CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 2

"Hawak ko ang leeg mo, Mrs. Del Villarda."

Nakauwi ako sa bahay nang buhay ngunit hindi matiwasay. Abot langit at nahuhulog sa empyerno ang puso ko dahil sa nagawa kong desisyon sa buhay.

"Subukan mo lang na magsumbong sa pulisya. Ilalabas ko ang baho n'yo."

Those words echoed in my head on a loop as I sat in the bathtub and let the water run over me. Pakiramdam ko, kahit na buong gabi ako magbabad, hindi na maaalis ang baho at dumi sa katawan ko.

But I was not that Snow anymore. I was done trying to stay white, trying to stay clean and untouched and good. If snow had to be stained, then fine. I would stain it myself with blood, with fury, with every ugly thing this family had planted inside me.

Wala na rin naman akong kawala. Mapapahamak lang ako kung titigilan ko ito. And staying with Roxo is the least thing that I would do in this world. So I would continue this because this is my very last resort.

Nang makontento at nilalamig na, tumayo na ako.

"I will be more wild and I will strike him until the end," I said softly to the woman staring back at me from the mirror. Fully bare. Fully naked.

May kaunting sugat sa ulo ko dahil sa pagpalo sa akin ng baseball bat daw kanina. I did not dwell on it. The sting of it was nothing compared to what my chest had been quietly enduring for years.

Nagsimula kong lagyan ng ointment ang sugat ko sa ulo, mabuti na lang at natatakpan iyon ng buhok kaya hindi masyadong halata. Pakatapos ko sa aking ulo ay sa katawan ko naman, I wore a black t-back panty and a very translucent and almost net bra that I don't know the call of.

I wore a wavy red spaghetti strap dress that fell before my knees.

Pinagkatitigan ko ulit ang aking mukha habang paulit-ulit kong sinusuklay ang aking buhok. I am in the vanity mirror inside my room right now, preparing for the night.

"I want him to file... a divorce. Pero gusto kong mabaliw muna siya sa akin hanggang sa hindi niya ako makalimutan at masiraan na siya ng bait," sambit ko sa sarili.

I laughed a little bit and imagining things to go along as planned.

"Isn't it perfect, Snow? You'll walk out of this country and into a life that has nothing to do with any of them. Your trash family and their beautiful, disgusting plans."

Makapal na red shade lipstick ang sinuot ko sa aking labi nang matapos akong magsuklay. I looked very seductive right now. And an angelic

The angelic Snow was gone from this face tonight. Good riddance. I smiled wickedly.

Nakalabas na ako ng kuwarto nang makarinig ako ng pag-unlock ng pintuan. I heard heavy feet approaching me.

Never had a smile appear on my face when our eyes met. His were cold the way deep water is cold, terrifying the first time and then just familiar. Umigting ang kaniyang panga at hindi man lang nagbago ang ekspresyon ng mukha.

After a month of staying in other countries for business related things, my husband finally arrived at our house.

"Roxo... You're here." I uttered.

I moved to the table where the food was arranged neatly, and I sat down the way a woman sits when she knows she is being watched, but is seductive at the same time.

"What's this?" hindi niya tiningnan ang suot ko, bagkus ay bumaba ang tingin niya sa pagkain sa mesa.

"I just stayed here the whole day, preparing you a food for dinner," I lied.

I just ordered this food at a restaurant. Rason ko lang ito ngayon dahil ayaw kong magduda siya na may nangyari ngang masama sa akin.

"May pinagsabihan ka bang iba tungkol sa ating dalawa?" he asked with a hint of blaming.

Nagulat ako bahagya. "Huh? Wala... Siguro sina Mommy o kaya 'yong Mommy mo rin. Bakit? May nasagap ka bang balita na may nakakaalam na..."

Hindi ko natuloy ang kadugtong n'on nang bumuntong hininga siya.

"Alam mo naman na ayaw ko rin na may makaalam na kasal na tayo. Sa ating dalawa, alam mong ako ang ayaw sa ideyang ito."

"You didn't attempt to get out?" he just asked me.

"No," I answered immediately.

Umupo siya sa may kabisera, katabi ko. Mas lalong umigtng ang kaniyang panga at nagkasalubong ang kaniyang makapal na kilay.

"So he's telling a lie," he murmured, just loud enough for me to hear. "What a bullsh*t."

"Ano 'yon?" tanong ko kahit na rinig ko naman talaga.

He looked me in the eye. I just smiled sweetly.

"Nothing... Let's just eat," he said and fixed himself before grabbing his own plate.

I kept up the act through the whole meal. I really pretended that nothing happened bad to me. Ayaw kong mapalpak ang plano kong galitin siya at mag-file ng divorce. Hindi maganda iyon.

Pero may parte sa akin na kinakabahan sa kung bakit ko ito ginagawa at kung bakit ako humantong sa ganitong bagay.

It was not my fault. That I stumbled into the path of a man with a grudge aimed at Roxo. I just got caught in the crossfire. Nadamay lang ako. Sinabayan ko lang, dahil gusto ko ng kalayaan.

Dahil sa dami ng iniisip, napadami ako ng inom ng wine na pinagsasaluhan namin ni Roxo ngayon. By the time he was bringing the dishes to the sink, my head was warm and my skin felt electric.

I was full. I wanted to sleep. But I was not going to let this outfit go to waste.

I walked up behind him and planted both hands on the edge of the sink, bracketing him without touching.

"Uncle Roxo... I mean, Roxo," I called him seductively.

"What?"

Walang kulay at buhay ang tono niya. Hindi niya ako tiningnan nang sambitin niya 'yon, busy siya sa ginagawa niya sa lababo.

"I think I drank too much wine. I feel so hot," I murmured, running my fingers slowly along the side of my neck.

And then I leaned in and rested my head against his shoulder. He shifted his body and I bumped into his large chest.

"Snow, I am..." hindi niya tuloy ang balak niyang sabihin na panigurado'y pagtanggi sana nang nakawan ko siya ng halik.

I giggled when a bit of my lip stick struck into his lips.

"Last month 'yong huli nating pagsisiping, Roxo." paalala ko sa kaniya. "It's my physiological needs?"

I draw some lazy lines on his chest. Nagsitaasan ang balahibo ko sa batok at tila totoo nga ang sinasabi ko ngayon!

"And you looked stressed, Roxo."

"Your body is hot?" A flicker of something mischievous moved behind his cold eyes. "First time I've heard that from you."