Maginoong Medyo Bastos

Chapter Three

Background checking had always been beneficial for Vannessa. It had helped her check details about people, especially if they were men, before deciding whether to meet them or not.

Iyon ang isa sa mga bagay na natutunan niya mula sa pamilya niya. The Concepcion clan was a clan of politicians, actors, and business tycoons. They were considered to be one of the most powerful clans, especially in their province. That was why background checking was deemed necessary. Iyon din ang dahilan kung bakit alam na alam ng mga tito at tita niya ang mga nangyayari sa buhay niya. They could just pull some strings easily, and they would immediately get the information they wanted.

However, Vannessa had little connections. She wasn't just the type who would keep someone just to be able to pull some strings. She was one of the few Concepcions that actually pursued the thing that she wanted, and not what her parents wanted her to be. The rebel, they said.

But surely, being a Concepcion had its own benefits.

"Is he your boyfriend? Someone you have your eyes on, perhaps, finally?" her sister, Venice, asked when she told her about the guy, Jax Dela Fuerte. Siya ang pinakapinagtitiwalaan niya sa pamilya niya. Even when her sister became nosy sometimes, she knew how to mind her own business, a trait most of her family members did not possess.

Nasa Santorini ito kasama ang nobyo, nagbabakasyon. Compared to her, Venice had more reliable connections, and Vannessa was hoping that she could get some information about the model from her.

"He's the model I get to pair up with," she said. "Unfortunately."

"Well let's play detective then. Hindi pa rin ako nakakaget-over doon sa walang hiyang partner mo last time. If you just allowed me, I would have hired some thugs to beat his face. Good thing Kuya Greg did something," Venice said, a trail of frustration was evident from her intonation. "Sino ba kasing nagdesisyon ng pairing na iyan. Si Tito ba?"

Kaagad siyang umiling-iling. "The pairing was based on the best of our capabilities. Lee told me that the guy was decent naman. I just wanted to be sure. Malay mo may tinatago palang sexual assault cases iyan under his sleeves," she said. "You know how the pretty boys get away from their crimes easier than the others."

After everything that she had experienced, she had learned not to trust people that easily, especially if they were men.

A lot of people had already questioned her about her ever growing prejudice with men. Some said that she was being unfair, but for Vannessa, it was better to be called unfair than to be an another victim of the patriarchal nature of the society.

She didn't want Jax to be her another problem. May isang malaking problema pa siyang dapat na harapin. As much as possible, she wanted no more man to be an another source of her frustration. Hopefully, he'd turn out to be at least the decent guy her colleagues were talking about.

Later on that night, with a lot of thinking, Vannessa decided to go back to the bar where the incident happened, although she didn't want to go there to drink. Busy na sa trabaho si Greg at ayaw naman niyang abalahin pa ito. For sure, he would not agree with her idea as well. She knew his opinions about Jackson, and he didn't want her going around alone especially in a place like that.

Luckily for her, Greg was no longer staying in her condo so she wasn't obliged to tell her where she was going. The guy could be overly protective sometimes.

Vannessa gathered up all her courage just to walk inside the bar.

She walked straight and fast, her eyes immediately searching for the safest place to be, although she doubted that there would ever be a safe place around these men.