Nasa kotse na sila ni Nick. Ihahatid muna siya nito sa condo bago ito pumunta sa main office nito. Hindi pa din maalis sa isip niya ang napag-usapan nila kanina after they made love in his other office.
"B-But why did you do that?" tanong niya sa nobyo.
His eyes like slits, he looked at her and said, " Lahat gagawin ko huwag ka lang mawala sa akin. Huwag kang mag-alala honey, kikitain ko din ulit yun. Tandaan mo..nothing or no one can take you away from me. I can do very bad things sa sino mang magtatangka. What's mine is just mine. "
"Bukas ka na pumasok honey. Sasaglit lang naman ako sa opisina. Do you want to dine out or sa bahay na lang tayo?" he asked sa malambing na boses as he drives.
Sinulyapan ito ni Stacey. He's back to being sweet. Getting used to his mood swings seems to be a little difficult. But bago naman niya sinabi na mahal niya ito, she told herself na haharapin niya lahat ng consequences of being his woman.
Pero hindi pa din siya makapaniwala na he spent millions of pesos para lang tigilan na siya ni Tyler. Sasakit yata ang ulo niya sa nobyo niya.
"Honey?" salubong ang kilay na tawag nito nang hindi siya sumagot.
Bumuntung-hininga siya.
"Okay. Pero bukas papasok na talaga ako ha?" she asked.
He threw her a glance.
"Kung yan ang gusto mo."Nakangiti itong tumango.
"Thank you." tipid na sabi niya.
"But alam mo naman na you don't need to work. I can provide everything for you." sabi nito habang nasa kalsada ang mga mata.
"Sanay na ako to fend for myself." sagot niya.
Kinuha ni Nick ang kamay niya and put it on his lap.
"Iba na ngayon. I am your man and you are my woman. I want to take care of you. Basta kahit anong gusto mo sabihin mo lang okay? Lahat ng kailangan mo ibibigay ko." seryosong sabi nito.
"Okay lang ako. I don't want you showering me with gifts. Hindi ako komportable sa ganun." she said habang nakatingin sa dinadaanan nila.
"I will give you gifts if I want to .Kung ayaw mo at hindi mo tinanggap, then itapon na lang!" may inis sa boses na sabi nito.
Stacey just shook her head.
"Honey, you shouldn't spend a lot of money on things na hindi naman kailangan.Nakakahinayang .Sayang ang pera." sabi niya.
" I worked very hard to be where I am now na walang tulong ng pamilya ko. If I want to spend money sa kahit anong gusto ko, I can and I will. Girlfriend kita and masaya ako pag binibili kita ng kahit ano. I am well-off so I can afford it. Don't worry, I am sponsoring certain charities honey .Hindi naman ako yung tipo na sarili lang ang iniisip. I strongly believe in sharing my blessings." he explained.
She just stared at him in awe. Her boyfriend is really extraordinary. Nakakalito at the same kahanga-hanga talaga ito. Probably many women want him hindi lang dahil sa hitsura at estado nito sa buhay. Maswerte siya because he chose to be with her. Kailangan niya lang talagang intindihin palagi ito. Hindi niya dapat bigyan ito ng rason para magselos. Yun lang naman ang madalas nilang pagtalunan . She also has to get used to his presents . Sabi nito itatapon lahat ng tatanggihan niya. Natutop niya ang noo. Her boyfriend is so rich na wala itong pakialam kung magtapon ito ng pera. Isa pa yun sa adjustments na dapat niyang gawin.
"H-Honey? Tutal wala din naman akong gagawin, pwede akong pumunta kay Eve?" she asked.
She had a sudden feeling to be with her friend .Halos bago lahat now na sila na ni Nick. She wants to be in touch with someone from her former life like Eve. Nalulula siya being Nick Alcantara's girlfriend.
"No. Sandali lang ako. Magpahinga ka na lang." tugon nito in a tone na hindi pwedeng kontrahin.
She didn't argue with him anymore. Tatawagan na lang niya ang kaibigan mamaya. Kotang- kota na sila sa pagtatalo ngayong araw na to.
Akala niya ibababa lang siya ni Nick sa unit nito. Sinamahan pa siya nito sa taas. He even reminded her again to take a nap. He said he'll be away for maybe two hours. Kailangan daw niyang magpahinga dahil puyat sila kagabi . She stifled a sigh when he finally left again.
Hindi kasi siya sanay na may nag-aalaga or nagwo-worry sa kanya kaya naninibago talaga siya. Nick is doing both.
I have to be thankful. Nick Alcantara, PNMK is really taking care of me. Be more appreciative! Stacey! She told herself.
She took a quick shower then decided to check her cell phone. Baka may text si Derick or missed call. Nothing from Derick but may missed call si Tyler.
Frowning, she dialed his number. She made a note na burahin ang call history ng phone niya later. Baka makita pa ni Nick. After four rings, he took the call.
"Stacey? "
"You called me?" she asked.
Narinig niya na bumuntung-hinga ito.
"Pinag-ring ko lang ng isang beses. I really wanted to talk to you kanina." he said.
Wala naman siyang galit or hinanakit dito knowing na he chose to have an expensive car over her. In the first place ,deep inside wala naman talaga siyang balak sagutin ito. Ito lang matiyaga sa pagsuyo sa kanya kahit tinapat na niya ito nung una pa lang.
"I guess hindi mo siya kasama kaya natawagan mo ako." sabi nito.
She ignored what he said. "Bakit mo akong gustong makausap? What for?" tanong niya.
"Please don't ever think na hindi totoo ang lahat ng sinabi ko sayo dati. I more than like you Stacey. Kaya nga ang tagal kitang niligawan but…." he sounds emotional.
She sat down on the edge of the bed and massaged her right temple. Sumasakit na talaga ang ulo niya. Maybe Nick is right,she should take a nap.
"Look Tyler, you don't have to explain anything. It's okay." sagot niya.
"No it's not. You have to listen to me. Your...boyfriend is a very dangerous man. I was forced to choose the car. Pinapili niya ako. Either I take the car or he will do everything para masira ako. He is very influential. Lahat kaya niyang gawin. He said that I better take something expensive from him kapalit ng paglayo ko sayo. Sabi niya mas kampante siya sa ganun. So you see Stacey...wala akong choice." he revealed.
She put her hand on her mouth. She's really shocked sa sinabi nito.
"When I saw you again kanina, I realized na hindi ko kayang tanggapin ang sasakyan. But he got really angry. He said that we made a deal. At pag sumira ako sa usapan ..." his voice faded.
"Nick will never do such a thing.." sabi niya lang pero iba ang naglalaro sa isip niya.
Tandaan mo..nothing or no one can take you away from me. I can do very bad things sa sino mang magtatangka.What's mine stays mine.
"He can and he will because he is obsessed with you." Tyler said.
Obsessed with you....obsessed with you.....
Kanina pa niya naibaba ang telepono but Tyler's words keep on repeating inside her head. Posible kaya na totoo ang sinasabi nito?
She stood up. No! Tyler is probably just fabricating stories. Naghuhugas kamay lang ito.
But why would he do something like that? Tanong niya sa sarili.
Dahil gusto niya kayong sirain ni Nick. He's bitter dahil ang tagal ka niyang niligawan but hindi mo siya sinagot. Samantalang you have only known Nick for a short time pero nobyo mo na siya ngayon. Sagot ng isang bahagi ng utak niya.
She took some pain reliever from her bag then diretso siya sa kusina to get water. She brought the glass of water with her pagkainom ng gamot. She is ready to go to the bedroom ng mapatingin siya sa isa pang silid sa unit ni Nick.
Should she dare go inside?
Ibinaba niya ang baso sa center table. Lumakad siya papunta sa silid na ginawang opisin slash study room ng nobyo.
She's not even sure if it's locked. She tried turning the knob...hindi ito naka-susi. With a heavy sigh, binuksan niya ito then looked inside. Hindi naman siya binawalan ni Nick na pumasok dito so wala namang sigurong masama if she'll just look around.
Katamtaman ang laki nito.
May two single seater sa left side. In between them may coffee table. May office chair at desk ito sa gitna.Behind the chair, may bookshelves. Naglakad siya towards his desk.May laptop at mga folders na naka-ayos. She sat down on his chair habang iniikot ang mga mata sa paligid. Simple talaga ang taste ng nobyo niya pagdating sa bahay at opisina.
Pero dahil connected sa mga sasakyan ang mga business nito, his cars are really expensive. Hindi niya alam how many cars he has. Basta hindi pa ito nag-ulit ng sasakyan mula ng makilala niya.
She tried to open his laptop. Naka-sleep lang ito .Wala naman siyang balak to pry with his data. She was surprised when she saw her face on the screen. Siya ang desktop background ng laptop nito.
He cropped one of her photos from the pictures of Not Eye Candy magazine. She smiled na may kasamang kilig. She wonders if pati sa cellphone nito siya din ang wallpaper.
She clicked the sleep mode of his laptop again habang naiiling. Ngayon naman, she tried to open some of the drawers of his desk.
She started with the left one. Mga papeles ang laman and some staples and pens. Sa right drawer naman mga folders and markers. Kumunot ang noo niya ng buksan niya ang gitnang drawer.
Apat na copy ng June issue ng Not Eye Candy ang tumabad sa kanya. Ito yung mga kopya na siya ang cover.
Naka-arrange ito in a row. Yung isa yung cover ang nakikita. Yung tatlong kopya nakabukas sa certain pages. Yung pangalawa is medyo close-up photo of her. Yung third, nakasandal siya sa dingding wearing the black lacy undies. And the last one is yung nakahiga siya sa kama.
She touched her throat. Hindi nga kaya obsess sa kanya ang nobyo like what Tyler said?
Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Natanong niya ang sarili.
She lifted one of the magazines then may nakita siyang susi sa loob ng drawer. She picked it up then she realized that it's a motorcycle's key. Her brows creased.
Bigla niyang naalala si Derick…