Chapter 7
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Eina's PoV
I can't believe it! I mean what the fuck men?!
Malilintikan talaga saakin si Esther. How could she do this to me?!
After my little talk with Schneider. Hindi na ako nagpaligoy na umalis sa office niya. There was a heavy tension around us when I talked to him and I'm not about to acknowledge that tension. But I can't even stop myself from having an urge to just stick him close to me just feeling his warmth on me. Stop!
Agad akong pumunta kung saan alam kong nasaan si Esther, and it was in her restaurant. I stomped my foot as soon as I entered the building, making some of the customers look at my direction.
But I really didn't care. I went directly to Esther then drag her in her office.
"What the heck do you think you're thinking Es?" I spoke through gritted teeth. Pasalamat siya at kaibigan ko siya.
"What did I do?" She said innocently, but I already knew from her smirk she was trying to hide that she already knows what I am talking about.
I snorted. "Don't act so innocent Es. Alam nating dalawa na pareho tayo ng iniisip sa tanong ko. So just answer my question. Alam mo bang si Acosta ang boss ng asawa mo?"
I looked at her intently, waiting for her answers.
Finally, she smiled. "Yes, alam kong siya ang boss ng asawa ko. So what about it?" She stated nonchalantly.
"Anong 'what about it?' My gosh Es. You are practically making me closer to the person I swore I don't want to see again." Mahirap na, just with his mere presence around me. I can't even stop my heart from beating so fast for him. But not just my heart, something else is also throbbing. At hindi ako manhid para hindi malaman ang nararamdaman ko. I should really be away from him.
"Why so Eina? Bakit ba patuloy mo nalang pinipilit ang sarili mong lumayo sakanya? base from what you said to me, alam kong iba ka sa lahat ng ikinama niya. And I also know that there is something special about that. It has to be." Esther stated with all seriousness. And I know that look, it's the look of determination.
"That's because I was wearing a mask!" I Exclaimed. "Hindi niya ako kilala, and I know he would be disappointed if ever he discovers that he bedded a woman like me!"
Yes, I think lowly of myself. Masisisi niyo ba ako? Ever since I convinced myself that no one will ever like me. And it was confirmed with the fact that no one has ever given interest to me for the past 27 years. Meron man pero akala niya high school pa ako. My self-esteem lowered down every single day. Kaya ganun nalang ang iniisip ko.
"Don't think lowly of yourself Eina. I know what I'm doing, I have this gut feeling and I'm not going to slip it off my grip. Papanindigan ko ito." She held my hand. "Now, let just stop with all this seriousness and just talk about what happened today. So how did it go?" Es, trying to lighten up the mood around us.
"I rejected his offer." I simply said.
--
I never given Esther a valid reason she demanded me, I left her disappointed in her office because of the situation is not going according to her plan.
I went straight to my apartment after my conversation with Es. Sinabi kong may tatapusin pa kong blueprint para sa isang kliyente ko para hindi narin niya ako matanong pa. Walang nagawa si Esther kundi pumayag na.
Nagtaxi akong umuwi, I should've brought my car pero sinabi kasi ni Es na 'wag nalang tutal ihahatid ako ng asawa niya.
Nang makarating na ako sa apartment ko, nahiga muna ako sa kama ko.
But it was a bad plan, since I had enough time to reminisce what happened earlier this day.
Today, I had the chance again to see up close the notorious playboy Schneider Acosta.
Yeah, I've seen him up close, but that was all in a place with dim light.
Just like how I first saw him, I was still fascinated by his built, his deep voice and his really handsome face that was carved into perfection and I can't stop staring at. Ilang beses ko na bang nasabi na gwapo siya?
Ang pinaka naakit ako sakanya ay ang kulay ng mata niya.
It was color gray. I never had the chance to notice it before, but at that moment, I was lost on how we were staring at each other.
Argh! That's enough. Eina, behave ka na. 'Wag mo na siyang isipin. Pakalmahin mo rin yang ano mo.
Napabangon na ako sa kama ko, thinking of something to distract me. Then I remembered the blueprint that I have to finish. So I washed myself fist, then wore some comfortable clothes and finally made my hair into a messy bun.
While I was already busy with my work, there was a knock on my door.
I lazily got up, knowing that it would be one of my friends, I didn't bother fixing myself.
Pero ng pagkabukas ko, it was a man ogling over my body with a half open mouth. "You know, it's pretty dangerous for a woman living alone to immediately open the door without asking who it is especially just wearing that." The man standing in front of my door stated with a serious face.
Shit!
Dahil sa sobrang pagkataranta ko, I slammed the door on his face. I placed one of my hand on my chest feeling the loud thump of my heart. Then my eyes reviewed my body, especially what I was wearing.
Double Shit!
I was only wearing my big sized T-shirt that stop on my mid-thigh. Argh! No wonder ganun nalang siya tumingin.
I heard another knock on the door. "Hey. Are you going to make me wait here outside for hours?" He spoke again from behind the door.
Mas lalo akong nataranta, it was completely unexpected! Hindi ko na alam ang una kong gagawin.
"S-sandali lang!" Tugon ko nalang sakanya sabay kumaripas sa kwarto ko para makapagsuot ng pantalon.
Hindi ko na pinansin ang magulo kong buhok at pinagbuksan na siya ng pinto.
"Finally." Ani niya. And just like that, he shamelessly walked in my apartment kahit wala pa akong sinasabi sakanyang pumasok siya.
He arrogantly sat on my couch and his legs made its way to rest on my coffee table. Talk about an entitled asshole.
Pinanliitan ko siya ng mata at nameywang. "Saan ka humugot ng kapal ng mukha at basta basta nalang pumasok dito sa apartment ko?! And that's my coffee table! Get your filthy feet off it!" Buong diin kong saad sakanya. "And Mr. Acosta. Who made you go here in my place and invade my privacy?" Pagsusungit ko sakanya.
Imbes na mahiya na siya dahil nagagalit na ako sakanya sa ginawa niya, but no. Ngiting aso pa ang gago. "Chill, honey."
Humugot ako ng kahit anong gamit na malapit saakin para ibato sakanya. "Honey-in mo mukha mo!" Binato ko na sakanya ang bagay na nahawakan ko not knowing what was it. "Sabihin mo nalang ang gusto mong sabihin saakin para makaalis ka na." Pagtataray ko.
He smiled again. And God knows how much I am fighting myself not to ravish that lips of his.
May itinaas siyang folder. I raise a brow. Mukhang alam na niya ang ibig sabihin non dahil sinagot niya agad ang tanong na nasa isip ko.
"It's a contract actually, between you and me. Since It's already final that I chose you to be the one to design my vacation house." Tumayo siya mula sa couch, he roamed his eyes in my apartment. "Nice apartment by the way?"
"I thought I made it clear that I rejected your offer Mr. Acosta?" Sagot ko habang sinusundan ng tingin ang gagong palakad lakad.
"Tumanggi ka ba? Ang alam ko umo-o ka." A smirk is plastered on his face.
I gasped at how confident he is talking when in fact he was just putting words in my mouth. "Tss. Well, sad to say Mr. Acosta. I will not accept that project of yours. Besides I have many blueprints to work on to at 'di ko na masisingit ang sa'yo." There was a finality in my voice. "At hinding-hindi na yun magbabago."
"Really now?" Amusement was evident in his eyes. "Then I guess I have to make you agree. The Schneider Acosta way." He gave me a lopsided smile, then without any hesitation he was making his way to me.
I gulped nervously, backing away from him. I gasped when I felt the table behind me, making it impossible for me to take another step back.
He took that opportunity when he grabbed me on my waist at dinikit niya saakin ang katawan niya.
"Still not going to sign the contract?" He whispered on my ear feeling his hot breath on my earlobe made the hair on the back on my neck stand.
Napalunok ulit ako. "N-no.'' Pagmamatigas ko.
"Hmm. Playing hard to get are we? I like it." Pinaharap na niya ako sa table kung saan nakalatag na ang pipirmahan ko.
He let me rest my back on his firm body, making me feel those abs that was covered in his suit. I gulped for the nth time. This is pure torture!
Pibalibot na niya ang matitipunong braso niya saakin. "C'mon, just sign the contract and this will all be over." He seductively stated, his lips incredibly close to my neck. "But before that, you should read first the contract then sign the it right?"
Without arguing I did what he said and read the whole contract in which some of the clauses are absurd, while his arms still around me.
Shit. Nahihirapan na akong magpigil, I can already feel my wetness in between my legs, my breathing ragged, and I shamelessly enjoyed his face on my neck not to mention his thing that I can now feel on my lower back.
Shiiiit! This. Has. To. Stop. NOW!
I finished reading the contract. "Still a No." I stood my ground. And I finally felt his body moving away from me.
"Okay. I understand."
Humarap ako sakanya. "You do?" I felt somehow relieved. Maybe he has respect for people saying no to him.
"Yes. I won't force you to sign the contract. I fully understand it. It is really hard from this clause." May tinuro siya sa kontrata. "The Architect must not feel any sexual urges for the client." Which you felt when I had my arms wrap around you right?"
"Se-sexual urges?!" I gasped with disbelief. Alam kong tama siya pero..
"Yes. All of the prospected Architects they suggested to me all declined dahil una palang hindi na nila maihiwalay ang trabaho nila at ang maka puntos saakin." I gasped harder at his statement.
Me and my stupid pride took action in a blink of an eye.
Kinuha ko ang kontrata at pumirma. "The thing you felt with me is just because I'm sexually frustrated and not because you are against my body." Pinakita ko sakanya kontrata na may pirma ako.
"I can prove to you I can separate work from my non-existent sexual urge for you." I stated with full confident.
Kita ko ang waging ngiti niya sabay kuha sa kontrata kakapirma ko lang. "Then I look forward working with you. Ms. Cristoval." Naglakad na siya papunta sa pintuan.
"Oh. And by the way Miss Eina." Lumingon ako sakanya. "Reverse Psychology did work on you." He clicked his tongue then winked at me before leaving my apartment.
Ako at si Schneider? Will be working with each other just because of my stupidity?
Triple shit.
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jnx