CHAPTER 3

SYL KNEW SHE SHOULD feel something after seeing Ream Oliveros again, but at that moment, she felt nothing towards the man she chose to be with in Bali. Maybe because there was nothing to be happy about. So what if she saw Ream again? So what if he was still nice? She was married and if she tried anything, her parents would skin her alive.

And it was not like she had a chance of happiness with Ream. There was nothing for her but misery and Ream couldn't save her from that. If Ream found out that she was married, he'd leave her, and it would be another pain in her life that she didn't need. Hindi niya kailangan ng isa pang tao na magbibigay at magpaparamdam sa kaniya ng sakit. Tama na 'yong mga taong nasa palaigid niya ngayon. At least with them, she was already used to it and knew how to defend herself from them.

That was what Syl thought, but a few days later, she met Ream again at a charity ball her mother was invited to. She was not supposed to go, but her mother insisted, said she needed someone with her since her father didn't want to go. So Syl wore the dress her mother chose for her—a dress that covered her shoulders, arms, and legs—and attended the charity ball.

And there he was. Ream Oliveros. In the flesh.

And through the night, after socializing and listening to gossip, she learned that Ream Oliveros was invited by the young CEO of Morgania Industry, Holly Morgan. And that was where Syl also learned who Ream Oliveros was. A famous jeweler. One of the most sought after in the industry, and it looked like Holly Morgan was after him.

Gustong umiwas ni Syl, pero nang mapansing gusto rin siyang iwasan ni Ream, hindi na siya nagtangka pa at tahimik na sinamahan ang ina sa charity ball. Her forced smile was plastered on her lips the whole night and her smile was starting to crack after a while. She was getting sick of it, so she excused herself, earning a subtle glare from her mother that she ignored, and went to the terrace to take a break and breathe.

Panay ang hinga nang malalim ni Syl ng may tumabi sa kaniya sa terasa.

"Tired of forcing yourself to smile?" Ream's baritone voice filled her ear and she unconsciously stepped away from him, and it didn't go unnoticed. "Am I that scary or do you just dislike me?"

Don't do anything, Syl, pakiusap niya sa sarili. Don't start something that will hurt you in the end. She kept her mouth shut and didn't answer Ream.

Sensing that Syl didn't want to talk, Ream sighed and looked at the garden below the terrace. "I looked for you when you left me that morning," Ream confessed, because it might be the last time he saw her. "I went back to Bali hoping that I'll see you there again, but no luck." Ream took a deep breath and sipped from his wine glass. "I guess it's not just a one-time thing for me like I wanted to believe. I mean, if I'm not that into you, five months is more than enough to forget you." Ream chuckled as if something was humorous. "But here I am approaching you, knowing that you don't like it. I'm sorry, Syl. I just can't help it."

Syl hardened her resolve to not do anything that would end badly for her—because everything she did for the sake of her happiness always ended badly. And she was sick of hoping that she'd find her happiness only to be crushed and stomped at the end.

I'm tired of hoping that I'll be happy.

"Syl, I—"

"So, you're here!" Holly exclaimed when she entered the terrace and saw Ream.

When Syl heard Holly's voice, she immediately left the terrace and went back to her mother.

In her mind, she was rooting for Ream and Holly. The two deserved each other. Both young, wealthy, and free. Compared to Holly, she had nothing, not even a penny for herself.

"Saan ka ba nagpunta?" May gigil sa boses ng ina pero hindi lang nito pinahalata at nanatili itong nakangiti.

"Nagpahangin lang, Ma," aniya.

Her mother rolled her eyes. "I told you not to leave my side. You saw my 'kumare's' daughters, right? Prim, proper, and pretty. Hindi puwedeng matalo nila ako. Hamak na mas maganda ka naman keysa sa mga 'yon."

Hindi na lang umalma si Syl dahil hindi naman makikinig sa kaniya ang ina.

"Syl, this party is for charity. Why don't you donate?"

Syl couldn't help looking at her mother in disbelief. Anong ibibigay niya? Wala siyang pera! Gusto niyang isigaw 'yon sa ina pero kinimkim niya na lang 'yon sa sarili niya. "Ma, wala akong pera."

Her mother clicked her tongue. "Dinsyl, we can't let these people get ahead of us. Kung wala kang pera diyan, ayos lang. Just write a cheque and put a fund on your account tomorrow. Izaak is rich. You can always ask him for money."

Umiling si Syl. "Ma, wala talaga akong pera at ayokong—"

"Hush!" her mother hissed at her. "Write a cheque now!"

"But mom—"

"Do you want to be disciplined again, Dinsyl?"

Mabilis na umiling si Syl na may kakabit na takot. "No, Ma."

Her mother smiled softly. "Then write a cheque."

Syl wanted to say no, but remembering the discipline she'd endure if she did, her cold hands reached for her cheque book in her clutch bag and wrote a cheque that would bounce if she didn't put a fund on her account tomorrow.

I have to do something. Fast!

Syl handed the cheque to the organizer, and as she turned around, her eyes unconsciously locked with Ream, who was staring at her while Holly was beside him.

He offered a smile, but Syl looked away and returned to her mother.

Seeing Syl treating him like they didn't know each other, Ream sighed heavily, and it didn't go unnoticed to Holly.

"Are you okay, Ream?" Holly caressed Ream's shoulder affectionately. "Do you need something? I'll provide it for you. Anything at all."

Ream smiled and shook his head slightly. "I'm just not feeling well," he lied.

"Oh my." Holly immediately became worried. "I'll drive you to your home."

"No need, Holly." Ream's smile was polite, like his smiles towards his clients. "A friend of mine is picking me up. Excuse me for a minute."

When Ream turned to excuse himself, Holly was annoyed that her advances were not working. Looks like I have to work my charm.

Turning his back on Holly, Ream pulled his phone from his pocket and called Sanford.

"I'm busy, you know." 'Yon kaagad ang sinabi ni Khairro nang sagutin nito ang tawag.

Ream shook his head as he entered the terrace. "I feel so loved, Sanford."

"Fuck off. I'm on duty."

Ream smiled. "Could you pick me up?"

"Hell no—"

"So, does that mean you're giving me permission to drive under the influence of alcohol?"

"Hell no!" Sanford hissed. "You, motherfucker! Subukan mo, ikukulong kita."

Ream chuckled. "You're the nearest friend I know, and I really need someone to pick me up since I'm not feeling well."

Kaagad na nakuha ni Sanford ang ibig sabihin ni Ream na kaagad itong ikinatawa. Sanford was always like that, laughing at someone's misery. Well, all his friends were. "You're declining a woman now?"

Ream shrugged. "I'm not into her." He turned around and from the terrace, he looked at Syl who was talking to a middle-aged woman. "I'm into someone else."

Sanford whistled. "Damn, Oliveros. Didn't know you were smooth like butter."

Mahinang natawa si Ream habang nakatingin pa rin kay Syl. "How I wish I am."

"Damn, man. You're really into someone?" paniniguro ni Khairro.

"Why? Itsi-tsismis mo sa iba?"

Khairro chuckled and didn't even deny it. "I need facts before I spread it to our friends, so come clean now."

Napailing si Ream sa kaibigan. "Just pick me up. I'll send you the address. Bye!"

Hindi na hinintay ni Ream ang sagot ni Khairro, pinatayan niya ito ng tawag dahil alam niyang susunduin naman siya nito. Though if it was Thorn he called, there was no guarantee. That asshole was a mean motherfucker.

Leaning his back on the terrace, his eyes found Syl again. She looked distraught while talking to the same middle-aged woman again. Is that her mother? Ream sighed. I should've asked around about her. But Ream was not inclined to do so because it felt like he was invading Syl's privacy if he asked someone else about her. Because if she wanted him to know about her, she'd tell him, right?

Napabuntonghininga ulit si Ream. Should I ask for advice from my married friends? Zapanta was the first one to get married, and at an early age at that. Should I give him a call? Hindi nagpadalos-dalos si Ream. Inisip muna niya kung sino sa mga kaibigan niya ang pinagdaanan na ang sitwasyon niya ngayon at kung sinong kaibigan niya ang makakatulong sa kaniya.

Ream knew Zapanta met his wife through his mother's friend, and they hit it off. Well...I'm pretty sure my mother doesn't know Syl's mother.

Then, Vergara kidnapped his wife—that's illegal, so I'm not doing that.

Wolkzbin met his wife through arranged marriage. Train didn't like it at first, but after what happened to his father, he agreed. My father is healthy as a horse and he believes in freedom when it comes to choosing life partners, so that's not going to happen to me.

Then there's Lander. Vienna left him and then came back after. Lander was a mess and in denial about it, but they still got together. Well, I'm not in denial, so...yeah. Not for me.

Vargaz, maybe? He was so into Etheyl that he accepted her and her child that turned out to be his in the end. What a small world, but not for me either. Ream looked at Syl's stomach. Nothing in there and I used protection.

How about Montero? Ream was sure that Dark had a crush on his wife first before they formally met. And after his wife broke it off with her ex-fiancé, Dark swooped in and the rest was history. Well, I definitely found Syl attractive when I saw her in the bar in Bali. Hmm...okay, I'll put Dark first on my 'who-to-call' list.

Then there was Stroam who had a weird and crazy wife, so he's off his list. Shun Kim was also off his list since Ream knew what Shun would do if he called. Rather than advice, Shun would surely give him info that he had to pay for. I don't want that. I want to know Syl personally.

And the Coleman twins. I'm pretty sure what happened to Lash will not happen to me, and I have no plans of kidnapping anyone, like what Lath and Iuhence did. Ream didn't even know why their wives married them. They were kidnapped, for Pete's sake.

Thinking that, Ream sent a chat to their 'MALALAKI AT MAHAHABA GROUP CHAT'.

Ream Oliveros: @IuhenceVergara @LathColeman I thought about something. Your wives should have sued your asses for kidnapping rather than marry you two. Just saying 🤷🏻

Iuhence Vergara: 🖕🏻

Lash Coleman: 🖕🏻

Ream shrugged at the motherfuckers' reply and continued dissecting his friends love lives in his head while comparing it to his situation.

Volkzki hated Spain and Japan, but he was now married to a half-Spanish and half-Japanese woman. Hmm...not for me either since his wife was so innocent.

That left Sudalga and Ylmaz. Not for me either. But I guess I could give them a call for random advice? Especially Sudalga. He got it hard. And Evren's wife was feisty. Maybe he could ask Ylmaz how to handle a woman like that. Syl was not feisty, but she didn't want to talk to him.

Ream let out a loud breath and inwardly groaned when he saw Holly follow him to the terrace. If she was not a new big client, he wouldn't be so polite to her advances.

"Are you feeling well now?" Holly asked him.

Ream shook his head. "Not really, but I'll be fine."

"You can rest in my room if you want while waiting for your friend to pick you up," Holly offered with a smile.

Ream's eyes settled on Syl again. She was pretending to smile again. "I can't. My friend is already on his way."

"Oh. Well, um, do you want to have dinner sometime?"

She just doesn't give up, huh? "My schedule is packed, so I can't say when I will be free."

"I can wait."

Ream didn't want to be rude, but he also didn't want to give Ms. Morgan any hope that he might be interested. Facing Ms. Morgan, he gave it to her straight. "I'm actually into someone else and I want it to work with her, so I'm sorry."

But Holly was not fazed and smiled more flirtatiously while running the tip of her fingers against his chest. "I can be your dirty little secret. She'll never know."

"But I'll know and I'm not that kind of guy." Ream carefully pushed Holly's hand away. "I'm sorry."

"What if I told you I won't buy from your jewelry store anymore?" Holly became haughty, trying to use her 'client' card on Ream.

Ream shrugged, unaffected. "If that's what you want, I can't really force you."

Holly's face contorted in annoyance that she couldn't get what she wanted—Ream Oliveros. "Ano bang mayroon ang babaeng gusto mo na wala ako? Is she prettier than me? Wealthier? More successful? Better in bed?"

Ream smiled and didn't answer Holly's provocative questions. "I'm sorry. I can't answer that, but I can tell you that she has my whole attention and my affection, so I can't do it with you. Excuse me."

Ream left Holly on the terrace and entered the hall. He wanted nothing more than to approach and talk to Syl again, but knowing how vicious some women could be when they couldn't get what they wanted, he didn't approach Syl to keep her away from Holly. Instead, he stepped out of the house and waited for Sanford in his car.

A moment later, Ream felt like his world came alive when he saw Syl exiting the house with the middle-aged woman she was with the whole night. But his world turned dark when he saw the woman slap Syl. Hard.

"What the..."

His world turned even darker when he saw Syl raise her hands flat up to her waist, and the middle-aged woman took off her high-heeled shoe and smashed the heel on the back of Syl's hand.

Ream flinched, but Syl didn't even react. As if it was nothing. As if she was used to it.

Fuck! Furious at what he just witnessed, Ream stepped out from his car, but Syl and the woman already entered a white Mercedes. Before he could reach the car, it was already driving away. "Damn it!"

Ream hurriedly returned to his car, planning to follow the white Mercedes, but before he could leave the driveway, a lunatic blocked his way. It was none other than Khairro Sanford, the one he called to pick him up.

Pero wala siyang oras para kay Sanford, kaya binusinahan niya ito para umalis sa harapan ng sasakyan niya, pero ang gago, inilabas ang posas nito at nginitian siya.

Groaning, Ream stopped his car and stepped out. "Move!"

"DUI, my friend. Sorry." And then the motherfucker just slapped the handcuffs on his wrist.

Ream was too speechless at what happened that he let Sanford put him on the passenger seat and Sanford drove. And to his surprise, Sanford drove to where the Mercedes went.

"Thanks," ani Ream na naka-posas pa rin.

"I don't accept thanks. Tell me I'm amazing."

Ream was against it, but Sanford was following the Mercedes, so, "You're amazing."

Nagsalubong ang kilay ni Khairro. "Bakit parang labas sa ilong ang pagkakasabi mo?"

"Maybe because it is?"

Khairro clicked his tongue. "Whatever. I know I'm amazing."

Ream didn't comment on that and just looked ahead while remembering what he saw in the parking lot. Was that why she wouldn't even talk to me? She's being abused?

Ream didn't know what he could do for Syl, but he would surely do something for her. The question was, would Syl accept it? 

CECELIB | C.C.