Buy Me

CHAPTER 49

"I'll wait for you in the parking lot."

"Hindi pwede. Halos isang linggo na akong hindi nakakabalik sa headquarters. Hindi na ako pwedeng-- Oh!"

"No buts. Hihintayin ko kayong mag-ina sa parking lot.."

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Ella's hands stopped mid-air from opening the door before her. Madilim na ang buong gusali dahil mag-aalas-dose na ng gabi. It was time for her to go back to her real life—check on CCTVs, investigate who was the model helping their enemy's asset, and so forth.

Hours had slipped by since the sizzling moment between her and Constantine. Yet here she was, still hearing his sexy voice against her ear. Na para bang nakalapat pa rin ang maiinit na labi nito sa kanyang tainga, nakabaon ang pagkalalaki sa kanyang sentro, habang bumubulong.

'I'll be in the parking lot. I won't go home unless you guys are with me.'

Sunod-sunod ang naging pag-iling ni Ella para iwaglit sa isip ang sinabi ng binata. There wasn't even a need for her to guess if Constantine would patiently wait for her. She knew that he would.

She bit her lips to wake herself up from her short daydream. Pagkatapos ay inangat niya ulit ang kanyang kamay para itapat ang kanyang proximity card sa maliit na makinang nakakabit sa pintuan.

'Hindi ka kabilang sa mundong ginagalawan ni Constantine.' kastigo niya sa sarili. 'He was a prince, and you're what? A struggling agent who can't even do her job correctly– '

"Shit?" Ella felt her world stop when the proximity card in her hand didn't open the door. Tuloy ay kunot-noo napatingin siya sa kanyang hawak na 'electronic card-key'.

That was weird. Her key had always been granted access to GAIA's security since she came in. Parte kasi 'yon ng kontratang pinirmahan ng AXIS at ng modeling agency.

With that in mind, Inulit niya ang ginawang pagtapik ng card sa pintuan.

Once...

Twice...

Thrice...

Until...

"Fuck!" Napamura siya kasabay ng mabilis na panlalamig ng mga kamay. It couldn't be that her card was deactivated, right? Hindi pwede 'yon dahil miyembro pa rin siya ng AXIS!

Mabilis na sinuyod niya ng tingin ang paligid. She was already trembling when she pulled her phone from her skirt and anxiously searched for Claire's number. Tarantang tinawagan niya ang numero habang pabalik-balik na naglalakad sa harapan ng pintuan. Her mind was beginning to stitch horrible things, and she just couldn't accept those.

'Hindi pwede 'to. Hindi ako pwedeng mawala ang AXIS--'

[Sorry. The number you dialed is either inactive or out of service. Please try your call later--]

Hindi na natapos pakinggan ni Ella ang prerecorded message nang mabitiwan niya ang mga hawak. Her proximity card and phone hit the marble floor with a thud, creating an echoing sound through the hollowness of that dark hall.

She wanted to scream but then couldn't. Nanigas na kasi siya, pero wala naman siyang magawa kung hindi sunod-sunod na huminga ng malalim.

'HINDI PWEDE ITO!' She screamed in her thoughts.

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It took Ella more than a minute to recover from the horror. Ni-hindi niya na maalala kung paano niya narating ang parking lot nang bigla siyang tumakbo papunta sa elevator.