The Billionaire's Mistaken Wife

As I slowly opened my eyes, I was hit with a sharp pain in my head. Halos masilaw ako sa liwanag na nagmumula sa bintana na siyang nakadagdag ng sakit ng aking ulo. I struggled to remember where I was and how I got here. The room around me was unfamiliar, and I couldn’t recall ever being here before. It took a few moments for me to remember what happened the night before. I had been out drinking with some friends and had lost count of how many drinks I had consumed. The last thing I remembered was stumbling out of the bar, feeling dizzy and disoriented. I already expected this to happen because I really drown myself from liquor last night. Ang hindi ko inaasahan ay ang magising sa ibang lugar at hindi sa condo na binili ko recently. This room was clearly not my new home. The furniture was different, and the decorations didn’t match my taste. Last night was an incredible experience that I’ll never forget. It was the first time in my life that I truly felt free, and I savored every moment of it. I never realized how exhilarating liberation could be until I came so close to touching it. However, if my father had found out, he would have beaten me to death. But now that I’ve left, he can’t touch me anymore. Which is the best decision that I have ever made. It wasn’t an easy choice, but it was necessary for me to break free from the environment I was living in. The door to the room suddenly opened. Isang babae around 40's ang pumasok. Sa likod nito ay may dalawang mas batang babae ang nakayukong sumusunod dito. May dala silang mga puting kumot at basket. Kumunot ang noo ko dahil hindi ko sila kilala. And by the way, where the heck I am? The middle-aged woman spoke up, addressing me directly. "Mabuti naman at gumising ka na, Veronica. Tumayo ka na riyan ay sabayan mo ang mag-ama mo sa hapagkainan." That left me dumbfounded. Come again? I couldn’t recall being married or having a child. My mind raced as I tried to piece together what was happening, but everything felt like a blur. Sumenyas ang matanda sa dalawang kasama at mabilis na lumapit ang dalawang babae saka ako hinila sa magkabilang braso paalis ng kama. Dinala nila ako sa bathroom na naroon at bago pa man ako makapag-reklamo ay isang malamig na tubig na ang bumuhos sa akin mula sa shower. "What the hell?!?" tili ko at sinamaan ng tingin ang dalawang katulong. They did it on purpose! Binalak kong sugurin ang dalawang katulong ngunit mabilis silang lumabas ng banyo at sinarado ito. Gigil ko sinipa ang pinto ng bathroom at tinuloy na lang ang pagligo. It's weird. The old woman called me Veronica. As far as I remember, my name is Kassandra. "The heck? Is this some kind of identity theft?! Someone stole my identity and married someone else?!" The thought sent shivers down my spine, and I hurried to finish my shower. Tapos na akong maligo ng maisip na maaari ring napagkamalan lamang akong ibang tao ng babae kanina. That maybe they thought that I am Veronica where in fact, I am not that woman. I need to tell them about my identity so that I can get out of this place very soon. Paglabas ko ng banyo ay siyang tapos sa pag-aayos ng kama ng dalawang katulong. Sinenyasan sila ng matandang babae na lumabas kaya naiwan kaming dalawa. I took the opportunity to confront her, demanding to know what was going on and why they had called me Veronica. Magsasalita sana ako ng maunahan niya ako. "Ngayong nakabalik ka na Veronica, sana naman ay magtino ka na at tigilan mo na ang pagsama sa lalaki mo. Isipin mo ang anak at asawa mo. Hindi ka pa ba nakukuntento at kailangan mo pang maghanap ng iba at kumabit sa lalaking...may asawa na ring iba? Wala ka na bang kahihiyan sa katawan? Hindi mo ba man lang naisip ang anak mo?" Umuwang ang labi ko sa sunod-sunod na sinabi ng babae. Hindi ko maiwasang hindi matawa. Napasuklay ako sa basang buhok at saka ngumiti. Hindi ako naapektuhan sa sinabi niya dahil hindi naman ako ang babaeng tinutukoy niya. Mukhang napagkamali nga nila ako sa Veronica na iyon. What a shameful woman. How could someone be so careless with their family and reputation? "Excuse me but I am not Veronica po. Wala po akong anak at asawa dahil single po ako. I think you mistake me as someone else. My name is Kassandra Ympress. I can even show you the proof that I am Kassandra and not Veronica," magalang pa ring sabi ko. Tumaas ang kilay niya na parang hindi naniniwala sa sinabi ko. However, I am not afraid even just as bit because I am positive that I can get out of this situation as easy as it should be. I felt a twinge of frustration but kept my cool, knowing that I needed to stay composed. "Pagkatapos mong magpanggap na wala kang naaalala noong nakaraang buwan ay magpanggap ka naman ngayon na ibang tao? Tigilan mo na ang pagsisinungaling at maging mabuting asawa ka na lang," naiiling na wika niya saka ako tinalikuran, leaving me in a state of panic. This situation was starting to give me the creeps. "Hey! I'm not lying! I will show you my ID's and cards! I am not that Veronica!" sigaw ko at hinalughog ang kama at side table para hanapin ang bag ko. Naroon ang wallet ko kung saan nakalagay ang mga ID ko. Nataranta ako ng hindi ko mahanap ang wallet ko sa loob ng bag. Binuhos ko na ang laman niyon sa kama ngunit hindi ko nakita ang aking wallet. "H-hindi! Nasaan ang wallet ko? H-hindi ako si Veronica! Totoo! Hindi ako nagsisinungaling!" natataranta at kinakabahang wika ko. Pagod akong napaupo sa kama at natulala sa nakakalat na gamit matapos ang ilang minutong paghahalungkat ay hindi ko nakita ang wallet ko. Napailing ako habang kinakabahan. Oh my god, am I stuck here now? Hindi ba ako makakaalis? Pero hindi naman ako si Veronica! Why would I suffer something that I did not do! I shook my head in frustration, trying to shake off the sense of helplessness that threatened to overwhelm me. This couldn’t be happening. I had to find a way out of this mess. "Bumaba ka na at samahan mo na ang mag-ama mo. Galit ang asawa mo sa iyo pero para sa anak ninyo ay pakikisamahan ka niya ng maayos. Sana ay ikaw rin." I was taken aback. How could I go with a man who thinks I am someone else and wants me dead in his head? My mind was racing with thoughts of escape, but I knew that I needed to be calm and collected if I was going to make it out of this situation. Umiling-iling ako saka ko siya nilapitan at hinawakan sa braso. "Please, let me go! Hindi talaga ako si Veronica. I don't want to stay here!" nagmamaka-awa kong pakiusap. Naiisip ko pa lang ang galit na asawa ni Veronica ay nanginginig na ako sa takot. What if that man is a beast! Nagtaksil sa kanya ang asawa niya at ano, ako ang parurusahan niya? The thought made my heart pound with fear. Hindi ito pwede! This isn't fair. I need to get out of here. Marahas na inalis ng babae ang mga kamay kong nakakapit sa braso niya saka ako malamig na tinitigan sa mata. "Wala ng maniniwala pa sa iyo pagkatapos ng mga ginawa mong pagtataksil Veronica. Bumaba ka at kausapin mo ang asawa mo tungkol diyan sa sinasabi mo," she spat. Infidelities? Lies? Who was Veronica, and what had she done? Panic set in as I realized that I had somehow stumbled into a situation that was not meant for me. Nagningas ang galit sa dibdib ko. "Oh yes I will! Hindi niyo ako maaaring itali dito dahil hindi ko naman kayo kaano-ano! Ni hindi ko kayo kilala!" galit na sambit ko saka ako nagmartsa palabas ng kwarto. Kailangan kong makausap ang lalaking iyon dahil siya lang ang magpapatunay na hindi ako ang asawa niya. Sana naman ay hindi ganoon kakitid ang isip at kabulag ang mga mata niya para isiping ako ang asawa niya. My heart raced as I made my way down the stairs, my mind racing with the possibility of what could happen next. Lukot-lukot ang mukha ko habang pababa sa hagdan. How lucky that I did not lost at the big house. The grandeur of the house didn’t go unnoticed as I made my way to the living room. My eyes scanned the surroundings, taking in every detail, hoping to find a clue that could help me get out of this mess. Tama ang dinaanan kong corridor. Pagbaba sa hagdan ay sala agad ang matatanaw ko. Sa bahaging kanan ko pa nakita ang papunta sa dining area at kusina. Mabibigat ang hakbang na nagtungo ako roon. Let's get this over soon! I am so excited to get out of that door and seek my freedom once again!