CHAPTER 9
1497 Words
THE NEXT MORNING, Lucien stayed in his hotel room and pretended that he had some work to do—though he really had some work he should finish.
Gusto kasi siyang isama ni Neriah para maglibot at pumunta sa kung saan-saan. Sa nangyari sa auction hall, medyo may kaba pa si Lucien kaya pinili niyang huwag munang lumabas.
His laptop was open, and several reports waited for his attention from the branch of Verdan Group here in London. Pero ni isa sa mga ito ay wala pa siyang binabasa.
His thoughts had wandered elsewhere—specifically to Neriah, again.
His phone vibrated on the coffee table.
It was his assistant.
Sinagot niya ang tawag ng kaniyang assistant. “Yes?”
“Boss.”
Miguel Reyes had served as Lucien’s executive assistant for nearly six years now. He’s loyal, meticulous, and discreet. He was one of the very few people Lucien trusted within the Verdan Group.
“May problema ba?” tanong niya.
“Boss, your half-brother was looking for a document.”
“What document?” nagtatakang tanong ni Lucien.
“The shares certificate that belonged to your mother.”
Natahimik si Lucien. His free hand slowly clenched into a fist. So, they had finally made their move.
Walking away from his family was the best decision. They will lower their guards and will make them move.
His late mother had entered the Verdan Group long before his father became chairman of the conglomerate. She came from an influential family whose investment had significantly strengthened the Verdan Group in its early years.
When she passed away, her shares were legally transferred to Lucien, and not to his father.
But Lucien knew he couldn’t make a move against them because his father had leverage over him. One thing that was important to him—his mother’s ashes. Hanggang ngayon, hindi niya alam kung saan ito inilagay ng kaniyang ama. And to take control of the Verdan Group, he needs the seal.
Lucien also has leverage against his father, and that was the shares of his mother in the Verdan Group.
Those shares represented a larger ownership stake than even his father’s personal holdings. Whoever controlled them would hold tremendous influence over the future of the Verdan Group.
For some reason, Henry, Lucien’s father, was not making any move. He could have exchanged his ex-wife’s ashes for the shares, but he never did, which puzzled Lucien kaya naman nag-iingat siya sa mga galaw niya.
Pero ngayon nagsimulang hanapin ng half-brother niya ang dokumentong ‘yon. Or perhaps… may nag-utos sa kaniya.
Lucien already knew who.
“May nahanap ba siya?”
“Wala, Boss.”
Tumaas ang sulok ng labi ni Lucien. “He won’t.”
Because the original documents had never been kept inside the Verdan Tower, not in the family mansion, not in the company vault.
Itinago ito ng kaniyang ina bago pa man ito maaksidente, na dahilan ng pagkamatay nito. No one else knew where they were. Not even his father.
At pati si Lucien ay hindi alam kung nasaan ang orihinal na kopya ng dokumento. Ang tanging hawak lamang niya ngayon ay ang Xerox copy ng original document.
“Boss, should we intervene?”
Sumandal si Lucien sa kinauupuan. “Hindi na kailangan.”
“Boss?”
“Let him look.” Aniya.
Kapagkuwan, napatingin siya sa labas ng bintana. Another thought crossed his mind.
“And one more thing.”
“Yes, Boss.”
“Keep an eye on my stepmother.”
“Copy, Boss.”
For years, she had played the role of the perfect wife. Pero alam ni Lucien ang totoo. She’s the kind of stepmother who would never tolerate the son of her husband's first wife. At ang stepmother niya ang dahilan kung bakit pinadala siya ng kaniyang ama sa ibang bansa.
His stepmother had never wanted him dead because she hated him personally. She wanted what stood behind him—his position and his inheritance. And most importantly, his mother’s shares.
And all of this was for his half-brother.
His stepmother wanted her son to inherit the Verdan Group. He may sit on the CEO’s chair, but he was still alive as the heir, so his half-brother wouldn’t be named as the heir.
“Increase surveillance around her.”
“Already done, Boss,” Miguel replied.
“Good.” A rare look of approval crossed Lucien’s face. “If she makes a move, you’ll know before anyone else.”
And the call ended.
Nanatili si Lucien sa kinauupuan habang nakatitig sa labas.
Sa nakalipas na linggo, London had begun to feel like freedom.
A place where he could simply be Lucien.
Not the Verdan heir.
Not the chairman’s son. And not a pawn in a family obsessed with power.
But reality had a way of following him across oceans.
The Verdan family had begun making their move.
And sooner or later… he would have to make his own.
IT WAS NEARLY NINE in the evening when the doorbell to Lucien’s suite rang. Alam na niya agad kung sino ang nasa labas ng pinto. Isang tao lang naman ang bibisita sa kaniya ng ganitong oras nang walang pasabi.
Binuksan niya ang pinto.
Neriah stood there carrying a paper bag that smelled unmistakably of takeout.
“I brought dinner.”
“Akala ko ikaw ang nagluto.” Sabi ni Lucien. His gaze shifted from the food to her.
She had clearly changed after her shower. Instead of her casual clothes, she wore a simple satin pajama set with loose sleeves and matching pants. Her hair was still slightly damp, falling naturally over her shoulders.
Mukha itong komportable na para bang natural lang na pumunta ito sa kwarto niya ng ganitong oras ng gabi.
Neriah rolled her eyes before replying to Lucien. “Hindi ako marunong magluto.” Aniya. Then she teased, “You’re staring.”
“I was looking at the food.”
“Sinungaling.”
Tumikhim si Lucien. “Come in.”
Within minutes, the dining table was covered with containers of noodles, grilled meat, dumplings, and dessert.
“Ang dami mo naman yatang inorder.”
“I’m a foodie.”
Lucien looked at Neriah’s body. “Pero hindi halata.”
Ngumisi si Neriah. “I exercised.”
Napatango na lamang si Lucien.
Neriah chuckled. “Hindi ka lumabas ngayon? Natakot ka naman yata kagabi dahil sa nangyari sa auction?”
“Don’t mention it,” sabi ni Lucien. “I’m trying my best to forget about it.”
Napailing na lamang si Neriah. Then she reached for a bowl in the kitchen.
“Nakalimutan ko ang kutsara.”
“Ako na kukuha,” sabi ni Lucien.
“Ako na.”
Before Lucien could stop Neriah, she hurried toward the kitchenette.
Unfortunately, the rug beneath her feet shifted.
“Oh!”
Bahagya siyang natapilok at nawalan ng balanse.
“Neriah!”
Lucien reacted on instinct. He crossed the short distance in an instant and caught her before she could hit the floor. His arm wrapped around her waist while his other hand steadied her shoulder.
Sa ilang sandali, walang gumalaw sa kanilang dalawa at parehong napatitig sa isa’t isa.
The room suddenly felt impossibly quiet, and neither seemed eager to step away.
Lucien became aware of just how little space separated them. He could feel the warmth radiating from Neriah. He even catches the faint scent of her shampoo and hears the quiet rhythm of her breathing.
At sa pagkakalapit ng katawa nilang dalawa, naramdaman nila pareho ang mabilis na pagtibok ng puso ng bawat isa.
Focus. Lucien told himself. And he made a mistake by looking into her eyes because Neriah was already smiling.
“You okay?” Lucien asked.
Tumango si Neriah. She made no effort to move. Neither did Lucien.
Several long seconds passed before Lucien finally remembered himself. He gently helped Neriah back onto her feet and took a careful step backward, despite the resistance of his body, and put a respectful distance between them.
“Mag-iingat ka.”
Neriah smiled, picked up the forgotten spoons, and headed back toward the table.
Habang naglalakad si Neriah palayo kay Lucien, naipikit na lamang niya ang mata nang ilang sandali. This woman is going to be the end of my self-control. He thought as he looked at his crotch.
Simpleng nagkadikit lamang ang katawan nilang dalawa. Ganito na ang reaksiyon ng katawan niya.
Nagmulat ng mata si Lucien saka napailing.
Looks like he knew that he wouldn’t get a good night's sleep later.
And Lucien was right.
Because this time, he had a wet dream with Neriah… again.
I think I need to distance myself from her for a while.
Sumang-ayon si Lucien sa sinabi ng kaniyang isipan. Kailangan na niya munang medyo dumistansiya kay Neriah dahil baka sa susunod makagawa siya ng hindi kaaya-ayang bagay na ikasisira ng pagkakaibigan nilang dalawa.
And he doesn’t want to lose the person who made him feel comfortable and feel genuine happiness.
- Writer
