Tumango si Amelia sa secretary niyang si Bridgette na nadaanan niya sa hallway papunta sa office.
"Give me coffee inside the office. Ngayon na Bridgette." Her now pregnant secretary hurriedly went out of the way and into the pantry.
That's what she liked about Bridgette. Maagap ito.
Amelia lifted her chin up and sauntered through the hallways of Royal Court Resort Company. The logo emblazoned at the back of the reception is a cursive letter R and C raised to the power of two. She was proud of that logo dahil siya mismo ang nag design noon.
She took up Architecture and studied Business management after. Kaya naman lahat ng resort under the company ay may personal touch niya.
Pumasok siya sa kwarto niya at umupo sa swivel chair niya. She looked out of the window before turning her head towards Bridgette na kakapasok pa lang sa office niya. Inilapag nito ang tasa ng purong kape sa harap niya. Pagkatapos nun ay inilapag naman nito ang newspaper sa tabi ng tasa ng kape.
"Thank you, Bridge." Amelia sipped the coffee and Bridgette smiled at her. "Paano pa ako makakahanap ng ibang secretary more reliable than you are. Kailan ka ba manganganak?"
Bridgette put a hand to her stomach lovingly. "Nakalimutan niyo na Boss. Mga ilang buwan pa boss. But I already told the HR department to hire a secretary for you."
Nakaramdam ng inggit si Amelia. Christian and her is married for a year now pero hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa din sila nakakabuo. Muntik na sana but she had a miscarriage dahil na din sa sobrang pagod at stress noon ng magkasunod sunod ang problema ng resort.
She wants to have a baby too. But it was too soon now that the company is off to a good start this year.
Amelia cleared her throat and looked away from Bridgette's stomach. "Anyway thank you for staying with me, Bridge kahit masungit ako."
Umiling ito. "Wala iyon, Boss. Mabait naman po kayo sa'kin."
Amelia chuckled. Yes. Mabait siya dito but to other people no. Kung makakasundo siya ay madali lang din naman siyang makausap but if she noticed that the person is an asshole or a gossiper. Hindi niya na ito pinapansin. He or she will remain just an employee to her.
Ayaw niya talaga sa lahat ang chismosa. Kaya naman kung may pagkakataon siya ay binibigyan niya ng madaming trabaho para wala ng oras para makipag tsismisan pa.
"Thank you, Bridge. Enjoy your motherhood. Habang wala ka ay mag b-behave ako sa bagong secretary. Hindi ko masyadong papahirapan."
Iiiling iling ngunit nakangiti naman na lumabas si Bridgette sa opisina niya. Pero mukhang may nakalimutan ito at lumingon din ito agad. Tiningnan nito ang dala dala nitong schedules niya.
"By the way Boss. May gustong makipag usap sa inyo. A major stock holder in the company. He wants to talk to you about something. Si Mr. Del Rio po."
"Oh ok." Amelia knows that name. He was an investor in various company pero mas Malaki ang investment nito sa company niya. Kalahati ata ng shares ay ito ang nakabili. So she really has to entertain the old man. "Tell him I'll meet him. Don't cancel the plan with him. He is important."
Bridgette nodded one last time bago ito lumabas sa opisina niya.
Amelia stood up and took the newspaper. Nakasanayan na kasi niyang nag babasa muna siya ng newspaper bago niya simulant ang araw niya. But she felt like her heart is gripped when she saw the headlines of the news. The images are blurry but she can already tell that the man in the picture is none other than her husband Christian Montenegro.
RC2's Christian Montenegro spotted leaving out of a room inside a hotel kissing a woman.
Amelia closed her eyes tightly. Her heart started beating wildly against her chest in stress. She bit her lip and crumpled the newspaper in her hands. The bumps it created inside her closed palms made the insides of her palms hurt pero wala ng sasakit pa sa pag tusok ng tila karayom sa dibdib niya.
Hindi ba ito nabasa ni Bridgette? Umiling siya agad. Bridgette is not a fan of newspapers anyway. Bumibili lang ito dahil inuutos niya.
How could he?!
Ilang beses niya na itong pinatawad sa infidelity nito but Christian is already testing her patience.
Tila nauupos na kandilang naupo siya sa swivel chair niya.
Is it because she was so busy with the company kaya nag loko na naman si Christian sa kanya? Where did she go wrong?
Nangilid ang mga luha niya but she refused to cry so she lifted her chin up to tip the tears back. Parang may mga maliliit na karayom na unti unting tumutusok sa puso niya. She put a hand on top of her chest para kahit papaano ay mabawasan ang sakit sa dibdib niya.
Muli niyang tiningnan ang newspaper. Naningkit ang mga mata na tiningnan niya ang babae sa pictures.
Tumayo siya at inihagis sa basurahan ang newspaper. Then she took her phone out and dialed her investigator's number. She inhaled deeply and waited for the ringing to stop. Trying to compose herself bago niya kausapin ang investigator.
"Hello, Mrs. Montenegro?"
"Tell me the name of the woman in the newspaper today." There was an irritation in her voice that she couldn't hide.
"Alright. Is he cheating again?"
Amelia sighed. Hindi siya kumibo sa sinabi nito but her investigator must have known the answer to his questions. He sighed on the other line.
"I'll get into it."
Pagkatapos nun ay pinatay niya na ang tawag. Nakakuyom ang mga kamao na tumingin siya sa labas ng bintana. Refusing to look at the newspaper that she had thrown in the trashcan.
She loved Christian ever since they were in college. Pero hindi niya akalain na magiging ganito ang lahat sa pagitan nila. She closed her eyes once more. Mamaya niya na papasabugin ang galit niya sa asawa niya. Sa ngayon ay mag t-trabaho muna siya.
---
"Christian..." Amelia waited for him to walk inside their living room. Agad niyang kinuha ang newspaper sa lamesa. She crumpled it before throwing it at him.
Mulat na mulat ang mga matang sinalo nito ang inihagis niya.
Amelia didn't take her eyes off of him nang buksan nito ang newspaper. Arms crossed on her chest she waited for his reactions. Pigil pigil niya ang pag hinga. Her chest heaves up and down slowly.
Pinauwi niya muna ang mga katulong para hindi na malaman ng mga ito ang nangyayaring away sa pagitan nilang dalawa. She doesn't want anyone knowing what kind of mess up life she had in her marriage.
Inangat nito ang ulo mula sa binabasang dyaryo and looked at her with wide eyes.
"A-Amelia... I-I I'm sorry. I swear lasing lang ako nung nangyari yun. I—"
Amelia stood up and slapped him. Tumunog sa buong bahay nila ang lakas ng sampal niya sa pisngi nito. His face turned to the side. Kitang kita niya ang bakat ng kamay niya sa mukha nito.
A single tear run down the left side of her cheeks. She defiantly lifted her chin up.
"Lasing? But you kissed her again on the morning."
"S-She kissed me. I was hurriedly leaving the room." Christian throws his hands in the air. "Hindi ko alam na may reporters."
Amelia's eyes watered. She only wants his loyalty and love. Paano niya maibabalik sa dati ang lahat? Paano niya maibabalik ang dating Christian na minahal niya? Where did he had gone off to?
Christian bit his lips and wiped the tears from her eyes. Punong puno ng sensiridad ang mga mata nito and for a moment Amelia sees the old Christian in his eyes. The man who loves her.
"Amelia... ikaw ang mahal ko. I swear. Please hon, forgive me. I promise not to do it again."
Ilang beses na ba nitong pinangako sa kanya na mag babago na ito? She had enough of his bullshit but she still loves the man. Hindi niya maintindihan ang sarili kung bakit mahal niya pa din ito.
Maybe because after their fights. He would be extra sweet and extra clingy. Binibigyan din siya nito ng flowers at binibili ang mga gusto niya. Or maybe she was still clinging to the old love they had.
Amelia closed her eyes when he cupped her face. Humaplos ang mainit na bagay sa dibdib niya. They had been through so much before na ayaw niya din namang itapon iyon lahat. She can always forgive him if it meant he will come back to her.
"Are you promising not to do it again?" She held the quiver in her voice but a couple of it escaped from her now trembling lips.
"Yes. I swear Amelia. Ikaw ang mahal ko."
Pagkasabi nun ay hinalikan nito ang labi niya. Amelia opened her mouth to welcome his lips. Then everything became blurry as they made their way to their own room. Hinayaan niya ang sariling tangayin muli ng pagmamahal niya dito.