@uiel22, for the consistent support since the very beginning of this...
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~~~ CHAPTER 35 - THE SUITOR ~~~

After tucking mom to bed that night, I went outside and found my way to the swimming pool. Sitting at the poolside and removing my slippers, I dipped my bare feet on the water and was surprised to discover the water being really cold though it was summertime. I was closing my eyes and feeling the country breeze brushing my skin when I felt someone who furtively sat beside me.

Waking me up from my reverie, Elena gently held my arm. "I'm really glad you're back, Thea."

I turned my face to her and smiled, "Thanks, Elena. I'm glad I'm back as well. The Fields has a very important place in my heart."

"I'm happy to hear that. I thought you'd never come back. This place is never the same without you."

Elena was always a great friend to me and I knew she was one of those who were affected of my disappearance.

"How are you now? I mean, your heart..." she asked with a concerned tone.

I raised my brow, "What do you mean?"

"Don't deny it... The señorito is the reason why you left..." she said, very seriously.

I didn't speak a word. I just stared at the glistening water in front of me.

"If you aren't ready to share yet, it's fine. I just hope you're okay now..."

"Yes, he's the reason why I left," I said.

Her eyes opened widely. "I knew it! What did he do to you?"

I shook my head, "There's just a million reasons that I have decided to forget, Elena. You're one of those who knew how much I suffered because of him. I just realized that I couldn't be like that forever. That was why I left. What's important now for me is I have finally learned to move on and live a life without him. That's what's important to me. Now I have more time for myself and for all the things that I want to do... unlike before when my world only revolved around him. Oh, I couldn't be that kind of woman forever, Elena."

"Most of us here hope and pray for a happy ending for you and the señorito... That's what we always pray," she said, in a whisper.

"Please, Elena... Please, accept the fact that I've already moved on, meaning, I am ready now to give my heart to someone who is more deserving than him."

She eyed me suspiciously.

"Please, don't look at me like you can't believe me..." I pinched her arm. Why was she making it hard for me to convince her?

"Because the señorito is the air that you breath," she said in a low tone, answering the rhetorical question in my mind.

"Was, Elena," I corrected her. "Because today, he's just part of my crazy illusion in the past. He is never real. He doesn't really exist."

Elena thought for a while. Then, she asked, "So are you in love with somebody else right now, Thea? Who's the lucky guy?"

"I will give my heart to the most patient man in the world, Elena," I said as I thought of Javier. "You will know him soon."

She was now the one who wasn't able to speak for a while.

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It was nearly dawn when I realized that Elena and I talked mostly about me, about my life in the South, and not so much about her.

"Hey, how about you? How's your lovelife? Don't tell me until now you still haven't met him? Are you still a No-Boyfriend-Since-Birth?" I asked her, wanting to know about her lovelife.

Though it was dark around us, the light in one of the lampposts near the pool made me perceive the blush that appeared her cheeks. "Oh, come on. What's with the blushing, Elena?" I asked elbowing her side.

"Actually," she started out, very shyly, "I have already a boyfriend."

Oh, my gosh! My sweet, innocent Elena.

"Who? Will you introduce me to him? You should, you know. I'm your bestfriend."

"You know him, Thea."

What? Really?

"Then who is this guy?"

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It had been two days in my stay in The Fields and I still hadn't seen Diego. Where could he be? Didn't he know that I wanted to see him too?

It was Elena who told me that Diego, with his classmates who were prospective mechanical engineers, had been to an excursion to the capital. The excursion, which was the finale of the semester, was a part and parcel of one of their major subjects. Diego was to return today.

I had been in the kitchen preparing mom's dinner when Diego arrived in the palacio. Elena texted him already about my return while he was still in the capital. Well, you would know he was excited to also see me because the moment that he arrived, he immediately looked for me.

"Thea," he called out my name in the kitchen. Of course, who wouldn't recognize his voice?

"Hey, hey, Engineer Diego!" I exclaimed, turning my body to him and reaching out for his hands.

We held hands and, showing his dimple, he smiled. "Not yet, Thea, but soon to be," he expressed confidently as he leaned down to lock his gaze with mine.

Wow, after two years, it was unbelievable to see Diego's transformation. The boy had become a man. With muscular built and hair in the jaw, he definitely was physically attractive.

"I'm so, so happy you're back," he told me, yet with a serious tone. "How have you been doing?"

Our hands parted but still stood facing each other.

"I've been doing good."

"Oh, thank God! We were all so worried about you."

"Yeah, I know. It's been crazy... really..." I looked at him and I couldn't help myself to be very happy for him. Diego, a fine young man who was capable of loving and was deserving to be loved, finally found the perfect girl for him. I giggled and exclaimed, "I'm glad you have Elena. She's a good and beautiful person, Diego. You both deserve each other."

He blushed. "So she did tell you."

"Yes, she did and I'm so happy for the both of you," I smiled widely.

Diego smiled too. "I love her, Thea."

"And she loves you, too, very much," I assured him as my heart felt total bliss that Diego was finally over me.

If there was one person who would be very happy for my two friends, it would be me.

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I lay on my bed for the first time during the third night of my stay in the palacio. I just had to accompany mom in her room in the previous nights.

My bedroom was still the same. Mom made sure that all my things were intact. However, no matter what, I still felt that all of these were not really mine because I didn't belong in here. How could a servant's progeny be a princess in the palacio? Someday, I would leave this place for good. Of course, I couldn't tell Mommy Carol about that as of now or else she might have again a hypertension attack. I was grateful that her blood pressure was normal lately. Elena said this could be credited to my return.

I was lying on the bed when my cell phone received a message. It came from Mrs. Riviera.

I miss my favorite baker so much. The shop has not been the same anymore, she texted.

I smiled and texted her back, I'll be back, Ma'am. Don't you worry.

Then, another text came. This time, it was from Javier. Can't wait to see you tomorrow.

He already knew that I was in The Fields. Probably, he would ask many questions about my coming back. I was ready to answer all those questions.

See you. I replied.

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My morning walks with mom appeared to be really beneficial to her. It became a morning routine. She became livelier, more vibrant, and more active. I couldn't wait for her to go back to her usual self.

It was Tuesday morning, as both of us pushed off for the palacio from the flower plantation, the sight of a helicopter in the palacio ground met my eyes.

Mom exclaimed, "My Nigelito is here!"

My heart kicked. I thought he was due to arrive on Saturday. Why was he here now? It was still Tuesday.

"Darling---" mom stared at me apologetically, "I didn't inform him you're here. He has no idea."

It was my decision to come back here so I should prepare myself for future encounters with him.

"No problem, mom."

"That's good to hear, darling! Oh, finally, I can see the both of you again together. I'm so excited."

Oh, mom couldn't still get over the idea of Nigel and me! What would I do?

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We entered the mansion and there was no sign of Nigel. I walked with mom to her room so I could help her prepare herself for breakfast but she told me I could go and have my shower. Elena was to take care of her. I kissed her cheeks and I went out of her room.

As I walked towards mine, I passed by Nigel's bedroom. I knew he was in there and my reflexes automatically commanded me to walk faster to my room.

Breakfast was to be served at 7:00 a.m. so I had to be at the dining room five minutes before it. I wouldn't want mom to be waiting for me there. After a quick shower, I put on a lovely yellow sundress. It was Mrs. Riviera's gift to me when she learned I got included in the Dean's List. I hadn't worn it yet and I couldn't explain what had gotten into me that I decided to wear it today.

Anyway, I went to the dining room and mom was already there properly seated.

"Nigelito will join us in a minute. He's still video chatting with some of the men back there in the Corporation, you know, giving instructions," mom explained why Nigel hadn't still shown up in the dining room.

"No problem, mom. It doesn't matter to me," I said as I dragged a chair to sit on.

"Oh, I'm sorry if this is going to be awkward, darling, but please just bear with all of these, okay?" she said in a pleading tone. "I really want you to come in good terms with him."

"Facing him is not going to be an issue anymore to me, mom but, please, accept the fact that I have long realized that I don't love him. There's no way that I'll still go back to being that childish thirteen-year-old girl who stupidly asked you to make him my husband," I told her very frankly.

She seemed hurt as she looked at me intently. Oh, I couldn't even gaze at her any longer. Mommy Carol still had that hope in her heart that Nigel and I could still marry each other... I could read it through the way she looked at me.

Calm footsteps towards the table interrupted us and, voila, he was there standing before me at the other side of the table. Our eyes met. God, why was it so natural for the both of us to stare at each other's eyes every time we met?

White tee shirt, worn-out jeans. That was how he presented himself today in front of me. You wouldn't believe he was President and CEO of the biggest company in the country.

Nigel, by his looks, seemed not surprised seeing me because he was actually smiling at me.

As in smiling at me. So beautifully... what?

Then, he moved to mom and kissed her cheeks. Instantly, mom's expression rejuvenated.

"Good morning," he greeted her in a cheerful tone. "How are you today?"

"Very, very happy, son," mom replied enthusiastically, grabbing him by the elbow. "My baby darling's finally back!"

He embraced mom's shoulders, lifted her chin with his hand, and kissed her forehead. "Yes, she's here for you."

I averted my eyes away. Why did my heart feel sincerely happy upon seeing him cuddling and kissing his mother? The sight of them together was just overwhelming.

Overwhelming. The sight of him? Geez, what was I thinking?

But, on second thought, I was glad that I had actually left them for my absence made them become closer. If I remembered, during our fake-engagement days, he was never this sweet to his mother. He was always distant to her like he was blaming her with a lot of things...

My absence, therefore, did something great to their relationship.

Then, unexpectedly, while a part of my brain thought he was to already sit across me, Nigel moved towards where I was sitting, leaned his face to mine, and kissed my cheek like what he did to mom!

"Welcome back, princess." His breathing, filled with mint, reached my nostrils and the stubble in his jaws tickled my cheek.

For a while, I couldn't move a bit. I so wanted to shout 'How dare you kiss me?' to him yet no words came out from my stupid mouth. The tickly sensation seemed to remain in my stupid cheek.

Quickly, he was back at the other side of the table and sat on his chair like he didn't do something wrong.

It was the hardest breakfast I had in my entire life, not that the food was scarce. It was just the jerk was there across me, eyeing me like a glue.

"I thought you wouldn't be coming home until next week?" mom asked him as the three of us were in the midst of our meal.

Nigel, who was still looking at me with great intensity, answered, "I'm taking a vacation. I'll be spending a week with you."

What? Was he referring to mom or to me? He was looking at me as he said those words, wasn't he? Brain, process!

Mom giggled, "Ah, finally, you're taking a vacation! I thought you're still going to work yourself to death!"

"Because I now have a reason to take a break," he stated and smiled at me.

I glared daggers at him but I wouldn't say anything or else he would think that I had been assuming things again. So, I just took a cut of my baked vegetable omelette, nibbling it in my mouth.

His eyes travelled to my mouth and stared that part for a long time. Then, he gulped something in his throat. His adam's apple moved.

I didn't know what had gotten into me but I took again another fork of my omelette, chewing and pouting my mouth in the process.

You're looking at my damn lips! Well, I'm sorry but you're not going to taste them again!

Oh, what was I thinking?

Instantly, I felt again the tickly sensation in my cheek especially when I saw again his stubbled jaw. Damn.

"Uhm, mom?" I spoke out as I tried to get rid of the inner tension I was feeling.

"Yeah, darling?"

"I'm expecting a visitor today," I announced with a cheerful tone, battling gazes with her son.

This was it! I had to tell mom about Javier in front of this proud man. Well, hello, he had to know that my world no longer revolved around him!

I saw him furrowed his brows as if he wasn't expecting this. Good.

I brought a glass of carrot juice to my lips and gulped a portion of it.

"Visitor? Who?" mom inquired, quite surprised.

Putting the glass back to the table, I turned my face to mom and smiled. "The governor's son, mom. You know Javier Suarez? He is my former schoolmate in high scho---"

"What?" Suddenly, Nigel's voice interrupted my statement.

I looked at him and furrowed my brows. "Any problem with it?"

He bit his lips and didn't talk anymore as he scrutinized my face. Seconds later, he went back forking something in his plate but didn't eat anymore.

"Well, he sometimes visited me in the South when I was there. Now that I'm here and just a thirty minute-drive away from their mansion, he would like to visit me here more often, mom."

"The governor's son?" mom asked to herself. "Ah, yeah, Melanie's son."

"Yes, yes, mom. His mom, the governor's wife, is your friend, isn't she?"

She nodded her head but she seemed not pleased. Then, she glanced at Nigel. He was back staring at me but not saying any word, instead he remained forking something in the plate like he was torturing something in there. Poor food.

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Javier arrived in his sports car at exactly 9:00 o'clock in the morning. When he got out of his car in the driveway, the first thing I noticed was that he looked totally hot wearing sunglasses, a tight-fitting shirt and denim jeans. I immediately met him there. He kissed my cheek when he gave me the flowers he brought for me. After thanking him, I led him towards the main door of the palacio.

Two lady servants who were sweeping in the driveway stared at Javier with displeasure. When we walked past one of them, I asked her, "Got a problem, Anabelle?"

"N-none, señorita," she stammered.

Oh, I knew their feelings. They were just not used seeing me with another man. Perhaps, they still thought I would end up marrying the Master of the Fields. After all this time? After two years, couldn't they still move on?

I smiled at her as if telling her that it was just okay. Move on, please, people. You are not helping me.

Then, subconsciously and involuntarily, I looked up at the second floor of the palacio and my eyes landed on the balcony where Nigel was standing and watching both Javier and me. I chose not to mind him. Javier and I entered the mansion.

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"Remember Javier, mom?" I asked mom when Javier made a courtesy call to the señora. She was at the drawing room, sitting on her wooden arm chair; while Javier and I stood before her.

Javier bowed slightly his head to mom. "How do you do, Señora?"

Mom's stare scanned Javier's face. "I'm fine. Please take a seat."

Javier settled on the wooden settee in front of her. I sat beside him.

That started the conversation. Mom was asking about Javier's studies, sending regards to his mother, and inquiring about his father's plan of running for the senate.

Javier was an eloquent speaker. I listened to him and found appreciation in how he was handling the conversation with mom though he knew that this woman before him previously engaged her son to me. Javier didn't seem to be affected at all. Towards the end of the conversation, he informed about his intention of visiting me often in the palacio.

Mom handled it all so well, too. She didn't express any negative remarks on Javier's attention of visiting me. I could feel, however, she was sad about how things started to turn out but I wanted her to move on, just like how I moved on. She needed to accept the fact that I was not the woman for Nigel and he was not the man for me.

I kissed her in the cheek when the conversation lasted. Javier and I went to the patio afterwards.

We sat side by side on a fabricated metal chair just beside the swings.

"You still come back here, Thea," he began. "I thought you don't want anything to do with the Sarmientos anymore."

"I can't turn my back from mom, Javier. She needs me now; she's not in good health right now and I want to be with her," I explained. Actually, I already expected him to ask about this.

"I understand," he mused. "Well, I just didn't get it at first. When you texted me about your coming back, I was like 'What the f*ck is going on in her mind?' but I eventually realize that, no matter what, you're always coming back here. Right, Thea?" he said reflectively, seeking my eyes.

I became silent for a while.

Yes, that was what I suspected --- he didn't like it when he learned that I came back.

"Yes, Javier. This place is already part of me."

"Does..." he hesitated but continued anyway, "Does that mean you're with Mr. Sarmiento again? You give again your heart to him?"

I shook my head. "No, we are not together, Javier. I'm here for mom, not for him."

He breathed in relief. "Thank you for that!"

I smiled at him. "Why are you thanking me?"

"Because that means I still have a chance, right?"

I examined his face. Sincerity. I saw it in his face.

Javier Suarez --- sincere, understanding, persistent, good-looking, wealthy, soon-to-be-lawyer, soon-to-be-statesman, coming from an influential family... God, I could enumerate a lot of his good qualities and a lot of other positive things about him. What else would I ask for?

So, did I feel something in my heart like, right now, sitting beside him and facing him? Did I feel butterflies in my stomach? Did I feel my heart skipping?

Trying to find answers to my questions, I grasped my chest with my right hand.

And there was that beating...

Bam. Bam. Bam.

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A/N

What could that beating be? If you guys happen to know, tell me. Hehe.

Please, don't forget to VOTE, COMMENT, and SHARE!!! That was the second update today... Thank God for my two-day break and so I did it!

Always,
(sapphiregirl22) ~_^