บท 13: CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER 13
SA MANSYON ng mga Salvador nakitulog pansamantala si Noah. Hindi pumayag si Rita na umuwi muna sila ni Victoria sa bahay niya.
The mansion has eight rooms but Noah and Victoria were forced to stay in one room. Mag-asawa naman daw sila kaya dapat ay magsama sila sa iisang kwarto.
Pero ang asawa niyang topakin, hindi siya hinayaang tumabi rito ng higa. He was forced to sleep on the floor or on the other room.
It's almost midnight pero hindi pa rin inaantok si Noah. His mind is still processing if Vivienne is really the Vivienne he met years ago.
Vivienne is a common name so baka iba ito—pero magkamukha sila! There's a high possibility that Vivienne is really the woman he met during college.
Noah let out a slight groan before leaving the room. He needs to drink some water to let off some steam. Marami pa siyang trabaho bukas.
Dahil may elevator ang mansion, hindi mahihirapang bumaba si Noah pero ganon nalang ang kaba nang pumasok si Vivienne sa elevator.
"Hi, Noah!" Masigla nitong bati.
Pilit na ngumiti si Noah. "H-Hello."
They were both quiet as they descend from the elevator.
"Kukuha ka rin ba ng tubig?" Panimula ni Vivienne.
Noah slightly nodded before pouring some water on his glass pati na rin kay Vivienne. "You're avoiding me, huh?" Tanong ng dalaga sa kaniya.
Noah stilled. "Hindi kita iniiwasan. Naiilang lang ako."
Kumunot ang noo ni Vivienne. "Bakit? Bakit ka naman maiilang sa akin? We met years ago, Noah."
So it's true... Si Vivienne nga ang nakilala niya.
Hindi makatingin si Noah sa mga mata ni Vivienne. "So it was you?" He asked.
"Yup. It was me." Sagot ni Vivienne at uminom ng tubig.
Noah chuckled before resting his back on the counter table. "I didn't have the chance to thank you."
Vivienne stopped halfway through drinking. "Thank me for what?"
"For saving me. On the bridge. I was about to give up that time. Pero dahil sayo, I gained inspiration to live. Ngayon, attorney na ako." Tumingin si Noah sa kausap. "So thank you. I don't know what'll happen to my parents if I died that night."
Vivienne patted his head. "I'm glad you took my advice." Kapagkuwan ay sumimangot. "Iyon lang ba naaalala mong pagkikita natin?" She pouted.
Noah's eyebrows furrowed. "There's more?"
Vivienne flicked his nose. "Of course! We met when we were kids! Pumupunta ka sa bahay namin dati para maglaro. We were playing house that time. Ako ang nanay, ikaw ang tatay at yun aso namin dati ang anak natin." Vivienne laughed loudly.
She continued, "noong tumanda na tayo, saka ko lang narealize how cringy we were that time."
Noah laughed. "We were kids. Isip bata pa tayo noon."
Vivienne sighed. "And now you're married to my sister."
Tumango si Noah. "Yeah..." aniya at uminom ng tubig.
"Mahal mo ba kapatid ko?" She suddenly asked.
Napabuga ng tubig si Noah at sinusuntok-suntok ang dibdib. "You caught me off guard." Puna niya.
Vivienne grimaced. "Sorry. So, mahal mo si Victoria?"
Noah let out a deep sigh. "I just see her as a friend. Arranged marriage lang naman ang kasal namin. She clearly stated that she doesn't have feelings for me and I feel the same way." Sagot niya.
Tumango-tango si Vivienne at kapagkuwan ay niyakap siya. "It's nice to see you again, Noah." She whispered before leaving.
Nang makaalis ang dalaga, inubos ni Noah ang tubig at aakyat na sana nang narinig niya ang boses ng asawa.
"Noah? Is that you?" Victoria asked in a sleepy voice.
"Yeah, bakit?" He asked. Nasa tuktok ng hagdanan si Victoria habang siya ay nakatingala sa baba ng hagdanan.
"I'm hungry. Cook me some food." She ordered, still in a sleepy voice.
Noah blew a loud breath before entering the kitchen to cook his wife some food. Kung hihindi siya, baka magwala ang asawa.
~*~
IT WAS a usual breakfast for the Salvador Family. Maingay at siyempre, mga hindi pangkaraniwang breakfast.
Nangunguna ang asawa ni Noah sa ingay. "This breakfast is so cheap. Nawawalan na ba tayo ng pera para magbreakfast ng omelet at cereal?" Reklamo niya.
Agad na sumabad si Rita. "Oo nga eh. Our usual breakfast is Fried egg with hazelnuts and berries, Croissants, Egg and Cheese souffle and wine."
Napangiwi si Noah sa narinig. Ang breakfast lang nila sa bahay ay hotdog at itlog lang.
Vivienne interferred. "Those are just the main dish. Hindi pa kasama ang appetizer and dessert."
Nalula si Noah sa sinabi ni Vivienne. May appetizer at dessert pa sila?
Napabuntong hininga nalang si Vaughn, ang ama ni Victoria. "Huwag kayong mapili sa pagkain. I suggested this dishes to our chefs. Dapat matuto kayong kumain kung ano ang nasa lamesa." Suway niya.
But the girls immediately reacted. "We can afford expensive dishes. Bakit kailangan cereal at omelet lang? This is unfair!" Victoria complained.
"Baby, pagbigyan mo na kami. Hindi sanay sa hirap ang mga anak natin. Let the chefs cook the usual breakfast." Pamimilit ni Rita sa asawa.
Hirap? Mahirap na ba ang isang tao kumg ang breakfast nila ay omelet at cereal?
Vaughn just facepalmed before calling the chefs to cook another dish which would take another two hours.
Katabi ni Noah si Kero kaya narinig niya ang mga bulong nito. "Tsk, ang hirap naman maging babae." He whispered.
Lumingon si Noah kay Kero. Nahuli nito ang tingin niya kaya nagsalita ito. "Ganiyan ba si Victoria kapag magkasama kayo?"
Ngumiwi si Noah at tumango. "Kapag hindi niya gusto ang ulam sa bahay, kumakain siya sa isang mamahaling restaurant."
Bumuntong hininga si Kero. "Ganiyan din si mom, Vivienne, Vincenzia at si grandma. Mga maaarte. Buti nalang kami ni dad hindi. Mukhang hindi ka rin maarte ah."
Umiling si Noah. "Sanay ako sa hirap kaya hindi ako maarte." Sagot niya.
Tumango-tango si Kero. "Mabuti naman at nadagdagan ng mga normal na tao ang pamilya namin."
Tumawa lang si Noah at nagpatuloy sa pagkain. Habang ang mga babae, hinihintay ang mga pagkaing niluluto ng chef.
Nang matapos ay dumeretso siya sa trabaho.
~*~
"THERE will be a charity gala tonight. Required ang plus one. Are you gonna bring your husband?" Asher asked Victoria who's casually fixing her hair.
Ngumiwi si Victoria. "If I bring Noah, it will only circulate rumors. Napagusapan natin na we will keep my marriage a secret diba?"
"Then sino ang isasama mo?"
Victoria shrugged while combing her hair. "I don't know. Probably Damon."
"Bakit ayaw mo isama si Noah? I mean, you could just tell the media that Noah is a colleague."
Victoria snorted. "Do you really think that Noah could pass as my colleague? Hindi naman siya gwapo. He's ugly kaya."
Kumunot ang noo ni Asher. "Si Noah? Pangit? Habulin ng mga babae si Noah noong college kami. And he's not that ugly."
"Maybe the girls who liked Noah are just blind. For me, he's ugly. At saka, hindi naman siya sikat para isama ko sa charity gala. Baka mapahiya lang ako doon." Victoria explained.
Asher shrugged. "Okay sabi mo eh. Saka nga pala, when will Aqua be back? Parang hindi ko na siya nakikita ah."
"She'll be back next week. Until now, her family is still sick. They need her there." Victoria answered.
Tumango-tango si Asher nang humarap sa kaniya si Victoria. "You should hold a fashion event." She suggested.
Asher shook his head. "I can't. My sponsors aren't that big. Aside from you, I don't have any professional models to participate. The fashion event will fail."
Victoria rolled her eyes. "Duh, I'm here. Use me to advertise your fashion event. My name alone can attract thousands of sponsors."
Asher reluctantly stared at her. "Is that okay with you?"
"Of course! Hindi kaya ng pride ko na magtrabaho sa isang small company. But since you were the only one who accepted my application, I'll help you be big." She claimed then stormed off to a nearby salon para maghanda sa charity gala mamayang gabi.
She wants to invite Noah. But she knew that her reputation is at stake if they are seen together. So she'll invite Damon instead. Tutal, mas sikat ito kaysa kay Noah.
Habang nagpapaganda sa salon, Victoria can't help but to think, what's with Vivienne and Noah?
Kagabi, nang bababa sana siya para kumain, she saw the two talking. She even saw Vivienne hugging her husband.
Have they met before?
Nagpanggap pa siyang kagigising lang para hindi siya mahalata.
And she saw how Noah reacted when he saw her sister.
Something is definitely up with those two...
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