Dominating Sides

Chapter 19

IS HE SERIOUSLY ASKING ME FOR A DATE?

Hindi pa kaagad nag-rehistro sa kanyang isip ang sinabi nito. A date? The serious and aloof Alessandro Forfax asked her for a date? Never in her life she have thought to hear something like that from him.

"What do you know about dates? You don't look like you do dates, Forfax." This time, she doesn't care to show her genuine surprise to him.

Bahagya namang tumaas ang isa sa mga makakapal nitong kilay. "How could you judge someone so easily, wife? There's a lot of things you still don't know about me."

I wonder then what more I don't know

Ipinilig niya ang ulo at hindi na lang inusisa pa ang sinabi nito.

"And what makes you think I'll go on a date with you?" hamon niya rito.

Isang maliit na ngisi naman ang nabuo sa labi ng binata na nagpatigil sa kanya. She had seen Alessandro back on his early twenties. Seryosong tao na ito. She seldom sees him, and everytime na magkikita sila ay nakatingin lang ito sa kanya.

So to see that smirk is very surprising… and enticing.

She wonders what kind of teenage life Alessandro had. Was he the typical playboy? Does he cut classes? Does he smirk like that with other girls too?

Bumalik sa reyalidad ang kanyang utak nang masuyong hawiin nang binata ang tumabing na buhok sa kanyang mukha na hindi niya napansin. He did it so lovingly that something inside her chest leaped.

"What are you thinking?"

Tumiim ang kanyang mga labi. Hindi naman siya pala-tanong pero ngayon ay nangangati ang dila niya na magsabi rito.

"D-did you…." Lumunok siya. "Have you done that with your girls too before?"

She expected him to frown but she was once wrong again about Alessandro. Namungay ang kulay ginto nitong mga mata na nakatunghay sa kanya. Tila nangungusap ang mga mata nito. Para bang may gustong ipabatid.

"Done what?" maaligasgas ang tinig nitong tanong.

Nag-iwas siya ng tingin. "Do you smile like that to your girls before? Are you…like those casanovas?"

Halos hindi na siya humihinga habang hinihintay ang sagot nito. Paulit-ulit na rin niyang sinermunan ang sarili sa kanyang isip.

Urgh! I shouldn't have asked that at all!

"I don't, because I don't have any girls. I don't play around, wife, if that's what you want to ask." Seryoso ngunit may bahid pa rin nang lambing ang boses nito.

Nangunot ang noo niya. "I don't believe you. You're a bachelor. You're a Forfax. Y-you're… you're—basta! Don't try lie at me, Alessandro. I swear."

Who would believe that? He never did pursue girls? Flirt with girls before? That's unbelievable! Bukod sa mayaman ito at galing sa kilalang pamilya. He got the looks. The aura. The…body. She'll be lying if she said he's not oozing with s*x appeal.

"But I'm not lying. The only woman I've been with is my ex-wife," saad nito.

Natigilan siya.

Ex-wife…

Yeah. Galing nga pala ito sa divorce. Wala namang problema sa kanya ang tungkol sa nakaraang status ng binata. But the mention of wife that don't refer to her does not sit well with her.

"Please, wife. Don't think about her."

Napaangat siya ng tingin sa binata. Seryoso na ang mga mata nito na hindi yata inalis ang tingin sa kanya kahit isang segundo.

"It was an arranged marriage as well, right? And you two broke up. What makes you think we won't end up just like you and her?" seryoso niyang tanong.

Now that the topic of his past marriage was brought up, she can't help but think what could happen kung sakali mang hindi niya talaga mapigilan ang kasal. Would she up end just like his ex-wife?

"We're not gonna end up like that. I won't let that happen."

Nagtagis ang kanyang ngipin. "How are you so sure? Baka nga ganito rin ang sinabi mo sa kanya noong ikasal kayo—"

"We'll not end up like that because I won't let you go."

Napaawang ang kanyang mga labi. Alessandro took advantage of it. His finger caress her lower lips and that brought fire to her system. Her perception of this man infront of her suddenly change. Para bang bigla siyang ginising sa isang panaginip at ipinamukha sa kanya ang mga bagay na hindi niya napansin sa binata.

O marahil ay napansin niya na ngunit hindi niya maamin sa sarili.

She knew Alessandro was something. There's always this intimidating and enigmatic aura coating his whole presence.

And now she knows what exactly it is.

"I've longed for this and now that I have it, I won't ever let it go…" Nahigit niya ang hininga nang magtaas ito ng tingin dahilan para magtago ang kanilang mga mata. "Haven't you realized it yet, wife?"

Ang palaging kaseryosohan at kalamigan sa mga mata ng binata ay naglaho. It was now filled with passion and… desire. A strong desire for something. Or rather someone.

"I want you and all of this is my way to have you, Savannah."

I THINK I'M GOING INSANE.

There's a lot of things going inside her head and she can't believe of all those things happened in just a half a day. That man! She was really right for thinking that he will brought trouble.

Ngayon tuloy ay hindi mapakali ang isip at puso niya. Ni hindi siya makalabas ng kuwarto para magpahangin dahil nasa labas lang ito.

When she silently walked out earlier, hinayaan lang siya ng binata na umalis at magmukmok sa kanya kuwarto. It's like he's giving her some space.

"Urgh! What's going on? Really?" naasar niyang tanong sa sarili.

He like me? Iyon ba ang ibig sabihin niya? Kaya gusto niyang matuloy ang kasal because he actually want me?

Okay! She get the idea. But what makes her confused is the feeling she got from that. What is this? Ano 'tong kabog sa kanyang dibdib? Para saan?

Savannah wanted to call someone to ask, but who? Her mom? Baka kapag dito niya sinabi ay bukas kasal na kaagad siya kay Alessandro. Stella? Knowing that woman. She will just tease her nonstop. Stephano? That man don't give a s**t about this kind of topic. Her brother. Oh, please. Gumuho na lang ang mundo, she would never tell that ass anything. Lalo naman sa kanyang ama! That would be awkward as hell.

Her entire morning was spent thinking nonstop on her room. Saka niya lang napagtanto na tanghali na dahil kumalam na ang kanyang sikmura. She's hungry. Mariin siyang napapikit.

"This is my own house, but I can't even get the hell out…" asar niyang bulong.

Sumubsob siya sa kanyang unan at doon isinigaw lahat ng frustrations niya. Nasa ganoong sitwasyon niya nang may biglang kumatok sa kanyang pinto.

"Let's eat. I know you're hungry."

Napitlag siya nang marinig ang boses nito. Hindi pa nga niya nakikita ay napapatigil na siya, what more when she see him personally again.

"G-go away! H-hindi ako gutom," taboy niya. As if hearing her objections, her stomach grumble.

"I've cooked pork steak. I bought some ice cream as well. Anyway, you like sodas? I bought too. I got grapes too. They're in the fridge… You sure not hungry?" nang-aasar nitong tanong sa labas.

Nagtagis ang kanyang mga panga. "Shut up, Alessandro!"

"It's okay if you're not hungry. I'll just eat all the steak. Sayang naman kung hindi rin kakainin, right?"

This man!

She wanted to punch his face and tell him and his food to f**k up… but she's really hungry. Kaya kahit labag sa loob ay tumayo siya at lumabas ng kuwarto.

Alessandro, who's leaning on the wall opposite her door, looks pleased and smug. Like he won something.

"Don't be too happy, Forfax. I still won't let the marriage push through," gigil niyang saad.

Alessandro stay silent whenever she reminds him of that, and she prefer it that way because she don't know what to say everytime na sumasagot ito pabalik.

And this very moment ay ganoon na lang sana but no.

"Well. If that's what you want..."

Like a predator, he stepped forward towards her. His eyes never leaving hers.

"Then game on."