Love Until It Hurts (Monteverde Series 4)

39

Chapter Thirty Nine

Zade Andrei

            You know everything has fallen to their right places when you look at the beautiful setting sun with nothing else but a feeling of total serenity in your heart. The evening is beautiful, and I can hear the lapping waves below the suite that we've rented. It had been a wonderful and peaceful day filled with laughter and carefree smiles.

            "Zade?" I couldn't help but beam when I heard her drowsy voice. I turned and saw the angelic face of the woman I love. Her hair was messy but she didn't bother to fix it. She was wearing a long gray pullover that had a Diving in Maldives print on it.

            "I'm here," I called. Our eyes met and for one magical moment, I felt every color becoming more vibrant as her lips curved upwards for what has to be the most beautiful smile in the entire cosmos.

            She sauntered toward me and plopped herself on the couch. I opened my arms and she squeezed herself on my bare torso. How can I not love this day?

            "Gaano katagal akong tulog?" she queried lazily as she stretched. I stroked her hair tenderly as I answered, "About four hours?"

            "That long?" gulat na sabi n'ya. "It was only supposed to be a nap!"

            Ngumisi naman ako. "I was that good." I winked.

            "Zaaaade!" She glowered. I chuckled heartily before dropping a kiss on her forehead.

            "You missed the sunset, sweetheart. I wanted to wake you up, but I figured you'd be needing all the sleep you can get since --"

            "Oh, stop it, you!" Marahan niya akong sinabunutan.

            "What? We had a deal! Sabi mo kapag magaling na ako pwede kahit araw—"

            "Shut up!" She clamped her hand over my mouth to prevent me from saying it out loud. Which was silly of course since we're alone in our ocean suite. The reason I chose this one in particular was because it is the farthest from the shore which gives us complete privacy from prying eyes. The ocean suite is standing proudly on this heaven-like Maldivian beach.

            My parents had arranged this one-week trip for us a few days after we won the case. It was their gift to give us some peace and quiet. They were also the ones who processed the case against Mico Aldeguer. Madali ang pagkapanalo dahil maraming ebidensyang nakaturo sa kanya. Naging witness din ang kinuha niyang kasambahay sa Siargao na si Aling Nenita.

            Hindi ko pa rin maalis ang galit sa sistema ko pero ngayon ay panatag na ako, dahil sa wakas ay nakakulong na siya. No one would hurt my Sam again.

            "I want to go for a swim," Sam declared before removing my arms on her waist. "Tara." Nagmamadali siyang pumunta sa maliit na open-air pool na kasama sa suite. She didn't even bother removing her pullover as she swam to the other side of the pool. She giggled and waved an inviting hand.

            "Zade, halika na! The water is perfect and the view is amazing!" Sigaw n'ya bago tumingin sa dagat. Mayroon nang mga maliit na neon blue lights sa tubig. Those were some special kind of planktons, she explained yesterday.

            Nakapatong ang dalawang braso ni Sam habang nakatingin siya sa malawak na karagatan. I stared at the blue ocean and the star-decorated sky. I smiled. She was right yet again, the view was indeed priceless. And she had no idea that she was the center of it all.