I'm Stuck with THE BOSS

32 (Divorce)

A week has passed and everything seems to be going smoothly. Natapos naman ang event ng walang problema kaya nag cecelebrate kami ngayon sa success nito.

"Having fun?" Tanong ni Owen.

"Yeah. Sa wakas natapos rin." Buntong hininga ko.

Nagulat nalang ako nang may biglang humawak ng kamay ko at hinatak ako nito kung saan. Ni hindi na ako nakapag paalam kay Owen ng maayos.

"What the hell Van? What's your problem?"

"I hate that guy." Sabi niya ng hindi nakatingin saakin.

Inis na binawi ko ang kamay ko sakanya. Who knows kung may nakakita non. Sana naman ay wala at baka mapag chismisan nanaman. Pero impossible namang wala.

"Mag iingat ka nga! Alam mo namang nasa kumpanya pa tayo." Pabulong na galit ko sakanya.

"You're my wife. Why are you hiding it in the first place?" iritadong sabi niya.

"To avoid issues you know."

"I don't like you hanging out with that guy. Obvious naman na pinopormahan ka non. Plus he knows you're married. What is he thinking?"

"He's just a friend."

"You're too careless."

Sa di kalayuan napakunot noo ako nang matanaw si Papa. What is he doing here? Wait, Oo nga pala kumpanya niya ito.

Akala ko makaka hinga at relax na ako ng maayos eh. Nasira lang mood ko. He's laughing with some businessman friends. Maybe he felt my gaze kaya napatingin siya saakin but I chose to look away at naisipan nalang na bumalik sa opisina.

"Van, Balik lang ako sa office." Sabi ko sakanya bago umalis. Dinumog rin naman siya ng iba pang businessman kaya hindi na rin siya nakapag protesta.

Nang makarating ako sa opisina, huminga ako ng malalim at uminom ng isang basong tubig.

"Lhara." Tawag ng isang boses pagka bukas ng pinto.

It's him.

"I heard you're doing good in the company." Dagdag niya.

"Thanks. What brings you here anyway?" Mapait na tanong ko sakanya.

He sighed.

"You should atleast say hello first" malungkot na sabi niya.

"Just get to the point." iritadong sabi ko sakanya.

"I found out where your mom is. She's safe and I brought her to rehab." Sabi niya.

Oo nga pala... si mama. How could I even forget about her?

"How is she?"

"Fine. Though, I'm not sure if she will recognize you. She was not even able to recognize me. She took so much that the withdrawal symptoms are at its worst."

"Just give me the address." Sabi ko. Kumuha siya ng papel at isinulat ang address sabay inabot saakin.

"You knew why she took drugs right." I reminded him.

"Taking drugs is a choice Lhara. Though I feel sorry for her."

"You're the worst. You know she's not that strong!" Galit na sabi ko sakanya. All the memories of how our family slowly crumbled went back into my head. I've been living a fairytale for the past few months that I forgot the hell that I've been through.

"I'm sorry. I really am."

"You should be. Di mo nalang sana siya inasawa kung maghahanap ka rin pala ng iba." Mapait na sabi ko sakanya. Napakunot ang noo niya at magsasalita sana ng galit pero mas pinili niya nalang kumalma. Siguro at nag sink in rin naman sakanya ang mga kasalanan niya.

"Enough of that. By the way, I'm also here to make you sign some papers." Dagdag niya at inabot saakin ang papel na nasa suitcase niya.

"Divorce Papers?!"

"Yes, it's for your own good."

"What the hell. Why do you keep on deciding for me?!" Galit na tanong ko. I looked at the paper thoroughly and saw that it was already signed by Van.

For a moment, I froze.

What the hell? Kanina he's acting like some jealous guy tapos ngayon malalaman ko to?!

What the fuck is going on?!

I can't help but feel miserable. Parang bigla akong nabuhusan ng malamig na tubig. I know my feelings for him is real but his feelings... he's so hard to read.

Without me realizing it, my tears are already flowing down my face.

A part of me was expecting that maybe, some of those moments are real. But this signed divorce paper just proves that he doesn't really love me.

"I'm sorry...You know that I got involved into some illegal matters... I don't want you involved in this. I'm just protecting you that's why, you need to sign this paper." He said, in a painful voice. I feel like a fool for thinking that maybe he's inlove with me. Nevermind the illegal matters and life and death situation. The pain right now is terrible.

"The moment you decided to join that Illegal business, you know that you've already put your family into danger. You are so self centered." I said. Nag c-crack ang boses ko habang nag bibigkas ng mga salita. Sobrang bigat ng nararamdaman ko.

Alam ko na una palang arranged marriage na to. But I didn't really expect him to sign the divorce papers since in the first place siya ang lagi nag iinsist na I'm his wife not just because of the papers.

"I promise, this is for you. Besides, It's an arranged marriage and you were so against it." Sabi niya. Maybe he doesn't have an idea how much I've fallen for Van for the past few months.

"And what's this?" Nakakunot noong tiningnan ko ang kasunod na papel.

"A marriage contract with RED?!" Gulat na tanong ko sakanya.

"You need protection from Red. Pag nawala ako, si Van ang mag hahandle ng kumpanya. I'm not sure how long I'll live since I've been getting death threats lately." Malungkot na sabi niya.

"Nadamay na ako anyways. I'm pretty sure na mahahanap at mahahanap lang naman nila ako if they intend to use me against you. Bakit di ka nalang mag sumbong sa pulis?" Inis na tanong ko sakanya.

"It's illegal business. The company will go down along with it kapag nag sumbong ako sa pulis."

"God! Pati ako nag susuffer sa mga decisions mo Pa! I will sign the divorce papers. But I will NOT sign the marriage contract with Red. Madiin na sabi ko sakanya.

"Alright. But you will have to use your mother's last name. I don't want you to carry the last name Quing since kumakalat na sa chinese community ang balita. Plus, you will have to move at Red's within this week." He said in defeat.

"Fine by me. But what about school?" Tanong ko sakanya. Thank God he didn't force me to an arranged marriage again.

"You can accomplish the hours at Red's."

"I'll do it in one condition. Give me one million pesos." Seryosong sabi ko sakanya.

This is the first time that I asked him money. 1 million is nothing to him, coins lang yan sakanya but the horror in his face is visible. Now he's hesitant about this whole thing. He knows what I do with my money. He knows better than anyone. But what is that face for? Is he trying to become a father now? Is he scared that he might never see me again?

"Now." I demanded.