Matapos ang insidente, hindi na nag-abala pang bumalik sina Andrius doon sa ice cream parlor at nagpasyang bumalik nalang sa kompanya niya.

Nalagay na sa panganib ang bata, he wouldn't risk anything happening out of his control given that napakalikot pa naman ng bata.

Taking her by her hand, sa mismong main door sila ng gusali pumasok. He walk with her with his hand intertwined with hers habang ang isang kamay naman ay nasa bulsa niya.

Bawat empleyadong nadadaanan niya ay napapatingin sa kanya.

Minsan lang kasi nila makita ang kanilang boss na pumapasok ng sobrang aga at umuuwi ng huli sa kanila. Kadalasan din ay nakasimangot o blangko lang ang ekspresyon nito. Today was different though, he exudes a different aura kaya ganun nalang ang pagtataka at pagkamangha nila. Siyempre di parin maiaalis sa isip nilang saksakan mg gwapo ang boss nila.

Pumasok sila sa elevator na para lang mismo sa kanya. Gaya kanina ay inunahan naman siya ni Avah na pindutin ang button para sa palapag ng office niya.

All the way to the twentieth floor tahimik parin si Avah kaya nagsisimula nang mabahala ni Andrius.

"Do you want something?" Tanong nalang niya rito.

Tumango naman si Avah.

" Ano naman iyon?"

"I told you po, I want a baby sister."

"Look angel, it's not that easy to give you a baby sister."

"Eh bakit naman po, yung classmate ko nga noon may five na siya na brothers and sisters."

" It's not that, you see your mom and I... it's not as easy as making pies angel."

" Pero sabi ni Aling Elsa, madali lang naman po daw." Inosente niyang sabi.
"You just have to get mama's tummy get big like a ball."

Muntik na siyang mabilaukan. Bakit ba ang daming alam ng batang ito.

"Did Aling Elsa tell you that?"

Umiling naman siya.

"Kasi po iyong si Tita Inday iyong anak ni Aling Elsa may boyfriend po tapos palagi pong nasa house nila tapos bigla lumaki yung tummy ni Tita Inday tapos may baby na lumabas sa kanya. Pinagalitan nga po sila ni Aling Elsa. Loud masyado yung boses niya abot kabilang kanto. Tinakpan nga ni mama iyong ears ko kaya wala na akong narinig."napalabi niyang sabi.

May pagkachismosa din pala ang batang toh.

"Kaya po dapat everyday ka po magpunta kay mama para maging big na iyong tummy niya at lumabas na iyong sister ko."

Napakamot naman ng ulo si Andrius. This girl has a weird sense of reasoning.

"Look angel, that's not how you make--I mean... that's not how you will get a baby."

"You mean hindi po madalas nagpupunta yung papa ko sa bahay ni mama para mag-appear ako sa tummy ni mama at lumabas?"

"No! I mean...I dont know? Look angel I can't give you a baby sister."

"B-bakit naman po?" She pouted at gumagalaw iyong labi niya. Her eyes were watering.

Malamig ang aircon pero timba timba na ang pawis ni Andrius.

...and his nightmare begins.

Tumulo nga ang luha ni Avah and she was pouting.

Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!

Tanging usal niya sa isip niya

Hindi niya alam ang gagawin. He was panicking and so he just awkwardly hug her and pat her back.

"Angel, hush. It's just, you need love for a baby sister to grow in your mama's stomach."

"Then...you don't love me?"

Mas lalo siyang ngumawa. And as her sobs got loud his mind is getting more incoherent by the second.

"No no no! Angel you're too adorable not to love okay." Simula niya.

Nag indian sit siya sa sahig at iginiya ang batang umupo rin sa harap niya.

"You see, you need love from two adult person to make a baby. "

"B-but my mama's beautiful, masarap din siya magcook. Magaling din siya kumanta, tsaka masipag tsaka...tsaka mabait din siya."

Tinignan siya nito sa  mata. Maluha luha parin ito.

"Angel...I.."

" Promise you'll love mama?...promise you'll try right?"

"It's not that easy, angel."

"Then promise you'll try okay? Promise!"

"Okay okay. I'll try."

"Pinky promise?" Inilahad niya ang hinliliit niya sa akin.

Napa-iling naman si Andrius habang tinanggap ang hinliliit niya.

"Promise."

If anyone could see him now, they would be sprawled on the floor laughing.

The cold, domineering CEO is sitting on the floor pinky swearing a little kid.

Pinunasan na niya ang mga luha sa pisngi ni Avah ng tumahan na ito.

"Naglove na po ba kayo?"

Agad naman siyang natigilan.

"What?"

"Hay naku po. Bingi ka talaga buti nalang gwapo ka po."

He just pursed his lips

"Ang sabi ko po naglove ka na ba?"

"I don't wa---" naputol siya nang mapatitig sa mata nito.

There's something that's urging him to tell her.

What is with this kid that she got him wrap around her little fingers.

"I loved a woman once." Simula niya. "She was really beautiful and good and hardworking at masarap din siyang magluto." Mapait nalang siyang napangiti.

"Like my mama!" Turan naman ni Avah.

"Yes just like your mom."

"What happened to her po. May baby din po ba kayo? Diba you said ang kailangan para magkababy."

Naptiim-bagang nalang siya.

"Wala. Apparently she never loved me."

"Don't worry, I'm sure mama will love you kaya you should love my mama faster so I'll get my sister soon."

Nginitian nalang niya ito.

Yung ilang taon niyang ibinaon sa limot ay muli na namang naungkat.

Her smiles, her laughs and her silly gestures, kahit ilang araw at taon ang lumipas, he just can't get it out of his mind.

Iniwan siya nito. Sumama siya sa ibang lalaki at basta nalang siyang di nagpakita. She's probably out with some random guy right now. Paulit ulit itong sinasabi ng utak niya pero di parin nakakaintindi ang puso niya at patuloy paring umaasa. That's why his hurting till now and he hates it, he hates her.

Oliveriano Hudson.

Napakuyom siya ng kamao.

He hates the guy too, he knew damn to well that he loved her pero pinatulan niya parin ito nang linapitan siya. The image of her hugging him was what he never forgets. It was the last time she saw her. Who knows where she is, probably seducing every man she likes.

Nagising siya mula sa mga alaala niya nang hinawakan ni Avah ang kamay niya.

Seeing her small hands over him suddenly soothes him.

Tumayo naman siya at itinayo narin si Avah.

Ginulo niya ang buhok nito sa panggigigil.

"Hindi tayo nakakain ng icecream kanina, I'll have my secretary deliver an icecream. Sounds good?"

"Yes please."

" Okay umupo ka lang doon and behave okay?"

Tumango naman si Avah at umupo sa sofa niya.

Lumabas naman siya para tawagin ang sekretarya niya only to see her making out with Oliveriano Hudson on her desk.

He had the urge to punch the guy pero pinigilan niya.

"Hindi kita sinuswelduhan para lumandi Miss Carreon."

Gulat naman silang napatingin sa kanya at agad umayos ng tayo.

Magulo ang buhok nilang dalawa at nakabukas na ang dalawang butones ng damit ng sekretarya niya.

"I-I'm sorry sir di na po mauulit." Sabi nito jabang nakayuko.

"Talagang hindi na. You're fired. Pack your things and get out"

"Pero sir..."

"It wasn't her fault Andrius."

"I want you to leave my building to too Hudson. Continue your business elsewhere."

Nilampasan na niya sila at nagtungo sa elevator. He personally needs to go to HR department para masiguradong ang susunod na sekretarya niya ay di isang kaladkaring babae. He also needs someone to give him a damn icecream.

Bumukas na ang elevator ng may sumalubong siyang babae na di niya inaasang pupunta sa kompanya niya.

"Andrius. Hi! Long time no see." Kumaway ito sa kanya kaya wala siyang nagawa kundi lumapit dito.

Nakipagbeso beso siya rito.

"What brings you here?"

Binatukan naman siya nito.

"I came all the way to Paris just to see you and that's the first thing you say to me. You're really rude babe di ka parin nagbabago."

He lightly chuckled

"You too."

Sinikmuraan niya naman ito.

"Of course I've changed mas gumanda ako diba babe?" Kinindatan siya nito atsaka tumawa.

Napailing naman siya. She did not affect him in any way. Alam niya namang tinutukso lang siya nito and he got used to it.

"Yeah yeah. So ano nga ang ipinunta mo dito?" Tanong niya.

Ngumisi naman siya rito at may inabot na puting sobre mula sa bag niya.

"I just want to invite you personally." Excited nitong sabi. She was trying hard not to shriek .

"For what?"

Itinaas niya ang kanang kamay.

"You are cordially invited to my wedding~~"

Nakita naman niya ang singsing sa daliri nito.

"Congratulations Aubrey. You deserved it." Bati niya rito. He was genuinely happy for her after all she went through.

"I knew right Ferrer, after 10 years! I can't believe it. God, I thought I would need to be the one to propose. I'm so excited, I'll be seeing you there right? You'll be one of my groom's men."

"Won't it bother Nathaniel? I am your ex fiance after all."

Napatawa naman siya.

"Oh that's water under the bridge. Wala naman sa kanya iyon. How about you, any luck?"

"What do you mean?"

Napaikot naman siya ng mata.

"Wag kang mag-maangmaangan. What's the girl's name again? Rina? Or was it Seirra, S...sally?"

"It's Sienna." His jaw tensed.

"Oh right. Have you married her yet? How many kids do you have? Magtatampo ako pagsasabihin mong sampu at ni isang beses di mo man lang ako inimbitahan sa binyag Ferrer. Makikita mo talaga." Banta niya rito.

Itinaas nalang niya ang kamay niya.

"Well as you can see, no ring yet." Sabi niya.

"Oh sorry." Nawala iyong ngiti niya at napalitan ng tingin ng simpatya.

"Come here babe, you'll find someone better soon. Don't worry." Niyakap niya lang ito.

Honestly he hopes he never finds that someone soon. Kuntento na siya sa pamumuhay niya. One heartbreak is enough.