~~~ CHAPTER 17 - JEALOUS ~~~

Fortunately, Nigel didn't do any stupid thing of telling mom about my being drunk during our acquaintance party or about his suspicion on Diego and me the following day. Mom and I spent the whole morning, after her soothing milk bath, chatting with each other. Nigel locked himself in his studio while Diego, who wanted to familiarize the city streets, accompanied Suzana to shop for groceries --- goods that were not a part of the Sarmiento products since we had a non-stop supply of those.

After lunch, mommy and Diego immediately headed on the roads to return to The Fields. It was a short visit but, for me, it was like a breath of fresh air.

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I managed to stay with Nigel for the next month. I had quite adjusted myself in the university as well as life in the city. Kara still was my friend and we got along well in spite of Nigel's impression on her being a bad influence.

I was glad that Alonzo came from another university so I wasn't seeing him anymore. However, Kara started to get close with Serge and that made her ecstatic every day. It made me wonder the change that love could bring to a person. Just weeks ago, she said she didn't like somebody to push her do crazy things in the name of love. But now, by looks of it, she couldn't get Serge out of her system. Hmmm, welcome to the club, Kara!

I never went again to any party after that acquaintance party we had at St. Louis. I couldn't afford myself to get drunk again. I had to be the perfect fiancèe in the most possible way. I just had to be that perfect woman Nigel would soon learn to love.

On weekdays, the only place to be was school. After school, I would always see to it to go back to the condo so Nigel would have nothing to say about me anymore. I would then help Suzana prepare dinner, whether Nigel would come home or not. If I had to shop, I would always tell him, whether he cared or not, but he would always send the driver to bring me wherever I wanted to go. So that was the kind of life I had right now... It wasn't something that I would say boring because I was a homebuddy at heart.

Yet, I missed the lagoon... as always.

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"Where are we going?" I asked him with my widely opened eyes. Was I hearing right? Nigel was telling me to get changed because he was bringing me somewhere. Wow, this was definitely the first time that he was asking me out. Asking me out? Was I overthinking?

It was a Saturday and we were taking our breakfast as we sat across each other in the dining table. You have to take note of the fact that we rarely did this together. Hence, this was a great start of a day for me!

"Can't you just refrain from asking?" he demanded.

"I have to ask, you know, so I'd have an idea which outfit to wear."

"Don't be too excited on outfits. Just wear something comfortable," he stated bluntly.

"Okay," I shrugged my shoulders. If outfits didn't matter so I wouldn't make it a problem. The idea of going out with him was just more than enough. "Is this a date?" I asked unconsciously. It was too late for me to realize what I had just asked.

He eyed me like I was something unbelievable. "In your dreams, Princess," he said in pure sarcasm. "Just you wait and see."

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It was not going to be a date so there was nothing for me to celebrate. It turned out that Mommy Carol was supposed to be toured around his sugar factory today but she gave him a ring and said that she couldn't make it. She rather instructed Nigel to bring me along instead and I would be the one to report everything to her. Pretty clever, wasn't she? When she told me about it on the phone, I instantly figured out that she purposely planned this so Nigel and I could spend our weekend together. I guessed the guy solved the puzzle, too. He was clever just like mom, wasn't he? Thus, when I confronted him about the tour after I talked with mom, he clearly stressed in my face that factories are not quite a venue for a date.

So, to make the record straight, it was NOT going to be a date.

After he got himself changed into a pair of cargo shorts, plaid shirt, and rubber shoes, he went somewhere first. He just instructed me to wait for him at the condo before we'd finally go to the sugar factory. When he came back, I received a text from him informing me that he was already waiting for me below. Though it was not a date, I still tried to look my best by doing my hair in a braid and applying light makeup on my face. Glad that I was done with trying to make my natural beauty radiate, I texted him back with an "Okay" and a cute smiley beside it. Wearing a printed loose top, skinny jeans, and comfy sneakers, I rode on the elevator going to the ground floor.

An attendant ushered me to the driveway where Nigel's car was already waiting for me. The guy in uniform opened the door to the back seat for me but I hesitated to get in for I was expecting to sit in the passenger seat beside Nigel. I eye signalled him to open the passenger seat instead, yet he didn't mind it and so I was compelled to get into the back seat.

My mouth opened in surprise when I noticed that some girl was actually sitting beside Nigel in the front. I forgot to close my mouth even as she greeted me with a "Hi" and a seemingly genuine smile.

Are you kidding me, Nigel! You're actually bringing this woman with us?

I didn't bother to give her any friendly reply; I gave her a snoot as I crossed my arms in my chest. She was the one who opened her mouth in surprise now. I smirked to myself. Huh, good for her!

Honestly, I hated to act like friendly to her. She was Maria Stella and I was not crazy and dumb to come in good terms with her. After all, she was what Nigel called "his girlfriend." Yeah, she might be his girlfriend but I was his fiancèe. He better not forget that!

I sighed at the thought. What a complicated life I had here!

"I told you she's a pain in the ass," he said to her grinning as he started the engine.

Did he just call me a pain the ass?

Stella scowled at me before she replied him with a smile, "Yeah, can't imagine life with her."

Got you now, Stella! I believed I was right about her. She might look like a lamb in the outside but I just felt that she was a serpent in the inside. I got her through that scowl she just showed me. Hey, can I declare World War III now?

I extremely wanted to announce a war between the two of us! But even if I had not started it yet, the fight was as good as won by that Stella and I appeared to be the poor, pitiful, pathetic loser...

How?

I was in the car trying not to heed on the two flirting with each other. I couldn't bear the thought of Nigel getting so sweet on some other girl especially when I was around. I had to close my eyes and tried to prevent my tears from falling down yet I was always bugged by Stella's loud laugh every time Nigel made some funny comments about something. I didn't know Nigel had this side of him. I had always known him as someone cold, aloof, and impassive. That discovery bore a hole in my heart. He was never like that to me --- that happy, spirited Nigel.

"Remember that restaurant, hon?" Stella was asking him about a particular restaurant where they obviously had a date some time ago. It was a part of their conversation that began as the car started to move and it was something that I didn't want to focus on.

"Yeah, I remember perfectly well," he answered grinning widely.

"Wasn't it an amazing spot? I'd love to go there again, Nigel," she pouted at him as she said it like she was displaying their love connection.

"Sure. Anytime, babe," was his quick reply.

My eyes happened to catch Nigel's in the rearview mirror. I was kind of surprised to know that he was also looking at me through that mirror too. Quickly, I averted my gaze away from him. Why did he have to look at me when he was flirting with that girl? Was he trying to catch a hint whether I was jealous or not? Well, if he wanted to make me jealous, he absolutely succeeded for I was dying with jealousy now.

A teardrop moistened the corner of my right eye. Bothered that Nigel would notice it, I awkwardly searched for my hanky in my shoulder bag. When I found it, I immediately wiped that moistened portion in my eye.

Loving is sacrificing, I told myself. But does that mean that we also have to be stupid?

If there was something that I absolutely hated right now, it was my stupid heart. How come I was still feeling the love for him when I had been awfully hurt again and again?

To hide the jealousy that was creeping in my heart and in order for me to not hear them talking sweetly to each other, I got my earbuds and listened to songs in my phone. Every now and then, I looked at the buildings and land marks that we passed.

Just when I was about to get over with the two of them, a hard lump in my chest began to build up. It was when I noticed that we were already trekking the high way outside the city. The city structures disappeared eventually and what I was seeing instead were some residential houses along the road. By and by, the houses were replaced with alternating groups of trees and clearings. I looked at my wrist watch and discovered that we had been in the road for almost an hour already. The phobia I had for traveling started to creep in.

"Are we almost there?" I asked Nigel as I tried to appear cool in the back.

Unfortunately, I didn't hear his answer for the earbuds were still in my ears. I just assumed that we were still not we were supposed to be since I happened to catch him shaking his head. Stella, on the other hand, turned her head towards me and gave me another scowl. That bitch!

I was starting to get phobic inside. I was not going to handle this trip not unless Mommy Carol was here holding my hand. I just so freaking needed her this instant or else I was going to pass out.

I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate on the song that had just started playing. But no matter how I tried to forget, I could still feel that I was inside a car that was running in a wide road about 90 to 100 kph. My hands began to sweat as my knees began to shake. My mind was in frenzy.

I turned my music player off and took the earphones away from my ears.

"Are we already there?" I asked again. This time, I could no longer hide the fear in my voice.

"What exactly is your problem? Can't you just wait?" It was Stella who answered me.

I tried to catch Nigel's gaze in the mirror. Luckily, he looked at me through that mirror, too. Then, he declared, "We're almost there."

It was a short statement from him but that was enough for me to calm my nerves.

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Fortunately, I was able to control my fear of long-distance travel fifteen minutes after that until we reached the sugar factory. It was a group of large buildings placed in a secluded location. The not-so-good odor smelled all around just explained the fact why it was secluded.

When we got out of the car, I saw about a hundred of dump trucks on one particular area. Some were parked; others, loaded with sugarcanes, were just arriving to the compound.

"What's that disturbing smell, honey?" Stella asked as she encircled her right arm in his left arm while the three of us walked down the narrow pathway leading to the entrance of the main building.

I presumed it was also her first time in the factory.

I noticed Nigel, who looked ruggedly handsome with his shades on, pulled her arm away from him and it made me smirk a little bit. Good for her! Yay.

But, suddenly, my heart sank again when he put his left arm around her shoulders. "That's a natural smell around places like this, babe. That's the smell of the sugarmill waste. But we're actually in the process of finding the means to solve it. Later, I'll show you something aromatic. It's molasses and it can be used in some recipes. You're gonna love it."

"Really? Wow, I'd love to see it. What do we call it again? M-mol... what's that again, hon?" she said as she put her right arm around his waist.

What's this? Public display of affection?

"Molasses," I interrupted.

Stupid!

"I was not asking you," she gave me a scowl.

Bitch!

I trailed behind the two of them and the sight of her stilettos just bothered me so much. Why on earth did she have to wear those in a place like this? Did she really have to be a ramp model all the time? Well, based on my research on her, Maria Stella was a fashion model who had been in that business since she was thirteen. She wasn't the most in demand girl in the modeling world but she definitely was pretty. She could make every man fall on his knees, which made me an ugly duckling if compared to her.

"It's a thick brown syrup that is separated from raw sugar in the manufacture of sugar, babe," he answered her in a very sweet tone that I wanted to make a halt just right there and not to continue where we were supposed to go. "You'll see what's molasses when I'll show it to you later."

"Sure, babe," she said.

Then, all of a sudden, one of her feet stepped on a peeble making her to almost lost her balance if not because of Nigel's quick hands pulling her up.

"Careful!" Nigel gasped.

"That's so shit!" she snapped as she struggled herself to regain her composure.

That's what you get when you don't follow the proper dress code!

Didn't Nigel tell her to wear something comfortable?

I chuckled at what happened. Yeah, the bitch in me just came out. In times like this, when you had no choice but to tread on a coarse pathway, I appreciated my being a country girl.

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Okay, that Maria Stella was making my whole life at the sugarmill so miserable. Every time I tried to talk to Nigel, she was always there to interrupt. Aside from that, she was so clingy to him the whole time that I barely had time with him.

I was on my way alone trying to find a comfort room when I bumped into someone. My face directly smashed into his hard lean chest. It took me a while before realizing that his hands were pulling me close to him to avoid me from falling down. When I looked up, I saw an angelic face drooping down on me.

"Oh, I'm sorry," I muttered as I pulled away from him.

He batted his eyelashes before speaking, "Just be careful next time."

"Yeah, I'm really sorry..."

He was wearing a gray polo shirt and jeans unlike most of the people in the manufacture site who were wearing a uniform. I presumed he was one of the officials. However, he looked younger than most of the officials...

"I am actually looking for the comfort room..."

"It's on this way, ma'am," he said as he moved to show me the way.

"Oh, thank you," I said in relief as I followed him, "but, please, don't call me ma'am. I'm Althea Ruiz. Just call me Althea."

He ceased walking and looked at me. "I've learned that the President is coming today with his girlfriend and señorita of the Sarmiento Corporation. It must be you."

Just when I was about to speak, there were voices of several people from behind us. Both the guy and I looked at the direction where the voices were coming. We saw Nigel with Stella clinging in his arm and several other people whom he introduced a while ago as his sugar factory team.

Nigel also looked at our direction.

"That girl over there, she's the one claiming that title," I told the guy.

"Girlfriend and señorita?" he asked.

"No, just the girlfriend title," I said scowling as I crossed my arms on my chest. "But believe me, I'm the señorita, the young mistress of the Sarmiento Corporation."

I saw him rubbed the back of his neck, "I thought the girlfriend and the señorita are only one girl."

"You don't know anything, trust me."

The guy gave me a confused smile. Well, in all fairness, he did look more angelic with that smile. To my scrutiny, he appeared twenty or twenty-one.

"Now, aren't you going to introduce yourself to the young mistress of the Sarmiento Corporation?" I said as I gave him the sweetest smile I could muster.

The guy cleared his throat and handed me his palm, "Dylan Fernandez, working as an intern in the main office, señorita."

"An intern? That's cool," I said as we shook hands. "But please, don't call me señorita. Althea's fine with me." Well, he looked friendly anyway. And with that smile he was wearing...

"Okay, Althea," he smiled again. Wow, there was really something in that smile.

"That's more like it," I also smiled.

Our hands separated as Nigel and his company were about to reach where Dylan and I were standing.

"Now, can you show me the way to the comfort room?" I reminded Dylan why I was here.

"Yeah of course, come on," he said leading the way. I followed him not even bothering to look at Nigel again.

He should better stay with his girlfriend!

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A/N

Hello, world!

I've been thinking that this novel is not gonna be finished soon. I'm planning about having more chapters. Could you still stick around 'til its end?

So there's a new character here. You've probably guessed by now that he's going to be an addition to the guys... Now, don't get pissed with me. I'm putting them all in for a particular purpose. Just bear with me, okay? Yet if you can't, what can I do?

Anyway, it's been a busy week for me. Still, I was able to put up this chapter so I'm happy. Hope you're happy, too. And, as always, THANK you so much for your awesome support by READING, VOTING, and COMMENTING. I'd also like to thank my silent readers but, come on, let me know who you are, guys! Post a comment, 'kay?

'Til next update! (sapphiregirl22) ~_^