Moira couldn't tell Vince about the lie that she told Santina. She knew it would make him angry at ayaw niyang mangyari iyon. Pero habang tumatagal ay parang lalong bumibigat ang pakiramdam niya dahil sa pagsisinungaling niya kay Santina. Mabuti na nga lamang at hindi nito iyon sinabi kay Vince.

It's been two days since Santina left the house. Si Vince naman ay paalis din papuntang Paris. He'll be gone for a week. She decided to tell him when he gets back. Ayaw kasi niyang makagulo sa trabaho nito. Baka kapag sinabi niya bago ito umalis, hindi lang ito makapag-concentrate sa trabaho nito.

During office hours ay panay ang tanong ni Red kung ano ang nangyari over the weekend. She told her everything, except dun sa huling part dahil alam niyang pagagalitan lang siya nito at magsusumbong pa ito kay Vince. Hindi na rin niya sinabing ipinagkakalat ni Santina na si Troy ang ama ng anak nito. Nang banggitin kasi niyang isinunod ni Santina kay Troy ang pangalan ng anak nito ay umuusok na ang ilong ni Red sa galit.

"Kalma, 'te. Alalahanin mong buntis ka," paalala rito ni Rose.

"Ang kapal ng mukha nyang ipangalan sa anak nya ang pangalan ni Troy! Huwag ko lang talagang makikita ang hitad na 'yon kundi babalatan ko sya nang buhay!"

Red kept hurling insult after insult at naaawa na siya kay Santina kahit hindi naman nito naririnig ang mga panlalait ni Red. Tagos kasi sa kaluluwa ang mga salita nito. Kahit si Rose, pansin na rin niyang malapit nang maubusan ng pasensya.

Para pakalmahin ang buntis, naisipan niyang tawagan ang asawa nito. Troy didn't even need convincing. Nang sabihin niyang kailangan ito ni Red ay agad nitong kinumpirmang paalis na ito ng opisina. And a few minutes later, nandoon na ito at inaalo si Red, na pulang-pula na sa inis.

"E bakit ka naman kasi nagagalit?" malambing na tanong. "It's her prerogative to name her kid with any name that she wants."

"Are you defending that bitch?" Red retorted. "She obviously named her kid after you!"

"Ako lang ba ang Troy Alexander sa mundo?"

"No. But you're the only one she's in love with!"

Bumuntong-hininga si Troy. Bumaling ito sa kanila and with a strained voice, said, "Can you leave us for a minute please?"

Agad naman silang lumabas ni Rose. Nagpaalam na rin ito dahil may gagawin pa raw ito. Vince is busy the whole day. Sabagay, kailan ba naman ito hindi naging busy? She wanted to spend the whole day with him, but it would be selfish of her to take him away from work.

Kaya ginawa nalamang niyang abala ang sarili sa trabaho.

After a few minutes ay lumabas na si Troy mula sa opisina ni Red. Naiiling itong ngumiti sa kanya.

"Kalmado na?"

"Medyo," sagot nito. "Listen, I need to get back to the office. I have a meeting with my father. If she acts up again, just try to soothe her, okay? Kung hindi talaga kaya, then call me."

Tumango siya. "Okay. I'll do that."

"Thanks."

"Uhm, Troy... may sasabihin pa pala ako sa 'yo. Hindi ko 'to sinabi kay Red kasi alam kong magwawala sya."

His eyebrows furrowed in concern.

"What is it?"

"Not only did Santina name her kid after you, but she's also telling people na ikaw ang ama ng anak nya."

-

Troy left the office angry. Noon pa lamang niya ito nakitang ganoon kagalit. Troy and Red are alike in many ways, pero bibihira itong magalit. Sabi nga ni Vince ay naging pasensyoso raw ito mula nang makasal ang dalawa dahil kung palagi nitong sasabayan ang galit ni Red ay hindi magtatagal ang mga ito.

And speaking of Vince, plinano nitong umuwi nang maaga to spend time with her and Kelvin bago ito umalis. He'll be flying to Paris late in the evening at ang gusto nito'y magkakasama silang tatlo bago ito umalis.

Nagtataka man ay hindi na niya itinanong kung bakit sa Paris ito pupunta. Sa pagkakaalam kasi niya ay walang branch ang kumpanya sa Europe. Kung may plano man ng expansion, it'll take years for the plan to roll out. But she heard that it was his father's idea to send Vince to Paris, so she kept mum about it. Ano nga ba naman ang pakialam niya sa business ng mga ito?

But still, she can't hide the fact that she's bothered by it. Hindi lang niya alam kung bakit.

Nagpaalam na siya kay Red para umuwi nang mag-alas sais ng gabi. Vince waited for her in the parking lot. They don't publicly display their relationship in public. Vince neither confirmed nor denied the rumors about them. He knew that if he denies it, she'll be hurt. At kapag naman inamin nito, lagot ito sa daddy nito.

They do not hold hands. Bihirang-bihira rin silang magsabay kumain, at madalas ay may kasama silang iba. It's hard to keep the relationship a secret at hindi niya alam kung hanggang kailan sila ganoon.

"Hey. You look preoccupied," puna ni Vince nang puntahan niya ito.

"Hangover sa work," dahilan naman niya.

He opened the door for her and she slid on the passenger's seat. Saka ito sumakay. Pagkapasok na pagkapasok nito sa sasakyan, he cupped her face and planted a kiss on her lips.

"I missed you."

Ngumiti siya. "Para namang hindi tayo nagkikita buong maghapon."

"Well, yeah, pero hindi naman kita nakakausap."

He started the car.

"Troy came in earlier."

"Oo nga. He dropped by my office before leaving. Galit na galit daw si Red?"

Tumango siya. "Santina makes her blood boil. Buti hindi pa sila nagkikita."

"She's insecure."

"I can't believe na nai-insecure rin pala yung mga taong katulad nya. I mean, she already has everything."

Vince nodded. "Mabuti ikaw, nakayanan mo ang presence ni Santina."

"Nakaka-intimidate kaya sya. But in a way, she's just like me."

"She's nothing like you."

"I was once desperately in love with a guy too."

They fell silent. Nakalabas na sila ng building nang muli itong magsalita.

"But I loved you back," he said with sincerity. "And Kelvin's mine."

"W-What?"

"Kelvin's my son. Si Santina kasi, she just claims that Troy impregnated her, but he never did," he explained. "That's why you're different."

Lalo siyang kinain ng konsensya.

--

Kelvin was so excited to dine out. Hindi pa man nakapapasok ng gatr ang sasakyan ay nagtatatalon na ito palabas ng bahay. Madalas kasi na kapag nagdi-dinner sa labas, hindi ito kasama. So he feels a little left out.

Ipinarada nila ang sasakyan sa harap ng bahay. Nag-ayos muna siya ng kaunti habang si Vince naman ay ibinaba ang mga bagaheng dadalhin nito sa byahe. Pinag-ayos din nila ang katulong at ang driver dahil isasama nila ang mga ito.

After a few minutes, nasa sasakyan na ulit sila. Silang tatlo ang nasa backseat habang nasa unahan naman ang kasambahay at ang driver na ang nagmaneho. Sa isang mamahaling restaurant sila kumain, on the way na to the airport.

The dinner was nice. Sobrang daldal ni Kelvin, as usual. Tuwang-tuwa ang dalawang matandang kasama nila. Close kasi ni Kelvin ang mga ito, lalo na si yaya Esther.

"Daddy, can you bring back the Eiffel tower?"

"I don't know, son. It's too heavy."

"E can you bring me to Paris? I'm small. I can fit in your luggage."

He laughed. "That's illegal. I'll just bring you next time."

"With mommy?"

"Of course."

Kelvin clapped his hands in excitement. "When?"

"Hindi ko pa alam e. When do you want to go?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I'll think about it first."

"One week ka sa Paris, di ba?" Tanong niya kay Vince.

"Yes. Pero depende pa rin sa transaction. Kapag matatapos agad, makauuwi ako ng maaga. Kapag natagalan, I'd have ro extend my stay."

"What are you going to do in Paris, daddy?"

"Business," maikli nitong sagot.

"What kind of business?"

Vince smiles. "It's confidential."

Kelvin frowned. "What's confidential?"

"Ibig sabihin, hindi pwedeng sabihin," singit ni Esther. "Tama ba, sir?"

"Tama."

Kelvin pouted, but didn't push it. Gusto rin sana niyang magtanong. Hindi niya alam kung bakit uneasy siya sa pagpunta ni Vince sa Paris.

--

They stayed at the airport for hours. Hinintay talaga nilang mag-board ng eroplano si Vince bago sila umuwi. Her Monday ended on a low note, kasi umalis si Vince. Hindi niya alam na mas malala pala kinabukasan.

Pagkapasok niya sa office ay nakaabang na sa cubicle niya si Rose.

"Uy, good morning," nakangiti niyang bati. "Ang aga mo yatang mangapit-bahay?"

Rose was looking very grim and quite pale.

"Someone wants to talk to you," seryoso nitong turan.

"Uhm... okay? Sino?"

"He's in Vince's office."

Ramdam na ramdam niya ang kaba nito. Bigla na rin tuloy siyang kinabahan. May ideya na siya kung sino ang gustong kumausap sa kanya. At may ideya na rin siya kung bakit gusto siya nitong kausapin.

This only means one thing: Santina betrayed her.

--

With trembling hands, she opened the door to Vince's office. Isang lalaking posturang-postura ang nakatayo sa may bintana. Magkadaop ang mga palad sa likuran nito. He's tall and intimidating. Kahit nakatalikod pa lamang ito ay natatakot na siya rito.

Tumikhim siya. "E-Excuse me, sir? I-I was told that you wanted to talk to me?"

"Yes. Please sit down," he said coldly. May please man sa sentence nito, she could tell that it was not a request. Naupo siya sa isang upuan. Ito naman ay bumaling at saka siya tiningnan nang matalim.

He looks like Vince, but he feels like a stranger. Malamig ang titig nito sa kanya. She cowered in her seat. Na-conscious siya bigla. She could already hear his disapproval.

"You're Moira Carlene?"

"Y-Yes, sir."

"I'm Vince's father, Victorino Aragonza."

Tumayo siya at iniabot ang kamay rito. "It's nice to meet you, sir."

He just stared at her outstretched hand without any intention of shaking it. Binawi niya ang kamay at muling naupo.

"Alam mo na siguro ang dahilan kung bakit kita ipinatawag." Nang tumango siya ay saka ito nagpatuloy. "My son has been so distracted for the past months. He's become negligent and it's affecting our business. I am here to uproot the problem."

Pinangilabutan siya sa huli nitong sinabi.

"I'm sure that you're a nice woman, Ms. Aguilar, but you'll just drag my son down. I've had your background checked and I didn't like what I found. You're a single mother, right?"

Parang kinurot ng puso niya sa tanong. She nodded, trying to hold back her tears.

"I am sorry to tell you that I will never let my son father your child. Whatever it is that you have now, has to end. He will soon marry the daughter of the French ambassador. She's more suited for him. Marion Isabelle Deneuve is a woman of class and stature. And Vince is on the plane now, as we speak, on his way to Paris to meet her. While he's away, I want you to pack up and leave with your son. Don't try to contact Vince. Your relationship was never meant to last."

He put a check on the desk and pushed it towards her.

"Here's what you'll get in return. I hope that's enough para magpakalayo-layo kayo ng anak mo."