Marrying Mr. Stranger

Chapter 7

NAGMADALI akong pumasok ng building at nagtungo sa elevator. May ilan akong nakasabay na nakasaksi sa nangyari kaya di ako mapakali. Still, I tried to exude my "I'm the boss stance" to hide my embarrassment.

Nakakainis ka, Anton!

Finally I arrived to my floor. Agad akong sinalubong ni Mira at sumabay sa akin sa paglakad patungo sa pinto ng opisina ko.

"Good morning, ma'am. Nasa ibabaw ng table niyo po ang copy ng schedule of meetings niyo today. If there's anything you need, just let me know." Anito at pinagbuksan ako ng pinto ng opisina nang makarating.

"Thank you", tugon ko at pumasok na sa loob.

Nagpakawala ako ng marahas na paghinga pagkalapat ng pinto. Iniisip ko pa rin ang ginawa ni Anton. Since last night, di ko maintindihan kung ano ang inaakto niya. Ever since we got married, hindi kailanman ito lumampas sa aming napag-usapan. We were never intimate!

Or maybe just one time a few months after the wedding? And it was only a kiss! An accidental one so not a big deal really. So it's nothing.

But this time? I don't know what's happening to him!

Arghh!

Agad kong nilunod ang sarili sa trabaho upang di na maisip pa si Anton at ang mga nangyari. I got a full schedule of meetings and calls for the morning. Itinuon ko lahat ng atensyon doon.

Currently, Damarah Cosmetics is doing great! Nakatulong nga ang pagpapaksal namin ni Anton. Bukod sa investment at iilang ideas nito, public sentiment towards our products had changed also because of our connection to Allmark Group. Bumalik ang tiwala ng publiko. Unti-unti kaming nakabawi at napalawak ang aming market share. And now, we have a wide range of products and offers.

Sa sobrang abala, di ko namalayang tanghali na pala. I was still busy checking and signing documents when Mira went inside the office carrying something I didn't expect.

"Ma'am, may delivery ka po." Anito.

"Kanino galing?"

"Kay Sir Anton po." Nangingiti nitong sagot.

"Pakilapag na lang diyan sa mesa." I'm baffled but trying not to show it.

"Okay po. Do you need anything else, ma'am?"

"Nope. You can go take your lunch, Mira. Thank you." At lumabas na ito.

I abandoned my desk to check it. It's a bouquet of peony flowers which is not really common in the Philippines so I wondered where he was able to get it. I took the card that's attached to it and read the note which says,

"It's said that the Chinese word for 'most beautiful' translates to peony. So I'm giving this bouquet of peonies to my beautiful wife. - Anton"

Napahawak ako sa aking sentido. Dumagdag na naman ito sa isipin ko. What's he really up to? Is he going insane?

To end this, I decided to call Anton and confront him. Ngunit bago ko pa man mai-dial ang numero ni Anton, nagrehistro na ang pangalan nito sa screen ng cellphone ko. He is calling.

"What are you playing huh? Tell me what's this all about?" I said immediately after answering his call. Heaven knows how I tried not to lose my temper.

"Did you receive the flowers?" Amusement is definitely clear in his voice.

"Yeah, and I think you are going crazy mister!" May bahagyang pagtaas ng boses.

He chuckled in the other line which irritated me. "Hey, I'm just giving flowers to my beautiful wife. I just realized na di pa kita nabigyan kailanman."

"Well, did I ever ask you to? Never! And you don't have to really because in the first place, we're never really a thing."

"That's why I'm trying to win you over now." Biglang nagseryoso ang boses nito. Lalo akong naguluhan sa sinasabi nito.

"What are you trying to say?"

Dinig ko ang malalim na pagbuntung-hininga nito sa kabilang linya bago nagsalita.

"Telling you on the phone may not be the best way but Damarah, I want to work on our marriage."

Di ako makapaniwala sa narinig at natulala na lang sa kawalan. 

This marriage was supposed to be for business only. It's even stipulated in the agreement that when all things are settled, we can opt for an annulment. That's what I've been planning for a long time kaya pinilit kong makabangon ang Damarah Cosmetics. So that when it's over, I can buy back their shares in my company and move on.

"Hey, are you there?" Anito sa kabilang linya.

Di ko alam kung ano'ng isasagot kaya pinatay ko na lang ang tawag.