Adoring July

PROLOGUE

ADORING JULY

"Rocco Miguel! How dare you ruin my happy time. Rocco!" Kumawala ako sa mahigpit na hawak ng tauhan ng magaling kong asawa. That jerk forcefully took me out of the club where I was holding the grandest party of a friend. "You! I will make sure to fire you from this job." Dinuro-duro ko ang assistant ni Rocco bago galit na tunguhin ang study room.

Hinubad ko ang aking stiletto upang ibato sa pintuan. "Lumabas ka riyan at harapin mo 'ko!" Nanggagalaiti ako sa galit, galit na may kasamang epekto ng whiskey na ininom ko kanina. "Face your wife, bastard..."

"Kumalma ka muna, hija. Uminom ka muna ng tubig." Kinabig ako ni Yaya Sol upang paupuhin sa silya. "Kausapin mo nang mahinahon ang asawa mo. Hindi ba kayo nagsasawa sa palaging bangayan?"

Nilagok ko ang tubig at hinawakan ang baso nang mahigpit kulang na lamang ay mabasag iyon. "My life became a mess when he accepted Daddy's proposal to marry me, Yaya. Asawa? We never sleep together, Yaya. Mag-asawa lang kami sa papel. There were no romantic feelings involved in this marriage."

Yaya knew it from the start. Nakatira kami sa iisang bubong ngunit kahit kailan ay hindi kami nagtabi. I hate his guts and loyalty to Daddy. I was barred from doing what I used to ever since he came.

Walang katok-katok akong pumasok sa study niya at naabutan itong kalmado kahit batid nito ang sanhi ng galit ko. "Why did you do that?! You humiliated me in front of my guys! Are you feeling entitled because you married the heir of Consunji Motors? How dare you!"

Tinigil nito ang ginagawa, niluwagan ang kaniyang kurbata at saka tinanggal ang salamin. "I prevented the worst-case scenario," sambit nito kasabay ng pagtiklop sa laylayan ng shirt na suot. "I'm cleaning after your mess, July." He grabbed and opened the small envelope beside him. "Be thankful instead of calling me a bastard." Hinagis nito ang laman niyon na nagkalat sa sahig.

Naningkit ang aking mata hindi lamang sa namutawi sa bibig nito kundi pati sa nakita. Nakagat ko ang labi at namilog ang mga kamao.

"If you do not want me to interfere then try harder not to get caught having an affair." Lumapit siya sa akin upang damputin ang litrato kung saan makikitang nakikipaghalikan ako sa isang lalaki. "Making out with guys? I won't care. But if it could affect you from getting the managing rights of the company, it's a different story." He ripped the photo while looking straight at me.

"I hate you."

Tumawa ito sa sinabi ko kapagkuwan ay pumalakpak pa. "Hate me all you want, July." Tinapik pa nito ang aking balikat. "Having your father's name doesn't give you the right to tarnish his reputation. Maraming matang nakapaligid sa iyo at naghihintay sa pagkakamali mo. Hindi ako magdadalawang isip na ikulong ka sa pamamahay na 'to kung kinakailangan."

Nalasahan ko ang dugo sa labi ko sa sobrang pagkagat ko roon. Galit ako ngunit hindi ko magawang saktan siya dahil alam kong tama lahat ng sinabi nito. Nanlilisik na tingin lang ang kaya kong ibigay sa kaniya bago ko siya lisanin.

Tears came out in a rush when I closed the door of my room. Nasaktan ako dahil wala lang rito ang pakikipaghalikan ko sa iba. I hate him because he doesn't see me as a woman. Yes... I learned how to love him even though he doesn't feel the same way.

We have been married for almost a year now. Of course, I want this marriage to work, but Rocco made it so clear that he is just doing this to return the favor he got from Daddy and the company.

My phone beeps only to see his message. "Wear your best for tomorrow's annual general meeting." I threw the damn phone and tears a bucket.

I know how important that event is for me to get acknowledged by the shareholders coming from other countries. Rocco needs me there to win them and their votes if the time comes. But I say otherwise, hindi niya makikita roon maski ang anino ko.

He should know by now that retaliation is what I do best. He hurt my feelings, so I should pay him back. Ma-stress siya sa paghahanap sa akin.

Panatag ang assistant ni Rocco sa mga ganitong oras kaya kinuha ko ang pagkakataon na iyon para tumakas. Nagtali ako ng mga kumot upang gawing hagdan mula sa bintana ng aking kuwarto hanggang sa pinakababa. At sa dami ng kotse naming dalawa ay hindi agad mapapansin ang pagkawala ng isa.

Perks of owning Consunji Motors, there are unlimited cars and always available VVIP hotel rooms any time of the day. So that night, I drank myself to sleep.

MALAKAS na kalabog ang gumising sa natutulog kong diwa. Sinubukan kong magtalukbong ng unan ngunit patuloy pa rin ang ingay sa pintuan ng kuwarto. The clanking of keys makes me sober.

Natunton na 'ko ni Rocco.

"July! Do you know the consequence of your action?" bungad na tanong nito.

Bumangon ako mula sa pagkakahiga at saka nag-inat ng braso. "Wow. Nahanap mo kaagad ako? Ang lakas talaga ng koneksyon mo, Rocco."

Umigting ang panga nito nang makita ang nagkalat na bote ng alak sa paligid. "You drunk instead of attending the general meeting? Do you take the shareholders as a joke, July?! Do you know how disappointed they are because of your no-show act?"

I yawned, "you were there to appease them, right? I'm pretty sure you did great, so what's there to worry about?"

"Get up! You will go home right this instant."

He thinks he has the right to order me around just because he is my husband. "Go home alone." Tumayo ako upang talikuran siya ngunit nasaktan ako sa mahigpit nitong paghawak sa palapulsuhan ko. "Ouch! You're hurting me, Rocco!"

"This is nothing compared to the mistake you've made today. You didn't heed my warning. Now I will show you how far I'm willing to go just to protect the company you try to harm."

I sighed from disbelief. "Hindi mo ba nakikita kung bakit ako nagkakaganito?" Dahil sa ganitong paraan mo lang ako napapansin!

"I know it was because of our marriage. Nothing to worry, July, I'll give you the annulment you want after I make you the new owner of Consunji Motors."

Bakas sa mukha ko ang pait sa binitiwan nitong mga salita. "Annulment?" May garalgal sa boses ko.

"You're going to get what you desire, July. You just need to let me do my job."

You are the one I desire the most, jerk! "Fine! Make this marriage null and void as soon as you can! I cannot stand the sight of you; you make me sick!"

I felt his grip loosening. And before he sees me crying, I turn my back on him and walk away. How could he say that to my face without batting an eye? He'll give me what? Annulment? What a joke!

How could Rocco hurt me like this?

Pinagtitinginan na 'ko ng mga tao sa pasilyo ng hotel marahil sa ayos ko. Pinunasan ko ang luha na ayaw tumigil sa pagpatak nang may biglang humila sa kamay ko. "I told you to wait for me, wife." He put a cap over my head to cover my face.

Kinuha nito ang kamay ko upang ilingkis sa braso niya. "Let us go home, wife. Yaya Sol is waiting for us."

Rocco calling me his wife melts my heart and eases my pain as a result. I hate him for this, for being so temperamental!

But what the heck could I do if we were tied in a sacred thing called marriage?