POSSESSIVE 24: Ream Oliveros

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 3

SYL KNEW SHE SHOULD feel something after seeing Ream Oliveros again, but at that moment, she felt nothing towards the man she chose to be with in Bali. Maybe because there was nothing to be happy about. So what if she saw Ream again? So what if he was still nice? She was married and if she tried anything, her parents would skin her alive.

And it was not like she had a chance of happiness with Ream. There was nothing for her but misery and Ream couldn't save her from that. If Ream found out that she was married, he'd leave her, and it would be another pain in her life that she didn't need. Hindi niya kailangan ng isa pang tao na magbibigay at magpaparamdam sa kaniya ng sakit. Tama na 'yong mga taong nasa palaigid niya ngayon. At least with them, she was already used to it and knew how to defend herself from them.

That was what Syl thought, but a few days later, she met Ream again at a charity ball her mother was invited to. She was not supposed to go, but her mother insisted, said she needed someone with her since her father didn't want to go. So Syl wore the dress her mother chose for her—a dress that covered her shoulders, arms, and legs—and attended the charity ball.

And there he was. Ream Oliveros. In the flesh.

And through the night, after socializing and listening to gossip, she learned that Ream Oliveros was invited by the young CEO of Morgania Industry, Holly Morgan. And that was where Syl also learned who Ream Oliveros was. A famous jeweler. One of the most sought after in the industry, and it looked like Holly Morgan was after him.

Gustong umiwas ni Syl, pero nang mapansing gusto rin siyang iwasan ni Ream, hindi na siya nagtangka pa at tahimik na sinamahan ang ina sa charity ball. Her forced smile was plastered on her lips the whole night and her smile was starting to crack after a while. She was getting sick of it, so she excused herself, earning a subtle glare from her mother that she ignored, and went to the terrace to take a break and breathe.

Panay ang hinga nang malalim ni Syl ng may tumabi sa kaniya sa terasa.

"Tired of forcing yourself to smile?" Ream's baritone voice filled her ear and she unconsciously stepped away from him, and it didn't go unnoticed. "Am I that scary or do you just dislike me?"

Don't do anything, Syl, pakiusap niya sa sarili. Don't start something that will hurt you in the end. She kept her mouth shut and didn't answer Ream.

Sensing that Syl didn't want to talk, Ream sighed and looked at the garden below the terrace. "I looked for you when you left me that morning," Ream confessed, because it might be the last time he saw her. "I went back to Bali hoping that I'll see you there again, but no luck." Ream took a deep breath and sipped from his wine glass. "I guess it's not just a one-time thing for me like I wanted to believe. I mean, if I'm not that into you, five months is more than enough to forget you." Ream chuckled as if something was humorous. "But here I am approaching you, knowing that you don't like it. I'm sorry, Syl. I just can't help it."

Syl hardened her resolve to not do anything that would end badly for her—because everything she did for the sake of her happiness always ended badly. And she was sick of hoping that she'd find her happiness only to be crushed and stomped at the end.

I'm tired of hoping that I'll be happy.

"Syl, I—"

"So, you're here!" Holly exclaimed when she entered the terrace and saw Ream.

When Syl heard Holly's voice, she immediately left the terrace and went back to her mother.

In her mind, she was rooting for Ream and Holly. The two deserved each other. Both young, wealthy, and free. Compared to Holly, she had nothing, not even a penny for herself.