CHAPTER 2

HE CAN'T erase the smile that plastered on his lips while watching his wife leaving the room. 'His wife'. Feels like symphony playing on his head when he think that he's already married. He didn't expect that kind of wedding but somehow he is glad that he already tied the knot. All he have to do is to woe her. Like what he did before.

Tumayo na siya para magbihis. Agad niyang ibinulsa ang underwear nito na sinadya niyang huwag ibigay. He didn't think that she will leave without her undies. Desperado talaga itong kalimutan siya pati na rin ang nangyari kagabi.

He grabbed his phone to call his friend. After three rings, he answered his call. "Hey, bud! How was it?" he asked as he picked up her wedding ring to stare at it. 

"All done, man! Ako pa ba? I registered your marriage in the Philippines. Siguradong wala na siyang kawala ngayon," sagot nito sa kabilang linya.

"Buti naman. Iisa na lang ang poproblemahin ko if that's the case." 

Pinatay na niya ang tawag. He really can trust Drake when it comes to that. Well, he can't be called the best lawyer in their country if he's not. Hindi niya lang inaasahan na magagawa niya 'yon ng ilang oras lang.

He fix himself and leave the hotel. He have no plans to stay longer here in Vegas since he already got what he wanted. While waiting for his flight, he can't help it but to think what had happened last. It wasn't in his plan to get married inside the club but Drake give him that idea.

Kahit para sa kaniya ay biro lang 'yong kasal na 'yon. But for him, it was not. Malinaw pa rin sa utak niya kung paano siya nito tinititigan habang binibigkas ang vow nito sa kaniya. Even if she kept on saying that night was a mistake but her eyes say that was her happiest night. Well, may that be true or not. Every woman are going crazy over him just to be his woman. But sadly only one woman got his heart. He can't forget how he moaned his name last night. He's wondering why she can't even say his name and greet him a 'good morning' when he woke up. 

"Good afternoon passengers. This is the pre-boarding announcement for flight 45B to Philippines. Please have your boarding pass and identification ready and proceed to gate 4. Regular boarding will begin in approximately ten minutes time. Thank you." As he heard his flight announcement, he prepared his passport and walked in to the gate 4 of the airport.

'Goodbye, Vegas! You may give me the best night of my life but what I want is in the Philippines now.'

                                                                                                                     *****

"WELCOME home, son. How's the business trip in Nevada?" salubong sa kaniya pagkadating niya ng kanilang mansiyon ng kaniyang ama na si Dominique Dickinson. 

"It went well, Dad," masayang tugon niya sa tanong nito. 

Mr. Dickinson patted his shoulder. "As what I expected. Sa klase ng ngiti mo ngayon talagang hindi nasayang ang pinunta mo sa Nevada," puri nito sa kaniya.

Their father and son bonding was suddenly interrupted when he heard his stepmom coughed to get their attention. His dad immediately walked to her and held her waist. His smile suddenly faded on what he saw. Not that he doesn't like his father's wife but he don't like the idea that her mom has been replaced in his father's heart. Ever since they got married, she treated him like her real son but still no one can replaced his deceased mother.

"Welcome home, Trevor! I'm happy that you came home safe," ani nito. Tanging tango lang ang isinagot niya dito. 

That's how he acted towards her. He don't want her to expect anything from him and be nice to her. 

Lumapit na ang mga katulong nila para kunin ang mga bagahe niya. He went inside the mansion while his hands inside his pocket. Kahit matanda na siya ay dito pa rin siya umuuwi sa mansiyon nila. Maybe he respects his mother's wish for him to stay here before she died. Unfortunately, he is not the only one who will staying here. Nakikihati na siya ngayon sa bagong pamilya ng ama niya.

Dumiretso agad siya sa kuwarto niya para magbasa ng mga email. As the CEO of their company, he can enjoy only a week and after that he was back on his duties. He may travel in different countries but it still for work. Baka 'yon ang rason na kahit malapit na siya mag-treinta ay hindi pa siya nakakapag-aasawa. 

'May asawa na pala ako.'

Isinarado na niya ang kaniyang laptop at nakangiting sumandal sa kaniyang swivel chair habang iniisip ang magandang mukha ng kaniyang asawa. Natatawa pa rin siya sa tuwing naaalala niya kung paano ito nagulat nang magising ito at malamang kasal na pala ito sa kaniya. Hindi siya magsasawang makita ang gano'ng reaksiyon nito araw-araw o bawat segundo ng buhay niya. 

"Sayang. I never get a chance to record her scream," ani niya.

It may sound crazy but now that he finally had a chance to get closer to her, he badly wants her to be his.

He suddenly woke up in his reverie when he heard a knock on his door. "Sir Trevor! Tawag na po kayo ng Daddy ninyo. Naghihintay na po sila sa inyo sa hapag," tawag ng kanilang mayordoma sa kaniya.

Tumayo na siya para lumabas ng kaniyang kwarto. Pagkabukas niya ng pinto ay nandoon pa rin naghihintay sa kaniya si Nanay Dalhia. Masayang niyakap niya ito kaya nagulat ito sa kaniyang tinuran.

"Ano nakain mo, Sir Trevor? Ba't bigla kayong naging sweet?" nagtatakang tanong nito.

Kumawala siya sa pagkakayakap niya dito at nagtataka ring tumingin sa matandang mayordoma. "Hindi ba ganito naman talaga ako sa inyo? Hindi ba ako sweet?" parang batang tanong niya rito.

"Hindi naman sa gano'n, Sir Trevor. Naninibago lang po ako kasi simula nang—"

"I was just joking," putol niya bago matapos nito ang sasabihin. Mula nang mamatay ang mommy niya ay ayaw na niyang makarinig siya nang kung anong kwento tungkol doon. Hindi naman siya nangungulila sa kaniyang ina dahil parang naging nanay niya naman si Nanay Dahlia. 

Nauna siyang maglakad papunta sa hapagkainan. All of the members of Dickinson are present in the table, including his step-brother, Charles.

"Nagmilagro yata ang langit. Naisipan mong sumama sa amin sa pagkain," sarkastikong sabi nito sa kaniya.

He sat beside his father before turning his attention to Charles. "Hello, Charles. I hope you had a nice day while I'm away," he said that will surely pissed him off. Inalis niya ang paningin sa kapatid at ipinako ang mga mata sa pagkaing nasa harapan niya.

"I really have a nice  day. Actually I have an announcement for you," sabi niya na animo'y hindi naasar sa sinabi niya. "I want you to be my best man in my wedding next week," he added.

Bumalik ulit ang atensiyon niya rito at nakipagsukatan ng tingin ito sa kaniya. Tila binabasa nito ang magiging reaksiyon niya. Everyone can feel the tension between them. It has been ten years but they still loathe each other. All of them know their feud since the day they came in this mansion. Walang pagkakataon na hindi sila nagtatalong dalawa sa tuwing nagkakasama sila sa iisang lugar.

"Maybe it's too hassle for Trevor to be your best man. Next week na 'yong kasal mo—" Mrs. Dickinson intruded but he cut her off.

"It's fine with me, tita. I'll just talk to my secretary to prepare my suit for his..." he return his gaze to Charles and give him a mocking smille. "...wedding," he finished.

Ibinaling na niya muli ang paningin sa kanyang pagkain at parang naaaliw na sumubo para lang maramdaman ang masamang pagtitig ng kapatid nito sa kaniya. No one can pissed him off aside from seeing his stepbrother annoying face. Hanggang sa matapos na siyang kumain ay hindi maalis-alis ang ngiti sa labi niya. 

As soon as he enter his room, he took off his clothes to get himself washed, exposing his well-toned body. He enjoyed the water that gently drop from his face to his whole body while imagining what would be Charles' reaction if he found out what he did. 'I'm ready to take what's mine to begin with, Charles.'

                                                                                                                     *****

RAMDAM niya kung gaano kasaya ang mga dumalo sa kasal niya ngayon pero hindi niya maiwasan manlamig dahil ramdam niya rin ang titig nito sa kaniyang likuran. Iisang tao lang naman ang tinutukoy niya. Sa lahat ng tao na naroroon ay tanging ang presensiya nito ang nararamdaman niya. 

She already oath to herself while she was in Vegas that she will never see that guy again. But destiny really wants to play with her. Sa lahat ng lugar na pwede niya itong makita, bakit dito pa sa simbahan kung saan ginaganap ang kasal niya? At higit sa lahat, bakit kapatid pa siya ni Charles? Gusto na ba nito na mabaliw siya ng tuluyan? Dahil kung totoo, nagtagumpay nga ito. Kapag nalaman ng lahat ang ginawa niyang katangahan ay sa mental niya pupulutin.

The ceremony had already started but she can't focus on what the priest was saying. Her mind was out there thinking of the ways on how to hide him or silence him if he's planning to tell what happened in her bachelorette that will surely ruin her wedding.

At that moment, she was silently praying to all the saint in this church that it will not happen or else she will make Charles disappointed with her again. At 'yon ang ayaw niyang mangyari. 

Simula nang maging kasintahan niya ito ay hinihiling ni Charles sa kanya na huwag gumawa ng kung anong ikaka-disappoint nito. Minsan na ito nagalit sa kaniya nang mayroon siyang nilabag sa mga rules nito. She failed her exam way back in college that almost lead to their break up. Charles is the type of man that takes everything seriously. He wants everything to be perfect, including her. Ayaw niyang masayang ang relasyon nilang dalawa kaya binabalewala niya na lang ang mga galit nito sa kaniya sa tuwing nakakagawa siya ng mali. She can endure anything just for the sake of their relationship.

It was their time to say to each other their I do's. As she faced Charles, the memory of Trevor that night suddenly showed up in her mind. She suddenly remembered what happened between them that night. The exchanging of their vows, how he looked at her when he said it. The ring and... the kiss that they shared to sealed their marriage. At nang mawala ang imahe nito sa isip niya, pakiramdam niya ay harap-harapan niyang niloloko ang kaniyang nobyo. Kahit hindi niya sinadyang mangyari iyon ay kasalanan pa rin niya. She cheated on him that night.

"Do you, Charles Dickinson, take, Margarette Sandoval, as your lawfully wedded wife. To have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, 'til death do us part?" tanong ng pari sa kasintahan. 

She saw him smiled before he looked at the priest to say his answer. "I do, Father." 

Bumaling ang pari sa kaniya para siya naman ang tanungin nito. "Do you, Margarette Sandoval, take, Charles Dickinson, as your lawfully wedded husband. To have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, 'til death do us part?" 

Everyone was waiting for her to say 'I do' but nothing came out on her mouth. Hindi niya rin alam kung bakit niya pa pinapatagal iyon. Isang 'I do' lang, mawawala na 'yong kasalanan niya at maibabaon na iyon sa limot. Pero bakit nahihirapan siyang ibuka ang bibig para sabihin iyon? 

"Again. Do you, Margarette Sandoval, take, Charles Dickinson, as your lawfully wedded husband. To have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, 'til death do us part?" the priest asked her for the second time but this time he receives an answer.

It wasn't an 'I do' nor it came from her. A baritone voice suddenly interrupt the whole ceremony. When she looked at the crowd and she was shocked to see Trevor walking himself to the altar. Fear shivered down to her spine when he stop meters away from them. 

Charles laughed as he looked at him with disbelief. "Anong kalokohan na naman ito, Trevor? Pati ba naman sa kasal ko hindi mo'ko tatantanan? Hindi pa ba sapat na ginawa kitang best man ko?" he said. 

She hold his hands to get his attention back to her. "Huwag mo na siyang pansinin. I'll say my 'I do' now. Let's continue the wedding," pangungumbinsi niya. Napatingin siya uli kay Trevor nang marinig niya itong umismid. She saw how he shook his head while he's wearing his annoying smirk.

"Are you not wondering why she's having a second thought of saying that 'I do' part?" he asked, making her groom and all the people in this ceremony confused. 

"Could you please shut up!" hindi niya napigilang sigawan ito pero hindi ito sapat para pigilan niya itong sabihin ang bagay na kinakakatakutan niya.

Hindi ito nakinig sa kanya sa halip ay humarap ito sa mga tao. "The reason why she can't say it to my brother because..." He paused just to stare his blue eyes at her. "...she was already married to me. Tama 'di ba... Asawa ko?"