His Last name, My Secret

The Annulment Paper!

Chapter 6

-ZERENA-

Lumapit si Zia sa mga nagkalat niyang gamit. Wala ni isang maayos na nakaayos. Nakatagilid ang kanyang ibang maleta na nakabuka, habang ang ilang storage boxes ay natumba at may mga laman pang nakakalat mula sa mga ito. Sumulyap siya kay Hunter, balak sanang itanong kung bakit nasa kanya ang mga gamit niya. Ngunit nang makita niya ang madilim at seryosong ekspresyon nito, nanahimik na lamang siya at nag-alinlangan kung magtatanong ba o magsasalita pa.

“Follow me,” was all he said before turning his back on her. Zia follows her gaze to her husband before giving a deep sigh. With a heavy heart, Zia left her belongings behind and followed him. He stopped in the living room, so she halted as well. Hunter turned to face her, but she couldn’t meet his dark almond eyes and even his gaze. So, she kept her sight on the floor instead.

“I know you saw it,” he began, his voice is as sharp as a knife. “You’re not blind. You saw the woman I brought home last night.” He paused and his tone growing colder. “Well, get used to it. Because that’s what you’ll be seeing every day from now on."

Zia swallowed hard, a lump forming in her throat. She felt suffocated by the venom in his words and the intensity of his stare.

“Hunter... I never wanted to marry you,” she said softly. “I know you hate this situation, hindi lang naman ikaw pati ako rin, but can’t you at least give me some respect? As your wife… and as a woman?”

At her words, Hunter’s eyes narrowed. He stepped forward and his face darkening. Without warning, he grabbed her arm and yanked her toward him, closing the distance between their bodies.Zia felt the warm temperature of Hunter's body next to her even though she's wearing a huge shirt.But she still composed herself not to be affected by Hunter's aura.

“And what makes you think you deserve respect?” he spat. “You and your family are all the same, a money-hungry.”

“Hindi totoo iyan…” Zia’s voice trembled as she spoke and her heart broke when he heard it from Hunter' s words once again.

Hunter scoffed and suddenly let go of her, causing her to stumble back. She clutched her arm, which now throbbed from the force of his grip.

“Not true?” he sneered. “Then why don’t you just go home? Watch your parents drown in debt. Let them live on the streets like beggars, eating scraps thrown away by strangers. Can you live with that?” Hunter paused for a while and studying Zia's reactions.

Zia couldn’t respond. She didn’t understand any of it at wala siyang alam sa mga nagyayari. She wanted to talk to her parents, ask them why they had done this to her…But they refused to see her at wala din namang saysay kung itatanong niya pa ito dahil alam niyang siya pa ang mapapasama.

“Sign it.”

Nagulat pa siya ng itapon ni Hunter ang isang brown envelop sa harapan niya at bumagsak ito sa mesa ng living room. She looked up at him, stunned. He stood there, arms crossed, at walang ekspresyon ang malamig nitong tingin. Despite the hesitation tightening her chest, Zia slowly opened the envelope, her fingers trembled as she opened the envelope, even though a part of her already knew what was inside. An annulment papers. She had braced herself for this moment, had convinced herself she wouldn’t flinch but the weight of reality still hit her like a punch to the gut. Of course, Hunter would find a way to cast her aside. She was never meant to stay in his life, and he made sure she never forgot that. But this? So soon?

It was cruel, even for him. Ganon pa man binuksan niya ang bawat pahina nito. Her eyes stopped on the part she dreaded most and she would walk away with nothing. Not a single cent from the Del Tiero fortune. Not even as his legal wife, not even as the woman forced into his world because of her parents' debt. He had made sure she would leave empty-handed and it was clearly stated in the divorce agreement.Ano pa nga ba ang aasahan niya. To him, she was just another woman after his wealth. A parasite. A gold digger.She blinked hard, forcing herself to keep reading, determined not to cry. But when her eyes landed on the last page, her breath caught.

One year...A child... Her heart stopped.

It was stated that within one year she needs to give birth to Hunter's child in exchange with millions of moneys. She slowly lifted her gaze to Hunter. Her lips parted, but no words came out. He stood across the room, silent, unmoving, his expression unreadable, Cold and Calculated.Napalunok siya ng sunod-sunod dahil sa kanyang nabasa.

“A-anong ibig sabihin nito?” she finally asked, her voice breaking with disbelief.

Hunter stood and reached for the paper. His movements were calm, too calm like he was expecting Zia's reaction. He crossed his arms and stared down at her with a sharp, unforgiving gaze.

“You already read it,” he said flatly. “I want a child. Before we separate. In exchange, I’ll pay you para naman hindi ka magutom sakaling umalis ka sa poder ko. Ah! no kung paalisin na kita sa poder ko."

Zia’s shoulders sank, at parang dinurog ang kanyang puso sa narinig. Her fingers clenched the paper, at naikuyom niya ang isa niyang kamao.

“So, all along you planned to leave me. But now you want me to carry your child?” Her voice cracked. “Why, Hunter? Why are you doing this to me, why use me like this?!” Zia's voice cracked and her tears slowly fell from her cheeks.

“I need a child, can't you understand?” he snapped. “And you’ll give me one. That’s the deal. Isn’t this what you wanted? Money? You should be thrilled at dapat nga magpasalamat ka pa na kaya pa kitang sikmurahin."

Parang matutulis na ang bubog ang bawat salitang binitawan niya, tumusok sa dibdib ni Zia. Ang puso niyang matagal nang sugatan ay tila tuluyang nabasag. Hindi na siya nakapag-isip. Bigla niyang itinaas ang kamay at malakas na sinampal si Hunter. Umalingawngaw sa buong silid ang tunog ng sampal niya na kinagulat nilang dalawa maski siya. Bahagyang napaatras si Hunter at umigting ang mga panga nitong nakatingin sa kanya ng deretso. Bigla itong gumalaw at hinablot ang braso ni Zia. Bumaon ang mga daliri nito sa braso ni Zia, kaya napaigik siya sa sakit.

“Who the hell do you think you are to lay a hand on me?” mariin niyang ungol. “You think I’ll let you humiliate me like that?”

Bago pa makasagot si Zia, malakas siyang itinulak ni Hunter. Bumagsak siya sa sahig, napadaing nang tumama ang balakang niya sa malamig na semento.

“Hunter—”

Ngunit halos hindi pa lumalabas sa labi niya ang pangalan nito nang bigla siyang hilahin ni Hunter pataas sa pamamagitan ng buhok. Napaluha siya sa matinding hapdi sa anit.

“Hunter, please… let go… you’re hurting me,” hirap niyang sabi, puno ng takot ang kanyang boses.

Hindi pa siya nakapagsalita muli nang biglang hawakan ni Hunter ang pulso niya at kaladkarin siya papunta sa kwarto. Malakas ang kabog ng dibdib ni Zia, halo ng takot, pagkalito, at isang nakakabaliw na init na hindi niya maipaliwanag. Halos wala siyang oras makahinga nang bigla siyang paikutin ni Hunter at idiin sa pinto. Nadiinan ang katawan nito sa kanya, at bumaba ang mga labi nito sa kanyang leeg. Napasinghap siya!

“Stop—Hunter, stop!” sigaw niya, pilit iniiwas ang ulo upang makalayo sa mga labi nito.

Pero hindi tumigil si Hunter.Itinaas ni Zia ang kanyang kamay, pilit inaabot ang mukha nito gamit ang kanyang mga kuko, ngunit lalo lamang humigpit ang hawak nito sa kanya. Parang bakal ang mga braso nito sa paligid niya, ikinukulong siya sa sariling kagustuhan nito. Hindi ito umatras kahit lumaban siya, sa halip ay umungol lamang ito nang mababa sa kanyang tainga, madilim at mapang-angkin ang tunog habang patuloy ang pag-angkin nito sa kanyang labi.

Gumalaw ang mga labi nito sa kanyang leeg, at kumagat na para bang minamarkahan siya.

“No—don’t do this,” pakiusap niya, tumitindi ang takot nang maramdaman ang kamay ni Hunter sa kanyang baywang, dumudulas papasok sa ilalim ng laylayan ng kanyang damit. Nang hilahin nito pababa ang garter ng cycling shorts niya at pilitin siyang paghiwalayin ang mga hita, napigil ang kanyang paghinga.

“Hunter, no!” napasigaw siya, punit ang boses sa takot at sa mapait na katotohanang sa kaibuturan ng kanyang puso, minsan ay hinangad niya si Hunter… pero hindi sa ganitong paraan.