Uhm... You have a meeting with board members at 3 PM and dinner meeting with Miss Ballesteros at 5 PM." Tinignan kong mabuti ang oras. Bakit 5 PM na ito? Tinignan ko si Diego na pinagmamasdsan ang reaskyon ko.
"Cancel the second one, please." I arched my brow.
"Why, boss?" He snorted.
"I'm not in the mood." I bit my fingertip as I marked my paper.
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"Done." Ngumuso siya.
"Kinain mo ba lahat ng pinadala ko kagabi?" He asked. I slowly nodded.
"Yes, uhm, thank you again. Nabusog rin si Paula." I licked my lower lips before I looked at him.
"Uh-huh..."
"Babalik ako 10 minutes before your meeting." Lumabas agad ako ng opisina niya.
Fuck! Ang bilis ng tibok ng puso ko, ah! Dapat ay bumisita na ako sa doktor at ipatingin ang puso ko!
Nag-trabaho ako buong mag-hapon hanggang sa kailangan ko na ulit harapin at para paalalahanan si Diego. Hindi ko kailangan sumama dahil irereport lang naman nila ang sales kay Diego these past three months.
"Boss," Pumasok ako ro'n. Nakita ko siyang patayo na rin. "Meeting po."
"I know. Thank you, Zia." Nag-tama ang paningin namin, nangatog ang tuhod ko dahil do'n. Kainis naman!
"Y-you're welcome." Tumakbo na ulit ako sa opisina ko.
Hindi ko alam kung gaano katagal 'yon pero ang alam ko ay sandali lang 'yon. Kailangan kong mag-over time dahil may mga hindi pa talaga ako tapos na trabaho na dapat ginawa noong nasa Malaysia kami pero wala kaming ibang ginawa kung hindi magbangayan.
Almost 9 PM nang matapos ako sa ginagawa. Kanina pa nakauwi si Paula at hindi ko alam kung nandito pa si Diego. Niligpit ko ang mga gamit ko at nilagay sa balikat ko ang bag.
Tinignan ko ang opisina ni Diego. Kumunot ang noo ko nang makitang parang may ilaw pa roon. Anong oras kaya umaakyat ang mga janitress?
Marahan akong naglakad papunta do'n. I knocked first, but there's no one answered. Binuksan ko 'yon at nagulat ako nang makita si Diego na nakahilig sa swivel chair at may hawak ng baso ng alak. Bakit siya naglalasing? Magmamaneho pa siya!
"Sir?" Nilingon niya ako. Nakasampay na ang coat niya sa upuan.
"Yeah? Come in." Nilapitan ko siya. Malapit niya ng makalahati ang bote ng whiskey.
"Good evening, boss. Hindi pa ba kayo uuwi? It's almost 9 PM po." Umangat ang tingin niya sakin.
"Maybe later. I still have many things to do." Umarko ang kilay ko. Many things to do? Nasan? Itong alak niya? Magaling!
"Sige, una na ako, ha?" Tinalikuran ko na siya.
"Crizia." Kinabahan ako bigla. Nilingon ko siya.
"Yes?"
"Can we talk?"
"About? Schedule ba? Or out of town meetings? As of now, wala pa-" He massage his temple.
"Talk about us, Zia."
"Boss..." Hindi parin ba siya titigil? Halos suntukin ko na siya sa galit noong nasa Malaysia kami. I don't want us to fight again!
"I don't want you to call me boss. I want you to look at me like, uhm, like we literally know each other." Tinitigan ko siya. Hindi naman siya mukhang lasing kaya...
"Hmm. Okay."
"Have a seat." Naupo ako roon. Hindi ko alam kung tama bang pumunta ako rito.
"What about us, Diego?"
"I just want to say sorry about what happened in Malaysia. I was just so pissed. I didn't mean it." I can feel the sincerity through his eyes.
"Yeah..."
"And I wanna take this opportunity to say sorry... For leaving you alone. Hindi ko alam na nawala ang parents mo nang dahil sakin. I left our house to you so you will still be comfortable even without me." Nangilid ang luha ko, umiwas agad ako ng tingin.
"Well, binenta ko. Kailangan para makalipat ako. I don't want to stay in that house, anyway. It would be torture to me." Maaalala ko lang ang mga memories namin at mas lalong hindi ako makaka-move on kung doon ako nanatili.
"A-and, about what I said that I-I love you... That was true."
Ngumisi ako. "Don't make me laugh, Diego."
"I'm serious."
"Okay. Sabihin na nating mahal mo nga ako pero that's not enough. Pinagpalit mo ako sa kompanya. Imagine, I sacrificed my parents for you, but you? Just a company, Diego. Just a company and then you'd let me go." Kahit madilim ay kita ko ang pamumula ng mata niya.
"I'm sorry..."
"Oh, damn. I'm done with your sorry's. Please don't say it anymore." Nakakarindi!
"What should I do? Gagawin ko lahat bumalik ka lang sakin." Ngumiwi ako. Hindi ba siya kinikilabutan sa sinasabi niya?
"Nothing. Naaawa na ako sa sarili ko sa pagiging tanga kaya ayoko na. Ayoko nang makita ang sarili kong oras oras umiiyak at halos mabaliw because of the pain you gave me."
Walang oras na hindi ako umiiyak noon. Kapag kakain, gigising, maliligo, mapapaisip, at matutulog. Lagi kong iniiyak ang lahat. I cried everytime and that's because of him.
"I'll do everything, Zia. Anything you want just please, come back." Ngumisi ako.
"Anything?"
"Yes. Anything."
"Buhayin mo ang parents ko." Parang binagsakan ng langit at lupa ang mukha niya. I need to say sorry to my parents. Gusto kong maramdaman nila ang pagsisisi ko.
"Zia..."
"Anything, right? Ayan na." Nanginig ang boses ko.
"Babe..."
"Don't call me that. It gives me cringe." And my heart is beating so fast! What the fuck. Traitor heart!
"Crizia-"
Tumayo ako. "It's late. I should go home." Dahil baka masampal ko pa siya sa galit. I need to go home. I'm tired and exhausted.
"Just a little, please? Ihahatid kita." Pinagmasdan ko siya. He looks desperate.
"No."
"Just a minute, Zia."
I think he's right. We really talk. We need our closure. Closure na pinagkait niya sakin ng mahigit limang taon. We need this, so we can finally moved on.
"Maybe you're right. We should talk so we can have a closure." Nalaglag ang panga niya sa sinabi ko. "I need to spill my thoughts. I want you to hear all my rants. All my pain. All my sufferings. Lahat lahat, Diego." Tumulo ang luha ko.
Parang mabubunutan ako ng tinik sa tuwing iniisip kong mabibigyan na rin kami ng closure.
"We need closure, Diego. I need it so I can finally marry Caleb without any doubts."
i'll try to update Spiro's story later rin since nakapag-update na ako rito.
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