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Walang marinig ni Naia aside from that high pitched sound ringing inside her ear. After Jarvis' revelation, nanigas siya sa kinatatayuan at hindi niya alam kung paano ba magrereact. What snapped her out of the shock induced trance she was in was Inno's reaction.

"What?!"

Noon niya lamang naproseso ang narinig. Hindi totoong magkasintahan si Jarvis at George. They were just faking it. Niloko siya nito. Kaya pala ang lakas ng loob nito landi-landiin siya dahil hindi naman pala talaga ito taken.

Tila may sariling isip ang kanyang mga paa't agad na tumakbo palabas ng restaurant. He tricked her. They tricked her. Pinagmukha siyang tanga ng dalawa. Behind her back they were laughing at how pathetic she was.

"Naia!" he called out to her. "Naia!"

Binilisan niya ang kanyang mga hakbang. But it wasn't enough dahil nahabol pa rin siya nito. Naramdaman niya ang pagkapit ng kamay nito sa kanyang braso.

"Naia!" ani ng lalaki. "Please hear me out. I can explain."

She quickly brushed his hand off at isang matalim na tingin ang binato niya dito.

"Explain?" ulit niya sa sinabi nito. "Explain what exactly? Na niloko niyo ako? Pinagmukhang tanga? What you said was enough for me to know that, Jarvis."

Sinabi na nito kanina na hindi naman daw talaga sila ni George. They were pretending to be girlfriend and boyfriend for the past months. For what exactly? Dahil sinaktan niya ito noon? Bumabawi ba ito dahil iniwan niya ito?

"I'm sorry if I hurt you before," aniya. "I was scared. I didn't know any better. Ang alam ko lang 'non is that ayokong idisappoint ang pamilya ko. But doing this to me? Parang ang unfair naman. So congratulations. Nakabawi ka na. Nasaktan mo na ako—"

"No!" tanggi agad nito. "This isn't about what happened before. We've been pretending even before you came back."

"Then why?!" bulalas niya. "Ano 'yan, trip niyo lang lokohin ang mga tao sa paligid niyo?"

"We didn't know na mangyayari 'to, Naia," giit nito. "It was too late to take everything back. Kung alam mo lang how much I wanted to hug you--kiss you senseless in front of everyone because I missed you so damn much."

"Missed me?" she asked folding her arms. "Hinayaan mo akong masaktan, Jarvis. Do you know how much it fucking hurts to see you with her? Because it does. Dahil mahal pa rin kita. Mahal na mahal."

And with that she started to cry. Naramdaman niya ang magaang paghawak nito sa kanyang braso.

"If I told you, would that even matter?" balik nito sa kanya. "You were getting married, Naia. To my brother. If I told you that we were just pretending, would that even change your mind? I know how much you love your family. And kahit masakit, I would never put you back in that position again. I would never make you choose between me or them. Even if it kills me to see you with Inno, hindi kita sasaktan ng ga'non. I love you too much to even do that to you."

Hindi siya agad nakasagot. She was already at that point where her brain refuses to accept his reason. Dahil at the end of the day, niloko pa rin siya nito and that is unjustifiable.

Slowly, she brushed his hand off her arms.

"Regardless of your reasons, pinagmukha mo pa rin akong tanga," mahina niyang sambit. "Matalino naman ako, Jarvis. I graduated Summa. Pero bakit ga'non? When it comes to you, parang ang bobo bobo ko? Ginagawa mo akong utu-uto."

"Naia hindi—"

She raised her head and looked straight into his eyes. She stared straight into those deep brown eyes of his. Kitang-kita niya ang pagiging hopeless nito. They were begging her to hear him out.

Nakikinig naman siya. But he lied to her. He even made her believe she was a bad person for sleeping with someone who was already in a relationship.

"I'm done."

Tumalikod siya't diniretso ang daan papunta sa kanyang kotse. But before she cound even take a step forward, she felt his arms around her body.

"Naia, please," pagsusumamo nito. "I'm sorry... Handa akong pakawalan ka maging masaya ka lang. But not like this. Not like this..."

Napapikit siya. Sobrang sakit na. She felt betrayed. Tricked. All these time she kept stressing herself out dahil akala niya ay may mali siyang ginawa—na nagkasala siya. Ilang araw siyang walang maayos na tulog at binaon ang sarili sa trabaho because of the guilt. Hindi naman pala. She felt a lone tear drop on her cheek as she opened her eyes.

She felt his embrace start to loosen. Maya-maya pa ay iniharap siya nito sa kanya.

"Mahal na mahal kita, Naia. Hurting your is the last thing I wanted to do..." mahinang sambit nito. His hands gently cupped her face as his thumb wiped off her tears. "Mahal na mahal..."

Dumampi ang mga labi nito sa kanyang mga labi.

For a moment she forgot about it. Parang biglang napawi ang galit at sakit sa kanyang dibdib. She was tempted to kiss him back. Marupok siya eh. Marupok—

No! Hindi pwede. He lied to her. Marahas na itinulak niya ito papalayo.

"You can't just do that!" hiyaw niya. "You can't just kiss me and expect everything to be okay. Hindi 'yon basta ga'non na lang, Jarvis. You fooled me. You lied to me. Hindi 'yon mapapawi ng halik mo. It doesn't work that way!"

"Naia, I'm sorry. I swear I didn't—" He attempted to hold her hand again but she immediately flinched.

"I don't want to hear any of your excuses, Jarvis," mariing sambit niya. "And I don't want to see you. Not now, not ever."

"This can't be the end, Naia. This can't be our goodbye—"

"But it is."

And with that, she walked away. Not even sparing him a glance straight to her parked car. Pagkapasok doon ay agad niya iyong pinaandar.

Goodbye, Jarvis.

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"Miss Naia, Mr. Montecillo called again," imporma sa kanya ni Ms. Bartolome. "Jarvis Montecillo daw po, ma'am."

She was busy drowning herself in her work for three days straight. At sa tatlong araw na iyon ay hindi tumigil si Jarvis sa pag-contact sa kanya. Maging ang mga pinsan nito ay tinatry din siyang kausapin but she refused to talk to any of them. Si Inno lamang ang nakakausap niya and it was plainly just about the wedding.

Tinapunan niya ng irap ang sekretarya. "Didn't I tell you not to answer him? Hindi niyo pa rin ba bina-block ang caller ID niya?"

"We already did, ma'am," imporma nito sa kanya. "But it seems like he's been using a different phone. Persisten po siya. He said it was something important."

"Kung hindi iyon matter of life or death, I don't give a damn what he wants to say," malamig niyang sambit dito. "Now, if you can't do your job properly, I suggest you start looking at classified ads section of this paper."

Mukhang nagulat naman ang babae kaya't napatango na lamang ito at iniwan siya sa silid as she continued to read the papers in front of her.

Nung nakaraang gabi ay kinukulit nanaman siya ni Yvo to talk to him or even text him. Ginamit pa nito si Uno just to reach her.

Minsan ay natetempt siya kausapin ang mga bunso ng Montecillo but like two days ago when she answered Seven's call, boses ni Jarvis ang bumungad sa kanya. She immediately cut the line and didn't speak to them since then. Si Inno lang occasionally but it was plainly for either the wedding or business. Naka-schedule na rin kasi ang board meeting two days after their wedding.

They have the majority. Sa side pa lamang ng mga Uychengco, meron na silang 43.7%. With the addition of La Monte's shares, they already have 52.1%. That means whatever decision the Uychengcos and Montecillos make, sila ang magpeprevail.

Katunayan nga eh dapat ay hindi na matuloy ang board meeting. Seeing as it was already obvious kung sino ang mananalo, it's a total waste of time kung patuloy magdedemand ang board of directors na ipatanggal ito mula sa pwesto ang kanyang ama. But Tita Cathy insisted they go through with it. Para na rin daw ipakita sa mga directors na they're not be messed with.

Naputol ang pagbabasa niya nang biglang niluwa ng pintuan niya si George.

"We need to talk."

Nangunot ang noo niya't bigla sumulpot sa likod nito ang humahangos na si Miss Bartolome.

"Ma'am, pasensya na po. Basta na lang po siya pumasok—"

Within a few movements, George managed to push her secretary out of the room and lock it.

"Don't fire her. When I'm persistent, walang sinuman ang may kayang pumigil saakin," anito as she walked straight towards the couch near her table. "Nice office you have here. But it doesn't suit you. Masyadong manly. I can smell the strong scent of masculinity."

"First of all, you're not welcome here," pananaray niya dito. Yup, damay ito sa init ng ulo niya. She was nice, oo, pero niloko pa rin siya nito. Kasabwat ito ni Jarvis in making her feel like a side chick. She was part of this whole thing that gave her loads of sleepless nights. "Second of all, sa Lolo ko 'to. I'm just sitting in as his representative."

"Oh really? But it suits you," komento nito totally ignoring her first sentence. "You look good behind that table. A total girl boss. Have you ever considered at least changing the carpet? How about the wall paintings? I know this artist. Maybe she has some pieces you'd be interested in."

Napabuntong hininga siya while still scanning her papers.

"Please, George," makaawa niya dito. "Nothing you say will change my mind. And you know I'm still mad at you."

"I know," she said folding her arms. "And I'm also mad at you."

Napatigil siya sa ginagawa.

"Ikaw?" bulalas niya. "Ikaw pa talaga 'yung may ganang magalit?"

"Yes. Dahil sinaktan mo nanaman si Jarvis," matigas na sambit nito. The girl crossed her leg as she looked straight at her. Hindi ito nagpapatalo sa pakikipagtarayan. "And you slept with him knowing he was with me. So yeah, I have the right to be mad at you."

"Pero hindi naman kayo," depensa niya. "Niloko niyo ako."

"But during that time you slept with him, alam mong kami yet you did it pa rin. So quits na tayo."

Bigla niya naalala ang tagpong nasaksihan sa may labas ng banyo. George's infidelity.

"I saw you kissing Dos the night of my engagement party so you have no right to lecture me about fidelity," saad niya. "So please, leave. Wala akong oras makipag-away sa'yo."

Tila nagulat ito sa kanyang ibinulgar. Peeo agad din namang nakabawi ang babae.

"Hindi kami ni Jarvis and we were pretending. We were both aware of that and I told him about that kiss," kontra nito. "So technically, I didn't hurt him nor cheated on him because we weren't in a relationship anyways. At tsaka, para naman talaga kay Dos 'yung fake boyfriend-girlfriend eme namin. What happened that night was what I wanted kaya namin ginawa 'yon ni Jarvis in the first place."

Nangunot ang noo niya. Ano? Para kay Dos? So that's what he meant by 'it was too late to take it back'?

"Ano? Natameme ka?" George taunted. "You didn't let him explain his side. Oo pinagsalita mo siya pero nagbingi-bingian ka sa rason. I asked for his help because Dos broke my  fucking heart and I wanted him to realize what he lost by pretending to be with Jarvis. Gusto kong makita niya yung sinayang niya and I want him to crawl back to me—beg me to be with him just like how I did to him before.

"Siguro feeling mo ikaw yung pinuntirya namin dahil sinaktan mo din siya. Your guilt made you assume the worst in him. Sorry pero, we really didn't know you'd be back. And we were already in too deep. Nakikitaan ko na ng reaksyon nung mga panahong 'yon si Dos so it was too late back down and tell everyone na wala na kami.

"Jarvis loves you, Naia. Kahit pa sinaktan mo siya ng sobra two years ago, hinintay ka niya. He patiently waited for your return. Dahil ang sabi niya, nagpapahinga ka lang daw. Na alam niyang babalik ka kapag okay ka na. Because that's how much he loved you. Ang sabi niya nga eh, he waited for sixteen years. What difference would another year or two make?

"Kaya hindi lang ikaw ang nasasaktan, Naia. Siya rin. You both are suffering pero para saan? You have the power to stop end the pain and be happy pero bakit hindi niyo ginagawa? Ano, hihintayin mo pa rin ba na mahuli nanaman ang lahat? Buti yung amin, pretend lang so pwede pa sana. Eh yung sainyo ni Inno? Walang divorce sa Pilipinas. Once you say 'I do' to him, wala na. Finish na. You and Jarvis will never be together."

George's words struck her straight to her chest. Hindi niya rin namalayang umiiyak na pala siya.

Tama ito. She was just making herself suffer. Ang mas malala, sinasaktan niya nanaman si Jarvis. Hindi kasi siya nakinig. She assumed the worst and pinagtabuyan niya agad ito.

"I'm so stupid..." mahinang sambit niya as she cupped her face crying. Maya-maya ay naramdaman niya ang kamay ni George sa kanyang likuran. "Hindi ko siya pinakinggan... And I've been pushing him away. Pero I'll be married to Inno in a few days. I can't just back out. Yung kompanya..."

"Good thing I bought this. Tatlo 'yan. Just to be sure."

Napatingin siya sa babae nang ngumisi ito. Then she took something from her bag. Nanlaki ang kanyang mga mata when she saw what it was.

"Now move your pretty little butt, Naia. I can't wait to see the result."

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