Chapter Thirty Six
"You look tired." Kervin set a bottle of brandy in front of me. "Drink with me."
"We are in the office. I don't usually drink while I'm at work. Get lost."
"I can't. Galit sa akin si Beatrice." He sighed and massaged his temples before slumping on my office couch. "Shit, I don't know what to do with my wife anymore. She said she wants out, pare. She wants out! Can you believe that?"
Sumandal ako sa swivel chair at pinilit ignorahin ang tila minamartilyo kong ulo. Sumaglit lang ako sa trabaho ngayon dahil ang dami ng nagrereklamong investors sa matagal kong pagkawala. Alam kong marami akong napabayaan sa trabaho ko, pero hindi ko puwedeng pabayaan si Sam. She will always be my main priority.
I just had to make sure my company doesn't fall apart. I promised her I will give her a good life, and I don't want to rely on my family's money to give her that.
"Dude, are you even fucking listening?" problemadong anas ni Kervin. He looked like a zombie with his pale complexion and dark eyebags. His hair was also unruly and unusually long that he lost his natural bad boy charisma.
"I am. I'm sorry. I'm just preoccupied."
He snorted and downed a wine glass filled with his favorite liquor.
"Nag-alsa balutan siya kagabi, pare. She took the baby with her. I don't know where she's staying but at least she did not leave the country." He stared at the ceiling, careful not to let his tears fall down. "God, I miss that bitch already."
"Bakit hindi mo pinigilan? Dapat hindi mo hinayaang lumabas siya ng bahay niyo. Never let your woman walk away from you, because if you do, she might leave you permanently," suhestiyon ko. "Iisipin niya na wala ka talagang pakialam sa kanya. Just give her some time to blow off some steam."
"Zade, hindi mo naiintindihan! I let her go kasi sumusobra na siya. Busy ako sa kumpanya at palagi niyang iniisip na mayroon akong ibang babae. That's just so unfair! Siya na ang nag-akusa sa akin ng mali tapos siya pa ang may ganang layasan ako. I love her, but she is such a witch!" Nakita ko ang inis sa mga mata niya at napailing na lang ako.
"You promised to love her, dude—"
"And I do!" He cut me off but I gave him a mocking and sarcastic look.
"But not enough, not enough to let go of your pride. Which is more important? Your ego or your wife?" I gave him the ultimate question. Natahimik siya. His jaw grew taut as he contemplated. "Mali siya, oo. Pero kung mahal mo siya, hindi importante kung sino ang tama o mali sa inyong dalawa. Ang importante dapat ay magkasundo kayo, mapasaya mo siya. Isipin mo kung bakit siya nagdududa, kasi natatakot siya. A woman won't be scared of her man committing infidelity if she doesn't have trust issues. Alam mo naman ang nangyari sa ex ni Beatrice, 'di ba?"
Kervin looked like a kid who got berated for the first time in all of his bratty years of existence. Lumunok siya bago sumandal sa leather couch. Nakatingin lang siya sa kawalan, walang emosyon ang mukha at halatang malalim ang iniisip.
The intercom blared inside my office and the voice of my secretary resonated. "Sir, it's time for your meeting, they're already in the conference waiting for you."
"Thank you, Fria, I'll be out in a minute."
Nilingon kong muli si Kervin at nakita kong mas lalo siyang naguguluhan. I took my coat and wore it, I smoothened the creases and adjusted my neck tie. I can get back to Sam after this. Just one meeting and I can go home and cuddle with her all day.
"Kerv, business meeting. If you need anything, feel free to tell Fria. I'll come back after an hour." I walked to the door and it automatically slid open. I graciously walked toward the conference room feeling antsy as ever for the meeting to end even though it hasn't started yet.
The board members looked really pleased to see me, as if they had not expected me to show up today. The meeting started immediately.
They just addressed a few problems being encountered by the company, after brainstorming possible solutions, I already dismissed them, leaving only my most trusted employee, Erdan. I asked him to keep an eye on everything for a while because I won't be hands-on for the meantime.
He smiled and clapped my back. "Sure, sir. You can always count on me."
"Thank you. You never let me down."
May sasabihin pa sana ako kaso ay biglaang tumunog ang cellphone sa bulsa ko. I excused myself before I answered the call. The unknown number was odd. It was a telephone number and I wasn't expecting a call from anyone today.
"Hello?" I said calmly. I heard a manic laugh from the other line, and then a voice that caused me to clench my teeth in hatred.
"Shit is about to go down, Zade. Shit's about to go down..."
"Fuck you, Mico! Fuck you. I will kill you, tandaan mo 'yan! Galing-galingan mo na ang pagtatago mo, dahil sinisiguro ko sa'yong 'pag nakita kita, paglalamayan ka pagkatapos."
There was an amused grin coming from him again. "Fuck me? But Celine already did that when we were together, remember? Have you forgotten that we were husband and wife?"
"Gago ka! Hindi siya Celine! Nababaliw ka na! You will pay for this!"
"Well, good luck with that. And oh, Zade? You might want to listen to this."
The sound of a tape recorder clicked and I started to hear sounds of skin slapping against skin. Nanginig ako at parang nanghina ako sa sobrang galit. I didn't know it was possible to feel that.
"Celine, does it feel good? Tell me it feels good."
"Babe... You feel so good around me."
There were lots of moans and each time Sam will groan in pleasure, it's like a huge knife is brutally stabbing me in the heart.
"Best. Sex. Ever."
"I will send you to hell..." I cursed and he chuckled. "And I will have fun doing it."
"Take care, Z. Baka akala mo na sa'yo pa, 'yon pala nakuha ko na." The call died.
Gusto kong manira ng gamit habang nakatingin ako sa cellphone na hawak ko pa rin. My fist was tightly clenched. Ang sakit na marinig 'yon. Kahit natanggap ko na na mayroong nangyari sa kanila ni Sam ay hindi ko naman kaya na marinig 'yon. Para bang pinupunit ako at pinagpipiraso. That was the most painful minutes of my life.
I dialed Sam's number but it just kept ringing. Habang tumatagal na walang sumasagot sa tawag ay mas lalo akong kinakabahan. No, no no. Tumawag ako sa head bodyguard ni Sam ngunit pati ito ay hindi sumasagot sa tawag ko. Shit. This can't be a coincidence. I called one of the bodyguards and I felt a small bit of relief when he picked up.
"Where is Sam? Bakit hindi niya sinasagot ang tawag ko?" kinakabahang tanong ko.
What the bodyguard told me made me smash the table in the conference room.
"Sir, ipinasundo niyo ho kanina si Ms. Antonio, 'di ba? Head is with her. He drove her to your office an hour ago."
"Bullshit! Hindi ko siya ipinasundo! I'm coming home this instant!"
Binabaan ko siya at nagmamadaling tumakbo pabalik ng opisina ko. Fria even asked me why I was in such a hurry, but I did not answer. Wala na rin sa loob si Kervin, siguro'y naliwanagan na rin siya sa wakas.
I rummaged for my car keys and then I ran to the parking lot. Dali-dali akong nagdrive pauwi at nang makarating ako doon ay wala akong sinayang na oras. Hinarap ko ang apat na bodyguard na naroon. The head guard was nowhere to be found. I tried calling him again, but he wasn't picking up.
"Bakit niyo hinayaang makaalis si Sam? You should've confirmed from me!" galit na galit kong sabi, halos lahat aila ay nakayuko.
"Sir, sorry ho. Hindi na ho namin naisip na i-confirm sa inyo dahil si Head na mismo ang nagsabi, siya nga rin ho ang nagdrive para kay Ma'am."
"Damn! Damn!" galit na mura ko. Where could he have brought Sam? Tumunog ang telepono ko at nakita kong ang Head ang tumatawag. Mabilis pa sa kidlat na sinagot ko ito.
"Where did you bring her?"
"Wow. Alam mo na pala agad na wala na r'yan si Celine. Sabi ko naman sa'yo, Zade, mag-ingat ka dahil baka nasa akin na pala siya..." It was Mico.
"Hayop ka! Nasaan mo siya dinala?"
"It's a secret. Basta kung saan ko siya dinala, wala ka na roon. Pagkakataon na naming sumaya. You want to hear her one last time? Fine. Hindi naman ako gano'n kasama."
"Zade, help me! Zade! Hindi ko alam kung nasaan ako! Zade. Ang pangit ni William."
Ang pangit ni William is our code. It was made by her jokingly. It meant she was wearing the tracking bracelet we had specially made in case something like this happens.
"Celine, don't say that!"
Kahit papaano ay nakahinga ako nang maluwag dahil alam kong hindi niya sasaktan si Sam. He is crazy for Sam and he will not harm her, gusto niya lang mailayo ito sa akin.
"Your end is near, Mico," mahina ngunit puno ng galit kong bulong.
"So is yours, my friend, so is yours."
He dropped the call and I opened the tracking app installed on my phone. The red dot was faint, alright, but it was blinking. I knew the place, it was almost an hour drive from here at puro abandonadong warehouses ang naroon. I called the police because I need backup. I'm going to rescue Sam. And Mico will die, whether in my hands or not, he has already sealed his terrible fate.
For all the things he has done, his life is a small price to pay.
And I will collect the payment -- one way or the other.