I was just staring Leyton was he was busy reading the papers. Palaisipan pa rin sa akin ang nabasa ko galing sa phone niya. It has been distracting my mind and prohibit me to function well physically and mentally.
What does it want?
Nagtaas siya ng tingin sa akin at ngumiti. Maliit akong ngumiti sa kanya.
I fixed my things getting ready to go home. Nasa parking lot na si Leyton. Pagbaba ko, mula sa kalayuan, nakita ko siyang may kausap sa phone. Habang papalapit ako sa deriksyon niya, unti-unti ko nang naririnig ang boses niya habang may kausap siya sa phone.
"Yeah. I am doing my thing. Naghahanap lang ako ng tamang oras." Iyon ang narinig ko sa kanya. I cleared my throat to let him know na nasa likod niya na ako.
When he looked at me, I saw him startled. Tila gulat na gulat siya sa nang makita ako.
"K-kanina ka pa ba?" he asked when he recovered but the fear and shock were still evident on his face.
Pilit akong ngumiti.
"Kararating ko lang." sagot ko. "Sino nga pala ang kausap mo?"
"W-wala. Si Mr. Paterno lang. We talk about business."
Kahit papaano, pinilit kong paniwalaa ang sinabi niya. But it is my nature to be observant. He seemed tense. That was so unusual of him. These past few days, napapansin kong iba na ang mga ginagalaw niya. Madalas ko rin siyang nakikitang malalim ang iniisip.
Habang nasa mall ako, bigla nalang may kumalabit sa akin. Nakita ko si Mr. Paterno kasama ang asawa at anak niya.
"Oh hi! It's good to see you here, Mr. and Mrs. Paterno!" I lively greeted.
"It's good to see you too, Mrs. Marasigan. Why are you alone? Nasa'n ang asawa mo?" ani ni Mrs. Paterno.
"Well, he's a busy man kaya ako lang mag-isa." I replied and slightly chuckled.
"Bihira nalang talaga kami magkausap ng asawa mo, Mrs. Marasigan. Nakakatampo rin minsan ha." Dagdag naman ni Mr. Paterno.
Bahagya akong tumawa. But later on, I realized what he just said. "Bakit niyo naman po nasabi 'yon? E, kagabi lang magkausap kayo sa phone."
Now it was his turn to curl his forehead.
"Kagabi? We didn't talk since last week. Huli kaming nag-usap ay sa party pa ni Governor."
Hanggang sa makarating ako sa bahay, hindi na mapanatag ang isipan at damdamin ko. Para bang may tinatago sa akin si Leyton.
Kung hindi si Mr. Paterno ang kausap niya kagabi, then sino? Why did he need to lie?
Is he cheating on me?
My heart shattered into pieces and strangled with thorns thinking that Leyton was cheating on me and could be sleeping with another girl.
Bakit pa ako nakakaramdam ng ganito? Kung totoo man, bakit ako nasasaktan? Kasal lang naman kami sa papel? Hindi naman totoo ang relasyon naming. Yes, we did use our bodies but solely for pleasure.
Para mapanatag ang isip ko, umalis ako at tinawagan si Agnes para mag-bar. I need a drink to clear my mind. I wore a body-hugging dress na hanggang hita ko lang ang taas. Sobrang ikli nito na kung tutuwad ako ay kita na ang panloob ko. But I am sane enough to wear a cycling short.
"Buti naman nag-aya ka na. Naging Mrs. Marasigan ka lang, sobrang hirap mo na abutin." ani ni Agnes na tila ba nagtatampo.
Hinampas ko ang balikat niya. "Ano'ng pinagsasabi mo? Busy lang sa trabaho."
"E, nagpaalam ka ba sa asawa mo?"
I tsked. "Anong asawa ba? He's just nothing, okay? I'm free. Nag-iba lang ang apiliedo at status ko pero hindi ako nakatali. My life, my rules."
"Sabi mo,e. So, what are we waiting for? Let's go wasted!" she shouted and rose the bottle.
"Yeah! Cheers!"
I drank multiple times and didn't bother my poise. Nagpakalasing ako hanggang sa mawala itong bigat sa dibdib ko. I didn't mind the people around me, the time... everything!
Agnes and I danced and drank until we both get wasted.
Pumunta sa ako sa bar counter para um-order pa ng alak. Hilong-hilo na ako.
"Two shots of martini, please," I said to the bartender. Halata na sa boses ko na may tama na ako.
While I was waiting for my order, a man went near me.
"Hi. You alone?" he approached.
Lasing ko lang siyang tiningnan.
"No boyfriend, I guess. Wala ka namang kasama." dagdag pa nito at saka tumawa. Bahagya itong lumapit pa sa akin. "Do you want to go to my place tonight?"
Hindi ko siya pinansin at tiningnan ko lang siya hanggang sa may kamay na humawak sa bewang ko.
When I looked at the owner of the hand who just grabbed my waist, I saw Leyton who was looking furious at the boy who approached me.
"Hello. I'm the husband. Get the hell out of here or else I'll burn your place tonight." he threatened.
If I were on my normal state, siguro matatawa ako sa mukha ng lalaki. Parang namutla ang mukha nito nang makita si Leyton.
Halos tumakbo ang lalaki palayo sa amin. At panay ang hingi niya ng sorry.
When he got rid with the boy, ako naman ang tinuonan niya ng pansin. I was ready to drink the shot pero inagaw niya ito.
"Damn girl! What happened to you?" he said, mad.
"A-alis ka nga...rito..." sabi ko na lasing ang tono. Sinubukan kong lumakad papalayo sa kanya pero muntik lang akong matumba. Buti nalang at nasa likod ko siya at nasalo niya ako.
"You know, I am mad at you Odessa Von. Pinipigilan ko lang ang sarili ko dahil lasing ka ngayon." ani ni Leyton na para bang nagtitimpi.
Hindi ko siya maintindihan. If he was cheating on me, sana sabihin niya nalang. Matatanggap ko naman.
"Leave me, stepbrother."
"Now I am freaking mad." sabi nito at saka ako binuhat papalabas ng bar.
"Put me down!" I protested.
"Fuck! Stay still!" saway nito sa akin na halos hindi na magkanda-ugaga sa pagbuhat sa akin. "I won't let you come back to that fucking bar letting those men feasting on you. And what are you wearing?"
Nasa katinuan pa naman ako. Nag-iinit na talaga ang dugo ko sa kanya.
"Wala kang pakialam."
"Asawa mo 'ko. Hindi mo alam kung paano ako nag-aalala sayo. You didn't answer your phone or even replied to my messages. You have 115 missed calls and 65 messages on your damn fucking phone, Odessa."
He looked at me in the eye.
"You're making me crazy..." biglang nanghina ang boses niya.
Pinasok niya ako sa sasakyan. I smiled bitterly.
How can he act like that while cheating on me? How can he show me that he cares for me but keeping secrets on me?
Paano niya nagagawang ipakita sa akin na mahal niya ako habang palihim niya akong niloloko?
You're hurting me, Leyton... So bad...
YOU ARE READING
Sinful Surrender
Storie d'amoreOdessa Von Alfanta is a stepdaughter of a multi-millionaire named Jackson Marasigan. Her mother remarried with Jackson who was divorced from her wife. Years of being together, her mother died therefore Odessa was left under the care of her stepfathe...
