The Annulment

Chapter 9

I woke up from the noises downstairs.

I forced myself to sit on my bed. It's already nine o'clock in the morning and I still want to sleep. I'm exhausted and all I want to do is to sleep all day.

I'm in my bedroom here in our mansion. I arrived last night, maybe past two in the morning. I and Lucett went to a club in Taguig and we spent so much time there. When I got home, I was told that my parents were on their one-week vacation in North Macedonia.

My forehead creased. I was told that they will spend a week there and if I'm not mistaken, it's just their third day today so why I'm hearing my parent's voice?

I rolled my eyes when I realized that maybe Mrs. Lorelei, our head of maids told them about me so that's explain why they are here.

My head aches. I'm experiencing a hangover, I guess. It's normal, we drunk a lot. We tried different cocktails and its hell.

"Beatriz!" That loud voice echoed in my room as my door opened widely.

I scratched my eyes. "Mom."

My mother approached me. "When did you arrive? You should have told us beforehand. And why are you here? Did Jazon know that you're already here?" She snapped.

I hugged my pillows as I lay on my bed. "I want to sleep, Mom. Let me sleep more. I thought you guys are in your Macedonia vacation?" I glanced at my Dad who chose to stay beside my door.

"Lorelei called us. And she told us that you arrived at dawn so we immediately booked a flight here," Mom answered.

I closed my eyes and listened to her rants.

"Again, what are you doing here, Beatriz?" Mom won't just let me sleep.

"This is my house, Mom. Of course I should be here," I replied, my eyes are still close.

My Mom hit my arm. "When did you arrive?"

"Did Jazon know you're here?" Daddy asked me.

I opened my eyes and looked at my Mom. "Yesterday. He doesn’t know that I'm already here."

I saw my Dad frowned. "Why? Did you guys fight over something? Or are you the one who made a trouble this time?"

I forced myself not to roll my eyes. "I'm going to tell him Dad but I happened to meet Lucett so we decided to hang out and stroll. And, I know he's busy, so I decided not to bother him for a day."

My father nodded. "Fix yourself, let's eat breakfast," he said then stormed out of my room.

"Mom..."

Mommy looks worried, she keeps looking at my hand.

"Are you alright, Mommy? You are pale, are you sick or something?" I commented and touched her forehead.

"Your finger, Beatriz... Where's your wedding ring?"

Oh shucks! I forgot to wear that freaking ring. And right now, I don't know where I put that thing!

My eyes met my Mom's. "Oh, I'm so drunk when I arrived here Mom and I felt so hot that's why I took all of my clothes out. Maybe, I accidentally took my ring too. I'll find it later..." I tried to look calm even though I'm really struggling inside!

My Mom's eyebrow raised, she's looking at me intently. Is this what they called woman instinct? Or a mother instinct? Whatever it is, this is not the right time to tell them the truth!

I smiled as I held my Mom's stare.

Mommy just shrugged her shoulder.

"Your room is quite messy," she said. Her eyes are wandering on my room. "You should clean after our breakfast so you can find your ring," she added and looked at me again. "Beatriz, that ring is no ordinary ring. That's your wedding ring, a symbol of your marriage so you should better find that."

I nodded. " Of course, Mom. I'm just really careless."

Her hands went to her hips. "So, you and Lucett drank yesterday? That's why you ended here instead of your house? And Jazon did not know that you're already here in Philippines? Oh my God, Beatriz! Your husband is busy making money and working and you're here, partying like a single lady!"

I almost puke at what I heard. I'm really a single lady! Well, with an estrange husband for five years!

"Chill, Mom. I just want to surprise my husband that's why I never told him that I came." Of course I lied.

My Mom's face lightened. She giggled.

"Oh, really? Good. Very good. Now fix yourself and eat breakfast with us and find your ring before you go and meet with your husband, alright?"

My smile became sour. "Yes, Mom. Go ahead, I'll just wash my face."

My Mom left at last. I carefully peeked at my door to make sure that she went downstairs. I locked my door after that.

I picked my phone and dialed Lucett's number.

"What is it, Bea? My head aches like hell. Damn alcohol, I'm experiencing a hangover!" I heard my best friend’s rants.

"Lucettia!" I even heard the panic on my voice. "This is not the right time for your hangover issues. I lost my ring!"

"Ring? What ring? You can buy any ring you want, Bea," Lucett murmured. I even heard her soft curses regarding her headaches.

"It's my wedding ring..." I said then sighed.

I heard Lucettia's hard breathing after I told her that Mommy's looking for my ring.

"Oh my God!" Lucettia’s clear voice echoed on my ear. "You took out that ring in the bar last night. In the Minnies, do you remember the first bar we went in? You put that on the table there before we went to another bar. You even shouted freedom after that," she added.

I slapped my face. Did I just dig my own grave?

"Do you know anyone in Minnies?" I asked her, biting my pinky's nail.

"Yeah. The owner is a colleague of mine. No worries, that's a high end bar so we can find your wedding ring in no time. I'll take care of it, I'll just fix myself because I'm really a mess right now." I felt Lucett's urgency on her voice.

I thanked my best friend then hanged up.

Like what I told Mom, I washed my face then went to the dining room.

"What took you so long, Beatriz?" my father asked. He's reading his newspaper while Mom's watching me, well she's looking at my ring finger. I mouthed later to her.

I smiled at my Dad." My stomach ached."

My father motioned me to sit down.

Like the old times, we prayed first then eat quietly.

It took us maybe twenty minutes to finish our breakfast.

"I'll go first," Dad told us. My Mom gave him his attaché' case and fixed his necktie.

I kissed my Dad on his cheek then went to my room.

I cleaned my room then took a bath. I really need to find that damn ring today.

I'm done drying my hair when my phone rang.

"Lucett? Did you find it?"

I heard my best friend sighed. "We have a problem, Beatriz."

I put my shoes on and a color maroon sling bag on my shoulder.

"The Minnie's manager told me that they don't see any ring there," Lucett said, sighing.

"Oh, hell! That's going to be a problem!" Frustrated, I sat down on my bed.

"How about buying something like your ring? I'm sure you can afford that," Lucett suggested.

I shook my head even though I know Lucett can't see me. "I can't do that. That ring was made by request. It's personalized and Jazon was the only one who know that jewelry's details."

"Then ask him!" Lucett blurted but then I heard her slapped her mouth. "My mouth is being silly, right now." She faked a laugh.

"You're kidding me," I just said. I'm doomed.

"Then let your husband explain the real situation to your parents. He's the one at fault. He should be the one facing problems here, not you." Lucett cleared her throat. "Your parents deserve to know the truth."

Again, I sighed.

"I think I and Jazon should talk about this first," I murmured.

My forehead creased when I saw a message after my conversation with Lucette ended.

I checked the sender and it came from Kiefer.

Your case is now ready. Stop by my office then we can talk about this but talk to your husband first.

My head hurts after I read the message.

I dialed Kiefer's number.

"You seems not busy," I greeted him when he immediately answered my call.

Kiefer chuckled. " Did you receive my message?"

"Yes I did. This is so fast Attorney," I replied.

"You told me to use my connections, that's why. And you are not just a VIP client." His voice was gentle.

"So..."

Kiefer cleared his throat. "Talk to your husband. You said that this annulment is a mutual decision but you two still need to talk about this so we can make the process fast," he advised me.

"I'm going to meet him now," I answered. Well, this is going to be a surprise visit to my estrange husband.

"Good." It's Kiefer.

"Can I have a copy?"

"Sure. I'll wait you here," Kiefer said.

He managed to tell me a few things before ending the conversation.

I unconsciously stared at my ring finger, there's nothing there anymore but I felt something is missing. I felt somewhat empty.