EX WIFE
2169 Words
The bustling Street of Manila has been filled with persons, strangers from one another apart from the beautiful woman who was watching them walk as if she was an spectator. She was holding a freshly brewed macchiato on a cafe that was already opened at this hour. It was 6 in the morning, and there are no sign of any foreboding weather that was yet to unfold. The sky was clear. The clouds were even on a light blue colour shading the sun from its heated embrace beyond the numerous buildings align. They stood tall, and erect. They bathed under the luminaire it has, but then the sight isn’t the one that the woman was keeping her eyes from.
Vanessa El Mayor [the mere reminisce of her being married to somebody she do not love left a distasteful tang on her mouth] was rather waiting for somebody that was yet to arrive. Clad on her usual attire, yet even with no efforts, Vanessa was already beautiful from head to toe. She was casually dressed on a silky black dress paired with her 5 inched stilettos that compliment already her figurine. The cloth was hugging her curves, and there’s no denial how elegant and regal she appeared so with the looks that both men and women had been throwing at her direction.
Some are admiration, a few were envy and contempt—that jealousy they had for Vanessa, because of her ethereal beauty same with Venus. Nevertheless, unlike her appearance, Vanessa was in an utter misery. But today onwards, she is going to cut ties with that husband she had. The mistake she succumbed, because of fear.
Too lost that she failed to notice a tall male occupying the empty seat in front of her.
“It’s been too long, Van.” He uttered first.
That’s how he had gotten her attention.
Vanessa blinked her eyes and turned her head away from the crowd.
The expression on her face changes. From shock, and utter bewilderment, Vanessa’ orbs has been filled with such longing and sadness, the torment of not seeing the male for how long she could remember. She lost count of years, of days and nights where she wish she fought against her father, and not let him force her to do something that she didn’t wanted to.
“Jacques...” It was the first time she uttered his name.
Vanessa bit her lips.
Jacques smiled at her.
“How are you?”
“I’m...good.” That was the least she could say.
What is she supposed to answer anyway?
I am not good since we broke up. Is that it? Of course not.
But seeing Jacques here in front of her—he looks different. The boy whom her father mocked before was far more than a mere student he warned her to stay away from. His hair was slicked back, and he had this corporate aura around him that he haven’t had before. Had he became a lawyer just like what he always told her to?
That reminds Vanessa of a far away memory of them, their days where they spend stolen moments that her father [as what she assumed] was still oblivious about their relationship.
[VANESSA’S MEMORY A LONG TIME AGO]
“After we graduated, I would pursue law, Van.” Jacques uttered.
Vanessa hummed softly as she closed her eyes and feel the cold wind prickling slowly at her exposed arms and legs. They were on the University’s field, it was both of their break time and so the pair chose the later to spend this moment with each other. Her head was lying close next to his chest, and she could hear the light thump of his heart.
“What about you?” Jacques asked her.
“Hmm...it depends to whatever may have been daddy’s decision,” said Vanessa.
“Does he still giving you a hard time?” Jacques turned to her direction, and softly brushed her hair.
“He does, he always does, Jac.” Vanessa giggled. “But it is alright, I am sure daddy was just doing it for my own good—“
“What if he finds out about us?” Out of nowhere, he asked.
“Jac...” That left Vanessa tongue-tied.
“You know how much he do not like me, Van.” Jacques orbs expressed sadness. “I am just a student, and you—you are a heiress with a promising tomorrow, and I am still thriving for my mine. I am born poor, Van—”
“Shhh, Jac.” She placed her finger in between his lips to stop her from speaking of about himself.
She do not like it. She hated how Jacques would often talked bad just because of their differences.
“You know that I love you in spite of those.” She cupped his face. “And if daddy find out, I’ll fight for you no matter what happen, Jacques.”
“You know your father—”
“Yes, I do.” She cut him off. “I know how scary daddy could become, but I won’t let him go between us, I promise.”
“You do? You promise?” Jacques searched for her eyes.
“I will, you silly.” Vanessa nodded her head before she tilt her face and planted a soft kissed on his lips.
It was supposed to be a brief kiss, but Jacques deepened the kiss, and how could Vanessa resist her lover’s lips?
What the pair failed to know was that there are a pair of eyes that keeps watching them from afar.
When Vanessa had gotten home that day, she least expected to see her father’s furious eyes blazing with anger when she stepped inside. Beside him was standing a student who was clad on the same uniform same with her and Jacques.
Vanessa was confused. Bu the angst fury on his face made her chest thumped loudly.
“Daddy, what’s the matter?” Vanessa hide her fear.
She gulps the lump that was forming inside her throat.
“You b***h!” Her father marched to where she was.
“Daddy—” Vanessa tried to call him, but what greeted her was a hard and painful slap that she had never received before. A loud gasp rings aloud. Her eyes were both wide as she unconsciously touched her already hurt face.
This is the first time...this is the first time that her father had raised his hand, much worst hurt her in anyway possible, and so she was in disbelief.
“D—daddy...” Her eyes watered.
Vanessa felt betrayed. It was all written on her face.
“You stupid b***h!” His voice boomed as it bounced back and forth from the walls. “You think I wouldn’t know? Ha! How dare you make a fool out of me, Vanessa?! I trusted you, and then what? I’ll just find out that you are being lovey dovy towards that boy? A freaking poor boy!”
“Daddy!” Her eyes widened from its sockets.
“What?” The big ahead was red all over his face.
And Vanessa could feel the fear driving to her core. But she remember her promise earlier. That for an instance gave her courage to stand against with her furious father.
“He isn’t poor! Jacques was a kind man, daddy!” Vanessa uttered, matching her father’s distasteful face.
His visage turned more sour.
“Jacques?! That boy you called Jacques isn’t somebody whom you should be paired with!” The Don angrily bites back. “And you know what? I am not going to let you see him anymore!”
“W—what?!” Vanessa was horrified. “You can’t just do that to me!”
Her reaction was violent. That gave her father more reason to ground Vanessa.
“From now on—” The cruelty was evidently shown on his face. “You are not allowed to see him, nor to even talk to him, do you understand?”
“N—no! Daddy, please—!”
“Whether you like it or not, you will do as what I say or suffered the consequences.”
Vanessa’s lips suddenly became firm. Her eyes was unforgiving.
“Just make sure that you are not going to touch him, daddy.” She warned him.
“Or what?” Her father challenge him.
But what Vanessa didn’t know was that her father gave done something more terrible.
“I still remember the day you said goodbye.”
The wind was briskly howling, but I was too stubborn, and refused to cry.
Murmurs about her death pierce through me, the light fades, and my l**t for life is waning the moment those casket shut. The life I once enjoyed is forfeit, and will never be undone. Hardly watching how the holes filled, blackness surged, and lament, so distraught, and mournful came. The lives we once shared, and once recently gained were no longer hosting any purpose.
“How did she die?” The questions circled, and many conclude I cause her end.
How can I end my own Cleopatra?
A jewel I have scavenged during the 80’s during my stay a long time ago. Her southwestern complexion was as white as the snow, her long black hair as ebony as the night itself, and those luscious red lips, which promise so many unimaginable things. We share night, our scarred wound, and suffice to say it means more than an unfaithful day.
I am a soldier, and she is my damsel. I hold rifles. My hand is callous, and was trained for wars, and ballistic aggression, but with her, my hold was soft, and delicate, afraid that one single move, she’ll c***k up, and fade.
Had I been curse?
I’ve seen my downfall, my life means nothing, without her it will be like a menagerie of agony, and pain.
Thoughts clouded me, and there’s an overwhelming urge, provoking me into a deed far greater to what honour my uniform had given. I’ve gone too far, am I not?
Bang. Bang.
Perhaps, it is the time for me to rest. I consoled my soul, and the moment darkness rang, I drowned.
My head throbs painfully, and there is this tiny bit of pain I could not understand.
It was not shallow, yet it is unfathomable. Much deeper, and just, I don’t know, how I am supposed to tell, when on the latter part even me do not have any idea what might be the reason of this feeling anyway. Those pair of chocolate brown orbs of mine similarly to a latte mounds I have seen on Bohol shut down on their own accords, both weary, and hot for some reason.
Did I cry? Why did I cry? Confused, I touched my face, yet they are not wet. It is ridiculous. Why I am having some thoughts that I did things, but on the other hand, I could not remember everything?
Recalling about past events did not do anything at all. My hand reached out, my phone hovered, and was prepared to give you a ring, but then I stop.
Why should I call? How should I call you?
Then the memories about the night came like an avalanched, and I swallowed hard.
“I don’t love you anymore.”
What worse than those words is when your gaze trapped me, a cage of doubts, and uncertainty not to ever allow anyone so close again. Questions afloat, the temptation to ask you are too overwhelming, a pit that I am standing over the edge.
I am on the summit, yet I felt like there’s this rope I am gripping so tightly so I would not fall over. You are there, looking at me, just looking, and doing nothing. You are just watching, and gawking, ‘stead of help what I get from you is a knife, which cut that rope, and I then I found myself falling on that cliff.
Then I asked out of nowhere, but you’ve never responded. “I remain on your worst, but when you have seen mine, you felt almost unsure, and distorted, why?”
Henceforth, when I fell, I already get my answer.
[END OF FLASHBACK]
Vanessa didn’t realized that she had been too lost for so long that she didn’t notice Jacques has been calling her since earlier.
“Van, are you okay?” Jacques asked her.
Vanessa blinked her eyes, before forcing a small smile.
“Are you sure?” He was frowning, because Jacques knew her better than herself.
She bit her lips. Their eyes meet.
“I am not.” She couldn’t lie anymore. “I—I missed you...”
And same like her, Jacques couldn’t hide the same feelings that keeps thriving inside of her.
“I—” His haw clenched. “I—I missed you too, Van.”
@cycy
- Writer
