PAPADILIM na nang makarating sila sa village ng Akrotiri na may kalayuan sa lungsod. Tumigil sila sa tapat ng isang bahay na karaniwan lang kung ikukumpara sa mga villa na nadaanan niya. Lumabas mula doon ang isang babae na may hawak na basket ng mga gulay. Natuwa ito nang makita sila.
“Yassas! Come! Ela!” bati ng babae at pinapasok sila. Lumingon siya kay Nikos. Tinanguan siya nito na parang sinasabing sumunod na lang siya sa babae.
“Perissa, this is Arizona. Arize, this is Perissa. She used to work in the hotel with her husband, Marinatos,” pagpapakilala ni Nikos.
“But Sir Nikos will bring us back to the hotel soon,” Perissa exclaimed in a heavy accented Greek. Labis ang pasasalamat nito sa binata.
“Poy einai H Diana?” anang si Nikos at luminga. Parang may hinahanap.
“Apo Edw.” Pumasok sila sa isang maliit na kuwarto. Sa kama ay nakahiga ang isang batang babae na sa tingin niya ay anim na taong gulang at kasalukuyang natutulog. “Diana, ksipna,” anito at ginising ang bata.
Dahan-dahang idinilat ng bata ang mata at kinusot. Nagningning agad ang mata nito nang makita sila. “Prikgipas Nikos!” Yumakap ito kay Nikos.
“Diana likes to call Nikos her prince,” paliwanag ni Perissa.
Tiningnan siya ng bata.“Eisai H prigipissa toy?Telika se eswse apo ton pyrgo?”
“Nai, agape mou.” Nagtatanong siyang tumingin kay Nikos na di maiwasang ngumiti. “She asked me if you are my princess. And if I finally rescue you from the tower. I said yes, darling.”
Nakangiti siyang tumango kay Diana. Nagmamadaling lumabas ng kuwarto si Perissa, umiiyak. “What is wrong, Perissa?” tanong niya nang sundan ito sa kusina.
Pinahid nito ang luha. “Diana has a hole in her heart. With the hotel out of business, we have no means to send her to a specialist. We were losing hope. Then Nikos promised to bring back our jobs. And he also found out about Diana. He flew us to Athens and took care of Diana’s operation and medication.” Tagumpay ang naging operasyon ni Diana. Ilang araw pa lang ang nakakaraan mula nang ibalik ito mula sa ospital. Subalit patuloy pa rin ang suporta ni Nikos dito hanggang sa tuluyan nitong paggaling. Pansamantalang gumagawa ng handicrafts si Perissa at ang asawa naman nito ay nagtatrabaho sa ubasan hangga’t di pa nagbubukas muli ang hotel.
“He is very kind. You are lucky to be his girlfriend.”
Hindi na niya tinangkang itama ang maling akala nito. Niyakap niya si Perissa. Kung ganoon ay mabigat nga ang dahilan kung bakit di agad nito naasikaso ang problema sa kanya. He saved the livelihood of many people. He saved a child’s life. Her misery was not entirely his fault. Pero sa sama ng loob ay isinisi niya dito lahat.
“Hinahanap ka ni Diana,” bulong sa kanya ni Nikos.
“Prigipissa, ela edw,” nakangiting sabi ni Diana at inunat ang kamay.
Nikos urged her to come closer. Umupo siya sa kama ni Diana at hinaplos ang mukha nito. Bakit hindi sinabi ni Nikos ang tungkol dito? Sana di siya nagalit dati. “Get well soon, Diana. So we can play together. Okay?” Nikos translated it for her.
“Ise omorfi. Euxomai na ginw oso omorfi eisai esi, prigipissa.”
“She said that you are beautiful and she wishes to grow up like you,” Nikos whispered. Every word was like a caress.
“You are already beautiful, sweetheart,” she said lovingly.
Umuwi sila matapos ang isang hapunan kasama ang pamilya ng mga Syprinos. Di rin sila pinaalis ni Diana hangga’t di ito tuluyang nakakatulog.
“You are an angel. Tinulungan mo nang maibalik ang trabaho nila, tinulungan mo pang gumaling ang anak nila,” sabi niya nang pauwi na sila.
“Stop saying that. I am embarrassed.”
“You are embarrassed when people say good things about you?” she asked with humor in her voice. “Samantalang nang tawagin kitang maniac, di ka nagalit.”
“I am a far cry from an angel, Arize.”
“But you have a good heart.” Before, she only saw him as an egotistical playboy. Now, she saw him in a different light. Beyond his lothario reputation. He may be a playboy but he will be a good father the way he took care of Diana.
He gave her an annoyed look. “I’ll kiss you if you don’t stop it.”
Napasinghap siya nang ilapit nito ang mukha sa kanya. His lips were just a breath away from her. He would really kiss her. Then she remembered that he was a tiger. She should show him that she was not scared of him lest he would devour her. “Even if you kiss me, it won’t change the good things you did.”
He stared at her for a moment then retreated. Saka siya nagkukumahog na bumaba ng sasakyan nang humimpil iyon. He threatened to kiss her and he almost did. And she knew that she wouldn’t protest nor pull back.
“I am not falling in love with him, am I?” Nikolos Theron was too risky one to fall in love with.