Chapter 4: Apologize

Our honeymoon trip ends and we’re back home. Naiinis pa rin ako sa nangyari last time kaya hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko pinapansin si Dr. Ricaforte. Though, I always notice how attentive he has become when I’m around.

Pansin ko ang madalas niyang pag-sulyap sa akin kapag magkakasalubong kami sa bahay; kapag nasa dining room siya at kukuha ako ng tubig, at kapag nasa living area ako at pupunta siya ng kitchen. Ganoon ang naging setup naming dalawa for the past few days after we came back from our honeymoon.

But I know na hindi dapat ganito. Alam kong inis ako but I should prioritize my mission.

Bumuntong hininga ako nang hindi na talaga mapakali. Kaya naman nang matapos ang lahat ng meetings ko for the morning schedule, mabilis akong umalis at nag-drive papunta sa FUMC.

I smile at everyone as I walk inside the hospital. May dala pa akong healthy sandwiches for my husband’s fellow residents and seniors. I talk to some of them as I give them their afternoon snacks. Hindi naman sila nahiya pa kaya kumuha na sila ng sandwiches.

“Sobrang galante naman ng asawa ni Dr. Ricaforte,” sabi noong isa habang kumukuha ng sandwich.

I laugh quietly. “I just want to appreciate all of you for taking good care of my husband. Come on, eat some more—”

“Marthania Jade Louise,” biglang putol ni Dr. Ricaforte sa akin.

I turn and meet his cold gaze. Ngumuso ako at lumapit sa kaniya. I hold his hand and smile at him.

“Are you not busy anymore, baby?” I ask him, and I hear some of the girl nurses and interns squeal in jealousy or excitement.

Mukhang kinilig sila sa approach ko kay Dr. Ricaforte. Mas lalo akong ngumisi pero nanatiling malamig ang tingin sa akin ni Zachary.

“Let’s go to my office,” aniya at tinalikuran na ako.

Kumaway ako sa mga katrabaho niya bago tuluyang sumunod sa kaniya papunta sa office niya.

The moment we step inside, there’s a mother and a young girl waiting for him. The young girl looks at me with innocent eyes. Ngumiti ako sa kaniya at kumaway pero nagtago lang siya sa likod ng mama niya.

Dr. Ricaforte turns to me.

“Can you step outside for a while? Please…” aniya.

Umiling ako.

“I want to watch you attend to the young girl, love.” Ngumuso ako.

Bumuntong hininga siya bilang pagsuko. Ngumiti ako at dumiretso na sa couch at nilapag ang dala kong snacks sa coffee table. I watch him as he attends to the young girl. Pero agad akong nainip kahit ilang minuto pa lang ang nakakalipas.

Does a checkup like this usually last for an hour or more? I don’t think I can wait that long.

Tumayo ako at lumapit sa asawa ko. His eyes, however, remain fixated on the girl’s mother as he is asking questions about the condition of her daughter.

“Love…” tawag ko sa kaniya. “Matagal pa ba?” tanong ko.

The mother and her child both turn to me but they look at my husband again when he asks them something.

Ngumuso ako. Lumapit ako kay Zachary at tumigil sa may bandang likod niya. I put my hands on his shoulders.

I want to try resting my chin on the top of his head but he’s still so tall even when already sitting. So instead of resting my chin on his head, I rest it on his shoulder instead.

I feel him stiffen a little. Tumigil siya sa pagsasalita at kitang kita ko ang hiya sa mukha ng ina ng bata. I smirk.

“What are you doing?” malamig niyang tanong sa akin.

“I’m waiting for you to finish, obviously…” I chuckle a little as I try to look at the prescription paper. May mga nakasulat na roong kung anu-ano. It’s probably medicine and whatnots.

“Are you blind? Can’t you see that I am working right now, Marthania Jade Louise?” tanong niya at sinubukang tanggalin ang kamay kong nakapatong sa balikat niya pero binalik ko lang ulit.

“I’m not blind, you silly. Of course, kitang kita ko ang ginagawa mo…” natatawa kong sambit.

“Good. So, move away from me.” Rinig ko na ang inis sa boses niya.

Umiling ako para inisin pa siya lalo.

“Marthania Jade Louise.” There’s a hint of warning tone in his voice.

“Yes, baby?” I reply, still smiling sweetly.

“Why don’t you just go back to your company and do your work? Nakakaistorbo ka sa trabaho ko,” he says, his tone, although calm and collected, is screaming indifference.

Nalaglag ang mga kamay ko mula sa kaniyang balikat. Umayos ako ng tayo at tumungo. Ramdam ko ang paggalaw niya at pagbaling sa akin pero nanatili akong nakatungo.

Bumalik ako sa couch para kuhanin ang bag ko. Pinagmasdan ko saglit ang snacks na dinala ko para sa kaniya. After a while, nagsalita ako.

“I’m sorry for disturbing your work. Uh… make sure to eat the snacks I brought you,” sabi ko na halos pabulong na lang at tuluyan nang dumiretso sa pintuan ng office niya para makalabas.

As I close the door of his office, I see his eyes watching me intently through the slight opening of the door until it finally closes. Bumuntong hininga ako para pigilan ang ngiti ko.

Seriously… who would get hurt over something so shallow? Though, I think my acting was kind of intense. He’s probably feeling guilty now that he’s hurt his wife’s feelings, hm.

I drive back to my company. And as I enter my office, I can’t help but let out my laugh.

“That was so funny!” sabi ko sa sarili habang patuloy ang pagtawa.

Natigil lang ako nang may kumatok sa pinto ng office ko. I clear my throat and I sit down on my swivel chair.

“Come in,” sabi ko sa malamig na boses.

I replace my laughing expression with a fierce one. My secretary enters with her iPad. Lumapit siya sa table ko at marahang nilapag doon ang iPad niya.

“I finished compiling all the necessary materials for your big project this year, Madam,” confident niyang sabi at ipinakita sa akin ang presentation na ginawa niya.

I scan through the presentation and then I nod.

“Send me a softcopy and a hardcopy of your presentation. I’ll look at it thoroughly later,” paalala ko.

“Noted, Madam…” aniya at lumabas na ng office ko.

Huminga ako nang malalim para pigilan ang pagtawa. That was probably the first time I laughed in my office. I am not a friendly person at work. At sa tingin ko ay mas lumala pa ang pagiging mailap at istrikta ko sa trabaho nang mamatay ang parents ko.

Maybe because my parents are my joy and now that they’re here no more, I no longer have the reason to smile even in the slightest.

Inabala ko ang sarili ko sa pagtatrabaho. I attended all my afternoon meetings with my uncle and cousin and with the rest of the board of directors’ members… except for Zachariah Ricaforte. He’s missing in action for some reason.

Tahimik akong nakikinig sa project proposal presentation nang mag-vibrate ang phone kong nasa table. All of them look at my direction. Pumikit ako saglit bago tinignan ang phone ko. It’s a message from Klaus.

All of them are waiting for me to resume the meeting. Their eyes watch me as I stand up.

“Continue the meeting without me,” sabi ko at lumabas na ako ng meeting room.

I enter my office to check my email. Binasa ko ‘yon at saglit na natulala.

I don’t know if what I just read is the truth or not, but I don’t want to believe it. That’s impossible. Kakasimula ko pa lang ay may problema na agad ako? I’m not going to have that. I will win this.

So, instead of going back to the board of directors’ meeting room and continuing the meeting, I just leave the building. Nagpaalam naman ako sa Tito at pinsan ko… pero nakaalis na ako bago ko sila sinabihan.

They are both mad, of course. I’m supposed to act as the CEO because I am, and yet here I am leaving the company in the middle of an important meeting. But I did not tell them where I’ll be going.

And I know that I have to protect my family’s legacy, but what choice do I have? Kailangan kong unahin ‘to dahil nakasalalay rito ang hustisya para sa mga magulang ko.

I grip the steering wheel hard as I drive fast. Nang makarating ako sa meeting place namin ni Klaus ay dumiretso ako sa loob ng exclusive room na pinahanda ko. I also made sure that no one suspicious is around.

Pagkapasok ko sa room ay nandoon na si Klaus, naghihintay. This is the first time I see him in person. When I told my cousin, Gil, that I’d need a bodyguard based on the U.S. Police, he was so determined to know why.

That’s why I didn’t arrange a meeting with Klaus prior to the commencement of my mission. I told him that emails and communication through disposable phones would suffice for now. And I also told Klaus that I don’t want him snitching information about my mission to my cousin or to anyone.

However, this time… I need to see him. So he can explain to me further what his email is all about.

“President,” aniya bilang pagbati sa akin.

Tumango ako at dumiretso sa upuan sa harap niya. He looks so formal yet very intimidating. I don’t know if it’s his attire but everything about him seems scary and ruthless. I had no idea American police would have someone like him as Lieutenant. Sabagay, wala rin naman akong alam sa mga ganoong bagay kaya hindi na nakakapagtaka na magugulat ako sa makikita ko.

Who knows… maybe all the police personnel in the U.S. are just like him.

I put my fear behind me as I watch him watch me sit on the chair.

“Tell me everything you know,” I command him.

I went back to my company after that spontaneous meeting with my secret detective. Wala ako sa sariling napaupo sa swivel chair. My lips form a thin line as I move the chair towards the glass wall. Huminga ako nang malalim para pakalmahin ang sarili.

Nagsisimula pa lang ako pero may problema na agad. I’m fully aware that before I start anything, I need to be cautious for a possible series of problems that could occur during my mission of investigating my parents’ death.

But I wasn’t expecting this kind of challenge.

Zachariah Ricaforte wasn’t present in all of the meetings that happened today. Klaus told me that when he was secretly tailing Zachariah today, he found him meeting with my uncle’s secretary.

Why would he meet my uncle’s secretary instead of attending the board’s meeting?

Is uncle his accomplice when he caused the accident that killed my parents?

Thinking about it… it seems impossible at first. But as I contemplated on it while driving back to the company, it doesn’t seem impossible at all. Kahit anong pilit ko na imposibleng mangyari ‘yon, alam ko rin na hindi. I just wanted to deny it because he’s my family.

Pero naalala ko bigla… noon pa man, isa na rin ang Tito sa may mga malalaking share sa kumpanya namin. And he wanted so bad to convince me to allow Gil be the President of the company while I stay being the owner and the CEO.

“Fuck…” I curse under my breath as I lean my head against the backrest of my swivel chair.

Sobrang bilis ng tibok ng puso ko dahil sa kaba at takot na totoo ang mga hinala ko ngayon. I don’t want to believe it because he’s a direct family—my father’s brother. But it doesn’t change the fact that it’s not impossible.

I can’t go home like this. Anong oras na pero nakuha ko pang bumalik dito sa kumpanya. I even forgot about my sideline mission involving Dr. Ricaforte because I was too focused on his father. Nakalimutan kong malaki rin ang parte niya sa mission ko, because I might find more evidence out of him. He’s his father’s son, after all. Maaari ring alam niya ang ginawa ng kaniyang ama.

I have a lot of enemies I have to investigate. Hindi lang dapat ako focused kay Zachariah Ricaforte. But having so many people involved in the accident will surely be fatal for the success of my mission. Iisa lang ako laban sa kanila kung sakali. If one of them finds out what I’ve been up to, I’m doomed.

I sigh as I close my eyes for a while.

I’ll just go home for now and clear my head. Dr. Ricaforte won’t be home tonight for sure because he’s busy attending to his duties as a fellow.

I didn’t park my car in the lot because I was preoccupied of everything I found out today. Kaya naman sa mismong tapat lang ng main building ko nai-park ang sasakyan ko.

The moment I step outside the building, I see a silhouette of a man standing before me but meters away from where I am standing. But I knew that built. He’s leaning against the hood of his white sedan.

Hindi nakawala sa akin ang gulat na nandito siya ngayon sa company complex ko. I thought he’d be very busy tonight. Kaya nga pinaalis niya ako kanina dahil istorbo ako sa pagtatrabaho niya. Not that I was hurt by it. However, I didn’t expect, even in the slightest, that he’d be here.

“What are you doing here, Dr. Ricaforte?” I ask him as I step forward, nearing him.

Nang tuluyan kong makita ang kabuuan niya sa liwanag ay may kung ano akong naramdaman sa loob ng tiyan ko. At first, I thought he’d lash out and get mad at me for disturbing his work back in his office at the hospital. And I was ready for it.

However, his eyes… are soft and serene against the moonlit night. I blink twice to make sure if what I’m seeing right now is real and… it is. It is real.

But… why would he—

His low yet soft voice cut off my thoughts. “I come here to pick you up,” he says. His lips form a thin line as he looks away from me; ears and neck turning red. Then he continues while still looking away from me, “And to apologize.”