A Trouble Called Marriage

A Trouble Called Marriage Book 1 | The CEO's Forced Wife Episode 12

ETHAN watched as Byron’s reaction shifted from shock to intrigue to utter disbelief as he flipped through the photos that he handed him. Pagkatapos makita ang lahat ng litratong hawak ay pabagsak nitong inilapag ang mga iyon sa ibabaw ng desk niya.

““Are you planning on publishing these?”” Byron questioned him. ““Pag-isipan mo’ng mabuti ang gagawin mo, Ethan. You will not only drag the Samonte Group through the mud, maging ang buong pangalan at reputasyon ng mga Rivaldi ay madadamay.””

““Hindi ko naman ipinakuha ang mga litratong ’yan para pagpiyestahan ng mga press. That’s for Yanna to know that she is not married to the person she deserves.””

Magkasalubong ang mga kilay at bahagyang naniningkit ang mga mata na tumingin ang assistant niya sa kaniya. ““Why are you so invested in Miss Goncalves anyway? You have so many women at your beck and call. And, as she had established a million times already, she’s married.””

““To the wrong person,”” pagpipilit niya. ““You saw the photos, didn’t you? Their marriage is anything else but real. And I may have plenty of women around me, but Yanna is the only one like her.””

Huminga ng malalim si Byron. ““You are giving me a splitting headache.””

Inignora na lamang iyon ni Ethan. ““Call Mr. Samonte’s office. I’d like to pay him a visit about a business proposal I want to discuss with him.””

IT WAS a Thursday evening. Malalim na ang gabi ngunit nasa opisina pa rin si Miles. He was going over the documents and reports that will be submitted to the headquarters of the Samonte Group for the quarterly financial review. He wanted to make sure that there are no unpleasant numbers in the report. His dad, the chairman and founder of the company, Robert Samonte, is strict as he is a perfectionist. At ayaw niyang may masabi pa sa kaniya ang ama kapag may nakita itong hindi nito magugustuhan sa reports mula sa kaniya.

Sumulyap siya sa kaniyang intercom nang mapansin itong nagbi-blink pagkaraan. Pinindot niya ang speaker para kausapin ang sekretaryang si Marie.

““Is something wrong, Marie?”” Tanong niya.

““Sir, Mr. Rivaldi is here to see you,”” pagpapaalam nito sa kaniya.

Mr. Rivaldi? Ulit niya sa isip. Sinilip niya ang oras sa relos pambisig. Pasado alas onse na ng gabi. What could be the urgent matter?

““Thank you, Marie. Please escort our VIP guest to my office,”” utos niya.

““Yes, sir.””

Ilang minuto pa ang lumipas at kumatok na sa pinto niya ang sekretarya niya para ipaalam na naroon na si Ethan. When the door opened, the hotelier permitted himself in, looking proud and confident in his stride.

““This is a surprise, Mr. Rivaldi,”” bungad niya sa bisita. Kinamayan niya ito at saka inalok na maupo sa couch na nasa isang bahagi ng malawak niyang executive office. ““You should have told me in advance that you’re dropping by. I hate not having a good wine or whiskey to offer my guests.””

Matipid na ngumiti lamang si Ethan sa kaniya. ““It’s alright. I had one on my way here.””

““Uh, tea?”” Alok niya.

Maliit na tango lamang ang itinugon ni Ethan doon. ““Tea is fine.””

Lumapit siya sa intercom para magpadala kay Marie ng tea para sa kaniya at sa kaniyang bisita.

Nang makabalik sa tapat ng couch kung saan nakaupo si Ethan ay nakita niya ang seryosong mukha nito. ““It should be here shortly.””

Hindi alam ni Miles kung paano sisimulan ang pag-uusap nila ni Ethan. Wala siyang idea kung bakit ito naroon.

Hanggang sa maalala niya ang napag-usapan nilang planong pag-a-upgrade ng security system ng The Dome noong isang beses na bisitahin sila nito sa bahay nila ni Yanna. Hindi niya inakalang seryoso pala ang hotelier sa business proposal nitong iyon. Pero hindi niya maintindihan kung bakit kailangan pa nitong pumunta nang ganoong oras sa opisina niya para kausapin siya tungkol doon. Surely he has people who take care of those things. Why does he need to meet him in person?

He forced a smile. ““You must be eager to discuss the proposal you told me last time. I’ll have my secretary take notes of—””

““How’s Yanna?”” Bigla nitong tanong na pumutol sa sasabihin niya.

A crease formed between his brows. Then he remembered that he and Yanna are good friends and that they go way back according to what he told him that day. ““She’s doing great. We’re planning on taking a trip next week para makapag-unwind before my possible relocation abroad. If you want, pwede akong magpa-schedule at makapag-usap naman kayo over dinner.””

““That’s great, but to be honest I want more than that.””

Unti-unting nawala ang ngiti ni Miles nang marinig ang sinabi ni Ethan. ““I’m sorry?””

““You see, Mr. Samonte, you have something in your possession that I really, really want. Hindi pa ako nagkaroon ng ganito katinding motivation na makuha ang isang bagay na gusto ko after I became the CEO of The Dome Hotels. And if you must know, I always get what I want. So, right now, I want to negotiate with you to get it,”” Ethan said, his words laced with certainty and menace.

Naging mapait ang ngiti ni Miles. ““Hindi ko maintindihan ang ipinupunto mo, Mr. Rivaldi. But I hope you didn’t come here to disrespect me, here in my own office, in my own company.””

Ethan chuckled. ““I would never do that, Miles. And just call me Ethan. Tutal, nandito naman ako para kausapin ka bilang kaibigan. Let’s drop the formality shall we?””

““What do you want?”” Tanong niya.

Matagal bago sumagot ang kausap. Tumingin ito ng diretso sa mga mata niya, seryoso at walang bahid ng takot o pag-aalinlangan. ““Your wife,”” diretso at walang utal nitong sagot. ““You don’t love her and you don’t deserve her. I’m willing to pay the right price for her freedom from you.””

Doon na tuluyang napatayo si Miles. ““What the hell are you—””

Natigil siya nang bumukas ang pinto at tumuloy ang secretary niya dala ang isang maliit na tray na may dalang dalawang tasa mg tsa’a. Inilapag nito iyon sa mesa sa gitna ng couch na kinauupuan nila ni Ethan. Nahuli pa niya ang nahihiyang ngiti na itinapon ni Marie sa bisita niya bago lumabas ng pinto. He could tell now that Ethan Rivaldi really has a strong pull on women.

Why would he think of offering him money for his wife? Kahit na komplikado ang relasyon nila ni Yanna, having someone say that is really offensive.

““I’ll pretend I didn’t hear what you said. You know where the door is, Mr. Rivaldi.””

Bumalik siya sa desk niya para lapitan ang intercom at tawagin si Marie para samahan na si Ethan palabas ng opisina niya.

But before he could do all that, he heard Ethan speak again. ““I know about Zach. Why are you doing this to your wife, Miles?””

Namilog ang mga mata ni Miles sa narinig. Unti-unti niyang ibinaling ang tingin kay Ethan. Nakatayo ito ngayon sa tabi ng couch, nakapamulsa ang mga kamay at may nanunukat na tingin.

Parang mapapatid ang paghinga niya nang biglang dumoble ang bilis ng t***k ng puso niya dahil sa magkahalong takot at pagkadismaya nang mga sandaling iyon.

How did he know? ““Zach is my best man. What is even your point for bringing him up?”” Tanong niya.

““That you are having an affair with him behind Yanna’s back. Come on, Miles. You know what I mean,”” tila napapagal na turan ni Ethan.

Napayuko si Miles. Itinukod niya ang mga kamay sa gilid ng desk niya. Pagkalipas ng ilang segundo ay unti-unting umalog ang mga balikat niya habang palakas ng palakas ang pagtawa niya. ““Just how much more money do you have than my family that you found out about my affair?”” Nakatawa niyang sagot, kahit na hindi naman umabot ang tuwa sa mga maya niya. If anything, what in his eyes was pain. ““My dad was left completely in the dark about it. The press constantly talks about my family but no one in this world has a goddamn clue. Except you.””

““Like I said, I always get what I want.””

Miles scoffed. ““Plano mo ba akong iblackmail ngayon gamit ang nalalaman mo?””

““You have to be honest, Miles.”” Humugot ito ng malalim na paghinga. ““Like I said, I can pay the price for Yanna’s freedom.””

““Is that how you think of her? Like an asset that you can buy?”” Sumbat niya.

Ethan looked at him sternly. ““No. But I know that she deserves better than a cheating husband who can’t even be true to himself.””

Ikinuyom ni Miles ang mga palad. ““Nasasabi mo ’yan dahil wala ka sa sitwasyon ko.””

Humakbang ng dalawang beses palapit sa kaniya si Ethan bago huminto. ““I don’t think you understand what I mean, Miles. I’m willing to pay the price of breaking the two of you up. I don’t know if this changes anything pero gusto ko si Yanna. Let’s be honest here, you don’t. You want to be with Zach, but your father will cut ties with you and make your life miserable kapag nalaman niya ang tungkol sa inyo. I’m offering you not just a chance to right what your family did wrong to the both of you but to be where and with whom you want to be.””

Miles dropped his gaze to the floor, he remained completely silent.

Ethan continued. ““You can leave the country with Zach and I’ll pay you whatever the amount you need to start over. But you have to properly end things with Yanna. Kailangang maprocess ang annulment ng kasal ninyo.””

Nang hindi pa rin sumagot si Miles ay humakbang na palapit sa pinto si Ethan. ““I know it’s too much to make a decision on right away. Let me know once you have an answer. I don’t like seeing a beautiful woman suffer in silence.””

Pagkasabi niyon ay tuluyan na itong lumabas ng pinto. Naalala lamang ni Miles na kumilos nang muling bumukas ang pinto at pumasok ang sekretarya niya.

Marie paused when she found her in his state. ““Sir, ayos lang po ba kayo?””

Pinilit niyang ngumiti. ““I’m fine.””

Kinuha ni Marie ang mga tasang naiwan sa center table at saka lumabas ng pinto, leaving him with a million things running in his crowded mind.