CHAPTER SIX
"WHERE have you been?!" Nakapamaymang na tanong ni Victoria kay Noah nang makauwi ito ng bahay.
"You've been gone for a night. Alalang-alala ang parents mo." She frowned.
"I was at the office. Working." He sounded bored. Nilagpasan lang ni Noah si Victoria.
When he passed by Victoria, she took him by the hand at hinarap siya sa kaniya. "What happened?" She asked.
Umiling si Noah. "Nothing. I just want to rest." He rested is body at the sofa and covered his face through a pillow.
Victoria grunted and aggresively took the pillow. "Hey, isang gabi kang hindi nagpakita at halos mahimatay ang mga magulang mo sa kaba tapos babalik ka dito na parang wala lang? You made them worried!"
Noah breathed heavily and took the pillow from Victoria's hand. "What's it to you? Nagtrabaho nga ako buong gabi."
"Ako ang sininghalan ng parents ko. They keep telling me that I'm a careless wife—and what do you mean by working all night? Wala ka ngang clients."
Sa sinabi ni Victoria, naalala muli ni Noah ang nangyari sa kaniya. For sure, Mr. Leo is off to ruin his career. He failed to deliever justice and do his job as an attorney.
"Not now, Victoria. Wala ako sa mood." Giit niya.
"No, you talk to me! Bigla kang nawala tapos ngayon babalik ka? Really, what happened?" She snapped.
Noah didn't reply and Victoria just fumed in anger. She was scolded by everyone last night for being a careless wife dahil wala pa ang asawa niya pero mahimbing na ang tulog niya. She even made dinner last night.
"Noah!" She shouted. Galit na galit na siya.
Bumangon si Noah sa kinahihigaan at galit na tumingin sa asawa. "Can you stop shouting for once?! Naririndi na tainga ko. Hindi ako umuwi dahil nagtrabaho ako. I studied every law in the country dahil hindi ko matanggap na natalo ako sa kaso ko. My client beat me up for failing him and I didn't have the courage to go home dahil nahihiya ako sa mga magulang ko. Ngayong alam mo na, masaya ka na? Ha? Tatawanan mo ako? You're gonna make fun of me for being a worthless attorney?!" He snapped. Unti-unting dumadaloy pababa ang mga luha niyang kanina pa tinitimpi.
Victoria stilled and stared at him. Sinusuri niya ang kabuuang mukha niya sa kung saan maraming pasa ang naroon. His right eye is slightly purple and his cheeks are covered with cuts and bruises.
When all silence entered the room, Victoria just left. She's irritated and anger is consuming her core.
Akala ni Noah ay hindi na babalik si Victoria kaya naman humiga ulit siya at pinikit ang mga mata. He wants to sleep all his problems away.
Kung noon na may problema siya, iisipin niyang magpakamatay pero ngayong may edad na siya, all he wants is to sleep.
Hindi pa siya tuluyang nakakatulog nang may maramdaman siyang malamig na kung ano sa mukha niya.
Minulat ni Noah ang mga mata at nakita si Victoria na ginagamot ang sugat niya sa bibig. Her face is red and eyes were puffy. May mga namumuong luha sa mga mata nito.
"No one shouts at a Victoria Salvador." She uttered while pressing on his wound harder.
Noah hissed. "Ouch!"
Victoria sniffed. "That's what you get for not coming home last night. Dahil sayo nasigawan ako. My grandma almost freezed my accounts last night. They said I was a careless wife."
Noah slightly chucked. "Can they still say that if they found out you're treating your husband's wounds?"
"Shut up, nerdy. You look like you're hurting so I took the initiative to treat your wounds."
Manghang tumitig si Noah sa asawa. "So the Victoria Salvador actually is a nice person..." puna niya.
She pressed his wounds harder. "Ouch!" Noah exclaimed.
"I'm not nice. It's just that, hindi ako mpakali kapag may nakikita akong taong may problema o nasasaktan. If I see that person problematic, I always help them. Stranger or not." She explains.
"Why would you help them?" Noah asked curiously.
"It's because I grew up problem-free. I have people who'll solve my problems for me. I have money, fame and friends. What's there to ask, right?"
"Dahil lumaki akong walang pinoproblema, I want people to be like me. Problem-free. Kasi ang problema diba, it drives us crazy. Kapag may problema tayo, we sometimes let our emotions be in control. Magagalit tayo agad dahil lang sa problema na may simpleng solution."
Noah teasingly looked at Victoria. "I didn't know you were this kind. Bakit parang lagi kang may toyo kung makapagsalita? Mabait ka naman pala."
Victoria groaned and pressed Noah's wounds harder and harder. Noah hissed in pain. "Ouch! Hey!" He shouted. Hinahawakan niya ang kamay ng asawa para ilayo ito sa mukha niya.
"Why are you always teasing me? Alam mo bang ikaw lang nakakagawa sa akin niyan? Ha?" Giit ni Victoria habang dinidiinan ang paggamot sa sugat ni Noah.
Noah laughed. "That's called a privilege as the Victoria Salvador's husband."
Namula ang mukha ni Victoria sa galit at nilagyan ng alcohol ang cotton. Ilalagay sana niya ito sa sugat ni Noah nang pumalag ang asawa. Tumayo ito at tumakbo paikot sa sala.
"Come back here, you nerd! Akala mo tapos na tayong mag-away? Ha? Our fight won't end unless you say 'I'm sorry and I give up.'"
Noah laughed. "That won't do, Ria. Just like you, ma-pride akong tao." He said.
Victoria groaned and started chasing her husband who's like a kid running away from her.
Pero habang tumatakbo at hinahabol ang asawa, her foot hit the coffee table and fell.
Nakapikit lang ang mga mata ni Victoria at iniintay ang sakit sa pagkakahulog. Pero ilang segundo sa pagkahulog, no pain.
So she opened her eyes.
And her face immediately turned red. Not from anger but from shyness and nervousness!
She's on top of her husband. Parehas silang nakahiga sa sofa at namumula ang mga mukha.
"You're so clumsy. Ayan tuloy, natumba ka..." Noah uttered.
Victoria can't find the words to say. She's embarrassed and this is not like her!
Galit na hinampas niya ang dibdib ni Noah at umupo sa hita niya habang si Noah ay nakahiga pa rin.
"It was an a—"
"D-Did we disturb something?"
Victoria faced the door. It was her mother with her older sister!
Nakaupo pa naman siya sa hita ni Noah habang si Noah ay nakahiga. It looked like they were doing something naughty!
Mabilis na umalis si Victoria sa pagkakaupo sa hita ni Noah at tumayo sa harap ng pamilya. Noah also went beside her.
"Mom, what are you doing here?"
Rita grinned. "Why? Ayaw mo ba? Were we disturbing something earlier?"
Ngumiwi siya. "It's not like that—"
"Oh my, I'm so excited for my first granddaughter. We're gonna name her Valerie ang I'm gonna train her to become the Miss Universe—"
"Mom!" Victoria shouted. "Nothing happened, okay? Ano bang ginagawa niyo rito?"
With her question, her mother grinned widely and showed her two papers—no, two tickets.
She looked at the tickets. "Hm, trip to France. Magshashopping ka? With whom?" She curiously asked.
"No, silly. These two tickets are for you and Noah. You're gonna have a honeymoon!" Excited nitong sigaw at binigay ang tickets kay Noah.
Victoria snorted. "Honeymoon? Mom, there's no reason for me and Noah to have our honeymoon."
Rita nodded earnestly. "Duh, of course you have! You just got married. Every newlyweds needs to have a wedding."
"Still, no. And why France? I'v been there for like, ten times." Victoria uttered, bored.
While Noah remained stoic. It may not look like it but he's actually excited that he'll be out of the country for the first time. Kung wala lang ang pamilya ni Victoria, baka tumatalon-talon na siya sa tuwa.
"Don't be so choosy, Victoria. May one week honeymoon kayo sa France. Make sure to come back here pregnant." Vincenzia teased.
"Zia is right. We are looking forward to our granddaughter." Rita grinned.
"No!" Victoria looked horrfied.
Rita heaved a deep sigh. "Baby, there's nothing wrong with making love with your husband. Even your father and I are still making love in this age. It's a sign of love between husband and wife." She explained.
"Yeah only that Noah and I don't love each other." She said.
"Then make this honeymoon a trip to get to know each other well." Rita insisted then looked at Noah. "Habaan mo nalang pasensiya mo sa anak ko, ha? There are some things you still don't know about her." She explained.
Tumango si Noah at tinignan muli ang dalawang ticket. He's really excited about this trip.
"Please go. I also need to get to work." Ani Victoria at pinilit paalisin sa bahay ang pamilya.
Nang makaalis ang pamilya niya, sh faced Noah. "Aren't you going to work?"
Noah stilled. Oo nga pala. He almost forgot about his work. Pero bakit pa siya magtatrabaho kung sisisantehin naman na siya? Mr. Leo is probably forcing his boss to remove him from work.
"Noah?"
"I'm just going to rest today." He answered.
Victoria's eyes widen in glint. "Then you settle my luggage for tomorrow. Make sure you fold my clothes neatly."
Noah frowned. "Didn't you hear me? Sabi ko magpapahinga ako ngayong araw. Bakit uutusan mo ako?"
Victoria crossed her arms. "Becauze I'm going to work and you are my butler for this week. Aqua is at her province."
Noah just sighed and nodded. "Okay fine. You may leave now."
Victoria grinned before fixing herself. "I'm leaving. Bye." Paalam nito.
Si Noah naman ay tumungo sa kwarto para ayusin ang gamit ng asawa.
He was quietly folding her clothes but stilled when he stumbled upon her underwears.
Well inutusan siya ng asawa. Wala naman sigurong masama kung hahawakan niya ang underwear nito diba?
Una niyang tinupi ang D cup bra nito.
He blew a loud breath. "This is so awkward." He uttered to himself.
Sinunod naman niya ang mga panty nito na iba't ibang disenyo at uri.
Konting tiis pa, Noah.
When he finished, mabilis niyang sinara ang luggage at magcr para maligo.
He needs to take a cold shower....