Chap 12

"Mindy, can pinch me." She whispered to the young lady beside her.

"Eh?" She innocently asked.

"Pinch me - aw!" She pinched her on her forearm and it's painful, but the image in front of her was still visible. That only means she's not dreaming and he was really in front of her. Rafael, his masseur, his amante, and the only guy who woke her sexual urges recently, is standing with the best man of Dustin, Oscar.

Ivana remembered when Selena told her that Dustin and Javier's best man were their brothers, except Kevin who choose to be a groom's men. So that means that Rafael is also Dustin's brother? That means that Rafael himself was the owner of that spa she was visiting in the island. That he's not just an ordinary masseur that she thought he was, and he's one of the Redwood Brothers. Oh what a fool that makes her now?

She suddenly felt hurt by the lies she just discovered. She felt like she's been played by him. Is he happy now that he made fun of her? Now she feel belittle of herself for falling for his game. All through the ceremony, Ivana compose herself even though she wanted to run and cry. She also tried not to go near him when picture taking came because she was not sure if she could still compose himself and not slapped him. That will make a commotion and she hated that to happen.

Even in the reception, in the after party of the wedding ceremony, she still avoided him. She also met the ladies she saw who were with him that night at the shore. It was their first sister Cassandra and their youngest Yuri. No wonder he's sweet with her.

"Are you okay?" Marcel asked when she dragged her on the side where no one can hear them. "I noticed you since the middle of the ceremony that you're not in a good mood."

"I just want to go home."

"Huh? Why? Are you feeling sick? Do you want me to talk t Selena and send you to our hotel room?"

"No. Yes. I don't know." She just answered and can't hold her tears anymore.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Marcel was now worried.

She wiped her tears even thought it didn't stopped. "'Cel, remember my amante…"

"What about him?"

"I just found out that I was fooled by him. He's not just an ordinary masseur, like I thought he was."

"What? Like, who the hell is he now? A superstar?" she joked but she knew that she was just trying to lighten her mood.

"No, but he is the Rafael Redwood who is one of the brother-in-law of Selena now." Saying those words made her feel mad again. "Cel, he made me look like a fool. And here I am, being easily deceived and played by his game. I am such an idiot!" She roughly wiped her tear that falls down her cheek.

"Don't say that. Come here." Marcel hugged her and comforted her. She just let her cry and let go of her frustration. "You're neither a fool nor an idiot, Ivana, you're just going with the flow of your emotions. You were when you met him and thought he was just an ordinary masseur and maybe he's the same with you too. It didn't occur to you to know who he really was because you're already happy and satisfied by what you thought and knew about him. Calm yourself down, girl, people might thought that I'm making you cry."

"But it's unfair, Cel. Why didn't he tell me or even gave a clue? I was so embarrassed of myself now on how we met and how I talk to him and how I seduced him. I feel like a slut. And he just made me do that, like making a fool of myself in front of him."

"Of course you're not." She pushed her lightly and held her face. "Hey, listen. You're not a slut. Don't even think of that. Maybe you seduced him or initiated the act, but that doesn't make you a slut."

"I don't want to ruin Selena's wedding but I really wanted to leave now." Marcel hugged her again.

"Is everything okay here?" She suddenly froze the moment she heard his voice. She memorized even his voice and that accent too.

"Of course. My friend here is just happy that one of her best friends is already married. You see, she's just being emotional, but we're fine." Marcel said patted her back as well.

"Esta bien, Iva?" Rafael's question is now directed to her.

Hearing his nickname for her, it just made what she felt worst. So, she just hugged her friend tighter.

"Háblame, Iva. Sé que me estas evitando." He said to look at him and he knew that she's been avoiding him too.

"Since you already know, then just leave me alone." She just answered still not facing him.

"Tenemos que hablar." He said they need to talk but she just shook her head.

"We have nothing to talk about."

"Sabes que tenemos que hacerlo, Iva." He said that she knew that they have to talk.

"You know what? Since I don't understand what he's saying, why don't you talk to her, Ivana?" Marcel let go of her slowly and held her face again. She held her face and cleans her tears while giving her a soft smile. "Just shout 'Darna' and I'll come running to rescue you if you need me, okay?" She joked again that made her chuckle. Darna was a Filipino fictional superhero, like wonder woman of Hollywood. "I think you have to talk to her because he will not stop until you do." Then she patted her shoulder.

Marcel fixed her make up before she let her face the guy. That's who she was; she's playful, witty, naughty, but caring and supportive.

"I'll leave the two of you first." She said to Rafael and finally leaved them.

She took a deep breath before turning to face him. She wanted to curse herself when the first thing that enters her mind was how gorgeous the man was. She just clear the lump on her throat before she speak.

"What do you want to talk about?"

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