A few minutes after Creed left, I heard my secretary speaking on the intercom. "Mr. Adriel Cervantes is outside, he's looking for you, Ma'am." Adriel? Wala akong natatandaan na may usapan kami.

"Alright, let him in."

"Right away, Ma'am."

Adriel entered after a few. He's standing like a firm respectable man but after closing the my office's door, I immediately saw the real Adriel. Still respectable minus the firm and man, perhaps.

"Bakla!" He screamed as he frantically walked towards my table.

I looked at him as I rose my brow up, lowkey asking him what is he doing here.

"Malandi ka talaga!" Eksehaderang sambit niya nang makapalapit sa akin. He sat down on the chair in front of my table as he crossed his legs.

I frowned. "What?" Ano na naman ang ginawa ko?

"Bakla ka! Bigla ka nalang nawala nung isang araw! Babalikan na sana kita, aba! Pagkakita ko pasakay ka na kay Creed!" Napangiwi ako sa paraan ng pagkakasabi niya.

I rolled my eyes. Here we go again with Adriel and his late reactions.

"I don't believe you." I looked at him nonchalantly.

"Huh? Anong you don't believe me?"

I rolled my eyes and smiled showcasing my perfect set of teeth. "What's the tea, Sis?" Pinasigla ko ang aking boses na para bang hindi na makapaghintay na marinig ang sasabihin niya.

"Anong thesis? Luka! Graduate na 'ko. At Bakla! Halatang plastic." He rolled his eyes.

I tilted my head as I sarcastically looked at him. "Seriously, why are you here?" Tanong ko na sa tingin ko ay nakapagpaalala ng tunay na sadya niya sa akin.

I saw his grimaced, kasabay iyon ng pagbagsak ng kanyang mga balikat.

"Bakla, may nakakilala sa'kin sa gay club," Nanlulumong sambit ni Adriel at ganoon nalang ang panlalaki ng aking mga mata dahil sa sinabi niya.

"What? Why would you even go there? Anong ginawa mo roon?" Nahihiwagaan pa ring tanong ko kay Adriel.

"Nagdasal!" He rolled his eyes on me. "Ano bang ginagawa roon? Duh! Utak naman!" He muttered sarcastically with a mocking face.

"Bakit kasi pumupunta ka sa ganon tapos ngayon aarte ka d'yan kasi may nakakilala sa'yo. Duh! Utak naman!" Ginaya ko ang paraan ng pagsasalita niya at bahagyang akong natawa nang makita ang pagngiwi nito.

"Hindi bagay," Nakangiwing sambit pa rin nito.

"Sa'yo man hindi bagay!" I raised my brow up on him. "What happened? Did that someone saw you kissing another man?"

His eyes widened like I said something out of his comfort. "No! I mean, I never tried doing that. And if I would, definitely not in public."

"You haven't tried to kiss a man? As in never? Ever?" Nahihiwagaang tanong ko sa kanya.

He nodded. "Hmm." My eyes dilated upon hearing him hummed.

Ang landi nitong lalaking 'to tapos sasabihin niya sa akin na hindi niya pa na-try? Really? Parang ang hirap paniwalaan.

"How about a woman? Don't tell me you also haven't tried to kiss a woman."

"Yun na nga, Bakla! Kadiri talaga! As a was saying, may nakakilala sa akin doon. Then she kissed me! The audacity of that woman." He whispered the last statement like he was telling it to his self. He gritted his teeth, seems like he's thinking of that woman. Wait what?

My eyes enlarged and frowned afterwards. "A woman? Bakit may babae roon?"

"Iyon ang hindi ko alam. Anong gagawin ko? Alam na niya?"

"Why are you stressing your self just because of that?" Simple lang 'yon. Itangi niya.

"Luka! Kung hindi lang siya matunog sa showbiz ay hindi ako magkakaganito! She's blackmailing me! She wants to pretend that we're in a relationship!" Oh my God. Ang malas niya, sa lahat ng makakakilala sa kanya sa gay club artista pa?

"Make an excuse then, dapat kahit ano sinabi mo, 'wag ka lang aamin. Unless you want the world to know?" I mocked him.

"You know what, pera lang ang katapat niyan. Patahimikin mo, kaya mo na 'yan!" Sino ang tatangi kapag pera na ang katapat? No one. Iyong iba nga nagaaral pa ng napakaraming taon para lang magnakaw ng pera ng bayan.

Tinignan niya ako na para bang napakaimposible ng sinasabi ko. "Bakla, hindi niya kailangan ng pera." Nanlulumong sagot niya.

"What? Of course she would accept--wait who is she? Unless she's a Zaldivar then she really won't--" Natigilan ako at unti-unting namilog ang mga mata nang makita ang pagbabago ng ekspresyon ni Adriel.

Binuksan ko ang aking bibig ngunit walang salitang lumabas doon.

Muli kong sinubukan at hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili na hindi magtaas ng boses. "Oh my God! It's Peony Zaldivar! Ang malas mo nga! Sa dami ng Zaldivar na makakakilala sa'yo sa gay club si Peony pa. Pwede namang si Aislinn na lang pero hindi! Si Peony pa talaga." Eksehaderang sambit ko. Just wow.

"Aislinn is a lawyer, baka lang nakakalimutan mo? Are you expecting her to enter that kind of place?" Puno ng sarkasmong balik sa akin ni Adriel.

I pouted at him annoyingly. "I didn't expect that Peony will enter that kind of place as well. Actually, all of the Zaldivars" I shrugged. The Zaldivars. They are the epitome of perfection.

I tilted my head. "Wait, why don't you return the favor? Blackmail her that she'll be the next in the news if she won't stop her craziness. With the headline 'Peony Zaldivar, seen in one of the gay club'." Napangisi ako sa sinabi at sa huli ay napailing na lang sa sarili.

"I have no proof while she have," Nanlulumong sambit niya, then he looked at me with wide eyes. "Anyway, I have to go." Agad siyang tumayo at naglakad paalis. Para bang may bigla siyang naisip kung paano gagawan ng paraan ang problema. My brow arched. He really just told me what happened.

Tumapat si Adriel sa pinto ng aking opisina at kasabay noon ang pagbukas nito.

I saw Creed standing firmly while holding a paper bag with a familiar logo in it.

I can't see Adriel's expression but Creed's looking at him with cold eyes.

I rose up and walked towards the two. Unti-unti kong nakita ang ekspresyon ni Adriel. Lalaking lalaki ang tindig nito na para bang hindi nagiinarte kanina dahil lang nahalikan ng babae. He shifted in his position and smirked at Creed.

Sa paraan ng pagngisi ni Adriel na para bang nanunuya, palagay ko ay hindi ako makakapagtimpi roon. If I am Creed I would punch Adriel hard in the face.

"Creed!" Tawag ko kaya nabaling sa akin ang atensyon ng dalawa.

I smiled and turned to Adriel. "Akala ko aalis ka na." Lowkey asking him to leave peacefully. My eyes narrowed when he faced me and encircled his arm around my waist, akmang hahalik ito ng iniwas ko ang aking mukha kaya hindi dumikit sa akin ang kanyang labi. Hindi nakita ni Creed ang reaksyon ni Adriel dahil sa akin nakaharap ang huli.

He chuckled and mouthed. "Rupokpok." My eyes widened because of that. He cleared his throat. "I'll see you tomorrow," Malisyosong sambit nito bago ako tuluyan pinakawalan.

"Ferron," Sambit ni Adriel dahil nakaharang pa rin si Creed sa pinto at hindi siya makaraan.

Walang salitang tumabi si Creed ngunit hindi inaalis ang malamig na titig. Ngumisi pa si Adriel at bahagyang tinapik ang balikat ni Creed bago tuluyang umalis. I slowly shook my head. Pangasar talaga.

I turned to Creed and smiled when our eyes met. "Eat this," He muttered, pertaining to the food he bought.

I glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. "Its already almost twelve, sabay na tayo."

He nodded.

I walked towards the other side of my office. There's a sectional couch in it, replicating the color of the whole office and a square glass coffee table in the middle.

I sat down on the couch, ganoon rin ang ginawa ni Creed sa aking tabi.

I was just staring at him while he's preparing the food.

Our eyes met and I immediately tilted my head. "Let's eat?"

He nodded his head. Hindi pa rin nagsasalita. Sa una ay nakatingin lang siya sa akin at nang makita na kumakain na ako ay saka niya lang binalingan ang sariling pagkain.

"Why are you doing this?" Tanong ko ngunit nasa pagkain ang aking tingin.

"Finish your food first." I pouted and turned to my food. Minadali ko pa ang pagkain dahil gusto ko na, na makapagusap kami ni Creed.

Bumaling ako sa kanya nang makita na tapos na ito. I smiled while I can feel my beating fast than the usual. I don't know why, siguro ay kinakabahan ako sa maaari naming mapagusapan. "Magusap na tayo."

"Tell me, why are you here? Why are you doing this?" Pinasigla ko ang aking boses, mabuti at hindi iyon nanginig. "I mean-" I hesitated if I should open that topic but yeah, I should. "You're getting married." Lumiit ang boses ko nang sambitin ang huling salita ngunit sapat naman iyon upang marinig ni Creed.

He frowned and a deep furrow formed in his brow. "I'm getting married?" Mabagal ang pag sambit niya sa bawat salita na para bang hindi nakuha ang aking sinabi.

My brow arched because of his response. "Yes! And don't you dare deny it! I saw the invitation, invited pa nga ako!"

"Of course you are. But, did I already asked for your hand? I can't remember asking for it yet."

What the hell is he talking about?

I frowned as I tilted my head. "What are you implying? That I'm lying?" I saw it, malinaw sa aking kung ano ang nakita ko at hindi ako maaaring magkamali.

"No! You're-"

Agad kong pinutol ko ang sasabihin nito. "Then its true that you're marrying Cerys. When is it again? Oh! A month from now, if I am not mistaken." Sarkastikong sambit ko.

"Why would I marry her?"

"Why would you marry a woman? Because you love her, simple as that."

"I love you, not her. I wouldn't marry anyone unless it's you, remember that."

I felt my jaw fell opened because of what he have said. I don't think I heard it right. Sinubukan ko na magsalita ngunit walang boses na lumabas sa aking bibig.

"I'm really sorry, Vinia. Sorry for not remembering you and our baby. I'm sorry I wasn't there for the two of you." I bit my lower lip as I felt my tears slowly forming in my eyes when I remembered our baby. She died because of me, it is my fault.

"N-naaalala mo na 'ko?" I stammered. His words don't want to sink in my mind.

Our eyes met and he gently pulled me closer to him as he encircled his arms around me.

He didn't answer but he doesn't have to because I already know the answer. "I miss you, Vinia, so much. I'm sorry."

Narinig ko ang mga sinasabi ni Creed ngunit hindi ko alam kung paano iyon sasagutin. Pinakawalan niya ako kasabay ng pagtulo ng aking mga luha.

Nagtama ang aming tingin. Ikinulong niya ang aking pisngi gamit ang kanyang kamay, kasabay noon ang pagpalis niya ng mga luha roon.

I bit my lower lip as I looked at him. He's still wiping my tears rolling down my cheeks. Pakiramdam ko ay malapit ng dumugo ang aking labi dahil sa mariing pagkagat ko roon.

I held his wrists and removed his hands on my face when I remembered something. "How about the invitation? I saw it, Creed. It's an invitation of your marriage with Cerys."

He frowned. "Who sent you the invitation?"

"You-you're secretary, si Cerys."

Mataman niya akong tinignan. "I won't marry her, I broke up with her the moment you left my office with that Cervantes." Mariin ang sambit niya sa huling sinabi.

Cerys, his secretary is Sela. Cerys is his girlfriend and I saw their wedding invitation. Why did he broke up with her? And their daughter, nasaan ang anak nila ni Cerys.

"Why?" Sa dami ng gusto kong sabihin ay iyon lang ang lumabas sa aking bibig.

His brow arched. "I promised you, can't you remember?" Oh, wow! The audacity of this man. Ako pa ang hindi makaalala?

"What did you promised?" I raised my brow up, mocking him.

"This won't forget you." He placed his index finger on his chest. "Remember?" He smirked.

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