Accidentally Married a Billionaire (LOB series #5)

Chapter 27

Chapter 27

"Please, sit down." I nodded my head and sat across Felix Zouwen. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ko biglang naisipan na makipag kita sa kanya. I was bored and when I saw his card, I texted him without thinking. "I'm really glad that you called me."

"I'll be honest, I was hesitant to meet you. Alam ko po kasi na ayaw mo sa akin para kay Trei. Hindi naman po kasi ako galing sa mayaman na—" Natigil ako sa pagsasalita nang itaas niya ang isang kamay. Nagiging madaldal na naman yata ako.

"I was mad at Trei when he married you, but not because he married a woman with no rich background. Hindi din ako mayaman nang pinakasalan ako ng asawa ko, hija." My lips parted.

"P-pero di ba po gusto niyong ipakasal si Trei kay Bianca?" He shook his head.

"No. I wanted him to marry Gwen." I pursed my lips. Naririnig ko lang yung pangalan niya pumipitik na yung sentida ko paano pa ngayon na nalaman kong gusto siya ng ama ni Trei para sa asawa ko.

Pero hindi ako papayag na mawala si Trei sa akin. Gusto man nila ako para sa kanya o hindi. Hindi ako lalayo. Wala silang magagawa para paglayuin kaming dalawa. So I squared my shoulders and looked at Felix directly in the eyes.

"Kasal na po kami ni Trei. We are legally married. Kahit bigyan niy pa ako ng malaking halaga ng pera hindi ako lalayo sa anak niyo." I didn't remove my gaze, ganon din siya. Nakatitig lang siya sa akin. Then he laughed.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang bigla siyang tumawa kaya napatingin ako sa paligid. I'm confused, why is he laughing? May nadapa ba sa likod ko? Nadulas? Anong nakakatawa?

"We really did had a bad start, hadn't we?" Natatawa pa rin na sabi niya pagkatapos ay napailing siya. "Where did you got that impression of me from? Trei? Ganon yata talaga kasama ang tingin ng anak ko sa akin."

Hindi ako nakapag salita. Naguguluhan ako sa nangyayari. Bakit parang ang bait naman nito ni Felix? Akala ko ba... what the hell is happening?

"I told you, I was not rich when my wife married me, so why would I do that to you? Hindi ako mahilig sa mga tv drama, hija." He chuckled and shook his head again as if he remembered something funny. Yung kanina siguro. "Does Trei know that you're meeting me?"

Umiling ako. Hindi ko nga alam kung bakit hindi ko sa kanya sinabi. Mamaya na lang siguro pag uwi niya.

"Pwede ko na po bang itanong kung bakit mo akong makausap?" He sipped from hi coffee before he leaned on his chair and looked at me.

"Wala naman. I just wanted to properly meet my daughter-in-law." My jaw dropped as I look at him and he stared at me with amusement on his face. "You really didn't expect this meeting to be like this, did you?"

"Akala ko talaga bibigyan mo ako ng cash para layuan si Trei. Lalo na nung nakita ko na may dala kang brief case. Ready na sana ako sumigaw ng No deal." Natawa naman ang matandang Zouwen.

"Well, we can do that scene if you like. But you have to leave Trei after." He said.

"Joke lang naman!" Napalingon pa ako sa paligid dahil mukhang napalakas yung boses ko sa gulat. Wow. His laugh is somewhat the same as Trei's. Nakatitig lang ako sa kanya habang sumusubo ng chocolate cake na nasa harap ko.

"You know why I really didn't like you?" Tanong niya. Aray. Deretsahan. "Because I thought my son made a rush decision just to get back at me."

"Bakit naman po?" Tumaas ang isang kilay niya.

"You married each other after being in a relationship for six months." Napatigil sa ere ang pagsubo ko ng cake. "You thought I didn't know?"

"Magkaibigan naman po kami bago kami naging mag-on." Itinuloy ko na ang pag subo ng cake at uminom sa frappe na nasa harap ko. His lips lifted to one side.

"Well, I know my son. He's used to making rush decisions." Bago pa ako nakapag salita, nagpatuloy na siya kaya nagpatuloy na lang din ako sa pagkain. I can see how he watches me as I order another slice of the cake. "My son and I, we're not really close. And when his mother died, our... connection became further and further away."

Tumango ako. Nakwento nga iyon sa akin ni Trei noon. Na nung nawala ang Mama niya mas lalong nawalan ng pakealam ang Papa niya sa kanya. I can't believe that I am actually hearing other side of the story, which is his father's.

"I wanted to approach him, but I just didn't know how. Nasanay kasi ako na ang Mommy niya ang palaging kumakausap sa kanya. Kaya nang mawala ang Mommy niya, hindi ko na alam ang gagawin ko. When he found out about me and Segunda, Trei became angrier at me." Nakatitig lang ako sa kanya habang siya naman ay nakatulala sa tasa ng kape sa harap niya. "He keeps on making decisions to piss me off. I don't want him to make decisions that he'll regret later when he's older... I don't want him to be like me."

While looking at this man, I realized how much I misjudged him. How much he wanted to be closer to his son. And maybe Trei took it like his father doesn't care about him, but he does. Hindi lang talaga alam ni Felix kung paano niya ipapakita.

He's a lot like me.

Being misunderstood.

Making bad decisions along the way.

We don't know how to show affection to the people we love.

Felix didn't had another woman because he doesn't care about Trei. In fact, it's the opposite. Maybe he thought remarrying and giving his son a new Mom, is the key to be closer to Trei again. Kasi yun lang naman ang paraan na alam niya.

Iyon yung paraan na nakasanayan niya.

"Hindi mo naman po kailangan ng ibang tao para ipakita sa anak mo na mahal mo siya. Siguro hindi ka lang po naintindihan ni Trei kaya akala niya wala kang palealam sa kanya." He looked at me and I smiled at him. "But it's not yet too late for the both of you, right? Just trust in him. You don't need to question every decision that he makes. He's smart."

Tumango siya at tumitig sa akin. "I now get why Trei married you."

"P-po?"

"Your warmth. I remember my wife in you." Nakangiti niyang sabi sa akin. Kumunot ang noo ko. "Trei's real mother, I mean."

"Is it a good thing?"

"Yes, he loves his Mother so much..." Sabi niya habang nakatulala sa labas. His lips were smiling but his eyes says otherwise. He sounded so... lonely. His gaze went back to my direction. "You're good for my son. I'm glad he married you."

Grabe. Kinilig ako dun. He looked at his watch and smiled at me.

"Anyway, I'd really love to have more chat with you, but I have a meeting in an hour. Let's do this again sometime?" I nodded. He stood up and help up his arm at me. I took it. "Nice meeting you, Jude."

"Nice meeting you, Mr. Zouwen." He grinned.

"Call me, Dad. It's what my son calls me... sometimes." He said shrugging. He waved goodbye as he exited the door of the cafe. Saka ko lang din na realize... hindi pa pala bayad yung kinain namin. Akala ko pa naman libre niya. Ang duga naman. Siya yung nag invite tapos ako yung magbabayad. I sighed and called the waitress for the bill.