FORBIDDEN SERIES 2: THE PRESIDENT'S SECRET (VIP STORY)

Sample Chapter: Kabanata 4

Kabanata 4

ILANG linggo nang hindi nagpaparamdam si Danrick magmula nang umalis ito sa hotel. Alam ni Rafaela na busy ito bilang pangulo ngunit may kung ano sa loob niyang nagsasabing hindi dahil sa tungkulin kaya wala itong paramdam sa kanya.

"Ma'am, ano ba eyong krem pie? Etong boypren ko kase gostu daw ng krem pie," agaw ni Belen sa malalim na pag-iisip ni Rafaela. 

She inhaled a sharp breath before she lifted a brow at the maid. "Creampie? R18 'yon, Belen. Sabihin mo diyan sa boyfriend mong hilaw, huwag kang hingian ng creampie kung hindi siya siguradong pakakasalan ka niya at bibigyan ng green card." Inirapan niya ang katulong. "Palunukin ko pa 'yan ng takong."

Nagkamot ng ulo si Belen. "Ma'am, magshapeng ka na," udyok nito nang akmang iinom siya ng tsaa.

"At bakit? Ayaw mo bang pagsilbihan ako at pinalalayas mo ko kaagad?" mataray niyang tanong.

"Ay hendi, Ma'am. Maenit kasi ang olo mo kaya sabe ko magshapeng ka na."

She rolled her eyes. "Hindi magagamot ng shopping ang kinaiinit ng ulo ko ngayon, Belen."

"Baket, Ma'am? Panget na naman ba ang korsunada ni Ser?"

Rafaela massaged her temple. "Chismosa ka talaga." She sighed. "Hindi ko pa nakikita kung sinong bagong babae ni Geisler but I'm getting stressed out dahil sa mga naiisip ko." She turned to Belen who's her lowkey friend without her realizing it. "Do you think I'm crazy?"

Napakurap ang katulong. "Ay . . ." Kumunot ang noo nito. "Midyo may sayad, Ma'am. Lagi ka may mod sweng."

Kumulo yata ang dugo ni Rafaela kaya lang ay naalala niyang nagtanong nga pala siya rito. Belen answers when asked. She doesn't analyze the question anymore. Bakit ba hindi na siya nasanay rito?

"Whatever," she hissed before she sipped on her coffee. 

"Ma'am, nagbeli si Ser ng Gu-see para sa kabet niya. Ekaw, Ma'am hendi ka na benilihan?"

Napapikit si Rafaela. "I know that. I've seen the receipt." 

Pinaalis muna niya si Belen sa gazebo bago na naman ito mangulit. Mainit pa naman ang ulo niya dahil bukod sa tinitipid na talaga siya ni Geisler ngayon, malakas din ang kutob niyang pinagtutulungan siya nina Geisler at Danrick. Now she needs to think of a way to make both of them feel her wrath. 

Rafaela tapped her fingers on the table while thinking. Maya-maya ay natanaw niya ang paparating na si Geisler. 

"Hi hon," bati nito na animo'y hindi siya pinagbalakang baliktarin sa harap ng ibang tao.

Kinalma ni Rafaela ang sarili saka ito binigyan ng pekeng ngiti. "Hi. Ang aga mo?" tanong niya bago bumeso sa lintik niyang asawa na wala na ngang binatbat sa kwarto, nagagawa pa siyang lokohin.

"I need to pack up my bags. May out-of-town ako, remember? I told you yesterday."

Muntik nang tumaas ang kilay ni Rafaela. No, they did not. Isa na naman ba ito sa mga pakulo ni Geisler para bilugin ang ulo niya at isipin niyang may problema siya sa pag-iisip? Did Danrick tell him to do this to her?

Imbes na kumprontahin ito ay ngumiti siya't sinakyan ang trip ni Geisler. "Sorry, I must've forgot. Anyway." She caressed Geisler's shoulders. "Can I go to Singapore for my new bags? CEO ka naman na. You have more money to spare to your bored why . . . right?"

Bumuntonghininga ito bago inalis ang mga kamay niya sa magkabila nitong braso. "I'm sorry but I can't let you spend that much on useless stuff."

Rafaela's blood boiled. "Useless stuff?" She scoffed. "You're calling my bags useless stuff but you just purchased a fucking Gucci bag for your mistress?!" Dinuro niya ito. "This is not what I signed up for! I married you for a very specific reason even when I fucking hate everything about you!"

Napadaing siya nang hawakan siya nito sa braso nang mahigpit. Madilim din ang ekspresyong nakaguhit sa mga mata nito habang pinipiga ang kanyang braso. "Watch your fucking mouth, Rafa. Nauubos na ang pasensya ko sa'yo. If only you don't make a good plus one in every photo, matagal na kitang ibinalik sa probinsya kung saan ka nababagay."

Rafaela winced when Geisler tightened his hold on her arm. Maya-maya ay padabog siya nitong binitiwan. Belen saw how she fell on the ground because of what Geisler did. Nag-aalala siya nitong nilapitan at pilit na tinulungang makatindig. 

Belen cursed in her native language. Tila gigil na gigil kay Geisler dahil sa ginawa. Pigil naman ni Rafaela ang pag-iyak kaya nang hindi niya na kinaya ay pumasok siya sa loob at dumiretso sa powder room.

Rafae slammed the door and locked it before she rested her palms on the sink counter. Ni minsan hindi siya nakaranas ng pananakit mula sa sarili niyang ama ngunit palagi siyang nasasaktan ng mommy niya kapag wala ang kanilang ama. 

What Geisler did reminded her of the painful childhood she's been trying to forget. Kaya nang pumasok sa isip niya ang itsura ng mommy niya na sinusungalngal ng pagkain ang bibig niya dahil matakaw daw siya, naitakip na lamang ni Rafaela ang kanyang palad sa kanyang bibig kasabay ng pagpatak ng kanyang mga luha.

She promised herself that she will never cry again. Na walang makatatapak sa kanya dahil sisiguraduhin niyang masyado na siyang maganda at sexy para alipustahin pa at maltratuhin, pero bakit ganito? How could Geisler hurt her?

Nasa kalagitnaan siya ng paghikbi nang tumunog ang kanyang cellphone dahil sa tawag ng taong hindi niya inaasahang magpaparamdam pa. She hesitated to answer his call at first but still ended up pressing the green icon. 

"What do you want?" mataray niyang bungad kay Danrick nang maitago niya ang pag-iyak niya. 

She heard a sigh from the other line. "Which bag do you want?"

Napakurap si Rafaela. "What?"

"Geisler called me. He said you were throwing a tantrum because of a bag. Which one?"

She sniffed. "Why do you care?"

"Because I'd fucking buy you a whole damn store if that'll pacify you. Now stop crying and tell me which bag do you want and I'll send someone to Singapore to buy it for you before I throw a punch on your husband's face." He sighed. "I swear I cannot take him anymore."

Nagpunas siya ng luha. "What are you trying to do, huh? I heard you when you left the hotel. You were looking for a psychiatrist. Alam mo, kung pinagpaplanuhan ninyong magpinsan na palabasing baliw ako, I'm sorry but I'm not dumb enough to fall for your traps--"

"The psychiatrist isn't for you, Ela. I'm not playing tricks on you," putol nito sa sinasabi niya.

"Oh, really?" Tumaas ang kilay niya. "At para kanino ang psychiatrist? Sa pinsan mong hunghang?"

She swears she could imagine him smirking right now. "It's for me . . . because the other half of me thinks I'm crazy enough to desire my cousin's wife." She heard a faint chuckle. "Now if it's not too obvious yet, I fucking want you for myself so tell me which goddamn bag does the high and mighty Rafaela Santi Vlanco want, hmm?"

Her heart pounced. "S-Stop it."

"Stop what?" he asked in a teasing manner.

Nilunok niya ang sarili niyang laway, umaasang sasapat iyon upang mapawi ang pagwawala ng kanyang puso. "Spoiling me like a sugar baby."

He scoffed. "Why? Don't wanna be pampered like a baby? I can give you anything you wish for, Ela. You will never have to beg for it."

She shut her eyes and drew in a sharp breath. "Whatever game you're playing, I'm sorry but I'm not buying it."

Bumuntonghininga ito. "Geisler won't buy you anything you want ever again. He will never be able to sate you in bed because he's a lame motherfucker. I can spoil you, give you everything you want, and leave you breathless every damn night. Everything your stupid husband can't do, I can. Willingly, because I'm so done holding myself back." 

Sandaling kinagat ni Rafaela ang ibaba niyang labi bago siya humugot ng matalim na hininga. "What's in it for you then, huh?"

"Nothing that I know you cannot do." She imagined him smirking right now.  "All you gotta do is be part of my biggest secret . . ."