Prologue

"Fuck!" 

Napabaling ako sa pintuan nang marinig ang sigaw niya. Kasunod nito ang tunog na parang may nabasag na gamit sa  baba.

Dahan-dahan akong tumayo. With my silk night dress and cottony slippers, I walked through the corridors leading the staircase.

Ang dilim ng paligid at walang tao sa paligid. Why is he awake at this time? Lahat ng tao natutulog na and why is he breaking things. Saktong pagkababa ko, nakita ko siya.

With his usual suit slightly disheveled and his hands bleeding. May nakita akong mga bubug na nagkalat sa paligid.

Binalik ko ang tingin ko sa kaniya. His eyes stared at me, emotionless. Napatalon ako nang marinig ulit ang ingay ng pagbasag ng gamit. Humakbang siya palapit sa'kin kaya bahagya akong napaatras. 

I sighed. Amoy alak siya. Just like the usual nights. Kung walang dalang babae, umuuwi namang lasing.

"Why are you so noisy, Cevier? Natutulog na 'yong mga tao rito. Kung uuwi ka rin lang na lasing ka, sana umuwi ka na lang sa mga babae mo." sabi ko at tinulak siya.

Pero hindi siya natinag. Nanatili siya sa harap ko. What the heck is his problem?

"What's the problem?" Tanong ko nang nanatili siyang nakatitig sa'kin. He mockingly laughed. Pero randam ko ang galit niya sa mga tawa niya.

"You! You are the problem!" He roared.

Nagtiim-bagang ako. Mariin ko siyang tinitigan."Ako?! Ako pa 'yong may problema?! E, sino ba sa ating dalawa 'yong palaging lasing at may babae pagka-uwi?" I bursted out. 

Nagtaas-baba ang aking dibdib. I was lack of having air from saying those words in a short peroid of time.

"Why are you nagging me now? You shouldn't act like a jealous wife! Anong gusto mo? You think I'll baby you? Do you think I'm dumb? Kaya ka naman nagpakasal sa'kin dahil naghihirap na ang kompanya ninyo!"

"Hindi totoo 'yan!" It was never the money. Pinagkasundo kami noong mga bata pa kami.

"You know the fucking reason why we got married, Cevier!"

"I know the reason! The reason I told you is true! Naghihirap na kayo noong panahon na naikasal tayo! Your family's fucking  greedy of money!"

Nag-init lalo ang dugo sa kaniya. Pamilya ko? Ganid sa pera? How dare he say that!

"Porket ba mas mataas kayo sa'min, ganyan na ang tingin mo sa'min? Ganid sa pera? If I have known that you're a jerk, babaero, walang respeto sa kapwa, e 'di sana hindi na ako nagpakasal sa'yo! Sana naghanap nalang ako ng simpleng tao at nagtanan kami para hindi ako maikasal sa'yo! Puro sakit ng ulo ang ibinigay mo sa'kin simula nang kinasal ako!" Sa galit ko'y tinalikuran ko siya at nagsimulang naglakad patungo sa hagdanan.

"Huwag mo akong talikuran! Hindi pa ako tapos!" Parang kulog na sigaw niya.

"Tatalikod ako kung gusto ko! Ayaw ko nang magtiis sa'yo! In these five years of loveless marriage! Puro sakit sa ulo ang binigay mo sakin!"

Napatigil ako nang narinig ang sunod-sunod na pagbagsak ng mga gamit. The sound of breaking glass is the only noise that I heared in this living room. Nilingon ko siya. I was slightly terrified when I saw him. Ang dilim ng tingin niya sa'kin. Na parang gusto na niya akong patayin. Hindi ko alam kung sasaktan ba niya ako ngayon o hindi pero wala na akong pakialam. Punong-puno na ako sa mga kagagohang ginagawa niya.

It was as if I've been a martyr wife to him. Pinagsisihan kong nakinig ako sa mga magulang ko. I didn't get the chance to marry someone I want. Nang dahil sa kasunduang ito, I was never free. I never felt free.

"I'm fucking tired of this marriage!" sigaw niya.

I sneered at him."Akala mo ikaw lang? Cevier, ako rin! Pagod na rin ako!"

"Then fucking stay away from me!"

Suddenly, an idea came into my mind. "Then if we're so tired with each other, and you want me to stay away from you, shouldn't we file a divorce?" I bravely asked.

He clenched his jaw. Looking at me darkly. "If you want a divorce, I'll call my lawyer tomorrow."

"S-sure. And we'll have to keep it a secret."

"Why?"

"So, the public won't know and so as our parents. We'd be in big trouble if we let them know. Our shares in our company will be gone."

"That's it? Ganoon-ganoon nalang 'yon? You never even hesitated to consider this that we're gonna fix it?"

I rolled my eyes. I considered this marriage a lot of times. Sinugal ko pa nga 'yong buhay ko. Pero walang nangyari.

"Why should I consider to fix this loveless marriage right now? You never considered this marriage in these past years, so why should I? Let's have a divorce, Cevier." Bumigat ang dibdib ko pagkatapos sabihin iyon. Naalala ko ang sarili ko noon. So helpless, desperate. Pero hindi na ngayon. I'll make sure I have my peace.

"Nevermind, as if I'd want more time to spend with you,"

"And so do I,"

"Then it's settled then. I'll call my lawyer tomorrow so we can file a divorce."

I smiled as I heard him. Tumalikod ako at umakyat na sa hagdan. Narinig ko siyang nagsasalita pa pero gusto ko ng matulog. Kaya hindi ko na nilingon.

"I want you to get your things out of this mansion once we got divorce, Darya!"

"No problem, Cevier! I'll move my things tomorrow morning."

=========[❀𝗖𝗖𝗕<3𝗗𝗩❀]==========

"Mr. & Mrs. Montebella, please take your seat." The Lawyer motioned us to sit on the chair in front of the mahogany table.

I awkwardly smiled. Mrs. Montebella...nevermind, I'll change my name. When this is done.

Medyo na awkward din ako sa tinawag niya sa'min. I mean it's normal that in any form of greetings they can call us as 'Mr. & Mrs. Montebella' but ngayon niya pa kami tatawagin ng ganito? Na magdi-divorce na kami?

Umupo ako sa kabilang upuan. Habang ang lawyer sa harap namin ay  nakangiti pa. Hindi umupo si Cevier sa tapat ko. Nanatili siyang nakatayo.

"So, what brings you here?" Ani ng Attorney.

"We wanted to file a divorce Attorney," sabi ko, hindi na hinintay si Cevier na magsalita.

"Hm. Okay, let me get the documents, Mr. & Mrs. Montebella. Might as well, pwede ninyong pag-usapan muna kung pwede pang magbago ang inyong isip at pwede pang isalba ang pagsasama ninyo."

Ngumiti ako. "Wala nang dapat pag-usapan pa Attorney, buo na ang desisyon namin." Patuloy ko.

Tumawa ang Attorney at tumayo. Lumipat ang tingin ng Abogado kay Cevier. Nawala ang palabirong ngiti niya at napalitan ito ng walang emosyon ang mukha.

"Tama nga ang sinabi nila, Cevier. You're not satisfied with your wife or it goes the other way around? Your wife isn't satisfied with you..." Attorney said.

Nanatili akong tahimik. He knows this guy. He finds this scene entertaining. Or maybe he's just used to this that he finds this funny?

"Just shut up and let us file a divorce in peace, Mr. Vasquez," Ani Cevier.

The Mr. Vasquez laughed mockingly. "Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. & Mrs. Montebella, I'm just curious why... The couple of the wedding of the decade, as to what the magazine says, is filling a divorce. I wonder what happened. Nevertheless, it's not my business just like how my friend said, who happens to be your husband, Mrs. Montebella."

Lumabas ang Attorney para kunin ang documents. The awkward air filled the room. Umirap ako. I can't bear to be with him any longer.

"Are you happy that we're having a divorce?" Nagsalita siya.

Hindi ko siya nilingon. "Yes." Because I can finally have peace.

"Good for you." He said.

Kumunot ang noo ko. Why the heck did he say that? What does he mean 'Good for me'?

"Good for us." sabi ko.

Bumalik ang Attorney dala dala ang divorce papers. Umupo siya sa swivel chair niya. Nakangiti sa'kin. Nilapag niya ang documents sa harap ko at dalawang fountain pen. Binigay niya sa'kin ang isa. At ang isang fountain pen ay inilagay sa harap ng bakanteng upuan na nasa tapat ko.

He crossed his arms and said. "Whatever your decisions as a couple, right now. I hope it will help you grow as a person and not regret it. That's my only advice for the two of you. Please sign the documents, Mr. & Mrs. Montebella."

I immediately signed the documents without hesitation. I smiled at the Lawyer.

"Don't worry, Attorney. Neither both of us will regret this decision. The feeling is mutual." sabi ko.

Tatayo na sana ako pero marahas akong pinigilan ni Cevier at pinaupo pabalik. Lumapat ang dibdib niya sa likod ko at ang isang kamay ay nakapatong sa kamay ko na pilit kong hinahawi para hindi niya ako mahawakan pero ang lakas niya. Nakapatong ang malaki niyang kamay sa kamay ko. Habang ang isang kamay ay nakahawak ng fountain pen na pumipirma.

Tumingala ako. Ang tanging nakita ko ay ang kaniyang leeg. Nakasimangot akong nakatingin doon. Nagtaas-baba ang kaniyang adams apple.

"The feeling is obviously not mutual, Mrs. Montebella."

The Attorney's broke my trance. Lumipat ang tingin ko sa kaniya. He smirked at me. Habang ako nakasimangot na nakatingin sa documents.

"Hindi mo na kailangan ipatong ang kamay mo sa kamay ko, Cevier." I said.

I rolled my eyes. Nagpatuloy siya sa pagpirma na tila hindi ako narinig. This guy really knows how to make my blood boil!

"I guess my wife really wants to get away from me so bad." He calmly said.

Marahas kong inalis ang kamay niya. "Who wants-" Hindi ko naituloy ang sasabihin ko nang napagtanto na may tao pa pala sa harap namin.

Pilit akong ngumiti. "Attorney, can you please give us some privacy, if we may?"

"Sure, Mr. & Mrs. Montebella. I'll send the papers to the both of you, tomorrow moring. I will submit this later. In the mean time, you can wait until tomorrow. Thank you and you can use my office as long as you want." Nilagay niya sa envelop ang documents at naglakad papuntang pintuan.

Sinundan ko ng tingin si Attorney hanggang sa tuluyan na siyang nakalabas.

"What the heck is your problem, Cevier?! 'Di ba napag-usapan na natin 'to?!"

"You wanted a divorce para maging kayo ng ex mo!"

My ex?! What does he mean by that?

"What the heck are you talking about?"

"You're going back to your ex!" Umalingawngaw ang boses niya.

"So what if I wanted to go back to my ex! Wala na iyon sa'yo. We're already divorce by tomorrow. So, you have no business anymore with whatever I wanna do with myself!"

"Of course I have. Kahit divorce pa tayong dalawa, I still have business with you!"

"No you're not!" You'll never bring trouble to my peace again! I'll do whatever it takes to be unseen. Magtatago ako kung kinakailangan!

Tumayo ako at dali-daling naglakad patungong pintuan. Bubuksan ko na sana ang pintuan pero marahas niyang sinarado iyon.

"You can never get away from me, my Wife."

Uminit ang ulo ko sa sinabi niya. Walang prenong sinampal ko siya.

"Simula ngayon, hindi mo na ako asawa! We're just strangers! So fucking stop calling me wife!"

Marahas ko siyang tinulak at lumabas. I'm not the wife of that manwhore! I can now be free without worrying who to please!