Nahinto sa paglapit si Holly kay Kalish ng marinig niyang may kausap ito sa cellphone. Hindi man niya maintindihan dahil hindi pamilyar na lenggwahe ang gamit nito'y alam niyang may kinalaman iyon sa naunsyaming pag- uwi ng binata sa Roma. Kalish was on the garden, and she was somewhere behind the hedge of white hydrangeas.

Nang ibaba ng binata ang cellphone ay hindi na siya nakapagtago pa ng awtomatikong lingunin nito ang direksyong kinaroroonan niya. At 'di na siya nakagalaw sa kinatatayuan ng magsimulang humakbang palapit sa kanya ang binata. Nahigit niya ang kanyang hininga ng kabigin siya nito palapit upang ikulog sa yakap nito.

"K- Kalish..."

"Your heartbeats tell me that I'm breathing reality." He whispered and she suddenly felt at ease by the mere sound of his steady breathing.

"I just realized that I made things complicated for you and... and I'm feeling so guilty for not feeling sorry." Pag- amin niya sa mahinang tinig at naramdaman niya ang pagngiti ng binata sa sinabi. Iniangat niya ang mukha upang tingnan ito. "I'm a very selfish woman, Kalish." Her voice broke, fearing that it would disappoint him.

"Would you believe me that I like how selfish you are?" He asked, staring directly into her eyes. Then, he made a small space between them. His hands crawled up to his elbows as he stared at her in depth she couldn't imagine she could reach.

"I'm all aware that you're still so young." He muttered. "And soon whatever feelings you have for me will fade."

"D- Do you think so?" She asked, somewhat hurt by how he measure her feelings for him. But could she blame him? She was always hesitant aside from being so distant. And she never did once tell him she was falling for him.

"Permanence is only seen in change, Holly."

"So eventually, you would change, too." She breathed weakly.

Hindi nagsalita ang binata. Sa halip ay inilabas nito ang suot na kwintas mula sa pagkakatago sa loob ng suot na damit at hinubad iyon.

It was a small golden medallion about a size of a one peso coin. There were foreign symbols engraved there and one thing was for sure, the medallion was made of pure gold.

'Di na siya nakahuma pa ng isuot sa kanya ng binata ang kwintas. At bago pa man siya makapagtanong ay inunahan na siya nito.

"This medallion is me, Holly. This will always protect you." Anang binata at hindi siya makahagilap ng sasabihin pa. Awtomatikong umangat ang isa niyang kamay upang salatin ang medallion na saktong tumapat sa kanyang puso.

"This seems important to you. Thank you for trusting me with this." Pinilt niyang ngumiti bagaman dismayado dahil wala siyang nahintay na sagot rito.

"Holly, you are the woman I wish to marry." He confessed straightforwardly and she was stunned.

Pumatlang ang katahimikan sa pagitan nilang dalawa. His eyes never drifted away from her and his eyes even overcame the universal solvent for she felt like melting iron under his warm dark gaze. She started to shake, her eyes brimming tears. How should she react? She's delighted, yes! She's confused, also a yes! Everything was happening in a fast pace that her emotions can't keep up.

"B- But why? You... You're not even in love with me." She asked in a hoarse voice; half worried, half anticipating.

"Am I not?" He asked and his facial expressions didn't even change.

"W- Why are you asking me that?" She asked shakily, almost not believing.

"Because I want to ask you, too. You are here with me... and stopped me from leaving. Why would you do that if you're not even in love with me?"

"When did I not?" She asked back and it was his time to be dumbfounded. And somehow, it was giving her some courage to profess. "Out in the woods, I kissed a man whom I thought was an angel. And although I know that he was really not, I still kissed him.... I still kissed you..."

"That night at the pool, I need no proof to know that it was you... but I still kissed you." He breathed.

"Now, can you take it back?" She asked making him frown. "Can you take back what you said about me being young, that my feelings for you would somehow fade?"

Kalish didn't speak. It was as if he needed a while to take everything into him.

"Yes, I am young. But what I feel for you would certainly never fade, Kalish... it will grow."

After a while, Kalish finally smiled. "Should we grow them together?" He asked.

"Together." She replied, smiling.

...............

Mabilis na bumaba si Holly ng makarinig ng malakas na sigaw na nanggagaling sa sa sala ng bahay ni Kalish. Nasa dulong ibaba na siya ng hagdan ng matanaw niyang may kausap na babae ang binata at base sa ekspresyon ng mukha ng babae'y bakas ang matinding galit nito sa binata. Bukod sa dalawa'y may nakatayo ring mga lalaki sa bawat sulok ng sala at lahat ay nakasuot ng black na suit.

"You can't just say no and dump me like nothing happened, Kalish!" The woman bawled in burning fury as she stared at the impassive Kalish with fiery eyes. Her accent was telling Holly that the woman was an Italian, too.

The woman was a beauty, with a long wavy hair and brown doe eyes. Matangkad din ito at kababakasan ng sopistikasyon ang paggalaw bukod lamang sa pagtaas ng boses nito na tila wala na itong pakialam kung may iba mang taong naroon o wala. Agad siyang nakaramdam ng panibugho ngunit lumala pa iyon sa sunod na narinig.

"I am the only woman you could marry, Kalish Russet."

Napaatras siya sa sa narinig. Sa paghakbang ay hindi niya namalayan ang pagdating ng kasambahay na may dalang tray ng tea at naatrasan niya ito. Napasinghap siya kasabay ng natatarantang pagtili ng kasambahay ng matapon sa kanya ang dalang mainit na tsaa nito.

Nalipat sa kanila ang atensyon ng mga nag- uusap sa sala. 'Di magmakamayaw sa paghingi ng tawad sa kanya ang kasambahay samantalang siya'y natataranatang nakipulot na rin sa piraso ng mga basag na tasa sa sahig. Namalayan na lamang niyang inaalalayan na siya patayo ni Kalish at iniangat ang kamay niya kung saan nagdurugo na ang kanyang hintuturo.

"S- Sir... sorry po. Sorry po talaga." Nanginginig na paghingi ng tawad ng kasambahay na tila maiiyak na.

Kalish looked at her bleeding finger. His breathing was deceptively calm, his eyes dark with unpronounced infuriation.

"K- Kalish..." She breathed shakily, reaching for him using her free hand but it dangled in the air when she heard the beautiful woman's voice.

"I can see that you added another commoner in this house." The woman's voice was distinctly beautiful that the room seemed to ignite when she spoke.

Hindi nagsalita si Kalish. He quietly fished out his handkerchief from his pocket and used it to cover Holly's bleeding finger.

The woman's well- defined eyebrow twitched as she looked at Holly from her toes up to her face. Holly swallowed painfully, feeling so small as the woman study her like some specimen.

She felt so unpresentable wearing her tea- stained white sleeping gown while the woman in front her who claimed to be only Kalish's worthy bride wore an elegant stain- free white dress and she couldn't see any trace of creases there. Finesse was very evident even in the way her eyebrows twitch and the way her eyes scrutinized.

"Wait 'til the elders know about this." She spoke again, threatening.

"Vafancullo, Martina!" Kalish burst out, his jaws tensed as his grip on Holly's hand tightened.

Holly was shaken as she stared at the enraged Kalish Russet. Maging ang babaeng tinawag nitong Martina ay hindi rin makapaniwala habang nakatingin sa binata. Nanlalaki ang mga mata nito at nanginginig ang nakaawang na mga labi.

"W- What did you just say? Did you just curse at me?" Nanggagalaiting bulalas ng babae.

Kalish heaved a deep sigh, obviously trying to keep his patience at bay. "Nobody's asking for your opinion here, Martina." He remarked in gritted teeth. "Back off and might as well go back to your royal carriage and fly back to Rome while I'm still nice to you." He added in a deceptively calm sarcasm.

Martina exaggeratedly exhaled in mock amusement then her expression changed from derision to wrath when she noticed the gold chain around Holly's neck. Walang pasabing tinawid nito ang distansyang nakapagitan sa kanila at hiniklat ang neckline ng damit ni Holly sa labis na panggigilalas ng huli. Mabilis na iniharang ni Kalish ang sarili sa pagitan ng dalawang babae ngunit nakita na ni Martina ang pruwebang nais makita.

The woman started laughing manically, feeling disbelief, derision and fury all at the same time. She pointedly looked at Holly making the latter fliched back.

"How dare you give the medallion to a low- class, Kalish Russet!" The woman exploded, feeling utterly insulted. "Had you lost all your remaining decency to offer some low- life your name?

Holly can feel how Kalish's breathing labored as the muscles on his back tensed. Nais niyang pakalmahin ang binata ngunit paano niya magagawa iyon kung maging siya'y hindi magawang kumalma?

The tension aroud the room was so heavy she felt like she was breathing fumes.

"Leave my house, Martina." Kalish breathed in restraint ire, clearly trying to keep his sanity at hand. "Get your face out my sight before I step my feet and break your incorrigible mouth." His low voice was deviously calm that everyone in the room felt the chill at the back of their necks. It was more than enough to menace the peevish Martina who for the first time saw the unleashed monster inside Kalish Russet who managed to stay calmed and refined despite the unsolicited situation. And she hated herself for liking him more after what happened. But she hated Holly more for seizing away her chance to be one of the most powerful women in Rome.

Martina wouldn't let herself be the loser. She raised her face high and smirked at the young count. "We're not yet done, Kalish Russet. You'll definitely regret the day you let go of a Martina Gevera."

"Tell me something I don't hear from the movies, Martina." Kalish remarked lazily. "Lasciare e non monstrare mai il tou volto ame." (Leave and don't ever show your face to me again.)

"Serai stanco di lei e tornerai da mi in ginocchio." (You will get tired of her and you'll come back to me on your knees.)

Kalish grinned, almost lazily. "If I'd be on my knees, it would only be because of her."

............

Holly was taking her time looking at Kalish while he was dressing her small cut on the finger. Kung 'di lang niya ito napilit ay nais pa nitong dalhin siya sa ospital. Ayon dito'y kailangan din daw macheck- up ang balat niyang natapunan ng tea kanina. And as for the maid who accidentally poured tea on her, she wasn't fired by Kalish but was ordered to stay away within Holly's range.

She didn't know where all his restlessness was coming from. Hindi man nito sabihin ay alam niyang tila napakabig deal ng maliit na sugat sa daliri niya at ng pagkapaso niya kaninang hindi naman lumapnos sa balat niya.

They were at Kalish's room and they were both sitting at the edge of the bed. Hindi na niya naiiwas pa ang tingin ng biglang iangat ng binata ang tingin sa kanya. She instantly flushed crimson red when Kalish smiled at her.

"Feeling better?" He asked dotingly, his thumb gently rubbing her knuckles.

"I wasn't hurt, Kalish." She whispered as she chose to drop her gaze on her lap. It was the least she can do to help her heartbeats calm down. The mere touch of Kalish was making her red in uncomfortable heat and she thought she might explode if she dared stare into his eyes.

"I just wanted to make sure." Kalish answered. His eyes looked tired but his tone light and patient. "I'm sorry about Martina." He suddenly opened the topic.

"I'm sorry about her, too." Nagbaba siya ng tingin ngunit marahang hinawakan ni Kalish ang baba niya at iniangat ang kanyang mukha upang magkasalubong sila ng mga mata.

"Please forget everything she said. You are the only one I wish to marry... and you are more than worthy to receive the heirloom."

Iniiwas niya ang tingin sa binata at kinapa ang suot na heirloom- the medallion. Bigla'y naramdaman niya ang mabigat na responsibilidad na kaakibat ng pagsusuot nito. She looked up at Kalish who was looking at her, flickers of worry passing his brown eyes.

"This isn't only about you wishing to marry me, Kalish. I can feel that there's a deeper story about this medallion. Martina's reaction of seeing me wearing this tells me that this isn't just an ordinary heirloom. I couldn't be the owner of this unless you tell me the whole truth." At last, she was able to say what's bothering her since Martina left.

Huminga ng malalim si Kalish at umayos ng upo.

"The Russets of Rome, Italy is a family with a strong hold of undying laws and standards." Kalish started to talk and she was amazed how he carried refinement even on the way he opened his mouth to speak. "The successor, at the age of 25, should marry the woman of the elder's choice. But, if in any case, the successor's in a current relationship, the woman he chose should face the elders and prove worthy of carrying the Russet's name."

She swallowed a lump in her throat. She couldn't believe that such tradition still exists at this period where everything is made easy by technology. Ngunit alam niyang may mas malalim pang dahilan kung bakit siya kinakabahan.

"The deal is... the woman should be pure, free from any blemish. Inside and outside." He continued and Holly almost stopped breathing.

"I- Inside... and outside?" She asked, her lips quivering.

"Anyone who succeeds the heirloom is not allowed to wear scars, coure mio." Kalish explained in a sweet, patient voice. "A woman scarred before marriage is a sin in the family."

Holly froze, obviously flabbergasted by the confession. Wala sa sariling napahawak siya ibabang bahagi ng kaliwang collarbone.

"A- And you made me wear this medallion without even asking of I have a scar?" She asked shakily, the rim of her eyes bloodshot with unshed tears.

Kalish's forehead furrowed as he stared at her.

Holly swallowed the scorching lump in her throat, fighting hard to keep her tears away.

"I- I'm sorry..." She whispered in trembling voice. "B- But I couldn't be your wife, Kalish."

Kalish's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at her face that remained flawless despite her threatenng tears.

Sa kabila ng panginginig ay tumayo si Holly sa harap ng binata. Kalish was stunned as Holly unsnapped the first three buttons of her button- down and pushed the fabric down her shoulders revealing the creamy white skin of her neck down to the upper part of her breast. But what made him more stunned was the crescent- shaped scar below her collarbone.