Elite Wars

Chapter 25

SANDRINE

"Ladies and gentlemen, Qatar Airways welcomes you to LAX. The local time is 8:54 pm. For your safety and the safety of those around you, please remain seated with your seat belt fastened and keep the aisle clear until we are parked at the gate." I let out a sigh of relief when I heard that I finally landed in Los Angeles. I've always been uncomfortable being inside a plane, let alone a 16-hour flight from Doha to LA. Mas lalong nadagdagan ang takot ko sa pag-sakay noong ikinasal kami ni Gustave. His parents died in a plane crash so we never, ever take the same flight. He said he didn't want Ansel to experience losing both his parents like that.I'll be staying here for four days and three nights because of an estate bidding. I'll be gone for almost a week if you include the flights. Susubukan kasi ng Salguero Tropics na mag expand sa kabilang panig ng mundo. Bilyon kung hindi Trilyon ang kailangang bunuin ng kumpanya, sa pag papagawa palang ng powerplant. Isa ito sa mga proyekto ni Gustave para sa mga susunod na taon.

Kailangan naming maka secure ng lupain at hindi ito mapuntahan ni Gustave dahil abala siya sa kasalukuyan niyang proyekto. Nagulat pa nga siya nang mag-prisinta ako na ako nalang ang pupunta. Besides, all of his brothers are busy and I don't trust Enrique with this matter. I also didn't like the idea of Gustave coming back to the states, LA is too close to DC. Last I heard, she's working at the office of the President.

When I got outside, a black Mercedes was already waiting for me. Alfred, Abuelo's butler is waiting for me with a sign. Mabilis ko siyang nakita dahil doon.

"Madame Sandrine, welcome back to Los Angeles." He said with a smile. Napansin ko ang mga kulubot sa mukha niya na mas lalong naging halata.

Alfred, a white man, was 67 years old when I last saw him. That was three years ago. Abuelo found him long before I or Gustave is probably born. He helped him and asked him if he wanted to work for Abuelo and the rest is history. He's probably the longest servant the Salguero Family has. Ilang beses na siyang pinag-reretire ni Abuelo pero gusto niya pa ding mag-silbi.

"Alfred! So nice to see you, I'm glad to be back." Alfred opened the door to the back seat and I came in. He got my luggage and tossed it inside the trunk before sitting in the front seat, beside the driver.

We then proceeded to a forty-five-minute drive to Hidden Hills if the traffic behaves. Gustave and I bought a twenty-million-dollar mansion in the neighborhood the first year of our marriage. Abuelo on the other hand has a vintage mansion in Beverly Hills where Alfred is staying. Our home here is empty, besides the caretakers that occasionally clean the place.

Nag-ring ang cellphone ko ilang minuto palang ang nakakaraan. Sinagot ko iyon nang makitang si Gustave ang tumatawag.

"Hey."

"Hey, how's your flight? Nasaan ka na ngayon?" Sunod sunod na tanong niya.

"The flight was okay. I'm so jet-lagged though. Gutom na ako." Reklamo ko.

"I miss you. You should've told me you're going there. I should've come with you." Bumuntong hininga siya.

Hindi ko kasi sinabi sa kanya na aalis ako. Sinabi ko lang noong nakapag book na si Jane ng flight at naka empake na ang maleta ko. Muntik pa kaming mag-away dahil gusto niyang mag book ng flight para sumama. Ang sabi ko, wag na. Mas kailangan kasi siya sa Bulacan. Hindi naman pwedeng ako ang makipag kita sa governor. Hindi ko naman siya kilala.