Love is an Accident

Chapter 38

"So nagsisi ka pa rin dahil ako ang napangasawa mo?" tanong ni Stanley sabay hila ng kamay ni Shantelle.

"Ano ba? Kanina ka pa, ha? Bitiwan mo nga ako at magpapaliwanag ako." Tugon ni Shantelle sabay bawi ng kamay.

"Sige magpaliwanag ka. Siguraduhin mo lang na kapani paniwala iyan!"

"Nagkita lang kami noong araw na may interview ako sa Brills company. Hindi ko alam at wala akong alam kung bakit nandoon siya. Nagulat na lang ako kinabukasan na kasama siya ni Miss Kelly sa meeting. He was one of my superiors and I didn't betray you."

Tinitigan muna ni Stanley si Shantelle, tila tinitiyak na nagsasabi ito ng totoo. Nang makita na tila namumula na ang mga mata ni Shantelle, napabuntong-hininga siya at sinabi, "Alright, I believe you."

Nagulat si Shantelle sa naging tugon ni Stanley. Akala niya ay hindi siya nito paniniwalaan.

"Are you sure? Baka naman may binabalak ka gawin?"

"May itatanong ako sa iyo, lumapit ba siya sa iyo? Hinawakan ka ba niya? Niyakap o whatever?" Stanley was more concerned about what happened after they met.

"Hindi! Galit siya sa akin dahil nagpakasal ako sa iyo. Pinaliwanag ko sa kanya pero galit talaga siya at hindi raw niya ako mapapatawad."

"It sounds like your very disappointed." He mocked.

"Hindi ako disappointed. I just want to say sorry dahil naghintay siya sa akin." Naiinis na tugon ni Shantelle.

"How about you? Hindi mo ba siya hinintay, ha?" Madilim ang mukha na wika ni Stanley.

"Kung hindi mo siguro ako ginamit para makapaghiganti ka sa Lolo ko siguro siya pa rin ang hihintayin ko."

Lalo nadagdagan ang galit ni Stanley narinig ang sinabi ni Shatelle. Bahagya niya inilapit ang mukha kay Shantelle, tinigan ito sa mata at sinabi, "kahit anong pagsisisi pa ang gawin mo wala ka ng magagawa. Asawa na kita at sa ayaw at sa gusto mo kailangan mo iwasan ang lalaki na iyon. At kung ayaw mong magalit sa iyo ang Lolo mo at itakwil ka niya at sumunod ka sa gusto ko."

Alam ni Shantelle na gagamitin na naman ni Stanley ang Lolo niya panakot sa kanya kaya wala na naman siya laba. Napabuntong-hininga na lang siya at sinabi, "Promise iiwasan ko na siya simula ngayon."

"Dont just talk, what I want to see is actual action."

Simula bukas, hindi na kita papayagang pumunta sa tranaho. Sa bahay ka na lang at gampapanan mo na lang ang obligation mo sa akin. At kung wala ka talaga magawa at bored ka, ako na mismo mabibigay trabaho sa iyo. I guarantee that you will be able to fully display your brilliance and warmth, and won't lose any of your talent." Stanley was so domineering that he had no friends, but other than the words he said, he was also taking care of her pride and emotions.

Nanlaki ang magagandang mata ni Shantelle sa gulat. Akala niya kanina ay malalagot talaga siya kay Stanley. Akala niya ay tuturuan na naman siya ng leksyon. Hindi niya akalain na pagsasabihan lang siya. He even said that he would give her a job and wouldn't bury her talent.

Hindi talaga maintindihan ni Shantelle kung ano ang saluubin ni Stanley.

"Fine hindi na ako papasok sa trabaho pero sana naman malaya akong gawin ang mga gusto kapag bored ako sa bahay."

Stanley stared at her for a few seconds and said

indifferently, "As long as you agree to give birth to a

child, I can give you your freedom.

Nanigas ang katawan ni Shantelle nang marinig iyon. Tila umi-echo sa tenga niya ang mga sinabi ni Stanley. Tiningnan niya ito sa mga mata na tila nakikiusap. " Stanley, please kalimutan muna natin ang usapin sa pagkakaroon ng anak. I can't have children now, I'm not mentally prepared."

"Kung hindi tayo magkakaanak agad manganganib ang kasal natin."

"Ano ang ibig mong sabihin?" Naguguluhang tanong ni Shantelle.

"If we get a divorce, don't even think about getting a single order for See Family. Are you going to just watch your grandfather's hard work collapse?"

Stanley's thin lips curled up. Evil yet dark. He had plenty of ways to deal with this little girl.

Tulad ng inaasahan, namumutla ang mukha ni Shantelle. "Kung maghihiwalay tayo may magagawa pa ba si Lolo?"

"May magagawa? Oo magagawa niyang itakwil ka. Magiging ulila ka na at wala nang pamilya ang tatanggap sa iyo, maliban sa akin!"

His words stabbed into her heart one word at a

time. Shantelle only felt her entire body turning

cold, so cold that she wanted to hug herself.

"Stop talking, I beg you!" Shantelle's eyes misted. Over as she pleaded with him in grief for such a blow.

Nakita ni Stanley na natakot siya, hinawakan niya ito sa kamay at mahinang sinabi, "Shantelle, kahit na hindi ko ito sabihin, you know the stakes involved. To put it bluntly, we are in a business alliance and you are the pawn that See Family is placed beside me."

"Hanggang kailan tayo kasal? K—kung sakaling man na magkaroon tayo ng anak baka iiwan mo na lang ako na parang basahan. Wala na ba akong karapatan na pag-isipan muna ito? Don't force me!" Tuluyan ng tumulo ang mga luha ni Shantelle.

Seeing that, Stanley's heart tightened for some

reason. He stretched out his long fingers and wiped away the tears on her cheeks. "What are you crying for? Kaya nga kita pinipilit na kailangan na natin magkaanak dahil ayoko manganib ang kasal natin."

Shantelle did not feel comforted by his seemingly gentle words. He was obviously the one who played the rogue. Now that he was pretending to be a good person, she did not care about him at all.

"Okay para maintindihan mo kung ano ang dahilan ko. Let me explain to you. Someone from the Santos Family is forcing me to marry a woman from their family. Why should I be bullied by others?" Stanley suddenly opened his mouth and seemed to be explaining his difficulties.

Huminto ang pagbagsak ng luha ni Shantelle habang nagtataka na napatingin kay Stanley.

Nagpatuloy naman si Stanley.

"When I was five, I was told that I grew up to marry Santos Family's daughter, how innocent am I? Why can't I pick a pleasing woman to marry? Only women who are not from Santos Family do not marry?"

Bahagyang natigilan si Stanley. Akala niya ililihim ni Stanley at hindi sasabihin sa kanya ang tungkol sa Santos family.

"You...You were engaged to have a baby?" She asked. She was smart enough to pretend that she didn't know.

Stanley nodded and said, "Yes, I had an

engagement since I was young, but that was

between my father and Santos Family's parents, it has nothing to do with me."

It was only then that Shantelle suddenly

remembered that he had picked up the phone last night. Could it be his parents, saying that Santos's Family was forcing him to divorce her?