SYNOPSIS (Chapter Fourty Four: Bottle of Margarita) [Richard ! P"O"#"$ %hat&' (e )u!t called *a+, Ba-e& I .

go,,a pu,ch hi! face' I +a! a-out to pu,ch hi. +he, *a+, gra- .y ar. !toppi,g .e" Na,gigigil ,a talaga a/o !a lala/i,g to' Si,o -a to& 0,g /apal ,a,g .u/ha,g ta+agi, a,g a!a+a /o ,a Ba-e& Na/a/a-a!to! to ah' 1Richard"1 *a+, !aid ,a +i,a2+ar,i,ga, a/o 1%hat a !+eet couple"1 3hat Marcu! !aid" 4i,agalit talaga /o ,ito ah' So I pu,ch hi. i, the face" (i,di ,a a/o ,apigila, ,i *a+," 1Richard' 3a.a ,a ya,'1 1Si,o /a -a,g gago /a ha&'1 I a. poi,ti,g at hi. li/e a cri.i,al +hile he ! o, the grou,d +ipi,g the -lood ru,,i,g fro. hi! lip!" But he )u!t laugh e5ily a,d the, 6oh, ca.e out fro. the other roo." (e helped hi. !ta,d up" 1626oh,&1 *a+, !aid !ta..eri,g" I loo/ at her a,d hid her -ehi,d .e" [6oh, ! P"O"#"$ Youre right7 Marcu! Ro5i8r7 a,d he ! .y frie,d" (o+ co.e& (e ! a fre,ch a,d i . here at the philippi,e!" %e ll he ! .y old childhood frie,d" (e li5e! i, the philippi,e! for al.o!t a year a,d the,7 +e -eco.e frie,d!" 3hough he left for Fra,ce7 +e !till ha! our co..u,icatio," But I do,t /,o+ a thi,g a-out hi! lo5elife7 u,til7 he ca.e here la!t .o,th a,d he called .e to co.e o5er hi! office a,d I did" 0,d the, there7 I !a+ hi! office full of *a+, ! Photo! all arou,d" I thought he ! her !tal/er -efore7 -ut ,o" 1*ude' 0re you *a+, ! !tal/er&1 I a!/ i, di!-elief 1Nope" She ! .y e92girlfrie,d"1 1%hat&'1 1Yep dude'1 (e ! her e92-oyfrie,d7 he +a,t! her -ac/7 -ut he did,t /,o+ ho+" (e +a,ted her -ac/ a,d he ! !o de!pirate" (e dru,/ all ,ight upo, heari,g that !he ha! her fir!t -or," 1Marcu!7 that ! e,ough' 3hat ll ,e5er help you"1 I !aid a! he ! /,oc/ed2out fro. the alcohol" (e ca,t e5e, -arely !ee !ta,d !traight" 1:et .e do .y thi,g 6oh," I ca,t do a,ythi,g to get her -ac/" I . hopele!!'1 (e cried" 1Bro7 that! e,ough" I ll help you get her -ac/"1 I !aid" But ,o' I +a,t her al!o" 0,d I lo5e her too" he o+,! a huge part i, Richard ! co.pa,y" 0,d that ! +hy I ca.e to thi! idea"""

[Richard ! P"O"#"$ 1So7 i! that the .a, +ho. you cho!e fro. to lea5e .e&1 1Marcu!7 I told you +ere o5er a,d o,ly frie,d!hip i! all I ca, offer"1 1*a+,7 +hat ! +ro,g +ith .e huh& I a. rich a,d I . fa.ou!" 0,d7 I :o5e you !o .uch' %hat do you +a,t for .ore&'1 She )u!t !hoo/ her head a,d loo/ do+," 1I )u!t" I )u!t do,t :o5e you""" 0,d Richard7 i :o5e hi."""1 1Nari,ig .o -a&' (i,di /a ,iya .ahal' So you -etter get out fro. our li5e! for good'1 1Not !o fa!t Richard 4o.e;"1 1(e ! Mr" 0le9 (a,d!o,7 Richard" O,e of your co.pa,y ! -igge!t !toc/holder"1 1%hat&'1 1Surpri!ed&'1 (e !aid 1You /,o+7 I . a ,egotiati5e per!o,7 Mr" 4o.e;" I )u!t ,eed !o.e little tal/ a,d your appro5al7 a,d +e re all good"1 (e !.iled e5ily" Nyeta' 0,o /aya,g ,aii!ip ,g gago,g to&' [*a+, ! P"O"#"$ I left for ho.e a,d !tay there +ith Ce!/a" (e told .e to clo!e the gate a,d do ,ot e,tertai, a,yo,e" So I did" %e -oth !tayed at the hou!e +hile !he play arou,d" Pero hi,di ,a.a, ,agtagal at ,a -ored ,a !iya" 0,d !he ! a!/i,g .e to go out a,d !troll arou,d the .all" 1Mo..y7 ca, you -uy .e ,e+ toy! a,d dre!!& Plea!e&1 She pleaded 1Ba-y7 daddy .ight get .ad" %e !hould )u!t !tay here" You ca, u!e .o..y ! iPad a,d play" 6u!t7 +e ca,t get out of the hou!e"1 1%hy i! that .o..y& 0,d +ho ! that +hite guy earlier&1 1She ! .o..y ! old frie,d7 -a-y1 1Oh& Mo..y ca, I play +ith hi.&1 1No -a-y" *o,t tal/ to hi. or e5e, go ,ear hi." O/ay&1 1Ye! .o."1 1*o you +a,t to eat&1 I a!/ her" She !.iled at .e a,d ,odded 1%ait here" 0,d I ll -a/e -ro+,ie! for .y Pri,ce!!7 o/ay&1 1Ye! .o.'1 She !aid e9cit,gly"

(ay !ala.at ,a.a, at hi,di ,a yu, .a /ulit" 0,d ,aali! ,a ri, a,g -oredo. ,iya" I +o,der +hat +a! happe,i,g at the.& I +a,ted to help !a,a7 -ut Richard +a! ha5i,g hi! !o2protecti5e2hu!-a,d agai," 0,d +he, he !aid it7 i ca,t do a,ythi,g +ith it" 6u!t to !ay ye!" I -a/e a -ro+,ie! that +a! .e a,d Richard ! fa5orite !i,ce" (e taught .e ho+ a,d it +a! al!o Ce!/a ! fa5orite food ,o+" She ha! it fro. hi! dad" I li/e it7 ,ot )u!t it! !+eet a,d yu..y" But +he, Richard do the -a/i,g7 all the !tre!! +a! all out a,d""" %o+' You really ca, -e !peechle!!" 1Mo..y' I! it d,e yet&1 Napa !.ile ,ala,g a/o !a i,a!al ,g a,a/ /o" 1Not yet -a-y' 3hi! +ill ta/e a little lo,ger" 6u!t a little' Ca, you +ait for it&1 1For the !a/e of .y .o..y !7 !pecial7 fa5orite -ro+,ie!& Yep'1 1O/ay" 6u!t !tay there ha'1 1Yep yep'1 [Richard ! P"O"#"$ 1%hat&'1 I yelled a! I heard of tho!e co,ditio,! that he ! a!/i,g .e to do" %hat-the hell i! thi! .a, thi,/i,g&' 13hat ! all Mr" 4o.e;' I ca,t do a,ythi,g +oth tho!e" But7 it! !till your choice" Still your!"1 10re you cra;y& (o+ o, earth ca, I do that&' 3hi! i! ,ot a per!o,al' 3hi! i! -u!i,e!! Mr" Ro5i8r'1 13hi! i! i,deed' 3hi! i! -et+ee, your per!o,al life7 a,d your trea!ured -u!i,e!!"1 13hi! i! ,ot!' *o you a,y ha5e a, idea +hat +a! your a!/i,g&'1 1I . <=<> !ure of +hat I a. a!/i,g if you Richard" #ery !i.ple" If I ll ha5e her7you ll ha5e all the !tic/! a,d +i,e propertie!" 0ll your!' %hat do you +a,t for .ore huh&1 1I !ay thi! .eeti,g i! do,e' 0,d I +o,t let her !lid fro. .e' 0,d you7 you -etter -e out of thi! co.pa,y a,d our life'1 1?h uh' *o,t !ay +ith the e,d of the li,e7 Mr" 4o.e;" You /,o+ ho+ .uch I . fragile to your co.pa,y7 a,d +ithout .e7 your co.pa,y +ill 5a,i!hed fore5er" 0,d you ca, ,e5er re5i5e it" *o,t +orry7 I . gi5i,g you e,ough ti.e to thi,/ a-out it" < +ee/ +ould -e e,ough"1 (e !tood up fro. the chair a,d ready to get out" (e !top o, the +ay to the door a,d .o5e hi! head a little7 e,ough to !ee hi! chee/ at the right !ide" 1May you ha5e your good choice"1 (e la!tly !aid -efore co.pletely lea5e" I har!hly pu,ch the ta-le +ith .y fi!t a,d !at do+, o, the !+i5el chair thi,/i,g of +hat to

do a-out thi!7 [3hird Per!o,$ 0ll throughout the day7 Ce!/a a,d *a+, !tayed at the hou!e" %hile Richard +a! at hi! office7 thi,/i,g of +hat i! good to do a-out the ca!e" It ! already !e5e,7 +hile *a+, +a! co.pletely prepared for their di,,er" Ce!/a ! ready to eat a,d /eep o, a!/i,g *a+, a-out her daddy" She called hi. a,d fortu,ately a,!+er! it" @o, call@ 1Richard&1 1Ye!7 *a+,"1 10,o,g ora! /a uu+i&1 She a!/ !oftly 1?h.""" I . o, .y +ay actually" Pa-a-a ,a a/o ,g par/i,g lot" *id you eat your di,,er already& (o+ ! Ce!/a&1 1?h.""" Yeah7 I already coo/ed a,d your daughter +a! tuggi,g .y !hirt" She +a,ted to eat ,a eh"1 1 !ige ,a7 pa/ai,i, .o ,a" %ag ,iyo ,a a/o,g hi,tayi," 3!a/a7 her !leepi,g ti.e7 re.e.-er&1 10h7 yeah" Sige" I ll hu,g up" Bye" 3a/e care"1 1Bye" I :o5e you"1 She .a,aged to pull a !.ile -ecau!e all of the ti.e22!i,ce !he called22!he +a,ted to hear tho!e I :o5e You fro. hi." 1I :o5e you too"1 3hey hu,g up a,d call" *a+, fed Ce!/a7 gi5e her a +a!h a,d .a/e her !leep" She ! readi,g -edti.e !torie! for her -efore !leepi,g" 0,d it! o-5iou!ly +a! her routi,e" She /i!!ed her daughter ! forehead a,d +e,t do+, to dri,/ a gla!! of +ater7 -ut !he fou,d out a -ottle of Margarita (that +a! already .i9ed up7 origi,ally -y Richard) a,d gra- it a,d a +i,e gla!!" She !itted o, the couch +hile holdi,g the gla!! of .argarita" She ca, feel the cold a,d erri!iti-le ta!te of it" 3he ta!te of a coc/tail a,d a, alcohol +a! .i9i,g fro. her .outh" She loo/ at it for a +hile" 1(..""" 3hi! Margarita i! good"1 She too/ .ore +hile +aiti,g for Richard" 3hat +a! her fifth gla!! a,d !he ! already tip!y a,d ready to !leep off" But her .i,d! +ere !till a+a/e a,d !ayi,g7 +ait for Richard" 0fter a fe+ .i,ite!7 the door ope,ed a,d it +a! Richard7 a! e9pected7 a,d clo!e the door ge,tly" (e fou,d out *a+, +a! !itti,g o, the couch +hile holdi,g a gla!! of

.argarita i,fro,t of it! -ottle7 that +a! o, the ta-le7 al.o!t ha5i,g a half o, it" She e..ediately !itted -e!ide her" 1%hy are you dri,/i,g&1 (e a!/ !eriou!ly She ! ha5i,g her hiccup! a,d that ! her" She ! .a/i,g hiccup! +he, dri,/i,g too .uch22 or e5e, a little22 alcohol!" 1Oh& ?h..""" I . +aiti,g for you a,d I did,t ,otice I . al.o!t o, the half of it"1 3he, !he chuc/le" She ! dru,/ 1Sorry for tal/i,g you to +ait lo,g" :et! go to !leep ,a&1 1(a& S2!ige""" ?h."" richard&1 !he a!/ 1Yeah&1 1?h.""" Ca, you AhiccupA +al/ +ith .e to the roo.& AhiccupA a+' My head ache!'1 She prote!ted 10ya, /a!i" ?.i,o, /a pa" co.e here"1 (e +rap hi! ha,d! arou,d her +ai!t a,d putti,g her right ha,d o, .i,e" 1(o+ a-out the -ottle&1 She a!/ 1Shh""" :et ! go"1 0,d they +al/ to their roo."""