The Billionaire I Married By Mistake [Filipino]

18. PRODIGY

|Katherine|

“Aalis na ba talaga kayo? Stay for one more day, Javier!” Tita Rebecca tried to convince us. I couldn’t help but glanced at Javier dahil isang sabi pa ni Tita ng ganoon ay talagang bibigay na’ko.

“We’ll come back as soon as we settle some important things, mom,” Javier said to his mother. Umirap naman ang kanyang ina na para bang hindi naniniwala sa sinabi ng anak. Hindi ko maiwasang hindi mamangha ng makita ‘yon.

“It’s hard to believe that, son,” Tita Rebecca said. Then she glanced at me. She held my hands firmly. “Pilitin mo si Javier na bumalik kayo dito, ha?”

A small smile appeared as I nodded my head. “Sure, mom,”

“And as for our wedding gift, we’ve booked you a one-week vacation in Maldives. It’s at the end of the month.” my father-in-law added.

Javier sighed deeply. “Sure dad.”

Inabot pa kami ng ilang minuto ng pakikipag-usap sa kanila bago kami tuluyang nakaalis. As soon as we left their estate, doon lang ata ako nakahinga ng maayos.

At least, we need to stop acting now.

“What are your plans for today?” tanong niya. Nilingon ko siya and gave him a curious look. “Akala ko ba mag-uusap tayo?”

Javier steal a glance at me before he brought his gaze back to the road. “Yeah. I was just asking if my mga importanteng gagawin ka pagkatapos nating mag-usap.”

I sighed heavily and looked outside the window. Naalala ko si Noel. I'll call him right away when I'm done with my talk to Javier. I'll explain to him what had happened as soon as I'm free.

Tahimik kami buong byahe hanggang sa makarating kami sa penthouse niya. And I was expecting na pag-uusapan na namin ang tungkol sa sitwasyon namin ng bigla siyang nakatanggap ng tawag. Dumiretso ako sa living area at doon nagpahinga saglit habang hinihintay siya. Akala ko magtatagal siya sa tawag ng ilang saglit ng matapos siya. And I also thought that we would finally talk pero mukhang mapapa-isabukas ulit iyon.

“I need to go to work,” aniya ng makalapit sa akin. My brows furrowed as I looked up at him.

“Akala ko ba mag-uusap tayo?” paalala ko. He sighed as he put his both hands on his waist.

“We'll talk things out when I'm done with work. For now, you attend your agendas. Alam kong marami ka ding gagawin.” I stared at him at the last thing he said. Well, tama rin naman siya. I still need to make some calls with Noel.

I just shrugged my shoulders and nodded at him. Kung ‘yan ang gusto niya, may magagawa pa ba ako? Workaholic nga siyang tao diba?

“Feel yourself at home. There’s food stock in the fridge. And also, get your things in your home dahil dito ka sakin titira.”

I bit my lower lip. “Hindi ba puwedeng umuwi na lang ako sa amin since wala naman ang parents mo—”

“Are you fvcking kidding me?” he interrupted right away. I raised my hands, as if surrendering to him.

“Ito naman, hindi na mabiro,” I said lightly. “Pero…kailangan kong umuwi sa Iloilo para sa business namin. And I think I’ll stay there to handle…it,”

Napatitig siya sa akin and he was silent for a couple of minutes. Magtatanong na sana ako kung may problema ba siya sa sinabi ko ng magsalita siya.

“Pag-uusapan rin natin ‘yan. Siguro mamayang gabi. I still have some important things to attend in our company today. Can you wait for me?”

“Oo naman,” I replied right away. Hindi pa man namin napag-uusapan talaga pero alam namin sa isa’t-isa na may deal kaming dapat na pag-usapan.

Iyon nga lang syempre, kahit na importante sa akin iyon, sa kanya, hindi. His work is his topmost priority. Kaya kahit na i-insist ko ang gusto ko, kailangan ko pa ring maghintay since…malaking pabor ang hinihingi ko sa kanya.

“Then it’s settled.” Matapos niyang sabihin iyon ay nagpaalam na siya sa akin.

I was left alone in his penthouse. Instead of doing nothing, agad ko namang kinontak uli si Noel. My phone is fully charge already pero pinatay ko pinatay ko ‘yon kahapon. At nakalimutan ko ulit i-turn on. Kaya hindi na ako nagulat na isa-isang nagsipasukan ang mga messages ni Noel sa akin. Even from my friends, asking how I was.

Noel’s last message was telling me to call him right away if may oras na ako. Kaya iyon ang ginawa ko. And one ring, agad na niyang sinagot ang tawag.

[“Miss Kat!”] agad niyang bungad sa akin. [“Mabuti naman at napatawag ka! Sinubukan ho kitang kontakin simula pa kahapon pero unattended ka!”]

“I was meeting my in-laws, Noel,” I said, then stood from my seat and went out to the pool area.

[“T-Tungkol ho diyan. Gusto ko ring ipaalam sa inyo na…nagalit si Mr. Ramirez dahil hindi natuloy ang kasal niyo ng anak niya,”]

I sighed heavily. Well, that was to be expected. We sought for their help and they expect us to agree on their terms. And when we didn’t meet it, they surely would get disappointed.

“Pero ikaw na rin ang nagsabi na hindi rin sumulpot ang anak niya sa kasal, diba?” naglakad ako patungo sa sun lounger at naupo doon. I stared at the clear blue sky. I also put my phone into loud speaker at nilagay iyon sa tabi ko.

[“Oo, Miss Kat. At mas ikinagagalit niya pa ay…hindi nila ma-contact anak niya. Nakauwi na raw ito mula sa states kahapon pero…”] hindi tinapos ni Noel ang sasabihin.

“Did he run away?” I guessed.

I heard him heaving a deep breath on the other line. [“Hindi pa ho sigurado pero parang iyon nga ho ang nangyari,”]

Natahimik naman ako.

I understand if someone like Gavin would back-out on the wedding for the last minute. Hindi namin kilala ang isa’t-isa at napilitan siyang umuwi sa Pilipinas para lang…magpakasal sa akin. All because it was his father’s wishes.

Gan’on din siguro ang gagawin ko kapag…nasa maayos na kalagayan si grandpa at walang problema ang kompanya namin. Why would I forced myself to marry someone? I would surely…rebel.

[“Pero…paanong kasal kana ho, Miss Kat?”] tanong ni Noel matapos ang ilang segundong pananahimik ko. Muli akong nagpakawala ng hininga and stared at the scenery it front of me.

“Mali ang simbahan na napuntahan ko, Noel,” I revealed. And then I started telling him what happened to me since yesterday. Tahimik siyang nakinig hanggang matapos ako.

[“Maaari ko ho bang malaman kung sino ho itong Javier na ‘to?”] he asked after everything.

Oh. Did I miss telling him his last name?

“It’s Javier Lanford, Noel. I think I can make an agreement with hi—”

[“Ano ho?! Landford!”] he exclaimed on the other line. Kumunot naman ang noo ko habang napatitig sa cellphone.

“Yeah, why? He’s a Lanford,” I confirmed, suddenly feeling curious because of his reaction.

Kinuha ko ang cellphone at sinimulang i-type ang pangalan ni Javier sa search bar. At the same time, Noel started feeding me with information about him.

[“Miss Kat, if ito nga si Javier Lanford na iniisip ko, then…hindi ko ho alam kung maswerte ho kayo o hindi.”] Noel said. Then his name started appearing on the website, with a series of articles attached to his name. There were…few pictures of him though. Walang solo picture. Most of it was cropped from a group photo or something.

“What do you mean?”

[“He’s known as a shark in business-industry, Ms. Kat. He has closed countless of deals and had taken their company into heights since he started working in their company. Marami hong mga negosyo ang napapasailalim sa Lanford Group. Marami ding nag-aannounce ng bankrupty ‘pag nag v-venture sila sa linya ng business na wala pa sila. At lahat ng iyon ay dahil sa mga desisyon niya, Ms. Kat,”]

As Noel said those things, I read some of a few articles that tackles about him. He’s already 30 years old and the current COO of their company. He graduated in prestigious school abroad with two MBA’s on his name! Inisa-isa kong basahin ang mga achievement niya na hindi ko naman maintindihan. Pero ang makita na lampas 20 iyon, I couldn’t help but feel awe at him.

Wow…did I marry a prodigy in business or something?

[“Sa pagkakaalam ko, his next business ventures involved the construction industry, Miss Kat—”]

“Edi maganda na naging asawa ko siya ngayon dahil matutulungan niya ang kompanya, Noel!” I interrupted. Nagpakawala ng malalim na hininga si Noel.

[“Isa sa mga rason kung bakit hindi nag-eexpand si Sir Anton sa Luzon area, Miss Kat, ay dahil sa kanya.”] paalala nito. I bit my lower lip.

I suddenly remember one time how disappointed my grandfather was when his business venture here in Manila failed. I couldn’t remember what it was dahil hindi naman ako nakikinig talaga sa kanya when he talked about business.

I inhaled a sharp deep breath.

“Let’s just look at the bright side, Noel. Mag-asawa na kami ngayon and for sure, he would help us out. I’ll deal with him.” I said, my voice full with conviction.

We diverted our topic into other things. Sinabi ko din sa kanya na dito ako titira kay Javier. Though, I will still go back to Iloilo to handle our business. I still need to talk things with Javier to finalize our set-up.

Kinamusta ko si grandpa kay Noel. And as of now, he was still in a coma. He also reminded me of the press conference I needed to attend in a few days. Kaya naman, nang matapos ang tawag ko sa kanya, pinalalahanan ko ang sarili ko na sasabihin ko ‘to kay Javier mamayang gabi.

The rest of the day, I explored to familiar myself with the penthouse. Umuwi na rin ako sa condo ko to pack up some of my clothes and things. Nang makabalik ako sa penthouse, it was already afternoon. Nag-unpack ako ng mga gamit ko sa napiling kuwarto. It was a good thing that most of the rooms were unlock. At least, hindi ako mahihirapang maghanap ng susi or ano pa man.

The room that I chose though was beside Javier’s room. Familiar syempre sa akin ang kuwarto niya at ang pasilyong nilabasan ko when it I was here for the first time. But past aside, I chose the room beside his para hindi naman mahirap tumakbo at magtago sa kuwarto niya kapag napabisita ang parents niya.

And wait, speaking of that man. Akala ko ba mag m-message siya sa akin? I hope he knew my number when he said that right? When I checked my phone, walang ibang messages na naroon maliban kay Noel. Paano ko naman siya mame-message when I don’t know his number?

Tinanong ko si Noel if he knows Javier’s number. And he told he doesn’t…if its his personal number. I just surrendered and cling to what he told me earlier that he’ll be home at night so we could talk about our set-up.

Pero teka, kung uuwi siya? Magluluto ba ako ng hapunan namin? Or should I…order take out?

In the end, I chose to do takeout. I’m tired of packing my things from my condo and unpacking them here. At baka masunog ko pa ang kusina niya kapag nagluto ako. I only know how to fry food and cook adobo. That’s all!

Kinagabihan, I waited for Javier to come home. I kept on looking at the lift, hoping that he would finally go home. Hindi rin ako kumain ng dinner kasi parang ang rude naman tignan kapag nauna akong kumain kaysa sa kanya.

I waited. And waited. Until hindi ko na namalayan ang oras at tuluyan nang nakatulog sa sofa sa kakahintay sa kanya.