Protecting the President's Daughter

Chapter 2: Crossed Paths

She woke up early. Not because of her alarm, but because of the noisy singing men outside! Ugh! Daig pa nila ang tilaok ng manok sa ingay! Nakasimangot na bumangon si Bella sa kaniyang emperor-sized canopy at padabog na tinanggal ang kaniyang eyemask. Nagngingitngit ang mga ngipin niyang dumiretso sa bintang natatakpan ng kurtina at padabog rin iyong binuksan. 

Inabangan niyang dumaan ulit sa lugar niya ang mga kumakantang lalaki at hindi na nga niya kailangang maghintay ng matagal. Nakita niya ang mga anino ng mga ito nang lumiko sila patungo sa direksyon niya at agaran niyang binuksan ang bintana. Handang-handa na siyang sigawan ang maingay ng grupo ngunit nang makita niya ng maayos ang mga lalaki, natigil siya. 

The singing men that woke her up were shirtless men, dripping in sweat, and jogging around the perimeter. Kitang-kita mula sa malayo ang matitikas nilang pangangatawan at batak na batak na mga tiyan. Oh my gosh! Pandesal!

Bella aggressively swallowed the lump in her throat as her gaze drifted to the man in front leading the group of muscular men. He was the tallest, and his golden tan skin was being kissed by the sun as he looked like a reincarnation of Adonis with only combat pants and boots on. Even from a distance, Bella could see his inhumane attributes, making her gape. 

"I've never seen a man so perfect..." She dazedly whispered. Kahit hindi kita ang buong mukha ng lalaki dahil sa suot nitong shades, halatang-halata naman ang matulis nitong panga at makapal na mga kilay. 

Did she say her morning was bad? No, it certainly wasn't! Where did those gorgeous men in six-packs come from? Why are they jogging like that around the Malacañang? Did they not know that there are many female staffs lounging around early in the morning?! Grabe, ang agang blessing naman nito. 

"Good morning, Nana," she yawned. The private dining room for the President's immediate family was just near her room so she doesn't need to take flights of stairs just to eat breakfast, unlike what her friends usually assume. 

"Magandang umaga, hija. Here, have some pancakes." Nginitian siya ng Nanny at binigyan ng plato ng pancakes. Tahimik siyang kumakain habang naglilinis ng kusina ang yaya. 

"Nana, are you gonna leave, too?" Natigil ang matanda sa pagpunas. Naalalala niyang umalis na si Manong Edward kahapon dahil sa taglay na katandaan, at dahil halos magkaedad si Manong Edward at Nana, malaki rin ang tyansang umalis rin siya. 

"May ilang linggo pa ako, hija. H'wag mo naman akong pagtabuyan agad," natawa ito. That's a relief, then. If everyone that has served her since childhood are starting to retire, then it's high time she move out. In fact, she's already planning on the housewarming party she will throw as soon as she gets settled in. 

"Ayos lang naman po, Nana. I'll be moving out soon." 

Nanlaki ang mata ng matanda at mabilis na lumapit sa kaniyang tabi. "Totoo, hija? At saan ka naman paparoon?" 

"Sa BGC po, the Twin Towers condo building." Ininom niya ang gatas habang nanlalaki pa rin ang tingin sa kaniya ng yaya. 

"Naku, dios mio! Ang alaga ko ay dalaga na talaga..." Bella quickly turned to her long-time nanny when she heard her sob. She saw her nanny crying-sobbing and covering her face with her palms. 

"Nana, don't cry," she consoled. Sabi na nga ba may crying session ulit. Dahil sa mga iyak ng yaya, nahahawa na tuloy si Bella. Tahimik na tumutulo ang mga luha niya nang yakapin siya ng tumayong nanay matapos mamatay ng kaniyang ina. Just like Manong Edward, her Nanny also has a spot in her heart. They have been with her everyday for the past 25 years of her existence and has never left her side since. 

"We're sorry to ruin the moment but the President asks for Miss Bella's presence at once." Sabay silang napabaling sa boses sa likod. The speaker was a tall man in a suit with shades and earphones on one ear. She would only see that uniform when it's her distance guards or her father's. Maybe he's part of the new, younger, group. 

"Wait lang, geez." Bella rolled her eyes and hugged Nana tighter. Natawa ang matanda at dahan-dahang tinapik ang likod niya. 

"Sige na, hija, Pumunta ka na sa Presidente. Magliligpit pa ako," kalmado nitong anas. Bella hesitantly pulled away and pouted at her Nanny. 

"Okay po..." 

Bella is quietly walking to her Father's office. Nakabihis na siya ngayon at handang-handa na siyang bisitahin ang kaniyang penthouse ngayong araw. When she reached the office, the guard that informed her earlier stepped in first to open the door for her. He's cute, isip-isip niya. 

Tinitigan niya lang ang guwardya nang papasok at hindi nagpasalamat. Mukha rin naman wala itong paki. Natigil siya sa paglalakad nang makakita ng tatlong tao pwera sa kaniyang Amang nasa lamesa. The three people were wearing the same uniform as the distance guards, but why are they here? 

Napahakbang patagilid si Bella nang dumaan sa gilid niya ang guwardya kanina at pumila katabi ng tatlo. She scrutinized the three and noticed that one of them was a girl. If not for the girl's ponytail, she wouldn't have known. The other two along with the cute guy were buff men, and the last one...

OMG! Is this fate?! She internally screamed. 

Nearest to her Father was the same hot guy with the six-pack abs in front of the jogging men, with that same sharp jaw, slightly crooked nose bridge, and bushy brows. His hair was pushed-up now and he looked really hot in that three-piece suit with the tinted glasses. Natuliro yata si Bella kaya't napatitig talaga siya sa lalaki—sa totoo lang, napatitig siya sa kanilang lahat. Even from under the shades, she could tell all of them were attractive. Even the girl. 

"Darling! Good morning," greeted her Father. She carefully went towards him, with her still eyeing the four statue-like people. Although they all look attractive and swoon-worthy, Bella is skeptical. Hindi maganda ang natatanggap niyang vibes. 

"Don't look at them like that, Darling," natatawang saway ng kaniyang Ama. 

Bella frowned but sat on one of the chairs in front of his desk. Ang dami-daming upuan, bakit hindi sila umupo? She thought. 

"Who are they, Daddy? And why are they still here? We're talking." Ninakawan niya ng sulyap ang apat, lalo na ang nasa unahan. "Like, privately." 

Inaasahan niyang gagalaw sila at aalis sa silid ngunit nanatili lang silang nakatayo do'n, their hands clasped behind them and their stance upright. Lalong napasimangot si Bella. 

"They're your close-in guards, Darling. Be nice to them." 

Her eyes widened as she incredulously looked at her Father. "Close-in guards, Daddy? Apat?!" She even held up four of her delicate fingers. "Four?!" 

"Yes," he smiled. "Apat. Four." 

"W-What?! Why— Ugh!" She's so stressed. She'll feel so suffocated and restricted and as a claustrophobic person, she hates it! "Just bring back Manong Edward, I like him better!" 

If at first she liked these people, now she hates them! Sila pala ang papalit kay Manong Edward! Ugh! She can give up her daily feast of hot packs of abs just so Manong Edward and also Nanny can stay! 

"Stop whining, Darling. Manong Edward is retired. These are younger, more athletic, and more active guards. They're also around your age so maybe you can get along well with them," he calmly said, returning to signing papers. 

Bella pursed her lips. Hindi siya makapaniwala. Bakit hinihigpitan ang seguridad sa kaniya? She's been fine with one close-in bodyguard all her life! Why suddenly replace them with younger, although attractive, but most probably annoying guards?! They're also all so young to be PSGs so maybe they're inexperienced too! 

"Daddy, I have so much more cons than pros with the bagong group. Mainly one of them are these kids being inexperienced in being professional security guards! I doubt they can protect me better than Manong Edward can!" 

"Darling." He sighed. "I already told you why we had to replace your old security group. Mainly one of those," he mimicked, "is the retirement of your former guards. Daddy wants you to be safe and as much as I trust those men, I don't think they're half as capable as they were young to protect you. Please understand, darling." 

Napanguso sa pagkaasar si Bella. "Don't talk to me like a little kid, Daddy." 

Nang mapansin wala na talaga siyang magagawa, nakaisip siya ng huling paraan. Kapag ito hindi pa gumana. 

"Tell you what, Daddy. I'll let them stay as my four close-in guards if you let me do a few gigs." Napangisi siya nang makitang hirap na hirap magdesisyon ang Ama. Her Father didn't let her take Fashion Modeling as a course in College, not even an elective, so for him to let her do a few gigs in modeling is just nearly impossible. She's sad to put her passion in a losing bet but there's no harm in trying. 

He opposes her dream of being a model and she almost studied in law school. That's how far he has gone to redirect her life path. He's not the best Father, but he's the only one she's got so she's still thankful for him to be here. 

Napabuntonghininga ang kaniyang Ama. "Fine, Darling." 

Prente lang siyang nakaupo kanina pero nang marinig ang pagpayag ng Ama, napabalikwas siya ng upo at nanlalaki ang mata na tiningnan ang Ama. 

"W-What did you say, Daddy?" Nauutal na siya sa gulat.

"I said fine, but only ten gigs. Just let them guard you." 

Nagmamadali at atat na atat na tumayo mula sa upuan si Bella para umikot sa lamesa ng Ama at hilahin siya sa isang mahigpit na yakap. She didn't think he would actually agree! It was just a reckless plan to make him get Manong Edward back, but it did work and she's so happy! She didn't care of these bodyguards anymore dahil napayagan na siyang  magmodel ng Ama. This is her life-long dream and who knew that all it took was a bet against four guards to make it come true?! 

Ugh, these guards saved her life! Ngayo'y masayang-masaya na siya dahil sa sampung gig at may makakasama pa siyang gwapo at magandang mga guwardya. Sana lang ay maganda ang asal ng mga ito.