Chapter Five

Madalas kong makita sa mga shared post sa F******k ang linyang ; kung ang tatay ay haligi ng tahanan at ang nanay naman ang ilaw ng tahanan, ano ang kabit?

Para sa akin, ang kabit ay maituturing anay. Sinisira nito ang pundasyon ng matatag na bahay. Lumaki ako na masaya ang aking mga magulang. Lagi kong sinasabi noon na sana ay wala ni isa sa kanila ang magloloko. I also promised myself na hindi ako magiging dahilan ng ikakasakit ng kapwa ko babae. 

Minsan, naitatanong ko sa sarili ko kung bakit may mga babaeng pumapayag maging home wrecker. Bakit pumapayag silang maging second option? Bakit sila nagpapakababa para sa pag-ibig?

And then came Archangel Saint Montreal, iba nga lang siya dahil hindi niya ako pinaasa. Hindi niya ako pinaibig at pinaniwalang ako lang walang iba. He directly ask me to be his mistress. And I can't believe I'm standing in his front now accepting his offer.

Kahapon, noong nakita ko siya sa gymansium kasama ang asawa niya, parang may kung ano sa akin na nagtulak na agawin siya. Don't get me wrong, I don't like him. I just want the wife to suffer. Hindi ko man magantihan ang ama niya, uunahin ko siya.  Ganoon naman 'di ba? If you want to get even to a parent, attack their child. This may sound cruel but the anger in my heart is melting the humanity within me. 

"You suddenly barge into my office and now you're telling me you're accepting the offer?" 

Tiningnan ko si Mr. Montreal. Nakaupo siya sa kanyang swivel chair at matamang nakatitig sa akin. May suot siyang radiation glass na siyang nagpapadagdag ng karisma niya.

I went to his office after finding out the address from Rafael. Dito pala nag-ta-trabaho ang lalaking 'yon. Hindi pa ako halos makapasok kanina. I just told the clerk to tell my name to his boss. I was actually surprised that he remembers me. It's been almost two week.

"I am accepting the offer, make me your mistress," seryosong sabi ko.

An amused smile escape his lips. He removed his eyeglass and stood up. Naglakad siya palapit sa akin.

"What made you change your mind? It's been a week. Do you think the offer still stands?" He asked while looking at me.

"I guess so? Hindi mo naman ako papaakyatin dito sa opisina mo kung hindi ka interesado sa dahilan kung bakit ako nandito," sagot ko at Hindi nagpatinag sa nang-uusig niyang mata.

He walked near a shelf of wines and liquor. Kumuha siya ng isang bote at dalawang baso. He motioned me to sit down on one of the couches. Ang lawak ng opisina niya. Feeling ko bahay na namin 'to. 

Matapos makaupo ay umupo din siya sa harapan ko. He poured the liquor to the glasses and give me one. Walang pag-aatubiling tinanggap ko iyon. I guess a liquor would somehow lessen the tension within me.

Sumandal ang lalaki sa couch at tumingin sa akin. He was staring at me intently. Hindi ako nagpatalo. I won't let him make me uncomfortable. Binalik ko ang matiim na titig sa kanya.

"What made you change your mind? Is this about your mother's death?"

Agad na kumunot ang noo ko. How did he know?

"Did you spy on me?" Tanong ko at humigop ng inumin. 

"Spying is not my thing. I rather call it guarding what's mine." He answered.

My brow automatically raised. Is he flirting?

"Won't your boyfriend get jealous? Does he know this?" Dagdag tanong ng lalaki.

Boyfriend? 

"The one who's with you during your mother's wake. The man is obviously into you. I don't want to create conflict, you know." Sabi ulit ng lalaki.

"Funny how you're telling me you don't want to create conflict. Ano ba sa tingin mo ang mangyayari kapag nagkaroon ka ng kabit?" Hindi ko maiwasang patutsada. "Isa pa, Rafael is just a friend."

Hindi sumagot ang lalaki. Bagkus, kinagat niya ang kanyang pang ibabang labi at tumingin sa akin ng nakakaloko.

"Did you got jealous perhaps? I saw you from the distance yesterday. You probably saw me with my wife. Are you jealous? Is that why you suddenly agreed to my offer?"

Hindi ko maiwasang tumawa ng pagak. God. Ang taas ng tingin niya sa sarili niya!

"Stop being delusional, Mr. Montreal."

"Why do you keep on calling me Mr. Montreal?" Pag-iiba niya ng usapan.

"Nasusuka akong tawagin Kang Archangel Saint. Kung gaano kasi ka-santo ang pangalan mo, demonyo naman ang budhi mo." I directly said to him.

Umakto ang lalaki na nasaktan at humawak pa sa dibdib. Ang arte! Hindi bagay sa toned-muscles niya ang magpabebe.

"So harsh and frank, Amarah. That's probably why I like you to be my mistress. You'd probably pissed my wife."

"Why do you want to break up with her?" Tanong ko. 

"She's sick. " Sagot ng lalaki.

"Isn't it your duty as the husband  to take care of your wife when she's sick?" Tanong ko sa kanya.

"She's a psycho. Don't get fooled by her innocent facade in the public. She's a dangerous woman." Sabi ulit ng lalaki at humigop ng alak. I can see how his mood suddenly changes.

"Then why marry her in the first place?" Tanong ko.

His eyes turned cold. "You think I got a choice?" Tanong niya.

"Everybody has a choice. Nasa sa'yo na 'yon kung ipaglalaban mo ang choice na pinili mo." 

He let out a sigh. "She framed me. I was so drunk and the next thing I know, I'm in the bed with her. I swear nothing happened between us but she insisted. "

"How sure are you that nothing happened kung sa'yo na rin nanggaling na lasing ka? Drunk people tend to forget things, Mr. Montreal."

"Kilala ko ang sarili ko, Amarah!"

Umangat ang kilay ko. "Bakit ka galit?" Nang-aasar na sabi ko.

He frustratedly comb his hair using his finger. 

"A month later, she told me she's pregnant. Bata na ang usapan. Kung akin nga iyon, hindi ko hahayaang hindi niya dalhin ang apelyido ko. We we're stuck in a controversy. Puro media ang araw-araw na sumasalubong sa akin. My father was fuming mad. It was a chaos. So, I married her."

May anak sila? I'm fine with ruining the marriage pero ngayon na narinig ko na may anak sila, parang hindi ko pala kaya. 

Hindi ko gustong maging raSon na magkaroon ng wasak na pamilya ang isang bata. 

"Nasaan ang anak niyo?" Tanong ko.

"Wala. Nalaglag," sagot ng lalaki. He poured a liquor on his glass. Halos mangalahati ang baso. Diretso niyang ininom ang alak at tumingin sa akin. "She's not pregnant after all. While I was crying for the life I thought existed, I found out that she framed her doctor to manipulate her pregnancy. She's a fcking fraud."

Hindi ako nakasagot. I can't believe it. May mga ganoon palang tao? She's probably obsessed with this man to the extent na gagawa siya ng kwento.

"Her father knows everything. I told them I wanted an annulment but the bitch almost took her life. She did it not just once!"

"Wanna know why it's always a failed suicide?" Tanong ko. "Because she doesn't want to die in the first place. She's guilt tripping you. I was actually surprise na may guilt ka pala." 

Sinamaan ako ng tingin ng lalaki. 

"Now that you heard the story, do you fully understand me now?" Tanong niya.

Tumayo ako. I almost lost my balance kaya napakapit ako sa sandalan. Bwesit! Kunti lang naman ang ininom ko pero tinamaan ata ako. Argh. Sino ba naman kasing matinong tao ang mag-o-offer ng alak in a broad daylight?

"Are you okay?"

Muli akong umupo at minasahe ang ulo ko.

"The hell? Are you drunk?" Tila hindi makapaniwalang tanong ng lalaki.

"Oa sa drunk. Hindi ba pwedeng nahilo lang kunti?" Pairap na sabi ko.

Isinandal ko ang sarili ko sa couch. "I'll take a nap first. Mamaya mo na ako kwentuhan."

"Aren't you afraid that my wife might suddenly barge in my office?"

Leche! Muntik ko nang makalimutan. Hindi pwedeng makita niya ako kasama ang asawa niya. Wag naman agad. Kainis! Nahihilo pa naman ako.

Tumayo ang lalaki. He motioned me to follow him. Kahit naasar ay tumayo na din ako. I struggled on keeping my balance until we reach a shelves of encyclopedia books. May kung ano siyang pinindot sa gilid and then a secret door appear. Iginiya niya ako papasok sa malawak na kwarto.

Wow! Iba talaga 'pag mayaman. I dreamt of having a secret place like this when I was still young.

"Stay here until you get better," sabi ng lalaki. "I'll discuss our set up when you're fine."

Hindi na ako nag- inarte. I immediately slamped my back on his bed. Ang lambot. Parang ang sarap matulog. I saw him shaking his head.

"Mr. Montreal—"

"Just Arki, please."

Napaismid ako. "Arki, pwedeng 'wag mo na akong lagyan ng spy? I want my private life private."

Hindi siya sumagot agad. Bagkus, lumapit siya sa akin at inangat ang kumot para matabunan ang katawan ko.

"Let's talk later. Sleep." He said and went out.

I sighed. Pinikit ko ang mata ko at ninamnam na lang muna ang comfort na hatid ng beddings ng lalaki.

Today, I am officially a billionaire's mistress

Today, I am officially a billionaire's mistress.