Chasing My Love [Completed]

Chapter 26

Pumasok si Saritha sa building na pagmamay-ari ng holdings company ni Yego kasama ang abogado niya. She was  in the lobby at kaagad siyang lumapit sa receptionist.

"Hi, good morning!" bati niya rito.

"Good morning, ma'am and sir."

"We have a meeting with Mr. Diego Tantoco," she said matter-of-factly. 

"What time, Miss, and can I get your name?"

"Saritha. At 9:30 AM," she said and checked her watch. She still has about ten minutes before the call time. "I'm with my lawyer, Atty. Perreira."

The receptionist checked someting on her screen. "I'm sorry, Ms. Saritha. It looks like you're not part of the guestlist for this morning."

"Can you check again? He particularly said 9:30am."

The receptionist shook her head. "Wala talagang meeting, ma'am. Are you from an agency or something?"

She breathed deeply. "Can I just talk to his secretary para mapapasok kami?"

Umiling ito. "The secretary gives us the guestlist for the following day a day prior. At wala po ang pangalan ninyo sa mga meetings ni Sir Tantoco today."

Her lawyer looked at her.

She took out an ID and showed it to the woman in front of her. "I'm Saritha Tantoco, wife of Diego Tantoco. I have a scheduled meeting with my husband at 9:30AM. If you won't let me in, ipapatawag ko siyang bumaba dito."

Nagulantang ang babaeng kaharap niya. "W-Wife?"

"Yes," walang kagatol-gatol na sagot niya. Looks like wala talagang nakakaalam sa mga tauhan ni Yego na kasal na ito. 

"Here's your ID pass, ma'am. I'm so sorry," she said at dali-daling inabot sa kanya ang isang pass at pati na rin kay Atty. Perreira.

Pag-pasok nila sa elevator ay saka pa lamang nagkumento ang abogado.

"Bakit parang walang nakakaalam na kasal kayo?"

"Long story, attorney. As I said, we've never really actually lived as husband and wife kaya wala ring nakaalam. Besides, the wedding was very intimate dahil mga magulang lang talaga namin ang nagpush na makasal kami kaagad."

The elevator stopped at the 30th floor. Pagbukas na pagbukas pa lamang ng elevator ay sinalubong na sila ng isang middle-aged na ginang.

"Hi, Mrs. Tantoco, I'm sorry for the trouble downstairs. Hindi ko pala nasama ang pangalan ninyo sa guest list. I'm Lia by the way, secretary to the President."

"Hi Lia," ganting bati niya. "This is Atty. Perreira. Nasaan si Yego?"

"Sir Tantoco is in his office."

Lia walked ahead to lead them to a door. Ang buong floor na iyon ay reserved lamang para kay Yego at sa boardroom nito for his meetings. Kumatok lamang si Lia and they all heard Yego saying, "Come in!"

"Sir, your wife is here," anunsyo ni Lia at saka sila pinapasok.

She was astounded by his office. It was every bit the CEO office she always sees on TV and movies. Yego was busily typing on his screen at naka eyeglasses ito. It was the first time she saw him wearing glasses and he actually looked good.

Napansin niyang may lalaki ding nakaupo sa chair sa harap ng desk ni Yego.

"Please sit down," Yego said without throwing them a glance.

 Sari and her lawyer sat on the couches there at binigyan sila ni Lia ng coffee in front of them. 

"Thanks," she said. And then, Lia left. 

"My laywer is here as well," panimula ni Yego. "This is Atty. Lino."

"This is Atty. Perreira," pakilala naman niya at nagkamayan na ang dalawang abogado. 

"Shall we begin?" tanong kagad ni Atty. Lino as he transferred seat across them on the couch.

"Yes," sagot ni Yego at tumayo mula sa desk niya para maupo katabi ng abogado nito ngayon at katapat niya.

"So the annulment was filed by Mr. Diego Tantoco about three weeks ago," panimula ni Atty. Lino. "Do you concur?"

She can feel his coldness towards her at hindi niya ito masisisi. She left him without even letting him explain. She deserves everything that's happening to her now. "Yes, Attorney."

"Very well. We'll start with the grounds for annulment. We do understand that you didn't actually liveD as husband and wife. Correct? You had your own place and he also had his," saad ng abogado.

"On some levels, yes. I mean, we did try to live together for about two weeks but nothing-" She was immediately cut off by the laywer. 

"So the marriage wasn't consummated at all," saad ng abogado. 

"W-What?" Nagulat siya sa sinabi nito.

"The marriage happened when you were only eighteen and we can plead a sense of coercion from your parents considering your barely legal age. And because you're young, you opted to live separately, thereby not consummating the marriage, rendering this nullable in the eyes of the law," saad ng abogado ni Yego.

She just looked at her husband for confirmation. Ito ba ang sinabi ni Yego sa abogado nito? But Yego seemed to be uninterested with the entire conversation. He looked so bored while sitting there staring into nothingness.

"What are the implications on property division?" chimed in Atty. Perreira. "My client has been his wife for about eight years."

"Eight years yet unconsummated. This will render the marriage void, meaning the marriage didn't happen at all. My client has no obligation to give anything to her," Atty. Lino strongly stated.

"Sir Tantoco, would you really leave your wife without anything at all?" tanong ni Atty. Perreira kay Yego.

"She left me without anything at all," he blatantly stated. "Why would I leave her something?"

Napatingin siya bigla sa tinuran na iyon ni Yego. "It's fine, Attorney. I'm not asking for anything," pigil niya sa request ni Atty. Perreira. "I just want a quick process."

"But Sari," pigil sa kanya ng abogado niya. "You still have a right to demand, an alimony perhaps?"

"Fine," putol ni Yego sa sinabi ng abogado niya. "I remember something that I don't need anymore. I have a house which I can give her as a parting gift." Tumayo ito para kunin ang isang photograph sa desk niya. Pagkatapos ay nilagay nito iyon sa desk sa gitna nilang apat.

Seeing the photo gave Sari goosebumps. It was her dream house, the house she wanted to build for herself na biglang pinangako sa kanya ni Yego noon. 

"That was supposed to be our house," kwento ni Yego. "But we never really lived as husband and wife. The house is now valued at about 65 million while the lot is at 20 million. You can sell it if you need money... Will that be enough?"

The house sparked a lot of emotions in her. Naalala niya ang araw na masaya silang nag-uusap tungkol sa groundbreaking para sa bahay. She was excited and so was he. They were both looking at a bright future together pero nasira ang lahat ng iyon dahil lamang sa maling akala niya...

Hindi niya namalayan na nanunubig na pala ang mga mata niya. And when she saw a tear dropping on her lap, dali-dali siyang tumayo para ayusin ang sarili. "I just ... need to go to the bathroom," she stated while looking down. She has no strength to face him at all now. It was obvious he was giving back her freedom by giving her house back to her. Their house. 

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A/N: Hey, girls!!! It's my bday today so I really want to update this story with a new chapter as my gift to all of you for your nice words and support. I hope I did justice. The story is about to end and I hope you continue staying tuned, mga sizzies.

COMMENT, FOLLOW ME AND VOTE for this chapter!!!