Chapter 21

Alessandro Ramirez

"Carlion," tawag ko sa katropa kong nakapalumbaba sa harapan ng bulto-bultong mga papel na kung hihipan ng kaunti ay baka tangayin na ng hangin. Hindi siya ang lilipad, ang mga papel pero baka tangayin din ito dahil para itong bangkay sa itsura. Hindi na ako nagulat nang makitang may mga papel na nakalatag sa sahig. Nahilot ko na lang ang aking noo. Kung gaanong kaorganisado ito sa pera, ganito kagulo ito sa ibang bagay. Iritable kong sinipa ang papel malapit sa sapatos ko.  The moron finally looked up and even had the audacity to grimace at me. I wanted to comment about the bags under his eyes but I needed to know what I came here for as soon as possible. "Where's Brielle?" Nanatili itong tahimik at hindi man lang nagbago ang ekspresyon sa kanyang mukha nang lumapit na ako sa kanyang mesa. I eyed the trash bins filled with crumpled paper in disgust. "And by the way, you badly need a fucking secretary."

He shook his head and adjusted his glasses.

"Only if it's Celebes Enna Escuadro." Nagpanting ang tenga ko sa walang gana nitong sagot pero hindi ako dapat magpaapekto sa panunuya nito. Kitang-kita ko naman ang kinang sa lagi nitong malamig na tingin na para bang biglaan siyang nakakita ng limpak-limpak na pera. "Just kidding. She's too expensive."

Damn right. I clenched my jaw since I almost voiced that out. I couldn't fucking show to this opportunist that everything about or pertaining to or related to or anything regarding Celebes is a whole fucking big of a deal for me. She's fucking mine. But I can't let him know that she's my weakness.

I'm still in my right mind so I wouldn't admit that. All of my friends know that I am getting married to Brielle and it better stay that way. Celebes isn't the type of girl you'll bring in front of the altar.

For some reason, the thought left a bad taste in my mouth as if telling me not to tell that to a soul. Well, I guess, I mean maybe someday someone will bring her in front of the altar—

Gusto kong magwala sa naiisip kaya mas lalo na akong naguluhan sa sarili. Nagmadali pa naman ako pumarito para mabilis akong makabalik kay Celebes. Wala akong kahit katiting na tiwala sa baliw na tumawag sa aking lamok. Kung maibabalik ko lang ang oras, baka sinapak ko na lang siya nang paulit-ulit dahil sa paghalik niya kay Celebes.

Those delicious red lips are mine to have. Oh fuck. Every time I think about her, my whole body feels like it's in too deep in Celebes' delicious warm juices.

Nabalik ako sa riyalidad nang biglaang marinig si Carlion na mag-tsk-tsk-tsk.

"What?"

"I just mentioned her name and you look like you've gone to dreamland."

Tangina.

"Kutos, gusto mo?" asik ko rito at padabog na naupo sa upuan malapit sa kanyang mesa. "Get straight to the point. Why the hell did you tell me Brielle is here when she's clearly outside the country?"

"Ah," anito at tila may hinanap na papel. I groaned when the papers toppled to the floor but the serious fucker couldn't care less. He continued to throw papers around and then picked up a couple of papers. He pushed those towards me so I furrowed my brows. "She didn't leave the country, actually. I saw her a few days ago in a beach resort. It was out of my element but I was out there doing market research when I saw your Brielle frolicking on the beach with her nephew and brother-in-law."

I stared at him without any emotion written on my face. This fucker would only lie to me if he gets something from it.

"Just stop your bullshit." I pushed the papers back to him without even taking a glance at it. "I don't want to waste my time, Lion."

He snickered and began laughing like a maniac.

"I knew it." The sudden joy in his usually deadpan expression made me feel creeped out. "I knew it," pag-uulit nito sa sinabi.

"Nakahithit ka ba ng katol?"

"What is that?" maang nito at biglang natawa. "I didn't know you're fucking crazy as hell Alessandro."

"What?"

"You knew all along," sabi nito habang prenteng umupo ulit.

Binundol ako ng kaba dahil sa narinig.

"Wala akong alam sa sinasabi mo."

"You knew it!" He pointed at me as if misty-eyed. It even fucking made me remember that cuckoo seer professor in Harry Potter, only that this is the male and zombie version of her. "But since when?"

"W-What?"

Humagalpak ng tawa ang nababaliw na si Carlion pero hindi ko magawang makitawa rito dahil putangina. Mas kinabahan ako bigla.

"Kailan ka na fall out of love?"

Putragis na gagong 'to.

"Magkanong kailangan mo?" I deadpanned and took out my phone. I opened one of my online banking apps and entered the code before passing it to my wide-eyed money-loving friend. "Type the amount and your bank account."

Nagtagis ang bagang ko nang walang-ano-anong hinaklit nito ang phone ko at mabilis na tumipa. Pinakita nito ang screen na para bang pinamumukha pa talaga sa akin na naisahan niya ako.

Unti-unting kumunot ang noo ko nang mabasa ang mga numero.

"Just eight thousand eighty pesos?" I couldn't believe my eyes. Did this moron just type wrong? I thought he'd rob me thousands.

"Yeah, this just reminds you what you've become when it comes to love," he said.

What's this moron saying?

"I can't understand you," seryoso kong sabi rito.

"Figures," he murmured so I glared at him. "You don't get it? Eight zero eight zero?"

"What?"

"Turn it to digits in your mind and then letters." He fished out a pen from his pocket and started writing down the numbers. "Look, 8080. Ganito ka pagdating sa pag-ibig. BOBO."

I stared at him for while before I suddenly thought of giving him another punch in the face.

But he's right. I knew all along that I already fell out of love with Brielle. I just didn't want to face it. Who would want to admit that the woman they loved for seven long years can't make him feel anything at all anymore even when they tried to?

"Don't you dare tell anyone," pagbabanta ko rito at nagsimulang magligpit ng mga papel para ma-distract ang sarili.

"You knew she was cheating on you?"

Napatigil ako sa pagpulot ng mga papel.

"Not that long. I figured it out for a few weeks." I chuckled. "I didn't want to admit it but I was fucking relieved that she didn't love me that much."

"But when will you guys finally break up?"

Nakalimutan kong si Carlion ang pinakatsismoso sa lahat ng kakilala ko.

"I don't know."

"Will you tell Celebes that you don't love Brielle anymore?" Gaya nga ng sabi ko tsismoso itong si Carlion. Hindi ko na lang ito pinansin dahil para namang kinakausap na nito ang sarili pagkatapos. "When will I need to prepare for being a Ninong? Should I sell this information to Thane or Reigh? But this is too much fun though."

Ring. Ring. Ring.

'Brielle calling'

Walang gana kong sinagot ang tawag.

"Hello~" bungad ni Brielle sa kabilang linya. Hindi ko mapigilang mapaismid. "I'm so sorry I haven't called you right away. I've been really busy here in America." Yeah right. Alam ko namang iba ang kina-bi-busyhan nito pero wala naman akong karapatang magsalita ng kahit na ano sa pagsisinungaling ni Brielle. We're both liars. Naalala ko tuloy noong nalaman kong nasa Pilipinas lang pala ito at nagpapakasasa sa katawan ng ibang lalaki. Muntik na akong masuka. I mean cheaters don't have classes but her sister's fiance? "About the cool off, Alessandro, can we extend it to like a month more?" Aba't! Kung maka-request ng extension parang TM promo lang ah. Sawang-sawa na akong makipagplastikan at sawang-sawa na akong magpanggap na baliw na baliw sa kanya. Salamat at naimbento ang cool off. "Pretty please Sandro?"

I held myself from clicking my tongue in irritation. Since when have I felt this way with her? We should really break up before I lose my shit and tell her sister that she's fucking her future brother-in-law.

Who am I to say that though? And I don't really give a fuck.

"That's alright," I said. "You just focus on finding yourself, 'kay?"

"More like finding her brother-in-law's dick," Carlion mentioned while helping me pick up the papers he threw himself. Muntik na akong mapahagalpak Nang tawa dahil sa sinabi nito.

"Thank you so much Sandro! You're the best!"

Toot. Toot. Toot.

I just stared at the phone dumbly. This girl just really contacted me to extend the cool off. Nakalimutan yata nitong magpanggap na kumustahin ako dahil may palusot ito agad sa text.

"Sorry! I accidentally dropped my phone. Kakaligo ko lang kasi kaya nadulas sa kamay ko. I hope you're doing well!"

"Anong feeling nang maiputan sa ulo?" tanong ni Carlion habang tila nag-iisip.

"Surprised that I didn't feel any anger," I murmured while thinking about that night when Thane almost shove his dick in Celebes' face. I would've killed that moron then and there. I almost exploded in anger that night.

But when I found about Brielle's "betrayal", I was somewhat relieved that she's human too. The night of the party, Brielle was getting hammered by another guy in a hotel. I haven't gotten all the way with her so I was shocked to hear from Rieno that he heard a rumor from one of the hotel staff that a woman kept moaning loudly while being fucked in the Janitor's closet and that it was a really pretty lady.

Yes, how adventurous.

The hotel staff that was with Brielle that time was paid to keep quiet about it but well, I guess my bodyguards were more convincing than money. I had it investigated just to be sure and the CCTV really showed my "fiancee" coming out from it looking totally fucked all over made me want to laugh.

So much for saving herself for me.

Nalaman ko ring iilang taon na palang ginagawa ito ni Brielle sa akin. She had a lot of flings. I didn't know why it never occurred to me that a prim and proper lady is truly a liar who acted as if she loves me but goes to different men. I also found out that she seems to be getting closer than just sex with her own sister's fiance.

I didn't know that Hernan and Rieno from the security team are good at finding people's dirty little secrets. Or for saying they heard rumors when they must have witnessed those themselves.

I wondered why they did it when I know their personalities. They're not supposed to be into gossip or want to blabber about it to their boss, especially if it's about this said boss's fiancee.

And Brielle was too kind and too perfect to be true as if following a script for years. It impressed me and also grossed me out after thinking about it. I didn't feel any anger, not because I felt that I didn't deserve to be angry but truly because I didn't feel any concern about it at all. Iyong parte na yun ang pinakaimportante dahil saka ko lang napagtantong hindi ko na pala mahal si Brielle.

I was blinded like a fool with the illusion of love that I thought it would last forever. I only saw what I wanted to see. I could've found out earlier about Brielle's lies but I must have not cared too much to notice.

It was all a lie and I didn't know when all of it started or when it all ended. I don't even care anymore if Brielle ever truly loved me or what stopped her from loving me until now.

Because if I truly loved Brielle, I never would have let Celebes enter my life and quickly take over it.