CHAPTER 11
KANINA PA patingin-tingin si Noah kay Victoria habang nasa eroplano sila pabalik na ng Pilipinas.
After the incident—their kiss—pinagpapalo at minura-mura lang naman siya ng asawa. She hasn't been talking to him for two days!
Dapat masaya si Noah dahil walang maingay na kumakausap sa kaniya pero ano nalang ang sasabihin ng mga magulang nila kung umuwi silang magkaaway?
Kahit ngayon, sa tuwing sinusubukan niyang kausapin ang asawa, inuungusan lang siya nito at iniirapan. After the kiss happened, nakailang suntok siya mula kay Victoria. After that, she hasn't talk to him.
"Your mom texted me." Panimula niya.
As usual, hindi siya binabalingan ng tingin ni Victoria.
He sighed. "Nasa airport na sila at naghihintay." He continued.
Again, no response.
Bumuga ng marahas na hininga si Noah at inis na tumingin sa asawa. "I told you, it's an accident!" He slightly raised his voice.
Hindi makapaniwalang tumingin si Victoria kay Noah. "Did you just raise your voice at me? Wala akong pakialam kung aksidente ang nangyari. It was my first kiss, Noah and you ruined it!"
Noah scoffed. "What? That was my first kiss too! Iyon lang ba kinagagalit mo? Na hindi ako marunong humalik?"
Biglang namula ang pisngi ni Victoria. "It's not like that!" She grunted. "Ugh! Let's just forget about that." She suggested.
"Pagkatapos mo akong hindi pansinin ng dalawang araw, kalilimutan lang natin iyon?" Noah asked.
"May angal ka? Ha?" Nanghahamong tanong ni Victoria sa asawa.
Noah politely shook his head. "Wala." He uttered and closed his eyes.
That was his first kiss. Paano niya makakalimutan iyon?!
• • •
"HOW'S the honeymoon?" Excited na tanong ni Rita sa bagong dating na sina Noah at Victoria.
Noah cleared his throat. "It was fun po. We visited a lot of places." Sagot niya.
Nakangiting dumako naman si Rita sa anak at hinaplos ang tiyan. "Magkakalaman na ba ito? Magkaka-apo na ba kami?" Excited na tanong ni Rita.
Inis na tinabig ni Victoria ang kamay ng ina. "Mom! No, I'm not pregnant. Walang nangyari sa amin ni Noah." She winced na para bang nandidiri ito at naunang naglakad papasok sa van.
Napangiwi si Noah at nagsorry sa ginang. "I'm sorry, tita Rita. Mukhang hindi ko nagawa ang binilin mo sa akin bago kami pumunta ng France ni Victoria." Paliwanag niya.
Bago umalis ng Pilipinas sina Noah at Victoria, binilinan ni Rita si Noah na kung sana ay baguhin ang ugali ng anak.
Rita smiled. "Okay lang iyon. Wala na atang pag-asa ang anak ko na magbago. Her attitude is getting worse and worse. Hindi naman siya nagmana sa akin. Lalo naman sa daddy niya." She continued, "speaking of her dad, uuwi na bukas ang sexy kong asawa kasama sina Kero at Vivienne." She exclaimed.
"Ano po bang ugali ng daddy ni Victoria? I heard he's also an attorney?" Kinakabahang tanong ni Noah.
"Don't get worried, Noah! Mabait ang asawa ko. Magkakasundo kayo." Rita smirked before heading towards the van.
Pumasok na rin si Noah sa van at ang una niyang narinig ay ang malakas na boses ng asawa.
"Kauuwi ko lang tapos hindi niyo ginamit ang limo natin? Bakit van pa?"
Vincenzia, Victoria's older sister scoffed. "Huwag ka ngang maarte, Victoria. The limousine is reserved for dad, Kero and Vivienne."
Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Victoria. "They're coming home?!" She gasped.
"Yup. Tomorrow in the morning." Vincenzia answered.
"Gosh, finally! My favorite sister is coming home. I'm sick of spending three months with this old hag." Masamang tingin ang pinukol ni Victoria kay Vincenzia.
While Vincenzia smiled sweetly towards her. "I hate spending time with you too, little sis." Then her fake smile faded.
Tumuon naman ang atensyon ni Vincenzia kay Noah. "What are you planning to do today, Noah?" She asked.
"I'm going to work. One week lang ang leave ko. I can't extend that." Sagot naman ni Noah.
"That's good. Are you free in lunch? Pupuntahan kita sa work mo." Ani Vincenzia habang patingin tingin kay Victoria na walang pakialam sa paligid.
"Yeah, why?"
Vincenzia smiled. "Let's have lunch together." Aniya habang nakatingin kay Victoria.
Pero si Victoria, hindi manlang tinapunan ng tingin ang dalawa at patuloy na naglalaro sa cellphone.
• • • •
"You're going home tomorrow and you didn't tell me? Kung hindi pa sinabi sa akin ni Vincenzia na uuwi ka, hindi ko malalaman." Galit na sambit ni Victoria habang kausap ang kapatid na si Vivienne sa phone.
Vivienne laughed. "It's gonna be a surprise eh."
"You know that I hate surprises." Inis na tugon ni Victoria.
Malakas na tumawa si Vivienne. "Dapat next month pa ang uwi namin but when we heard the news of you getting married, inagahan namin ang uwi namin. Dad wants to meet your husband."
Victoria groaned. "He's annoying, Viv! I don't like him." Reklamo niya.
"What? Why? Mom told me that Noah is kind."
Hearing the name of her husband made her blood boil. Naalala pa niya ang insidenteng nangyari sa kanila bago sila umuwi.
She hastily messed her hair and slightly groaned. "Victoria? You okay?" Vivienne on the other line asked.
"No! Noah stresses me out. Tapos mamaya maglalunch siya kasama si Vincenzia. Paano kung ikuwento niya kay Zia yung nangyari sa amin?" Inis na kuwento ni Victoria at huli na nang mapagtanto niya ang sinabi niya.
"What? May nangyari sa inyo ni Noah?" Vivienne asked.
Victoria became agitated. "No! It's not like that. Something so embarrassing happened and knowing Vincenzia, hindi siya titigil hangga't wala siyang nakukuhang impormasyon mula kay Noah tungkol sa nangyari noong nasa France kami."
"Hm, why don't you spy on her then?" Vivienne suggested.
"Spy on her?" She asked.
"Yeah. Habang naglulunch si Noah at Vincenzia, you spy on them. Bring Aqua with you."
"But Aqua is away. Nasa province si Aqua." Victoria pouted.
Vivienne chuckled. "Then you go alone."
Victoria heaved a deep sigh. "Fine. I'll try. I have to go, sis. Bye." Paalam niya sa kapatid.
When the line ended, she took her purse and drove to Asher's company for work.
• • • •
Wearing her most comfortable clothes without standing out too much, Victoria quietly stared at her husband and her sister, Vincenzia having lunch.
Nasa labas lang siya ng restaurant at nakatingin mula sa salamin. She's wearing black sunglasses to cover herself and a cap.
Damn it, bakit nga ba niya sinunod ang kapatid? Pinapahiya niya lang ang sarili niya.
As she spy on the two, nothing seem different. Mukhang maayos namang naguusap ang dalawa—but who knows what they are talking about? Baka inuuto ni Vincenzia si Noah na sabihin sa kaniya ang nangyari sa kanila.
If Vincenzia finds out, her sister will ruin everything! Her career, reputation, name... all of it!
"Miss, what are you doing—Victoria?!"
Victoria turned around only to see Asher, her boss!
Gulat na nakatitig sa kaniya si Asher. "Victoria, anon ginagawa mo—"
"Shh! Come here." She shushed Asher and dragged him inside the restuarant.
Dahan-dahan silang naglalakad at maingat para hindi mahuli ng kapatid at asawa.
Umupo sila sa table sa likod nina Vincenzia at Noah. Victoria sat behind Noah para marinig niya ang sinasabi nito.
But Noah's voice is too soft! Sobrang hina ng boses nito na tanging naririnig niya lang ay ang tawa ng kapatid niya.
Asher spoke in a low voice. "Are you spying on Noah? Why? Is he cheating?"
Victoria frowned. "Just shut up, Asher." Mataray niyang sagot.
"Don't call or text Noah telling him that I'm here, okay? Or else I'll resign to your company." Pananakot ni Victoria sa boss niya.
Asher nodded earnestly before ordering.
Habang siya naman ay patuloy na nakikinig hanggang sa tumunog ang phone niya.
To her shock, Vincenzia is calling her! She slightly glanced at Vincenzia. Pasimple itong ngumiti sa kaniya nang magtama ang mga mata nila.
Sinagot niya ang tawag at naririnig niya ang pinaguusapan ng dalawa sa pamamagitan ng phone.
"You must've been through a lot during your honeymoon. Knowing my sister, mahirap siyang pakisamahan. Nakakagulat nga na tumagal sa kaniya si Aqua." Rinig niyang sabi ng kapatid sa kabilang linya na mukhan kinakausap si Noah.
"Yeah. But I had fun. Pangarap kong pumunta ng ibang bansa. Kahit may pagkabitchesa ang kapatid mo, nag-enjoy naman ako." Noah answered and her grip on her phone tightened.
So bitch pala ang tingin sa kaniya ng asawa niya?!
Mula sa kabilang linya, tumawa ang kapatid niya. "Did anything happened during your honeymoon?"
Her sister just dropped the million dollar question.
Parang pinagpapawisan at sobra ang kabang nararamdaman ni Victoria habang hinihintay ang sagot ni Noah.
"Yeah, we—"
The line died.
Victoria panicked and immediately stood up. Mabilis siyang umupo sa tabi ni Noah at nginitian ito.
"Anong pinaguusapan niyo?" She interferred.
Then Asher head towards their table. "Hey, kanina pa kayo inii-spy ni Victoria. Ano meron?"
Victoria slightly grunted and stomped on Asher's foot. "Ouch!" Asher hissed.
Vincenzia laughed. "So you're spying on us, Victoria?"
Namula ang mukha ni Victoria sa hiya. "No! Why would I spy on you?" She defended habang si Noah ay naguguluhang tumingin sa kaniya.
"What?!" She asked.
"You know I'm an attorney, right?"
Victoria frowned. "So?"
"I know when my clients are lying. So why are you spying on us?"
Lalong namula ang mukha ni Victoria sa tanong ng asawa. She's really busted.
"Because you might tell my sister that we kissed!"
Silence fell upon them after she shouted. Asher was gaping. Vincenzia was smirking while Noah slapped his hand on his forehead.
"So you two kissed, huh?" Vincenzia teased.