2ND CHAPTER

“Artezia,” I called out a cousin of mine nang nagkita kami sa mobile bar ng resort. Well, our family’s resort. I am Arissa Erishelle Bellanova, the third Bellanova daughter, pero madalas, I don’t refer to myself as such.

Today, though, is a different case. Because it’s a wedding. Heck, it’s my biological brother’s wedding, so I have to act like a Bellanova.

It’s because of that damned deal.

“Rise, you’ve arrived.” Artezia, or simply, Tia, smiled plainly at me as we saw each other, and she walked towards me. Tia and I, kung hindi kami kilala nung tao, malamang sa malamang, ay mapagkakamalan kaming magkapatid. The Bellanova gene is prominent sa aming dalawa. Ebony black hair, hazel brown eyes, and pearly white skin. The Bellanovas were well-known for that, at hindi kami excempted ni Tia doon. The only difference between me and Tia are our facial features. My face is more on the Asian side, and her face is more on the western side. “How was the biyahe from Manila?”

I smiled. “Same old lang. Ikaw, how was your biyahe from Clark?”

Tia shrugged. “Same old lang din. Thank goodness Andreas woke me up.” Tia stretched her arms. “So, it’s finally happening, no?”

I nodded. “This marriage? Yeah.” I scoffed and I motioned the bartender to serve me a drink, at mabilis niya naman akong binigyan ng champagne. “Twenty years of fighting for land. Who would’ve thought na kasal lang pala ang solusyon?”

“Old people na nagpapa-taasan ng ego, what else did you think?” Tia sighed as the bartender also served her a glass of champagne. “Plus, you’ve been gone for almost, what, eight years? It’s honestly a pity how you didn’t see them lose their shit over things.”

I smirked. “Ten, actually.” I corrected her, “I’ve been gone for ten years.” Sumandal ako sa bar table as I watched visitors come into the resort. “I think there’s still time, para mapanood silang maubusan ng bait, though.”

Tia chuckled before she raised her glass. “Cheers to that.” I tipped her glass with mine, at nanood pa kami sa mga taong pumasok. There were a few familiar people – after all, I am well-familiar, as well, sa family ng bride.

The woman marrying my brother is Skylar Teng, the future matriarch of the Teng Clan. Sa Cebu, kung ang mga Bellanova ang nauuna sa hotel industry, the Tengs are the undisputed rulers of the kitchen. They own a chain of restaurants and a few malls all over Philippines, but mostly in Cebu, and they also bought a hospital sa Manila. To be exact, the hospital I work at. The Chief of Surgery, right now, sa ospital namin, is Dr. Montgomery Teng, and tito siya ni Miss Skylar. I work as a neurosurgery resident sa hospital, and I sometimes work with Dr. Teng.

Among the other familiar people sa akin are my direct supervisor, Dr. Perez, sa side ng bride, the Bellezos, the Bellanova counterpart sa Manila, and some of my estranged family members. Estranged, as in, that side of the family left the Bellanovas. It’s a long story, and it’s not my story to tell.

“The Bellezos are also here.” Tia cupped her chin and I nodded. “Interesting,” She remarked as she sipped her drink. Tia’s the brain behind the Bellanovas. She’s the prized treasure ng angkan namin, kasi at a young age of 23, she’s already our family lawyer.

And she’s the only one on my side, in this family.

Siguro kasi she never saw me as a threat? She’s two years younger than me, but she’s always been better than me, kahit sa school. I’m not jealous, though. Heavy is the head that wears the crown, after all.

“What do you think that means?” tanong ko rito.

“It means they’re waiting for us to fuck up.” Simpleng sagot ni Tia and I shook my head in amusement. “When are you leaving, after this?”

I cupped my chin. “As long as walang mangyayaring di maganda, I’m leaving tomorrow. May preemie ako sa ospital.”

Tia narrowed her eyes. “Preemie?”

“Kulang sa buwan na baby.” Tia looked at me like she’s looking for more details so I sighed as I elaborated on the case. “It’s a baby born na nasa labas ng katawan niya ‘yong spinal cord niya.”

“Oh, God. That wasn’t enough of an excuse for you not to be here?” Tia asked.

Umiling ako. “Kilala mo naman nanay ko.”

Tia rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Don’t worry.” Tia crossed her arms. “No matter what happens today, I’ll ensure that you’ll be back to Manila as soon as possible.”

Tumango ako as I noticed na dumarami na ‘yong tao sa resort. Today’s wedding is a beach wedding, and currently, nasa waiting rooms ang groom and ang bride. Kaming mga bisita lang ang nasa labas. I scanned the crowd, and to my surprise, our generation of Tengs aren’t here yet. Kilala ko mga anak ni Dr. Teng, and I haven’t seen them yet.

“Wala pa ‘yong mga ka-edad nating mga Teng?” I asked Tia.

Tia scanned the crowd as well, and she nodded. “Emphasis on the ‘pa’. It was really hard to pursue them on this union. Buti na lang your brother was dating Ms. Teng, that made my job way easier than it should have.” Her eyes went from the crowd to the entrance, and then Tia made a smirk. “They’re here.”

Binaling ko ang tingin ko sa direksyon ng mga mata ni Tia, and I met eyes with the first person who got in. Among his cousins, he’s towering. His eyes were sharp, almost fierce, that matches his face’s strong features. His face is a mix of Filipino, and I guess, Chinese, or somewhere along East Asian. Hindi natago ng polo niya ‘yong toned niyang katawan, and you can tell that he’s well-mannered.

Nagtama mga mata namin, before he scoffed and I looked away.

“Hm,” Tia glanced at me with knowing eyes.

“What?”

“That guy,” Tia began, seriously. “Magka-interes ka na sa kahit sinong Teng, huwag lang ‘yon.” The tone in Tia’s voice made me fear her. “He’s the worst among them.”

“Mukhang may history ka with him, ha?”

“Hmph,” Tia scoffed. “He’s a playboy, an asshole. I dealt with him during this entire wedding ordeal, and I never, ever, want to deal with someone like that in my life, ever again.” Tia rolled her eyes. “Don’t get me wrong, among the Teng men, siya ang pinaka-attractive, and it shows, kasi ikaw napatitig ka rin, pero Duchess Teng is easier to deal with.”

I chuckled. “I’m not interested in men, or dating, in that matter.”

“I know. But he sure is interested in you.” Uminom uli si Tia sa drink niya as we watched the Teng cousins enter the resort. The Tengs are among the most powerful Chinoy families in Cebu. From the way the cousins walk, to their poise, halata mong they’re old money.

“Me?”

“He stared at you longer than you stared at him.”

“Please, Tia.” I shook my head, then I glanced at the crowd again. “The Bellezos are here na, no? I’ll go look for Kristian.”

Tia nodded and I walked from the bar to the seats. I began to look for Kris, Kristian Bellezo-Bartolo, a co-worker and a friend of mine. Same kami ng General Surgery class, before we shifted to our respective specialties. I went to Neurosurgery, and he went to Fetal Surgery. He’s related to the Bellezos, kaya he was invited today.

I found him on a bench with his daughter, and he was tying her hair. Lumapit ako with a small smile. “Kris.” I smiled at his child. “Hi, Marilla.”

“Hi, Tita Rise!” I gave Marilla a pat on the head, then she raised her hands, and I pulled her up.

I glanced at her hair tie. “Octavia should do the hair-tying. Wag na ikaw, Kris.” Ang pangit ng pagkaka-tali ng buhok ni Marilla. “Nasan si Tavi?” I asked, looking for his wife.

“She couldn’t come, may project siya sa Davao.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Didn’t you two just got married last month?”

“And then we had the preemie case, and all the chain events that happened this last month, wala akong masyadong choice. My wife is working, I’m working, ‘yong nanay ko naka-lola duties ever since I got married.” Rant ni Kris. Kris has the ‘Bellezo’ look. The Bellezo of Luzon came from a line of Spanish Businessmen, so they look more Spanish than Filipino. Kris, actually, looks more Spanish than Filipino. Matangkad siya, maputi, at matipuno. He has strong, western features, which is kinda obvious, as he was a guy who had, um, anger issues. We went to UP together, so kilalang-kilala ko na siya.

“Anyway, any update sa preemie natin?”

“Jusko, usapang trabaho sa bakasyon?” I glared at Kris and he chuckled. “Sabi ni Dr. Whitney stable pa naman daw. Your closure was good, really good.”

I smiled. “Well, kung ‘yong fetal surgeon nagsasabi, sino ba ako para tanggihan ang praise?”

“Rise, Kristian.” I looked back when I heard Tia call my name. “The ceremony’s going to start.”

Tumango ako and the three of us walked back to the beach, at tumabi ako kay Tia sa side ng groom. I looked around the area, and the Bellanovas were all on the groom’s side, the right, and a lot of the visitors are on the Teng’s side. When we got there, however, everybody was chattering, like something’s wrong.

Kinalabit ko si Tia. “Tia, what’s going on?”

I saw Tia gulp, and my eyes went wide. Parang napuno ng nerbyos ‘yong mukha ni Tia, and I looked around once again. What the hell is going on?

“Tia.” I shook her arm. “Tia, what’s wrong?”

“This is bad.” Umiling-iling si Tia. “This is very, very, bad.”

“Tia, talk to me.”

Tia wet her lips and then she scanned the place. I can tell that she’s serious, kasi her eyes are going everywhere. “Do you know where your brother is?”

“My brother? The waiting room?”

Umiling si Tia.  “God, so the rumors were true.” She let out an exasperated sigh.

“Anong rumors? I don’t get it, Tia.”

“Your brother—” Tia stopped when we both saw the bride walking on the aisle. Her eyes looked puffy, and she was barely holding herself, as she walked to the microphone, and she removed the veil.

“He left me.” My eyes went wide and my eyes moved to the Tengs from the bride. I can tell that they were upset, as the current Martiarch of that family is rushing towards my grandfather. And in a split second, under everyone’s watchful eyes, the bride fell on her knees. Kris and I immediately saw it, and we rushed to her side.

“Kris, straighten her body, and call the ambulance!” I laid her properly on the floor, and Kris helped me.

“Dr. Bellanova, step back.” I heard Dr. Perez, my direct superior, call me out, and I nodded as he took over. I walked away as I watch the Tengs and Bellanovas almost fight it out.

And then our eyes met again.

His eyes were so filled with spite, anger, and resentment, that it almost brought me to my knees.

I felt anger through Armando Teng’s eyes, and if looks could kill, I would have been dead.