Million Dollar Marriage

six

I've decided to shut my phone off because it was being bombarded with calls and texts from everyone. I'm currently on my way to Tita Paris' show, and hindi na 'rin ako makapag-intay na makapag usap kami. 

Clearly, we have some talking to do, and oh, clarifications, too.

While Nathalia's busy on making sure that our aunts, cousins, and even Lola, are at bay, meaning they're aware of the truth and has been monitoring our safety. Meanwhile, my dad is being cool and calm about it. Maybe because he know the truth so the lie is easily ruled out, for her dearest daughter is now on an major celebrity scandal.

I wiped out my make-up from Aira's show and also, I changed into a more comfortable clothes; a pair of my red Prada suede triple-strap wavy sandals and a black pencil skirt with ruffles of the right side and a plain white shirt that I always bring with me. 

"We'll be going in through the building by using the Emergency Entrance, Lola said that she already ordered his men to have the reporters entertained and distracted." Nathalia said while driving.

Hindi ako makapaniwala na nangyayari 'to. I mean, my plan's been going smooth, then this happens. "Is Lola already there?"

Nathalia hummed in response, "I cannot wait to see Paris' face, she must've shit herself by now! Tita Florence and Asia's really gigil about her, this will be good." Komento naman nito bago tumawa n pagkalakas-lakas.

As much as I want to laugh with her, I can't. Maiintindihan ko pa sana kung ako lang ang haharap mag-is anitong gulo na 'to but she dragged somebody in to this fucking mess! Now, how am I supposed to handle this all at once?

True enough, naka stand-by naman na ang mga guard ni Lola. Hinarang kami ng isang van na heavily tinted at sinabing magpapalit kami ng vehicle to confuse the media. They also reported to us that mass of media reporters are coming in and out of the hotel's lobby. They have also instructed us as to where and when we should come out of the van pagkadating na pagkadating sa bababaan. I just have my bag and shades with me habang si Nathalia ay cellphone lamang ang kinuha nang palipatin na kami.

Sinakyan ng dalawang lalaki ang sasakyan ko at pinaandar ito, bago ang van ang sumunod para mag convoy. When I saw how many reporters are gathering outside the hotel ay napa face-palm ako.

This is a huge mess! 

Almost instantly, they crowded my car and the non-stop flash of their cameras is surely blinding those two men inside it. Dire-diretso lamang ang andar ng van at hindi pinansin ng media dhail nga't pinagkakaguluhan na ang sasakyan ko.

When we entered the hotel, we're escorted directly to a private room. One of the men quickly talked on his earpiece and said something about their boss' scheduled flight.

"Miss, you'll be waiting here inside this room until further notice. We'll be right outside your room." Then, he closed the door.

Agad naman na binuksan ni Nathalia ang television na nasa sala at inilipat sa ShowbizPortal, agad na lumabas ang itsura ng harap ng hotel na gaganapan ng show ni Tita Paris, even the details of her show is on it. Tadtad ng pictures ko ang screen sa gilid at iisa lamang ang kay Yago.

"How in the flying fuck did they found a battallion pictures you while they only uploaded one portrait of Kuya Yago? And oh, hindi latest 'yung pictures mo!" Nathalia commented right after she finished examining the front page.

I hissed at her dahil s alahat pa ng mapapnsin niya sa screen ay 'yun pa talaga. "By the way, asaan si Lola? Sina Tita Paris? I need to talk to her."

Nathalia quickly typed Lola's phone number away and called it, it rang for a few more second before Lola answered, "Mommy? Hello?" Nathalia said habang humahanap ng mas magandang pwesto ng signal.

I told her to put it on loud speaker mode para makausap namin, "Asaan na kayo? Nathalia, my men are waiting for the two of you sa lobby!" Naiinip na turan ni Lola sa kabilang linya.

Sa sobrang gulat yata ni Nathalia ay nabitawan niya ang telepono at nahulog ito sa lapag, front first kaya naman nakatalikod ito ngayon saamin. I looked at Nathalia with wide eyes when I realized what is happening.

These men are not my Lola's, they could be anyone's for goodness sake! 

"Dipshit," Ang tanging lumabas sa bibi ni Nathalia at dali-dali itong pumunta sa pintuan at nilock lahat ng padlock na nakikita niya sa pinto. 

Agad ko namang kinuha ang isang upuan sa may kitchen banda at ikinalang sa pinto. "Oh my gosh! Tell me this isn't happening right now, Milana! Tell me- Oh my gosh, I'm about to lose my control."

Kung hindi sila tauhan ni Lola, sino sila? I can still hear them talking in front of the room, giving commands to each other as to where their boss would be at. 

Inakay ko naman kaagad papunta sa kitchen si Nathalia at pinakuha ko siya ng sarili niyang kutsilyo, for security purposes, at tumayo muli kami sa mismong tapat ng pinto. I don't know what to do anymore, first is this scandal made by Tita Paris and now, these unknown men that helped us escape the media and have put us inside this goddamned room!

The knock on the door made Nathalia shriek and shout in shock, "You are not my Lola's men! Who are y-you?" I shouted at the door.

"Miss, if you will not open this door ay mapipilitan kami na sapilitang buksan 'to. Our boss is on his way up already, he's the one who's going to explain."

"N-No! Huwag k-kayong papasok hangga't hindi ko nakakausap ang boss niyo! Until then, hindi namin bubuksan ang pinto." Even though I failed miserably on making my voice firm, I am satisfied enough na nakapag bigay pa ako ng conditions sa mga 'to.

We heard some greetings from the door and the clearest that we heard was this, "Ma'am, please move away from the door. Now," 

Napausog naman kami palikod at palayo dito ng kaunti nang sabihin ito ng lalaki na nasa likod ng pinto, pagkasabi na pagkasabi niya ay tanging tunog ng pagkakasira ng pinto at kalabog ng upuan ang tanging narinig ko. We cowered away in fear.

Nanginig nalamang ang kamay kong may hawak ng kutsilyo habang nakatingin sa band ang pinto, when a group of men have been shoved away by a familiar face that I am very fond of, that's when I know we're safe.

Nathalia dropped her knife away pagkakita kung sino ang kakapasok lamang sa silid at tumakbo dito upang yumakap, "Kuya Yago! I thought we'll..." 

Bigla namang nanghina ang mga tuhod ko at sumalampak ako sa sahig hawak pa 'rin ang kutsilyo sa nanginginig kong mga kamay. I am very much exhausted from today's stress. Nabitawan ko ang kutsilyo at napatukod nalamang ang mga palad ko sa magkabilang gilid ko para sa suporta. 

It was his men who carried us out, it was his plan. His to begin and his to end.