THE HILARIOUS HUSBAND (LEE BROTHERS #2)

Chapter 53

CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

PANIC

★HOPE RYKER LEE★

PAG-UWI ko sa bahay, nagtaka ako dahil ang daming nakaparadang sasakyan sa harap. Naroon ang sasakyan ni Dad, ni Faith, Love, at 'yong kay Daddylo. Bakit kaya?

They never came over without giving a heads-up first, dahil ang iniiwasan namin ay 'yong dumating sila rito na wala silang aabutan dahil alam nilang busy rin kami ni Elisse sa trabaho. This was different. The fact that they were all here, unannounced, made my heart race in a way I couldn't explain.

Matapos kong i-park ang sasakyan ko sa harap, agad akong lumabas, kabado. Was something wrong? Did something happen to one of them? I took a deep breath, bracing myself as I walked toward the front door, my heart pounding harder with every step dahil kakaiba talaga ang pakiramdam ko ngayon. Parang may mali.

Pagpasok ko sa loob, sa living room ako dinala ng mga paa ko dahil doon ko naririnig ang ingay nila. But the usual lively chatter wasn't there—it was more tense, strained. Oras na marinig nila ang palapit kong yabag, nabaling sa 'kin ang atensyon nila at bigla silang tumahimik.

Nasa akin na lahat ang tingin nila, but not in the usual way. There was something sharp, almost accusing, in their stares. Napahinto ako sa paghakbang, rooted to the spot.

Nagtama mga mata namin ni Mommyla at agad siyang napailing na parang disappointed. She wasn't saying anything, but the look she gave me was enough to make my heart race.

"Hope Ryker Lee," my dad called out, his voice filled with a serious tone that instantly put me on edge. Tinatawag niya lang ako sa buo kong pangalan kapag may nagawa akong mali para sawayin ako o 'di kaya'y kapag hindi na siya natutuwa sa ginagawa ko.

He gestured to the empty spot on the sofa, and although I hesitated, I eventually made my way over and sat down. "Where have you been? Are you aware it's already 10:30?" he asked, his tone sharp, almost reprimanding.

T*ngina. Para akong matatae sa kaba.

Sasagot na sana 'ko nang biglang sumabat si Faith. "Kaya ba tinanong mo 'ko kanina kung p'wede si Ella sa Villasis Park pansamantala?"

Before I could even react, Summer followed it up with a sharp accusation, "How dare you cheat on Ate Elisse, Kuya Hopia?"

"Cheat?" I frowned, confusion clouding my thoughts. What the hell are they talking about?

"You're a Lee," Love immediately chimed in. "There's no room for cheaters in our family."

Saglit akong natulala bago ko nagawang ibuka ang bibig ko para magbiro. "Baka hindi talaga ako Lee. Baka isa talaga akong Dela Cruz."

"Hope Ryker!" saway sa 'kin ni Mommy, may kasamang matalim na tingin. "Nakuha mo pa talagang magbiro ngayon? Iiwanan ka na ng asawa mo, puro ka pa rin kalokohan!"

Napakurap ako. "Iiwanan? Bakit?" Iginala ko ang tingin sa paligid, at pansin ko ngang wala si Elisse. And then it hit me—I didn't see her car in the driveway when I got home either. Where's that dragon?

A deep sigh from Mommyla filled the room before she finally spoke. "Pinuntahan ako ni Elisse kanina. She told me she's leaving you, Hope. She's asking for a divorce at kahit ano'ng sabihin ko, hindi ko nagawang baguhin ang isip niya."

My heart stopped for a second, my mind scrambling to make sense of her words. "Bakit daw?" Mukha lang akong kalmado, pero t*ngina, kabado bente na 'ko.

Without a word, Mommyla reached into her bag and pulled out her phone. Saglit niyang tinap-tap ang daliri sa screen bago niya 'yon inabot sa 'kin. Agad ko 'yon tinanggap para tingnan.

Screenshots of text messages.

From Ella.

To Elisse.

My stomach dropped as I began to read. Huli kong nakita 'yong picture ko habang binababa ang suitcase ni Ella sa trunk—noong nasa tapat na kami ng bahay ni Faith at Poppy sa Villasis Park.

Pagkalapag ko ng phone ni Mommyla sa center table, agad akong tumayo at nagmadaling tumakbo papunta sa elevator. The elevator felt agonizingly slow as I rode it up to our bedroom. When I finally reached the door, I pushed it open, my eyes scanning the room. Wala si Elisse.

I rushed toward the wardrobe cabinet, my breath hitching in my throat. Kahit papa'no nakahinga ako nang maluwag nang makitang naroon pa ang mga gamit niya. 'Tsaka ako lumabas sa kuwarto para puntahan si Edward sa okupado nitong guestroom. Mabilis na katok ang ginawa ko bago ko buksan ang pinto.

Saglit akong natigilan nang makita ko siyang nag-eempake ng mga gamit niya. Napatingin din siya sa 'kin, pero agad din nag-iwas ng tingin. The coldness in his eyes unmistakable. Hindi naman siya dating gano'n. We had been close—best friends, practically brothers—ever since he moved in. But now, it felt like that bond had shattered, replaced by something unrecognizable.

"Buddy." Humakbang ako palapit sa kaniya. "Ba't nag-aalsa-balutan ka? Saan ka pupunta?"

"Aalis na 'ko rito. Bukas."

Bahagyang nagsalubong ang kilay ko. "Teka, buddy. Baka p'wede natin pag-usapan 'to? Kung ano man ang sinabi sa 'yo ng Ate Elisse mo, o ni Ella... walang totoo ro'n. Misunderstanding lang lahat."

Binalingan niya ako, kunot ang noo niya. "Misunderstanding? Ang sabi ni Ate Elisse, dalawang buwan na raw kayong may relasyon ni Ate Ella? Pa'no naging misunderstanding 'yon?"

Frustrated, I ran my hand through my hair, trying to keep my cool. "Saka na 'ko magpapaliwanag, okay? Sa ngayon, sabihin mo muna sa 'kin kung nasaan ang Ate Elisse mo. Mag-uusap kami. Hindi ko kasi siya matawagan. Kanina ko pa siya kinokontak bago 'ko umuwi, hindi siya sumasagot."

"Her phone is broken," he replied, his voice cold, almost detached. "I don't know exactly where she's checked in, but she's at a hotel. She said she's leaving. Going overseas."

T*ngina. Parang saglit na tumigil pintig ng puso ko. "W-When?"

"I don't know."

"F*ck." Agad akong napatakbo palabas sa kuwarto. But just as I reached the door frame, I stopped and grabbed hold of it, turning back to face him. "Don't leave, buddy. Aayusin natin 'to. And when I prove I didn't do anything wrong, I swear I'll shoot you with a water gun. Prepare yourself."

Despite the tension, I tried to inject some humor into my tone, hoping to lighten the mood, if only a little. I knew how serious this all was, but I didn't want Edward to completely shut me down dahil para ko na rin siyang naging kapatid.

Mabilis akong bumalik sa living room, hinihingal ako pagdating ko ro'n dahil imbes na elevator ay hagdan na ang ginamit ko. Nataranta ako sa pagmamadali. The moment I reached the living room, I turned to Mommyla and Daddylo, desperate. "I need your help. We need to find Elisse—now."

But instead of the urgency I had hoped for, they stood their ground, eyeing me with suspicion. Pinagkrus pa ni Mommyla ang mga braso sa harap, and Daddylo looked at me expectantly.

"Not until you explain," Mommyla said sternly, her voice cold but calm. "What's going on with these text messages between Ella and Elisse? Are you having an affair with your wife's sister, Hope?"

"I didn't have time for that. Not now, Mommyla." Inis akong napasabunot sa buhok ko. "Elisse is planning to leave the country!" I blurted, my voice louder than intended. "Aalis siya. If we don't find her now, she'll be gone before I can even explain anything."

Doon pa lamang sila tila natauhan. Mommyla's face shifted from cold suspicion to sudden concern, and Dad stood up, his expression more alert. The room shifted in an instant from accusation to action.

"Gosh. We need to stop Ate Elisse," sabi ni Summer. Her voice tinged with panic. "If we don't, Kuya Hopia will end up with nothing—no inheritance, no nothing. Pupulutin 'to sa kangkungan! Kawawang nilalang."

To be continued...