PHOENIX-CREED [TDH - VI]

Chapter 26

JULIETTE REVERIE

"Sure ka bang sasama ako sa family gathering niyo, Pietro?" kinakabahan kong tanong habang may mga makeup artist na abalang naglalagay sa mukha ko ng kung anu-ano.

"That's the 6th time you asked me that today, Juliette. And yes, I'm sure of that. Why do you keep asking?" tugon niya. Lumapit siya sa akin at inamoy ang ulo ko, nagtitigan kami sa isa't isa sa malaking salamin sa harap ko. "Are you nervous?"

Tumango ako.

"Kinakabahan ako, baka hindi ako magustuhan ng mga kamag-anak mo..."

"Juliette," he called my name in the sweetest way possible. "It doesn't really matter what they think. They possess no right to question whatever it is that I do nor whomever I deliberately choose to be in my life."

"Hindi mo naman hawak ang mga utak nila... Paano nalang kung hindi nila magustuhan na ang magiging ina ng anak mo ay walang maipagmamalaking yaman tulad mo?"

This is what I've always feared about getting associated to someone with an extreme wealth. Masyadong mataas ang posibilidad na maliitin lang nila ako dahil sa estado ko, I don't have anything in my life and I'm sure that they will question it.

"Hey," aniya.

Bago nagpatuloy sa pagsasalita si Pietro ay sinenyasan niya ang makeup artist na umalis muna.

"My mom loves you very much," he said. "Is it not enough?"

"Ikaw,"

"What about me?"

"Mahal mo ba ako?"

Nanlaki ang mata ko nang mapagtanto ang pinagsasabi ko.

"Joke lang!" I tried to laugh it off but Pietro intensely stared at me. Is he offended?

"What was your question again?"

"Huh?" nagmaang-maangan ako at umiwas ng tingin. "Wala yon. Nagbibiro lang ako para mawala kaba ko."

"Alright. I hope you're fine now. Don't think about it too much, this is just the one time you meet them..."

"Isang beses lang?"

"Yes, would you like to meet them again next time?"

"Depende..." pagbibiro ko at bahagya naman siyang ngumiti.

Hindi na bumalik ang makeup artist sa harap ko kaya sinulyapan ko nalang ang sarili ko sa malaking salamin at ngumiti. Tapos naman na pala akong ayusan.

I waited for Pietro for approximately 15 minutes before their family decided to head to the place where the banquet will be hosted.

Nagsama sa iisang sasakyan si tita Séza at ang mga kapatid ng namayapa niyang asawa. Si Pierro naman ay bumiyahe gamit ang sariling sasakyan, but there was a bodyguard riding with him on the car to make sure he was safe.

Mabilis kaming nakarating sa isang hotel. Kahit hindi pa kami nakakalabas sa sasakyan ay naglinya na ang mga bodyguards sa labas at nagmasid sa paligid.

Honestly, I don't know why it has to be this exaggerated. Ang daming mga bodyguards kahit saang sulok.

Pinagbuksan ako ng pinto ni Pietro at inalalayang makalabas ng kotse. He was very attentive of me and it made me secretly blush!

Sabay sabay kaming lahat na pumasok sa loob at hinayaan ang mga staff sa hotel na igiya kami papunta sa mismong venue nitong family gathering nila.

We were greeted by hundreds of people inside the huge banquet hall, all eyes were literally on us and I was left in awe with the sight of these people.