Novel & Cerita The Untold Wife

Akmang pihitin na niya ang doorknob ng agad akong bumangon upang pigilan siya. “Give. Me. Back. My. Wife.” Mahina ngunit puno ng diin kong pagkakasabi. Hindi ako papayag na hindi ko maisama si Christine. Akmang susuntukin ko ulit siya nang bigla siyang nagsalita. “She’s pregnant!” Huminto sa ere ang aking kamao. Napakurap ako ng ilang beses. Inulit niya ang sinabi. “My wife is pregnant—-she needs medical attention, right now!”

"Well, makakaharap niya rin ang kanyang katapat." Hindi ko napigilan na magpakawala ng isang malalim na buntong-hininga. Sa buong-buhay ko ngayon ko lang naramdaman na mag-alala sa aking asawa. Nagsimula lang naman ito nang masilayan ko sa CCTV camera na katabi nito ang anak naming si Adam. Kilala ko si Adam hindi ito basta-basta madadala sa mga kasinungalingan ni Lavinia. Hindi ko alam kung maniniwala ba ako sa instinct ko pero tumututol ang aking utak. Ayoko ng makipaglaro sa mga walang-kwentang nais ni Lavinia.

“His wife is dead. It’s possible that he has other girls now. It’s been years, baka nag-move on na. And a lot of girls want him so badly, even us. Kaya bakit niya pipiliin na maging mag-isa?” I stiffened. Nanlamig ako sa narinig. His wife… is dead. My mouth parted. Hindi ako makapaniwala sa narinig. That’s why I never saw an inch of her in the mansion. Because she’s gone, and it’s been years.

Hindi niya pwedeng sabihing: Because I need to prove I’m not just someone’s wife. So she said the truth. “I want to build something that carries my name. Not my husband’s.” The room went quiet for a second. Mr. Lim didn’t soften. “Markets don’t care about your personal growth story, Ms. Flores. They care about numbers. Can you handle pressure?” Elaine met his gaze. “I lived in a boardroom marriage for five years. I think I can handle pressure.” One corner of his mouth almost moved. Almost. “We’ll call you,” he said.

Sydney explained gently. Ever since the terrifying kidnapping incident at the abandoned warehouse, both Sydney and Nathan had discovered the monumental secret that Zoey was actually the legal wife of the untouchable Jasper. However, they were incredibly loyal colleagues, they both knew the weight of that secret and chose to keep it strictly hidden, never mentioning it in the office to protect her privacy.

Napakaganda ngunit kahit gaano kaganda ang lugar ay hindi pa rin nawawala ang pakiramdam niyang may kulang dito. May lungkot na nakatago sa bawat sulok ng mansion. Napabuntong-hininga siya. Marahil ay epekto lamang iyon ng pagkawala ng asawa ni Kevin. Marahil ay hindi pa rin tuluyang nakakausad ang pamilyang ito. Lalo na si Junie at lalo na si Kevin. Napasandal siya sa dingding habang inaabot ang doorknob ng kanyang silid. Pagod na pagod siya. Ang gusto na lamang niya ay mahiga at makatulog.

“At lahat ng nangyari sa’kin… sasabihin ko.” Isa-isa niyang ikinwento ang lahat. Ang aksidente. Ang pagkawala ng alaala. Ang paggising niya na hindi niya kilala ang sarili niya. “At doon ko nakilala si Mike…” mahina niyang sabi. Napakunot ang noo ng lahat. “Siya ang nagpakilalang asawa ko…” Napahigpit ang kamao ni Ethan.

I asked myself The answer is obviously no, Lucian dislike my paintings—no, to be exact he dislike me, so it's impossible for him to appreciate my work. Adeline Amadeo, the trophy wife, that's what they call me. A husband as a facade, a husband that is only there if there are important gatherings. That's the life I lived ever since I married Lucian Amadeo, the chief executive officer of the famous Amadeo Enterprise. I continued painting on my canvas. I was immersed to the feeling of my fingers iddly pressing on the wetness of the slightly sticky paints.

Isang tawa ang kumawala sa kanya, mahinang tawa na tila nang-uuyam. Mas lalo siyang lumapit hanggang sa maramdaman ko ang init ng hininga niya malapit sa tenga ko. “You should be following your unfaithful husband instead of me, Amanda,” bulong niya. May kakaibang diin sa pagkakasabi niya ng pangalan ko, na tila ba isang biro na siya lang ang nakakaalam ng punchline. "It seems you’re the only one left in the dark about the news right now. Sayang naman ang pag-stalk mo sa akin kung sa sarili mong bakod, may mas malaking sunog na nangyayari."