Dangerous Embrace

CHAPTER 6

ONE LATE afternoon, Isabelle found herself in a park near the Sweet Hazel Bakery. Umupo siya sa upuan na gawa sa kahoy at tiningnan ang mga batang naglalaro. They were running around as if they weren’t tired and sweaty.

Couples were also sitting beneath the trees, and families were laughing as they enjoyed the peaceful afternoon.

Sumandal siya sa kinauupuan.

She looked tired. Both physically and emotionally.

Marahil na rin siguro sa dinami-dami ng mga bagay na kaniyang kinikimkim at wala naman siyang mapagsabihan.

Ayaw naman niyang magsabi kay Hazel dahil abala naman ito sa sarili nitong buhay. Isa pa, ayaw niyang makaabala sa ibang tao.

Even if she tells her parents about Sabrina and James, they wouldn’t believed her anyway.

And even if they did, her family would probably find a way to blame her.

So, she chose silence.

At least silence didn’t hurt as much as being accused.

Across the park, a familiar man happened to notice her. It was Elliot Amir Laurent Rios. He had been taking a quiet walk after leaving a meeting nearby when he spotted the woman sitting alone.

Agad niya itong nakilala.

“Isabelle…” he muttered.

Napahawak siya sa kaniyang coat. Maalala niyang ibinigay niya ang coat niya rito. And that coat was his favorite. Napailing siya. Hindi rin niya alam kung ano ang sumapi sa kaniya noong gabing ‘yon at ibinigay niya rito ang coat.

At that moment, all he could thing is that he didn’t want her to get cold.

He watched her for a second. She looked sad, and he didn’t know why he cared.

He simply found himself walking toward the nearby ice cream stand.

A few minutes later, he returned with two ice creams.

Naglakad siya patungo sa babae.

Nakatungo ito at nang tumigil siya sa harapan nito, saka lamang ito nag-angat ng tingin.

Normally, when a girl looks at him, they are probably swooning on their feet.

That’s why he didn’t want to go in public places. Laging nakakakuha ng atensiyon ang hitsura. He doesn’t blame anyone, though. Talagang magagandang lahi lang sila.

But this Isabelle… this little girl just looked at him as if he wasn’t worth remembering.

And he was actually disappointed.

Parang tingin sa kaniya ng babae, isa siyang kalat na kung puwede lang ay itapon na.

Elliot raised one of the ice creams. “Want some?”

Tinitigan ni Isabelle ang ice cream bago tumingin sa kaniya. Then back at the ice cream. Her expression clearly said she wasn’t sure whether she should accept it.

A small smile tugged at Elliot's lips.

“Don’t worry,” he said casually. “It’s not poisoned.”

Napakurap si Isabelle. Despite herself, the corner of her lips almost lifted. Hindi rin niya maintindihan ang kaniyang sarili dahil kusang umangat ang kaniyang kamay at tinanggap ang ice cream na ibinigay nito.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

She cautiously licked it.

Napailing naman si Elliot nang makita niya ang ginawa ni Isabelle. She’s really guarded.

“Can I sit with you?”

Tumango si Isabelle.

Umupo si Elliot, pero may distansiya ang pagitan nilang dalawa.

Hindi nagsalita si Elliot. He didn’t ask what was wrong. He just ate his own ice cream.

For a while, they sat in comfortable silence.

Then Elliot spoke. “I’m Elliot.”

Sumulyap sa kaniya ang dalaga at tumango.

“Elliot Rios.”

The moment she heard his surname, Isabelle’s expression changed.

Rios.

She had heard that name before. One of the most powerful business families in the country.

Isabelle immediately became more guarded.

“You’re rich.”

Tumaas ang isang kilay ni Elliot. “That sounded like an accusation.”

“Hindi naman.”

“It sounded like one.”

Tumingin si Isabelle sa hawak na ice cream. “I just don’t like to be around rich people.”

“Bakit naman?”

Because rich people use their power to oppress the poor and bully the weak. Isabelle said in her mind, but she didn’t dare to voice it. Paano na lang kung ma-offend niya ang lalaki?

“Because they’re usually trouble,” Isabelle said. That doesn’t sound offensive, right?

Elliot let out a chuckle. “And poor people aren’t?”

“Wala akong sinabi.”

“So, you’re judging me already?” Elliot asked. “That hurts.” Humawak pa siya sa tapat ng kaniyang puso.

Isabelle licked her ice cream. “I’m just being careful.”

That answer made Elliot look at her differently.

There was something behind those words. Something he couldn’t tell.

Sumandal siya sa bench.

Muling natahimik ang dalawa.

Isabelle continued eating her ice cream. She didn’t know why she had accepted it. She didn’t know why she was still sitting beside him. And she definitely didn’t understand why, for the first time in days, she felt slightly less alone.

“Ang lungkot mo yata,” sabi ni Elliot.

Isabelle stiffened. “None of your concern,” she said.

Natawa nang mahina si Elliot. “Looks like you really hate rich people.”

Hindi sumagot si Isabelle. Tahimik siyang nagdadasal na sana umalis na ang lalaki.

It’s not like she really hates rich people; she does don’t like being around them. It was suffocating.

Maybe because she had experienced it from her family.

Napatingin si Isabelle kay Elliot nang maramdaman niyang tumayo si Elliot.

“Isabelle.”

Nagulat si Isabelle nang banggitin niya ang pangalan nito. Paano nalaman ng lalaki ang pangalan niya, eh, hindi naman niya sinabi?

“Paanong—?”

Elliot smiled. “I went to the bakery where you work. And I heard your co-staff call your name. Hindi mo lang ako napansin.”

“Oh.”

“That’s it? That’s your reaction? Oh?”

“Ano ba dapat ang reaksiyon ko?”

Elliot let out a small sigh, shaking his head. “I shouldn’t expect anything,” he said. “I’m leaving.”

“Thank god,” Isabelle murmured, but Elliot heard her.

Hindi na lamang pinansin ni Elliot ang sinabi ni Isabelle.

Nang ilang hakbang lamang siya, may maalala siya. He stopped and looked at Isabelle.

“Isabelle?”

“What?”

Ngumiti si Elliot. “Expect that from now on, you will see me. I love clinging to a person who doesn’t like me.”

And then he left.

Naiwan naman si Isabelle na naguguluhan sa sinabi ng lalaki. Pero ipinawalang-bahala na lamang niya ito.

Inubos niya ang kinakain niyang ice cream saka tumayo at umalis na rin sa parke. Bumalik siya sa Sweet Hazel Bakery.

Ang hindi alam ni Isabelle ay nakasunod sa kaniya ang sasakyan ni Elliot.

He was making sure that Isabelle could go back to her work safely.

The following morning, Elliot sat behind his desk, staring at the documents in front of him. Pero hindi siya nagbabasa. Bumabalik ang kaniyang isipan sa parke kung saan nakita niya si Isabelle kahapon.

He could remember the way she had looked when he first saw her—the sadness in her eyes, the way she kept saying she was fine when she clearly wasn’t. And that cautious look she gave him the moment she learned his surname.

Rich people are trouble.

Sumandal si Elliot sa kaniyang swivel chair.

Hindi niya maintindihan ang kaniyang sarili kung bakit niya naiisip ang dalaga. Hindi naman niya ito kilala.

They had only met a few times.

Yet somehow, she had caught his attention.

Pinindot niya ang intercom. “Noah, come to my office.”

A minute later, his assistant entered his office. “Sir, you called for me.”

“I need you to look for someone.”

“Who, sir?”

Tumingin si Elliot sa labas ng glass wall ng kaniyang opisina. “Isabelle… the woman to whom I gave my coat… that rainy night. I don’t know her surname. Look for it.”

Noah was surprised. “Is that the same woman from the bakery, sir?”

Kumunot ang noo ni Elliot. “Naalala mo siya?”

“Sir, sabi ninyong alalahanin ko siya.”

Elliot said nothing.

Tumikhim si Noah. “Sir, what exactly do you want me to find?”

Elliot’s fingers tapped lightly on the table. “Her background. Family. Work. Anything relevant.”

Tumango si Noah. “Yes, sir.” Then he asked, “Sir, may I ask why?”

Bumaba ang tingin ni Elliot sa kaniyang mesa.

That was the problem.

Hindi niya alam.

He had no business knowing anything about Isabelle.

She wasn’t an employee of the Rios Group, not a business associate, nor connected to the Rios Group in any way that mattered.

She was simply a woman he’d met by coincidence.

And yet… something about her didn’t sit right with him.

“Gawin mo na lang,” sabi ni Elliot.

“Yes, sir.”

Nang makaalis si Noah, napabuntong-hininga si Elliot. Hinilot niya ang sentido. He even frowned at himself.

Why am I doing this?

He had never been the kind of man who involved himself in strangers’ problems.

People came and went from his life.

At wala siyang pakialam.

Pero iba si Isabelle.

She looked like someone who had learned how to hide pain. Someone who apologized even when she had done nothing wrong. Someone who looked surprised whenever another person showed her simple kindness.

At ‘yon ang bumabagabag sa kaniya.

Napabuntong-hininga na lamang si Elliot at bumalik sa kaniyang trabaho.

He told himself it was nothing, just curiosity, and nothing more.

But deep down, he already knew that wasn’t entirely true. Because if it were really just curiosity, he wouldn’t have asked Noah to investigate her at all. But investigating her seems inappropriate to do.

Prying into someone’s privacy is not the right thing to do, right?

Pero gusto niya lang na malaman kung bakit ganito ang nararamdaman niya para kay Isabelle.

Why is she curious about her?

It seems like I have to ask Dad about this. After all, he has a lot of experience.