CHAMP woke up early the next day and planned to make some soup.
Napakamot ng ulo si Champ ng maalalang hindi pala siya marunong magluto.
He went to Jeva's room and grabbed her phone. He pressed the speed dial. He jumped in surprise when his phone rang in his pocket.
Napakunot naman ang kanyang noo. Jeva has his number but never texted or called him, even once. He saved her number in his contacts.
He then tried to press number two, it was also on a speed dial. This time, it's Mari.
"Hoy babae! Siguraduhin mo lang na importante ang sasabihin mo dahil ginulo mo ang tulog ko. Alam mo bang kakatulog ko lang?! Walangya ka!!" - inilayo niya ang cellphone sa kanyang tenga. No doubt, they're friends. They're both loud.
"Hoy, belsiewaps! Hindi ka ba magsasalita dyan? Kung ayaw kong magsalita ieend ko na itong call. O baka naman ikukwento mo na sakin na hindi na fresh ang kepyas mo? Ano na dali?! Kwento ka na girl!! Ano? Masarap ba? Mahaba ba ang ---"
"It's Champ." - he cut her. Her words make him cringed.
Another 'no doubt they're friends', pareho silang walang tabil ang mga bibig.
"Oh? I thought it was bels." - she chuckled. Wow! Just wow! Magkaibigan nga ang dalawa hindi man lang nahiya sa mga salitang lumalabas sa bibig nila.
"Why are you using her phone? Where is she?" - Champ scoffed. Wala nga talaga itong pakialam sa mga naunang sinabi nito.
"She's still asleep. Nilalagnat sya." - Champ informed her.
"Arggh! I know it! Sabi ko na nga ba may dinadamdam siya kagabi. Pero sabi niya okay lang daw siya and she can manage. Kukurutin ko talaga ang singit niya kapag nagkita kami ulit. Ay wait! I'll go there." - she ended the call.
The fuck! Hindi man lang nasabi ni Champ ang kailangan niya rito.
Hihintayin niya na lang siguro ito. Habang naghihintay Champ prepared a basin with warm water and a towel. He will be giving her another sponge bath.
He checked her temperature and it was still high. He changed her clothes again dahil sa puno na ito ng pawis and he also changed her kool fever.
Champ stopped what he was doing when someone murdered their doorbell.
Mabilis niya itong pinuntahan at pinagbuksan. It was a girl with a waist lenght kingky hair wearing a long vintage dress.
Sinaunang tao ba ito? Champ asked himself and looked at her weirdly. Jeva and her friend are both weird. Kung si Jeva halos lumuwa ang kaluluwa dahil sa pananamit niya habang ito naman ay balot na balot. Pero pareho silang walang tabil ang mga bibig.
"Where is she?" - tanong nito at confident na pumasok sa bahay nila na animo'y sa kanya ito.
"She's in her room." - mabilis namang nagtungo si Mari sa kwarto nito habang sinusundan niya naman ito.
His brow knotted. How the heck she knew his wife's room?
"Madalas ka ba dito?" - tanong niya sa babae.
She hummed. "I accompany your wife whenever you're not around." - she walked towards his wife's bed and sat on the edge.
Those words hit him hard. He was always not around because he was busy with his career and with the ZK's.
Mari's forehead creased when she noticed the basin and the wet towel on the side table. She looked at Jeva. Now, she confirmed that her friend's husband really took care of her friend.
She smiled inwardly and silently hope that whatever happened to Shylane won't happened to Jeva. Kasi kapag nangyari yun, baka sa pagkakataong ito makakapatay na talaga siya.
"You changed her clothes." - she pointed out. Champ looked away. Namumula ang tenga ng lalaki.
Mari bit her lips to suppress herself from laughing.
"Good that you're not that irresponsible." - her voice sounds bitter. If it is about a husband and wife she'll always remember what kind of hell Shylane experienced.
"She's still my wife." - Champ.
Her eyes saddened and looked at Champ straight to his eyes. "Please take care of her and don't hurt her Vladimir. I don't want to bring out the devil in me." - she pleaded.
She looks back at Jeva, caressing her friend's hair. "What happened to Shylane was already too much. I can't handle if I'll have another friend who'll experience being maltreated and such during her marriage life."
Champ was really puzzled about what really happened to Shylane and Pietro. No one dares to tell him about it. His wife and her friends about Shylane being maltreated while Pietro also said that his wife was a whore. Everything is so confusing for him. But he chose not to ask.
"I assure you that I won't hurt her and I can't hurt my wife. She's important to me." - he confessed.
Mari let out a mocking chuckle. "Funny because that was also what Pietro said to us when they secretly married. Shylane's parents were against Pietro since then. Pero dahil tanga ang kaibigan ko kaya, ayon." - she gave him a sad smile.
"Kaya, ikaw, Vladimir. Take good care of her if you don't want us to take her away from you." - she warned her.
Naalerto naman ang buong pagkatao ni Champ. He noted in his mind what she just said to him. He can't let them take his wife away from him. He must really take good care of her. And now, she's convinced. His wife and her friends knew where Shylane was.
"Anyways, dumeretso pala ako dito na walang dala. I'll go out first. I'll buy fruits." - tumayo si Mari at dere-diretsong lumabas ng kwarto.
"Wait!" - Mari stopped as he called her. Napakamot siya sa kanyang batok.
"Ahm. Do you know how to cook soup?" - nahihiyang tanong nya sa kaibigan ng asawa.
"Oh, dear. Sorry to tell you but we both sucks at cooking." - she gave him a flying kiss before storming out.
Napabuntong hininga nalang si Champ. Now, what should he do? His friends Jaxxon and Jeron don't know how to cook too.
"Call Chef Alvin he can help!" - sigaw ni Mari bago tuluyang lumabas.
Right! How could he forget about Alvin? He immediately called him. Alvin offers to cook and he will just deliver the food.
Not so long, Alvin arrived with his wife.
"Here." Inabot ni Alvin ang isang lalagyan sa kanya.
"Thanks, bud." - he said as he accepted it.
"You should learn how to cook." - Alvin jokes.
"I think I really should." - he said while chuckling.
"Jeva's specialty are pasta dishes but she also sucks in cooking viand. Except her favorite, fried chicken." - natatawang sabi ni Alvin.
Napayuko siya. He didn't know about that. Ang dami niya talagang hindi alam tungkol sa asawa niya. At ang mas nakakainis pa ay malalaman niya ang mga ito sa mga kaibigan ng asawa niya.
"Anyway, we'll now go. Me and my wife will have a date." - Paalam nito sa kanya and Alvin's wife just smiled as he nodded at them.
Nang makaalis na ang dalawa ay agad na pumunta sa kusina at inilipat ang soup a bowl. He placed it on a tray with stand together with a glass of water and medicine.
He immediately went back to Jeva's room.
He gently tapped her face. "Sweetheart, wake up." - Jeva muffled in answer.
"Sweetheart, wake up. You must eat." - Jeva muffled again but this time she tried to curl up.
Champ helped her to sit on the bed. Jeva's head is spinning. Sobrang bigat ng ulo niya at sinapo niya ito.
Pumupugay-pugay ang mata niya na tumingin sa asawa niya. Who's busy preparing her food.
"Why are you here?" - she asked him. Her voice is very weak.
Champ looked at her and placed the tray with the stand in front of her. She's between it.
"Why shouldn't I be here?" - he raised his brow at her.
"Schedule mo ngayon sa opisina." - Jeva.
"The company will still work even if I'm not there." - he said seriously.
"But--"
"No buts, sweetheart. I'm here because my wife is sick. Don't you dare think about anything else. Just think of getting better." - Champ said as he got the basin and put it in the lavatory between their rooms.
"Eat, Jeva Leyn." - he ordered her sternly.
She smiled inwardly. This is one of the reasons why she fell in love with her husband. You may think he doesn't care but whenever she needs him, he's there. Whenever she's tired, he is there to lighten up her mood.
Whenever she's busy studying and unable to eat dinner, Champ is there to give her something to drink and something to eat.
Jeva grabbed the spoon but her hand was weak and shaking kaya nabitiwan niya ito. She pouted. Now, how can I eat?
Champ saw Jeva's long face when she accidentally dropped the spoon because her hand was weak. Mabilis siyang lumapit dito at umupo sa gilid ng kama. Nagtatakang tumingin sa kanya si Jeva ng bigla niyang kunin ang kutsara.
He took a spoonful of soup and placed it in front of Jeva's mouth. "Say ahh."
Jeva didn't open her mouth. She just looked at him awkwardly. She isn't used to being fed.
"What?" - takang tanong ni Champ sa nakatangang si Jeva. "Open your mouth."
"I, I -- can handle." - at mabilis na inagaw sa lalaki ang kutsara pero dahil nanghihina ang kanyang ay agad din niya itong nabitawan.
Champ tsks. "Don't force yourself, and don't be stubborn. Let me feed you."
She sighed and let the man feed her. She looked at him intently while he was feeding her. She secretly smiled. How lucky she is, being fed by the most famous actor, the primetime king to be exact.
Champ caught her smiling. "Hindi ko alam masaya palang magkasakit." - he said sarcastically.
She choked.
"Tsk!" - he handed her the glass of water. "Drink." - si Champ pa rin ang nakahawak sa baso na ininuman niya. The guy wouldn't let her hold the glass because she might drop it.
"Do you want to go to the hospital?" - Champ asked her the moment she finished eating.
She immediately shook her head. "No. Dahil lang ito sa stress at kulang lang ako sa pahinga."
Champ rolled his eyes. "You should stop your part-time work."
Her eyes widened. "No!" - she disagreed.
"You said, you got sick because you were stressed and lacked rest. You can't stop stressing yourself if you are still doing your part-time job. And you can't have enough rest. You are still studying to become an OB Gyn, that itself is giving you too much stress. Wag mo ng dagdagan." - there's finality in his voice.
Tears formed in Jeva's eyes. She doesn't want to stop her part-time jobs. Those things are her escape. It's her stress-reliever.
"But--"
"No." - Champ cuts her. "You will not do the part-time jobs anymore. I'll tell you friend Kyza and Alv---"
"No, please." - She held Champ's arms and pleaded to him. A tear fell from her eyes.
Champ cupped her face and wiped her tears. "It's best for you."
"But, I love what I am doing." - giit ni Jeva.
Bumuga ng hangin si Champ. "You may love what you were doing but you did not mind you own health." -inis na saad nya sa babae.
"Ngayon lang naman nangyari to eh." -giit pa rin niya. She doesn't want to stop.
"No, Jeva Leyn." - pagmamatigas ng lalaki.
"Here." - inabot ni Champ sa kanya ang gamot.
Kumunot ang noo ni Jeva. "Do you want me to be healed? Or do you want me to die?"
Champ's forehead creased. "I want you to be healed, of course. What were you thinking? Now, drink these meds."
Ngumiwi si Jeva. "You'll be killing me."
"What?" - Champ looked confusedly at her.
"Maooverdose ako sa ginagawa mo eh." - Champ is giving her varieties of medicines and all of them are for fever. Nakangiwing tumingin si Jeva sa mga gamot na nasa palad nito at agad na inilipat ang tingin sa lalaki na para bang walang kaalam-alam sa ginagawa niya.
Jeva shook her head in disbelief. Sumasakit ang ulo niya sa lalaki. Una, he wanted her to stop her part time jobs, and now he is giving varieties of medicines for fever.
Ngayon, hindi niya alam kung paano napapagalaw ng lalaki ang company na wala itong kaalam-alam sa mga medisina.
She tsks and takes medicine. She threw it inside her mouth and drank water afterwards.
"I don't know how you could run the company when you knew nothing about the medicines." - she told him honestly.
"I manage the people who work for the company not the products." - walang ganang sabi ng lalaki.
"Your company will be more successful if you know the things run inside. Specially, your products." - she's a registered pharmacist, so she knew about drugs and it would be safer to know if the products were really safe and effective or not.
"Quit your job and I'll let you handle the company." - parang laruan lang kung ituring ni Champ ang kompanyang ipinamana sa kanya ng kanya lolo at lola.
"It's your company."
"OUR company now, sweetheart." - Jeva stilled. Ilang beses na ba siyang tinatawag ng sweetheart ng lalaki? At hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin siya sanay.
And yes, it is THEIR company. Mrs. Valene Kim and her husband Mr. ZK give them the ZK Pharmaceutical Company after their marriage.
"But, your people don't know about us. I mean, our wedding."
"That'll not be a problem." - he stated to her the plan.
Champ can introduce Jeva as one of the Major stakeholder of the company which is true. Champ and Jeva hold the 60% share of the company. But on the papers, it was half-half. 30% for Jeva 30% for Champ.
Jeva doesn't know about this. Champ made it secretly. He wanted his wife's name on the other half of their share.
Napanganga naman si Jeva sa nalaman. "Why did you do that?"
Champ just shrugged. He also doesn't know why he did that so he can't give her an explanation.
Jeva stood up after Champ removed the tray on her. She still felt giddy but she suddenly felt that she wanted to pee.
She loses her balance but good thing Champ is there to catch her before she could kiss the floor.
"Jesus! BAKIT KA BA TUMAYO?!" - inis na may halong pag-aalalang sigaw ni Champ. Gusto niyang sabunutan ang sarili.
Paano kung natumba ang asawa niya at nabagok ang utak tapos nakalimutan siya? Geez! Kinilabutan siya sa kanyang iniisip.
"I wanted to pee. Ano bang gusto mo? Iihi ako sa kama?" - mataray na saad ni Jeva.
Sa lahat ng may sakit ito lang ang may ganang magtaray.
"You could've at least told me!"
"Bakit mo ba ako sinisigawan?! Hindi ko sinabi sayo dahil akala ko kaya ko hindi naman kasi ako lumpo. At hindi ko rin alam na nanghihina pa pala ang mga tuhod ko!" - tears starting to formed in her eyes again. This is why she doesn't like it whenever she is sick. Nagiging emotional siya.
Champ's face softened. He carried Jeva like a newly wedded couple.
Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Jeva. "W-what are you doing?"
Hindi siya pinansin ni Champ at tuloy-tuloy na dinala sa sa bathroom at pinaupo sa toilet bowl malapit sa may shower.
Namula ang mukha ni Jeva.
"Call me when you are done."
Jeva bit her lips while nodding while Champ's looked away. He finds her so sexy, biting her lips. If he'll not look away he might forget that she is sick and he might kiss her.
Lumabas si Champ sa bathroom. He leaned his back on the wall waiting for his wife to call him.
But, Jeva is still JEVA. She was born stubborn. She didn't call Champ inside; she walked out from the bathroom at naglakad na parang lasing.
"JEVA LEYN, I TOLD YOU TO CALL ME WHEN YOU'RE DONE!" - he scolded her. He is now facing her back.
Jeva raised her right hand giving him a sign that she's fine. Patuloy parin syang naglalakad na parang lasing pabalik sa kama niya.
Fuck! She cursed in her head. Everything is spinning.
Before she could reach her bed she already lost her consciousness.
"The fuck! Leyn!" - Champ hurriedly ran towards her.
Mabilis niya binuhat ang babae. "This is really not good. I'm taking you to the hospital."
Champ was about to get her out of her room when the door suddenly opened.
"I'M BAAA--- WHAT THE HECK?!" - it was Mari who came back from buying fruits.
Hindi pinansin ni Champ ang kaibigan nito. He immediately take her out.
"GRAB SOME OF HER CLOTHES!!" - bilin ng lalaki kay Mari. "I'M TAKING HER TO THE HOSPITAL!"
Agad naman tumalima si Mari. She took plenty of her friend's clothes na akala mo'y lilipat ng bahay sa dami ng damit na kinuha niya.
Agad naman siyang sumunod palabas. Only to realize that Champ already left her.
"What the heck, Vladimir?!" - she hissed. "Tarantadong yun, ah? Sobrang alalang-alala sa asawa nakalimutan ako na magdadala ng damit ng asawa niya."
Hinila niya ang maleta palabas, yes MALETA ang pinaglagyan niya ng damit ng kaibigan. She already locked the doors, for sure may dalang susi si Vladimir.
"Aaaarrgghh!!" - Mari shouted in frustration.
"SASAPAKIN KO TALAGA ANG LALAKING YUN!" - inis na sigaw niya habang hila-hila ang maleta.
"BAKIT BA PALAGI NA LANG AKONG INIIWAN?!" - naiiyak na sigaw niya.
Habang hila-hila ang maleta ay nakasalubong niya si Lander.
Magkapit-bahay pala ang mga ito. Kaya hindi nalaman ni Lander ang tungkol sa kay Jeva at Champ ay dahil minsan lang siyang umuuwi.
"Hoy! Saan ka lalayas?" - tanong ni Jean Lander sa kanya.
"Buti sana kung lalayas nga talaga ako, no? Pero hindi, eh! Iniwan ako ng kulugong umutos sakin na dalhin to." - she pointed the suitcase.
"Who?"
"Vladimir."
Jean exaggeratingly gasped. "Are you too--"
"Hooyy!! Over my dead body, NO!"
"Mukha ka ngang patay na bumangon sa libingan dahil sa itsura mo." - Jean teased her.
"Punyeta ka! Style ito! Vintage style nabuhay ka kasi noong 1775 kaya hindi mo alam ang style na ito." - para talaga wala sa sarili kung magsalita itong si Mari kaya naman natawa naman sa kanya si Jean
"Mabuti pa ihatid nalang kita. Where are you going?" - Jean asked.
"Hospital." - she plainly said.
"Who's in the hospital?"
"Jeva. Nilalagnat ang gaga tapos biglang hinimatay." - she informed Jean.
"Okay. Wait here." - mabilis na kinuha ni Jean ang kanyang sasakyan.
He grabbed the suitcase and threw it in the trunk and immediately got into the driver seat.
Nakita ni Jean na nakatayo pa sa labas si Mari. Binaba niya ang bintana sa passenger seat and shouted at her.
"Hoy! Get in. Ano pang hinihintay mo? Ang pagbuksan kita? Hoy! Hindi kita girlfrie---"
"Punyeta ka talaga!" - Mari immediately get in at pabagsak na isinara ang pinto.
"Where to?" - Mari suddenly remembered that she didn't know where Champ brought her friend.
Fudge! Natatarantang tinawagan niya ang cellphone ni Jeva umaasang dala ito ni Champ.
Few rings later, someone answered the phone.
"Hello." - it was a voice of a man. It was Champ. Uminit ang ulo ni Mari sa ginawang pag iwan nito sa kanya.
"Hoy! Walang hiyang lalaki ka, ano ba sa tingin mo ang iniisip mo at iniwan mo ako sa bahay niyo?!" - she scolded him. Hindi man lang niya inalala na hindi pala sila close ng lalaki.
"I'm sorry, I panicked." - Champ said honestly. Totoo naman kasing nagpanic siya at nakalimutan niya ang kaibigan ng asawa.
"Whatever, damuho ka! Saan mo dinala si Jeva?!"
"Right! We're here at Romero's hospital."
She tsked and ended the call wala syang pakialam kung magmukha siyang walang galang sa paningin ng asawa ng kaibigan niya.
"So?" -napalingon siya sa nagsasalita. Yeah, right! Hindi pa pala sila umaalis.
"To Romero's Hospital." - she said casually but deep inside it was so awkward being alone with the man who courted her.