Six

Exelle

"H-Hans.." garalgal na tawag ko sa pangalan ng aking asawa.

Hindi ako narinig nito kaya hindi na ako sumubok pang tawagin siya.

Naabutan ko itong nakatayo sa veranda dito sa salas. Alas onse na ng gabi pero heto pa rin siya at gising na gising. Nakatayo lang siya doon habang nakatingin sa labas. Kitang-kita ko mula sa kinatatayuan ko ang pagdapo ng liwanag ng buwan sa buo niyang katawan.

I really love this man, but I couldn't understand why he just can't love me back.

I watched him silently from were I am standing, praising his whole figure and everything about him. He's wearing his white polo na suot niya kanina pagpasok sa trabaho. His messy hair looks so perfect to him.

He looks like an ancient Greek god and I just can't deny that he looks so innocent and cute when he's quiet. Sana lang laging ganito na lang.

Well built na katawan, matangos na ilong, mahahabang pilik-mata and his small kissable lips. Everything about him mesmerized me, my eyes, my heart. Wala pa man siyang ginagawa, bumibilis na agad ang tibok ng puso ko. Para siyang drugs na nakakaadik. And knowing drugs itself being dangerous, this man I admire can kill me.

Literally and figuratively.

Pero kahit na ang gaspang ng ugali nito sa akin. Kahit na hindi niya ako tanggap bilang asawa niya. Kahit na lagi niya akong binubugbog at sinisigawan. I don't care less about it. Basta ang alam ko ay mahal na mahal ko siya.

Napapitlag ako sa kinatatayuan ko nang bigla itong lumingon sa akin. Nakangiti ito pero nawala na lang bigla ng makita ako. Kanina lang mukha siyang inosente pero ngayon, napalitan ito ng nakakatakot na ekspresyon sa mukha.

I didn't do anything, but why does he hates me so much?

"What are doing you worthless trash?!" He yelled at me pero ramdam pa rin sa tono ng pananalita niya ang galit at lamig mula rito. Kaya naman napaatras ako sa takot.

"You know how much I hate seeing you slut! Yet you have the nerve to watched me from behind!" He yelled again.

Parang biglang kumawala sa dibdib ko ang puso ko na ang lakas ng tibok. Hindi dahil sa nararamdaman ko kanina, kung hindi dahil sa ginawa niyang pagsigaw. Nakakatakot ang mukha niya. He's giving me deadly stares and if it were able to kill me, I would have been lying on the floor, lifeless.

God, I didn't do anything. Pero bakit ako ang pinagbubuntungan niya ng galit? And yet I know I'll be punished again and again, and love him, again and again.

***

I stare at him blankly and felt our surrounding getting colder, yet, I still felt a little heat inside me that burst out like volcano the moment he called me wife.

Nakatayo lang ako sa harapan niya at ganun din siya. Wala siyang isinunod na salita after that. I felt tensed but of course I fought back and calm myself.

There's a part of me that suddenly felt soft yet the big part of me that remains wanted to laugh hard. And yes, yun ang gusto kong gawin sa harapan niya ngayon. Ang matawa sa tinawag niyang endearment sakin.

"Wife?" I exclaimed na ikinakunoot ng noo nito. There's a sound of sarcasm in my voice kaya naman nagulat ang huli at nagtatakang pianagmasdan ako.

"Yes. You're Xiellenna. My wife." He said again emphasizing the word wife.

Nakakapagtakang tinatawag niyang wife si Xiellenna slash ako, na sa pagkakatanda ko'y hindi ko narinig sa kanya mula nuong magpakasal kaming dalawa. And he even emphasized that endearment giving different chill through my spine.

Hindi ba siya kinakabahan o kinikilabutan man lang sa mga pinagsasabi niya? From what I remember, he despised me and he even dare and try to kill me, everyday.

"Mr. Alvez, do you know what you're talking about?" Nakataas ang kilay na tanong ko sa kanya saka ako ngumiti ng malapad. My sweetest smile I prepared only for my ex husband. Napansin ko naman ang pagtaas ng isang sulok ng labi niya.

"I clearly stated what I wanted to tell you. And I could clearly feel that it's you, Xiellenna." He said smirking at me.

Imbes na kabahan ako sa ngiti na pinakita niya sa akin, nainis ako lalo na nang tingnan niya ako mula ulo hanggang paa. I clenched my fista and cleared my throat.

"Mr. Alvez, if ever I am the Xiellena your talking about, why would you even care if you were currently engaged to Rylie?" Mapanghamon na sabi ko rito.

I noticed that he gritted his teeth and clenched his fist on his side. Walang emosyon ko siyang tinitigan dahil nakatitig din ito sakin. He look away kaya napangisi ako. He's guilty of cheating his owned wife and I could see guilt written in his face nang sabihin ko iyon sa kanya.

He's guilty huh. Well I don't give a damn care of it.

"I didn't even know that you're married, Mr. Alvez. Anyways, I would like to clear this to you. I'm not your wife. I'm not Xiellenna. And my name is Exelle Kim." I told him reassuringly and gave him a smile. Lumayo ako sa kanya saka siya tinalikuran. Sakto namang nakita ko nang nakaparada sa harapan ko ang sasakyan na sundo ko.

Pero hindi pa man ako nakakalayo ng tuluyan sa kanya, narinig ko siyang nagsalita. His voice was firm and decided.

"I'll definitely make sure that its you, Xiellenna." He said. Mahina lang, but still enough for me to hear it.

Mas lalo akong napangiti. And an idea of my next step to my plan pop up inside my mind. Ni wala akong maramdamang kaba sa sinabi niya. Sa halip ay naexcite pa ako. Dahil sisiguraduhin kong maghihirapan muna siyang makuha ang gusto niya.

And I'll definitely make sure that you'll regret knowing the truth about me, Hans.

***

"Okay. Meeting is adjourned. Please take care of EXiellene Royale for me. And also, take care of yourselves." I said with a smile before I bid them goodbye and shut down the laptop.

Kakatapos lang ng video call meeting ko with the board from the main branch of EX Royale sa New York. There's a progress of approval for the expansion of the main branch dahil sa dumarami na rin ang mga clients ng EX Royale. Unti-unti na ring  nakikilala sa Jeju Island, South Korea ang bagong tayo palang na branch ng EX Royale at naging malaki na rin ang impact nito sa ibang hotel chains around the world. Mas lalo kasing tumaas ang ratings ng bawat branch kaya mas lalo naman itong nakahakot ng maraming bisita. Ito kasi ang dahilan kung bakit agad siyang tinawagan ng isa sa mga board members at tungkol na rin sa proposal nitong magkaroon ng expansion sa main brach dahil na rin sa naturang pagkilala sa EX Royale.

Yes, EX Royale were already known worldwide, butI thought of expanding its popularity. We're entrepreneurs, I know, pero hindi pa rin maiiwasan na magkaroon ng kakumpetensiya sa negosyo, and it's normal in its cycle.

Nandito ako ngayon sa bahay, dahil may sariling opisina ako dito. Napaka hassle nga kasi nire-renovate pa rin ang bahay. More than a month of staying here in the country seems to be the same when I'm in States.

The differences were only the people and the memories. I sighed.

"Miss Kim, you have a meeting with Mr. Hans Kenji Alvez, a dinner meeting. Nine in the evening, at Prieto." Paalala sa akin ni Audrey. Alam kong nagtataka siya kung bakita ako pumayag sa alok ni Hans na dinner, pero hindi na niya sinubukang tanungin ako.

Kahit ako man ay wala ring alam pero alam kong hindi ito about sa business. Its been a week na rin kasi ng huli naming encounter sa event na dinaluhan ko para kay Alexis. At sa loob ng one week, napag-alaman kong pinaiimbestigahan ako ni Hans, pero hanggang ngayon wala pa ring naging tugma sa hinala niya sakin.

I mentally laugh. I'm smart enough to hide my true identity kaya kahit na maghire pa siya ng pinakamagaling, ako pa rin ang magaling. Kampante ako dahil tinutulungan ako ni Alexis.

Audrey just explained to me further details about the ongoing project for the new branch and find out that everything's fine. With the help of Vallejo Corporation, a construction company here in the Philippines, nakikitaan na ng paunti-unting progress ang project na ikinatutuwa ko naman. The company works fast enough and with that, I thought I actually never failed to choose the right one,again.

Tinapos ko ang mga dapat tapusing trabaho at hindi umalis dito sa loob ng opisina. Ilang araw ko na ring di nakikita sina Sam. Mostly sina Milo at Jules ang laging pumupunta dito to check the renovation of the house.

Pinauna ko kasing ipina-renovate ang East wing ng bahay dahil kasalukuyan akong nandito sa West wing. Kapag natapos sa East wing, lilipat ako dun para naman masimulan ang renovation of the west wing.

At syempre, hindi na rin nawala sa eksena si Alexis na siya ngayong nagmamanman sa ginagawang secret investigation ni Hans sakin. Sabi niya, siya na daw ang bahala dun, kaya naman kampante ako na wala talagang malalaman si Hans tungkol sakin. Minsan din akong dinadalaw ni Alexis and mostly ay para malaman kung ano ang mga plano ko.

I actually like it especially when he said kung kailangan niya daw madamay sa mga plano ko, ayos lang, just for me to have someone na kakampi at kasama ko.

Napangiti ako habang nakaupo sa harap ng mesa ko. Konti na lang talaga, iisipin kong gusto ako ng lalaking yun.

I look outside the window and noticed that it's getting dark. Kaya naman naisipan ko nang pumunta sa kwarto ko para makapag-ayos.

Plan #03: Make them fall. Literally or figuratively.

.

I smirk with that idea and Alexis was aware of it. But I just can't understand why he's so conscious about that plan.

He's worried? 

Maybe.

***

Hans

Darn it!

"What do you mean you don't have anything for me!?" I furiously slammed my hands on my desk and saw him flinched.

"M-Mr. Alvez, I didn't really had anything except from the first report that I gave you. Lahat po talaga ng pinapahanap ninyo sa akin ay hindi tumutugma sa gusto ninyong mahanap." He just told me.

"Impossible. I can clearly feel that she's Xiellenna. Kaya papaanong wala kang mahanap na impormasyong tugma sa asawa ko at kay Exelle!?" I burst out asking him again.

Hindi ito kumibo. I gasped and face palmed turning my back on him. I just can't understand that even him, my long time trusted secret investigator, who never failed me from the past, couldn't get the informations I want.

"Leave and come back when you finally had what I want." I coldly told him without giving him a look.

I still had my eyes outside the window when I heard the door of my office opened and then closed. I sighed.

I just can't accept that she's acting like she doesn't know me when we met. Xiellenna's never been like that and I knew from the start that she can't just ignore me as her husband. I mentally laugh. A bitter one. What would I expect then? I hurt her. Really bad. And worst, I tortured her and didn't show her love as what a husband should had gave his wife.

Yet, I failed her. A lot of times.

"Shit, ugh!" I grunted and throw the papers, Lazarus, my secret investigator, gave me.

"Walang kwenta!"

Hindi ko na talaga mapigilan ang sarili ko and I really want to hurt myself as possible if I could. Ang gago ko kasi! Napakagago ko!

Hawak mo na siya noon, pinakawalan mo pa. Now you've lost your ace. At mawawala lahat sayo ang pinaghirapan mo kapag nawala ng tuluyan ang asawa mo.

No. She's my ex wife.

But why on earth, I couldn't accept the fact that she wasn't my wife anymore? Instead, after we met again, mas lalo ko siyang hinahanap pero kapag nakikita ko naman siya, the guilt of being an unworthy husband to her filled my chest. Nagsisisi ako sa ginawa ko sa kanya but the hell, I've been blind with money.

Napatigil ako sa pag-iisip ng bigla na lang tumunog ang cellphone ko na nakapatong sa mesa ko. I checked who own the call and smirk when I saw her name, Exelle's name.

I tap the answer button and put it on my right ear.

"Hello, Ms. Kim." I formally greeted her.

"Mr. Alvez, I called to ask if our dinner is still--"

"Yes. I already called the resto for reservation." I cut her while I won't stop smiling.

Why won't I stop, if her voice also confirms me that she's my wife. Soft, gentle and sweet. Nakatatak na sakin ang boses ni Xiellenna nuon pa man, kahit na lagi ko siyang nasisigawan nuon.

Napahilot ako kaagad sa sentido ko ng maalala ang lahat ng ginawa ko sa asawa ko 7 years ago. There's a guilt inside and it beats together with my heart.

I sighed.

"Oh... Is that it? I'm on my way now Mr. Alvez. Let's just meet there." She said from the other line, soft and gentle.

Just hearing her voice from the other line, my heart skips a beat. She already had this effect on me ever since we've been married, kaya pakiramdam ko talaga na iisa lang sina Xiellenna at Exelle.

"Ok Ms. Kim. I'll wait you there." I answered her but then I felt a ticklish touch on my ear hearing her chuckled from the other line.

"Bye..." She said before ending the call.

I mindlessly stared on my phone and look at the number she owned.

I need Xiellenna to come back to me. I need to fixed everything with my ex wife. Because there's one thing that I forgot to have and I need her hand to have it.

And I will never stop.