Dangerous Embrace

CHAPTER 17

“WELCOME. What’s your order, sir?” tanong ni Hazel habang nasa likod siya ng glass shelves kung saan nakalagay ang mga bagong-gawang tinapay at pastries.

Pero natigilan siya nang makita kung sino ang nakatayo ngayon sa harapan niya. “Ikaw.” Aniya.

Tumango si Elliot. “Where’s Isabelle?” tanong niya.

Tiningnan ni Hazel ang hawak na wristwatch. “Mamayang hapon papasok si Isa. May kailangan siyang asikasuhin ngayong umaga.”

“Oh.” Napatango na lamang si Elliot saka inilapag ang hawak na paper bag sa ibabaw ng glass shelves. “Can you give this to her?”

Tumaas ang isang kilay ni Hazel. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang laman ng puting paper bag. Kinuha na lamang niya ito saka itinabi. “I’ll give it to her later.”

“Thanks.” Tumikhim si Elliot. “Don’t tell her it’s from me.”

Kumunot ang noo ni Hazel. “What do you mean?”

“Just tell her it’s your gift. I don’t want her to feel indebted by this gift.”

Dalawang kilay ang tumaas kay Hazel. “Teka, ano ba ‘to?” nagtataka niyang tanong.

“It’s a phone. Napansin ko kasi na luma na ang phone niya. So, I bought her one.”

Hazel let out a small sigh. Hindi niya alam kung ano ba ang dapat niyang isipin tungkol sa kaharap niya ngayon. Oh, might as well speak to him now. Mahirap na itong kausapin kapag nasa loob na ito ng Rios Group.

Aalis na sana si Elliot nang pigilan siya ng babae.

“Wait.”

Elliot stopped and looked back. “Yes?”

“Nagmamadali ka ba?”

Umiling si Elliot. “Hindi naman.”

“Puwede ba kitang makausap?”

Tumango nang isang beses si Elliot. “Sure.”

Mabilis na tinawag ni Hazel ang isang staff upang ito ang pumalit sa puwesto niya. Then she walked towards Elliot and stretched out her hand to the vacant table.

Umupo naman si Elliot.

Hazel sat across from Elliot. “Isa told me about your thing.”

“What thing?”

“About your proposal.”

“Oh.”

Pinagsiklop ni Hazel ang kamay sa ibabaw ng mesa. “Alam mo ang sitwasyon ni Isa, Mr. Rios. Alam kong alam mo.”

“Alam ko.”

“Good. Now, let me ask you. Are you really serious about her?” seryosong tanong ni Hazel. “Pasensiya ka na kung nakikialam ako. Pero matalik na kaibigan ko si Isa. Kapatid na ang turing ko sa kaniya. I don’t want to see her suffer; that’s why I’m asking you.”

“But marrying James Ramos will make her suffer, right?”

“Kaya nga tinatanong kita,” sabi ni Hazel. “I’m a straightforward person, Mr. Rios. If you’re serious and genuine about Isa, then I might help you to win her over.”

“Talaga?”

Tumaas ang sulok ng labi ni Hazel. “Kung totoo ka sa kaniya.” Aniya. “But if you only want to play, then get out of her life.”

Tipid na ngumiti si Elliot. “I know you know me.”

“Just the information out there and rumors. Hindi kita kilala nang personal, Mr. Rios.” Haze said in an honest voice. “I can say you’re a good man because you have no scandal since you entered the business circle. Pero katulad nga ng sinabi ko, hindi kita kilala nang personal kaya hindi ko alam kung anong klaseng tao ka. I don’t know if you’re genuine or just playing around.”

Honest woman. Elliot thought. Bagay si Hazel sa kakambal niya, pero may napupusuan naman na ang kakambal niya.

“Ms… uh, sorry, what’s your name?”

Hazel rolled her eyes. “Hazel Morales.”

“Ms. Morales, I’m serious about Isabelle,” Elliot said with utmost sincerity.

“Gusto mo siya?” tanong ni Hazel.

“Yes, I like her. I won’t propose marriage if I don’t like her, right?”

Hazel snorted. “Malay ko kung naglalaro ka lang.”

“Seryoso ako, Ms. Morales. I like Isabelle. And even if Isabelle won’t agree to marry me, I won’t let her marry that scumbag.” Kumuyom ang kamay ni Elliot.

Lumaki ang mata ni Hazel. “Are you going to kidnap her?”

Tumaas ang sulok ng labi ni Elliot. “That’s a secret.”

“Sinabi mo ba na gusto mo siya?”

Umiling si Elliot. “No.”

“Yeah, I figured.”

“She might get scared. We’ll take it slow.”

Napatango si Hazel. “Good luck then.”

“Will you help me convince Isabelle?” Elliot asked.

“Sure, but I’m not promising it will be successful.”

“At least you tried.”

Tumayo si Elliot at nagpaalam na.

Nang makalabas si Elliot ng bakery, gusto ni Hazel na tumalon sa tuwa. Kung nandito lang si Isabelle, baka niyakap na niya ito.

Sumandal siya sa kinauupuan.

She had seen a lot of rich men, and most of them were scumbags. Pero iba ang nakikita niya kay Elliot Rios. Mukhang matino naman ito. He looks responsible too.

“Hindi na masama kung siya ang maging asawa ni Isa,” Hazel said to herself.

But the problem is her friend… wala pa itong desisyon.

Nahilot ni Hazel ang sentido. That was indeed the real problem.

“SO, HOW WAS IT?” tanong ni Hazel kay Isabelle nang dumating ito sa bakery matapos ang tanghali.

Umiling si Isabelle. “Hazel, hindi talaga ako bagay sa mundo ng mga mayayaman. That event was classy. Full of sophisticated women. I can’t fit in that kind of life.”

And as a reminder, she got blisters on her foot because of wearing high heels. Hindi sana siya sasama kay James sa event na dadaluhan nito, pero pinilit siya ng kaniyang ina. Says that it was her duty as James’s fiancée.

Sa totoo lang, ayaw niya ng ganito. Iyong may kumokontrol sa kaniya.

“Indeed. If you marry James and become his wife… and as his wife, it’s your duty to accompany him.”

Nagbaba ng tingin si Isabelle. “Pasensiya ka na. Problema ang karamihang sinasabi ko sa ‘yo.”

“Okay lang ‘yon, ano ka ba? We’re friends, Isa.”

Ngumiti si Isabelle. “Salamat.”

“Here.” Ibinigay ni Hazel ang paper bag kay Isabelle. “Para sa ‘yo.”

“Ano ‘to?”

“A small gift.”

Isabelle opened the paper bag and looked at what was inside. Her eyes widened when she saw a brand-new phone. At sa brand nito, alam niyang mamahalin ito.

“Why did you give me a phone?”

Ngumiti si Hazel. Hindi naman ako ang nagbigay niyan. “Nothing. It’s my gift.”

Hazel quickly left Isabelle and entered her office. Baka magtanong pa si Isabelle at hindi niya alam ang isasagot niya rito. Kilala niya ang mismong sarili. She can lie, but it won’t take long, and she would be discovered.

Meanwhile, Isabelle felt something was off about the phone.

Pero ipinawalang-bahala na lamang niya.

Mabait si Hazel, kaya hindi na siya nagtataka na bibigyan siya nito ng cellphone.

I will thank her later.