The Waiting Game

18.

            "IS he okay?" tanong ni Jessica kay Misty habang nakasilip sa medyo nakabukas na pintuan ng opisina ni Exequiel. Naaaninag niya ang pinsan niyang seryosong nakatingin lang sa kawalan.

            "No," malungkot na sagot ni Misty habang nakatingin din sa kanyang boss na ilang araw nang bigla na lang seryosong mapapatingin sa kawalan tapos palagi pang mainit ang ulo nito to the point na mas napapadalas ang mga napapaluhod sa harapan nito. "Nasa Moscow pa rin ba si Miss Blaire?" tanong ni Misty.

            "Yes," sagot ni Jessica. "Blaire leaving the country while the news hasn't died down is really for the better," dagdag ni Jessica.

            Everyone knows that Blaire rejected Exequiel's marriage proposal. Everyone also took that as a sign that Exequiel and Blaire's relationship is done. Then, the news came flooding in.

            Nalaman ni Blaire na ilang buwan na palang kinukulit ng mga taong nasa paligid ni Exequiel si Exequiel na magkaroon na ng konkretong planong magpakasal na. Who even the fuck are they to tell Exequiel to go and marry someone? He's only turning 30. He's young.

            Then someone wrote some news that Exequiel's in a relationship with someone who's just using him for his name and money. Exequiel is popular, especially with the ladies and Blaire knows that...everyone knows that. Kaya hindi na nakakapagtaka ang mga kumalat na mean comments about "Exequiel's woman".

            Alam ni Blaire na si Exequiel ang may pakana kung bakit hindi lumitaw ang pangalan niya, but the news regarding Exequiel being in a relationship with a user was unstoppable. Tanging ang pagkubli lang ng pangalan ni Blaire ang nagawan ng paraan ni Exequiel.

            The people who knows that Blaire is Exequiel's woman bothered her for days. Narindi siya sa mga tanong nito kung bakit hindi na lang niya pakasalan si Exequiel so that people will stop talking about this woman who's just using Exequiel for his name.

            Dumagdag pa ang mga investors ni Exequiel na sobrang invested din sa lovelife ni Exequiel. Pero hindi katulad ng iba ay gusto ng mga itong layuan ni Exequiel si Blaire because Blaire will not be good for their "boss'" image.

            Kung makaprotekta naman sa imahe ni Exequiel, parang may balak ang binatang tumakbo sa pulitika.

            Hindi lang 'yan ang mga issues na kumalat after Exequiel and Blaire's relationship ended. Marami pang iba. So, Blaire's cousin, Michael, suggested for Blaire to leave the country for a while and that is why she took the soonest available flight, which happens to be a flight to Moscow.

            Michael even claimed that the trip may help stop the news because people will not be able to trace nor find Blaire in the flesh. Extra precaution iyon kung sakaling may masuwerteng makaligtas sa galit ni Exequiel Vonn Matteo.

            Blaire even had to postpone the opening of her restaurant for the trip.

            Pero sa totoo lang ay wala na talagang pakielam si Blaire sa mga sinasabi ng iba tungkol sa kanya. What she currently feels is hurt, disappointment, and confusion. Exequiel lost her trust.

            Why would Exequiel do that to her? He promised her that he will wait. Was it really because he wants to silence those who keeps on pushing him to get married as soon as possible so that his legacy will surely live on?

            Gano'n ba 'yun? Mas matimbang pa ang opinyon ng iba kaysa sa pangako niya kay Blaire?

            "He's so stupid. He said that he'll wait, but he didn't," sabi ni Jessica kay Misty. Don't get her wrong, naaawa siya sa kanyang pinsan pero she understands where Blaire is coming from.