Ang feeling ni Stephanie ay nasa loob sya ng cloud. She felt lightheaded and her vision was hazy, her mouth felt dry na parang punong puno ng cotton balls. She didn't know where she was or who she was with. May mga naririnig lang syang mga boses pero wala syang naiintindihan.
"Zo, dali, akin na ang medyas mo..."
"Bro, bakit? Anong kailangan mo sa medyas ko?"
"Kailangan na magising ni Steph. Sa baho ba naman ng paa mo, I'm sure matatauhan ng ang Love ko."
"Gago! Hindi mabaho paa ko!"
"At nakuha nyo pang magbiruan eh nakikita nyo na ngang walang malay ang bee ef ef ko! Halikan mo na lang kaya si Sleeping Beauty, Ashton?"
"Good idea."
"Don't even think about it," nagising na si Stephanie at garalgal pa rin ang boses nya. "I am no Sleeping Beauty. I'm more of a Maleficent now."
"Love!" Ashton's face came into clear view now that Stephanie's eyes became more focused. She stood up from the couch she was laying down on. "Are you okay?" he asked worriedly. "Bigla ka na lang nahimatay."
"Don't talk to me," malamig na sabi nya kay Ashton.
"Steph naman..."
"I'm serious, Ash...Dan...whatever! Freaking evil smirking man pansy!" lumayo si Stephanie kay Ashton at siniksik ang sarili sa kabilang side ng couch.
"Love," kumunot ang noo ni Ashton at umusog din para tabihan ang kanyang fiancee.
"Abo, for the love of all that is holy, get away from me!" she screamed at him.
"Best, nahimatay ka kanina, ngayon naman bad trip na bad trip ka at nagsisisigaw...buntis ka ba?" nakakabiglang tanong ni Rachel.
"No! OMG, Rachel! That is the last thing I need right now...to be pregnant with this man's baby!" she said with so much disgust as she poked Ashton on the shoulder.
Nanlumo ang mukha ni Ashton sa narinig. "Can you guys leave us alone for now? Zo, pakisabi na lang kina Mommy na okay na si Steph?"
Tumango si Enzo at inalalayan si Rachel palabas ng kwarto kung nasaan sila. Busy ang both set of parents na pakalmahin lahat ng mga bisita sa ballroom. Ashton got up from the couch and kneeled in front of Stephanie at hinawakan ang mga kamay nito. Hindi naman sya tinitignan ng dalaga; she turned her head and looked angrily at the wall. Pinipilit ni Stephanie bawiin ang mga kamay nya sa pagkahawak ni Ashton sa kanya, pero mahigpit ang hawak ng binata. He kissed her hands and stared at her.
"Love. I'm sorry."
"Whatever," matamlay na sabi ni Stephanie na hindi pa rin tinitingnan si Ashton.
"Steph..."
"How long have you known?"
"Since the day you arrived at my house."
"Okay." Stephanie pushed his hands away and stood up. "I'm sorry I lied to you." She remained calm. Hinding hindi ako iiyak dahil lang sa malas na sitwasyon na to!
"I know why you did," Ashton stood up as well and stood behind her. "Pareho lang naman tayo. May tinatakasan; may tinataguan."
"I'm sorry I kept my identity hidden from you."
"I'm sorry I did too."
"I'm sorry this wedding is not happening."
"What?"
"Ayokong ipakasal sa yo. I know I don't have the right to be angry at you, pareho lang naman tayong nagsinungaling, but the difference between you and me is kilala mo ako. You knew who I was. Feeling ko pinaglaruan mo lang ako."
"Steph, I wanted you to come clean to me!" he raised his voice in panic. "Ayokong pangunahan ka!"
"Bakit ka naninigaw?"
"Kasi ayokong mawala ka sa akin."
"Ang galing mo rin eh no? May paiyak iyak ka pa nung umalis ako ng La Union," she scoffed. "I love my family, I love our hotels, but I am not going to sell the rest of my life to you."
"Steph! I cried because paalis ka nung araw na yun! Sa totoo lang, I was afraid of your reaction when you find out who I am. Mahal na mahal kita," he hugged her from behind.
"Too bad for you."
"And you love me, too."
"I loved Abo; I don't know who you are," she said sarcastically.
"Loved?"
"I left Abo in La Union. Matagal mo ng alam yan; sinabi ko na sa yo na hanggang dun lang ang relasyon natin," she tried to get out of his hold.
"Stephanie, don't do this! I was wrong, I know that now, but when I found out who you were, I wanted to get to know you. Gusto ko lang makilala ang magiging asawa ko na walang halong pretense; na walang halong pakitang tao."
"And I was the biggest brat to you! I can't believe you liked that. There must be something seriously wrong with you," she rolled her eyes.
"That's why I fell in love with you. Because you were real. You have always been real with me."
Stephanie finally got out of his embrace and opened the door to their room. She exited and made her way back towards the ballroom. Sinundan naman sya ni Ashton.
"Love, ang bilis mo palang maglakad," he joked with her to ease the tension, but she just continued to ignore him.
She stopped at the entrance of the ballroom dahil nakita nya agad ang mga magulang nya. She felt angry at them again, but at the same time, ayaw nya naman biguin sila. I love them so much. They put their whole lives for these hotels...Sige. Maglaro tayo, Abo.
"Okay, freaking evil smirking pansy," she turned around and smirked at him. "I'll marry you."
Natulala si Ashton sa biglang bago ng ihip ng hangin. "You will?"
"Yes," she put her hands on her hips. "On one condition. You give us 60% of the shares and you guys keep 40%. Baliktarin mo ang nasa kontrata."
"Steph..."
"Do it!"
"I'll talk to my dad..."
"No talk talk! Gawin mo na lang. Me or the shares? I mean, if I were in your shoes I'd pick me," she walked up to him. "Ashton, don't you miss me?" she took his hands and placed them around her waist. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "I mean, that last night in your room, in your bed...ako namimiss ko yun. Ikaw?" she whispered into his ears seductively.
"What are you doing?" his breathing quickened and became uneven.
"Me or the shares?" she kissed his jaw.
"Steph naman..."
"Grabe, the way we just stayed still, just kissing and caressing...it was so intimate. I've never felt more connected to anyone else in my life..."
"Stephanie..."
"Me or the shares?" she repeated and raked her nails through his thick hair.
"Ikaw! It's always gonna be you!" he growled at her and pulled her tighter against him.
"Really?" she continued to play coy.
Hindi na sumagot si Ashton, binuhat nya na lang si Stephanie who gasped at his sudden action. She wrapped her legs around his waist. "To prove it to you, I will seal our deal with a kiss," he leaned up and claimed her lips in a bruising kiss. It's always gonna be you, Steph. Always.
Kumalas si Stephanie sa halikan nila and slid down his body. "Uh uh uh," she said sassily to him. "Relax ka lang, Abo. Pakalmahin mo yan. We still have a bunch of guests we need to get introduced to," she patted his cheek in a patronizing manner and nodded her head towards his center bago humalakhak ng malakas. She winked at him bago pumasok na ulit pabalik sa ballroom.
Ashton stood with his hands on his hips, clearly in a frustrated state dahil nabitin sya. You want to play, my Love? Sige, maglaro tayo. Liligawan ulit kita and this time, in three weeks, pakakasalan mo ko dahil gusto mo.
***
Ashton just stared at Stephanie as the guests at their engagement party clapped their hands. Nakangiti naman ng malapad si Stephanie, looking every inch the social butterfly she was. Hindi mo makita sa mukha nya ang inis na kanina ay he was on the receiving end of. He tried to hold her hand pero iniwas ng dalaga ang kamay nya kaya he just put an arm around her waist as their photos were being snapped on stage. He looked at his and her parents who looked very happy and proud na matutuloy na ang kasal o ang merger, he wasn't sure which one. Pagkatapos ng photo session ay bumaba na si Stephanie ng stage at sabay nito ang pagkawala ng ngiti nya. She made her way to where Rachel stood and snatched the flute of champagne her friend was holding out of her hand.
"Hoy, bawal kang uminom nyan!"
"At bakit naman?" Stephanie looked at her best friend weirdly.
"Baka buntis ka, Best!"
"Shh! Rach, ano ka ba?! Ang lakas ng boses mo. Hindi ako buntis."
"Paano mo nalaman?"
"May dalaw ako today."
"Ah, kaya pala ang moody mo ngayon," Rachel giggled.
"Best naman, if you were in my shoes, masisiyahan ka ba sa mga pasabog today?"
"Oo naman! Dahil si Ashton na love mo at si Dan na mapapangasawa mo ay iisa lang pala! It's a reason to celebrate!"
"Yeah, pero that doesn't change the fact that he lied to me!"
"So what, you lied to him, too," Rachel smirked.
"I lied to him because I needed to. He did it on purpose."
"A lie is a lie. Paano naging excusable ang sa yo pero yung kanya hindi?"
"Kasi nga mine was out of necessity," Stephanie took another flute of champagne from a server holding a tray of champagne and placed her empty one on it.
"Pero, Best, he's already saying sorry. He's asking for your forgiveness. Ang lupit mo naman."
"Aba dapat lang. Baka mamaya kung ano nanaman plano ng Abo'ng yan."
"Yihee, if I know, gusto mo lang syang awayin para masaya ang make up sex," Rachel nudged her at naibuga nya ang ininom nyang champagne.
"OMG, Rachel, seriously?! Please tape your mouth shut," she looked at her friend sternly. "There will be no make up anything! Di ba nga, ilalagay ko sa prenup na I'm not having sex with him ever?"
"Chosera ka. Sa yummy ng fiance mong yan? Kaya mong tiisin?"
Titiisin ko. Dahil dapat syang parusahan! "Rach, ako kaya ko. Eh sya kaya? I'm pretty sure hindi nya ako kayang tiisin," she smirked.
"Okay, sabi mo eh..." hindi pa rin naniniwala si Rachel sa sinabi ni Stephanie.
Lumapit naman si Enzo sa kanilang dalawa at umirap si Stephanie sa lalaki. "Ikaw, hijo, how long have you known?"
"I knew when I got back from La Union."
"Okay, at least...totoo yung pinakita mo sa akin dun sa bahay ng kuya mo."
"Steph, sorry na kung hindi ko rin sinabi sa yo na alam ko na. I just didn't want to step on any toes...alam ko naman na you were in a relationship with my brother. I was just respecting my boundaries."
"Hay naku, ang sarap nyong pagbuhuling magkapatid. Ni hindi ko nga alam na magkapatid pala kayo eh."
"Di ko lang sinabi kasi my brother was in hiding. We had to cover our tracks."
"Yeah, in hiding from me!" tinunga na ni Stephanie ang laman ng flute nya.
"Steph, he loves you. Kung hindi, ako na mismo ang maglalayo sa kanya dahil pinagbigyan ko lang sya sa yo...kay 'Gigi'. I wouldn't let him get away with it kung alam kong lolokohin ka lang nya."
"You're a good brother, Enzo," tinapik nya ang balikat ng lalaking nakatayo sa harap nya. "I hope you're right."
"Trust him," Enzo held Stephanie's hand.
"Zo, let go of my fiancee's hand, please, kung ayaw mong mabalian ng buto," nakalapit na pala si Ashton sa kanila.
Tumawa si Enzo bago sinunod ang utos ng kanyang kapatid. "Hey, I'm trying to do you a favor here kaya huwag mo ng pairalin ang selos selos mo dyan."
"Steph, hinahanap ka nila mommy."
"Okay fine," Stephanie sighed. "Duty calls," she said to Rachel and Enzo. "Nasaan ba sila?"
"I'll take you to them."
Nagpaalam na si Stephanie kay Enzo at Rachel bago hinayaan si Ashton na hilahin sya sa kung saan man ang mga magulang ng binata. Nagtaka na lang sya ng hilahin sya palabas ng ballroom ni Ashton at direcho dun sa mga elevators. Pinindot ni Ashton ang button for the penthouse at tahimik na nakatayo lang sa loob ng elevator.
"Nasa penthouse sila?" tanong ni Stephanie.
"Wala."
"Then why are we heading to the penthouse?" nakapamewang na tanong ni Stephanie.
"Kasi binitin mo ako kanina," he said a matter of factly.
"Hello! Hindi pa tayo bati, first of all; and secondly, we were in the middle of our engagement party!"
"Kaya nga...so ngayon itutuloy na natin ang naudlot nating pagmamahalan," he remained stoic as he said that.
"Tse! Sure na sure ka naman na papayag ako."
"Ikaw na mismo ang lalapit sa akin."
The elevator stopped sa pintuan mismo ng penthouse at pinauna na ni Ashton makalabas ng elevator si Stephanie. Tinanggal nya na ang suot nyang necktie as soon as they walked inside the penthouse at hinubad na rin ang kanyang suit jacket. Nagulat na lang sya ng biglang tumawa si Stephanie.
"Yan na ba ang ways of seduction mo? Ang maghubad sa harap ko? Excuse me, pero marami na akong nakitang yummy abs, and it takes more than that para sunggaban kita," umirap si Stephanie.
"I'm just trying to be more comfortable." Ashton walked up to the bar and poured himself a glass of whiskey.
"Abo kasi, ganito yan..." she walked up to him and slipped her warm hands under the collar of his shirt. "Touch. Touch is very important when you're trying to seduce someone," she whispered and looked into his eyes. Nilagok tuloy ni Ashton ang hawak hawak nyang baso ng whiskey.
Stephanie smiled and took the glass from him. Nilapag nya ito sa counter top ng bar and started walking forward, leading Ashton backwards to the couch. Napaupo si Ashton when the backs of his knees hit the couch and tinaas ni Stephanie ang kanyang palda so she could sit on his lap. She straddled him and ran her hands through his hair. Inaamoy amoy nya ang leeg ni Ashton, her nose grazing his skin there. Ashton's hands went under her skirt and up her thigh.
"See, ikaw na mismo ang lumapit sa akin," he said playfully.
"Kasi palpak ka," she whispered into his ear.
"Love..."
"Ano?" she moved her head so she can look at his face, looking at him through her lashes na parang hindi nya alam ang effect nya sa kanyang mapapangasawa. "Oh, hello there," she giggled when she felt a poke in her middle.
"Love..."
"Ano nga?" she whispered into his ear again, her hands beginning to unbutton his shirt. "Sa banyo tayo..."
Hindi na nagdalawang salita si Stephanie dahil binuhat na sya ni Ashton. He turned on the shower and the hot water immediately enveloped the room in a steamy fog. Ashton returned to Stephanie and began kissing her neck. "I love you so much. Namiss kita..."
"Hmmm...." she moaned. "Make sure it's a cold shower..." she unbuckled his belt.
"Huh?" Ashton stopped sucking on her neck and looked at her. He was confused.
"Hindi ako pwede ngayon. I'm on my period," she smirked at him. "Enjoy your cold shower...Daniel. Tata!"
She stepped away from him and went out of the bathroom, winking at him before closing the bathroom door.
"STEPHANIE!!!!"
She laughed when she heard him yell loudly na nayanig ata ang buong penthouse.