THE HILARIOUS HUSBAND (LEE BROTHERS #2)

Chapter 46

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

THE NECKLACE

❥ ELISSE GARCIA ❥

Tumayo ako sa tabi ni Ella, mataman siyang tinitingnan. "Uuwi ka sa bahay? Bakit?" I couldn't hide the disbelief in my voice.

Mahina siyang bumuntonghininga, avoiding my gaze for a moment before finally answering, "Dahil gusto ko."

I stared at her, speechless for a few moments, trying to understand what was going on in her mind. Pero hindi ko siya mabasa. She was looking back at me, but there was a distance in her eyes. Pagkatapos ng ginawang pambubugbog sa kaniya ni Daddy noon, gusto niya ulit na bumalik doon?

"May problema ka ba?" I asked again, hoping to get to the bottom of it. Nitong nakaraang linggo kasi ay pansin kong iba ang kilos niya. Matamlay siya at hindi masyadong nakikipag-usap sa 'kin. Hindi rin siya masyadong lumalabas sa kuwarto niya.

"Wala, Ate Elisse. Gusto ko lang bumalik sa bahay," she replied, her voice calm but final. "Kahit baligtarin kasi ang mundo, daddy pa rin natin si daddy at kahit papa'no, nami-miss ko siya." There was a hint of sadness there, but I could see now that she had already made up her mind, and there was little I could do to change it.

I sighed, defeated, my shoulders dropping as I tried to come to terms with her decision. "Sige. Ikaw ang bahala," I murmured, my voice softer. "Malaki ka na, may isip ka na at may sariling desisyon. Gusto mo bang ihatid ka namin?"

She shook her head firmly. "Hindi na. May sundo na 'ko sa labas. Kinontak ko na si Daddy kanina kaya ipinasundo na niya ako."

With a quiet nod, I stepped back, giving her space. But before Ella could fully turn to leave, she glanced over at Hope. "Kuya Hope, aalis na 'ko. Salamat sa pagpapatuloy n'yo sa 'kin dito," she said softly, her voice polite yet distant.

Hope didn't reply with words, but when I glanced at him, nakita ko siyang bahagyang tumango kay Ella, and his expression unreadable. Pareho naming sinundan ng tingin si Ella pagtalikod nito hanggang sa paghakbang palabas.

⫘⫘⫘

Kinabukasan, Sunday, maaga pa lang ay binulabog na ni Hope ang tulog ko. May pupuntahan daw kami, pero ayaw niyang sabihin kung saan. Antok na antok pa ako, pero kahit ilang irap at masamang tingin ang ibinigay ko sa kaniya, hindi siya natinag. Siyempre, siya pa rin ang nasunod.

Matapos kong mapilitang mag-shower, I came out to find that he had already picked out my outfit. It was neatly laid on our bed—a floral sundress in light pink, which I'd never worn and still had the tag on it. Bigay sa 'kin 'yon ng bunso nilang si Summer dahil sobrang hilig nitong mag-shopping. Actually, hindi lang isang bulaklaking dress ang binigay niya—marami. Pero ni isa ay wala pa akong sinusuot dahil hindi ko 'yon style.

"Ayoko n'yan," I said, rolling my eyes at him before heading straight to the wardrobe to get something else. But he was quick—he grabbed my arm and pulled me back toward the bed, nearly causing my towel to slip off. "Ano ba! Muntik nang malaglag ang towel ko!"

"Pake ko? Nakita ko naman na lahat sa 'yo. Mula ulo hanggang kuyukot mo," walang pakundangang sagot ng walanghiya. Dinampot niya ang sundress sa bed at 'yon ang ibinigay sa 'kin. "'Yan ang isuot mo. Mas bagay sa 'yo 'yan. Magmumukha kang maamong dragon d'yan," nakangisi niyang sabi na lalong nagpaikot sa mga mata ko.

I've never been a fan of floral designs. I prefer plain, monochromatic clothes. Plain lang ang mga damit ko at dress na sinusuot sa opisina o kahit saan. Ni minsan ay hindi ako nagsuot ng damit na may kahit anong burda o halu-halong kulay. Kung black, gusto ko ay black lang. Kung white, pure white lang. And now he expected me to wear this flowery dress that I hadn't even bothered to try on before?