DFF 1: My Ex-Fiance, My Stepbrother (SPG)

CHAPTER 2

This is the worst day ever!

I get to live with my ex-fiancee s***h my step-brother on the same roof? This is depressing!

"Mom, do we really have to do this?" iritado kong tanong habang inaayos ng mga yaya namin ang mga gamit ko.

We are moving out today and mom is selling our house. Her reason? She wants for forget all the bad memories happened here.

"Hija, Winter, this is the only way to keep our lives comfortable. Besides, I promised you that I'll give you the best life you could ever experience."

I started getting frustrated pero hindi ko naman masisisi si Mommy why am I feeling like this right now. Wala naman kasi siyang kaalam-alam that Arnaldo was my ex, ex-fiancee to be exact.

I heaved a sigh and nodded. "Okay, Mom. If that's the only way to save our company, I'm fine with it."

After finishing all of the things we need from our house, bumyahe na rin kami kaagad papunta sa mansiyon ng mga Del Fuego. It is situated in an island just around the city where the most powerful and wealthiest families are residing.

Hindi kami nakapagpatayo ng bahay dun dahil ayaw ni Daddy noon. We were still preparing for the launch of the company so we only had a million dollar home instead of getting a luxury house in The Cove.

"Our life will be better, Hija. I promise you that..."

Napasulyap ako kay Mommy na napahawak sa kamay ko habang nasa byahe na kami. "I know, Mom. And I'm sorry for being mad at you for the past few days."

We were inside the Del Fuego's van na nagsundo na rin sa aming dalawa. It's only a 30-minute ride kaya hindi ganoon kapagod.

"To that sentence, why are you so mad at me nga pala, Winter? And to Ferdinand's son, Arnaldo? I think he's nice."

Bahagya akong natigilan. "U-uh, I think it was only a sudden reaction, Mom. Just don't mind it."

She doesn't know that I hate Arnaldo to the core. She cannot know that he was my ex-fiancee or else things will get messy...

It was around eight in the morning when we arrived at the place. It was really stunning. Ilang beses na rin akong nakapunta rito but I don't know the exact location of the Del Fuego's mansion. It was really massive and surreal.

"This is a hell of a house..." mahinang usal ko habang nakatitig sa limang floor ng bahay.

From the looks of it, I think there are over 30 bedrooms inside. This is like seven times bigger than our mansion back in the city.

"Welcome, Isabella!"

Sir Ferdinand was the first one to welcome us after entering the gated facility. The maids and the butlers are lining up parallel to each other. They were all wearing the same black uniform unlike any other maids na more on light colors ang uniform. This is different.

Richer than the rich nga talaga sila. Even our company has billions of money, mas malayo pa rin kami sa mga Del Fuego. Their family screams power.

"Thank you, Ferdinand. This is a nice villa," nakangiting tugon sa kaniya ni Mommy sabay sulyap sa akin. "Winter, Hija, what do you say?"

I smiled at them without taking off my sunglasses. "It's great, Mom. Hello, Mr. Del Fuego."

"Just call me dad already, Hija. Your mom and I are marrying in a week," usal pa nito.

Napataas naman na ang kilay ko sabay alis ng sunglasses ko. "In what? A week?" Napatingin na ako kay Mommy. "You didn't tell me that, Mom."

"Well, it was supposed to be a surprise for you, Hija. But I guess, Ferdinand is too excited to spill it," she giggled.

I just rolled my eyes.

"Let's get inside then and make yourself comfortable to your new home."

Tuluyan na rin kaming pumasok sa loob ng bahay. The interior was really different from the exterior. Since sobrang complicated ng architecture ng bahay sa labas, I was really expecting a classical design, but it wasn't. Minimalist ang disenyo ng buong bahay. It was really neat and clean. Totally my fave.

"Whoa..." Napangiti na lang ako nang wala sa oras.

"Do you like it, Hija?" tanong pa ni Mr. Del Fuego sa akin.

Napatingin na ako sa kaniya sabay tango. "Yeah. Your house has a great interior...d-dad..."

I am not used calling him dad, but I'll try.

"Deserie, kindly bring Winter to her very own room," utos ni Mr. Del Fuego sa isa sa mga katulong nila sabay tingin pa sa akin. "Make yourself comfortable, Hija. From now on, this will be your house."

I just smiled at him as a response.

Tumungo na rin kami kaagad sa third floor kung nasaan nandoon ang room ko.

"Senyorita, ito po ang magiging kwarto ninyo," ani Manang Deserie sabay bukas ng pinto.

Tumambad sa harapan ko ang isang napakalaking kwarto with a minimalist design. It was really my type.

"Whoa! I didn't expect this," nakangiting usal ko.

It feels like alam na alam ng interior designer kung ano ang gusto ko sa magiging room ko. It's kinda weird but I really love it.

"Okay na po ba kayo sa kwarto ninyo, Senyorita? Ipinaayos po talaga ito para sa inyo."

Bahagya akong napatingin kay Manang. "I-ipinaayos para sa akin?"

"Opo, si Senyorito Arnaldo ho ang nag-ayos nitong kwarto noong nakaraang araw para maging komportable po kayo."

"What!?"

Nagulat ako sa sinabi ni Manang Deserie.

Arnaldo did that for me?

But, why?

"May problema po ba?"

Umiling kaagad ako kay Manang. "U-uh, nothing, Manang. Kindly leave all my things here. Ako na po ang bahala sa lahat. Thanks again."

"Sige po, Senyorita. Pindutin n'yo lang po ang alarm button sa gilid ng kama ninyo kapag may kailangan po kayo."

I nodded at her.

Nang makaalabas na si Manang, napahinga na lang ako nang malalim at napasulyap sa buong paligid. I just realized just now.

"This room looks like the room of my condo five years ago..." mahinang usal ko sabay ngiti nang marahan.

Around lunch time, nagtipon-tipon na kami sa dining area to eat. Aalis dapat ako to meet my friends and go to the company pero hindi naman ako pinayagan ni Mommy. Dadating daw kasi ang mga anak ni Mr. Del Fuego and they want to meet me and mom.

"Winter, Hija, come here!"

Unang sumalubong sa akin si Mommy nang makarating ako sa dining area. She was wearing a fancy dress while I was wearing a simple white skirt and blouse.

"Mom, why are you wearing so fancy? It's just a lunch," I said, still looking confused.

She gently tapped my shoulders. "Winter, I will be meeting your step-brothers. I need to look decent in front of them. You should do that too."

"Uh, no, I'm fine. I'm good with what I'm wearing," tugon ko na lang sa kaniya at umupo na rin.

Makalipas ang ilang mga minuto, nagsidatingan na rin ang mga anak ni Mr. Del Fuego and I happen to know all of them. They're all famous businessman in the country. The only person I was able to talk to was Nicolas, the youngest among the Del Fuego.

"Winter? Oh, it's nice to see you again. Who would've thought that we would be step-sisters!" nakangiting bungad sa akin ni Nicolas.

He was really a jolly guy pero puro serious roles ang ibinibigay sa kaniya ng industriya. Yes, he's an actor. A freakin' famous actor. Siya ang tinaguriang heatthrob this generation.

"Hey," nakangiting tugon ko pa. "Nice to see you again, Nico. I also wasn't expecting that."

"It's great that the two of you know each other, Winter," usal pa sa amin ni Mr. Del Fuego. "Let me introduce my other sons then. This is Raymond, the second eldest. This is Sebastian, the third. And this is Frederick, my fourth son."

I smiled to all of them while wondering where is his eldest son.

Where is Arnaldo?

I can't see him here.

"Uh, it's nice to meet you, guys," pahayag ko sabay ngiti sa kanila.

Tumayo na rin si Mommy sabay lapit sa mga ito. "I hope we can be a great family. Let's have our lunch now, mga Hijo."

Masaya silang lahat na kumain ng tanghalian while I am here, waiting for someone na wala naman dito. Hindi ko dapat nararamdaman 'to, but why am I assuming that Arnaldo should be here?

After our lunch, tumungo na lang kaagad ako veranda to chill out and think about the things that I need to do throughout the day. Gusto ko nga sanang umalis pero ayaw naman akong payagan ni Mommy. She wants me to stay here for the whole day at para daw ma-explore ko ang buong mansion. It has a wide lake kasi and a garden as well as a wide area sa likod na puwede ko raw tingnan. Although I am not really a nature person, I had to do it.

"Were you waiting for Kuya Arnaldo earlier, Winter?"

I squinted out of my position when I heard Nicolas' voice. Lumingon ako and saw him standing in front of the sliding door. "Excuse me?" I said.

He chuckled at me. "I know about you and Kuya Arnaldo, Winter. You don't have to overreact."

"Alright, fine. But please, don't tell anyone about us in this house..." Napahinga na lang ako nang malalim. "Are you too that close para sabihin niya sa'yo ang tungkol sa amin?"

"Well, I am the only person Kuya Arnaldo talks here inside this house. Besides, only me and Kuya are living here. All of my brothers wanted to get off this island and got their own home back in the capital," paliwanag pa nito. "Do you want to wander around our villa?"

Tumango na lang ako sa kaniya. I think this is also a good time na kausapin si Nicolas since wala na akong alam sa buhay ni Arnaldo simula noong nakipaghiwalay ako sa kaniya.

"So, how did your family find Arnaldo as the eldest son of the Del Fuego?" tanong ko habang naglalakad kami sa gilid ng lake na puno ng mga white swans.

"That was a two years ago. Kuya Arnaldo was already a lawyer but he's struggling financially and went to our company to apply for a job. His descriptions were kind of off after dad saw it," anito sabay tingin pa sa akin. "And then poof! It was revealed that he's an orphan. Dad didn't second guess and hired a private investigator to check on him. And after a few weeks, they confirmed that he's the long lost heir of the Del Fuego Empire."

Bahagya naman akong napangiwi. "That easy?"

He nodded at me. "Yeah, that easy to find him. Anyway, why did you two break up? Kuya told me everything except for the reason ng paghihiwalay ninyo."

Natigilan ako sa paglalakad. Hindi ko alam na hanggang ngayon ay hindi sinasabi ni Arnaldo ang dahilan ng paghihiwalay namin kahit ako ang may kasalanan.

He's still protecting me...

"Winter? Are you still with me?"

Nagulat ako sa pagtawag sa akin ni Nicolas kaya naman napangiti na lang ako sa kaniya nang marahan. "Uh, sorry I was prepoccupied. So, how was Arnaldo as your Kuya then? Is he nice or what?"

"He's nice. He's actually a lot better than Kuya Raymond in running the company and might be the next CEO of Bloomaire."

"Oh? Good for him..." usal ko na lang sabay tingin sa malayo.

Iniisip ko na lang na baka kami naghiwalay ni Arnaldo para makita niya ang totoo niyang pamilya. Or I am just justifying things para hindi ma-guilty sa pang-iiwan ko sa kaniya five years ago?

Pagkatapos naming magikot-ikot ni Nicolas sa buong villa, bumalik na rin kami sa mansion for a small family gathering. Dahil ngayon lang magkakasama ang buong mga Del Fuego, nagkaroon ng konting party para sa lahat hanggang sa gumabi na. Pero hanggang ngayon, hindi ko pa rin maaninag kahit anino manlang ni Arnaldo.

"Winter, Hija! Nandito ka lang pala, I've been looking for you everywhere!"

Napalingon ako kay Mommy nang pumasok ito sa kwarto ko. "Mom, you shouldn't be in here. Visitors are waiting for you sa baba."

"And your brothers are also looking for you, Winter. There's a party outside, why are you here?" usal pa nito sabay lapit sa akin.

"I don't wanna drink, mom. It's better to hide in my room than reject my step-brothers' requests."

"And since when did you reject a drink?" nakangiting tanong niya sa akin.

I just rolled my eyes. "Just now, mom. Besides, wala akong gana makipag-usap to anyone right now. Tutulog na lang ako nang maaga at may work pa ako tomorrow."

"Are you sure on that?" she asked, looking worried.

Tumango na lang kaagad ako. "Yeah. I'm good, Mom. Enjoy the night."

Mabuti na lang dahil hindi na siya nag-contradict sa gusto kong gawin at umalis na lang din. After she left, I immediately went to shower and pamper myself. Nagsuot na lang ako ng nighties and went directly to bed para magpahinga.

I was about to sleep when I heard some noise at the veranda but I didn't mind it dahil baka dahil lang ito sa hangin. I left it open since it was really cold outside. Mas gusto ko ang wind breeze sa labas rather than the aircon.

I didn't mind it at ipinikit ko na lang ang mga mata ko. A few seconds later, mas lalong lumalakas ang kalabog and I also heard footsteps kaya doon na ako napabangon. Sigurado akong hindi na iyon hangin na galing sa labas.

Dahan-dahan akong naglakad palapit doon at halos humiwalay ang kaluluwa ko nang makita ang isang anino sa likuran ng kurtina.

"Who the hell are you?" anas ko sa anino, ready to fight if ever this person harms me.

"Chill, it's just me."

Natigilan ako nang marinig ang isang pamilyar na boses kasabay ng paghawi nito ng kurtina. It was Arnaldo and he was still in his corporate attire na parang kakagaling lang sa trabaho.

"Arnaldo?" kunot noo kong usal.

He smirked at me. "Are you shocked to see me?"

"What the hell are you doing in my veranda at this hour? What are you trying to do?" sunod-sunod kong tanong sa kaniya.

Nagulat na lang ako nang naglakad na siya papunta sa akin sabay lapit ng mukha nito. "Don't get the wrong idea, Winter. Dadaan lang sana ako dito since I don't want my brothers to let me get drunk tonight. So I sneaked out."

"Hello, you can sneak out sa room mo. Bakit dito pa talaga sa room ko?" taas-kilay kong tanong sa kaniya.

"My veranda's door is locked. I don't have any choice," tugon nito sabay tingin sa akin mula ulo hanggang paa. "It's been a while since I saw you like this."

Sinamaan ko kaagad siya ng tingin sanay yakap sa sarili ko. "You pervert! Get out of my room now!"

"Relax. As if I didn't see your whole body yet. Good night, Winter," anito sabay labas ng kwarto ko.

What the hell is wrong with that guy?

And why am I acting like this?