Wedding Dress (Montecalvo Series #2)

Aizen It's been 7 years since my father sent me to the United States to study there and now, I'm finally come back home after 7 years. It's also been 7 years since the last time I heard news about Ahn, because our communication went off suddenly due to our busy schedule in these past years. I've become a successful businessman as my father wanted me to be, but my profession and hobby is being a composer. Before I went to the States to study, I was so focused on my career as being a composer. While Ahn is my inspiration, she was pursuing a modeling career at that time. We were in our 3rd year of college before I transferred and went to the US. Ahnjhella Leigh Lèvesque is my childhood best friend. We've been friends for 18 years. I was 10 years old and she was 9 years old when we met. Since then, we've been good friends and decided to go to the same school to study. We were always together, mula pagpasok sa school hanggang uwian. Our school mates thought that we were together as a couple but no, we're just friends. Until one day she told me that she wanted to pursue her modeling career and I, as her best friend gave my full support to her dreams. Not until the day that Dad talked to me about studying in the US and I knew that I could never say no to him. That's when I realized that I love my best friend because it is hard to leave her behind, especially when she is starting to achieve her dream as a model. But even if I don't want to, I had no other choice but to do what my father wants. So I left the country without confessing my feelings to her, although I bid her my farewell. We still had our communication back then and I'm still supporting her in her career. For the first 2 years of being away with her and being in love with her, I never had the guts to tell her that I love her dahil alam kong nag uumpisa pa lang siya na tuparin isa-isa ang mga pangarap niya, that it would be a hindrance for her career if ever I told her what I felt about her. So I never told her and just stayed being her best friend. Hanggang sa nawalan na kami ng komunikasyon sa isa't isa, I became busy with our business and she became so busy with her modeling career. I sent her an email one last time saying that I wouldn't be able to contact or talk to her for the mean time and will comeback for her, kaso inabot ako ng apat na taon bago ko nagawa ang pangako ko sa kanya. Now that I'm back, I'm planning to surprise her and confess my feelings to her. I will do anything for her. "Hey, kuya. Welcome back!" pagsalubong sakin ni David, ang nakababata kong kapatid. Niyakap ko siya. "Kamusta, little bro? Ang laki laki mo na." Na-irita naman ang kapatid ko sa sinabi ko. "Para namang hindi tayo nagkita sa US, kuya. Ayos lang naman ako." Natawa lang ako sa itsura niya. "Kuya, alam mo ba si ate Nikki may boyfriend na?" Si Nikita Eloise "Nikki" Montecalvo ang nag-iisang kapatid naming babae, pangalawa siya saming tatlo. "Alam ko. She told me about it and nakita ko rin ang boyfriend niya sa US sa isang meeting. Tsaka matanda na ang ate mo, alam na niya ang ginagawa niya. She may be our princess, but we cannot be against her love life. Mukhang matino naman si Dainsleif so she'll be okay." Sabi ko sa kanya at tumago naman siya. "Ikaw ba, Kuya? Have you visited ate Leigh?" Tanong niya sakin. Leigh ang tawag niya kay Ahn. Umiling ako. "Not yet, I haven't even told her that I'm back." David sighed. "When are you going to visit her then, Kuya? Do you even know that she was so sad when you left?" Natigilan ako. "Ilang buwan ko siyang hindi nakausap mula noong umalis ka hanggang sa kinausap niya ulit ako a year ago. Nabalitaan ko na lang mula sa kanya na may nakilala siyang lalaki at masaya na siya ngayon." Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa narinig ko. "Lalaki?" "Oo, Kuya. Kailan lang nagkita kami ulit at napag alaman ko na yung lalaki na 'yon ay boyfriend na pala niya. Kinuwento sakin ni ate Leigh na siya ang nandon para suportahan siya sa pag momodel niya noong panahon na wala ka sa tabi niya. Sobrang sikat na ngayon si ate Leigh, Kuya. It turns out na yung boyfriend niya ay isa sa mga sponsors niya sa pag mo-model niya." "Are you sure about that?" Paniniguro ko rito. Tumango siya. "Kung gusto mo, Kuya. Si Ate Leigh na mismo ang tanungin mo tungkol sa bagay na 'yan. I know how much you missed her so please Kuya, have some balls to face and talk to her." Natulala lang ako sa sinabi niya at hindi siya pinansin. Hindi pa rin pumapasok sa utak ko ang mga sinabi niya. "Don't tell me, Kuya that you still love ate Leigh?" He asked with confusion on his face. "I never stopped loving her dimwit, and you know that very well." Iritadong sagot ko sa kanya. "If that so, Kuya what's your plan? She already has a boyfriend." "And so what? Boyfriend pa lang naman, hindi pa naman asawa." Inis na sabi ko. He sighed again and look at me. "Kuya, kung ano man ang binabalak mo wag mo sanag ituloy yan. Because in the end, hindi lang naman ikaw ang masasaktan pati na rin si ate Leigh." I glared at him. "Shut the f**k up, David. Don't jump into conclusion, I'm not like that." "Mabuti naman kung ganun, Kuya." Tinapik ko ang balikat niya. "Aakyat na ako." Tumango lang ito at hinayaan na ako. So much bad news about coming back. f**k. I guess I have no choice but to do the right thing. To ask her and talk to her. Ipinikit ko na lang ang mata ko at nagpahinga. ----------- I woke up and looked at my phone to check the time. 7:00PM. I overslept, maybe because I am physically and mentally tired. 13 hours of flight is no joke. Natawa na lang ako sa iniisip ko at bumangon. Lumabas ako ng kwarto at bumaba. I saw my brother in the living room while watching The Conjuring. "Hey, David" agaw atensyon ko dito nang mapatalon siya sa gulat. "What the f**k, Kuya! Wag ka naman nang gugulat!" gulat na gulat na sabi niya habang naka hawak sa dibdib nito. Tawa naman ako ng tawa sa reaction niya. It's too epic. "Bakit naman kasi The Conjuring ang pinapanood mo kung hindi mo naman pala kaya panoorin?" natatawang tanong ko sa kaniya. "For your information, Kuya kaya kong manood ng Horror films nabigla lang ako dahil bigla ka na lang nagsalita." Mayabang na sabi naman nito. "Fine, fine. Hindi na ako makikipag asaran sayo. Anyway, may niluto bang pagkain si manang?" I changed the topic. "Yeah, I asked her to cook Tuna Pasta for you." Tumango ako bilang sagot at hinayaan na siyang bumalik sa panonood. I went to the dining area and I saw Manang Beth preparing my food. She noticed me and smiled at me. "Zen hijo, ang laki laki mo na! Hindi kita halos nakilala!" Magiliw na bati nito sa akin. I smiled at her. "Kamusta, manang? It's been a while since the last time we saw each other." "Nako hijo, hanggang ngayon sakit mo pa rin sa ulo kausap. Alam mo naman na hindi ako marunong mag ingles. Ayos lang naman ako, hijo." Kamot ulo na sabi ni Manang. "Oo, ang tagal na rin natin hindi nagkikita pitong taon na ata, tandang tanda ko pa na mukha ka pang bata na hindi tuli noong umalis ka. Ikaw naman kasing bata ka doon mo pa pinagpatuloy ang pag aaral mo at pag aasikaso sa kumpanya ng pamilya mo eh pwede mo naman dito gawin lahat iyan" Namula ang mukha ko sa sinabi ni Manang. "M-manang naman, tuli na ako noong umalis ako ng Pinas nakakagawa na nga ako ng bata." Nahihiyang sagot ko. "At kilala mo naman si Dad, kailangan kong sundin ang utos niya." Tumawa naman si Manang. "Binibiro lang naman kita hijo. Hay nako, ewan ko ba diyan sa Ama mo, pwede niyo naman dito asikasuhin yan pero pinipilit pa rin kayo ipadala sa ibang bansa para lang sa negosyo niyo. Samantalang noong kasing edad mo ang Ama mo at mga kapatid niya ay dito lang sila sa Pinas pinanatili ng Lolo at Lola mo na palaguin at asikasuhin ang negosyo niyo dito at sa ibang bansa. Kahit galing sa Royal Family ang pamilya mo, nanatili pa rin sila manirahan dito at ang Uncle Steve mo na lang ang nagpa iwan at nagpatuloy ng bloodline niyo." Kumunot ang noo ko. Royal Family? What the... "Anong ibig mong sabihin manang?" Nanlaki ang mga mata niya. "H-Ha? Nako, w-wala hijo. Wag mo na lang isipin ang huling sinabi ko." Natatarantang sabi niya. Napabugtong hininga na lang ako at hindi na pinilit pa si manang. "Fine. Nandito ako para kumain ng Tuna Pasta, manang. I heard from David na he asked you to cook it for me." "A-Ah, oo hijo nagpa luto nga siya. Sige, wait lang ipaghahanda kita." Natatarantang umalis si manang sa harap ko marahil upang kuhanin ang tuna pasta na niluto nito. I can see there's something else behind her expression... I'm sure that I heard something about Royal Family, hindi ko na lang pinilit si manang dahil panigurado ako na hindi naman niya sasabihin kung ano ang tungkol doon. I'm so confused as f**k, lalong dumagtag itong sinabi ni manang sa mga iniisip ko. First, about Ahn having a boyfriend and now, what manang said about our family being connected to the Royal Family gave me another headache. Hindi pa lumilipad ang limang minuto ay bumalik na si Manang dala-dala ang Tuna Pasta na niluto nito para sakin. "Eto na hijo. Sige na kumain ka na at alam kong gutom ka na. Para na rin makapag pahinga ka ulit." Tumango ako at binigyan siya ng ngiti. "Salamat, manang" "O siya, mauuna na ako at may gagawin pa ako." Sabi niya. Tumango na lang ako bilang sagot at hinayaan na siyang umalis. Habang kumakain ay hindi ko napigilan mag isip. Tungkol kay Ahn at sa sinabi ni Manang. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang dapat kong gawin. Should I talk to Ahn? Ask her about her boyfriend? Keeping up with her life? Or should I confess my love for her or just keep being a coward for not telling her anything? I don't really know what to do and it's driving me crazy. Then, here's another f*****g problem with our family being connected to the Royal Family. I don't know if I should ask Dad about it or ask our Uncles about it and if I did, how sure I am that they would give me answers. Should I do my own investigation or just try to atleast talk to them first? f**k. This is harder than I expected.