Chapter 118 - The White Cake (1/2)
”Don't open it,” Claire mutters, holding Mary's arm desperately.
”But who is it?”
There's no point in hesitating. The cat's out of the bag now. ”It's Miguel.”
”Miguel?” Mary blinks. ”THE Miguel Tan?”
Claire nods. Outside, they can still hear him talking loudly, saying out her name. Good thing Miguel still has the good sense to look for ”Bella” and not Claire, because that would have been another layer of complication.
”Oh, gosh. Is he the 'unwanted' suitor?”
Claire nods. By the table, the group celebrating Arlene's birthday have started partaking of the cake, and they look like they have been itching about discussing office gossip, but Claire's presence cramps their style.
”Are you insane, Bella Xavier?” Mary screeches while trying to keep her voice down. ”This is Miguel Tan! How in the world is he an 'unwanted suitor'?”
”It's…It's complicated.”
”God, there's only one string to untangle. Break up with that nobody boyfriend of yours and hook up with Miguel. Miguel is THE catch. There's no question about it. I don't understand the hesitation.”
Claire sighs. Should she tell her it's Gabriel who's in the other end of the equation? Maybe not a good idea. Not now. ”It's not easy to tell the heart what it should want, Mary,” she says. ”But I love my boyfriend, and I can't choose Miguel over him just because Miguel has these irresistible qualities that make women swoon.” Sure, but if you tell her the other guy is Gabriel, then this would make sense, the other half of her brain snaps at her.
Mary gazes at her like her head has just exploded. By now the hallway outside seems to have quieted down. ”The heart wants what it wants? Then I don't understand what your heart wants.”
”Sorry, let's just…Let's just wait here. I don't want to face him.”
”Can't you reject him to his face?”
”I did…over the phone, or something like that.”
”And?”
”And he doesn't listen.”
”This boggles the mind,” Mary says. ”Miguel Tan behaving this way? This doesn't sound like him.”
”I know, right?”
”Is he on drugs?”
”I don't think so.”
”Cake?” a woman from the group thrusts a paper plate brimming with a huge chunk of white cake.
”Thanks, but I'm good,” says Claire.
”I'm famished,” Mary says, taking the cake, and scoops the icing with her bȧrė fingers. ”Thank you, Arlene! Happy birthday!”
Arlene smiles, then recoils back to her group.
Claire opens the door the tiniest bit. The coast seems clear. Miguel's no longer in sight.
”Is he gone?” Mary asks, chomping on cake. ”Is the biggest catch you could have had in your life, gone?”
Claire ignores the remark. ”He's gone.” She sighs. But she doesn't feel relieved. She feels like choking on this thing. Like the walls are closing in, and she's stuck in the middle. She opens the door and sticks out her head to look. Yes, he's really gone. Somehow, Miguel still has the good sense to not cause a scandal. Because, really, what is he thinking? It's not like she betrayed him or anything like that. And it's not like he's an idiot who could not understand what she has been saying. Did she string him along? No, she never did. But here Miguel acts like the walking wounded.
”Thanks, Mary,” she says, leaving the room.
”But Bella—” Mary says, but her words are cut as Claire closes the door behind her.
She checks Gabriel's room, which looks fine. She checks her desk to see if Miguel left something. But everything seems in order. She turns around and almost screams in horror. Mrs. Gomez is standing there, judgment on her face.