(A/N: Please do not proceed if you haven't read BOOK 1 yet.)
Pectorals... Abs... Biceps...
Yumi sighed to herself. What a view...
Kami, who came from the kitchen and saw her standing by the window obviously ogling the view outside, couldn't help smirking.
This perverted lady, ah...
He approached her and took out a handkerchief from his pocket and then wipe off the side of her lips.
"It is okay to enjoy the view but to salivate like this... Aso ka ba?" Kami whispered to her ears.
Yumi quickly slapped his hand away from her face and then wiped her lips on her own. Nang wala namang basa doon, she glared at Kami.
Obviously, he was teasing her.
"Shut up."
Kami chuckled and then looked out the window too, only to see Mateo chopping woods outside while half naked.
"You know, I think he is seducing me. He clearly knows I like seeing pectorals and abs. Now he's flaunting his like this everyday. Isn't it unfair?"
"Unfair, huh?" Kami snorted.
Yumi as usual was narcissistic but she really outdid her own shamelessness sometimes.
She was complaining about Mateo but she was clearly the one enjoying the view so much.
Anyway, sakto namang dating nila Asahi at Daichi mula sa mga trabaho nila.
"Mateo, enough of that. Let's go inside to have lunch." Aya ni Daichi sa binata.
"Tch..." Yumi made a face.
They were all so welcoming to him. Kung alam lang nila na isang traydor ang lalaking iyan, they wouldn't this be nice to him at all.
Alas, she couldn't tell them at all that because she would need to explain her other life by then.
So yeah, she stayed silent and everyone in this house thought that this Mateo came here upang ligawan talaga siya.
In fact, he came here to convince her to come back to L City.
It had been months since that dreadful day happened.
Losing Lolo Pikit was the greatest heartache Yumi ever had.
After she finished her deeds towards the Santiagos, she told Doña Margarita and General Vicente that she wanted to go back to Q Province for a while.
They allowed her to do so. So long as she would go back kapag handa na siya.
Yumi, together with Amelia and her brothers, came back to Q Province right away then. Kami also joined them as Yumi introduced him as her sworn brother from L City.
Of course, Koshi was the only one who knew about Kami's real identity. Since he was aware of how close the two at sinabihan na din naman siya ni Yumi about sa pagsami ni Kami sa kanila, he didn't say any objection anymore. Besides, Kami was really a good lad.
Anyway, it had been half a year already at hindi pa rin sila bumabalik sa L City so she guessed it worried several people from there lalong lalo na si Don Enrico.
After all, they only had one last talk about the alliance before Yumi left but nothing was finalized yet by then. So he must have been worried na baka umatras na siya sa usapan nila.
And so he sent Mateo here.
And since this bastard came here, he would help out a lot sa pag-iigib at pagpuputol ng mga kahoy para sa kanila.
And yes, he did that without his upper clothing.
Which Yumi found so irritating and enjoyable at times.
She was a healthy young lady who liked seeing pectorals and abs after all. But she hated him so yeah... Mateo was surely making her bipolar as he spent his time with them longer.
Anyway, sinalubong niya ang mga kapatid niya at tinulungan ang mga ito sa kanilang mga salakot at bagahe.
And when it was Mateo's turn, she walked away at nagdiretso na sa kusina.
Napailing na lang sila Daichi at Asahi dahil sa asal ni Yumi.
She had been ignoring this lad since he arrived.
Meanwhile, Kami just shrugged at sumunod na kay Yumi. Whatever may happened, susuportahan lang niya ang dalaga.
Although she ogled at this lad's body, he knew very well that she was still angry dahil sa panttraydor ng binata sa kanya.
If he didn't tell the alliance between his army and her, Don Enrico would not really force forming an alliance with her. He would have an idea but if he thought it was impossible because she wouldn't work with anyone at all, the Don would definitely stop after several attempts.
But her alliance with Mateo was quickly used against her. She found it so troublesome then.
Anyway, when all of them reached the kitchen, inabutan nila na katatapos lang din na maghain nila Amelia, Koshi at Victoria.
That's right!
Victoria was also living with them now.
Yumi never informed her about her going back to Q Province. In fact, nakaalis na ang pamilya ni Yumi when she learned about it.
After that ay agad agad siyang nagpaalam sa Lola at Papa niya para sumunod kay Yumi.
Of course, she did her best to convince them. She needed to make them agree with her request lalo na at nakasalalay dito ang buhay niya.
She might look normal but she was still sick. And Yumi was the only one who could provide her an antidote for it.
Sinubukan na niyang lumapit sa mga pinakamagagaling na doktor sa bayan nila, kasama na si Doctor Erasmus, but they couldn't even diagnose her illness at all.
She knew by then na si Yumi lang ang pag-asa niya. So she would stick to her then for the sake of her living.
Kaya naman eto siya ngayon at anim na buwan na ring naninirahan kasama ang mga Valdez.
Noong una, she was really only sticking to Yumi's side. After all, kung may pinakakinamumuhian man siya sa pamilyang ito, that would be Amelia then.
But Yumi would always tease and make her angry. She would walk out because of the young lady. And Amelia would be always nice with her then.
Now, she found it hard to hate the older woman. Even Yumi's brothers were treating her as if she was their another sister then which she found very surprising.
She meant, she was spoiled and pampered so much by her mother and the Santiagos too. But the doting these family gave to Yumi, and now her, was giving her warmth in her heart.
It was real love and concern, not just simply spoiling her because of her usefulness or the likes.
Kaya naman natutunan na lang din niyang masanay sa lugar na iyon ganun din sa mga taong kasama niya.
And it was not forced but rather wholeheartedly.
"Oh good, you have arrived. Halina kayo para makakain na tayo ng sabay sabay." Amelia told them with her motherly smile.
All of them occupied their chairs then and began to eat.
***