The Billionaire I Married By Mistake [Filipino]

16. FAMILY

|Katherine|

“May nangyari ba, iha?” agad na salubong na tanong ng ina ni Javier ng makapasok kami sa mansyon. Bahagya akong nagulat kasi…I wasn’t expecting that kind of question as soon as we were back. Nagkatinginan kami ni Javier ng ilang segundo bago niya hinarap ang kanyang ina.

“She’s fine mom, why?” he asked, acting curious. Inilipat ko ang tingin sa aking…mother-in-law.

If they’re not Ramirez, I wonder who they are. But the man beside me introduced himself as Javier Lanford. And…Lanford? They’re familiar to me.

Javier gave me the basic info about his parents before we finally headed back here. Kaya kahit paano, ay hindi ako mangangapkap patungkol sa kanila.

“Okay lang po ako, M-Mom,” I licked my lips when that word suddenly felt familiar and…foreign to me. It’s been years…

I pressed my lips together. I should stop thinking about the past right now.

My mother-in-law, Tita Rebecca, looked at me worriedly. Her eyes were dripping with it. “Are you sure? Nakita kasi namin kayo na masinsinang nag-uusap. I suddenly felt worried that something bad had happened and assumed you were crying when I saw you covering your face!”

I inhaled a sharp deep breath. Nakita nila iyon?!

I glanced at Javier at hindi niya man lang ako sinulyapan. He acted coolly as if the situation was nothing to him.

“It was nothing, mom.” Javier said. He pulled me closer, holding my waist firmer before glancing at my direction with a smirk plastered on his lips. “We talked about something embarrassing, that’s why,”

I gave Javier a fake smile while glaring at him. And when I looked back at her mom, my expression immediately changed.

“Yeah, we were talking about something, Mom. Kaya ganoong eksena ang nakita mo,” I just agreed.

Umaliwalas naman ang mukha ni Tita Rebecca.

“Okay. If that’s what you said,” may ngiti niyang sabi. “Shall we head inside? Our food is waiting,” she invited eagerly. She even hooked her hand on mine and pulled me away from Javier. She started leading me toward the dining room while the men lagged behind us.

“This is the first time that my son brought a woman home.” she started telling me. And that was the start of my duties as a wife of Javier.

His parents started throwing questions at me during breakfast. At kahit paano ay nasasagot ko naman iyon ng maayos. Kapag hindi, sinasalo ni Javier ang mga sagot. Katulad na lang nang bigla kaming tinanong ng mom niya kung kailan kami magkaka-anak!

“I wanted to have grandkids, Vier. I’m very excited to see my apo’s running around the mansion At hindi ako papayag na isa lang ang magiging anak niyo, okay?” maktol ni Tita Rebecca. Napalunok ako at biglaang kinabahan. Napatingin ako kay Javier ng dahil doon. The question was directed to me but I don’t think I can answer that!

Anak? Eh hindi pa nga namin napag-uusapan ang set-up namin?! What lie should I spew this time?

“We haven’t talked about that yet, mom,” tugon ni Javier. Kumunot naman ang noo ni Tita, like his son, suddenly grew another head and spewed nonsense things.

“What? Why? Hindi na kayo bumabata. And isa pa—”

“Hayaan mo na sila, hon. For sure may plano naman silang mag-anak pero hindi pa ngayon,” my father-in-law, Tito Nikolo, interrupted, which I was grateful of. Napasimangot naman si Tita kaya hindi ko maiwasang maalarma.

“Y-Yeah, we’ll eventually plan about it, mom,” I said out of panic. Kasi hindi pwedeng hindi maganda ang impression niya sa akin! I'm in a dire situation right now!

I saw how Javier looked at me from the corners of my eyes. Napatingin din naman ang mga in-laws ko sa akin.

“I mean, Javier and I just got married. I want to experience our marriage first before we head to the world of family and responsibilities,” paliwanag ko. ‘Yon lang kasi ang excuse na kaya kong masabi. Alangan namang sabihin ko sa kanila na hindi ako ready magka-anak? I’m sure Tita Rebecca would be horrified!

Napatitig ng ilang sandali si Tita sa akin bago napatango-tango, na para bang doon niya lang din nakuha ang punto ko.

“Oh, alright. I’ll guess I should stop meddling in your relationship,” ani Tita. “Pero gusto ko lang sabihin na ayoko na dalawa ang apo ko, okay?”

I inhaled a sharp deep breath. “Of course, mom,” tugon ko na. At para naman akong tinutusok ng tingin ni Javier sa akin kaya hindi ko na siya nilingon at nagpatuloy sa pagkain.

The conversation drifted to another topic.

Hindi ko alam kung anong oras kami natapos. Akala ko nga magkakaroon na kami ng pribadong oras ni Javier para makapag-usap pero mukhang hindi mangyayari iyon ng biglang ina-announce ni tita Rebecca na may darating siyang bisita!

“I’m sorry. Na-excite kasi ako ng malaman na ipapakilala ni Javier ang wife niya kaya inimbita ko ang kuya at ang asawa niya. And it seemed our relatives have heard of it that they wanted to meet you also,” ani Tita.

Kung kani-kanina lang, akala ko nakalusot na ako sa mga katanungan nila. Ngayon naman, may mga panibago akong mami-meet ulit! Another session of question and answer! Sana naman ay hindi mag iba-iba ang mga sagot ko sa mga katanungan nila mamaya.

“They’ll come over during lunch time,” my mother-in-law said.

Napantango na lang din ako and acted excited kahit na kasalungat iyon. But Javier already warned me about this and so, the only thing that I can do in return is to act well. I just hope that I can survive what could happen later on.

Before lunch time came, isa-isa nang dumating ang mga pamilya ni Javier. The once calm and silent mansion was now filled with a series of…people! Para namang biglang nagkaroon ng on-the-spot family reunion!

Standing at the porch with Javier, a man with familiar features looked at our direction. It took me a while to conclude that he was…Javier’s…brother when Tita Rebecca went to him and gave him a beso.

“Finally, you came, Nicolas!” Tita exclaimed with a pleased tone. Humalik din ang babaeng kasama noong Nicolas. Then the man hugged Tito Nikolo before he started walking in our direction.

“Imagine my surprise when mom said you’re married,” malawak ang ngiti na sabi noong Nicolas kay Javier. When I took a peak of Javier’s expression, all I saw was coldness and his indifference toward his brother.

“This is bound to happen, Kuya,” malamig niya ring sabi.

“You must be Katherine,” Javier’s brother said which made me looked back at him. A smile automatically wounded my lips.

“Ah, yes. It’s nice to meet you, uh, kuya,” I said hesitantly as I offered my hand. Tinanggap niya naman iyon at hindi nawala ang ngiti sa kanyang labi dahil sa inakto ng kapatid niya. Now that I got a proper look of him, kuhang-kuha niya ang maamong mukha ni Tita Rebecca. Though, he still has the aura of his father, but it was more in a…soft features.

Sumulpot ang isang babae sa tabi nito. His jet black hair framing her small head and chinky eyes were a bit striking to me. Hindi katulad ng sa akin na may light brown na buhok, framing my high cheek bone structure and upturned eyes. Her features were soft, very opposite of mine.

“Hi!” She greeted with excitement and extended her hand. “I’m Vienna, Nicolas’ wife,” then she extended her hand.

Tinanggap ko din iyon at nagpakilala. “Nice to meet you, I’m Katherine,”

At hindi na doon natapos ang introduction ko ulit. Dumating ang iilan pang mga relatives nina Javier at isa-isa silang nagpakilala sa akin. I couldn’t help but get overwhelmed. His family is…quite big. May illan siyang mga pinsan na kaedaran niya. He already has nieces and nephews!

“Hi, Tita Katherine!” greeted by a cute little girl nang makapasok kami sa mansion. May iilan din na sumunod sa kanya para mag hello sa akin and I can’t help but genuinely feel happy to see them running around and coming to me.

Hindi ko alam kung ilang minuto akong nag-aaccommodate sa mga cute na bata before we started out lunch.

At katulad rin ng eksena during breakfast with Javier’s parents, nagsimula din ang katanungan patungkol sa akin habang kumakain kami ng lunch. Now I understood why there was another dining room with a long table next to the dining area where we had our breakfast earlier. Iyon ay para ma-accommodate ang buong relatives nila Javier kapag nandito sila!

Parang ang sobrang yaman naman ata nila. We’re rich but…we don’t have two dining areas in our mansion back in Iloilo!

My interaction with Javier’s family lasted the whole day. There was suddenly a barbecue party during dinner. Kaya halos lupaypay na rin ako ng matapos ang unang araw ko kasama ang mga Lanford.

And so, when it was already time to rest, I didn’t waste any second and headed straight for the bed so I could lay down. Dahil sa totoo lang, na stress talaga ako buong araw sa pakikihalubilo sa pamilya ni Javier. I don’t think that I can still act shy despite the fact that this room isn’t mine. Parang na drain ako bigla sa mga question and answer portion! And I didn't know that my social skills has actually a limit!

I sighed in relief when I felt the soft mattress on my back. I shut my eyes close. Doon ko lang din naman naalala ang manners ko. Pero iisipin ko pa ba ‘yon? May nangyari na sa amin, mag-asawa na rin kami, at nakilala ko na parents niya, ngayon pa ba ako mahihiya na mahiga sa kama niya ng walang pahintulot?

“Now that there’s no ear around, kailangan nating pag-usapan ang problema nating dalawa.” His baritone voice suddenly made me want to sleep instead of talking about the things between us. Malalim kasi iyon and its sending a vibration in the air.

“Can we talk about it tomorrow? Pagod ako,” pakiusap ko. I heard him sigh heavily in return though.

“Pareho tayong pagod ngayong araw. And no, kailangan nating pag-usapan ngayon ang sitwasyon natin Katherine. Ayokong ipasabukas ‘to.” mariin niyang sabi.

Napa-irap na lang ako at nanatiling nakahiga sa kama. When I opened my eyes, I saw him standing at the end of the bed. Masama niya akong tinitigan habang ang kamay nito ay naka-krus sa dibdib niya. He gave me a challenging look at alam ko na agad ang gusto niyang iparating.

“Can’t I remain lying down while you tell me whatever you wanted to say?” maktol ko. But of course, hindi niya gusto iyon.

“Maupo ka at mag-uusap tayo,” he commanded, his voice laced with full authority. Pero siguro nga, nasa dugo ko na ang pagiging hard-headed. Na imbes na makinig sa kanya ay mas nahiga pa ako ng maayos sa kama niya.

“I don’t wanna,” pagmamatigas ko.

“Katherine.” his voice full of warning. I only smirked at him and closed my eyes, as if I wasn't hearing him. Pero syempre, kahit ilang oras pa rin kaming kasal, pakiramdam ko kilala ko na siya.

He didn't want me to keep lying down on the bed so I felt his hand on my wrist and pulled me to sit up. Nagulat ako doon at hindi agad nakarecover sa ginawa niya!

“I told you. I want your attention whenever we need to talk,” he said.