Marrying Mr. Stranger

Chapter 5

THAT was almost a year ago. Mag-iisang taon na mula nang magpakasal kaming dalawa. For practical reasons, of course!

Nagpakawala ako ng malalim na hininga bago ko tuluyang buksan ang pinto palabas ng kwarto.

It's 6am and di na ako nakatulog nang maayos pagkatapos ng nangyari kagabi. I know Anton slept in his room.

Oo, magkaiba kami ng kwarto sa pamamahay na ito. This 5-bedroom house was given to us by Anton's parents after the wedding. Ngunit mas madalas akong umuwi sa sarili kong condo kasi mas malapit yun sa opisina ko. And he stays here.

We didn't mind not living together in one roof kasi pareho rin naman kaming busy sa kanya-kanya naming pinamamahalaang kumpanya.

Few months after the wedding, Anton got very busy with the succession as CEO of Allmark Group and the business venture of both of our families. I also got busy with my own para makabawi sa damages ng sunog at lawsuit. Pero may pagkakataon pa rin naman na umuuwi ako rito lalo na kung bumibisita ang mga magulang namin. Walang ibang nakakaalam sa ganito naming set up maliban sa aming mga katiwala rito sa bahay at opisina. And everything is going just fine.

But what was he thinking last night? Is he going crazy?!

Dumirecho ako ng kusina para uminom ng tubig. Pagkarating dun, nakita ko ang naiwang napag-inuman na baso at isang bote ng champagne sa counter.

Naka-inom nga si Anton kagabi.

Iniligpit ko ang baso at nilagay sa lababo. Binalik ko rin sa cooler ang halos mauubos nang bote ng champagne.

I thought he's in Singapore for a business meeting. That's why I didn't mind going to this house kasi wala siya. Naguguluhan kong isip habang nagsasalin ng tubig.

For almost a year of being married, it's the first time Anton acted like this. We've always been casual to each other. We're not friends but not enemies either. We both understood that we only married each other for convenience.

Iniangat ko ang baso sa aking bibig at dahan-dahang uminom nang biglang sumulpot ang bulto ni Anton sa bungad ng kusina.

Di sinasadya, nabuga ko ang tubig sa gulat.

Di naman tinamaan si Anton ng nabuga kong tubig but I saw him frowning at me. Galit pa naman ito sa nangyari kagabi.

Dali-dali akong naghanap ng mop para punasan ang sahig. Sa pagmamadali, di ko namalayan na naapakan ko ang nabasang parte ng sahig at nadulas!

Parang eksena sa pelikula, tila nagslow-motion ang lahat habang bumabagsak ako. I can't control my body and so I just accepted my fate of falling face down. Sa takot, napapikit ako nang madiin.

Surprisingly, I didn't.

Unti-unti kong binuksan ang mga mata only to find out I'm on top of Anton!

"Can you be more careful?" May inis sa boses nitong sambit habang nakahiga sa sahig at ako nama'y nakadagan sa ibabaw nito.

Di ko alam kung paano siyang mabilis na nakalapit at nasalo ako sa pagkakatumba but I felt very awkward. Ngunit mas labis ang inis ko sa inaasta nito.

"Shut up!" I said annoyingly and tried to get on my feet. However, mabilis nitong napulupot ang mga braso sa aking likod.

"What's wrong with you? Let me go!" I said while trying to take his arms away and pushing his chest.

"Stay still." Anito habang tila nilalakbay ang mga mata sa mga marka ng ginawa niya sa aking leeg at ibabaw ng dibdib kagabi.

Nagpalit ako ng v-neck shirt at pambahay na shorts kagabi matapos sinira nito ang strap ng aking nightgown. Ngunit, sumisilip pa rin pala ang ibabaw ng aking dibdib sa damit na to habang nakayuko. And that annoys me! So I tried pushing him again.

"My back hurts." Reklamo nito.

I stopped. We may have our fights and banter but I also somehow worry about him.

Masakit nga kaya talaga ang likod niya?

Nagtama ang mga mata namin.

For the record, sadyang ang gwapo talaga ng mukha nito. Looking at him this close, para itong Greek god na bumaba mula sa langit. Ang makakapal nitong kilay, mapupungay nitong mga mata na nakatitig sa akin ngayon, his perfect pointed nose, and oh, that lips! His soft lips that make me feel things every time it conquers mine.

Di ko namalayan na doon na lang ako nakatitig.

"Want a kiss?" He playfully said with a sly smile.

"Huh?" Parang binuhusan ako ng malamig na tubig sa pagkapahiya. Nagtama ulit ang mga mata namin.

And then I felt something weird poking down my thigh. Suddenly, the realization dawned on me. He is only wearing a white shirt and boxer shorts in which the garment is not that thick!

He's clearly not in pain! He just wanted me to stay still para pagsamantalahan ang pagkakataon.

"You're disgusting!" Inis na Inis kong sabi.

Mabilis kong kinalas ang kanyang mga nakapulupot na braso sa akin at tumayo. Tumayo rin ito at naka-ambang lumapit sa akin.

"Hep! Hep! Stay there you pervert! Don't come near me or else!"

"Or else what?" He teasingly said.

"What's wrong with you? I thought you were still in Singapore so I came here but then last night..."

Di ko matuloy-tuloy ang sasabihin. Oh the vivid memories from last night! It's filling my mind! The kisses, the touch, how he sucked my breasts, how he touched me down there and the way I moaned out of pleasure!

Shit! Collect yourself, Damarah!

I breathed heavily but I consciously calmed myself because I don't want to make this a big deal. Afterall, he was likely drunk last night too.

"I'll let it slide this time but don't ever do it again!" I firmly said.

"Then don't flirt with other men." He looks calm but there's rage in his eyes. Ngayon ko lang nakita sa kanya ang ganoong mga titig. "Our marriage may not be a typical one ngunit asawa pa rin kita. So stop flirting with other men."

"Are you nuts? Alam ko mag-asawa lang tayo sa papel but never in this entire marriage I flirt with other men."

Before our wedding, we signed a contract together where every rule and condition is stipulated. One of those is the prohibition of having partners outside our marriage.

Since we're from known families and protecting the image of our companies, we are not allowed to do so. Wala namang problema sa akin kasi I don't have anyone with me or a plan of finding one. Simula't sapul nga ay wala akong planong mag-asawa. Getting married or being in a relationship is the last thing I wanna do. Anton is very aware about my stand with marriage and relationships so I don't know why he's suspecting me of flirting with other men. And so far, wala akong narinig na may partner din ito bago kami nagpakasal at hanggang ngayon.

"Then who is that man from the party last night? I rebooked my flight para makauwi agad when my activities in Singapore finished earlier than expected. And the moment I arrived at the airport, I received from a friend who was also at the party a photo of you and a man leaving together."

"What?! To clear things up, that was Ray, a friend from college. And he's not interested in women, okay? And even if he does, he's just a good friend. Hinatid niya lang ako kasi nakainom ako ng kaunti." I explained habang naka-pamewang.

Halos magpang-abot ang kilay nito sa pinipigilang galit but eventually, his face eased. He heaved a deep sigh of surrender.

"Okay na ba tayo?" Inis kong sambit.

"Yes." Anito.

I rolled my eyes at akmang tatalikod na sana para bumalik sa kwarto ngunit nakalapit na pala ito sa akin. He pulled me close to him and hugged me. May hangover ba to? I was confused by his gesture but I just let him. And I don't know why.