HIS HEARTLESS WIFE

Chapter 6

Lionel park the car and we walked side by side. Nakahawak ang kanang kamay ni Lionel sa aking likuran. He's a perfect boyfriend kaso hindi siya ang tinitibok ng puso ko.

The waitress greeted us and lead us to a private room. Then gave us the menu. A few seconds later, she came back with a set of tea.

"Enjoy, our homemade freshly brewed Sencha Green Tea," anito."Are you ready to order?"

"I'll take my usual," sagot ni Lionel.

The waitress looked at me," do you need a little more time, Madame?" She politely ask.

"Make it two whatever he ordered,"sagot ko rito.

The waitress repeated Lionels order pero hindi ko naintindihan ang lahat ng sinabi niya dahil na ka-focus ang mga mata ko sa text message na sinend ni Graciella.

"Hindi mo alam ano'ng inorder ko," ani Lionel."

"Does it matter?"

"Yes it does. Bakit mo sinabing make it two?"

"I'll eat them whatever it is. I'm starving hindi ako nakapagumagahan."

"Nagkahiwalay lang tayo. Pinababayaan mo na ang sarili mo. You look like a broom stick," pangaasar nito sa akin.

"Madami lang akong ginagawa sa opisina. Inisa-isa kong e-review ang financial statement ng kumpanya simula ng merger," paliwanag ko.

"And?"

"I come across a few unaccounted withdrawals from the company funds. I need to find out where those money went."

Graciella Palermo is a certified accountant. Hindi ko lang siya kaibigan. I secretly placed her in the company to be my eyes. Dad helped me find my friend a job nang makabalik siya sa Pilipinas. Naghiwalay ang kaniyang mga magulang. Walang iniwan ni isang kosing ang kaniyang ama sa kaniyang ina. Her mother committed suicide after her father left them. Sa awa ko sa kaibigan ko I begged Dad and Mom to help her out.

In return, Graciella made me a huge favor. Habang pinaguusapan namin ni Lionel ang nawawalang pera sa kompanya. She texted me kung sino ang salarin sa mga unaccounted withdrawals.

My motives was wrong akala ko si Blaze. Hindi pala siya kundi isang taong pinagkatiwalaan ng aking mga magulang maliban sa mga Ortega. Si Alexis Silvanna--ang ama ni Audrey na nagiisang kapatid na lalaki ng aking ina.

"Chevelle, take it easy. Alam mo na kung sino ang salarin sa pagkamatay ng mga magulang mo. Baka matulad ka rin sa kanila kapag pinagpatuloy mo ang iyong pagiimbistiga."

"Mapapalampas ko ang panloloko niya sa aking asawa pero hindi ko mapapalampas pati ang kompanya ay idamay ng kaniyang ama."

"Just be careful,baby. You know how dirty her father is. Mag-iingat ka. Remember what my father told you."

"Yeah! I know 'don't trust anyone but myself,'" I said while I hold the cup of tea to drink.

Nawalan man ako ng mga magulang. I was blessed to have Blaze and Lionels parents. They guided me through na hindi mapariwara ang buhay ko. Alam kong kahit hindi aminin ni Lionel. Utos ng kaniyang ama ang sundan ako sa London. Matalik na magkaibigan ang aking ina at ang ama ni Lionel. They share a bond like Lionel and I, an unconditional love between friends.

Matalik na kaibigan naman ng aking ama ang mga magulang ni Blaze. They were also my godparents. Ninong ko ang ama ni Lionel. Ninang ko naman ang ina ni Blaze. But somehow after my parents passed away. Nag-iba ang pakitutungo ng mga Del Mundo sa mga Ortega. Marahil ay dahil sa mga Ortega ako pinagkatiwala ng aking mga magulang kahit na mas malapit ako sa mga Del Mundo. According to my parents last wishes, Blaze parents were to become my legal guardians if anything happens to them and I shall be married to their son once I come at age.

"So, how's the divorce going?"

"Hindi niya pa rin binibigay sa akin ang kopya ng aming divorce."

"Baka hindi niya pa na-file?" wika ni Lionel.

Somehow he has a point. Baka hindi pa nga nagawa ni Blaze. But why? Siya itong nagmamadaling makipaghiwalay sa akin.

"Why is he putting our divorce on hold? Siya itong atat na makipaghiwalay. I have my career in London. Masaya na ako sa buhay ko roon. Umuwi ako rito para pagbigyan siya sa kagustohan niya."

"Pagbigyan siya o umasa ka na mamahalin ka niya?"

Yes, I was hoping that when Blaze see me mag-iiba ang tingin niya sa akin. I am grown up woman now. Hindi na ako ang batang sunod ng sunod sa kaniya o ang teenager na hindi niya pinahalagahan. Twenty-eight na ako at handa na akong sumabak sa mga desisyong hindi ko pagsisisihan. But I was wrong, kahit pala kulang na lang maghubad ako sa harapan niya. Hindi niya pa rin ako magagawang bigyan pansin. I am so pathetic and I need to end this feeling.

'A night with him is all I wanted. One night to make my husband fall inlove with me.'

"I'll have my lawyer file the documents myself. Iyong pinagagawa ko sa'yo. May resulta na ba?"

Pag-iiba ko sa usapan. Napag-alamanan ko nasa DMMC ang doktor ni Audrey nagtatrabaho. Doon rin ito madalas samahan ni Blake sa mga pekeng chemotherapy sessions nito.

"Give me a little more time to gather factual and solid evidences, Chevelle. Hindi madali ang pinagagawa mo. Maari akong mawalan ng lisensya."

"Not if you proven your staff indeed had a connivance with his patient to fake her illness. Medical malpractice iyon, Lionel and also, conspiracy."

"I need more documents and videos to prove that your allegation are true, Chevelle."

"Paano kung totoo? What would you do?"

"I'll fire him and make sure his license gets revoke."

"And the patient?"

"Of course, I will sue her as well."

"Fair, enough."

We continued talking about the happenings in our lives until we narrow it down to business. Unknowingly I was already pitching my project to Lionel. Hindi pa man ako natatapos sa proposal he agreed for me to show him our pharmaceuticals.

"So, you are talking business now," aniya.

"Getting there, Dr. Del Mundo. You will be my first successful project if you agree to my proposal."

"I don't see flaws on your proposal, Dr. Ortega. I would love to see the facility. Kailangan ko lang e-pitch in kay Papa. Knowing how he adores you. Papayag 'yon agad."

"Dr.Ortega? I can't wait for the day I become a Valeho once again."

"Patience, Chevelle. There's blessings to those who waits."

"Didn't we agreed to remain friends?"

"Inaalaska lang kita. Napaka-sensitive mo na."

"Shall we go? It's two hours drive. We can visit your parents graveyard first."

"Sounds good to me. Oh, I miss them. Ngayon ko pa lang unti-unting niyayakap ang katotohan. They are gone. Completely gone."

"Hindi sila nawala, Chevelle. They remained in your heart forever."

We continued chatting on our way to our old coastal town kung saan kami lumaki ni Lionel. When my parents passed away nagkahiwalay kaming dalawa dahil isinama ako agad ng mga Ortega sa bahay nila. I did not see him again until we've met in Boston.

Hindi ko inaaasahang makita si Blaze sa planta. Malinaw ang sinabi ko sa kaniya na kaya kong mag-isa.

'What is he doing here? Stalking me? Imposible!'

* * *

Sinundan ko siya papalabas ng private room para sana pilitin na kumain muna. But I was too late. Ramdam ko ang sakit sa kaibuturan ng aking puso ng makita kong nakingiting sumakay si Chevelle sa itim na sasakyan.

Agad kong tinawagan ang aking private investigator to find out kung sino ang sumundo sa asawa ko.

"Find out who that black Mercedes belongs to. Report to me within three hours."

"Three hours?"

"Yes, one hundred eighty minutes or you're fired!"