Chapter 6: Confusion and Reality

Tensyonado si Tala habang hinihintay niyang sagutin ni Elle ang tawag niya. She had been calling her friend for hours now mula nang dumating siya sa Germany. Kaya lang, ring lang nang ring ang cellphone nito. And truth be told, she's annoyed and at the same time worried.

Imposible namang tulog pa ito. Pasado alas dos na ng hapon! Elle can’t be in bed still!

Nasapo na niya ang ulo na kanina pa bumalik ang pananakit. Kailangan niyang makausap si Elle. Kailangan niyang malaman kung ano talagang nangyari kagabi.

She closed her eyes and patiently waited for the ringing on the other end to stop until the automated voice prompt enters. Subalit biglang umangat ang kabilang linya, agad siyang napamulagat.

“E-Elle?”

“O-oui? Q-qui c'est ?” anang paos na tinig ng kaibigan sa kabilang linya. Agad  na nalukot ang mukha niya. Was Elle just waking up?

“C'est moi, Tala. (It’s me, Tala)”

“T-Tala? Shoot!” She heard ruffling sounds. Then she heard a familiar male voice on the background.

“Are you with, Antoine?” she asked, slightly irked.

“Uhm… yes?”

“Qui est-ce ? Finissons-en maintenant et dormons un peu plus puis nous irons au casino tôt. ("Who is it? Let's get it over with now and get some more sleep then we'll go to the casino early.)” She heard Antoine say on the background.

“Did you go again to the casino with that friggin’ jerk boyfriend of yours?” gigil na niyang tanong kay Elle, hindi na niya napigilan.

Hindi agad sumagot si Elle. She heard hurried footsteps on the other line and a door closing. Saka pa lamang sumagot ang kaibigan.

“H-he came to the club last night. He said he needed comfort. His Uncle Viktor died, you know,” paliwanag ni Elle.

“Wasn’t that the same uncle who died three months ago?”

“No. That was his Uncle Gustaf.”

She rolled her eyes. Just how many uncles does the jerk Antoine has?

“Anyway, we went for some drinks and went to the casino to help him deal with the loss. He was crying with every bet he made. He was so pitiful,” sabi pa ni Elle. “I even gave him the last of my allowance so that she could keep on playing.”

Napapikit na siya. Lalong kasing nanikit ang ulo niya. How can Elle be that stupidly innocent? How can her friend not see that Antoine was just some freakin’ gold digging sorry excuse of a life?

She shook her head. Saka na niya ito papagalitan. Kailangan niya  munang malaman kung anong nangyari kagabi at naikasal sila agad ni Knoxx.

“I didn’t remember us going separate ways last night,” sabi niya.

“Oh that’s because you and that handsome guy were busy kissing. I thought it wouldn’t be proper to bother you both. Did Pierre came to see you?”

Kumurap siya, walang maintindihan sa sinabi ng kaibigan.

“He did come and made you sign some papers, did he? I asked him to before I left the club. Because if he didn’t, I can make him see you right now and get you and that handsome guy marry,” dugtong na paliwanag nito.

A memory of Pierre rushing to her and Knoxx at the parking lot last night resurfaced in her mind. He showed them papers and made them sign it all. Knoxx even gave her something shiny and…

She gasped aloud and took out the contents of her purse from last night. There was a ring in there, with an emerald cut blue diamond center.

Oh god!

Her mind raced instantly. She began pacing and chewing her lower lip as tension filled her.

Was the ring an heirloom? Should she return it? But how? Baka hunting-in siya ng mga tauhan ni Knoxx dahil doon!

She began cursing out loud as she ended the call with Elle. Kailangan niyang makausap agad si Pierre. Ito lang ang pag-asa niya kung paano mapapawalang-bisa ang kasal nila ni Knoxx nang mabilisan. Babayaran niya ito nang kahit na magkano, maayos lang ang gusot na nagawa niya dahil sa katangahan at kalasingan niya.

Katangahan.

The insult hurts even of it came from her own mind. Kung naging kasing galing ba siya ng mga kapatid niya lalo na si Mayumi, magagawa pa rin ba niya ang ganoong pagkakamali?

She huffed, willing her tears not to fall. Sana talaga naging magaling na lang siya sa negosyo at hindi sa pagde-design ng damit at pagpipinta. Baka sakaling hindi siya lumaking ikinahihiya ng mga magulang niya. Hindi rin siya siguro nagrebelde. Hindi rin siya siguro nasangkot sa kung anu-ano pang eskandalo. Wala rin siya siguro sa sitwasyon niya ngayon. Siguro—

Agad na naputol ang pag-iisip niya nang  bumakas ang pinto ng kuwartong tinutuluyan niya sa Bernstein mansion. She had finally arrived there at his cousin’s place—her hiding place for the next few days or so until she figures out what to do with that damn arrange marriage her father wanted her to have and that thing she had with Knoxx.

“Ms. Charlize invites you for a tea in the garden, Ms. Tala,” sabi ng unipormadong katulong.

“I-I’ll be right there,” sabi niya bago pinanood ang paghakbang palayo ng katulong.

Maybe she should talk to Charlie again. Nakausap na niya ito kanina. Napilitan siyang magsabi ng totoo kahit na sana ayaw niya. Bukod sa mas matanda si Charlie  sa kanya ng dalawang taon, mas matalino rin ito sa kanya—way way more intelligent than her. Her cousin isn’t the CEO of a shipping lines for nothing.

She huffed and looked at the phone on her hand. Mamaya na niya siguro kakausapin si Pierre. For now, she must be a good visitor and join her cousin for a tea.

---

Gabi na subalit hindi pa rin makatulog si Tala. Kanina pa siya nakatitig sa kisame ng mansyon subalit ayaw siyang dalawin ng antok. Hindi siya namamahay o kung ano pa man. She was just nervous as hell now that her Dad and the rest of her uncles are coming to Germany to attend the wedding of Gael and Charlie in a week's time.

Earlier, while they were having dinner, Gael proposed to Charlie again. Well, technically, it’s the first proposal he did because they eloped when they married the first time five years ago. And though their love has endured so many things, she’s glad that Charlie is finally getting her happy ever after with the one she truly loves, Gael.

Somehow, she can’t help but feel envious to Charlie and the rest of her cousins. They seemed so sure of what they wanted in life. They all fit in and good at their chosen fields. Unlike her who’s always struggling—always the one who’s up to no good. The uncertain. Possibly, the black sheep. One whose worth will depend on the man she marries. Or should she say, the man crazy enough to marry her.

She huffed and hugged a pillow.

Ngayon pa lang, iniisip na niya ang idadahilan niya sa Daddy niya kung bakit siya ulit umalis sa Paris at naroon siyang bigla sa Germany. Iniisip din niya kung anong rason ang ibibigay niya sa ama kung sakaling tanggihan niya ulit ang itinakda nitong date kay Quinton. Alangan namang sabihin niyang hindi na siya pwedeng makipag-date dahil kasal na siya. Heck! She doesn’t even know where Knoxx is right now. Or how could she return the damn ring he had given her.

Running away again is not an option for her either. Ikakasal ang pinsan niya. At nangako siyang siya ang gagawa ng gown nito. She’d be busy for the next few days. Hindi siya pwedeng umalis pa.

She huffed. One problem at a time, she thought.

Muli siyang umupo sa kama at kinuha ang cellphone niya at in-on iyon.  She nervously checked her messages kung meron ba galling kay Knoxx. Which is damn near impossible because she had already blocked his number. Bukas nga magpapalit siya ng number, ayon na rin sa suggestion ni Gael, who, like her mother, was also a former elite bodyguard. She trusts his knowledge about going incognito and staying under the radar. He even suggested to go as extreme as wiping all of her digital footprints should she really want to hide from anyone.

With a huff, she dialled Pierre’s number. She waited for three rings before he answered the phone.

"Ms. Tala,” he answered with his heavy French accent.

“Can you do me another favor?” Pierre just let out a slow breath. Sensing his hesitation, she continued. “I’m willing to pay any amount. Just make that marriage certificate disappear.”

“Even for a hundred thousand Euros?” anang kausap, may halong pananantya ang tinig.

“Even for that amount and more.”

“Then consider your request done, Ms. Tala. Tomorrow, you shall be an unmarried woman again. Bonne nuit! (Good night!)” sabi nito bago tuluyang pinutol ang tawag.

One problem down, she thought.

Now she just needs to find an excuse not to date Quinton.