Chapter 13
"Sumakay ka na," utos ni Javier kay Isabella. Tumango lamang ito at nilingon si Malvar. Ngumiti ito at bahagyang kumaway bago tuluyang sumakay sa sasakyan niya.
Nilapitan niya ang cart nito. Nakatayo pa rin sa tabi niyon si Malvar. Nakatingin lamang ang lalaki sa kanya. Halata niyang kapwa sila hindi natutuwa sa isa't isa. At that moment, he wanted to smash his face in.
"Stay away from her," marring sabi niya saka binitbit ang kahon sa trolley.
"The last time I checked the two of you are not married. Has anything changed since?"
Muli niyang ibinaba ang kahon. "Don't you try your tricks on me, you bastard. She's mine."
"No, she's not. As a matter of fact, she's miserable with you. Does she look happy to you? I'm surprised you haven't figured that out for yourself. You took her away from her home, away from the place she's used to, and made her your concubine. Do you think she's happy with that?"
"That's none of your fucking business."
"Maybe I want to make it mine. Maybe I've already started."
Itinulak niya ito sa dibdib. Mabibilis na ang agwat ng kanyang paghinga. Hindi ito natinag subalit hindi naman gumanti. Tiningnan lang siya nito.
"People say so many things about you. I think you're just a rich man's son, so full of himself. You think Isabella's happy? What about Alaia? You think she's happy, too?"
"Don't you dare talk about the women in my life." Magkalapat ang labing tumalikod na siya bago pa siya makagawa ng bagay na baka pagsisihan niya. Agad niyang pinasibad ang sasakyan.
"How's Eurus?" tanong ni Isabella.
How's the thing you had you take care of? Apparently, it has a name---Malvar. Now you're asking me about our son. After you left him to be with that man? Damn you!
"How was the flight? Pretty cozy, huh?" sarkastikong turan niya.
"Okay lang. Pero may hangover ako. Mabuti nga at kasabay ko pala si Malvar. How's our baby? How are you? Did you miss me?"
Maybe I want to make it mine. Maybe I've already started. Iyon ang hindi niya malimutan sa sinabi ni Malvar. Bakit ito maglalakas-loob na sabihin iyon sa kanya? Maybe there was some truth in it. It was driving him crazy.
"Ano'ng inasikaso mo sa Maynila?"
"Some things. I told you, some legal stuff."
"Like what?"
Kumunot ang noo nito, tila nagtatakang nagtatanong siyang maigi. But he had to know. He had to see she was not only lying to him. Wala man siyang maisip na naging komunikasyon nito kay Malvar mula nang pagsabihan niya ito noon ay ano ba ang ang talagang alam niya?
They came together. Kahit sinabi nitong nagkasabay lamang ang mga ito sa eroplano ay iba ang hinala niya.
"May ilang bonds akong pinaasikaso sa abogado."
"Why?"
"Dahil kailangan kong ibenta. May kailangan akong taong bigyan."
"Who?"
"Someone. You're acting funny."
Hindi na siya kumibo. Wala itong masabing espisipiko sa kanya at sapat na ang aksiyon nitong iyon para lalo lamang siyang magduda. Bakit ba sa tuwinang sasapit ang panahong gusto na niyang ituwid ang samahan nila ay saka nagkakaganoon?
