CHAPTER 23
AGAD NA MALAPAD NA ngumiti si Happy nang makita ang kapatid na hinihintay siya sa arrival area ng airport. Agad niyang tinakbo ang pagitan nilang dalawa at sinugod ito ng yakap.
"Lucky!"
Lucky immediately hugged her back with a bright smile on her face. "Ate! Na-miss kita."
"Me too." Kumawala siya sa yakap ng kapatid at sa asawa naman nito niya ibinaling ang atensiyon. "Blake... how are you?" tanong niya, sabay yakap din dito.
Blake hugged her back. But when she was trying to pull away, he was still hugging her like he didn't want to let go.
Kailangan pa niyang baklasin ang mga braso nito sa baywang niya, saka nagtatanong ang mga matang tiningnan ito. "What do you think you're doing?" pabulong na nagtatakang tanong niya kay Blake na titig na titig pa rin sa kanya.
"I, ahm, just missed you," Blake said.
Happy stilled. It felt like a déjà vu. She knew that voice. That was Blaze's voice. The Blake in front of her has Blaze's voice!
She could still remember her dream!
Pinakatitigan niya ang Blake na nasa harap niya. His face was clear. Ink-free. No tattoo. No Cassie in his face.
Pero kagagawan lang ng isip niya ang panaginip niyang iyon. This couldn't be true. Blaze would never erase the tattoo on his face. He loved Cassie so much.
"Happy."
Agad siyang napalingon sa pinanggalingan ng boses. Si King. Nagulat siya dahil iyon ang unang beses na tinawag siya nito sa pangalan niya at hindi "Young Miss."
"King..."
Naglakad palapit sa kanya si King habang hila-hila ang bagahe niya.
"Who is he?" puno na kuryosidad na tanong ni Lucky sa kanya habang nakangiti kay King.
Agad namang inilahad ni King ang kamay kay Lucky at nagpakilala. "King Zabat, owner of KZ System, Happy's boyfriend."
Tumaas ang kilay ni Happy, hindi dahil nagpakilala si King na boyfriend niya—it was one of her father's crazy ideas again—kundi dahil sa KZ System.
Happy knew that company. KZ System was under KZ Empire. And if King was the owner, why the hell would a multitycoon like him doing in their house as her father's butler and now her bodyguard? He had been with them for years and she just knew this now?
This is absurd.
"Lucky Vitale," pagpapakilala naman ng kapatid niya. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Zabat." May nanunudyo itong ngiti na sumulyap sa kanya. "My sister's boyfriend. Nice."
"The pleasure is mine," suwabeng sabi ni King, saka kay Blake naman nito inilahad ang kamay.
But Blake was just staring at her, not even giving King a glance.
What's wrong with him? Kanina pa ito titig na titig sa kanya na hindi na lang niya pinapansin.
Nang hindi tinanggap ni Blake ang pakikipagkamay ni King, agad na ibinaba ni King ang kamay, saka inakbayan siya.
"Play nice," sabi ni Lucky kay Blake habang masamang nakatingin dito.
"I don't want to," sagot ni Blake. "I'm pissed."
Lucky pouted. "Remember what I asked you? And remember why I let you tag along? Huwag mong landiin?"
"Wala naman akong ginagawa, ah," sabi ni Blake habang matiim pa rin ang titig sa kanya.
BINABASA MO ANG
THE BROKEN MAN'S AFFLICTION
General FictionIf there was one thing Blaze Vitale perfected over the long years of suffering and pain, that was pretending to be okay and making "I'm fine," the most common lie in human history believable. He had to be fine. For his brother. He decided to be fin...
