Taming The Heiress

Chapter 9: The Guy Next Door

(ZARA'S P.O.V)

-MANSION-

"Honey we're home, Zara's here!" anunsyo ni Dad sa may living room habang nakasunod ako sa kanya.

Nakita kong bumaba si Mommy mula sa taas at napilitang ngumiti sa amin.

"Manang, prepare the table." utos ni Dad sa katulong.

Sinalubong naman ni Mom si Dad ng halik sa cheeks pati na rin ako pero syempre plastic lang.

"I'll go upstairs and wash up a little bit." saad ni Dad.

Habang si Mom naman ay nag punta may kusina at utusan ang mga katulong na bilisan ang pag hahanda ng pagkain.

I decided to go upstairs and take a look at my old room. Ang kwarto ko dito ay katabi ng kwarto ni Zaino dati, I used to remember how irritated I am whenever Zaino plays a rock music in his room at dahil hindi totally sound proof ang walls, I could hear the noises clear enough that sometimes leads us to fight.

Nang makapasok ako sa kwarto ko, I can't help to look around because everything is still the same. I thought Mom already remodeled the entire room ever since I decided to buy my own apartment unit. My old pictures and frames are still here.

This place... Is like a prison for me. I spend my childhood years crying in this room because I was mistreated by Mom and Zaino. Ang kuwartong ito ang naging saksi ng mga luha at pighati sa puso ko...

And there, near my side table at bed was a family picture of the four of us when Zaino and I is still on college.

I walk towards my bed and about to get the photo frame when I heard a voice on the door,

"Napaka walang hiyang bata mo talaga, Zara, ano?"

Guess who? Walang iba kung hindi ang stepmom ko.

Napabuntong hininga muna ako bago humarap sa kanya,

"What now, mom?" I coldly asked. Pagod ako, at wala ako sa mood na makipagsagutan sa kanya ngayon.

Lumapit siya sa akin, mahigpit na hinawakan ang kanang braso ko at nilapit niya ang mukha niya sa akin,

"Should I congratulate you too? Are you happy that everything becomes yours now, my dear stepdaughter?" inis na tanong ni Mom.

Napangiwi ako ng makaramdam ng sakit sa braso ko, yung mahabang kuko ni Mommy nakadiin na sa balat ko pero instead na magalit, I tried my best to look at her with a defeated look.

To be honest, ayaw ko siyang kalabanin. Ayaw kong gumawa ng bagay na maging dahilan para mas kamuhian niya ako that's why I don't want to be Dad's heiress in the first place. Pero kung magmamatigas akong tanggihan ang kapalaran ko, sino pa nga ba ang ibang maaasahan ni Dad?

"Mom please... Let's stop this. Y-You don't need to push me away like this." Bulong ko sa kanya and look at her begging. I always want you to look at me, Mom... To accept me...

Pero dahil sa sinabi ko mas lalo siyang nainis at tinulak ako ng malakas kaya napabagsak ako sa kama..

"Ang kapal ng mukha mo, you killed my son. You planned all of this, didn't you?! You're a murderer, manang mana ka sa babaeng nag luwal sayo! Gusto niyo akong wasakin, pwes hindi mangyayari yun dahil kayo ang sisirain ko! Remember your pathetic biological mom?! I made her ruining her own career and abandoned you. And now that you messed with my son, sisiguraduhin ko ring panandalian lang ang saya mo Zara!" sigaw niya. Hindi ko alam pero kahit anong pag mamaltrato nito sa akin, kahit magalit ako, nasasaktan parin ako kapag pinagsasalitaan niya ako ng ganito.

I just want you to love me, Mom.

Gusto kong sabihin sa kanya yun, but it's too late now. She can't accept me, she will just end up putting a show and use me for her benefit but she will never love me the way she loves Zaino because I'm not her child... I'm nothing to her.

I blankly stare at her as I stood up from being pushed, "Okay. Edi paniwalaan mo ang gusto mong paniwalaan. It's not like I can do anything about it." tugon ko at tsaka dinaanan na siya para makalabas ako sa kwarto.

Akmang lalabas na ako ng makita ko si Dad na kakalabas lang din sa master's bedroom nila at napatingin sa gawi ko. Lumabas din si Mom para sundan ako pero natigilan siya ng makita si Dad na nakatingin sa amin.

"Oh anong ginagawa niyong dalawa diyan? Let's go downstairs and eat." anyaya ni Dad. Ngumiti naman si Mom at tumango. Kaya sabay kaming tatlong bumaba at tumungo sa dining area.

Umupo na kami, nag pray at nag simula ng kumain,

"Did you miss your old room, darling?" biglang tanong ni Dad sa tahimik na atmosphere.

I smiled, "Yeah, I did miss the old times." sagot ko.

"You know what? You are always free to come back here, Zara. You are welcome to this place, this is your home." tugon ni Dad.

"How about moving back here, Zara? It's been lonely for your Mom and I to stay in this wide mansion like this when it's just the two of us now." dagdag pa ni Dad.

Napahinto naman si Mom pero tahimik na nakatingin parin sa pag kain niya.

"Am I right, Caroline?" tanong ni Dad kay Mom.

"Y-Yeah, come stay with us, Zara." sang-ayon ni mom na halatang napipilitan.

"T-Thank you dad but I'm currently happy staying at my own apartment. Having my personal space is something that I need right now especially that I'm adjusting." pag tanggi ko kaagad.

I know Mom wouldn't like me to be here, so why would I make things difficult? Ayaw ko din namang pahirapan ang sarili ko tss.

" O-Oh, ganon ba. Then maybe can come back here when you're ready. " tugon nito.

I nod,

"Sure. I will, Dad." pag sisinungaling ko.

Matapos ang dinner, nagpahatid na rin ako sa personal driver na ini-hire ni Dad para sa akin.

~

It's nine in the evening when I got arrive safe to my unit, nasa 8th floor kasi ng V-Quest Palace ang tinitirhan ko ngayon.

V-Quest Palace is a large and most expensive home building owned by my Tito, Vincent Mavros. I decided to buy an apartment here since alam kong free ako from Mom and Dad's surveillance dahil Dad and Tito Vince is currently on bad terms. This place is the safest place for me too since ang makatira lang dito ay ang mga taong galing sa isang High Class at noble families, syempre may mga chismosa but not as harmful as stalkers and paparazzi.

Nag lalakad ako papunta sa unit ko, at ilang hakbang lang ng napansin kong may mga courier na nag bubuhat ng malalaking box galing sa labas malapit sa unit ko papunta doon sa katabing unit ko.

"What's this?" tanong ko sa isang staff na nag gu-guide sa mga kargador.

Teka, umalis ba yung dating nakatira dito? Sa pagkakaalam ko last month nung nakita ko yung kapitbahay ko, they're like a married couple in mid 30s who have a five years old daughter here.

"Miss Mavros." gulat na tugon ng staff at nag bow sa akin.

"Pasensya na po ma'am kung medyo magulo dito sa labas may bagong lilipat po kasi Ma'am." agad na saad nung staff.

Tama nga ako.

Emotionless naman akong tumango,

"It's okay, just make sure they won't be too noisy, I need to rest early." sagot ko.

Kahit soundproof ang mga unit dito, hindi ko man nakakarinig ng kung anong ingay mula sa kabilang unit pero sa main door kung saan nasa labas ng unit, naririnig namin kung may bagong lipat na nag iingay, lalo na ang mga tunog ng nilalapag na mga box, you can hear it from the inside so loud and clear.

"Yes ma'am, sisiguraduhin ko po." sagot nito.

Tuluyan na akong pumasok. Tse, sino ba namang matinong taong lilipat ng ganitong oras eh gabi na? They should have wait until tomorrow morning. Anyways that's not my problem anymore.

I decided to take a hot bath and I prepare a bottle of wine so I could relax for a while before I go to bed.

I remove all my clothes including my underwears, inilublob ko ang hubad kong katawan sa bathtub at napahiga habang pinipikit ko ang aking mga mata.

Ilang minuto I decided to get a glass of wine at dahan dahan akong uminom habang napapaisip ng malalim. Can I do a better job with my current status right now?

Akala ko ang pagiging artista ang magiging trabaho ko habang buhay. I did my everything to protect my celebrity career, and in just a snap of Dad's finger I need to give up everything and be the Chairwoman of Mavros Group. It felt like I work so hard for nothing.

Dere-deretso kong nilagok ang wine sa glass ko. Nakakainis.

*beep*

Napatingin ako ng tumunog ang phone ko, I held it and check who message me.

From: Dad

: "Zara, your cousin has arrived from Italy earlier. Your tito Vince invited us for a lunch meeting tomorrow, I need you to be there, I will message you the exact location by tomorrow morning."

My cousin? Does he mean Vaughn?

I decided not to response. Why did they want to meet me? And Vaughn, we were never close, sila lang naman ni Zaino ang magkalaro dati because Zaino never let me play with them. As far as I know Vaughn left the country and studied in Italy since 7th grade, and he's now handling his own business at Italy, so why would he comes here? Hmm. Nag babakasyon lang siguro.

Nawalan na ako ng gana sa pag bababad ko sa bathtub kaya tumayo na ako at sinuot ang roba ko. May naiwan pang wine sa bottle kaya kinuha ko ito at lumabas sa room ko para tumungo sa kitchen area to put the leftover wine back at the fridge.

Since hindi pa ako inaantok I decided to seat in my couch and watch T.V in the living room. Pagka on ng T.V, bumungad agad ang mukha ko sa isang commercial na ini-shoot ko dati pa. They still endorse me on medias even though I quit already.

*bogsh*

*booom!*

Nagulat ako sa sunod sunod na malakas na pag lapag ng isang bagay malapit sa main door ko. I glance on my wall clock to check the time, it's already 11:00 PM, hindi pa ba sila tapos mag lipat?! They're disturbing their neighbors, especially me whose next to them.

"NANDITO NA DAW SI BOSS."

"HUY PA AKYAT NA DAW SI BOSSING AT SI SIR JARED."

Ugh, ang iingay!

"Well job, everyone. Thank you." rinig kong tugon ng isa at dahil doon, may nagpalakpakan sa labas.

"Here's your tip everyone, good work."

"Wow! Salamat sir! Ang bait niyo talaga!"

"Naku, ang laking halaga nito! Thank you boss!" nag hiyawan na naman sila matapos nun.

Ano ba naman yun? Napaka-unprofessional at disrespectful, knowing it's already late at night, alam nilang may mga natutulog na sa oras na 'to!

"Una na kami sir!"

"Alis na po kami!"

How annoying.

Tumayo na ako dahil di na ako nakatiis at padabog akong nag lakad papunta sa main door ko.

"Excuse me, can you guys lower down your voice, you're not in a party where you could just shout----" napahinto ako sa sinasabi ng napalingon sa gawi ko ang isang lalaking nakatalikod.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko ng makita kung sino ang nasa harapan ko ngayon....

"X-Xavien?!" hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko. Napansin kong nawala na yung mga nag sisigawan kanina, at si Xavien nalang ang nasa labas kasama ng isang lalaki.

"Miss Mavros? Woah you lived here? What a coincidence." He flash a sweet smile after saying those words. While ako hindi parin makaimik, why is he here of all people?

Napatingin naman siya sa akin, at bumaba ang mga mata niya sa suot ko.

"I didn't know you were this hot at night, Zara. You look stunning." nang-aasar na dagdag niya and that's when I realize than I went out only wearing a silk robe. SH*T!!!

Napatingin naman ako sa isang lalaking kasama niya na agad na napatalikod sa amin, while Xavien remain smirking staring at my body.

Gulat akong tinakpan ang may dibdib ko at sinigawan siya,

"W-WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?! P-PERVERT!" nauutal na sigaw ko at padabog na pumasok ulit sa unit, tsaka ko nilakasan ang pagsara ng pinto.

Ramdam ko naman ang pag init ng pisngi ko dahil sa kahihiyan.

Dang! I end up embarrassing myself infront of him again! Nakakahiya... Aish!

"Oh.. My apologies, Zara. Then I guess I'll just greet you properly tomorrow morning. Good night." rinig kong tugon nito sa labas habang nakasandal ako sa pinto ng main door.

Wait... Does that mean he really is my new neighbor?

Xavien Dawson will be the guy next door?!

~