Protector

Umayos siya sa pagkakaupo at nag-research sa google. A passage caught her attention. "Running away is not the answer. Even if you had the most serious problem in the world, remember that the Lord knows you among those people who knew you. He knows how many hairs you had. He knows everything about you and he will not give you a challenge if he knows you'll not benefit from it. He gave that to you because he knew that you'll overcome and gain learnings from it. You are her daughter. No father wants her children hurt or in pain for nothing."

Dumaloy ang luha sa kanyang pisngi. Is this coincident? She looked up and closed her eyes. "Eury, is this your way of talking with me? Thank you. Thanks for letting me know about this. Thank you, Lord, for giving me a hope and wisdom. In Jesus name, Amen."

Nanatili siya sa ganoong posisyon hanggang sa maging kalmado na siya at nakapag-isip na ng maayos. Sinimulan niyang tanungin si Diva para sa iba pang supplier. Luckily that Diva's husband is in Pakistan right now. She spoke with him about the details and agreed to pay it.

"Majesty, hindi ka na iba sa aming mag-asawa."

"Thank you so much, Diva."

She held the meeting with her three teams. She asked Gatus to contact Diva's husband for the shipment through freight. She even asked Paula to make a letter about the rumble a while ago. What made Vika whined and the effect. Who are the people inside during the scene? And asked the footage for a copy.

Moving on the same problem to the serious one. What happened with their designs? Since she let her team do their own design for about two months, the taste of their Patron to their designs decreases.

"This is our common design. If someone stole it from us they are fraud. We can charge them as theft," Buwachan presumed.

"No one steal. Our design is unique for us, Majesty's creation. The consumer knew our genre if they saw it with some other competitor they will eventually recognize it. We need to study the other factor like our VIP patron's taste. Put yourself into their shoes. If you will buy a bag and there are three shops to choose from. Which one will you take? A. The expensive one. Poor design. Popular Brand. B. The cheap one but the quality is poor. Or C. Expensive. Popular Brand. Good quality. Unique Design?" she explained.

"Pipiliin ko na ang C." Si Paula na bumalik na ang gana sa pagtatrabaho.

Lumingid ang paningin niya sa mga kasama. Nakuha ni Nicky ang kanyang interes nang tumango ito. "Do you have an idea, Nicks?"

"Sa totoo lang Miss Majesty. Ang consumer naman kasi iba-iba ang hilig dipende sa estado nila. Kasi kung mahirap kahit mura at hindi maganda ang kalidad ay bibilhin nila. Kasi iyon lang ang kaya nila, pero kapag may sapat na silang pera ay bibilhin nila ang C. Naroon na kasi lahat ng hinahanap mo. A kasi tagilid. Kilala nga pero hindi naman maganda ang design. Pangmatanda."

"You got it, Nicks. We don't need a competition here. Our main target is not to be expensive alone. The name itself Majesty is the answer why we need to be unique, provide good quality, and be the taste of what our item deserve an owner. Just like the king, our design is the major. We are bound to be on the top. We will keep that as we do our designs. This is for Majesty." She eyed everyone with a conviction, hope, and trust.

"Tama. Hindi natin kailangan makipag-competition. We will keep our degree to its spot. Pag-iigihan ko ang mga ideas ko. Gusto ko nang magsimula." Si Gatus na nasa tapat na ng pinto at nakatayo.

"Bakit hindi ka na lumabas? Tutal nariyan ka na sa pinto!" tukso ni Nicky dito. Na nauwi sa ilang pang tukso at tawanan.

"Paano po pala 'yung isusuot ni Vika?" pag-iba ni Rovie.

"I'll handle that don't worry. Let's end our meeting here." Inunahan niya ang mga ito sa paglabas ngunit pinigil siya ni Nicky.

"Ma'am, baka makalimutan niyo mamaya ang birthday ni Mr. Denver."

"Oh crap! Thanks for that reminder, Nicks."

Dali-dali siyang umalis para sa bibilhing regalo. Matagal niya nang gustong regaluhan ng relo ang binata. Noon kasi ay wala siyang sapat na pera, pero ngayon ay makakabili na siya. When she's done shopping, she immediately drove home and changed. She wear her simple white dress and let her hair fall straight. A pearl will do with a light make-up too.

He will come to the party for a while then he will fly back to Paris the next day. It was his grandad request since he been away for how many weeks now. Charlie will come too, and funny she flooded her messenger for freaking hell and she just saw it by now too. Kung kailan palabas na siya ng elevator patungo sa bulwagan.

Sky: I'm sorry. Full load ako kanina. Ngayon ko lang nakita ang mga message mo.

Charlie: Sanay na ako. I'm here near on the huge cake.

Mula sa terrace ay natanaw niya na ang nakapulang tube dress na kaibigan. Humagikgik siya dahil muntik nang maging magkamag-anak ang damit nila. She's wearing dress too but black leopard design.

"You look not stress. What the heck!"

She rolled her eyes. "Of course it's Denvy's birthday. I shouldn't look tired. Where is he?"

"Hey gorgeous ladies!"

Sabay nilang nilingon ang guwapong si Denver sa suot nitong three-piece suit. He is the smart guy since then. So neat and fashionable. He can be a model too but that is not his thing. She tried to persuade him but still no as always.

Lumapit ito sa kanya at pinatakan siya ng halik sa pisngi. "How's my Sky?"

Tumingin siya saglit kay Charlie bago ngumiti rito. "I'm doing great, Denvy." Ibibigay niya sana ang regalo niya pero may bagong bisita na lumapit at kinuha ang atensyon nito. Gusto niya sanang hayaan itong maki-get along pero nanatili ang kamay ng binata sa kanyang tagiliran.

The ladies saw it and awkwardly fake a smile.

"How's Paris, Denver?"

Their topic became blurred on her ears when she spotted Zedrick on the terrace. With a threatening gaze at her while spreading his both hands on the railing. He looked dashing on his grey three-piece suit, so good looking yet dangerous beast. Waiting for a right time to attack his target.

Siniko siya ni Charlie.

"Huh?"

"Come on. Give your gift to Denver."

Ngayon niya lang napansin na wala na sa tabi niya ang binata. Naroon na ito sa platform at binabati na ngayon ng kamag-anak nito. Kabado siya nang siya na ang tawagin para batiin ito. Inulan pa siya ng tukso dahil sa kantiyaw na sinagot na raw ba niya ito.

It was very hard to answer it that's why she ended up smiling. Sinabi niya ang mensahe niya rito at binigay ang kanyang regalo. Sumunod naman ang ilang pinsan nito. Kaya bumalik na siya sa tabi ni Charlie.

"Ang mahal ng relo na 'yon, ha!" tukso sa kanya nito

"He deserved it. He has been nice to me," she uttered as she thought how she will pay him for that.

Is kindness payable? Or it depends on its receiver? Though the universal saying is that it is better to give than to receive but she can't help it to pay back. Though not as what Denver always does with her. She is aware that he is in love with her. And she was not. How can she pay him back?

Another gorgeous woman came through with him. They were all rich just like him. But why he can't see them? Why he chose her?

Should I tell him the truth? I don't want to hurt him.

Natulala siya sa lalaking nakaupo sa mesa kung saan naroon ang pamilya ni Denver. Giving a quick peck on Denver's mother and a friendly handshake with the father and younger Castro.

Did he know them? How?

Hindi niya matandaang naging magkaibigan ang dalawa. Denver is her schoolmate. He has been around her all the time.

Wala na kay Denver ang atensyon niya dahil nakuha na ni Zedrick iyon ng buo. He sat on the chair. And instantly all the ladies approached him as if he is the birthday celebrant. The woman who tempted Denver a while ago is now trifling with Zedrick.

Sumibol ang kakaibang init sa kanyang dibdib nang makitang malagkit ang titig ng binata sa babae. Marahil ay nasilaw ito sa malaki at malusog na litaw na dibdib ng babae. Ang ganda ng babae, halatang modelo dahil sa tangkad nito. Hindi rin ito tiyak na magiging kaibigan ni Denver kung hindi ito mayaman.

Mapait siyang ngumiti. Jerk! Walang gana siyang tumayo at nagtungo sa second floor. Her initial plan is too calm her nerves but the anger inside her chest is boiling. She can't contain it as long as she sees him. Kaalinsunod noon ay ang pagbalik sa kanyang alaala sa mga dahilan kung bakit siya galit dito.

Nilikom niya ang laylayan ng kanyang dress at gigil na nagmartsa palabas. Habang pababa sa hagdan ay nag-text siya kay Denver at Charlie na masama ang pakiramdam niya. Tapos natagpuan niya nalang ang sarili na inaasahang susubsob sa marble floor ng Lobby. The freaking last step on the staircase acting stupid when she slid on it. And then, just unexpected, a strong hand quickly pulled her arms causing her to bump on his steel wall chest to be specific.

He was a wall made of steel under her palm. So hard and warm. Dangerous and tantalizing. He is always like that at her while to other women he is soft and caring. Why is he biased? 

The brim of her eyes filled by sorrow and jealousy.

Tinulak niya ito nang makuha ang tamang balanse niya. Tinalikuran upang makaalis agad. Iniignora ang mga pares ng matang nanonood sa kanila. Wala na siyang pake kung paparazzi sila o hindi. Wala na siyang pake kung may kakalat na namang balita. Sanay na siya sa maling husga. Wala lang naman talaga siya para sa binata dahil para rito ay popularity niya lang ang mahalaga. O baka ay maprotektahan ang pangalan ng kanyang kapatid.

Before she could reach the door of her car he harshly pulled her.

"What the... Let go!" She looked at him with a dagger look and same menaced as he always bears.

"Not until I know why you are avoiding me."

She looked at him with disbelief. She can't believe that he is saying those with her as if she is now at fault. She tried to close her eyes to calm herself but it's not working. "Bakit ka ba ganyan? Dumarating ka sa maling pagkakataon. Kapag kailangan kita, hindi mo manlang ako nilapitan o sinasaklolohan." Tinakpan niya ang kanyang mukha nang mabasag ang kanyang boses. Kumawala ang luha sa kanyang pisngi at nakakahiyang hindi niya iyon mapigilan. Mukha siyang kawawa at humihingi ng atensyon nito.

Umiwas siya nang tingin.

"I just thought that you don't want me to interfere your business. That you need a space. God knows how much I wanted to help you a while ago. But I resist because I don't want you to get mad at my intervention." Hinawakan nito ang braso niya.

Napapalibutan ng galit ang kanyang puso at isip. Naiinis siyang tanggapin ang mga paliwanag nito. Pumiksi siya at pinagsusuntok ang dibdib nito. "I hate you. I hate you for being insensitive!"

He didn't say anything. He accepted her wrath. He let her dodge him to make her satisfied.

"I'm not your girlfriend. Because you are hurting me. You are making me feel worst! This is not the right love you should give to me."

Mabigat ang bawat paghinga nito. "I am sorry for making you feel that way." He pulled her for embrace without holding her both hands. Not letting her go away again. Bracing her slowing down punch and comforting her chaotic mind.

His warmness and soothing scent never failed her senses to calm down. This is so unfair that her body's weaknesses are these. Ignoring her brains commandment that she is still mad, at least to give respect to herself. She needed to show to him that even if she is letting him touch her like this, they are still not okay.

"Is that all the reason why you are mad at me?"

She can't consume his intensity of attention. She looked away and swallowed hard.

"Give me the privilege to protect you. Give me the rights to love you more. Because I am so in love with you, Thaysky. Just say it, please!"