Chapter 16

Isabella woke up with the rays of sun shining on her face. Her tummy grumbled. Then she remembered that she hasn't eaten anything since yesterday. She stepped outside of the room and looked at the white leather couch to look for Franco, but he isn't there. She noticed that everything in the living room is white except for the black LED TV. It looked like a showroom of the condominiums for sale. Isabella walked towards the kitchen and there is Franco, busy cooking breakfast. She smelled the frying bacon and brewed coffee. "Hmmm. Bacon!" she said hypnotically.

"Ah! You're awake! Good morning! Were you able to sleep well?"

"Uh, yes, your bed is very comfortable, everything is in order, the room is tidy, so yeah, I slept well. Felt like I'm in a hotel."

Franco laughed at her remark. "That's good to know." He replied while placing the bacon on the plate beside the scrambled eggs.

"Do you want rice or bread?"

"I'll have rice."

"Okidokes! Rice coming up for the beautiful lady!"

"Ha-ha! Silly!" she said and sat down on the chair.

"I'm just trying to make you feel comfortable with me. I guess it would be best for us to start over again. I know last night is filled with too much tension."

Isabella's eyebrows curled. "Hmmm."

"Hi! My name is Franco Villaflor, and you?" he introduced himself and stretched his hand over the table to shake hands with her. She reached his hand and replied, "I'm Isabella Reyes."

"How are you Isabella? It's nice to meet you."

"I'm fine, still trying to make myself comfy with my new home."

"I'm sure you will, in no time."

"Hopefully," she said, and then a dash of sadness came across her pretty face.

"How about we go out today? We can go shopping, buy you books, notebooks, anything you need for school."

"Sounds great," she said but with no excitement.

"Don't you need to be in the office or anywhere else today?" she asked, though she is really waiting for him to open up about the marriage thing.

"Nope. I took a week leave. It's nine am. Should we leave around ten thirty?"

"Sure!"

They continued to eat, Franco is telling her stories about his life, giving her some ideas about his work and the time he normally spends at home. According to him, there are months when he will be staying in a different place or province or city so she would be staying alone in the condo. Girlfriends are allowed to visit but not boys. He will give her a debit card linked to his own bank account so she can use it for emergencies. Her allowance will be given on a weekly basis. Her school will be paid in full for the whole semester. Isabella agreed to all his conditions but still, he didn't mention about them getting married.

After breakfast, they both get dressed and went to the nearest mall. They bought things she needs for school but mostly, it was Franco picking up and would just ask her if she's fine with it. Franco has a good sense of fashion and taste in art. Most of her notebooks look good, with pictures of paintings on the covers, and expensive too.

This guy must be making a lot of money, she thought. Franco also bought her a smart phone which she has no idea how to use. Back in their town, if you have an analogue phone, you are already well off. She smiled as he handed her the phone. I will be able to contact Carlo this time.

"That is a postpaid plan so you can use it anytime you want, no need to reload. I just hope you won't spend it all for Carlo," he said as if he was able to read her mind.

Isabella frowned and Franco smiled because of her gesture. They also dropped by the department store and bought her some new clothes, jeans, shirts and dresses, black shoes for her school and a pair of sandals. Then they had lunch at a restaurant she's never been to.

"I know you're tired, we've been walking around for four hours now."

"Oh yeah, my feet are already numb."

"And I'm sorry for the late lunch."

"Ha-ha. It's okay. I wasn't really hungry until now."

"I think let's go home after this then we can watch a movie tonight. What do you think?"

"Sure! There's a good Hollywood movie we can watch later," she said excitedly.

They drove back home and the tension that was once there the other night has faded fast. Franco and Isabella talked about a lot of things – politics, religion, science, and just anything under the sun.

Isabella went to the room first to change. She immediately locked the door behind her. After she put on a loose white shirt and shorts, she opened the door and went to the living room so Franco can change, too. Franco looked at her as she walked towards the couch, smiling sweetly at him. He can see her white flawless skin, her short hair that emphasized her long neck. She is so sexy, he thought. Franco immediately stood up and went to the room to change and tried to brush off Isabella's figure from his mind before he gets an erection. It took him minutes to calm his libido. God she is so beautiful!

Franco walked back to the living room and asked her if she wants to take an afternoon nap.

"Yeah, I actually feel sleepy and tired but I will just stay here on the couch so you can sleep in your bed."

"Are you sure? We can share the bed, and I promise you, I won't touch even the tip of your hair."

"I'm sure." Isabella smiled and placed the throw pillows on one side of the couch where she will rest her head.

"Okay, then." Franco went back to his room without closing the door. He was thankful that Isabella refused to sleep beside him because he wouldn't know how he will control himself. Franco felt lucky to have her in his life and how he wished that she will love him back as soon as possible, and forget about Carlo.

Isabella pulled out the phone that Franco gave him from her pocket. She browsed through it for a while and remembered Carlo. She walked silently in to the room to get the number she placed inside her jeans that she was wearing last night. Then she tiptoed again on her way out.

She opened the messages application and started typing. Hi Carlo! This is me, Isabella. How are you? I miss you so much! Her phone beeped and she was excited to read what Carlo's reply is.

Hi Isabella! I hope you are living the life that you've always wanted. Carlo is fine. He drank all night and I am taking care of him now. The man who loves you so much but you always leave behind. I know he will never love me the way he loves you but you know what's more important to me? It is to be with the person I love most no matter what. So enjoy your rich life and I hope that guy will love you, too. – Jane.

Isabella's hand started shaking. She burst into tears and threw the phone on the side of the couch. She is angry at herself, at her mother, about everything that's happening in her life. She wants to die, to jump out of the twenty second floor of the building and just end it all.

Franco awoke by the sound of her sobs. He immediately walked towards the living room and sat beside her and hugged her. To his surprise, Isabella wrapped her hands around him and buried her face on his chest.

"Sshhh… Don't cry, Isabella. Tell me what's wrong."

Isabella continued to cry on his chest and for the first time, Franco felt needed, and wanted. Franco saw the phone on the side of the couch with the light still on. He picked it up and read the message. Now, he understands why she's crying again. He put the phone down and hugged Isabella again.

"I am here for you, Isabella. I promise you, I will love you more than he did."

Isabella released herself from his arms, wiped her tears and looked at him. "Don't tell me that just to make me feel better. You don't know me yet."

Franco didn't respond. He just pulled Isabella back to him and wrapped her around his arms, tighter. Franco thought that it would be best for her to take a rest. He led him into the room and let her lie down on the bed. They were facing each other and Isabella is still crying her heart out.

"I'm sorry," Franco said.

"Sorry for what?" she asked in between sobs.

"For taking you away from him."

"I just love him so much. I've already made a mistake of leaving him before because I wanted to focus on my studies but then I still failed. Then I realized how much i have lost when i left him. Now, that I am ready to fight for him, to stay with him, this happened. It just hurts too much, Franco. I'm so sorry, I just love him so much."

"You don't have to be sorry for loving someone too much. When I told your mom that I want you to be my wife, and I will give you everything you need, I wasn't aware that you were in a relationship. I've had a huge crush on you since the first time I saw you four years ago, and believe it or not, I've never been attracted to any girl like that before. It felt like love at first sight for me.

Isabella felt a little flattered with what he said. She looked straight into his eyes to see his sincerity, his dark brown eyes, confessing his love for her.

"Do you believe that everything happens for a reason?" he asked.

"I do, why?"

"The things that happened that you thought brought you back to him, are the same things that actually brought you to me. If the two of you are really meant for each other, then you will find your way back together."

"But you said that you want me to marry you."

"Of course, I want you to be my wife, but I will never force you."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I'm not that selfish but what I would ask you is to give me at least a chance. Like you said, you were separated for almost a year and when you came back to him, it seemed like he still loves you and you still love him. You only have to finish two more years in the University, and I will help you every step of the way. But please, give that two years to me, to show you what I can do, and who knows, we'll find love for each other. If after two years, he is still the one that you want, then you are free to go. Just give me a chance to prove myself, Isabella," he said as he touched her left cheek with his soft palm.

"Do you believe that love unreturned is the longest love?" she asked.

"Maybe yes, maybe not, what I believe in is that, once the romance fade, what's left is friendship. So if you can't talk to your partner about anything else except your romantic nothings and your love for each other, then sooner or later, you'll get tired of it. It's boring."

Isabella was hit by his words right in the middle again. He is right. Carlo and she only talk about themselves, about their future, about their love, nothing else. She didn't reply, she just continued to cry until she fell asleep. She dreamed about the white horse again. This time, everything is pitch black except for the white horse standing in the middle of her view. It is glowing, staring at her, then it turned around and galloped away. She tried to follow it but it vanished from her sight and everything went black again.