Chapter 1
One
“H
AVE
you ever had that time in your life when you just got bored all of a sudden?”
“No.”
“I have.” Humugot ng malalim na hininga si Hevn, saka tumanaw sa malawak at tahimik na lawa. “I suddenly felt so tired and bored of my life here.”
“You’re in Italy, Hevn. Everything here, from the people to the beautiful surrounding ought to give a workaholic monster like you a breather.”
It was a Saturday morning. Hevn was having a quiet breakfast at the dining pavillion of her cousin Xeena’s villa hotel, Villa La Rossi. Kagabi ay anniversary party ng kanilang malaking clothing company kung saan isa siya sa mga major stockholder. Pero ilang minuto pa lang siya sa naturang kasiyahan ay bigla na lang niyang naisipang umalis.
She had been experiencing this kind of irritating boredom that she decided to just leave the lively and very hectic life in Rome and go to the quiet and serene Tuscany, where her cousin lived. Pero kahit malayo na sa kabihasnan at napapaligiran na siya ng kakaibang ganda ng Italian countryside, wala pa rin siyang maramdamang satisfaction. May kung anong bagay pa rin siyang hinahanap-hanap.
“I don’t need a breather, Xeena. I need something that will get me excited with my life again.”
“Let me say it for you, Hevn. Lalaki ang kailangan mo.”
“I already have Claudio.”
“Have you ever had sex with him?”
“Xeena, ano bang klaseng tanong iyan?”
“An ordinary one? Hevn, this is Italy. People here are used to showing off their being intimate with anyone they like. Pero ikaw, boyfriend mo na nga, ni hindi mo pa mahalikan in public.”
“We kiss in public.”
“Yeah, but have you had sex already?”
“We can’t have sex in public!”
“Oh, geez, Hevn. Don’t be too naive. You know what I’m talking about.”
“I don’t.”
“You’re hopeless.”
“At least I still have Claudio with me. Ikaw, kailan ka ba huling nagka-boyfriend? Mula nang umalis ka ng Pilipinas, hindi ka na uli nakipagrelasyon pa. Ngayon, sino sa atin ang hopeless case, ha?”
“Ikaw pa rin.” Binuklat ni Xeena ang kanina pa binabasang magazine. “Dahil magkakaroon na ako ng boyfriend, one of these days.”
“And who’s the unfortunate guy?”
“The fortunate guy,” pagtatama nito, sabay turo sa isang larawan ng lalaki sa magazine, “is this one.”
Tiningnan ni Hevn ang itinuturo ng pinsan. Xeena was pointing at the picture of a man whose single photo took up the whole page. The photo showed the man’s profile, which was almost perfect, if not perfect already. Arrogant nose, unusually thick eyelashes for a guy, perfect chin and perfect lips. But what really caught her attention was his eyes. Nakangiti iyon kahit na nga hindi man lang gumuhit ang ngiting iyon sa mga labi nito. His drop-dead gorgeousness was obvious, as the picture showed.
Pero may isa pang napansin si Hevn sa lalaki. He looked so damn nice. Iyon bang tipo na tingnan mo lang, alam mo na agad na napakabait nito. Na madali itong lapitan at kausapin. Posible kaya iyon? According to her experience, wala nang lalaking matino na nabubuhay sa mundo. Except her Claudio. Well, minsan nga ay may ipinapakita rin itong topak kaya siguro talagang wala nang ‘mabait’ na lalaki sa mundo.
“And who is he?” tanong niya sa pinsan nang hindi inaalis ang mga mata sa larawan.
“That’s billionaire boy Silvanus Arellano.”
“Billionaire? Nagpapatawa ka ba?”
“What? You think hindi ako nababagay sa isang bilyonaryong kasingguwapo nitong si Silvanus Arellano?”
“That’s not what I meant.” Itinuro ni Hevn ang pangalan ng publication ng naturang magazine. “This is what I mean. It was published in the Philippines and it says here... the country’s billionaires. Eh, wala namang bilyonaryo sa bansa natin. Milyonaryo pa, puwede kong paniwalaan. Pero ang isang bilyonaryo?” Muli niyang sinulyapan ang larawan. “And he even looks a hell lot younger than the billionaires here in Italy.”
“What? You think mga matatanda lang ang puwedeng maging pinakamayaman sa buong mundo? Or in this case, sa Pilipinas?”
Kinuha ni Xeena sa kanya ang magazine at may binasang isang article tungkol sa naturang lalaki. “Listen, according to this, Silvanus Arellano is the chairman of metal conglomerate Delta VS in Russia and owns and manages a large holding company in London which subsidiaries include a logistics company, a supplier of electricity and a maker of homeopathic drugs. Recently, he single-handedly revived the debunk government-owned National Steel Corporation. Age thirty, single, and very much available.”
“Wow.”
“Yeah, wow.”
“Ah, question. Bakit siya napasama sa listahan ng mga locally-made billionaire ng Pilipinas, when it looks to me like he’s not even living in our country?”
“The mere fact that he’s a Filipino earning billions of peso, or should I say, billions of dollars, is enough to be included in the said list.” Muling pinagmasdan ni Xeena ang larawan. “And I think he’s perfect.”
“I think he’s gay.” Nagkibit lang si Hevn ng mga balikat nang pandilatan siya ng pinsan.
“He’s not gay. He was just enjoying his freedom as much as he can before deciding to hit the sack.”
“Well, good luck.” She lazily stretched out her body, then she picked up her silk neck scarf and stood up. “Meanwhile, I’m going to find the purpose of my life.”
“Where are you going?”
“My room. Thinking.”
Pababa na si Hevn ng hagdan galing ng pavillion when the wind suddenly blew strong. At dahil wala naman sa sarili ang kanyang isip, nabitiwan niya ang scarf. Sinundan na lang muna niya iyon ng tingin. Pero hindi rin siya agad nakakilos nang makita kung saan bumagsak ang scarf. In the head of a guy who was silently reading a newspaper and was obviously enjoying the view of the lake from the patio.
Kinuha ng lalaki ang panggulo niyang scarf at nilingon ang posibleng pinanggalingan niyon. Wala na siyang panahon pa para magtago. She was just the only one standing at the open marble staircase of the villa hotel’s dining pavillion.
Sumenyas lang si Hevn ng paghingi ng paumanhin, saka ito nilapitan. Tumayo ang lalaki nang makalapit siya. Muntik na siyang madapa nang ngumiti ito. She had seen those smile! She knew that drop-dead gorgeous face!
“Is this yours?” he asked, holding out her scarf. “It’s kinda wet. I was sipping coffee when it landed on my head.”
“I’m sorry about this...” Hevn could feel her heart slowly melting as she gazed into those liquid brown eyes. “Have we met before?”
“I’m not sure. I tend to move around a lot since I came here in Italy. And I have this bad habit of not remembering faces from the places I’ve been to. Sorry.”
“I think I’ve seen you from somewhere...”
“Well, let’s see if this trick will help.” He extended his hand to her. “I’m Silvanus Arellano. And you are...?”
“Silvanus... Silvanus...”
“Oh, we have the same name?”
Tinitigan ni Hevn ang lalaki. He was openly laughing at her now. Although wala siyang naririnig na tawa nito. Alam niyang dapat siyang ma-offend. Pero isang tingin lang sa mga matang iyon...
“That’s it!” mayamaya ay hiyaw niya. “You’re Silvanus Arellano!”
“Yeah, I kinda said that a while ago. And your name is...?”
“You’re the one my cousin is talking about! You’re that billionaire boy!”
“Huh? Oh. That.” He gave her a modest, almost shy smile. “The magazine was exaggerating. I’m not that rich.”
A shy guy? Gumagawa pa pala ang Diyos ng mga ganoong lalaki? Napansin niya ang nakalahad pa rin nitong kamay. Tinanggap niya iyon, and she was greeted with a warm, gentle grip.
“So, are you going to tell me your name now?”
“Oh. I’m... ah...” Nasa magkahawak na mga kamay nila ang pansin ni Hevn. Ngayon lang kasi siya nakatanggap ng handshake na punong-puno ng paggalang at respeto. At tila nararamdaman niya ang paggapang ng kakaibang init sa kanyang kamay na nagmumula sa lalaki.
Nang mapadakong muli ang pansin niya sa mga mata nito, tila naman sinipa ng kabayo ang kanyang dibdib. She almost sucked in her breath. Holy Mother of God! Now that the soft glow of the morning sun was directly facing him, it was like looking at a very different man. Silvanus looked more dashing, more elegant, more manly. His eyes became more pronounced, appearing liquid brown as she gazed up to him.
“Miss?” untag nito. “Something wrong?”
“H-ha?” Bahagya pang ipinilig ni Hevn ang ulo para luminaw ang inaagiw na naman niyang pag-iisip. “Ahm... no, nothing’s wrong. But I, ah... what’s your question again?”
“Your name,” nakangiti nitong sagot. “I was asking for your name.”
Gusto nang iumpog ni Hevn ang sarili sa pinakamalapit na lemon tree. Nagmukha na siyang tanga sa harap ng lalaki. This had never happened to her before. Kapag nakikipagkilala sa kanya ang mga lalaki, bale-wala lang sa kanya iyon. She would say her name and move on to talk about something else. Like business. But with this guy, things were different. Hindi siya makapag-isip nang deretso tuwing tinititigan ang guwapong mukhang iyon. Lalo na ang mga mata nito.
What was going on with her?
“Right.”
Get a grip of yourself, Hevn! He’s just a guy.
“Ahm, do you mind if I introduce you to my cousin? She really likes you and she would be very happy if she could meet you right now.”
Saglit lang na kumunot ang noo ni Silvanus. Pero nanatili ang napakagandang ngiti sa mga labi nito. “Okay. Where is she?”
“I’ll call her.”
“Why don’t I just come with you? I’m going back to my room anyway.”
“Wha—” Sa Villa La Rossi rin ito tumutuloy? “You’re staying here, too?”
“You sound like you don’t want me here.” Nang matigilan siya ay agad naman itong bumawi. “I was just kidding. So, where’s your cousin?”
Imbes na sumagot ay itinuro na lang ni Hevn ang open-air na dining pavillion sa ikalawang palapag ng extension house ng villa hotel.
“I suppose you’re a Filipino as well?” sabi nito habang naglalakad sila. “I just noticed because of your looks.”
“Yeah, I am.” Palihim niyang sinulyapan ang lalaki.
“You’re pretty.”
Hindi alam ni Hevn pero naramdaman na lang niya na parang lumukso ang kanyang puso sa sinabi ni Silvanus. Pero mas pinili niyang huwag tanggapin ang papuri nito.
“Aren’t all Filipina?” was her cold reply. Mukhang hindi naman iyon nakaligtas sa lalaki.
“You don’t like being praised?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“I’ll appreciate it if you’d praise me for my work or my brain.”
“I’ll remember that.”
Ano ba ang meron sa lalaking ito at parang hindi kayang magalit ni Hevn? Usually, kapag ganoong tinatanong siya ng mga personal na tanong ay tinatabla na niya. Pero sa isang ito, parang nag-e-enjoy pa siyang sagutin ang mga katanungan nito. Ah, siguro dahil isang Pinoy si Silvanus. And no matter how much she hated to admit to herself, she knew she was being biased to her countrymen when it came to socializing in this country. Siguro dahil nararamdaman niya ang sincere na pakikitungo ng kanyang mga kababayan. O siguro din, talagang may-pagka-racist lang siya.
Nakita ni Hevn na abala sa pakikipag-usap sa cell phone ang pinsan sa puwesto nila kanina. Nakabuklat pa rin sa ibabaw ng mesa ang magazine na pinag-uusapan nila kanina. And it was opened to the page that contained Silvanus’s picture. Xeena was even rubbing the page, near the man’s lips.
Nakakahiya talaga ang pinsan kong ito!
Mabilis niya itong nilapitan at palihim na hinila ang buhok.
“Aray!”
Ang mga Pinoy nga naman. Nakakapagsalita ng deretsong Tagalog kapag nasasaktan. Nang iritado siyang lingunin ng pinsan ay iminuwestra niya rito ang lalaki sa kanyang likuran.
Agad na namutla si Xeena. Bigla itong tumayo at nakalimutan na ang kausap sa cell phone.
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” nanggigigil na bulong sa kanya ni Xeena bago nakangiting binalingan ang lalaki. “Mr. Silvanus Arellano. It’s nice to see you here! I’m Xeena Imperial. I’m the owner of Villa La Rossi.”
“Nice to meet you, Miss Imperial.” He extended a hand and Xeena eagerly reached for it. “This is a lovely place, by the way.”
“Oh, thank you. I’m really lovely!”
Siniko ni Hevn ang pinsan sa tagiliran. Nawawala na kasi ito sa sarili.
Mukhang bale-wala lang naman kay Silvanus ang mga sinabi nito. “I really want to stay long but I’m afraid I have to leave this lovely place.” Dumako sa kanilang magpinsan ang tingin nito. “And the lovely people here. For a while. Because I’m surely going back here.”
“You’re leaving already?” tanong niya.
“I have to. I only stayed here for a night because my client just cancelled our meeting. And I have to move back to the Philippines to look over the new business I put up there.”
“I see.” Bakit parang gusto na ring manghinayang ni Hevn gaya ni Xeena na napabuntong-hininga na lang?
“My flight is in the afternoon.” Silvanus looked at his wristwatch. “So, I guess I have to be moving now.” Muli nitong kinamayan si Xeena. “It’s really nice meeting you, Xeena. I hope to see you again.”
Namula ang pinsan niya nang halikan ni Silvanus ang kamay nito. Pagkatapos ay siya naman ang binalingan. Hevn didn’t know what happened but she automatically hid her hands behind her. He didn’t seem offended, though. Mas mukha pa nga itong na-amuse sa ginawi niya. And she was once again fascinated by those liquid brown eyes.
“I’ll see you soon.”
Iyon lang at magalang nang nagpaalam sa kanila si Silvanus. Hevn and her cousin were both watching him walk with such elegance and confidence. She could even tell that Xeena just sighed. Ang ilang piling panauhin din ng Villa La Rossi na nag-aagahan nang mga sandaling iyon ay hindi rin napigilang sundan ng tingin ang lalaki. Especially the women guests.
“I’m in love, Hevn,” mayamaya ay sambit ni Xeena. “I’m in love with Silvanus Arellano!”
“What?”
“I’m in love with him!” Hinila siya nito paupo sa iniwang table. “Mamayang hapon pa ang flight niya, `di ba? I have got to know him better.”
“What the hell are you talking about? You’re not going to—”
“Ask him out on a date, yes!” Pagkatapos ay seryoso siya nitong binalingan. “Will you ask him out for me?”
“Ibuhos ko kaya sa `yo itong kape mo at nang matauhan ka?”
“Please, Hevn? Sinabi mo kanina na hinahanap mo ang purpose mo sa buhay, hindi ba? Well, baka ito na `yon.”
“My purpose in life is to be an idiot?”
“No. To make sure I’ll be happy with the man of my dreams.”
“Maybe it’s your purpose in life to be an idiot.” Binawi niya ang kamay na pinipisil nito. “Kung gusto mo siya, ikaw ang magyaya sa kanyang lumabas. Leave me out of it.”
“Hevn, Hevn. Please? I’ve never asked you for anything before. Ngayon lang. Isang beses lang. Pagbigyan mo na ako.”
“Why don’t you do it yourself? If you’re in love with him, just like you said you are.”
“I can’t. Alam mo naman kapag masyado akong nauunahan ng emosyon imbes na ng utak ko.”
“Yeah, nagiging sira-ulo ka.”
“That’s why you have to do it for me. Baka kasi kung ano pa ang masabi ko kapag ako ang nag-imbita sa kanya. I don’t want to ruin this chance, Hevn. Please, please, please?”
“Xeena—” Napansin niyang bigla siya nitong pinagmasdan nang husto. “What?”
“May gusto ka rin ba kay Silvanus kaya ayaw mo kaming magkalapit na dalawa?”
“Alam mo, ibubuhos ko na talaga sa `yo ang kapeng iyan.”
Naiinis si Hevn na hindi niya maintindihan. Namimili pa siya kung kanino dapat ibunton ang iritasyong iyon. Sa pinsan na pinasukan ng masamang hangin ang utak, kay Silvanus dahil sumulpot pa ito sa Villa La Rossi, o sa kanyang sarili dahil hindi niya makalimutan ang mga matang iyon.
“I don’t like the guy, okay? You can stop looking at me like that.”
“Sigurado kang wala ka talagang gusto sa kanya?”
“Ano pa ang gagawin ko sa isang tulad niya? May Claudio na ako. At para matahimik ka na, sige, I’ll ask him out for you.”