NASA entrada na si Helaena ng convention hall nang may marahas na mga kamay ang humablot sa kanya.
"Not so fast, sweetheart."
Nandilat ang mga mata niya. "Bitiwan mo ako!"
Nagpumiglas siya sa pagkakahawak nito.
Nagliyab ang mga mata nito na parang mabangis na hayop. He looked so furious. She was suddenly afraid. "Ipinahiya mo ako sa harap ng maraming tao, Helaena."
"Serves you right! You're a bastard, del Rosario!"
Naging malayelo ang titig nito. "Yes, I am a bastard, but right now, you're gonna save this bastard's face."
"W-what do you mean...?"
Bago pa siya nakahuma'ay bumaba ang mga labi nito, inangkin ang kanyang mga labi sa isang nagbabagang halik. His fingers bit into her back, crushing her tightly against his body as his mouth plundered her mouth in an openly carnal kiss that left her breathless.
HELAENA scooted as far away from him as possible.
Tiningnan siya ng sarkastiko ni Blue. "Afraid? Ang tapang mo kanina.
We are alone now. Nobody's watching. Come on, show me your claws, Helaena."
Kahit natakot ay pinairal niya ang kanyang galit. "Ibaba mo ako sa tabi ngayon din!"
He smiled at her menacingly. "After what you just did? Ineskandalo mo ang party! The press will have a field day! I could kill you, you little bitch!"
"Kulang pa 'yon! Sa ginagawa mo sa kompanya namin, you deserve to be hanged! Isa kang ganid ng lipunan! Mapagsamantala sa kahinaan ng iba!
Imbes na makatulong ay lalo kang nang-aapak! You're a power-hungry bastard! Muntik ng mamatay ang mama ko dahil sa kagagawan mo! You deserved it!" nanggagalaiti niyang sigaw rito.
Tinitigan siyang nagbabaga, ang mga kamay ay kumuyom-dili sa galit.
She did not avert her eyes. Hindi siya magpapakita ng kahinaan dito. "Ano'ng pinagsasabi mo?" gigil na tanong nito sa kanya.
You asked the bank to call in our loans! Dahil isa kang valued customer ng mga bangkong pinagkakautangan namin ay pumayag silang i-pressure si Papa na magbayad ng aming utang o lilitin nila ang ilang bahagi ng kompanya. Now, my father would be forced to sell Worldnet to you! Na-stroke ang mama ko dahil diyan!"
Bumalatay ang pagkalito sa mukha nito. "What?! But I did not..." Hindi nito itinuloy ang nais na sabihin.
"Is your mother alright?" Naging concerned bigla ang tono nito.
"Yes, sa awa ng Diyos ay nakalabas na ng ospital kahapon," malumanay na sabi niya.
"I'm sorry."
Lalo siyang naguluhan sa sinabi nito.Pinagloloko ba siya ng lalaking ito? Mayamaya ay hinimas ang panga nito na sinuntok niya. "Magaling kang sumuntok," anito, saka tumawa.
She was thrown off balance. He was laughing now with genuine humor. Kanina lang ay halos patayin siya sa galit. Ngayon ay tumatawa itong parang aliw na aliw.
"Saan mo ako dadalhin? Kung may binabalak kang masama sa akin ay huwag mo nang ituloy. Maraming nakakita na magkasama tayong umalis. Kapag may mangyaring masama sa akin ay ikaw ang major suspect." That seemed to amuse him even more. Pinindot nito ang isang buton at nagsalita. "Sa bahay tayo, Santi."
Nabahala siya "I am not going anywhere private with you, del Rosario! Stop this car! Now!"
But he just settled in his seat and lounged casually, giving her a penetrating look. His eyes travelled from her face, to her chest, to her legs, Nakaramdam siya ng ibayong pagkaasiwa sa ginawa nito. She felt fully naked under his heated gaze.
"Stop that!" aniyong umayos ng upo ngunit hindi niya maitago ang kanyang mga hita dahil sa mahabang slits sa kanyang tagiliran.
"Huwag kang magsuot ng ganyang damit kung ayaw mong tignan ka, Helaena. The dress is serving it's purpose."
Nagtalo sa kanya ang pride at sensibilities. Nanalo ang una. Hindi niya mapayagang magmukhang katawatawa rito. "Well, thank you. I'm glad you really like it," aniyang umupo rin na mistulang isang babae sa isang harem.
"I hate that dress pero gusto ko ang katawang may suot niyon. You are very beautiful, Helaena, but I'm sure you already know that. You are quite popular with the men."
Hindi niya alam kung iniinsulto o pinupuri siya nito. Well, she did not care. "So, are we really getting married, Blue?" aniya sa nanunuyang tono.
He looked at her with smoldering intensity.
"Hindi kasal ang inaalok ko sa 'yo, Helaena. I want to fuck you, not wed you," He said blatantly.
He could have slapped her instead. His vulgar words left no doubt as to how he saw her, a tramp.
No, worse, a whore. Men, no matter how they claimed to be liberal in their way of thinking, were still double standard, chauvinistic pigs inside. So he probably knew about her vamp reputation.
Bigla ay Nakaramdam siya ng hiya. Hiya? Bakit? Because he was looking at her with pure disgust? And lust? Yes, he wanted her body but the idea of having her as a wife was unacceptable. Men didn't marry women like her who knew how to play the very game that men played, or at least, that was what they thought she was, including him.
Kahit nasaktan ay Hindi siya nagpahalata. He would play his game. "Really, I am afraid that what you want and what you need are both in one body, Blue. Para mapa sa iyo ang Worldnet ay kailangang pakasalan mo ako. So, what are you gonna do, darling? You can't have what you want and need without marrying me." She smiled teasingly at him, goading his temper.
"You pressume to much, Helaena. I think you have not been doing your homework well. I want you, yes. But you are not the only pussy available for me. And I hate to say this but I dont need you anymore. You see, nagkapirmahan na Kami ng iyong ama. He had sold ninety-five percent of Worldnet to me. Legally, I have taken over your company, sweetheart." Nanlamig siya at parang namanhid sa sobrang pagkabigla. "N-no! That's not true! You are lying! My father would tell me first before he would such a thing! Hindi niya ipagbibili ang kompanya nang ganoon na lang!" "Aww, sweety, but he already did." Pumalatak ito. "Too late."
Nanghina siya. Paano iyon nagawa sa kanya ng kanyang ama? She had a plan! She was going to bargain with this bastard about the sale! She was gunning for a fifty percent sale while retaining the other half for herself. She wanted an alliance with Azul del Rosario, a business merger. Magpapakasal sila at kukuha siya ng mataas na posisyon sa Worldnet. It was all gone now.
She turned her face away from him as tears threatened to fall. Oh, no! Not now. She will not cry and grovel in front of this bastard, further boosting his overblown ego. Pero ang sakit malamang tinraidor siya ng kanyang ama.
"Helaena..."
Hindi siya sumagot. Ang tapang-tapang niyang sumalakay sa teritoryo ng kaaway, pagkatapos ay sasampalin lang pala siya ng masamang balita sa huli. God, what a waste!
"Helaena, look... I'm sorry. Hindi mo alam?"
Umiling siya. Bumuntong-hininga ito at nanahimik. Hindi niya alam kung gaano siya katagal na nakatingin sa labas ng bintana ng sasakyan. Now what? Ano na ang kanyang gagawin? Five percent? It was tantamount to nothing. He practically owned all of Worldnet now. They might as well sell the remaining five percent to him.
"Helaena..." His voice intruded into her thoughts.
Wala sa loob na nilingon niya ito. "I left my car at the World Trade carpark."
"Give me your keys," utos nito.
Ibinigay niya ang hinihingi nito. Pinindot nito ang isang buton. Bumaba ang glass partition ng limo at kinausap nito ang chauffeur.
"Sila na ang kukuha ng sasakyan mo mamaya." anito
Hindi siya umimik, nanatiling nakatingin sa labas ng bintana. She felt so drained.
