MISTRESS SERIES: UNRESTRICTED DESIRE

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO

ROWENA'S POV

"Where's Raffi?" tanong ko sa mga staffs ko pero iling lang ang tanging tugon nila sa akin.

Nagsisimula na ang party ni Gabino pero hindi ko pa nakikita si Rafaela and also Fernando. At alam kong excited din siya sa araw na ito para sa anak namin ni Gabriel.

Speaking of which, natanaw ko naman si Gabriel, he looks stressed out.

What's wrong with him?

Humakbang ako papalapit sa kaniya pero bago pa man ako makarating sa gawi niya ay siya namang sulpot ni Avianna sa harapan ko. Tinignan ko siya at ngumiti.

"Rafaela already went home with Fernando last night." At may inabot siyang sobre, napakunot-noo ako pero kinuha ko rin ito sa pagkakahawak niya. And I immediately open it.

"Cancellation?" tanging nabanggit ko lang.

Rafaela is cancelling our contract, and she's willing to be held liable sa kung ano mang damages.

Ano ito?

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AVIANNA'S POV

"Shit," bulalas ni Gabriel nang sampalin ko siya.

Kausap ko si Rowena kanina nang mapansin kong umalis sila ni Primo sa party that's why I followed them. . . here in the library. At sinampal ko kaagad si Gabriel nang magkaroon ako ng pagkakataon. Nagulat siya sa ginawa ko, I know, even my husband too.

"What is that for, Avi?" tanong niya.

Tumawa naman ako. What an asshole! Pretending to be a good man but he's not!

"For using Rafaela and hurting your wife!" and I've said it. Napansin ko ang paglipat ng tingin niya kay Primo na nasa tabi ko.

"You have told her, Prim?" tanong niya na ikinailing lang ng asawa ko.

"Rafaela told her everything." Napataas kilay ako nang dumako ang tingin niya ulit sa akin. At napaupo na lamang sa upuang naroroon habang nakatayo pa rin kami ni Primo at nakatingin lang din sa kaniya, waiting to say more.

"That woman. . . where is she?" tanging naging tanong niya lang.

"In a place far away from you!" singhal ko sa kaniya. Naramdaman ko naman ang paghawak ng marahan ni Primo sa akin.

"That's enough, Avi." Napatingin naman ako kay Primo.

"What?" bulalas kong tugon sa asawa kong kunsintidor.

Kung akala niyang tapos na ang pag-uusap namin kaninang madaling araw ay hindi iyon sapat para hindi ako magsalita tungkol sa bagay na ito ulit and not to talk to Gabriel about this. It concerns woman like me, and to spice it up, the two of them are both my good friends. Ano akala ni Primo, I will just sit back there and keep my mouth shut and only keep my eyes wide open at panoorin ang pagkasira ng buhay ng mga kaibigan ko because of his good for nothing cousin. . . well, he thought wrong!

"I maybe using Raffi for my sexual needs but. . . I am not hurting Rowena, she is my wife-" Hindi natapos ni Gabriel ang sinasabi niya dahil sinampal ko siya ulit.

"What did you just said? Gago ka pala eh! Mabuti na lang inilayo na ni Fernando si Rafaela sa'yo! Wala kang kwenta. And did I hear it right, you are not hurting your wife? Gago ka nga talaga!" Huminga muna ako saglit dahil nanggigigil na ako kay Gabriel kung hindi lang ako hinahawakan ni Primo kanina ko pa siya binugbog. Tinignan ko siya with raging madness and anger.

"Sa palagay mo talaga hindi mo sinasaktan si Rowena sa ginagawa mong panggagago behind her back with her trusted friend. Oh com'on Gabriel, alangan namang matuwa siya! Hindi niya pa nga alam, sinasaktan mo na siya eh, you being cold to her. Fixed yourself, dude. Ayusin mo pag-iisip mo, because you being cold to your wife is giving Rafaela false hope na gusto mo rin siya and you are willing to give up everything just to be with her!" And after saying those things to him, pwersahan akong umalis sa pagkakahawak ni Primo at masama siyang sinulyapan bago ako nanggagalaiting lumabas ng library.

Pero bago ko pa man maisarado ang pinto ay narinig ko pa ang sinabi ni Primo.

"Fuck, Gab! She's gone wild. Pati sa akin galit na siya, ang hirap pa namang paamuhin ni Avi. Shit, dinamay mo ako rito." Napa-tsk na lamang ako.

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THIRD PERSON'S POV

Meanwhile, habang naglalabas ng sama ng loob si Avianna sa pinsan ng kaniyang asawa tungkol sa kaniyang nalaman kagabi ay siya namang pagkausap ng malapit na kaibigan ni Rowena sa kaniya.

"What is this, Jasmine?" hindi makapaniwalang sambit ni Rowena habang tinitignan ang laman ng envelope na iniabot sa kaniya ng kaniyang kaibigan.

"Don't be a fool, Rowena. It is already clear from those photos, your husband and Rafaela Santiago are having an affair. . ." bulalas nito na nagpatulo lamang ng luha sa mata ni Rowena.

Those are photos of Gabriel and Rafaela taken from the other night in the tree house.

Napailing lang si Rowena at iniabot pabalik kay Jasmine ang envelope.

"They are just talking, Jas, walang masama roon. Rafaela is my friend and Gabriel is my loving husband, 11 years na kaming mag-asawa and he is always being loyal to me. And we have a son," mahinang sambit ni Rowena.

Napaismid naman ang kaibigan nito sa kaniya. Hindi niya akalaing sobra pa sa tanga si Rowena, 'cause she is a total blind eye to see the thruth that is already in front of her.

"He can always just support you but he already cheats on you. That made loyalty is far different from being faithful, Rowena. Alam mo iyan. And do you think he will stay with you because of baby Gabino? Well, sana naisip niya na iyan bago siya nakipagrelasyon sa iba." At hindi na nakayanan ni Rowena, she burst out crying her heart out. . . she's in a total mess right now. Her mind is saying it's just a casual talk of her friend and husband but her heart is saying otherwise that makes it heartbreaking for her.

Napabuntonghininga naman si Jasmine bago muling magsalita, to make her best friend believes that something is really not right, na niloloko na siya ng asawa niya. She's making her realize that not every long relationship lasts forever. And it's not an assurance that having a child -real or adopted will save their marriage.

"Talking while your husband is half naked and to also see that he even hug and kiss your dearest trusted friend. . . it is not just a casual talk, Rowena," dagdag pa nito. Jasmine is really determine to create a big fire to make Rowena burn in so much madness against her husband and trusted friend, that is why she's adding more fuel into it.

Para ng mababaliw si Rowena sa mga naiisip at naririnig. . . she's gradually breaking into pieces but still can't cope it up.

Napatingin siya kay Jasmine.

"W-why are you doing this, Jas? Alam kong ayaw mo kay Raffi but she's a good-" nauutal niyang tanong habang umiiling pero sarkastikong natawa lang si Jasmine at pinutol kaagad ang mga sasabihin pa sana ni Rowena.

"Because you are my friend, Rowena! And what do you think I would do when I witness with my very own eyes that your husband is cheating on you? I would just sit back and relax, and watch you be a stupid fool trusting those people who are already hurting you! Wake up, Rowena, you are better than this!" Hindi na napigil ang gigil sa boses ni Jasmine dahil siya mismo nahihirapan din.  She's just being a good friend yet she got the most difficult part in this story. Nagmumukha siyang kontrabida that will pull the trigger anytime for the death-bed of Rowena's marriage. A villain that will destroy her friend's happily ever after.

Minsan nagtatanong siya sa Diyos kung bakit sa lahat nang makakakita ng bagay na iyon ay siya pa talaga, kung hindi lang sana siya sumama sa mga kasamahang nagyayang umikot sa gubat that night, hindi niya sana nasaksihan ang kasumpang-sumpang pangyayari na iyon pero wala eh, nangyari na ang mga nangyari. And she will do everything for her best friend's sake.

"And what should I do, Jas?" tanging naitanong na lamang ni Rowena sa kaniya.

"Be the Rowena Mondragon that I used to know."