Whipped by You (To be Published under Precious Hearts Romances)

Chapter One

Graceful na sumabay ang katawan ni Cyrene sa pagsaliw ng tugtugin. Itinaas pa niya ang mga kamay at sinabayan ang kanta ni Robin Thicke ng “Blurred Lines”. “I know you want it. But I’m a good girl. The way you grab me, must wanna get nasty. Go ahead, get at me.”
Hindi na siya nagulat ng maramdaman niyang may biglang humawak na sa bewang niya at gumigiling na idinikit ang katawan sa kanya.
Marahan siyang humarap dito at sinabayan ang pagsasayaw nito. “Babe, you’re sizzling hot,” narinig niyang bulong sa kanya ng kasayaw.
Nang-aakit na tiningnan niya ang mukha nito. Not bad. Pinadaan niya ang daliri sa mukha nito at nilaro-laro ang collar ng polo nito. Sinadya niyang inilapit ang bibig sa tainga nito.
“I know. That’s why you chose to dance with me.” Sinadya pa niyang inilapit ang katawan dito. “Why don’t you fix me a drink and let’s see what will happen next.”
Mabilis pa sa alas kwatrong sumunod ito sa sinabi niya. Muntik pa siyang matawa dahil halos banggain nito ang mga nasa daanan nito dahil sa pagmamadali.
Boys are so easy. Umalis na siya sa dance floor at nawalan na siya ng ganang magsayaw mula ng lapitan siya ng lalaki. Kaya nga gumawa na lang siya ng paraan para paalisin ito ng hindi nito nahahalata. Napagpasyahan na lang niyang umuwi na lang.
Binuksan na niya ang kotse niya ng biglang may pumigil sa kanya. “Hey!”
Manlalaban sana siya sa mapangahas na taong iyon ngunit biglang nalamig ang katawan niya ng mapagsino ang taong pumigil sa kanya.
“You??!!”
He smiled devilishly at her. “Not happy to see me?.” He pulled her close to him. “I didn’t expect you to go home early. You seem to enjoy the poor man’s company earlier.”
Malakas na itinulak niya ito. Kanina pa pala siya pinagmamasdan nito sa bar!
“If I don’t know you better I would probably think that you are jealous,” she said, smirking at him.
He laughed like she said something that is so ridiculous. “You flatter yourself so much, sweetie.”
She crossed her shoulders and stared at him coldly. “So who do I owe the pleasure of you seeing me?”
He gave her a killer smile. “Oh come on Cy, it’s been four years and that’s all the welcome that I’ve got from you?”
The nerve of this man!! Kung makapagsalita ito parang hindi nito binasag ang puso niya ng buong-buo bago ito umalis ng bansa.
“In case you forgot Greg, the last time you talked to me, you made it clear that we’re through. So don’t expect me to jump with so much joy the next time we see each other.”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. I didn’t know that you still hold grudges against me. You love me that much huh?” 
Tiningnan pa siya nito na tila nag-eexpect na siya pa rin ang dating babae na patay na patay dito.
Kinalma niya ang sarili at pinalampas ang patutsada nito. “Don’t be such a pig Gregory Ethan Arne. I totally moved on a long time ago. When you left me, I realized immediately that there is no use crying over spilled milk. So I went out with a lot of guys far much better than you.”
Hindi niya alam kung guni-guni lang ba niya pero parang may nakita siyang regret sa mga mata nito. Namamalikmata lang siguro siya dahil ngumisi na ito ng nakakaloko sa kanya.
“Really? So that’s why you dump the poor guy in the bar without his knowledge.”
Tuluyan na siyang nainis dito. “It’s none of your business. Tell me why do you have to bother me? Spill the beans now and don’t ever show your face again.”
He looked straight at her. “That will be impossible sweetie.” Nguniti ito sa kanya ng pagkatamis-tamis. “You will see every day from now on future wife.”
“DADDY!!!!!” Umalingawngaw ang tiling iyon ni Cyrene sa buong kabahayan ng mga Zobel.
Nagmamadaling bumaba ang ama at ina niyang tila nagising lang sa sigaw niya.
“Bakit anak? May nangyari ba sa iyong masama?” tarantang tanong nito sa kanya. Nagpapanic naming ch-in-eck siya ng mama niya upang tingnan kung okay lang siya.
Tiningnan niya ng masama ang ama. “I met Greg again Dad.”
Tila nakalma ito ng ma-realize na iyon lang pala ang dahilan ng sigaw niya at walang nangyaring masama sa kanya.
“Well. That is good to hear. You haven’t seen that boy since a long time,” bale-walang tugon nito sa sinabi niya.
Tumili na naman siya sa sobrang inis dito. “I hate you Dad. Why did you arrange my engagement with that stupid jerk? You already know how much I hate that man?!”
“Oh you know that we arrange your engagement with him before you two were born. So don’t act so surprised about it.”
Hindi makapaniwalang sinulyapan niya ang ama. “But he dump me four years ago! I assumed that you called off the engagement but now I heard that jerk saying that I am his future wife!” gigil na gigil niyang wika sa ama.
“But you are my future wife,” wika ni Greg na hindi niya namalayan na nakapasok pala sa bahay nila. Kilala ito ng mga maids dahil matalik na magkaibigan ang mga ama nila. Madalas din itong dumalaw sa bahay nila noong nasa bansa pa ito lalo na noong maging sila.
Galit na hinarap niya ito. “Don’t call me your future wife you moron! I will never marry you. Not now. And never in a thousand years that you will have me as your wife!”
Tinalikuran na niya ang mga ito at nagdadabog na pumasok sa kwarto niya.
Pagkatapos siya nitong paluhain ng balde-balde noon tapos ngayon magde-declare ito na pakakasalan siya, ano siya tanga? Hindi siya nagpakahirap na i-reinvent ang sarili para lang mapunta siya dito sa bandang huli.
She still hate him for breaking her heart and she will hate him forever.
FOUR YEARS AGO…
Nakalimang balik na yata si Cyrene sa salamin upang tingnan kung maganda na ba ang ayos niya. She wants to look perfect para sa gabing iyon. For tonight she will see again Greg--- her first love.
Huli silang nagkita nito noong sixteen years old pa lang siya habang ito naman ay eighteen years old at kaga-graduate pa lamang ng college. Umalis ito at ang pamilya nito sa bansa para makapag-masterals ito sa kursong Business Administration sa US.
Although she and Greg have been engage since before they were born, she can’t help but feel that he only see her as his little sister. Their fathers have been best of friends kaya naman natural lang para dito ang maging fond sa kanya. Though, hindi naman ito tumutol ng sabihin ng ama nito ang engagement nila, nararamdaman pa rin niya tila hindi ito kumportable sa ideyang siya ang fiancée nito.
Tonight I’m gonna change that. He will definitely see me as a woman worthy for his love. 
Nang masigurong magandang-maganda na siya ay ipinasya na niyang bumaba upang salubungin ang mga bisita nila. Tiyempo naming pagkababa niya ay narinig niya ang ugong ng sasakyan sa garahe nila. Biglang kumabog ang kanyang dibdib sa pinaghalong kaba at anticipation.
Sinalubong ng kanyang mga magulang sila Aunt Aya at Uncle Seth. Mahigpit na nagyakapan ang kanilang mga ama habang nag-beso naman ang dalawang babae. Mas lalong lumakas ang kaba niya ng makita ang bagoong pasok na lalake.
Napatingin siya sa mukha nitong matagal niyang na-miss. He looked more mature and he’s grown taller too. Magmumukhang maliit ang isang average height na Pilipino kung itatabi iyon dito. Sa tantiya niya nasa 6’4” or 6’5” na yata ang height nito ngayon. Ang dating lean na pangangatawa nito noon ay napalitan na ng muscles in the right places ngayon. He looked so hot nd sexy now though hindi nawala ang intimidating na aura nito.
When she looked at his face, he still got the same hazel brown soulful eyes. Ang ilong nitong matangos at ang pangahan nitong mukha ay ganoon pa rin. But his lips looked more sensous and it’s like promising her too much pleasure just by merely looking at him.
“Greg hijo, you’ve grown a lot,” bati dito ng kanyang ina. Hinalikan pa ito sa pisngi.
“You’re looking good yourself Auntie.” Lumipad ang tingin nito sa kanya. “It’s that you Cy?” Nilapitan siya nito at mahigpit na niyakap. “I missed you sweetie.” Pinakawalan siya nito at pinagmasdang mabuti. “You look like a lady now.”
Nakalabing inirapan niya ito. “News flash Mr. Zobel I was a lady four years ago, so don’t act so shocked if I looked like a lady now.”
Amused na tiningnan siya nito. “You weren’t a lady four years ago sweetie. You were a kid when I left,” pang-aasae nito.
“A kid?!” she disbelievingly said. “I was sixteen when you left Greg. I couldn’t pass being a kid at that time.”
He heartily laughed at her. “Sweetheart sixteen is still young. At those times, you even still need your nanny to accompany you.”
Bago pa man sila muling nagtalo ay inawat na sila ng kanyang ina. “That’s enough children. Mamaya na kayon magkulitan and I’m sure na kanina pa nagugutom sila Mareng Aya sa panonood ng bangayan niyo.”
Inakbayan naman ni Seth ang maybahay nito. “We don’t mind. Naaalala ko sa dalawang ito ang kabataan natin. Parang tayo lang noon.”
Tumawa naman ang daddy niya at inakbayan din ang mommy niya. “Oo nga, honey. Mas malala pa nga tayong maglambingan noon, eh.”
Sila ni Greg naglalambingan? How I wish!
Marahan namang siniko ng mommy niya ang asawa. “Tumigil ka nga Gab. Ang tatanda na natin eh, kumakarinyo ka pa.”
“Dad you’re so gross. You don’t have to be lovey-dovey with Mom in front of us,” nakangiwing wika niya. “Why don’t we just eat dinner instead of watching you guys flirt with each other?”
Tumawa naman ang mga ito sa reaksiyon niya. “Mabuti pa nga at kanina pa ako nagugutom,” ani ng kanyang ama at iginiya na sila sa dining room kung saan nakahanda ang masaganang hapunan.
NAKITA ni Greg si Aya na tahimik na nagpapahangin sa balkonahe ng bahay ng mga ito. Pagkatapos nilang maghapunan at nagpaalan ang dalaga na magpapahangin muna. Wala pang ilang minuto at napagpasyahan niyang sundan ito at iniwan niya ang mga magulang nila na masayang nagkukwentuhan.
Tumikhim siya upang ipaalam ang presensiya niya dito. Lumingon ito sa kanya at pinagmasdan siya habang papalapit dito. He stood beside her while filling his lungs with fresh air.
“How have you been?” basag niya sa katahimikang bumabalot sa kanila.
“I’ve been great,” she replied. “I finished college with flying colors and the graduation went well even though you weren’t able to attend it.”
Na-trace niyang may konting pagtatampo sa boses nito. “I’m sorry sweetie. At that time I was busy doing business that’s why I wasn’t able to attend your graduation.”
“Business or monkey business?”
Napangiti siya sa tinuran nito. Ever since they were kids, napakaselosa na nito pagdating sa kanya. He found it adorable every time her cheeks would flush with jealousy.
“You don’t have to be jealous sweetie. It was business not the other way around.”
She eyed him suspiciously. “Are you sure Mr. Zobel? The last time I phoned Aunt Cheska, she told me that you’re flashing around a blonde model.”
So her mom is feeding her news about him. He can’t blame his mom for telling her about his model ex-girlfriend because they were betrothed from the start. To be honest he didn’t want to get married to Cyrene because he felt like it will be incest. Since he is the only child so is she, Cyrene is more like a sister to him. Ayaw lang niyang sabihin sa mga ito na ayaw niya ang engagement na iyon dahil alam niyang masasaktan ang mga magulang nila lalo na ang dalaga.
“It was not because of her that I wasn’t able to attend your graduation sweetie. I swear, I was busy about our company and nothing else.”
“Who was she to you then?”
Nag-alangan siya kung sasagutin ba ito o hindi. Alam niyang magdadamdam ito sa kanya kapag narinig nito ang katotohanan. She took the whole engagement thing seriously. Pero alam niyang kukulitin siya nito kung hindi niya sasagutin ang tanong nito so he opted to be honest to her.
“She is my ex-girlfriend.”
Nakita niyang bumalatay sa mukha nito ang sakit at disappointment. “I see. So she was really your girlfriend then. How many ex-girlfriends did you have Greg?”
He knew what he will reveal will hurt her but he owe her the truth. “I don’t know sweetie. I don’t count. Consolation is I was not serious with them.”
He wants to punch himself when he saw that she was on the verge of crying. Good heavens, this is his entire fault.
“So you had too many,” she said in a crooked voice. “Tell me honestly Greg, what am I to you?”
He cupped her face and looked at her straightly on the eye. “It doesn’t matter sweetheart. What matters most is I am your fiancé.”
Sa sinabi niyang iyon ay tuluyan ng umalpas ang pinipigilang luha nito. “Yes you are. But that doesn’t stop you from having girlfriends, does it?”
He wanted to say something but he was afraid that he will hurt her more by his words. 
“I want you be honest as possible Greg. Do you love me?”
He saw the hopeful look in her eyes. “Of course I love you sweetie. You are like a sister to me and my parents adore you so much.”
Magsasalita pa sana siya ngunit pinigilan siya nito. “I get the picture now. You don’t see me as a woman that can be your fiancée but as a little sister. But you know what Greg? You don’t marry your little sister so consider the engagement is off.”
Tumalikod ito sa kanya at naglakad palayo sa lugar na iyon. Naiwan siyang nakatayo doon at gulat sa sinabi nito.