The Audacity of Chino Arvesu

Chapter 1

THE AUDACITY OF CHINO ARVESU

Chapter 1

She splashed the cold water from her glass on his face. Now, his shirt is wet, and he is hoping that she is too. With all the verbal sparring, he had to admit that this Ice Queen is making him horny.

Kung bakit ba naman napakasungit at napaka sarado ng isip ng babaeng ito sa kanya? Kahit anong paliwanag niya ay ayaw nitong pakinggan. Ito nga, at imbes na makinig ay isinaboy sa mukha niya ang malamig na tubig.

Okay, well maybe he knows why she's acting like this towards him. Let's go back a little bit, like thirty seconds ago. He asked her to sell her coffee plantation to him since her business is already crumbling. Yup, he said "business" and "crumbling" and "her" in the same sentence.

But on his defense, he just wants to help. He wants to get his hands on her ... err, he means, her plantation. Ang taniman ito ... err, taniman nito lang naman ang habol niya at wala ng iba.

Lauren Cosiarelli is an Ice Queen. An heiress but chose to start her own business to build her own name. Which she did.

She established Cosiarelli Coffee, and she's too prideful to admit defeat. Too damn beautiful and elegant to let go.

"I presented all the possibil​​ities to you." Saad niya at kinuha ang panyo sa bulsa para ipunas sa mukha.

"Yes. One possibility is that I can save my business on my own." Masungit na namang sagot nito sa kanya.

"You need me."

"No. I don't need you, Mr. Arvesu. Ikaw ang may kailangan sa akin. You want my farm." Sagot nitong muli at humalukipkip. Awtomatiko namang humabol ang mga mata niya sa kilos na ginawa nito. Dahil mas lalo lamang niyang napansin ang dibdib nitong kanina pa niya iniiwasang tingnan.

To his eyes, she's not only beautiful. She's damn hot too.

"Agreed. Yes, I do need you, but by buying one of your farms, mababawasan ang mga responsibilities mo at makakapag focus ka sa marketing ng products mo kung saan ka talaga magaling. I saw your marketing strategy, and I have to say that you are very good at it. Ang pagkukulang mo ay sa product mo mismo. You know how to sell it but you have to admit, your instant coffee tastes like shit." Muling hinagip ni Lauren ang baso sa harap. Salamat na lamang at wala na iyong laman dahil kung hindi ay baka ibinuhos na naman ulit nito iyon sa kanya.

This is not their first meeting. But every time they meet, it seems like he's pushing all the wrong buttons. Palaging nauuwi sa nagagalit lamang ito sa kanya, but he's still persistent.

Gustong gusto talaga niya ang location ng farm nito sa Batangas. Malapit sa Maynila kaysa sa farm niya sa Quezon. Malaki ang matitipid niya sa tracking.

He's offering her a generous amount at alam niyang alam din iyon ng dalaga kaya nakikipagkita pa rin ito sa kanya. Pero ewan ba niya kung bakit sa tuwing magkikita sila ay nauuwi lamang palagi sa ganito na parang gustung-gusto na siya nitong sakalin.

Kung sabagay, aminado siyang hindi siya mabait sa pakikipag usap dito. Hindi niya maiwasang maging pilyo.

"No." Mariing saad ni Lauren at tumayo na. "Good bye, Mr. Arvesu."

He smirked as he watched her leave. She's saying "no" now, but that will change.

He swore that she will say "yes" to him, eventually.

-

"Make me a cake." He told his brother, Esso who owns a restaurant with their friend, Julian. Esso is the best pastry chef he knows. Palibhasa ay ito lang naman talaga ang kilala niyang pastry chef.