Dulling Glisters of the Diamond (Casa Fuego Series #5)

Chapter 20

Mindless

He fooled me!

That's all I could think about after what I heard from Mama. There's no romance in between us, but he still lied to me! Ilang beses ko siyang tinanong kung may fiancee siya dahil alam ko kung paano tumakbo ang pamilya niya gaya sa amin, pero ilang beses niya ring sinabi matanggal nang nawatak ang kung ano mang kasunduan niya noon.

With his reputation, I never really perceived him as a romantic guy, or at least a one woman man. Kaya hindi rin sumagi sa isip ko kung may iba ba siyang babae habang nasa ganoong set up kami. Besides, we both agreed to exclusivity!

Mama will not blabber on this. She has a very huge circle of friends and I know she knows everything! Hindi pwedeng gumagawa lang ng istorya si Mama tungkol sa fiancee ni Julius dahil hindi siya ganoon. She knows everything when asked. At kung iisipin, hindi rin naman malabong mangyari na may fiancee nga siya. His family works similarly to how my family works when it comes to marriage. Kaya alam na alam ko na hindi 'yon imposipble!

I shouldn't defend him in my thoughts anymore. He fooled me! Pero sa kalooban ko, gusto ko pa rin siyang makausap. Gusto ko siyang tanungin. I want to confront him and have it say the truth on my face no matter if it will feel like a hard slap.

I stared at my face as I sit on the velvet vanity chair. My undereyes were red from all the tears I cried. I looked very far from the glamarous Grecianna.

Mahal ko siya. Wala sa plano ang mahulog pero hulog na hulog ako. I unconsciously built a home in him even when I know time will come I'd have to leave. Hindi rin dapat ako nasasaktan dahil fuck buddy niya lang naman ako.

But then it hurts. So bad. And I don't want to invalidate my pain just because I know where I stand on his life.

"S-Senyorita, ayos lang po ba kayo? Kanina pa po tumatawag ang sekretarya niyo para sa meeting-"

"Tell him to cancel the meeting," malamig kong sinabi.

Natataranta si Lourdes habang nakatingin sa repleksyon ko sa salamin. I looked so dry and my eyes swollen. Wala na akong pakealam kung makita niya akong ganito.

"Ayos ka lang po ba, Senyorita? May problema po ba?"

"Leave me alone."

Dali-dali siyang umalis. My eyes drifted on the lipstick he gave me. I swallowed the bile on my throat when I felt the tears forming again.

Kinuha ko ang aking laptop at sinubukang hanapin ang fiancee ni Julius. Like usual, wala akong nahanap sa internet. For sure, they didn't want any information about that to be leaked. Lalo pa't malaking eskandalo kung umalis ang babae dahil sa cheating rumours ni Julius. Their family is very secretive. They are aloof from the media and press. At mas lalo akong nafrustrate dahil wala akong ibang mapagkuhanan ng impormasyon kundi si Mama!

Mama's eyes widened when she saw me. Pumasok ako sa study nila nang hindi nag-aayos. Maga ang mga mata at malayong-malayo sa nakapusturang Grecianna.

"What happened to you?" she was shocked.

Tumayo siya at nilapat ang mga palad sa lamesa.

"Mama, I need to ask you something..." namamaos kong wika.

She rolled her eyes. "Don't tell me that's about Julius Manriquez again."

"Who's his fiancee?"

Sinipat ako ni Mama. "Bakit ba gusto mong malaman? You don't deny my claims that something is going on between the two of you. Kayo na ba?"

Unti-unti akong umiling.

"Then, what?"

I swallowed hard and looked away.