3RD CHAPTER

The aftermath of the entire leaving Ms. Teng at the altar didn’t come off as good. It was a mess, to say the least. The Tengs went back to their mansion up north, and we returned to our estate. The elders in our family went to their meeting room to discuss the entire...... ordeal, while Tia and I were in Tia’s bedroom.

“So you mean to tell me that my brother had an affair? A long-time affair?” Tanong ko rito. From what I understood from Tia’s explanation earlier, my older brother had another girlfriend, bukod pa kay Miss Teng, and she got pregnant. Tia found out a few days before the wedding, and she made a deal with my brother na kapag tinuloy ni Leonel, my brother, ‘yong kasal, she will ensure na his other girlfriend and child are protected. Ang ending, he still left.

I sighed, sa lahat ng information na niload sa akin ni Tia ngayon.

“Son of a bitch.”

“Hah, you called it.”

“What do you think is happening, sa loob?”

Tia cupped her chin at humilata siya sa bed. “First, they should be calling the Teng Mansion, and ensure Ms. Teng’s well-being.”

I imagined the discussion room right now. My mother or Tia’s mother should be in charge of that, but it’s more likely that my mom’s the one involved here. My mother, Eleonora Bellanova, is the Internal Vice-President, so she’s the one dealing with all the internal issues.

“Then, the next thing they should be doing should be talking to the press. This is going to take a big hit on the Bellanovas, as much as it can to the Tengs. They need to release a statement.”

In my head, I can see Tia’s mother, Tita Margaret, talking with the lawyers, and getting ready for a press conference. This is how big this marriage was supposed to be. Napakaraming repercussions ng ginawa ng kapatid ko sa mga angkan namin.

“Then the last thing they should do, is try to make amends with the Tengs, propose another idea to make do, because there were contracts involved here. There were shares – Leonel’s shares.”

And for that step, I think it’s my grandfather who’s talking with a Teng representative. I massaged my temples.

I sighed. “What happens next?”

“The Bellanova loses the land na pinaglalaban nila for twenty years, kasi Leonel was a freaking dumbass.”

“So much for more drama in this family.”

“You can never get rid of drama, not in this family.” Tia crossed her legs, and the door went open. Pumasok sa room ni Tia ang isang smiley, Filipino-American man na Tia and I know well. We all went to the same high school, and I went to UP with this man.

“Andreas,” I greeted him and he waved, as he brought a paper bag with him.

“Hey, Rise.” Binaling niya atensyon niya patungo kay Tia. “These were the papers that you said that you needed, Tee.” Tapos naupo na si Andreas sa couch in front of us. He crossed his legs and he smiled at us. “That was something.” Andreas chuckled. “Fun wedding.”

Tia chuckled along with him, one of her rare laughs na she only shares around Andreas, because we both know na Andreas makes her happy. “I told you, it was worth the day off.”

“Watching your grandfather almost lose his shit?” Natawa na rin ako sa kanilang dalawa, and I relaxed along with them. “Oh, but I just realized, the Tengs are scary, aren’t they?”

Tia nodded. “The Tengs are very powerful, especially since they merged with the Bellezos. That marriage with the Bellezos made them more powerful.” She glanced at me. “Sorry, akala ko mapapauwi ka ng maaga.”

I chuckled and shook my head. “Alam ko na namang di ako makakauwi ng maaga, so tanggap ko na yon.” I stood up from the bed and pulled out my phone from my purse. “Though I have to call one of the doctors, and I need to check on my patient.”

Tia and Andreas nodded, at lumabas ako papunta sa balcony. I called Dr. Buenaventura and she answered the video call immediately. Dr. Buenaventura was the pediatric surgeon in charge, sa patiente ko, and I would ask my senior, pero he’s also in this wedding, so asking him would be tedious.

[“Hi, Dr. Rise, kamusta ang Cebu?”] She greeted me with a smile. Dr. Whitney Buenaventura is one of the best pediatric surgery fellow sa ospital namin, and of course, sa kanya napunta ‘tong case na ‘to. From my screen, I saw na nasa cardiac ICU ata siya.

“Um, Cebu pa’rin, how’s Baby Rio?”

[“Straight to the point, buti talaga di ka nag-peds, Dr. Rise.”] Natawa siya ng konti and I smiled back, then she removed her mask. I saw her exit the ICU. [“Stable. Your sutures were excellent, walang leakage, and the shunt is functioning well.”]

“Thank god.” I whispered. Ako kasi nag-close kay Baby Rio, and of course, gusto kong malaman if he’s doing well. His parents, especially his mother, blame themselves for what happened to Baby Rio eh. But they shouldn’t. “His parents?”

[“They saw their son na rin, today.”]

“Okay,” I answered as I sighed. “Thank you po, Dr. Buenaventura, for the update.”

[“Sure. Call me when you need anything else.”]

“Yes.” I ended the call and I looked out from the balcony. Kitang-kita mula sa room ni Tia ‘yong buong estate, and our resort, along with our land, sa beach. The Bellanova estate is a house with three buildings – the main house, kung saan naka-locate ‘yong room ni Tia, and then the two side buildings. One of them is the guest building, which is the one on the left, and the other one is the servant’s building, which is the one on the right.

This estate gave nothing but pain to me, especially the servant’s building.

But that’s over, at hindi na ako nakatira sa bahay na ‘to, nor will I ever return here after the wedding, but I just thought na I’d might as well look at it, from this view.

“Ah, andito kayong dalawa.” I heard a familiar, masculine voice, na nagbukas ng pintuan ng kwarto ni Tia. I smiled when I met his eyes in the room, and he approached us. This man, is one of the estranged family members of the Bellanova family. My cousin, also my colleague, Milano Bellanova. “My sisters were looking for you two, gusto niyo ba mag-uno?”

“Aren’t we too old for uno?” Tia asked, and I got back into the room.

Milano smiled. “You can never be too old for uno.”

“Hmm, pwede naman.” I noted, and I slid my phone back into my purse. “Ah, pero Kuya Lano, you should call Doc Buenaventura,” Milano shot me a confused look and I sighed. “Hindi ba may patiente kayo together? She was in the Cardiac ICU.”

Milano narrowed his eyes. “Ours was discharged yesterday. Baka sa mga ate ko.”

Ah, I didn’t mention this, but Milano has two older sisters, and all of them are cardiothoracic surgeons – lahat sila. As in. Lahat. And their mother is, too. And they all work in one hospital, the hospital I work in. I didn’t get in through nepotism, though. Their mother, Tita Lucille, was removed from the family when I was in grade school, when my tito died, so she took her children with her. Hindi ko sila nakita until I got accepted into the same hospital as them.

And, also, ever since I’ve moved in Manila, I’ve been using my lolo’s surname, Casimiro.

Milano, who was around the same age as me, recognized me during my intern year, and that’s how I got close to them.

Nevertheless, I went to the next room, and I joined the two ates, Ate Judy and Ate Betsy, with Tia and Andreas. “Uno, girls?” Ate Judy asked and I nodded. Tumabi ako kay Ate Betsy, and she gave me a set of cards. The two ates look a lot like each other, and Kuya Lano looks like them. Pero siyempre, hindi sila nakatakas mula sa Bellezo genes. Ate Betsy’s the younger, but she’s taller. Yan lang palatandaan ko, because lahat sila same ng trabaho, and they all look alike.

“May laglagan ng pera dito, girls.” Ate Betsy began, at naglabas din ako ng 100 pesos, kasi may nakita akong pot na may lamang pera. Inilagay ko doon ‘yong 100, and Tia added 40 pesos.

Tia narrowed her eyes. “Someone added 1000 pesos?”

“‘Yong muntik na natin maging in-laws may pa-ang pau, eh, di naman natuloy, so nilapag ko na lang diyan.” Milano added as he sat between me and Andreas.

Si Andreas din, naglapag ng 50.

Then we began to play. Isa-isang naglalapag sila ng kanilang mga cards, and of course, di naman maiiwasan ‘yong mga pa-plus cards.

Like Andreas and Milano.

“Andreas, sayo ba napunta lahat ng plus cards?”

Andreas shrugged slyly and smirked. “I don’t know~” He answered in a sing-song manner, and he glanced at Milano,

“Sorry, Rise.”

“No way,” I said, unbelievingly, at naglapag si Milano ng another plus two. “seriously?!” I rolled my eyes and I drew four cards, kasi pinasa sa akin ni Milano ‘yong plus niya, then binabaan ko ng plus four si Ate Betsy, and I changed the color to blue.

“Hindi pa kaya sila tapos?” Ate Betsy asked at nagbaba rin siya ng blue card.

Tinaasan siya ng kilay ni Tia. “They roped your mother into this, too? They must be really desperate.”

“They are.” Pag-amin ni Ate Judy. “Alam niyo, si Leonel, ibang breed din talaga yon ng bobo.”

“Agreed.” Pag-sangayon ni Milano.

“Wow, a person’s stupidity is the reason kung bakit tayo nagkasundo? I am impressed.” Tia smirked and we continued to play the game.

The game was going quite smoothly, nanalo na si Ate Betsy, then nag matira-matibay na kaming lahat. I came in second, and then we were playing for third place nang biglang may kumatok sa pinto namin.

“Artezia.” Lahat kami, nalipat ang atensyon sa pinto nang nakita namin si Tita Margaret, Tia’s mom, behind the door. She was stern, her age never fails to show on her face. “Come.”

Lahat kami napatingin kay Tia and she just sighed. Iniwan niya cards niya kay Andreas, and she left immediately.

Nagtinginan kaming magpipinsan, and at that time, I didn’t know if it was my ground feeling, pero I felt something strange. Kaba? Or something. But I know this feeling all too well;

It’s the feeling that something bad’s going to happen.