Chapter 32: Two Face
LUCIAN could feel that his days with Sieve were numbered. The first week of September had passed just like a mundane day. He was bound on a week-long business trip and had been busy. He made plan to see her during the weekend, but Malena asked him to accompany her shopping for her friend's birthday party. Though he misses Sieve, he will not choose her over Malena, the love of his life.
He drove her to the L Andres Mall and bought everything she pointed her finger at. She went on a shopping spree using his money and purchased 3 sets of new dresses, a bag, and several pairs of shoes. To his surprise, none of those items were 'GIFT' for the friend's birthday. As they continued walking from store to store, he caught a glimpse of his reflection in one of the mirrors. He looked like a slave, more than a boyfriend. She was walking in front of him without any care in the world while he was carrying all the bags. Following her like a dog as they roamed around the mall, still on the hunt for a perfect gift and only knowing his existence when it was time to pay for the items.
He was brought back to his senses when she stopped in front of a jewelry shop. The excitement on her face was visible as a gleeful smile sprang out of her, followed by a jovial shriek as she stared at the jewels on the display. Soon they entered the store. She looks at the different sets of diamonds they have, she points to a 5-carat princess-cut diamond ring.
He stared at the ring but felt nothing. Then he gets lost in his thoughts and reminisces about a similar scene from 4 years ago. It was the year when he brought the idea of proposing to Malena. Which his parents opposed to immediately and persuaded him to wait a little longer.
He did not listen and bought a ring. It's a 2-carat princess cut diamond ring with the same design as the one she’s looking at right now but with a smaller diamond and a lower grade silver. He purchased it using his salary at the company which he started as a mere clerk, but before he could even propose, they went to a jewelry store to buy a necklace for her birthday. She saw a ring that resembled the one he had purchased and laughed at it. She also laughed at the couple that purchased cheaper jewelry.
Saying she would be caught dead wearing a ring with less than a 3-carat diamond as her engagement ring. He was taken aback by her comments and that was the first time he saw her act like that. Far from the meek and non-materialistic person he knew and loved, but he brushes it off as he is too in love to think anything bad about her.
Despite that, it became a reason why he did not push through with a secret marriage even though he could do it anytime, and ended up waiting for his parents' blessing. It dawned on him that deep down inside he knew something was not right with her, with him and their relationship, but too blind to see it.
He is brought back to reality when she tries the ring and smiles at him from ear to ear, hinting that she wants him to purchase it. To her surprise, he did not buy the ring. He then says with a faint smile on his face, “I’ll buy it for you once my parents say yes to us getting engaged.” Her face turned ugly in an instant, but she hid it and dug her nails into her palms to calm her nerves.
He then walked to the bracelet section of the store. He stares at the bracelets and sees a pendant with an ice cream design and a bottle that looks like vodka. The sales clerk immediately showed it to him. Malena then walked towards him and said, “That’s so cheap and ugly,” She then crossed her arms and looked impatient while tapping her foot.
He brushed off her comments and purchased the ice cream and vodka bottle design charms and chose a simple chain for it.
“I won’t wear that, and even my friend would laugh if I gave that to her.” She yells at him. He grins at her and says, “It’s not for you, nor for your friend. It’s for a friend of mine who's getting married soon.” A tint of sorrow escape his gaze as he mentioned, "getting married soon."
She sneers at him then says in an annoyed tone, “Your friend is cheap.” Then walks out of the store while stomping her feet at every step, leaving all the luxury bags for him to carry.
He carries the bags and follows behind her as he stares at her back. He asks himself, “Why am I only seeing this now? She’s too materialistic. I wonder...”
As if she can hear his thoughts, she stops walking and, with an apologetic tone and puppy eyes, apologizes to him and says she was just tired of waiting for his parents' approval and points out she’s not getting any younger and wants to settle down.
At this point, he should have been elated and jumping for joy, but he did not. Instead, he pointed out that she just needed to make an effort and his parents would surely agree in no time. She stares at him and nods in agreement.
“I’m losing control over him. I thought leaving him wanting more intimacy would surely make him crazy over me. I guess that tactic no longer works and his parents are still a problem. I need to come up with a new way to keep him crazy about me.” She thought to herself.
He drove her home and to his surprise she leaned for a kiss on the lips before entering the apartment. He was stunned for a moment but gave her a quick kiss that lasted for 2 seconds. He felt nothing. No lust. No butterflies in his stomach. Nothing.
She offers him to get inside and stay the night.
He was bewildered by her offer, and deeply thinking about it, but in the end he humbly declined.
As he drove home he felt something was amiss but was unsure what it was.