CHAPTER FOURTEEN
WEARING HER very sexy black V-neck off shoulder with high slit dress, Victoria elegantly entered the charity gala hall as she clings unto Damon's arm.
And her presence alone captured the attention of every attendants of the event. Lalo na't kasama pa niya si Damon na isang sikat na model sa buong asya.
Habang naglalakad sila sa red carpet, Victoria inwardly smiled as she heard the murmurs and whispers of every person near her.
"She's so gorgeous."
"Ang ganda niya sa personal."
"As expected of Victoria Salvador, very pretty."
Oh, she's loving every comments about her. Sa bawat pagbuka ng bibig ng tao, siya ang pinaguusapan.
"They love your style today, Victoria." Ani Damon habang giniya siya paupo sa lamesa nila.
Victoria slightly chuckled. "They love my every style, Damon." Tugon niya at uminom ng wine.
"You got their attention. I bet you loved that moment."
Mahinang natawa si Victoria. What Damon said was true. It was a short moment but she loved every second of it. Gustong-gusto niya kapag nasa kaniya ang atensyon ng tao.
Natahimik nalang sila ni Damon nang magsalita ang host sa gabing iyon.
"Good evening, everyone. I would like to send my sincerest gratitude for those who donated to this charity event. All donations received will be proceeded to our chosen charity. Later on, we will introduce our sponsors and vip guests. For now, please enjoy the night. Thank you." The host announed before leaving the platform.
Nilingon siya ni Damon. "How much did you donate?" He curiously asked.
Victoria crossed her arms before answering. "Three million lang. Ikaw?"
"Five million lang din. Hindi naman ako mahilig sa mga charity events. Pumunta lang ako dito dahil pinilit mo ako." Damon laughed.
"Sino naman isasama ko aside from you diba?" Victoria replied.
Lumukot ang mukha ni Damon. "Yung asawa mo—"
Agad na tinakpan ni Victoria ang bibig ni Damon. "Shh! Gusto mo bang mabuking ako ng mga tao rito? I've been keeping my marriage secretly safe. Ayokong mabuking at baka masira ang career ko." She whispered.
Damon chuckled. "Okay, okay. I'll keep quiet for now." Aniya nang tanggalin ni Victoria ang kamay sa bibig niya.
"Nasaan ba siya? Sinabi mo bang pupunta ka dito?"
Hindi alam ni Victoria kung bakit sa simpleng tanong ni Damon, nainis siya.
Maybe he's with Vivienne, talking about god knows what. Hindi niya alam kung bakit naiinis siya sa iniisip na baka kasama ng asawa si Vivienne.
"He's with Vivienne..I think." she gritted her teeth out of annoyance.
"You okay?" Damon asked.
She nodded. "I'm fine. Just irritated."
Victoria blew a loud breath before drinking a glass of water to clear her mind. Wala namang dahilan para mag-away silang magkapatid, diba? She's sure that nothing is going on with Noah and Vivienne. Baka magkakilala lang ang dalawa.
Gosh, she doesn't even know why she's irritated at the fact that Noah is spending time with her sister.
Maybe she doesn't like Noah for Vivienne? Or maybe it's the other way around?
Natigilan lang si Victoria sa pag-iisip ng kung ano-ano nang dumilim ang paligid at isang spotlight ang umilaw sa nagsasalitang host.
"Ladies and gentlemen, our main sponsor of this event, Vivienne Salvador."
Parang nabugahan ng mainit na tubig si Victoria dahil sa gulat na naramdaman.
Hindi niya alam na kasama pala ang kapatid niya dito sa event!
The spotlight changed its direction towards her sister who's elegantly walking from the aisle towards the platform.
At tuluyang nalaglag ang panga ni Victoria nang makita kung sino ang nasa tabi ni Vivienne.
It's no other than her husband, Noah.
Nakangiwing ngumingiti si Noah sa mga taong nasa paligid nito. Victoria doesn't know why she feels irritated seeing her husband and sister together.
Kanina lang, iniisip niyang nagkasama ang dalawa, naiirita na siya. Paano pa kaya ngayong nakikita niyang magkasama talaga sila?
Lalong nadagdagan ang inis niya nang marinig ang bulong ng mga tao.
"Sino yang kasama niya?"
"They look good together."
"Bagay sila! Sino yung guy?"
Victoria stared as Vivienne cling unto Noah's arm. Dapat ay hindi siya mangingielam pero nakita niya kung papaano ngumiti si Noah sa kapatid.
Hindi niya tinuon ng pansin ang dalawa at uminom nalang ng wine at inabala ang sarili.
~*~
"ARE YOU OKAY?" Mahinang tanong ni Vivienne kay Noah.
Hindi sanay si Noah sa mga event na may maraming tao kaya hindi niya maiwasang hindi kabahan.
Paano kung hindi siya magustuhan ng mga tao? Paano kung ayaw nila ang paraan niya ng pananamit?
He can't help but wonder, bakit nga ba siya pinilit ni Vivienne na sumama sa engrandeng event na ito? He's just an attorney. A frail one.
Mahinang tumango si Noah. "I'm fine. Hindi lang ako sanay sa ganito karaming tao."
Manghang napatingin si Vivienne sa kaniya. "You still haven't moved on from your anxiety?" Tanong niya.
"Of course not. Hindi naman madaling maalis iyon. Natatakot nga ako baka kung anong masasamang salita ang lumabas sa mga bibig ng mga tao tungkol sa akin."
Natawa si Vivienne sa sinabi niya. "They'll love you, Noah. Guwapo ka naman." She complimented.
Noah frowned. "Pero sabi ni Victoria, panget ako."
Vivienne snorted and chuckled. "Inaasar ka lang ni Victoria pero ang totoo, nagagwapuhan sayo yun."
Noah doesn't know why his heart fluttered when Vivienne told him that Victoria finds him handsome.
Nang sabihan siyang pangit ni Victoria, he doesn't know why it affected him kaya ang ginawa niya, he always wear decent clothes infront of her and as much as possible, fixing his hair from time to time.
Tumango nalang si Noah kapagkuwan ay nagtanong. "Siya nga pala, may problema ba kayo ni Vincenzia? Not to interferre pero, it seem like your family has some problems with her."
Ngumiti lang si Vivienne. "I don't know what really happened but ever since I'm five, Victoria is six and Vincenzia is eight, hindi na nagkakasundo-sundo si Vincenzia at Victoria."
Tumango-tango si Noah at hindi na nagtanong pa. He might be labeled as nosy if he continued asking out of curiosity.
Biglang nagdatingan ang ilang mga guest at kinausap si Vivienne. Si Noah naman ay nakatingin at nakikinig lang.
Kaya luminga-linga si Noah para sana makahanap ng mauupuan nang nahagilap ng mga mata niya si Victoria na umiinom ng wine. Pinipigilan ito ni Damon.
Noah slightly tapped Vivienne's shoulder. "Sa restroom lang ako." Sambit niya pero ang totoo, pupuntahan niya si Victoria na nandito rin pala sa event.
Tumango lang si Vivienne kaya naglakad si Noah papunta sa direksyon ni Victoria nang dumugin siya ng media at reporters.
Bahagyang nanlaki ang mga mata ni Noah nang sabay-sabay na nagsasalita ang mga reporters sa harap niya.
"What's your connection to Vivienne Salvador?"
"May something ba kayo ni Vivienne Salvador?"
"Can you please introduce yourself and why Vivienne Salvador is your date?"
Hindi makasalita si Noah sa dami nang nagsasalita sa harap niya and out of nowhere, his mind suddenly went blank. His breath started pacing slowly at hirap siyang habulin ang hininga. Pinagpapawisan siya kahit de-aircon ang venue at nanginginig ang mga kamay niya.
He wants to escape. He can't breathe properly and he's shivering. Napapaligiran siya at wala siyang makitang espasyo na pwedeng takasan.
Everything went blank hanggang sa may isang kamay na humila sa kaniya at dinala siya sa labas sa kung saan walang reporters at media.
He can't see her face but she's wearing a very sexy black dress. Her long brunette hair was let down at ang mabango nitong pabango ay nanariwa sa ilong ni Noah.
Who is this?
"Damn it, why do I have to save you everytime?!" Mataray na sambit ng boses habang hinihila siya palabas ng venue.
—and he immediately knew whose voice was it.