You’re Still My Man – English

ACE

Gina still didn’t say a word until he accompanied her to her boarding house. She let him inside the house and when he passed the door, he noticed that there was cracked.

“What happened here?” he asked Gina as he pointed to the cracked door.

“Brando’s men do that.”

He inspected the splintered wood and let himself calm down first. If only he could have reached out to Brando’s men to sweep Gina away. He knows that only Brando has a plan for this, and based on his track record, he won’t just give up if this man likes someone.

If he only knew that Gina needed him at that time.

“Mr. Nicolas probably won’t be able to hurt you.” he said to Gina. Because he can’t show that he is worried for the girl. For now, he must first control his temper with that man, knowing that anger would defeat his purpose. “I don’t think he will hurt you.”

“Did you know that Mr. Nicolas forced me to go to that place, and now you’re just going to tell me he can’t hurt me.”

“All right, let’s say you were forcibly taken by Brando’s men, but he didn’t do anything bad to you, did he?” he grabbed Gina’s elbow and sat her down on the couch. They sat several feet apart.

“Nothing, and I’m not afraid of him either. He can’t control me because he doesn’t own me. That man is really weird.”

“Weird? Why are you saying that?”

“He’s really weird. I don’t know how to explain his weirdness. He’s just like that to me. Why are you at the hotel?”

“Because Janice invited me to come to your house, so I immediately went to your boarding house to pick you up.” He quickly alibi. “But when I arrived, I just saw that you were riding in an SUV with two men, I doubt so I followed you.”

“So was Maryam there because of you?”

“No. Maybe it’s just a coincidence that Maryam was there, too.”

“I feel like Mr. Nicolas is looking down on me. He thinks maybe he can just buy me with his money. I’m sorry if I tell you these. I’ll just leave you here first.”

“Take your time, Gina. You can take a bath to relieve the tension in your body.”

When he heard the rush of water coming from the bathroom, he immediately stood up to look at the entirety of Gina’s rented house. He entered a room there and saw the things that was scattered. He also sees some clothes hanging there, appreciating it as well as the proportion of Gina wearing those dresses. His willpower should be stretched to the limit especially in working beside her, because Gina is venomous and he thinks there is really no man who cannot be attracted to her. She flirted relentlessly with him, feeling safe perhaps, or maybe just testing him. He’d rarely reacted openly. It’s just that all he could offer to her is self-control, protection and respect.

He is here in the Philippines for an important mission and it should have come first. Unfortunately, it just so happened that Gina became part of his mission.

He forced his gaze from the dress form, shifting instead to the opposite corner where a desk held a computer and printer. Stacks of paper were filed neatly beside it. He resisted the temptation to thumb through them.

After a few minutes, Gina came out of her room. She was wearing a pink bathrobe and her wet hair was loose. He wished he had the right to hold her.

“I’m sorry for the clutter here. I’m just redecorating the other room.”

“Nice home, Gina. I think I told you that last time.”

“You know Ace, even though I’m just renting this house, but I really felt home here.”

“Are you sewing, too?” he immediately asked when he saw a sewing machine with overlapping pieces of clothing.

“Yeah, my second love. Aside from writing.”

“What course did you take, Gina?”

“Bachelor of Arts major in English, minor in fashion. I know it’s a weird combination, but I have plans for both.”

“By the way, where is the necklace I gave you?”

He saw that Gina was surprised by his sudden question. She smiled before answering.

“Because it doesn’t match what I was wearing.”

“Didn’t I tell you that you wouldn’t take it off?”

“Fashion earrings are the earrings I wore a while ago, they don’t match the necklace you gave me.”

“Ahh, I see. So fashion comes before sentiment.”

“It’s not like that Ace, it’s just -”

He immediately covered Gina’s mouth so that she wouldn’t talk anymore.

“Never mind. Just tell me what happened.” he said, sitting next to her.

Gina was about to start her narrative when her cell phone suddenly rang.

“If it’s Brando Nicolas, let me listen to your conversation.” he said.

“But why?”

“You’re making me laugh again, Gina. Go ahead and answer that.”

“Hello?”

“Hello my little fox, you seemed to be enjoying the chase.”

Gina pressed the loudspeaker option so he could hear it as well.

“I’m sorry I never said goodbye to you when I left, because I went straight to our house in Naga. I decided that the family should take priority first over anyone else.”

“But you didn’t go to your hometown in Naga, love.”

“Actually, my head hurts. So… I just didn’t go there.”

“I’ll just forgive you for what you did on that day, Gina. Maybe, I underestimated how much you resented our arrangement this evening. But next time I’ll ask, mark my words. I’ll get you by hook or by crook.”

He quickly took the cellphone from Gina’s hand and cut off the call.

“You handled that very well,” he said to Gina.

He saw in Gina’s reaction that Brando was irritated. She even mimicked what Brando was telling her. “I will get you by hook or by crook.. haha.. in his dreams.”

“Maybe that’s the way Brando will use you, so now Gina, you will choose which way to go?”

“You seems that you like me to choose between dead or alive?”

“Woah! Take it easy. You’re safe,” he said to Gina.

“But Mr. Nicolas is an influential man and he can do whatever he wants.”

He held Gina’s hands to calm her down. He can’t give Gina the full details about Brando’s personality. Three women have been raped and killed and the evidence points to Brando, but because Brando is an influential person, it’s easy for him to turn people around and by not getting the justice they deserve. So he would never let Gina be his next victim either.

“Tell me Ace, do you know anything about him?” Gina asked.

He saw suspicion cloud in her eyes. Be careful what you answer Ace, he said to himself. She’s too perceptive.

“None.”

“Are you sure? Did you know that Maryam called him a crocodile? I also don’t understand why she called him that. He’s a member of the club, right? And the members there are–”

“Must be rich and powerful, and above all known in society, that’s all I know about, Gina.”

“If that’s the case, I hurt the ego of a powerful person, how is that? Maybe tomorrow or the day after, he’ll fire me.” Gina sat down on the couch and wiped her face. She told him to sit down.

“I don’t think Brando will do that to you. Yes, you hurt his pride but that’s not enough reason for him to fire you.”

Gina smiled slightly at what he said.

“Maybe you need to go home first.” he suggested.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

Gina was stunned by what he said. “I can’t, because Brando might follow me there and my family will be at risk.”

He didn’t agree with what Gina said. He thinks it’s safer if she goes home to her family first. He should be able to think of a way to protect her against Brando by now.

“I think you really need to go home first.”

“So that’s where I’ll hide?” she shook her head. “I already told you that I can’t, because I don’t want my family to get hurt. I will never hide. I’m not running from this. I have a life to live, and my job is here. Also my studies. Leave me alone Ace, you might get hurt also because of me, I can handle this. ”

“No, Gina. You can’t handle this alone.”

“I can handle this.”

He leaned forward. “Don’t underestimate Brando’s ability. Remember, he’s powerful and maybe dangerous as well.”

“He should never come near me, because by chance I’ll call the police and file him a restraining order.” Gina said.

“Do you think that the police will help?” he immediately asked.

“Maybe.” Gina replied.

“Maybe? So you’re not sure? Hmm.. looks like you’re stuck with me,” he said.

“What stuck are you talking about?”

“I can only see one solution to your problem, Gina.”

“And what’s that, huh?”

“Marry me.”

*****