ASAR na tiningnan ni Blue si Helaena. Nakasuot ito ng isang gown na talaga namang nakakamangha ang disenyo. Mas maraming nakalitaw na parte ng katawan nito kaysa natatabingan. As usual, she was showing too much skin.
And right now, a certain, very much interested-looking male was practically devouring her with his eyes. She laughed. She was having a good time all right.
And he was damn miserable.
So, what are you doing sulking here like an idiot, man? anang maliit na tinig sa kanyang utak. Go get her before that asshole starts drooling all over her chest!
Yeah, right. She would really get a kick out of that. Men's admiration made her high. She never missed any opportunity to flirt. Lantaran pa nitong ipinapakita sa kanya ang ginagawa nito na para bang hinahamon siya. And damn it, it was all he could do to keep his temper under control!
Lumapit si Alexis sa kanya. "O, bakit nagmu-mukmok ka rito? Hinahanap ka ng tropa sa loob."
Nasa birthday party sila ni Lucky. It was a very private affair at piling-pili ang mga bisita. He should be inside having a good time with his friends. Pero nasa hardin siya, parang gagong sinusundan ang bawat galaw ng kanyang asawa.
"Hot, hot, Helaena. Man, how can you let her wear that thing? And it looks like he has the hots for her, pare," ani Alexis habang nakatingin din sa kanyang asawa.
Inis na tiningnan niya ito. "Sino ba 'yon?" tanong niya rito, sabay buga ng usok. He had been chain-smoking lately, too. All her damn fault! "Vince Andretti." Kaibigan ni Lucky. A businessman from Italy na nagbabakasyon dito, mukhang interesadong bumili ng properties dito sa Pilipinas."
"Yeah, as long as he keeps his hands off my property."
Tumawa ito. "Masama na 'yan, pare."
"Ano ang ibig mong sabihin?" asar na tanong niya rito.
"Uh-huh, isasauli mo na ba sa akin ang susi ng private suite mo sa
Lothario?"
"Bakit ko naman gagawin 'yon?" defensive na sabi niya.
"Hmm... oo nga naman. Unless..."
"Unless what?"
"Unless you wanna start being a faithful husband."
He sneered. "Ako pa? The more the merrier."
"Pero nagtataka ako sa 'yo, pare. You've got a bomb for a wife. I can't believe na naghahanap ka pa ng iba."
"Yeah, I am sure you've got firsthand information about my wife's bedroom abilities, X."
Napaubo ito. "Pare, I need to tell you something."
Tinalikuran niya ito. "Leave me alone, X."
Bumuntong-hininga ito. "Alam mo, pare, masyado kang binubulag ng maling akala. Open your eyes, and maybe you will see what you really got. Masyado ka nang aburido nitong mga nakaraang buwan. Hindi ko alam kung bakit mo pinarurusahan ang sarili mo. You are wasting your energy on the wrong women. Why not vent it on the one you really want, and then maybe, you will feel a lot better?" Iniwan siya nito sa hardin. Tama si Alexis. Helaena was his. In every way that was legal. He had the right to touch her in every way that he liked. He had all the right to those luscious lips, those gravity-defyingbreast, that round, curvaceous butt, and those killer legs. He had all the right to take what she freely offered to other men.
Damn it, he had all the right! Malaki ang ipinuhunan niya para makuha ang pribilehiyong iyon. She was very expensive. She had cost him his name and a fortune in cold, hard cash. That was more than enough payment for a pussy.
Matagal na siyang nagpapasensiya. He had reached the end of his mettle. She owed him big time. And damn if he did not collect his money's worth.
HALOS namanhid na ang mga panga ni Helaena sa kakangiti. Vince was a dashing man, very intelligent, very interesting, but her mind and the rest of her body was attuned to only one man at the moment. Her husband. Palihim na sinusulyapan niya ang kinaroroonan nito sa isang sulok ng hardin. What was he doing lurking there in the shadows? Alam niyang galit ito. Sinadya niyang lumabas sa hardin kasama si Vince Andretti para inisin ito, at lihim siyang nagdiwang nang makita niyang sumunod ito sa kanila sa hardin, pero nanatiling nakatingin lang sa kanila mula sa malayo, humihithit ng sigarilyo.
Humalukipkip siya.
Vince touched her bare shoulders. "Helaena, are you getting cold? Gusto mong pumasok na sa loob?" malambing na tanong nito.
Nginitian niya ito. "Yes. Pumasok na tayo uli sa loob."
He had been nothing but a perfect gentleman. He was a
halfItalian-halfFilipino blue blood, a man every woman would kill for, and he was interested in her.
Sinabi niya ritong kasal na siya pero wala raw itong pakialam. Isa lamang daw iyong kasulutan na kayang-kayang gawan ng paraan ng isang magaling na abogado.
A contract. Yes. Isang kasulatang nakatali sa kanya at ngayon ay nagbibigay ng ibayong dusa sa kanyang damdamin. She wanted out! But did she really? Gusto na nga ba niyang makipaghiwalay sa kanyang asawa?
Could she bear it? Hindi niya alam kung ano ang mas masakit ang tuluyang makawala rito at tiising hindi na ito kailanman makikita o ang manatiling asawa nito sa papel lamang habang nagpapakasasa ito sa kandungan ng ibang mga babae? Limang buwan na silang nagsasama bilang mag-asawa, nasa iisang bubong ngunit magkahiwalay ng kama, magkahiwalay ang mga buhay.
Ngunit mukhang hindi na niya matatagalan ang mga nangyayari. Siya lang ang lalong nahihirapan. Ayaw niyang maapektuhan ang kanyang magiging anak ng emotional stress na kanyang dinadala. Hindi siya ang tipo ng babaeng nagpapakamartir. It was time to set the record straight.
