II: Blessing or Curse?
2163 Words
Pierre Ilya's POV
I pinched the nose of my bridge before looking at the man laughing in front of me.
"Man, you've got to see this video." Mas lalong kumunot ang noo ko.
"Alexei, I didn't let you come into my office just to laugh in my sofa and disturb my peace."
"Ito naman, masyado kang seryoso sa buhay. Tatanda ka kaagad niyan."
I shut my eyes hard before flipping another set of documents. Kailangan ko 'tong matapos kaagad dahil pupuntahan ko pa si Lucielle.
Hindi siya kampante kung hindi ako makakauwi sa kanya ngayong gabi. I would love to throw these papers away tonight and drive fast to her place, but I've been away for quite long and I have to finish my job.
"Nabalitaan kong may bagong death threat na namang natanggap si Lucielle, ayos lang ba siya?" Tanong ni Alexei at sa pagkakataong ito, seryoso na ang tono ng kanyang boses.
Alexei is my trusted friend. We've been friends since childhood. May mga kaibigan naman ako nong tumuntong ako ng high school at college pero iba ang tiwalang binibigay ko sa kanya.
He was there during my highs and lows. If there's someone who knew me very well, it would be him.
"She's not. That is why I have to finish these paper works early tonight."
"Kakastress naman yang buhay mo." Naiiling nitong wika bago kumuha ng isang boteng alak.
He offered me one glass and I took it. One more file and I'll be leaving here as fast as I can.
"I don't have a choice."
"Of course you do, Ilya. May choice kang mamuhay ng payapa pero mas pinili mo si Lucielle. At ngayon inako mo lahat ng responsibilidad kahit na hindi mo naman 'yan obligasyon."
I look at him dead in the eye when he said those words, but Alexei just raised one of his eyebrows and drank his glass empty before pouring another one.
"Look man, Lucielle dumped your *ss 2 years ago and she never looked back. You've been depressed for weeks, Ilya, ako pa umakay sa'yo non." Naiiling niyang wika bago kinuha ang isang silya sa gilid atsaka ito inilagay sa mismong harapan ko.
"And now that she's back, you came running towards her like nothing happened." Dagdag pa niya.
"Lucielle is my Lucielle, it never changed." Pagdedepensa ko pa sa kanya at iyon ang totoo. Kahit na paulit-ulit niya akong saktan o iwan, siya lang ang babaeng hahabulin ko.
Yes, call me a masochist but I don't really care.
"And you're still her walking wallet; it never changed as well," aniya atsaka napangisi.
That's right, I am her walking wallet but that's how I show her how much I love her. I'm a man who provides and she loves it when I provide.
Wala yung kaso sa akin. I have all the wealth, and I can triple it in just one gesture of my hand.
"Ilya, hindi mo ba nakikita? Ginagamit ka lang ni Lucielle."
"She's not like that, Alexei."
"Jesus Christ." He uttered in disbelief. "Bulag ka na talaga."
"You know what, you're not helping me at all. Feel free to walk out of my office." Seryoso kong wika sa kanya bago tinignan ang aking relong pambisig.
It's almost 8pm, I have to hurry.
I pushed a button on my table and called Sienna, my secretary. Sinabi ko sa kanya na ibigay na sa akin ang file na inutos ko kaninang umaga.
Nang hindi ito tumugon, pinindut ko ito ulit atsaka tinawag siya pero nagulat ako nang iba ang sumagot.
[Mr. Rozenov, papunta na po ako.]
"Wait, who the hell are you? Where's Sienna?" I asked to the unknown lady.
[Ah s-sir kasi po, nauna nang umuwi si Ms. Castillo. Hindi po maganda ang pakiramdam niya kaya humingi po siya ng pabor na ako na lang daw po ang mag-aabot sa inyo ngayon.]
Alexei look at me straight in the eye when he noticed how my forehead creases.
"Bakit hindi niya ako sinabihan?" There is a little hint of anger in my voice which made the lady on the other line stutter even more.
[Y-Yan po ang h-hindi ko alam, Mr. Rozenov.] I secretly clenched my jaw.
"Get the f*ck in." I almost slammed my back against my swivel chair and look at the lady who just came in my office.
Nakayuko ito habang naglalakad papalapit sa aking mesa. I can see how her hands are shaking while holding the folder.
Kung hindi niya nilapag kaagad ang folder sa mesa ko, tuluyan na sigurong nahulog ang mga laman nito sa sahig. She bowed her head before storming my office in a swift.
"Ilya, would you lose some toughness in your body? Kawawa naman yung babae, halos mangisay na sa takot." Hindi ako kumibo.
Ininom ko ang aking alak atsaka inumpisahang basahin ang mga dokumento.
"That's kinda odd that Sienna is not here. Simula nong nawala ang dad mo at ikaw na ang nagpapatakbo ng kompanya, Sienna never missed a day."
It immediately made me think of Sienna.
Tama si Alexei. The moment I became the CEO, Sienna had always been there as my secretary. Sa dinami-rami kong trabahador, siya lang nag-iisang kayang tumingin ng deretso sa aking mga mata at magsalita ng hindi nauutal.
She got that confidence that I can't explain, plus she's really good at what she's doing.
"Nakakalungkot na hindi ko masisilayan ang ganda niya ngayon." Napatingin ako kay Alexie nang sabihin niya iyon.
He finds Sienna beautiful?
I shrugged my thoughts off. He always finds every woman beautiful; it's not a big deal.
"Hey, I've been meaning to ask this pero single parin ba si Sienna?"
"Will you stop bothering me?"
"Nagtatanong lang, tsaka kaya mong magmultitask. Sagutin mo na ako, single pa ba siya?"
"I don't know and I don't give a f*ck!"
"Woah, chill man, kung makareact ka akala mo naman aagawin ko si Sienna sa'yo... I might be though." Mabilis kong dinampot ang ballpen ko atska ito binato sa kanya.
"Stay away from my secretary, Alexei." I said while pointing at his face.
"Paano kung ayaw ko?" I took the stapler and was about to throw it at him when he runs towards my door and made face.
"Sungit! Iwan na kita diyan, wala naman pala si Sienna rito." Tuluyan ko na ngang binato sa kanya ang stapler. Sa sobrang laka ay muntikan nang magkabutas ang pinto ng opisina ko.
Alexei on the other hand managed to get away and left my company.
Nang mapatingin ako sa aking repleksyon dito sa malaki kong bintana, napansin ko kung gaano ka kunot ang aking noo. I immediately relaxed my face and wondered...
... how the hell did I react like this?
Alam ko namang nagbibiro lang si Alexei at madalas talaga siyang ganyan noon pa man when it comes to Sienna, but I never reacted this way.
Napabuga ako ng hangin bago muling umupo sa aking silya. I scanned the papers in my hand and decided to call it a day after finishing it.
I'VE BEEN away for 3 days after that at ngayon ay kasama ko si Lucielle. She's on her disguise as we headed to the hospital and meet her therapist.
Ako ang nag arrange ng lahat ng ito para sa kanya, it's the lease that I can do.
"Pierre, pwede bang samahan mo parin ako hanggang sa matapos ang session?" Malambing na wika nito sa akin habang nakaangkla ang kanyang kamay sa aking braso.
"Of course. I'll be waiting here outside." I held her cheek and rubbed it with my thumb before giving her an assurance smile.
Tumango ito kaagad bago tuluyang pumasok sa loob.
I took this day off to be with her. Lucielle's mental state made me worried lalo na't ngayon ay under investigation pa ang lahat.
Lucielle got into an incident during her fashion show in New York. Bigla siyang hinarass ng isang fan or let's just say a stalker. Nang dahil don hindi na siya naging kampante.
She's been paranoid whenever she goes out and so she decided to fly back here.
But it doesn't just end here because Lucielle kept on receiving text messages and threats and that worsen her case.
"Sa susunod mong balik, huwag mong kalimutan dalhin ang notebook ni baby ha? Dito ko makikita lahat ng check-ups mo para mamonitor natin siya."
Napalingon ako sa kabilang direksyon atsaka ko nakita ang isang doktor na kakalabas lang.
"May pharmacy naman sa baba kaya pwede mong bilhin don ang mga vitamins mo."
"Salamat, doc. I will keep that in mind."
"As you should, first time mo pa naman maging mommy."
Napatayo ako sa aking kinauupuan nang makita ko ang isang pamilyar na babae na kasama ng doktor.
She's wearing a dress, flat shoes, and her usual big shoulder bag. Hawak-hawak naman niya ang isang maliit na notebook.
"I will get going. I'll see you after 2 weeks, okay?"
"Sige po, doc. Salamat po ulit."
Napatingin ako sa pinanggalingan nila at doon ko nakita ang isang signage sa taas.
Obstetrics and Gynecology
I don't know but I just found myself walking so fast towards her direction and when she finally noticed me. She almost dropped the small notebook in her hand with a picture of an animated baby and the notebooks says, 'Pregnancy Journal'.
What the hell is she doing here instead of going to work?
"M-Mr. Rozenov, ano po ang ginagawa niyo rito?"
"Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?" I almost can't look away from the notebook she's holding.
Hindi ko alam kung bakit bigla akong nainis at nagalit nang makita ko siya rito. She should be in my office and looking for the documents for me.
Mabilis niyang tinago sa kanyang likuran ang notebook.
"M-May dinalaw lang po ako tsaka--" I immediately took her wrist and caught the notebook away from her hand.
"Mr. Rozenov!" Mabilis ko itong binuklat habang si Sienna naman ay pilit itong kinukuha mula sa akin.
Nang makita ko ang pangalan niya tuluyan akong natigilan sa aking pwesto. She took the opportunity and snatched the notebook back.
"Bakit po ba kayo nangingialam ng bagay na hindi naman sa inyo?" Kunot-noo nitong saad atsaka pilit na inaayos ang ilang pahina na nagusot ko.
I stood froze and shocked but then anger took over me and grabbed her arm.
"Mr. Rozenov, n-nasasaktan na po ako!" I pulled her into the corner where no one can notice us before pinning her against the wall.
"You're pregnant?" I asked with anger in my voice.
Kita ko kung paano siya mas lalong hindi mapakali and when it took her some time to respond I got even angrier.
"Sagutin mo ang tanong ko, Sienna, buntis ka? Sino ang ama?!" I said with a gritted teeth this time with our face just an inch away from each other.
The thought of her being pregnant with another man is choking me.
I slammed my hand against the wall which made her flinched.
"Don't make me cause a scene right here. F*cking answer me!"
"O-Oo na! Buntis ako! Buntis ako!" She shouted right in front of my face.
Luckily there's no one else in this goddamn hallway or else someone might call a security on us.
I clenched my jaw.
"You didn't answer my other question." Kaagad itong nag-iwas ng tingin and it snapped something on me,
"F*ck, Sienna! Mahirap bang sagutin ako? Whose goddamn bastard did you spread your legs to?"
Bigla niya akong tinulak atsaka mabilis na naglakad paalis pero mabilis ko siyang nahablot kaagad atsaka binalik sa pwesto niya.
"You're testing my patience, woman---!"
"Ikaw!" She cut me off which made me froze. "Ikaw ang ama ng dinadala ko, Pierre! Ikaw!" Galit na wika nito. She even pointed out my chest aggressively with her forefinger.
This is the first time she raised her voice at me with nothing but anger in her eyes.
Napaatras ako habang hindi makapaniwalang nakatingin sa kanya. Nang makita niya ang aking naging reaksyon, kaagad itong napailing.
"Alam ko ang iniisip mo pero huwag kang mag-alala, you don't have to take responsibility." She said it so cold that I almost felt shiver down to my spine.
Since when did Sienna became like this?
But the most important thing...
... how the f*ck did I made her pregnant?
"You're lying." I said firmly which made her look at me in disbelief.
"Hindi ko na problema kung hindi ka maniniwala sa akin." I took her arms for the nth time when she tried walking away again.
I pinned her back on the wall and placed both of my hand on each of her side before leaning forward to her.
We're too close that I can finally smell her scent.
"Nice try, Sienna, but that's impossible." I said almost in a whisper with teeth still gritted.
Sinabi ko sa kanya ang isang sikretong matagal ko nang tinago and when she heard about it, she froze this time.
"How can I make you pregnant if I'm infertile."
- Writer
