The Billionaire's Wife: Estranged

Chapter 4

ELISE never imagined that she’ll be back to the place that gave her a lot of pain and nightmares in this life. She doesn’t hate the place, it’s the people that gave her painful memories she had here.

What everyone said was right, we can move forward but we can never forget the memories that was already engraved in our memories, how much painful it was. There will always be something that could remind it to us.

“Are you okay, Elise?” usisa ni Julie habang papalabas sila ng airport. “Kung gusto mo ay sa hotel ka na lang mag-stay kami na lang ang bahala puntahan kung saan man naroroon ang mga bata.”

Umiling siya. “No. Ako ang susundo sa mga anak ko, kahit kasama pa nila ang kanilang ama.”

She thinks it’s time to face him after all these years, it’s inevitable besides she’s not how she used to be before leaving, she had changed a lot and that’s includes not backing down in showdown with shrewd businessman.

Bumaling siya kay Mike. “Can you now track the kids?”

“Yes, Miss Elise. They’re currently at Vaux Group.” sagot nito.

Hindi na siya nagulat na nandoon na ang mga ito pero she was hoping that her kids was somewhere else and not there.

May kotse nang naghihintay sa kanila sa labas ng airport. Si Mike ang nagmaneho nito habang nasa backseat sila ni Julie, nasa mukha pa rin nito ang pag-aalala sa kanya. She wants to assure her that she’s alright but right now her concern is else where.

It just took them an hour before reaching the building where her kids are, since according to the tracker, they haven’t left.

Nang makapasok siya sa loob ng building kasama si Julie ay dumiretso na agad siya sa elevator since alam naman niya kung nasaan ang opisina ng asawa niya. s**t! Asawa?! Oo nga pala, kasal pa rin pala siya sa lalaking iyon.

“Damn.” sambit niya habang hindi inaalis ang tingin sa indicator ng elevator kung nasaan na sila.

She feels awful that she wants to vomit, she really wants to get out of this place as fast as she could. This building brought a lot of pain to her, hindi lang isa kung hindi maraming beses siyang ipinahiya rito ng mokong na iyon. He didn’t even hesitate to show to his employees how much he despise her, he keeps pushing her away and telling her awful things when she visits him o brought him foods.

“What are you doing here again?!” Malakas na sigaw ang nagpabaling sa kanya sa may pinto.

Nakatayo roon ang asawa niya na hindi maipinta ang mukha at sobrang talim ng tingin sa kanya, kasunod nito ang ilang empleyado nito, mukhang may pag-uusapan ang mga ito.

Matamis na nginitian niya ito. “I-I brought you lunch.”

Lumapit ito sa kinaroroonan niya at ibinalik sa loob ng paperbag ang mga hinain niya kanina saka marahas na inabot sa kanya, tumama pa nga ng malakas sa dibdib niya kaya nasaktan siya at napa-aray pero hindi nito pinansin.

“Leave!” sigaw nito muli. “And how many times do I have to tell you that I don’t want you to bring me any foods here or visits me. I don’t want to see your face, isn’t it enough that I see you at my house?! Get out!”

Napapahiyang napapatingin siya sa mga empleyado nito na naroroon, pinipigilan niyang tumulo ang luha mula sa kanyang mga mata habang naglalakad papalabas ng opisina nito. Ramadam niya ang mga nakakailang na tingin sa kanya ng lahat.

Another memory invades her, it seems it's happening a lot in just a span of hours. She thought she had forgot everything bit by bit over the years but it seems it was just kept away on the corner of her mind.

Parang kahapon lang nangyari iyon sa alaala niya kahit ilang taon na ang nakakalipas. There even came a time that she was banned from stepping foot at this building. Dito rin niya nalaman na nakabalik na pala ang Ate Ara niya noong araw na nalaman niya na buntis siya sa mga anak nila, at hindi lang iyon buntis din ito. That broke her big-time but like she always does she held it in.

“Elise…” nag-aalalang tawag sa kanya ni Julie.

Mapait na ngiti lang ang isinagot niya rito.

“Do you want me to call Mike or Jin?”

Umiling siya. “I just wanna leave this hellhole but I can do this.”

Ngumiti ito sa kanya ng matamis. “Of course. Ikaw pa. You’re Miss Elizabeth Creston, COO of Crest International Conglomerate and President of EC International Hotels, the most chase after bachelorette in Europe even your already married. You’re as shrewd as your brothers when it comes to business.”

Isang genuine na ngiti isinagot niya rito. “Yeah, I am but memories brought back awful feelings.”

“Yeah, I know but it’s just memories not the present.”

The sound of the elevator interrupted their conversation and without any hesitations she got out of it and walked over to her husband’s office.

Nanlalaki ang mga mata ng secretary ng asawa niya nang makita siya, hanggang ngayon pala ay si Stacy pa rin ang executive secretary nito. Isa ito sa mga taong masasabi niyang naging kaibigan niya from the past, napakabait nito sa kanya at lagi siyang tinutulungan.

“M-Ma’am Liza…” tawag nito sa kanya.

“Stacy.“ Nakangiting tawag niya rito. “May I?”

Tumango lang ito kaya dirediretso na siyang pumasok sa loob ng opisina ng asawa niya, hindi na rin siya kumatok since she has no time for that. Napalingon sa kanya ang asawa niya na nakatayo sa may lamesa nito habang nakamasid sa labas ng floor to ceiling na glass window.

He was still hot and gorgeous kahit na nakatayo lang ito roon, hindi pa rin ito nagbabago physically. Mukhang hindi pa rin ito pumapalya sa pag-workout araw-araw, mas lalo pa nga yata ito naging fit at gumuwapo. She felt something when their intimate time entered her mind but she quickly brushed it off and felt pain when she thought that her husband and Arabella on the bed with their hands all over each other.

Napadiretso ito ng tayo, bakas sa mukha nito ang gulat ng makita siya habang iginala naman niya ang tingin sa buong opisina nito pero ni anino ng mga anak niya ay hindi niya nakita. Hindi niya napigilan na mag-alala kaya kaagad na bumaling siya kay Julie na siyang may dala ng tracker.

“No changes on the location.” naguguluhan na ring sambit nito.

Marahas na bumaling siya sa lalaking naroroon at nakatitig sa kanila. “Where are my kids?”

Tumiim ang expression nito. “You mean, our triplets.”

Tiningnan niya ito ng matalim. “So, where are they?”

Bumuntung-hininga ito at lumakad papunta sa harap ng lamesa nito saka doon sumandal habang magkasalikop sa dibdib nito ang mga braso. “They just left about an hour ago, they’re going to their hotel.”

Nakahinga siya ng maluwag, mukhang alam na niya kung nasaan ang mga ito. Their company have a hotel here so maybe they are there, hopefully.

“Julie, try to contact one of our hotel here and check where they have checked-in.” aniya sa kanyang assistant while still scanning the whole office for something, she have an idea why they can only track the kids here, this might be one of Erin’s schemes. “Did Erin left anything here?”

“Erin?” napakunot-noo ito.

“Argentine, my daughter. Did she left anything here? Specifically, 3 wristwatches.” seryosong tanong niya.

Tumingin ito sa lamesa nito, nakapatong doon ang tatlong wristwatch. It’s really left here, that’s where they put the GPS so she knows the location of her kids even she’s in the office but she knows how smart her kids are, especially her daughter.

Lumapit siya sa lamesa para kunin ang mga iyon pero hinawakan na ni Gray ang kamay niya bago pa niya makuha ang mga iyon kaya natigilan siya at marahas na bumaling rito. Matalim na tingin ang ibinigay nito sa kanya kung dati ay iniiwas niya kaagad ang tingin niya kapag ganito siya nito tingnan pero iba na ngayon, sinalubong niya ang tingin nito.

“Let go.” she said icily and tried to free her wrist from his grasp but he did not let go.

“Why did you hide it from me?” nag-aakusang tanong nito na mas lalong humigpit ang pagkakahawak nito sa kamay niya. “Bakit pinalabas mo na nawala ang mga anak natin? Wala kang karapatan na gawin iyon sa akin! Do you know how miserable I felt when I thought you had a miscarriage?! I blamed myself for it!”

She smirked. “That’s what I wanted you to feel, my revenge for everything. Kulang pa iyon sa lahat ng ginawa mo. Ninyo ni Arabella.”

“Revenge?! Ikaw pa talaga ang may lakas ng loob maghiganti pagkatapos ng lahat!” sigaw nito na lalo nagpahigpit sa hawak nito sa kanya. “Kung tutuusin ay dapat si Ara ang maghiganti sa’yo sa lahat ng ginawa mo sa kanya noong mga bata pa tayo pero pinatawad ka niya! At pagkatapos ay sinira mo ang kasal namin! Pinagbantaan mo pa si Ara na gagawa ka ng paraan para malaglag ang baby namin na pinagbubutis niya kapag sinabi sa akin na buntis siya at kapag hindi siya umurong sa kasal namin!”

Nanlaki ang mga mata niya sa mga sinabi nito. Kahit kailan ay hindi niya sinabi iyon at lalong hindi niya gagawin iyon sa isang inosenteng bata, tinanggap na niya noon na ang mga ito ang para sa isa’t isa at wala siyang balak na sirain ang kasal o ang relasyon ng mga ito.

Nakakunot-noong tiningnan niya ito. “What the hell are you spouting about?! Like hell I’ll say something like that. I may have loved you but I’m not some obsessed stalker that would threat an innocent life!”

He looked at her sinisterly. “Oh really? Like I’ll believe you! You’ll say anything just to show that you’re innocent.”

Hindi pa rin ito nagbabago, lahat ng sabihin dito ni Arabella ay pinapaniwalaan nito at hindi man lang sinubukan na pakinggan ang sasabihin o paliwanag niya.

She looked at him coldly without any emotions. “I’ll say this once to defend myself from everything you had accused me in the past. I've never been cruel to your Ara, not even once and it’s quite the opposite if were alone. She was the one spouting insults and physically abusing me, she hits me in places that were hidden by clothes then she’d hurt herself to cause bruises and scratches in places where everyone can see. In public, she’d make it look like I push her or anything to make me look bad. I always tried to defend myself especially to you but you never gave me any chances like now. I didn’t even knew that she was pregnant when she runaway from your wedding much more threaten her and for your information, after your supposed wedding, I was about to leave for Harvard to get my master degree something that I had never told anyone except my grandparents and your mom. So why would I threaten her? What can I get from that? I wasn’t even the one who volunteered to be your bride. Oh, if you ever think that I had coaxed your dad, as if I can influenced him and we’re not even close. So, whatever the heck your Arabella told you or her excuse for running away, I don’t give a damn if you believe that since I know in myself I’d never done anything like that.”

Nakatitig lang ito sa kanya at tila nalito sa mga sinabi niya.

“So, I have every right to have a little revenge on you for what you did! Magpasalamat ka nga ipinakilala pa kita sa mga anak ko. But I’m not as heartless as you, I want my kids to know that they have a father even he didn’t gave a damn about their mother.”

Medyo lumuwag ang pagkakahawak nito sa kanya kaya nabawi na niya ang kanyang kamay at nakuha na niya ang mga relo ng mga anak niya. Ilang minutong katahimikan ang namagitan sa kanila, wala na siyang dapat pang sabihin dito kaya tatalikuran na sana niya ito.

“Sabi ni Slate, wala ka nang balak bumalik kaya nag-hire sila ng detective para makilala ako at hindi na sila nagpaalam sa’yo.” medyo mahinahon na anito kaya napahinto siya.

Iniiwas niya ang tingin rito. “That’s true pero balak ko ipapakilala pa rin sa’yo ang mga anak ko sa tamang oras. Iyon sana ang regalo ko sa 10th birthday nila, maybe at that time I’m ready to talk to you, I planned to contact you and let you know about them then ask someone to bring them to meet you.”

He scoffed. “Talagang patatagalin mo pa ng ilang taon bago mo sabihin sa akin, that’s why they took the initiative to meet me without your knowledge.”

Tiningnan niya ito ng matalim. “I know that. My kids are smart and when they wanted something they’ll do everything to get it but this is the first time that they did not tell me their plans especially Slate and Silver, they never keep anything from me.”

Ilang minuto ang lumipas na tanging katahimikan ang namagitan sa kanilang dalawa, ni hindi nga niya namalayan na sila na lang palang dalawa ang nasa loob ng opisina nito.

“I want to spend my time with them and get them to know me.” Seryosong pahayag nito. “And I’m not seeking your permission, I’m just informing you.”

Napabuntung-hininga siya. “I’m not going to stop you but only for a few weeks. School would start in 2 months, we have to be back by then. I’ll just cancel their summer classes for them to be with you.”

“Summer classes?” Usisa nito habang nakakunot-noo.

“Silver has art classes, Slate has fencing classes and Erin has acting classes. They have different interests and they try different things every year but one thing you should know Silver is into arts like photography and paintings then Slate is into intellectual things but Erin, she not into any specific things in particular.” Imporma niya rito.

“We can just enroll them here, I know a summer school that caters those. I enrolled Ashe in a ballet class at that school.”

Natigilan siya at nakaramdam siya ng konting tusok sa dibdib niya pero mabilis na pinalis niya iyon. He’s referring to his daughter with Arabella, mas matanda lang ito ng ilang buwan sa kanilang mga anak.

“That’s great.” She said in uninterested tone.

“Elise…” Julie interjected while entering the office. “The kids are in Diamond Crest Hotel.”

Tinanguan lang niya ito saka walang emosyon na binalingan ang asawa. “You can visit the kids at the hotel anytime, you don’t need to inform me if it’s just visits but can you at least inform me if you want to bring them out. Also, you can enroll them at the summer school that you recommend, I’ll trust that you’ll prioritize their safety and security.”

“I will.” He assured her.

“I’ll have my assistant give you her contact information, you can contact her if you want to bring the kids out.” emotionless na aniya.

Hindi na niya hinintay na sumagot pa ito at kaagad na lumabas ng opisina nito, hindi na niya kayang makausap ito. Baka hindi na niya makontrol ang kanyang sarili, she knows that this won’t be the last time that they’ll meet but she’ll do eveything to avoid him.

“Julie, do you still have a copy of the annulment papers?” She’s leaning on the elevator’s wall while her head is tilted up and her eyes are close. “Send him another copy, please. I’m so bloody damn fed up remembering that I’m still his wife.”