Chapter Two

Lumaki akong salat sa maraming bagay. Construction worker si Papa noong nabubuhay pa siya. Ang sinasahod niya ay sapat lang sa araw araw naming pagkain at mga bayarin. Nang mamatay siya sa sakit na tuberculosis ay tila namatayan din ako ng ina. Napariwara si mama. I know she was depressed by my father's sudden death. Hindi ko lang inasahan na papasukin niya ang pagtatrabaho sa club. Noong una, okay naman. Pero noong tumagal na, may inuuwi na siyang matandang mayaman. Madalas may binibili siyang branded bags and accessories. I told her to stop pero tila ba hindi na niya kayang mawala ang mga luhong ibinigay sa kanya sa pagbebenta niya ng kanyang laman. 

I cannot deal with her chosen life. Madalas kaming mag-away dahil madalas kung kinukwestiyon ang ginagawa niya. I wanted to leave her pero hindi ko kaya. She's still my mom and I want to be there when the time comes na maisipan na niyang tumigil na.

When I first applied for work, pinili ko ang pinakasikat. I graduated magna cum laude. Hindi pwedeng mahina ang loob ko. Mataas ang pangarap ko sa buhay. I was fortunately hired as the CEO's secretary. Okay naman noong una. Ngunit nang magtagal, nag-iba na si Mr. Ignacio. Madalas ko siyang mahuling nakatingin sa akin. And then the unexpected happened. Pinagsamantalaan niya ako sa mismong opisina niya. I was lucky enough that I escaped him. I filed a case against him pero naging mitsa iyon nang pagkanda-leche leche ng buhay ko. Binaliktad niya ako. He manipulated the story and made me the whore. I was humiliated. Nang mag-apply ako sa ibang kompanya, puro palpak. Ayaw akong tanggapin. Hindi daw nila gusto ang empleyadong may maduming background.

Simula noong araw na 'yon. Sinusumpa ko na ang mga mayayaman. I hate how unfair the world is. Madali para sa mga mayayaman ang magmanipula ng katotohanan dahil may pera sila at kapangyarihan. Ayoko sanang lahatin lahat pero nang marinig ko ang sinabi ni Mr. Montreal ay hindi ko mapigilang magalit. 

"You want me to be your what?" Tanong ko. Lumapit ako sa harap niya at tiningnan siya ng sersyoso. "Nagkamali lang ako ng dinig, 'di ba?" 

He put his tongue in the side off his cheek and look at me with the same intense.

"I want you to be my mistress." He repeated.

Hindi ko mapigilang matawa. The room was suddenly filled with my sarcastic laugh.

"Pinagloloko mo ba ako Mr.Montreal?" I asked him.

"I don't do jokes, Amarah. It's not my thing."

I bit my lower lips to control my temper. He knows my name which means hinalungkat niya ang gamit ko. 

"You are sick," I hissed.

"I save your life. This is the least you could do to pay me." 

Least? Is he for real?

"Aminado akong mahirap lang kami pero hindi ako katulad ng ibang babae. Wala sa bokabularyo ko ang maging kabit."

"But I'm not telling you to be one," sagot niya. 

Kumunot ang noo ko. "Didn't you tell me you want me to be your Mistress?"

"That's right," He said. "I told you to be my mistress and not my kabit."

Napabuga ako ng hangin. "Kabit, kerida, kaulayaw ,mistress, other woman at kung ano pa, iisa lang ang ibig sabihin no'n, home wrecker."

"You're wrong about that. Kabit is a term for a low class bitch while mistress is for the classy one. I intend to make you classy so don't make yourself too low."

My mouth parted. I can't believe his stupid explanation. I can't believe this man. Nakakabobo ba ang sobrang yaman? Kaya pala matalino ako. Fck.

"I wonder why you chose to be a billionaire instead of being a clown. Bagay na bagay pa naman sa'yo. I'm sorry but I refused to be your toy," sambit ko at muling lumapit sa pinto. Pinihit ko ang seradura at lumabas. 

Bumuga ako ng hangin. Hindi pa man ako nakakahakbang ay may narinig akong malakas na kalabog mula sa silid na pinagmulan ko. Gusto kong umalis pero tila pa napako ang mga paa ko. May kung anong kaba ang bumalot sa akin. I suddenly found myself entering the room again only to see Mr. Montreal in the floor unconscious.

Nagmamadaling lumuhod ako sa tapat niya. I looked at his face. Beads of sweat is forming in his head. Maputla ang labi niya and he's hot. Literally hot!

Oh my God! Anong gagawin ko? 

I tap his face to wake him up but he's not responding. Nanginginig ang kamay na kinapkap ko ang pantalon niya para hanapin ang kanyang cellphone. Hindi pa man ako nakapagtipa ng numero ay bumukas ang pinto at may pumasok na dalawang lalaking nakaitim na suit. When they saw the situation, they immediately scoop Mr. Montreal from the floor and put him in the bed.

I heard the other man calling a doctor on his phone. When he raised Mr. Montreal's shirt, I gasped as I saw fresh blood dripping from a small wound in his stomach.

"A-anong nangyari? Is he stabbed?" Tanong ko."Hindi ba dapat dalhin natin siya sa ospital?"

"You won't like it when his wife find out he got involved into a fight because of a stranger, especially a woman of your look," the man answered.

I was left speechless for awhile. So, he really has a wife? Then why make me his mistress when his wife seems a good woman? Ayaw ng asawa niya na mapahamak siya dahil sa isang estranghero, 'di ba? It only means one thing, his wife is in love with him.

Pero teka lang? Bakit parang ako ang tinuturong may kasalanan sa sugat niya? Did he perhaps got stabbed earlier?

Oh my god! My eyes widen upon realising everything.

"He got stabbed because of me?" Tanong ko .

"Unfortunately yes. We told him we'd bring him to the hospital but he refused." Sagot ng isang lalaki.

"Then inform his wife!" Na-i-stress na sagot ko.

Napabuntong-hininga ang isang lalaki.

"There are things that you still don't understand and I am in no position to explain it you. But to atleast enlighten you a little bit, his wife has a psychotic disorder."

Nalaglag ang panga ko sa tinuran ng lalaki. Napaupo ako maliit na couch. Is that why he wants me to be his mistress? Did he perhaps think na kapag may iba siya, his wife will let her go? Then why marry her in the very first place? Argh!

Hindi nagtagal ay may dumating na doctor. He looked at Mr. Montreal's wound and cleaned it. Matapos malagyan ng gasa ay nagkabit ito ng  swero sa lalaki.

"Doc, will he be okay?" Hindi ko mapigilang tanong. I should have leave pero hindi ko magawa. I can't help but worry about the man because what happened to him was because of me.

"Hindi naman masyadong malalim ang sugat. Nagka- infection nga lang dahil hindi nagamot agad kaya nagkalagnat siya. He'll be okay pero iwasan lang muna ang mga mabibigay na gawain." Sagot ng doctor at ngumiti sa akin. 

Tumango lang ako. The doctor left the room after double checking the situation. Naiwan ako sa kwarto kasama ang dalawang bodyguard ni Mr. Montreal.

"By the way, Miss Amarah. My name is Matthew and this is Clyde," pakilala ng isang bodyguard na matangkad at medyo chinito.

Tumango ako. "How did you two know my name?" Tanong ko.

"Chineck namin ang bag mo kanina while you are unconscious," sagot ni Clyde.

Just as I expected.

"By the way, won't his wife suspect him of not going home tonight? Married couple normally sleep together, right?" Tanong ko.

"But their marriage was not normal. Mr. Montreal was forced to marry his wife." Sabi ni Matthew.

I rolled my eyes. Ang mga mayayaman nga naman, gagawin lahat madagdagan lang ang yaman. Siguradong pera na naman ang dahilan ng kasalan nila. And when every thing went wrong, manggagamit ng mga mahirap na tulad ko.

I wonder who his wife is. I'm not really into news about businessman. Nakikita ko lang at naririnig ang pangalan na Archangel Saint Montreal pero hindi ako interesado sa content ng balita lalo't uso pa naman ang fake news ngayon.

"Miss Amarah, we really would like to stay but it's almost 3am. Hanggang doon lang ang duty namin. Mamayang 7am darating ang kapalitan namin. We believe na hindi mo naman pababayaan si sir dahil may utang ka sa kanya."

Inirapan ko si Clyde. Walang choice na nanatili ako sa kwarto ni Mr.Montreal. God! Ano ba 'tong napasok ko? Kung nanatili ako sa bahay, humihilik na sana ako.

Funny how fast the night changes. Hindi ko alam kung ano bang naghihintay sa akin kinabukasan but I have no choice. Nandito na. Nangyari na. Kailangan ko na nalang sigurong sumabay sa agos. 

I took my phone out from my bag and texted my boss. Kailangan ko pa tuloy mag-absent bukas. Argh. Umaga na pala ngayon. 

I looked at Mr. Montreal who's deeply asleep. He looked troubled and lonely.

Tunay nga namang may mga bagay na hindi nabibili ng pera.

I pulled the couch near the bed and lay on it after switching off the light. Bahala na bukas.