PMS1: President's Forgotten Wife

CHAPTER 31

CHAPTER 31: NOT TONIGHT

EISEN ALMOST had a mini heart attack when he unconsciously rolled his head on the other side, snapping him awake from his drifting off state. Eisen grunted in protest as he and Sceven watched the celebration from afar, waiting for the perfect timing to make an entrance.

The car where Sceven parked was a bit far away from Eisen's target for them not to be noticed by anyone, most especially the person he came for to catch a glimpse of in that place.

"Good thing that you're finally awake," Sceven uttered before glugging the bottled water on hand. His friend opened the back seat as Sceven crouched beside Eisen and leaned on the chair before shutting his eyes closed and yawning. "Because I'm exhausted waiting outside like a stalker when we could just welcome ourselves inside and meet this person you've wanted to visit. Are you sure we're not stalking someone?"

Sceven looked directly in his eyes, and Eisen just shrugged his shoulders while he didn't bother himself to answer his friend, letting him take a nap. In contrast, Eisen let himself busy starting at the house packed with invited people in their barong Tagalog and baro't saya.

"You know what," Sceven uttered, making Eisen respond immediately

."Hmm?" He remarked without taking his eyes off of the place as people began to leave.

"I don't know what's going inside your head right now, Eisen, but I trust in whatever you intend to do here. Just make sure that no one is going to kill us once they notice we were trespassing." Sceven said with wide eyes shut, calmly breathing as if preparing to doze off to sleep.

"No one's going to kill us here. Trust me on this one." Eisen replied, still looking at the people slowly dispersing as the event finally ended.

People bit their goodbyes as others were leaving with Tupperware and white bags filled with food. Some were walking home, and some went back to their cars and started their engines to leave.

Eisen decided to look at the house once again. Another group of people, which he thought are the workers in the house, began to crowd the area and started taking down the fabrics made to design the place as the remaining ones focus on disassembling the tables. However, before he could even wake his friend up, his eyes landed on the woman Eisen has been missing all along.

She was wearing such a dress, or a baro't saya to be precise, that made her beauty stand out even more. Eisen has never seen such beauty that could make him feel breathless and weak at the same time. She's gorgeous—the fairest maiden of them all who attended today's birthday event.

"Sceven, do you think we should go now?" Eisen asked before tapping his friend's shoulder to wake him up. But Sceven just grunted in protest before shifting his position in sleeping inside the car.

"Give me thirty," he uttered after getting comfortable, and Eisen nodded his head as if Sceven could see him.

"Sure. Thirty, and we'll go in. Take some time to rest," Eisen replied before patting Sceven in the head like his friend is some kid or an animal who needed petting.

"Stop doing it if you don't want me to kick you out now," and without a second thought, Eisen raised his hand in retreat and unknowingly smiled at his friend's remark. As if he could really do it.

However, their wait didn't take long when 30 minutes has gone by so fast, and Sceven didn't actually drift off to sleep. Instead, he was just closing his eyes to at least settle his mind and body after a tiring journey. 

And as if on cue, Sceven went to the driver's seat, looked over at Eisen, and he nodded his head as a "go signal" for Sceven to start the engine. And without further ado, the vehicle started as the lights turned on. And Sceven drove the car in front of the gate where a woman was about to close the entrance and exit of the property.

"Hello, good evening," Sceven said to the woman on the gate, which made the woman ask,

"Good evening, sir. Are you somewhat lost, sir?"

Sceven scratched the back of his neck before waving his hand to the maid, indicating his reply as no. "No. We're sorry if we arrived late, but we're actually here to see the celebrant—"

"Mrs. Guevara," Eisen whispered, enough for his friend to understand, making Sceven looked at him and then shifted his attention back to the maid.

"—were here to see Mrs. Guevara." He replied, making the maid frown.

"Sir, if you could just wait for a moment so I can confirm your identities to Mrs. Guevara before letting you—" Eisen couldn't take it any longer and began to open the glove compartment and grabbed a thin fragrant paper and heave a deep sight before rolling the window down.

"Here," Eisen said before popping the invitation out of the window, letting the woman look in his direction, as if the car wasn't tinted, and then to the invitation in hand. The woman then opened the smaller gate and grabbed the invitation out of his grasp before making sure that it was the same invitation that the Guevara Family was handing out.

And after a few minutes of looking back and forth at him, at Sceven, and then back on the invitation card, the woman gently smiled in their direction and apologized before opening the gate.

The moment the car entered the property, both gentlemen were able to take a deep breath after holding both of their breaths for a moment. The frontage of the property was cleared, and everyone seemed to be inside the house. However, a woman in her 40's or something like that peeked out from the window on the second floor with a frown on her face.

She must be wondering who they are.

"Are you sure we're on the right side of the road?" Sceven asked as he stopped the engine and gave Eisen a look. Eisen just shrugged his shoulders before opening the door on his side. And Sceven heaved a deep sigh before leaving the driver seat and popped the compartment of the car, and took the wheelchair out.

As soon as Sceven managed to place the wheelchair in an accessible area, he helped Eisen out of the car. A few minutes had passed, and Sceven was already pushing the wheelchair towards the house entrance. And the woman earlier guided them inside without a doubt.

The woman led them towards the living room on the second floor, granting them access to the vacant sofa. "Let me just call for Mrs. Guevara—"

However, the woman wasn't able to finish her sentence when Eisen spoke, "May I also know where her daughter is?" And the woman just nodded her head before leaving.

It didn't take her a minute when someone entered the living room. It was the same woman who was standing by the window earlier, looking at them.

"Good evening, miss Guevara. We're sorry for arriving so late—" this time, Eisen failed to finish what he had to say when the maiden raised her hand, commanded the same woman who let them enter, and sat on the single sofa, facing them.

"This," she began before opening the invitation card and showing it to the gentlemen's faces, "Is intended for my daughter's workmate. And both of you don't seem like a woman to me,"

Eisen gulped as he felt Sceven nudged him from the elbow. He tried to move his gaze to look at Sceven, but because the maiden was earnestly gazing at the both of them while waiting for answers, Eisen can't even move a single part of his body.

"What do you want, and who are you?"

And the woman entered the room again, this time holding a tray. On top of the tray was a kettle, a spoon, and a mug on top of the small plate. She delicately placed it on top of the table in front of them and instantly departed the area.

"First of all, my friend and I would like to greet you with a happy birthday. We brought you a simple gift that we hope you'll like," Sceven brought out a small box from his coat pocket and handed it to the maiden. But Mrs. Guevara just glared at him for doing that.

"And your daughter knows us. I'm sure she'll confirm our identity." However, before Mrs. Guevara could even make a statement, two young gentlemen entered as if World War III had begun between them.

"...mine! Give me that, you little old creep!" The man with a thinner body figure uttered in a hysterical tone as the other young man kept on devouring on a bag of chips.

"No! This is mine and mine alone! I got it first!" He said while he continued to munch on the chip, Eisen fought the urge not to laugh at their silly behavior. Lucky enough, Mrs. Guevara grabbed the spoon from the table and darted it towards the siblings, causing a loud thud as one of them got hit.

"Ouc—ohhh." The thinner man said as soon as he saw Eisen and Sceven sitting across from their mother.

"Get out of here, you, two, and go get your sister! Or do you want me to pinch both of your—"

"Mom, we get it! We'll go now!" the two of them departed, leaving the three of them alone once again. However, it didn't take them long when Jade entered the room, looking beautiful in her dress.

However, Mrs. Guevara's words turned into a haze when her tears didn't escape Eisen's gaze, leaving him mad. And unconsciously, he uttered words that sent danger and wrath to anyone who made Jade cry. "Why are you crying, wife."

Everyone present in the room gasped in surprise; around them gasped at his words, allowing Jade to close her eyes for a moment. And she doesn't look happy at all.

"Wife?" And another man entered the room with a questionable expression as she stopped in front of Jade.

And Eisen saw right in front of his eyes the emotion he didn't want to see in Jade's eyes: pain and regret.

His wife turned her gaze towards her, and at the corner of her eyes lies another handful of tears. And with a weak voice, she uttered, "Eisen, I didn't know you'll be here."

__________

THE NIGHT WAS DEEP, but Eisen had been feeling entirely upset as he eyed the man sitting across him. Eisen would've been staring at the man, who he believed whose name is Geralt, when Sceven nudged him on the elbow before leaning towards him with a somewhat troubled face.

"I don't mean to impose, but you've been glaring at him since the moment he entered the living room. Do you somehow know or recognize this man?" Sceven informed him in a whispered tone, both of them diverting their attention away from Geralt when he moved his attention to them.

Geralt looked at the gentlemen and then diverted his attention away from them, giving Eisen the opportunity to whisper back at Sceven to give his friend his answer to his question.

"Jade is crying the moment she entered here. And that man followed after. Of course, I'll doubt that something happened between them, and this man right here is the one behind it all." Eisen replied, feeling confident with his doubt. But again, he's not only convinced but furious because of it. Just thinking about Jade being with another man definitely made him uncomfortable. But considering that there was another man who made his wife cry, that undoubtedly ruined his sanity.

But before the intense atmosphere cloud, the surrounding of the living room, Jade and her mother once again entered the living room. But Eisen instantly felt something different. Something happened between Jade and her mom, for sure.

"So, Eisen," Mrs. Guevara uttered as soon as she took a seat on to where she sat earlier, followed by Jade, who sat in between her mom and Geralt. And Eisen somewhat shifted his position uncomfortably with the sight of Jade so close beside another man. But Eisen made sure not to act rude, so he smiled at Jade's mom before stealing another glance at Jade.

"Would you like something to eat? Or drink?" Jade's mom asked, still not failing to smile at him. It was warm, so comforting to meet a mother who can always feel welcome.

"I'm am well-fed whole throughout the journey, Mrs. Guevara," Eisen replied before shooting another peeked at Jade's direction, noticing how she fidgeted with her fingers. She seemed nervous, and Eisen hasn't seen this side of his wife. But a part of him knew that it was because of his sudden appearance in the Guevara Residence and since the man he believed was named Geralt entered the room.

The man was fuming mad just by the utterance of Jade as his wife. Like it was a sin marrying such a fine lady.

But why? Are they hiding something?

And somehow, he smiled as soon as he saw Jade scooted herself closer to her mother, making the distance between her and Geralt. That's more like it.

"Well, if you say it that way, then I would just say that we weren't expecting your arrival. So, forgive our manners for not welcoming you properly." Mrs. Guevara politely bowed, but Eisen began shaking his head.

"No need to welcome me, Mrs. Guevara. Opening your doors to welcome me inside this humble abode is enough for me to know that I am welcome," he replied, making Jade's mom smile in response.

"Mom, I think it's time for you to go to bed. It's already late." Jade uttered, wrapping her hands on her mother's arm to convince her to go to bed.

"Oh, come on. I still want to talk with Eisen and his friend, Sceven, right?" Mrs. Guevara shoved her hand towards Sceven, who smiled and lightly bowed at them

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you for having us tonight," he answered, making Jade's brother, Janni, stunned when he heard Sceven's deep voice. And Eisen even saw how the young man winked at his sister. And in response, Jade glared at Janni.

"Mom, come on. You know I can't let you stay up late and—" she demanded, making her mother glared at her this time.

"Fine, fine. Having a daughter who always kills the fun is boring. You're making me old." Mrs. Guevara snorted, making Jade smile at her mother.

"I'm sorry, let's continue our discussion tomorrow, gentlemen. The activity earlier was entirely tiring, and anytime soon, I'm going to pass out. So, if you'll excuse me—" and Mrs. Guevara stood up as Jade's brothers assisted their mother inside her room. "My Jang will show you your rooms, gentlemen. I hope you'll both have a nice sleep in our home."

"Thank you for your kindness," he and Sceven spoke in unison as they waited for Jade's mom to depart, leaving him, Sceven, Jade, and Geralt.

"I'll take you both in your rooms—" Jade said with a tired tone as she was about to walk towards Eisen when Geralt grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her closer to him.

And no one knows how Eisen's blood boils in wrath with the sight of the man touching his wife's wrist as she belonged to Geralt.

"Are you not going to explain to me everything that is happening, Jade?" Eisen wanted to grab Jade away from Geralt, but Sceven stopped him by blocking him using his hand.

"The last thing I would want to do tonight, Geralt, is to explain everything. So if you excuse me, I would like to show the guests their rooms for tonight." Jade's words were in the form of a whisper, but enough for Eisen to hear how irritated she was with what Geralt demanded to happen. And Jade finally breaks herself free from Geralt's grasp before guiding him and Sceven into their designated rooms.

And as soon as they entered the room they were supposed to stay for the night, Eisen held his hand up towards Sceven as if wanting him not to continue. "Leave us for a moment,"

Sceven looked at Eisen and Jade before nodding his head and closed the door behind him. Eisen then heaves a sigh before speaking to Jade.

"Nobody knows about us," he began, the pain started pooling inside his chest. Eisen wanted to ask those words, but asking about something obvious is a waste of time.

"I'm sorry," all she could reply, hurting Eisen even more.

"Why?" he asked, tapping his nails on the arm of his wheelchair.

"Because I had no choice—"

"No choice for what?!"

The both of them looked at each other as Eisen looked for answers in her pensive eyes. He can't believe that his wife's family doesn't know about his existence. "You'll understand me for doing this sooner or later, Eisen. Just please, not tonight."

A chuckle rose upon his throat before responding bitterly to Jade. "It's because of that Geralt guy, isn't it?"

"Eisen, please. Not tonight," Jade answered before secretly wiping her tears away before departing the room, leaving Eisen all alone.

And as soon as Jade closed the door behind her, tears began to crowd her face for the second time. She lowered her gaze with a mumbled sob as she dragged her hands on her chest. But a pair of shoes became visible in front of her, making her lift her face. And the man she didn't want to face tonight was standing before her.

And with arms crossed, he said, "I saw an ocean nearby. And I would like you to keep me company."