The Lady In The Red Dress

CHAPTER 16

Naalimpungatan siya nang may maramdamang malambot at mainit na dumampi sa labi niya. Ngunit pag mulat niya ay ang nakangising lalaki naman ang agad na bumungad sakaniya.

"Finally, you're awake. Nakanganga ka pa matulog."

Agad itong bumangon at pasimpleng pinunasan ang gilid ng kaniyang labi upang tignn kung may tumulo bang laway mula s pagkakatulog niya. Nang marinig niya itong natawa ay naibato niya rito ang throw pillow na nahagilap niya sa kaniyang kinahihigaan.

"Hey! Are you nuts?! Kakagising mo lag nanakit ka na agad!"

Hindi niya ito pinansin at muli itong binato, "Bakit ka ba nanggigising?! Hindi ka na nga nagpatulog ganiyan ka pa?!"

Umayos ito ng tayo at mataman siyang tinignan nito. Natahimik din naman siya dahil bigla rin sumeryoso ang mukha nito. Dito niya napagtanto na nakaligo na ito at nakapag palit ng damit. Mukhang papasok na ito sa opisina. Biglang nanlaki naman ang kaniyang mata na mapagtanto na posibleng kaya ito nandito ay para gisingin na to sa pag pasok ng opisina.

"What time is it?' Pandalas ito ng bangon at halughog sa ibabaw ng lamesa upang hanapin ang phone niya. Hindi niya alam kung ano ba ang uunahin, ang pag ligo ba o ang pag kuha ng damit?

Nawala talaga sakaniyang isip ang trabaho. Sa daming nangyari nitong mga nagdaang araw ay marami na siyag nakalimutang gawin, at hindi iyon pwede. Kailangan pa rin niyang maging propesyonal kahit na anong mangyari.

"Now you are panicking."

Nilingon niya ito at sinamaan ng tingin, "Pwede bang lumabas ka na muna ha? Mag bibihis ako."

Napailing naman ang lalaki sakaniya, " You don't have to. After all I own the company, Letisha and you are my wife. So..."

"So what? Stop using the marriage card, Kean. We both still need to be professional when it comes to work. After all, hindi rin naman alam sa opisina na kasal tayo. It will be-"

"Fine. But what I am trying to say is that its already 3 P.M in the afternoon. Wala ng trabaho. So yeah, you are not late but absent, Mrs. Letisha Monterey."

Her jaw almost dropped. That means she has been sleeping like a dead corpse for hours. And he didn't even wake her up? Nanadya ba siya?

"At hindi mo manlang ako ginising? Ang please don't you ever dare again to put your surname on my name."

Umupo na ang lalaki sofa na siyang kinahihigaan niya kanina. Isinandig na nito ang buong katawan roon habang ang ulo nito ay bahagyang nakaunan sa sandalan nito.

"I just told them that you are not feeling well. Hindi naman na sila nagtanong pa."

She looked at him with a confused look, " I was absent for two consecutive days, Kean."

He answered her while his eyes were still closed, "So what? I told you I am the boss. They would believe everything I say. It also doesn't matter if you are gone for a long time, they can still function without you."

Nakaramdam siya ng inis sa itinuran nito, parang ang labas ay hindi naman na siya kailangan talaga sa trabaho. But it was somehow true; those people can work even without any supervision. They were all well trained and equipped for their jobs, what's bothering her right is she haven't seen them since that night the Bar. She wonders what happened to Jordan and the rest after they left.

Lumayo na siya sa harapan ng cabinet niya at pumunta sa harapan ng lalaki. Nanatili itong nakapikit at hind gumagalaw. she was hesistant to ask, but she also wanted to know. Hindi niya kasi alam kung paano na niya haharapin ang mga ito after the incident.

"How are they-"

"They or Him?" He asked sarcastically. from the way he answered her, she clearly understands who he was talking about.

She cleared her throat before answering him, "Nagtatanong ako ng maayos."

"Ako rin naman, Letisha; tinatanong kita ng maayos."

Nag mulat na ito ng mata at diretsong tumingin sakaniya. Umayos ito ng pagkakaupo, "After what he tried to do with you, you are still f*ck*ng concerned with that bastard?!"

"I was not pertaining to him, Kean. I am talking about Mara and Kira. Naiwan sila sa Bar that night."

Kitang kita nito ang pagtikom ng mga labi ito, they are the ones who invited you in that stupid Bar where you almost got taken advantage off, Letisha. Yet you are still concerneed with them? Really? Dapat nga ay kasama sila sa sinisante ko."

Nanlaki naman ang kaniyang mata sa narinig. Sinisante? Who the did he fired from work?

"Don't tell me..."

"Hell yeah, I fired that jerk who tried to lure you into his trap. So, thank me."

Hindi siya makapaniwalang tinignan ito. Pakiramdam niya ay mukhang wala na talaga siyang mukhang maihaharap sa mga ito.

'You fired him? At ano naman ang inirason mo? Dahil pilit niya ako pinainom? They won't take that as a valid reason. Hindi nga nila alam na-"

He cut her off. He was done listening with her unreasonable opinions. Hindi manlang kasi nito siya sinubukang pakinggan. He was confused as hell on why this woman sems like defending that b*st*rd.

"I told you; I am the boss. They would believe me on everything I say. It was just all simple, Letisha, I told them that you are my wife, and I didn't allow you to go that night; that's why I acted erratically that night."

Hindi niya masabi kung pinat-tripan lamang ba siya nito o ano. Ang akala niya ay hindi na ito makakalabas pa sa kahi na sino maliban na lamang kung usapang trabaho at negosyo. Ano ba ang gustong patunayan ng lalaking ito? Nahihibang na ba siya?

"And why did you do that?" tila naman nauubos na ang pasensya ng lalaki sa babae.

"What do you want me to do? To act like a crazy boss? sabihin ko na tinamaan lamang ako ng alak nung gabing iyon kaya hinablot ko yung inumin mo a kinaladkad ka paalis? I thought you wanted a more and realistic reason, Letisha?! isn't that a realistic one? Actually, hindi lang basta realistic eh kasi iyon 'yung totoo."

Tumayo ito. sa ilang segundo lamang ay nasas harapan na niya ito, "You don't want them to know? Bakit? Are you ashamed of me?"

Hindi siya makapagsalita. Sobrang lapit ng mukha nito sakaniya at damang dama niya ang init ng pag hinga nito, " I told them to stop pestering you. And I wasn't joking when I told them that I don't want them teaching you how to party. I hate the fact when men linger at you and look at you as if you were their prey."

Is he jealous?

Hindi maipaliwanag ni Letisha ang nararamdaman niya ngayon. Upon hearing those words from him, hindi niya maiwasang mag-isip ng kung ano. His words are trying to tell her something.

"It was none of your business in the first place."

Ang akala niyang malulusutan na niya ang sitwasyon ay til na palala pa. Sa pagkakataong ito ay hinapi na siya sa bewang nito. She tried to push him, but he was way stronger than her. Mas hinapit lamang siya nito sakaniya.

"It was, Letisha. Remember the contract you made me sign? Hindi ba nakasaad doon na third party is not allowed? If you dare entertained someone it is considered as one, kahit pa sabihin mong hindi kayo naglalandian. He was clearly flirting with you that night. You'll experience much worse if I didn't snatch that drink from yours."

Marahas siya nitong binitawan. Kitana naman niya ang pag hagod nito sa buhok gamit ang daliri. She was sure that this man is starting to lose his temper towards her.

"No matter how you justify yourself or them in front of me, nothing will change. I already fire him and that is final. Ayoko ng m*ny*k at t*r*nt*d* sa opisinako. Higit sa lahat ay ayoko ng may kahati sa pag mamay-ari ko. In fact, he was not sorry after all. I talked to him alone; he admitted that he tried to dr*g you that night but unfortunately, I came."

Panadalian itong tumigil bago nagpatuloy, "Now tell me, Am I the one who is unreasonable here?"

"