Chapter 7

Madilim na ang langit nang bumukas ang gate ng mansyon. Sa likod ng mga kurtina, tahimik na sumilip si Coleen mula sa bintana ng sala. Tila ba sinadya ng gabi na maging saksi sa panibagong sugat na ibabaon ni Gregory sa kanyang puso.

At heto na siya—matangkad, maangas, palaging mukhang kontrolado ang lahat. Ngunit hindi siya nag-iisa.

Nakapulupot sa kanyang braso ang isang babae—maputi, makurba, halos wala nang saplot. Halos sumubsob ito sa leeg ni Gregory habang magkahinang ang kanilang mga labi. Walang pakundangan. Walang respeto. Parang wala silang alam sa salitang hiya.

Mabilis na umatras si Coleen mula sa bintana, kumakabog ang dibdib. Hindi dahil sa selos. Mas masakit pa roon—pagkabigo. Pagkaalipusta.

Ganito na nga ba ang kinahinatnan ng kasal nila?

Hindi pa man ganap na winawasak ni Gregory ang mundo niya, sinisigurado nitong dudurugin niya ito hanggang sa pinakahuli.

Pinunasan ni Coleen ang mga luhang ayaw tumigil sa pagdaloy. Nanginginig ang mga kamay niya, pero pinilit niyang tumindig. Hindi niya hahayaang ipahiya siya sa mismong kulungang tinawag nilang tahanan.

Pagkarinig niya ng pagbukas ng pintuan, hinarap niya ang papasok.

“There she is,” bulalas ng babae, tuwang-tuwang nakasandal sa dibdib ni Gregory. “You didn’t tell me your maid was still here.”

Napangiwi si Coleen. Ngunit bago pa siya makapagsalita, narinig niya ang malamig na tinig ni Gregory.

“She’s not the maid,” aniya, walang bahid ng pag-aalinlangan. “She’s my wife.”

Saglit na napako ang ngiti ng babae. Ngunit sa halip na mapahiya, mas lalo pa itong ngumisi. “Oh. That kind of marriage,” tugon nito sabay tingin kay Coleen mula ulo hanggang paa. “No wonder she looks... miserable.”

Hindi na napigilan ni Coleen ang sarili. Lumapit siya sa dalawa, walang takot sa kabila ng panginginig ng kanyang laman.

"You must be so proud," mariing sabi ni Coleen. "Bringing home a woman who kisses you in front of your wife like she’s the one wearing the ring.”

Tumaas ang kilay ng babae. “Excuse me?”

“No,” sagot ni Coleen, matalim ang boses. “Excuse you. You’re standing in a house that doesn’t belong to you. Sleeping with a man who’s married to someone else. Do you even have the slightest ounce of self-respect?”

"Watch your mouth!" singhal ni Gregory, lumalalim ang titig sa kanya. “Don’t you dare speak to her like that.”

Hindi makapaniwala si Coleen sa narinig.

“Don’t dare?” napatawa siya, mapait. “I am your wife, Gregory. I may not be your choice, but I’m still the woman you dragged into this goddamn marriage. I didn't ask for this, but you gave me your name, your ring, and now you're parading around some woman like I’m invisible?”

“That’s enough!” bulyaw ni Gregory.

Pero hindi siya tumigil.

“You're disgusting,” aniya, nanginginig ang tinig sa galit. “You act like you're above everyone, but look at you. You're a cheater. A coward. A man who can't even face the truth that he married someone he can’t control the way he wants!”

Biglang sumabat ang babae. “Look, sweetheart, I don’t know what drama you two have, but clearly, this marriage isn’t working. Why don’t you just—”

“I wasn’t talking to you!” sigaw ni Coleen, sa tono ng boses niya ay may apoy na hindi pa niya kailanman nailabas. “You’re just a moment. A body he’ll forget after tonight. Don’t mistake your place here—you don’t belong in this house. You don’t belong beside him. And you will never replace me.”

“You’re delusional!” sigaw ng babae, ang mukha'y puno ng galit. “You’re just jealous he wants someone like me and not a little crybaby like you.”

“Jealous?” napangisi si Coleen, kahit tuloy-tuloy ang luha. “I’d rather be a crybaby than a whore who settles for someone else's husband.”

“Coleen, enough!” sigaw ni Gregory. Nilapitan niya ito, at bigla niyang sinunggaban ang braso ng babae, pinisil nang mariin.

“Let go of me!” sigaw ni Coleen, ngunit lalo lamang humigpit ang pagkakahawak ng lalaki.

“You don’t get to talk to her like that,” galit niyang bulong habang hinihila palapit ang babae. “You don’t get to embarrass me in my own house.”

“Your house?” matalim ang tingin ni Coleen habang pilit niyang binubunot ang braso niya. “You think this place is still your kingdom? You turned it into a goddamn motel the moment you brought her here.”

Napangisi si Gregory, mapanganib ang ngiti. “And what do you expect me to do? Pretend we’re a happy couple? That this is a real marriage?”

“I expected you to at least pretend to be human!” sigaw ni Coleen. “You don’t have to love me. You don’t even have to care. But don’t humiliate me like this. I didn’t choose this marriage, but I respected it.”

Sa saglit na katahimikan, naroon ang bigat ng galit na pilit pinipigil ni Gregory.

"You’re so good at playing victim," malamig niyang sabi. "So pure, so fragile. But deep down, you’re just like the rest of them—clinging to a man who never wanted you in the first place."

"You dragged me into this," bulong ni Coleen, nagbabanta ang tinig na mabibiyak. "You made me your wife. And now you make me watch you love someone else in front of me?”

Walang sagot si Gregory.

"You’re a coward, Gregory," dugtong niya. "You hide behind arrogance because you’re too scared to feel anything real. So you fuck your way through women like her... and pretend it makes you whole."

Tahimik.

Hanggang sa tumawa ang babae. “She’s crazy. I’m not staying here with her.”

“Good,” mariing sagot ni Coleen. “Leave. Get out of this house before I throw you out myself.”

“You wouldn’t dare—”

“Try me,” malamig na sambit niya. “Because I’ve had enough.”

Nilingon siya ni Gregory. “Go. I’ll call you later.”

Napailing ang babae, halatang hindi makapaniwala, bago tuluyang lumabas ng bahay habang nagsisigaw.

Sa gitna ng sala, naiwan si Coleen at Gregory. Tahimik. Mainit ang hangin. Mabigat ang bawat paghinga.

Muli siyang hinarap ni Gregory. Ngunit sa pagkakataong ito, wala nang apoy sa mga mata nito. Mga anino na lang.

“You’re not as weak as I thought,” aniya.

“No, I’m not,” sagot ni Coleen, taas-noo. “You can hurt me, but I won’t let you break me.”

Tumango si Gregory, tila may gustong sabihin. Ngunit sa huli, tumalikod na lamang siya at lumakad palayo.