It Started With A Lie

-Chapter One-

--" He's My Husband" -A Lie-- 

     "WHERE is your boss? I want to talk to your boss!"

     Mula sa binabasang libro, nagtaas ng paningin si Xandria. The girl was so loud. Nadidistract siya.

      Nakita niyang nagkatinginan muna ang dalawang receptionist at nagsensyasan. Tila nagtuturuan pa ang mga ito kung sino ang haharap sa kararating lang na 'guest'.

      "Miss Charlotte, si Sir Rayven po ba ang hinahanap ninyo?" tila nag-aalangan pang tanong ng babaeng receptionist na kilala niya bilang Laila.

      " May iba pa ba kayong boss dito maliban kay Rayven?!" pagtataray ng babae. "Nasaan siya? Why is he not answering my calls?"

      "Miss Charlotte, Sir Rayven is currently in a very important meeting. Kaya po siguro hindi niya nasasagot ang mga tawag ninyo."

       "Tunta! How important is this meeting that he cannot answer my call?" malakas na singhal nito sa receptionist. She was almost screaming, rason para ang ilang mga guest ay napapahinto at nakikiusyuso.

      Xandria got curious as well. Sa nakikita niya ay hindi basta-basta ang babae. Her bag, shoes and dress are screaming money. Makinis rin at maputi ang kutis nito, kutis mestisa. Sa postura nito, kitang-kitang isa itong anak mayaman.

    'A spoiled brat,' she thought.

     She closed her book at pasimpleng humigop ng kape niya, waiting for whatever drama is there to unfold.

     Base sa reaksyon ng dalawang receptionist, this isn't the first time that they met this woman. Si Carl, the gay one, ay palihim na umiismid habang si Laila naman ay pinipilit pa ring iplaster ang ngiti sa mga labi. Can't blame the two, the women smells like trouble.

     "Where is he? Where is this goddamn meeting?"

     "I'm so sorry ma'am pero hindi kasi—"

    "Punyeta! Pinagtataguan ba ako ng boss niyo?" she shouted. The girl –yes, girl, kasi para itong bata – is throwing a fit. At ang dalawang receptionist ang kawawa.

      And those two are here friends, mga new friends niya at hindi siya comfortable seeing how this spoiled brat treats them.

    She just watched for a while habang sinisigaw-sigawan at pinapagalitan ng babae ang dalawang receptionist na ayaw sabihin kung nasaan ang kanilang boss. Isa sa mga bellboy ang nakita niyang sumalisi, probably to call for the hotel's manager.

    'This isn't right,' she said to herself after a while at tumayo. She gracefully walked towards the reception area, taking her time in each step. Nakita niyang namumula na ang mga pisngi ni Laila while Carl was holding a phone and was about to dial. She smiled at them both bago tumigil sa tapat ng babae. "Any problem here?" she asked.

     "Miss Xandria, --"

     "And who the hell are you to butt in?" mataray na agaw ng babae sa sasabihin sana ni Laila.

      She smiled at this girl even wider, "Question is, who are you?" she even raised one of her eyebrows. It isn't her style na makialam sa problema nga iba, but for several days of staying in this hotel, naging kaibigan na niya ang mga receptionist, especially these two na tinataray-tarayan ng babaeng ito and she will not tolerate it.

    "Hindi ikaw ang gusto kong makausap. I want to talk to Rayven. I need an explanation. Pinagtataguan ba niya ako?"

     Xandria crossed her arms and looked at her. "At ano ang kailangan mo kay Rayven?" She delivered the question like a dean questioning a student but on the back of her mind, her brain is screaming 'Who the hell is Rayven?'