~~~ CHAPTER 50 - THE SIGNATURE ~~~

My bag had been packed and I was ready to go back to the South. My graduation day was fast approaching and my co-interns had been contacting me to go back to the university. Well, there were still some paperworks to do and to be submitted before I'd be included in the list of the graduation candidates.

"Going now?" Nigel's voice reached my ear through the phone. "Do you really have to go so soon? How about you wait for me on the weekend so we could go together? I'm actually into something very important right here and I'll be there as soon as everything is finalized."

"No, please," I told him, "I don't want to be a bother to you. I can travel alone now. I'm used to this."

"You are not a bother to me, princess. I'll always find time for you," he said in a pleading voice. "I'm just not into your traveling alone. Okay, if you're really in the rush to go to the South, I'll be there today."

Was he really to do that? Would he leave his important work just for me? God, it would be too much already!

"Okay, okay, this weekend," I said in surrender. "I'll wait for you this weekend."

"Thanks, princess," he stated with laughter in his voice. Oh, I could just see the brute smiling right now.

"Starting to be possessive now, huh?" I said like I was complaining, but in reality I was enjoying the fact that I was to see him this weekend and even travel with him.

"Well, just to make sure that you won't meet some bad guys along the way."

I smiled. "Thanks for the concern, Nigel Joaquin, but I'll try my best not to be duped anymore."

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So, waiting for the coming of my prince, I stayed in the palacio. Well, I could understand him. Of the recent events in my life, like being assaulted by Dylan Fernandez and having to walk around Sta. Fe, barefooted and under some heavy rain in the middle of the night, Nigel just couldn't tolerate thinking that I'd be in the same situation again.

While in the palacio, I spent more time with mom and some time in the kitchen. I remembered Nigel wanted me to bake cupcakes for him so I decided to experiment on a new cupcake recipe... something just for him.

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I was just starting to work on the cupcakes when I remembered about his love for painting. Perhaps, I could make some cakes inspired by painting... you know, a combination of our passions... cake and painting... Yeah, why not?

Thinking of some inspiration on how I should realize my plan, I remembered the painting that he told me... the piece that was hung in mom's drawing room. Yeah, I hadn't seen it for a long time already.

Trying to know what really was painting to him, I found my feet going to the drawing room. I needed to see again his painting of the flower plantation. The drawing room was a large sitting room used for mom's receptions of her guests whenever there were occasions in the mansion. It was a large room just adjacent to the living room located at the first floor of the palacio.

Old, antique pieces of furniture met my eyes when I entered it. Mom's favorite wooden chair was found at the first corner to my right. Across it was a wooden settee good for two. There were sofa and chairs of French Empire Style in all the rest of the corners.

There were lamps attached to its walls. At the ceiling, there was that magnificent large three-tier crystal chandelier that no other lighting in the room could ever match its splendor especially at night.

I paced to the center of the room and looked up at the framed painting hung at the wall just across the doorway.

I smiled when I beheld it. It would actually be my first time to be scrutinizing this piece of artwork. Well, I didn't visit this area of the palacio much. I believed that this place was only for mom's guests.

I had seen this painting before, probably when I was still in highschool, but I didn't really have much time gazing at it closely because even looking at it from a distance would already mesmerize any person. It was that perfect.

Remembering that it was Annie's request before she died, I had the notion that this indeed was a very important painting for Nigel. Perhaps, I could get some inspiration from this work that I could include in my cake.

I paced even closer to the wall until my face was in the level of the lower half of the artwork. He said this was an oil painting. Wow! I didn't know we could paint using oil! What oil did he use in this work by the way? I asked myself innocently. The oil that I knew was something that was used only for cooking or for skin moisturizing.

Oh, I was really naive... I laughed at my own ignorance.

Yeah, the piece was really breathtaking. Imagine colorful flowers in it in rows in a large track of land... and the Sarmiento river by its side, it was painted like a silver ribbon streaming so beautifully. Oh, if Nigel and I would have children already, for sure they would have their father's talented hand. There was a tickly sensation in my belly when I thought of having children with him. Oh, Nigel! You always made me this giggly girl every time I thought of you lately.

I let my eyes travelled slowly from top to bottom of the painting, then very slowly from left to right. Oh, my God! It was really breathtaking. For me, the painting's delicate, unmatched beauty was enough to tell any viewer that the artist was a genius.

Giving the artwork a careful scrutiny, my eyes travelled to every spot of it until they were fixed on the lower right portion of the framed artwork where the signature of the painter rested.

Nigel's signature.

It was not that visible since it just had a decent size in the corner. Perhaps, he purposely wanted it not to catch so much attention from anyone who would look at it.

I swung my feet to my right to look at the signature more closely.

My heart fell from my chest when I finally saw it very clearly.

The signature.

Nigel's name as the painter was signed as...

S. Eliakim.

For like a thousand years, I stood transfixed on the floor, gaping my mouth as I gazed on the very familiar signature. The beautiful curves of the capital S and E that I had fallen in love with since my collegiate days in the University of the South were very similar to the S and E in Nigel's signature!

Obviously, it was crystal clear to me now who was Mr. S. Eliakim, my benefactor in three years! It was Nigel himself!

Most of all, it was Nigel himself who exchanged notes with me! It was he whom I told my heart's troubles... and he didn't even bother to tell me about it. He still made it as a secret!

I closed my eyes and prevented myself to cry.

I ran away years ago to prove to him that I could live a life without him, that I could stand on my own. But how could I proudly say to myself that I made it myself when he was there all the way?

I couldn't understand what I felt at the very moment.

Angry. Confused. Shocked.

It was a mixture of different emotions and my soul wouldn't take a rest if I wouldn't talk to him right away.

I had to confront him with this as soon as possible!

How many secrets should we still have to hide from each other?

If he really loved me, he should have told me everything --- the damn everything about him!

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"Where are you going, darling?" Mom asked me worriedly as she saw me standing by her doorway.

I had changed myself to a blouse and skinny jeans and I was holding my trolley bag. It was enough for her to know that I was leaving.

"I need to go to the capital," I told her firmly.

"Why?" She sat up from bed. She was supposed to have her afternoon nap.

"I need to talk to Nigel, mom."

I couldn't describe how I really felt at this time... but, among everything, I felt betrayed... and I couldn't wait for the weekend to talk to him. I didn't want to talk to him on the phone. I wanted to see him personally. After everything that happened to us, I realized that a face-to-face confrontation with him would make every question in my mind to be answered.

"Why? What is it so important that you have to see him right away? It's past 2:00 pm. You'll definitely arrive there late. He wouldn't allow you on this."

I walked towards mom pulling my bag. "I got to study in my university because of a benefator, mom. For three years, this benefactor has been supporting me financially in my studies, especially in my internship."

"Oh!" mom exclaimed. "Really, darling?"

"And this secret benefactor, I've just discovered, is Nigel. My benefactor is S. Eliakim, it's his signature in his painting, mom! I've just discovered it," I said.

Mom was totally dumbstruck upon hearing my words. She was looking at me but she wasn't able to speak.

"I wanted to talk to him right now. Please, let me go today, mom. Please," I begged to her as I rushed to embrace her sitting there on the bed.

"S. Eliakim? He's been supporting you under that name? For three years?" she asked finally, wondering.

"Don't you know about it, mom?"

"S. Eliakim. It isn't just his signature in his paintings. It's his only signature...in all papers, documents... he signed every one of them through that name..." mom explained but still bewildered.

What?

"I do know about his signature," mom moved on, "but I didn't know he's been supporting you on your studies. I only knew that you are in the South just a year ago, remember?"

So mom also didn't know about him supporting me.

"Mom, please let me go to the capital today. I want to talk to him. Please, please, I can't let this slip today," I said, truly determined of confronting Nigel.

We pulled away from each other.

"I'll go with you. I'd like to talk to him, too," she said.

"No, let me go alone this time, mom. Please."

Mom thought for a while.

"Okay, I'll send you to the capital. I'll call my driver," she finally said.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

It was almost 11:00 pm when I arrived at his condo unit. Praying to God for Nigel to be around, I stood before the door.

I pressed the button by the door. I pressed it again and again.

Please, let him be in. Let him wake up if he's sleeping.

It was like two minutes that I stood there waiting for the door to open.

Finally, it opened.

Nigel, half-naked from his waist up, was filled with little splatters of paint on his hands, on his nose, on his sweat shorts... It was enough for me to tell that he had been painting at this time of the night.

For a while, he looked absolutely shocked.

"P-Princess... how did you..."

Not waiting for him to invite me in, I went inside anyway as I pulled my trolley bag.

"Princess, you're here!" he said, a grin started to appear in his lips this time.

So mom didn't tell him.

Probably, because I told her not to, because I wanted to see his natural reaction when I would finally make him explain the S. Eliakim issue.

He closed the door and, like an excited kid, sprinted towards me. "Wow! What a surprise!"

I maintained my firm expression at him. But he seemed not to notice it especially when he hugged me. I gasped in surprise especially when his naked chest was pressed to me. "But it's 11:00 in the evening! Why this evening visit? Can't wait to see me this weekend? How did you manage to come here? No, no, don't tell me you travelled alone this late---"

Sensing that I wasn't talking or moving, he pulled himself from me and stared at me. "Althea? Anything wrong?"

"Painting at this time?" I asked him, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Oh, why do I feel there's something wrong again?" he wondered seriously.

My eyes caught a glimpse of his upper body and landed on his eight-pack...

Did he really have to show some muscles while painting?

I gulped my throat and looked away.

Oh, Nigel! Why didn't you just have told me so I don't have to do this anymore? You're just making it too hard for me!

"Well, I've no more other time for this..." he said, still wondering to himself and explaining to me why he was still painting at this hour, "and it's always been busy in the office."

I looked at him and he was staring at me back. "Any problem?" he asked once more.

Call me a cry-baby but I couldn't help myself. I started to feel some tears falling from my eyes. "I hate you. I really, really hate you," I said, brushing the tears from my cheeks.

Hearing me say those words, he once again came nearer to me, reached out his arms and brought me to him. "Oh, God! This is why I hate leaving you alone! What is it this time? Who's making stories again, Althea?"

With my arms enclosed by his warm embrace, I just stood straight like a planted candle on the floor.

"Tell me, what is it this time?" he asked as he kissed my forehead.

"You've fooled me. You've really, really fooled me. I hate you so much," I said as my tears kept falling down from my eyes.

I wanted to hate him for fooling me for three years but I hated myself for still loving him in spite of what I just discovered. Why hadn't I just detected it from the start? Of course, Mr. S. Eliakim had a very nice penmanship and signature because he was an artist! Why hadn't I just concluded right away when I saw his note that he wrote to me three years ago that I just recently found in my memory box? Of course, by that note alone, it would be enough for me to conclude that S. Eliakim and Nigel were the same!

I hated him!

And I hated myself for being so stupid! If my life were a novel, I would be critiqued the dumbest heroine ever in the history of literature!

"Princess, what is it? Why are you hating me now?"

"I can't help myself. I want to hit you!" I said. "I really, really want to hit you right now..."

He released me from his embrace and held both of my hands. He placed them on his chest and I breathed deeply when my hands felt his warm skin.

God, I really hated him!

I hated him for standing half-naked here in front of me and looking so damn hot that I wanted to embrace and kiss him instead!

I hated him because of the fact that I still couldn't hate him even if I wanted to!

"Okay, hit me then," he demanded as he lingered his dark stare in my eyes. "Hit me if this will make you feel relieved."

When he said those words, I didn't wait for any more moment. I moved my fists and made blows on his chest. Not moving, he just let my hands do the chastisement. Not complaining, he stood firm and just let me deliver series of blows on his body.

Damn. What a hard man he was!

I hated him for being this hard! I hated him so much I wanted to really freak out!

Still in doubt if I was even inflicting pain on him, I poured all my anger in those blows. "I hate, hate, hate you, Nigel Joaquin! I hate you! I hate you!"

When I felt exhausted with it, I stopped hitting him and just pressed my fists on his chest. I felt exhausted and I wanted to slump myself on the floor.

"Done?" he asked, clasping my hands on his chest.

I was catching my breath and didn't say a word.

Sensing that I had no more plan of hitting him once more, he said, "Now, it's my turn."

His words sounded creepy to me that I looked at him confusedly. Nigel bit his bottom lip and released my hands. I immediately thought it was time for me to back off because there was that dark, dangerous gaze in his eyes. I stepped back but, spontaneously, he reached out for my waist and pulled me to him.

Feeling the crazy drumbeat in my chest, I gasped.

Without warning, Nigel lifted my body up by his strong arms. It was done very quickly and, in just a second, he was carrying me up already, making my legs straddle his waistline.

"Nigel!" I yelped in surprise.

But the great Nigel Joaquin Sarmiento didn't care even a little bit of my yelling. One of his hands cupped my butt and the other pulled my back to press my chest to him that I wasn't able to help myself but encircle my arms around his neck. "What are you doing?" I cried out, totally unprepared of what he just did.

"You know what I want to do after my brat hits me," he said, broadcasting a sexy, dangerous tone. "To hell with restraint, Althea. Tonight, I'll make you fully mine."

"Nigel!" I squealed even more loudly this time.

He didn't mind me anyway. He strode us both towards his bedroom... the bedroom that I hadn't gone to even once...

My mind was squealing like crazy and my body was trembling in both fear and excitement. His warm body was electrifying mine.

It seemed like he wanted things to be even between the two of us tonight! What was I going to do?

Oh, no!

Was I even prepared of this?

Please!

"Nigel Joaquin!" I screamed once more and there was nothing that I could do now.

His intoxicating masculine scent, a mixture of sweat and cologne, reached my nostrils like a love potion melting my heart and, tonight, just like how my heart melted by his scent, my whole body, for sure, was going to melt within his strong, sinewy arms.

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A/N

Haha.. I'm getting worried on this. What are you going to do to my dear Thea, Nigel? Please!!!

Dear readers, as of now, I can't tell yet when I will be updating next... because my hubby and I will be out of town next week... This trip is very important to the both of us. I'll just notify you, my dear followers, when I'll be able to post Chapter 51. Just stick around, okay?

Anyway, guys, if you liked this chapter, please VOTE, COMMENT, and SHARE.

Have a wonderful day!!!

Lovelotz,
Hervina
a.k.a.
(sapphiregirl22) ~_^