The Billionaire I Married By Mistake [Filipino]

3. TICKET

|Katherine|

My grandfather continued to call me as soon as I got home. Kaya para huminto siya sa pagtawag sa akin, I put my phone into airplane mode. And the first thing that I did as soon as I stepped in into my room was to have a nice warm bath.

I sighed in relief as soon as the warm water enveloped my body. It feels so refreshing against my skin. Sumasakit ang buong katawan ko at ito ang kailangan ko! At sa tuwing naalala ko ang dahilan n’on, embarrassment would creep into my body.

I had to close my legs because I could honestly feel that man’s length inside me. At tang-ina, palagi kong naaalala ang mga nangyari kagabi!

“I can’t believe that I actually surrendered to him, among all the men who tried to bed me,” bulong-bulong ko sa sarili.

Masyado ba akong lasing kagabi para…tuluyang malunod sa mga halik at hawak niya?

I shut my eyes at inilubog ang sarili sa tubig, so I could think straight. I also push those thoughts away at inisip na lang ang mga damit na dapat kong dalhin papuntang Cebu.

I wasn’t kidding when I told my grandpa earlier that I have a wedding to attend. At tuwing naiisip ko siya at naalala ang pagpipilit niya na umuwi ako ng Iloilo, naiirita ako!

Why would I go home to that…little city?

Mas gusto ko dito sa Manila! I just can’t leave the party, the travel, and oh…my shopping! Hindi ko maisip kung may maayos ba na bar doon? Oh ‘di kaya ay kung may high end store ba sa mga mall? Of course, no, right? And most of my friends are here! Kaya bakit ako pupunta sa maliit na lugar na ‘yon? And I have some grave memory in that province so mas mabuting huwag na lang.

I was raised at Iloilo at my young age. Pero nang tumungtong ako ng high school, sa isang prestigious school dtio sa Manila na ako pinag-aral ng mga magulang ko. Dito na rin ako nag-aral ng college. Until I finished school, I chose to stay here.

Why would I leave this place when this is where my freedom and happiness is?

I was having my time on taking a warm bath nang maisipan kong ibalik ang cellphone ko sa dati. In-off ko agad ang pagkaka-airplane mode ng aking cellphone. Sunod-sunod na messages ang dumating, and at agad ding rumehistro ang pangalan ni Gianna sa aking cellphone. I quickly answered the call as I rose up and walked out of my bathtub.

[“Finally, Kath! You answered! Nasaan ka na? We’re already here na sa airport! We’ll leave in thirty minutes!”]

Dang. How could I also forgot the time of our flight, right?

“I’m sorry, I overslept!” rason ko na lang imbes na sabihin pa sa kanya na nagising ako sa ibang kuwarto maliban sa akin. “Damn it. Susunod na lang ako. Magbobook ako ulit ng flight,” I tell her.

[“Alright. But make sure you arrived before four! We still have some photoshoots to do!”] paalala niya.

“Yes, yes. I’ll be there,” I ensured her and then the call ended.

Hindi ko alam kung iyon na ba ang pinakamabilis kong pagtatapos sa pagligo ko at pag-iimpake ng damit. At nang makaalis ako at nakasakay na nang taxi patungong airport, halos pagalitan ko naman ang driver dahil naipit pa kami sa traffic. And the fact that I can’t pay my ticket online thru my credit card! I only have a one thousand bill right now and my credit cards are my only source of funds!

Goodness, is the grandpa’s way of warning me?

Oh my gosh! What kind of hassle is this?!

I quickly went to my recent calls and tap Gianna’s number. One ring after calling Gianna’s number ay nasagot niya ito.

[“Hello Kath! Malapit ka na ba? Have you booked your ticket?”] she informed before I could even say my hello.

“Gosh, Gi! Could you please book me one? Hindi ko ma-access and cards ko!” I complained.

[“Wait, I’ll do it quick. Aalis na ang plane after five minutes,”]

“Thank you. And I don’t even know why my entire day is suddenly ruined! And I’ll probably be late at the photoshoot! Sa kasal na mismo ako makaka-attend,” I complained.

[“Ano bang kamalasan ang natatamo mo ngayong araw?”]

“Oh, ikukuwento ko sa’yo ang tungkol sa pagtawag ni grandpa. Gosh!”

[“Alright! We’ll talk that soon. I’ll just book your flight and email it to you!”]

“Thank you, Gi!”

Kahit paano ay kumalma ako dahil hindi na ako mamroblema sa aking ticket. Mabilis akong nagbayad sa driver ng makarating sa airport. Mabilisan lang din ang pag check-in ko papasok.

I headed straight to my gate number. Dahil may isang oras pa akong hihintayin, I decided to buy some coffee and snacks to ease my hunger. Hindi pala ako nakapag-lunch sa pagmamadali! I was busy paying for my coffee and snacks ng muli akong makatanggap ng tawag.

Sa pag-aakalang magpapaalam na sina Gianna sa akin, sinagot ko iyon ng hindi tinitignan ang cellphone. Kaya laking gulat ko ng marinig ang pamilyar na boses sa kabilang linya.

“Hello, Gie?”

[“Hello, Miss Katherine. This is Noel,”] pakilala niya agad sa kabilang linya.

My brows furrowed, and I looked at my screen. It was my grandfather’s number. Binalik ko sa tainga ang phone at muling kinausap ang si Noel, ang sekretarya ni grandpa.

“Yes? Ba’t ka napatawag?” I asked.

And for unknown reason, I suddenly felt uncomfortable, especially when I tried to think of any reason why Noel would call me…through my grandfather’s number. Kung may sasabihin man siya, ang kanyang numero mismo ang ginagamit niya para kontakin ako.

I head Noel sighed heavily in the other line. Napatayo ako ng maayos habang ang atensyon ay nasa labas ng airport, tinitignan ang paglapag ng isang eroplano.

[“Pupwede ka ho bang umuwi ngayon? Na i-book ko na ang flight niyo—”]

Agad na umasim ang reaksyon ko. Wait, did grandpa used Noel to call and convince me to go home?!

“Sabihin mo kay grandpa na hindi ako uuwi.” I interrupted on what he was about to say. “I have some things to do. If iyan lang ang itinawag mo—”

[“Isinugod ho sa hospital si Mr. Lopez.”] He suddenly dropped the bomb. My eyes widened, and my heart hammered so hard against my chest. Fear crept into my being.

“A-Anong…anong sabi mo?” gulantang kong tanong.

[“You grandfather had suffered heart attack two hours ago. Sinubukan ho kitang tawagan kanina pero hindi po kita ma contact. Ngayon lang ho kita natawagan uli matapos masiguro ang kalagayan ng inyong lolo sa hospital.”] aniya.

Nanginginig ang kamay ko habang pinakikingan ang sinabi niya. My grandpa…suffered a heart…attack?

I swallowed the lump in my throat. Unti-unting namuo ang mga luha sa aking mga mata. The thought of my grandfather, in a hospital, full of tubes and machine, horrified me.

“Please send me my t-ticket.” Hindi na ako nagdalawang isip na sabihin iyon. Kaya kong ignorahin ang lahat ng kanyang sermon. Pero ang hindi ko kaya? Ang malaman na nasa hospital siya ngayon at nasa masamang kalagayan.