CHAPTER 3: WELCOME HOME

“H-ha? Tama ba yung pagkakarinig ko? Aside from being your wife, you want me to be a mother?”

Gusto kong tumawa dahil pakiramdam ko nasa isa akong telenovela na napakaraming revelations.

“Good hearing Ms. Ramirez, congratulations you are not deaf!” He sarcastically clapped his hands

Is he saying I have to give birth to a child? NO.FUCKING.WAY.

Kung kaya ko lang siyang sapakin, kanina ko pa ginawa but all I can do is roll my eyes out of frustration.

Bakit binigyan ng panginoon ng yaman, kapangyarihan at overflowing sex appeal ang taong ito tapos ni isang kagandahang asal hindi siya biniyayaan.

“ A-are y-you s-syi-” He cut me off before I can say what I wanted to ask

“No Ms. Ramirez, you are not going to give birth to my child. Sorry kung nabasag ko ang mga pangarap mo but that is not going to happen”

Naramdaman ko ang pag-init ng mukha ko sa kahihiyan.

“I have a three-year old son. He needs someone to take care of him and I am not always available to be here. He already has nannies and maids to take care of his needs but the boy keeps pestering me for his mom. You don’t have to pretend na ikaw ang nanay niya dahil alam na niyang patay na ang totoo niyang nanay but he still wants one and I am getting tired of the tantrums” He explained

“I would’ve been the best role model but the problem is that I have too much work and  according sa research most children need their mother at a young age. I need you to take care of him” He added

Naintindihan ko yung parte kung saan kailangan ng isang bata ang role model pero yung parte kung saan siya yung ‘the best role model’, hindi.

“On top of pretending to be your wife, I also have to pretend to be the child's mother?” I wanted to clarify because all of this stuff still feels like a prank of some sort.

“Yes” He answered shortly

“Why?” I asked again

“Una, I bought you for 50 million which basically means I own you. Pangalawa, wala kang sabit dahil walang maghahanap sayo and your background doesn’t have much. Pangatlo, you graduated in Education, I am sure you already have the knowledge how to take care of a child like how you do to a student” Paliwanag niya na para bang ang dali lang ng lahat ng ito.

Para sa tatlong taon, hindi na masama ang offer niya dahil wala namang akong gagawing anything illegal at magpapanggap lang na nanay ng isang bata. 

Hindi ko alam kung anong pumasok sa isip ko at biglang lumabas sa bibig ko ang katagang “deal” ngunit bago ko pa mabawi ito ay tumayo na siya sa kinauupuan niya at inilapag ang isang ballpen sa tapat kung nasaan nakalagay ang Marriage contract.

I wanted to change my mind but then I remember the possible consequences of saying no to this offer.

Kinuha ko ang ballpen at dahan-dahang pinirmahan ang papel. 

This is it. I am officially married.

Agad niyang hinablot ang papel at tinignan ang parte kung saan ako pumirma. 

Lumingon siya sa akin at ngumisi

“Glad to be doing business with you Ms. Ramirez or should I say Mrs. Russo” Sabi niya bago kinuha ang bag na naglalaman ng folder at mga papeles saka nagtungo sa pintuan.

“Take a bath and change your clothes. May mga damit na nakahanda diyan sa closet. Pagkatapos bumaba ka sa dining room para kumain. The key to the chain on on your leg is inside the drawer next to that bed” wala pang anu-ano ay lumabas na siya ng p***o at naiwan ako sa loob ng kwarto.

Hindi parin ako makapaniwala sa lahat ng nangyari. Pakiramdam ko parin ay nasa isa akong prankshow at ilang segundo lang ay lalabas ang mga cameraman para sabihin na ‘it’s a prank!’.

Pero mukha totoo ang bangungot na to

Wala na akong nagawa at sinunod na lamang ang utos sa akin ng lalaking iyon.

Like he said, I found the key inside the cabinet near the bedside drawer. After freeing myself, I looked around and saw a digital wall clock near the door.

6:47 AM. It was already morning.

Hindi mahahalata sa loob ng kwarto na umaga na dahil nakasara ang lahat ng bintana at natatakpan ito ng makakapal na kurtina kaya walang pumapasok na liwanag dito. The room is huge and full of furnitures na mukhang hindi nagagamit. I can tell that the whole room is being taken care off dahil malinis at walang alikabok sa mga gamit but the furnitures looked brand new or hindi nagagamit.

I went to the closet to look for clothes and went straight to the bathroom to take a bath. Ayoko nang patagalin pa dahil pakiramdam ko maiksi ang pansensiya ni Mr….Russo?

I am not sure but that’s how I remember his name. 

I can also remember how he called me Mrs. Russo. I almost blushed thinking that I am married to a hot rich guy but then I remembered what type of relationship we will have. 

Inubos ko ang halos isang oras sa paliligo at pag-ooverthink sa kung anong posibleng maganap sa araw na ito. Ano na naman kayang plot twist ang nag-aabang sa akin today.

Palabas na ako ng pintuan ng kwarto ng biglang may bumangga sa akin kaya natumba ako.

“Oww” I said while trying to get up.

“Mommy! kaw mommy ko? Hihi”

Isang batang maliit ang sumalubong saakin.

Kitang-kita ang excitement sa mata niya habang paulit-ulit niyang bulol na tinatanong kung ako ba ang mommy niya.

“Uhh…oo ako ang m-mommy ko” utal kong sagot. 

Hindi ko lubos akalain na at the age of 23 magkakaroon agad ako ng anak na 3 years old.

“Yeheey! May mommy na ako!” sigaw niya sabay yakap sa akin. 

Seriously, anak to ni Mr. Russo? I can see the resemblance but he is too cute to be related to that evil man.

Pero di ko matatanggi na malaki ang pagkakahawig nila. They got the same black hair, well-defined nose and hazel eyes. The difference is just that this kid has a genuine smile while his father's is devilish.

I just hope he grows up into a good man unlike his father. Wow look at me already thinking about his future, nanay na nanay na ko.

“Gio! Sabi ko sayo wag kang tumakbo, ang aga-aga anglikot likot mo” 

Kasunod noon ang pagkarga ng isang lalaki kay Gio na nagbigay daan sa akin para makatayo mula sa sahig.

“Red-red may mommy na ko!” Excited na sigaw ni Gio sa lalaking bumuhat sa kaniya.

“Ohh good for you Gio!” Muntik na akong matumba uli ng makita ko ang mukha ng taong bumuhat kay Gio.

Siya yung lalaking may pulang buhok na tinutukan ko ng baril sa auction.

Nginisian niya lang ako.

“Nice to meet you Mrs. Russo” he said and offered his hand for a shake but I just looked at it.

He withdrew his hand, still smiling as if he wasn't offended.

“Gio, kailangan mo nang nagbreakfast, why don't we invite your mommy?” He said persuasively.

“Yes! yes! Mommy eat tayo kashama si Daddy at Red-red” sabi ni Gio at tangkang nagpabuhat sa akin.

Agad naman siyang binigay ni ‘Red-red’ sa akin. Let's just name him that for now.

Sinundan ko si Red-red pababa ng dining room habang karga si Gio.

I just noticed how big the house is, more like a mansion. May iilang maids din akong nakasalubong and they bow everytime they see us. 

Hindi rin ako mapakali dahil may mga taong nakakasalubong ako na mukhang kahina-hinala. Call me judgemental pero they have this certain aura around them na mahahalata mong parte sila ng isang sindikato.

Maya-maya pa ay nakarating na kami sa dining area and there he was sitted and munching on a steak. 

“Daddy! Thank you may mommy na ko!” Bumaba si Gio mula sa pagkakakarga ko at lumapit sa Daddy niya.

Kumalong siya rito at yumakap.

“Anything for my Gio” he said and ruffled the child's hair.

So he is a doting father? Parang nasusuka ako sa cringe.

“Sit” he ordered and looked at me directly without any expression.

Paupo na sana ako sa dulong upuan ng table nang bigla siyang magsalita.

“Beside us” he continued while feeding Gio a piece of the steak.

I had no choice but to do as he says.

Umupo ako sa tabi niya at nakikita kong nakangiti si Gio. Nginitian ko lang ang bata kahit hindi ako mapakali sa kaba.

Maya maya pa ay may pumasok na maid at naglapag ng steak sa harap ko.

Mukhang masarap yung pagkain pero dahil sa mga nangyari halos wala akong ganang galawin ang nakahaing pagkain sa harap ko.

“Mommy say aahh” 

Bigla ko nalang nakita ang isang tinidor na may nakatusok na steak sa harapan ko na hawak hawak ni Gio.

I tried to force a smile and took a bite dahil nakita ko ang panlilisik ng kata ni Mr. Russo.

“Mmm….t-thank you Gio” I muffled

“Welcome home mommy!” excited na sabi ni Gio habang hirap na hirap akong lunukin ang piraso ng steak.