The Billionaire's Unwanted Wife

CHAPTER 4; The Pain In His Eyes

REILLY;

"Leo, come closer hijo." Nakangiting lumapit si Lady Veronica sa guwapong lalake na pumasok na tinawag siyang grandma.

"Grandma you know I have a lot of things to do in my office," nayayamot na sambit nito. Pinasadahan ako nito ng tingin na lalong nagpabilis sa pagtibok ng puso ko.

"And who is this girl? Another new employee?"

"She's your fiance." Sunod-sunod akong napalunok dahil sa sagot ni Lady Veronica. Sino naman itong Leo na ito? And why....

"My what? Grandma you know I don't need a wife and I never wanted to get married in the first place!" tila naiinis na wika nito sabay tingin sa'kin nang masama.

"I know apo, pero hindi ikaw ang magdedesisyon kung gusto mong mag-asawa o hindi! I, your grandma will do everything to get you a wife! And now I have finally found her so don't waste this opportunity that I'm giving you!" Galit na tumingin si Lady Veronica sa guwapong lalake.

"Grandma-----"

"ETHAN LEO MCRAE!" sigaw ni Lady Veronica at tila naging hudyat ito para marealise ko ang aking katangahan. He's Ethan McRae, the man I wish to marry.

"You will marry her and only her! No more objections!" maawtoridad na wika nito.

"But---"

She cut his words off, "I said no more objections! Now go back to your office and think about what you should do before the wedding next week. I don't want to see you trying to drown yourself with your paperworks when you just got married. You have to spend time with your wife after your wedding."

"I can't believe you're actually making plans for my own wedding grandma! My marriage will be my own decision and I will be the one to choose a wife for myself!" giit ni Ethan.

Naglakad palapit sa apo niya si Lady Veronica at nagsukatan sila ng tingin. Ni hindi ko magawang magsalita dahil sobrang nakakatakot ang awra nila pareho. Ganito ba talaga ang pamilya McRae? Jusme ngayon palang kinakabahan na ako.

"You will marry her wether you like it or not and that's final Leo! If you dare to disobey me, then be prepared for the consequences. I will make sure that none of your favorite employees will stay in McRae Empire. And I will make sure to remove your name in my will and you will not get even a single penny from me! You have to choose apo, do you really wish to see the whole McRae Empire fall in the hands of your cousin? Do you wish to see me die with regrets?"

Tila lumambot ang ekspresiyon ng mukha ni Ethan dahil sa sinabi ng lola niya. May power struggle din kaya sa McRae Empire? At anong klaseng tao ba ang pinsan ni Ethan? Why do I feel like Lady Veronica does not trust him?

"Do as you wish!" After saying those words Ethan stormed out of his Lola's office.

Nahiwagaan ako sa sagot niya at hindi ko maunawaan kung anong ibig niyang sabihin. Gusto ba niyang itakwil siya ng lola niya, or he's giving her permission to continue our wedding?

Humarap sa'kin si Lady Veronica na nakangiti.

"I'm sorry about that hija. Talagang matigas lang ang ulo ng apo ko. But don't worry, I will make you his wife no matter what it takes," she assured me.

"Lady Veronica pa----"

"You don't have to say anything. Just listen to what I'm going to tell you," pagputol niya sa dapat sana'y sasabihin ko.

"I know a way to make sure na matutuloy ang kasal niyo ni Ethan but I'm not sure if you're willing to do it."

Natigilan ako sa sinabi niya, I don't know why pero mas lalong tumindi ang kaba ko.

"It's hard to make him agree. He might say yes at the moment but nobody knows what he's actually thinking. We have to make sure that he will be left with no other choice but to marry you."

"A-no pong ibig niyong sabihin? Ano pong gusto niyong gawin ko?" naguguluhang tanong ko.

Naglakad palapit si Lady Veronica sa table niya at may kinuha siyang isang maliit na papel. It was neatly folded kaya mas lalo akong nahiwagaan kung ano ito.

"You have to use this to drug him and force him to believe that something happened between the two of you. He's a man of integrity, he will not abandon you after spending a night with him."

Napanganga ako at hindi ko alam kung tatanggapin ko ba ang ibinibigay niya sa'kin at mas lalong hindi ko alam kung kaya ko bang gawin ang ipinapagawa niya.

"This is the only way hija," paalala niya habang ako ay nanatiling nakatulala.

*******

"I know you have a good heart hija. I will be at ease kapag ikaw ang naging asawa ng apo ko. Alam ko na hindi pa tayo ganun katagal na magkakilala but I understand why you wanted to marry my grandson and become a part of our family. Others may think that you are using us to gain power, but I know that you have no other choice. You just want to protect your father's legacy just like how I wanted to protect my husband's. So please make sure that you will be my granddaughter-in-law."

Those words from Lady Veronica made me realize that she's just like me. Desperately trying to protect someone dear to us and their legacy. I may not know the whole story but I know that she needs someone who will protect his grandson and make sure that the next generation of the McRaes will come from his bloodline alone.

I wonder kung anong klaseng tao ba ang panganay na apo ni Lady Veronica and why do I feel like she's wary of him.

"Are you really sure na gagawin mo ang ipinag-uutos niya?" tanong ni Amber sa'kin nang mapansin niyang nakatingin lang ako sa nakatuping papel na ibinigay sa'kin ni Lady Veronica.

"Miss Reilly! You don't have to do this to yourself!"

Ramdam ko ang pagtutol niya pero buo na ang loob ko. I need to do this even if I have to risk my own dignity.

"He's mad at me and I know a place na madalas niyang pinupuntahan whenever he's upset. He will go to his friend's bar and get drunk. You have to use that opportunity to drug him," pag-alala ko sa sinabi sa'kin ni Lady Veronica kanina.

"You have to stay here! Kahit anong mangyari huwag na huwag kang papasok sa loob," bilin ko kay Amber habang nakatayo kami sa labas ng Moonlight Bar. Ito ang bar na sinasabi ni Lady Veronica na pag-aari ng matalik na kaibigan ni Ethan at madalas nitong pinupuntahan tuwing gabi.

"Miss Reilly naman!" Hinawakan niya nang mahigpit ang kamay ko.

"I SAID JUST STAY HERE!"

Medyo napataas na ang boses ko at alam ni Amber na kahit anong gawin niya ay hindi niya ako mapipigilan kaya binitawan niya nalang ang kamay ko.

*****

Pagpasok ko palang sa loob ng bar ay sumalubong na agad sa'kin ang malakas na tugtog at ang amoy ng alak. Ni minsan ay hindi ko naisip na darating ang araw na papasok ako sa ganitong lugar.

Everyone looked at me, girls stared at me like I'm the most annoying creature they've ever seen while the boys stared at me with lust.

Hindi ko nalang pinansin ang mga tingin na ipinupukol nila sa'kin, iginala ko ang aking tingin sa paligid upang hanapin si Ethan.

And there I saw him leaning towards the bar counter. I can only see half of his face pero alam ko na agad na siya iyon. How could I forget that perfectly sculpted face of him?

Huminga muna ako nang malalim bago ako tuluyang naglakad palapit sa kanya.

"Ethan." Marahang niyugyog ko ang balikat niya pero ni hindi manlang nito iminulat ang kanyang mga mata. I think he's really drunk at mukhang hindi ko na kailangang gamitin sa kanya ang gamot na ibinigay sa'kin ni Lady Veronica.

Pilit ko siyang itinayo kahit sobrang bigat niya. Pakiramdam ko lalabas ang matres ko sa bigat ng lalakeng ito.

"Saan mo siya dadalhin?" I froze the moment I heard a man's voice behind me.

'Kalma Reilly, you have to do this!' pagpapakalma ko sa aking sarili.

Dahan-dahan akong humarap sa lalake at ngumiti.

"Lady Veronica sent me to take his grandson home," palusot ko.

Hindi sumagot ang lalake bagkos ay tiningnan ako nito na tila ba inoobserbahan ako.

"Take him home? You don't have to do that. Just take him to the room upstairs, doon siya madalas nagpapalipas ng gabi tuwing nalalasing siya," wika nito.

"O..okay," napipilitang sagot ko.

"I'll help you." Tinulungan niya akong alalayan si Ethan paakyat sa hagdan. Kahit hindi siya magpakilala ay alam kong siya ang kaibigan nito na sinasabi ni Lady Veronica na siyang nagmamay-ari ng bar na ito.

"I did not know na may bagong assistant pala si Lady Veronica." Tatlong beses akong napalunok sa sinabi niya. Kaibigan siya ni Ethan, so I'm pretty sure na kilala niya halos lahat ng staff ng pamilya McRae.

"Ba--bago lang po ako," sagot ko.

"I see. Ikaw na ang bahala kay Ethan, madami pa akong kailangang gawin," he said pagkatapos niyang buksan ang pintuan ng silid. Isang marahang pagtango lang ang naging tugon ko.

"Just leave when you're done. Ethan hates to see a girl staying next to him especially when he's sleeping," paalala niya sa'kin habang dahan-dahan naming inihihiga si Ethan sa kama.

"O-po." Sumulyap muna siya sa'kin bago tuluyang naglakad palabas.

Pagkasara niya ng pinto ay hindi ako mapakali. Hindi ko alam kung dapat ko pa bang ituloy ang plano ko gayong maaring bumalik ang kaibigan ni Ethan ano mang oras.

Habang nag-iisip ako ay nagulat ako nang biglang magmulat ng kanyang mga mata si Ethan. And before I could even walk away ay hinila na niya ako at nasubsob ako sa matipuno niyang dibdib.

"Anya please don't leave me," he begged.

Napatingin ako sa mga mata niya and it was no longer the cold expression that I saw in his eyes when we first met. Now, I can see emotions in it. I can see pain and longing.

'Sino nga ba si Anya sa buhay ng isang Ethan McRae?'