The Magnate's Holiest Sin (Cavanaugh #3)

Kabanata 4

Kabanata 4

Stressed

"Ano na? Baby girl! You should come with me! This salon is new! 'Yong beki friend ko ang may-ari no'n!"  Ate Balm chirped like a bird seeking for attention from its nest. "Come on! Dalaga ka na, dapat kasi marunong ka nang magpaganda. They can make your hair wavy, alam mo 'yong sa mga artista? Gano'n!"

Maliban sa wala akong pera panggastos ay ayaw ko rin naman magsayang ng pera para sa pansariling kasiyahan lamang.

I pouted, although I knew that she couldn't see me over the phone. Laki bought this phone along with the pricey tablet. "I don't know, ate. Nandito lang ako sa bahay ng kaibigan ni kuya, 'di pa ako nakakalabas simula no'ng umalis siya."

Ate Balm was my only friend, I did have some friends at school before I graduated Senior High School but we're not that close to hang out. I met Ate Balm when I was just ten years old, and when I, with my family had a vacation in Cebu. The ten year old me got lost, what a perfect timing that she and her employer had a business trip there, I accidentally bumped into her, telling her that I got lost and then she helped me find my parents and kuya.

She was eighteen that time. After high school she decided to managed her late father's business, working hard for her brother and sister because her father died in an accident, and her mother left them, marrying another man.

Even if she was already twenty-nine, she still had the same body figure. Perfect curves, small waist, big boobs and butt, hot and sexy.

We didn't lose communication because she had given kuya her phone number and social media accounts. I thought that kuya liked her, even if she was two years older than him, but then, he told me that he didn't. They were just friends.

"Alam mo 'yang kuya mo? Baliktad yata utak no'n!" I heard ate Balm's voice from the tablet, complaining. It was supposed to be a video call, but I turned the camera off because I was changing my clothes. "I offered him my apartment, I told him na sa'kin ka muna titira kasi mas safe ka rito. Sino ba 'yang kaibigan ng kuya mo? Lalaki ba? Naku naman! Pa'no kung may gagawin sa'yo 'yan? Mapagkakatiwalaan ba 'yan?"

I didn't know that. Why didn't kuya told me? Maybe because he knew that if I were to choose whether where I should stay for two months, I would choose to stay in Ate Balm's apartment.

Mapagkakatiwalaan? Mukhang mapagkakatiwalaan naman si Laki, pero siguro, nang dahil sa scandal na kumakalat ay nabawasan ng konti ang tiwala ko sa kanya.

"I think he's fine, ate. Hindi niya naman ako sinasaktan, lumalayo naman siya kapag talagang kinakailangan," I blurted out after seconds of thinking about the man. "Kuya told me that they've known each other since college."

"Fine?" tila ay ayaw pa'ng maniwala ni ate, nababakas sa kanyang boses na hindi siya kumbinsido. "Okay, ganito na lang. I'll text you the exact address of my apartment. 'Pag gusto mo'ng umalis diyan, puntahan mo'ko agad, okay? My door is always open for you, Holy."

The thought of leaving this house made me think of my brother. What was his reason? Why didn't he just make me stay in Ate Balm's place? Was there something wrong with Ate Balm?

On the contrary, I want to leave, but no, I had to stay. I knew my kuya so well, he was just doing his best, deciding and choosing what was good for me. He must have reasons for this, and I should trust him.

"Sure, ate. Thank you," was all that I said after I pondered all the possibilities and chances of reasons why.

"No problem," agad nitong tugon sa mahinahon na boses. "Wait, are you sure that you don't want to come with me? I just received my bonus yesterday. I have nothing to spend my money with."