Chapter 4-The Wife Who Finally Fought Back

Hindi nakatulog si Xiara Wren nang gabing iyon. Every time she closed her eyes, bumabalik sa isip niya ang mga salitang binitiwan ni Joross.

Everything I've done is for our future.

Their future. Nakakatawa. Paano niya nasabing para sa future nila ang lahat, gayong hindi man lang niya kayang maging honest sa sarili niyang asawa?

For years, Xiara had defended Joross whenever people questioned their marriage. She had ignored the rumors about his closeness with Hailey. She had convinced herself na normal lang ang pagiging busy nito, na normal lang ang madalas nitong pag-uwi nang late, at normal lang na minsan ay pakiramdam niya ay mag-isa siya kahit kasal siya.

But last night, something inside her finally snapped. Hindi na niya kayang ipagpatuloy ang pagpapanggap. At lalong hindi na niya kayang magbulag-bulagan.

Alas-sais ng umaga, bumangon siya at dumiretso sa bathroom. Tinitigan niya ang sarili sa salamin. Namumugto ang mga mata niya, at halatang hindi siya nakatulog nang maayos.

“Enough, Xiara,” bulong niya sa sarili. “Hindi mo kailangang magmakaawa para lang respetuhin ka.”

She washed her face, fixed her hair, and changed into a cream-colored blouse paired with black trousers.

Simple lang ang suot niya, pero may kakaibang determinasyon sa kanyang mga mata.

Today, she wasn't going to cry over Joross.

She was going to take back control.

Pagbaba ni Xiara sa dining area, nadatnan niya si Joross na nagkakape habang may binabasang business reports sa tablet.

Parang walang nangyari kagabi. Walang awkwardness. Walang apology. Walang kahit anong senyales na nasaktan niya ang babaeng ilang taon nang tumatayo sa likod niya.

“Good morning,” bati ni Joross nang hindi man lang tumitingin sa kanya.

Hindi sumagot si Xiara. Umupo siya sa kabilang dulo ng mesa at kinuha ang isang folder mula sa kanyang bag.

Napatingin si Joross nang marinig ang paglagay niya nito sa mesa.

“What's that?”

“My financial documents.”

He frowned. “Bakit?”

“Because I want a complete accounting of my money and every transaction involving my name.”

Dahan-dahang ibinaba ni Joross ang tablet.

“Xiara, we already talked about this.”

“No. You talked. I listened. Then you walked away without giving me a proper explanation.”

“I'm not hiding anything from you.”

“Then you shouldn't have a problem giving me the records.”

Nanigas ang panga nito.

“You're making this unnecessarily complicated.”

“And you're making it difficult for me to trust you.”

Tumayo si Joross at lumapit sa kanya.

“Listen to me. This company is worth millions. We're negotiating a ten-billion-peso project. There are complicated arrangements involved, and you can't expect to understand every business decision.”

Dahan-dahang tumingala si Xiara.

“I'm not asking to understand every business decision, Joross. I'm asking why my name is involved in decisions I never approved.”

“Because we're married!”

The words rang through the dining room.

For a moment, Xiara simply stared at him.

Then she let out a quiet, bitter laugh.

“So being your wife means I automatically give up my right to decide what happens to my money?”

“That's not what I said.”

“Then explain what you mean.”

Joross opened his mouth, but no answer came. And that silence told Xiara more than any excuse could.

“I'm not your enemy,” he finally said.

“Then stop treating me like someone you have to deceive.”

For the first time, Joross looked genuinely unsettled. Perhaps he had expected tears. Maybe he had expected her to shout, demand affection, or eventually apologize for questioning him.

He hadn't expected this version of Xiara.

The woman who no longer begged.

The woman who was finally learning to say no.

Pagkatapos ng breakfast, dumating ang personal accountant ni Xiara, si Mr. Reyes, kasama ang kanyang legal assistant.

Hindi alam ni Joross na ipinatawag niya ang mga ito nang maaga. Nang makita niya silang pumasok sa living room, agad siyang napatayo.

“What is this?”

“My financial review,” sagot ni Xiara.

“Without telling me?” Napatingin siya rito.

“Funny. That's exactly what you did when you involved my name in your business deal.”

“Xiara, this is a private family matter.”

“No, Joross. The moment my money and legal interests became part of your business agreement, it stopped being something you could decide alone.”

Lumapit si Mr. Reyes at maayos na binati silang dalawa.

“Good morning, Mr. Vander. Mrs. Vander requested a review of her personal assets and the financial transactions connected to her investments. We'll need copies of the relevant documents.”

Joross forced a smile.

“Of course. Just coordinate with my finance department.”

“Thank you, sir,” sagot ng accountant.

Pag-alis ng mga ito sa living room para asikasuhin ang requirements, hinarap ni Joross si Xiara.

“You're embarrassing me.”

Napatingin siya sa asawa.

“I'm protecting myself.”

“From your own husband?”

“From decisions I know nothing about.”

He shook his head in disbelief.

“Is this because of Vincent?”

Naramdaman ni Xiara ang mabilis na pagtibok ng kanyang puso, pero hindi niya hinayaang mahalata iyon.

“This is because of you.”

“Don't tell me you're suddenly trusting that man more than me.”

“Vincent showed me the contract. You were the one who signed the deal without telling me.”

“Because I was trying to secure our future!”

“And I was trying to build a life with a man I thought I could trust!”

Nabasag ang boses niya sa huling salita.

Saglit siyang napayuko, pinipigilan ang mga luhang gustong kumawala.

She hated that she was still hurting. She hated that a part of her still wanted Joross to hold her, apologize, and tell her that everything could be fixed. But she hated herself even more whenever she remembered how many times she had accepted less than she deserved.

“I'm done arguing,” sabi niya habang pinupunasan ang mga mata. “Please give my accountant the documents he needs.”

Then she picked up her bag and walked away.

Hindi niya alam kung ano ang magiging resulta ng financial review. Pero alam niyang hindi na siya babalik sa dating Xiara na tahimik na lang na umiiyak sa isang kuwarto habang hinihintay na mahalin siya ng sariling asawa.

Alas-onse ng umaga nang dumating si Xiara sa Delacroix Global Tower. Hindi niya planong makipagkita kay Vincent, ngunit kailangan niyang linawin ang ilang bahagi ng business agreement bago siya gumawa ng susunod na hakbang.

Pagpasok niya sa executive office, nadatnan niya itong kausap ang dalawang executives.

When Vincent saw her, he immediately ended the meeting.

“Give us a few minutes,” utos niya sa mga tauhan.

Pagkasara ng p***o, napatingin siya kay Xiara.

“You look like you haven't slept.”

“Maybe I haven't.”

“Did something happen?”

“Your contract happened.”

Vincent leaned back in his chair.

“Joross explained the terms?”

“He explained nothing. He only told me that I didn't understand business.”

A cold expression crossed Vincent's face.

“Of course he did.”

“Don't look so satisfied. I'm not here to ask you to destroy him.”

“I never said I wanted to.”

The words struck a painful chord.

For a few seconds, hindi niya alam kung ano ang sasabihin.

Then she looked away.

“Don't pretend you're different just because you're giving me choices now.”

“I'm not asking you to believe I'm different, Xiara. I'm asking you to judge me by what I do.”

Tahimik siyang nakinig.

May bahagi sa kanya na gustong maniwala kay Vincent. Pero natutuhan na niyang hindi sapat ang magandang pananalita para pagkatiwalaan ang isang tao.

“Then I have one condition,” sabi niya.

“Tell me.”

“Your company will deal with me directly.

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

“Then I suppose I'll have to disappoint you.”

For the first time that day, muntik nang ngumiti si Xiara. Muntik lang. Dahil bago pa man siya makasagot, tumunog ang phone niya.

Joross calling.

Sinagot niya ito.

“Hello?”

“Where are you?” galit na tanong nito.

“I'm at a business meeting.”

“With Vincent?”

“Yes.”

“Come home. Now.”

Napapikit si Xiara.

“Joross, I'm not one of your employees.”

“I'm your husband!”

“And I'm a person, not your property!”

Natahimik ang kabilang linya.

Maging si Vincent ay napatingin sa kanya.

Huminga nang malalim si Xiara bago muling nagsalita.

“I'll come home when I'm ready. And when I do, I expect the documents I requested to be prepared.”

“Xiara—”

She ended the call.

Vincent didn't praise her or tell her what to do. He simply moved a glass of water toward her.

She accepted it quietly.

“Thank you,” bulong niya.

“Don't thank me for respecting your rights.”

Napatingin siya rito.

“Maybe I should've learned that lesson a long time ago.”

Vincent's expression softened, but he didn't reach for her hand.

“It's not too late.”

Paglabas ni Xiara sa building, mas magaan ang pakiramdam niya kaysa noong umagang iyon.

Hindi dahil nalutas na ang problema niya.

Hindi dahil bigla na lang nawala ang sakit.

Kundi dahil sa wakas, may ginawa siya para sa sarili niya.

Habang nasa loob ng sasakyan, binuksan niya ang phone at nakita ang isang bagong message mula kay Joross.

If you keep doing this, don't expect our marriage to survive.

Matagal niya itong tinitigan.

Noong nakaraan, sapat na ang ganitong mensahe para mataranta siya. Magso-sorry siya, tatawag nang paulit-ulit, at gagawin ang lahat para hindi magalit ang asawa niya.

But not today. Nag-type siya ng sagot.

Maybe our marriage should depend on honesty and respect, not on how much I'm willing to tolerate.

Once, he would have done anything to make her stay. But now, he understood something he should have learned long ago.

If he truly wanted Xiara Wren in his life again, he would have to become the man she could choose—not the man she would be forced to need.

At sa kabilang panig ng lungsod, hawak ni Joross ang kanyang phone habang nakatitig sa mensaheng ipinadala ni Xiara.

Sa unang pagkakataon, hindi niya alam kung paano ito susuyuin.

Dahil ang babaeng dati niyang kayang patahimikin sa isang simpleng pangako ay nagsisimula nang matutong lumaban.

And Joross Vander was about to discover that the most expensive mistake of his life wasn't the ten-billion-peso deal.

It was believing that his wife would never have the courage to walk away.