Chapter 6

"Wow. You look good," Sage said as I stepped out of the fitting room.

I glanced down at the velvet crimson dress. It hugs my body beautifully, stopping just below my knees. I paired it with Valentino heels. Let Sage pay all of these expensive items since he was the one who dragged me here. I also grabbed the pretty diamond necklace I saw and kept the star pendant necklace in the pocket. Ayaw kong makita ni Sage na hanggang ngayon ay suot ko pa rin ito. I doubt he noticed it earlier. He was too busy forcing me on a date.

I shrugged and walked past him. The lady assisted Sage in paying for all I've selected. When he was done, he sauntered towards my direction and held my arms.

"Let's go?"

I swatted his hands away. "No touching, please."

Sage looked taken aback but his mouth twitched, as if I'm amusing him. "Okay, then."

I glared at him before we walked out of the boutique. Sage opened the door for me. I heaved a sigh and climbed inside. When he closed the door, I tried to open it, see if I could still escape him but he had locked it already.

"Trying to escape, eh?" aniya habang inaayos ang kaniyang seatbelt.

I slumped down on my seat. Ngumuso ako. "I want to go home."

"You're home already, Mallory," he said, pulling out the car. "This is your home."

"Not anymore, Sage." I gritted my teeth. "I'm going back to Japan."

"As if I'll let you," he said nonchalantly.

"What the heck is your problem—"

"Oh, look. That's a great restaurant!" turo niya sa mismong restaurant kung saan ko siya pinanuod na hintayin nang ilang oras. "Would you like to dine in there?" he asked me, ignoring my question.

"Sage!" I hissed. "I have to get back now. Leon is expecting me later."

"Leon can wait. I've waited four years for you, sure he can wait for a few hours, eh?" anito habang binabagalan ang andar ng sasakyan. He pulled into the parking lot and glanced at the windows. There are barely any customers inside the restaurant. Their food is great but it's too costly. Leon was the one who paid for our dinner that night. "Let's go?"

Bumuntong-hininga ako. Dumidilim na ang paligid. I'm sure Leon is looking for me right now. Kapag nalaman niya ang nangyari sa studio, paniguradong magagalit siya dahil sumama ako kay Sage. I stared at my hands. What am I supposed to do now?

As we walked in the restaurant, the smell of roasted chicken entered my nostrils. Biglang kumalam ang aking sikmura. I had been on a strict diet for the past few days because of this darn photoshoot and Sage had just ruined it. Siguro naman ay puwede akong tumikim nang kaunti ngayon?

Napailing na lamang ako at sinundan siya sa loob. I refused to dine upstairs, as it would remind me how horrible I am that night, letting him wait in the rain. I didn't bother ordering white wine either. I don't want him to have some clues of my favorites. I don't want to be in my character right now.

"Okay. A bottle of red wine will do," ani Sage. The waitress repeated our order before disappearing. Sage leaned back on his chair and started rolling up his sleeves. I watched his brows furrowed as he concentrated on that small little thing. When he lifted his gaze on me, I immediately turned away.

"Mal . . ." anito.

"What?" I snapped. I'm suddenly uncomfortable in my seat and in my dress right now. Suddenly, I want to curl back into bed and wear oversized pajamas instead. This is not me. I shouldn't be here.

"Well . . . We've been separated from each other for over four years. Don't you have something to say to me?"

"Nothing." Matigas kong sagot. "I just want this to be over so I could go home to Leon . . ."

His jaw clenched as he stared at me. But after a while, his features softened as he gazed out the window. "I'm afraid Leon won't see you tonight, Mal."

Kaagad na nagsalubong ang aking kilay sa kaniyang sinabi. "What? What do you mean?"

"I wouldn't drag you here just to stare at each other the entire night. I want the two of us to talk. I want to know what happened. I want answers, Mallory Rose."

I clenched my fists. "You're going to force me to stay with you tonight? Have you forgotten that you have a daughter to take care of?"

It was Sage's turn to furrowed his eyebrows at me. "Daughter? What daughter are you talking about?"

"Zahra—"

"—is my sister, not my daughter." Aniya. Then, a smile curled on his lips. "Seriously, Mallory? You think she was my daughter? I told you before, she's a sister of mine."

My jaw dropped. I blinked at him but immediately composed myself.

"Saan mo naman narinig yan?" Sage prodded. "I don't have a daughter, Mallory. Not Zahra or any other girl. I'm a bachelor."

I cursed under my breath and clenched my fists on my lap.

"So?" he raised both of his eyebrows. "Is this something we need to clarify?"

Iniling ko ang aking ulo. This conversation would just remind me of his wicked mother. I don't want to talk about it. I don't want to get too angry tonight at the Monterios.

"How about Jasmine?" I found myself blurting out the next question before I could even stop myself.

"Oh? Are you checking out if I'm still single or not?" bahagyang humalakhak si Sage. "Trust me, baby, there are no other women. Jasmine and I have broken up years ago. She's doing great being a secondary teacher in Australia. I haven't seen her in years, either."

Lumunok ako. So it was all a lie? A fabricated story by his mother?

"And besides, Mallory Rose, if I got another girl pregnant, I won't be here with you. Heck, I wouldn't even spare you a glance. But that's kind of hard, actually—not even looking at you at all . . ."

Thank goodness the food arrived. I expertly opened the bottle of wine and poured myself a glass. I poured Sage's too, out of respect, and sipped silently. My mind is running chaos right now.

"Now that you know my story, it's about time I ask yours." Sumimsim din siya sa kaniyang wine at inilapag ito sa lamesa. "Why are you dating Leon?"

I shrugged. "I told you before, Sage. There's no reason why I can't date Leon."

"In case you don't remember, we were still in a relationship before you disappeared." Wika ni Sage. "So, technically, we're still girlfriend and boyfriend. Leon is . . . well, a kabit."

"What?" hindi ako makapaniwalang napatingin kay Sage. "What the heck are you talking about? Are you crazy?"

"Malapit na, Mallory . . ." seryoso nitong wika. "You don't know how you drove me insane. You disappeared for four long years and then you just showed up with a new haircut and expensive dress. You also ditched me on a dinner date and now you're modelling our beer. Isn't that enough to make me crazy?"

I groaned out loud. I can't understand any of his damn logic!

"If you think that we're still together, we're not." Seryoso kong wika sa kaniya. "I'm breaking up with you right now."

"Oh, I won't let you break up with me," he shrugged as he elegantly sliced a piece of beef on his plate. "I won't allow you. It takes the approval of both girlfriend and boyfriend before they step out of the relationship, right? So, no. We're still together."

"Nababaliw ka na talaga, Sage." Napailing ako at sumimsim na naman mula sa aking wineglass. I started eating. Might as well fill my body with energy because Sage Monterio drains the hell out of me.

"Yeah, you could say that. So, what are we gonna do about Leon? I just found out at the event that there's a third party . . ."

Inirapan ko siya. "Leon is not a third party. I'm going to marry him soon."

"Nah-uh." He wagged his fingers in front of his face. "Do you think I'm going to allow you to?"

I took a deep breath. "Sage, stop with your game. Hindi ka na nakakatuwa."

"I'm not happy with your relationship with Leon, either." He retorted.

Hindi ako sumagot. Ipinagpatuloy ko lang ang pag-kain.

An amused smile curled on Sage's lips. "You know the rule of thumb, Mallory? All third parties should be eliminated . . ."

"What are you talking about now?" I let out a resignation sigh. "Don't tell me you're going to steal me away from him and all that stuff?"

Sage smirked. "Watch me, Mallory. Watch me."