"Hindi." Tita Gemma had pulled her daughter to take her seat as Mavis continued to glower at the lawyer. "Gusto naming malaman kung magkano n'ya bibilhin itong kumpanya."
"Mommy!"
"Umupo ka lang d'yan, Vittoria!" my uncle's wife had glared at her daughter before she had smiled brightly at the lawyer. "Magkano ang pinag-uusapan natin dito?"
"I'd rather discuss that with Miss Aiyla Syquia since she has the last say—"
"Are you okay, Sweetheart?" Ayden's voice pulled me out of my musings.
I turned my head to smile at him. "Oo," I replied.
"Para kasing ang lalim ng iniisip mo."
"May naalala lang..."
We were waiting to deplane after spending three and a half hours riding two different trains just to get to Zurich for our nearly eighteen-hour flight back to Manila.
"Ano?"
"Kung anu-ano..." I dismissively said smiling at him.
Our honeymoon was spent in the Alps where my husband taught me how to ski every morning, fucked me to oblivion at night, and talked to me like he was interested to get to know me over rosti topped generously with bacon and cheese and glasses of red Madiran in between.
"I will be driving directly to the office at ipinasundo kita sa personal driver ko," he said as we pushed to our feet.
"Mag-isa akong uuwi?" I asked in confusion as we headed to the exit. "I don't even know where you live," I added panicking a little.
He gave me a wink. "Ano ba 'tong asawa ko, ni hindi alam kung saan kami nakatira."
"Ayden—"
"Kailangan kong dumiretso sa opisina dahil may mga kailangang ayusin. Don't look at me like that, hindi ko pwedeng ipagpabukas 'to."
I knew that my husband's family owns Ynchausti Holdings and at twenty-six, he's one of the managing directors of their company. I also know that he owns A.X. Ynchausti Software Philippines because I Googled him after I had signed the contract.
I forced myself to smile. "Okay. What time will you be home?"
"Hindi ko alam kung makakauwi ako ngayon. I might have to spend the night at the office. I will give you a call kung uuwi ako."
I nodded again, my smile not slipping. "Okay."
I wasn't expecting much from my marriage. I had come prepared to be the wife that her husband would use to satisfy his needs at night, the wife who'd smile and nod at everything her husband would say come morning, and the wife who'd wait on her husband on her hands and knees round the clock.
When we reached the arrival gate, Ayden guided me towards a waiting car and then opened the door for me. "Your timing is always impeccable, Manong," he addressed the driver who carefully carried my bag inside the vehicle.
"Welcome back po, Sir."
"Thank you, Manong. Mag-ingat po kayo sa pagmamaneho, ha."
"Opo."
"I'll see you at home," he told me as he helped me climb the backseat of the SUV before he closed the door.
"Ayden—" I rolled the window down to say goodbye to him properly but he had already left.
I knew that things would change. Our honeymoon was over and we're now jolted back to our new reality – that reality where we both married a stranger.
"Naka-seatbelt na po kayo, Ma'am?" the driver asked.
Chapter 4: Draw
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