Chapter Forty Two

She tightly closed her eyes and savoured the sweetness of that kiss. Xander's kiss was passionate and hungry, na para bang isang disyertong uhaw sa ulan.

She couldn't supress a moan escape from her throat, ganoon din ang mga luhang kusang dumaloy mula sa kanyang mga mata. Those tears were not tears of sadness but tears of overwhelming longing. Kaytagal niyang inasam na muling makulong sa mga bisig nito. May mga pagkakataon na nagsisimula siyang magtanong kung muli pa ba niyang mararamdaman ang pagmamahal ng asawa? Times when she was losing hope, lalo na kapag nakikita niyang tila mas may tiwala ito kay Frances kaysa sa kanya.

Sa kabila ng pagluha ay kusang tumugon ang mga labi niya sa halik na iyon. She brought her arms around his neck and clung there as if her whole life depended on it.

Hindi nagtagal ay inilayo ni Xander ang mukha mula sa kanya. She wanted to protest! She didn't want this moment to end.

Unti-unti niyang iminulat ang mga mata and saw Xander's eyes raking her with passion still burning in them.

Tumaas bumaba ang dibdib nito marahil ay mula sa pinipigil na bugso ng damdamin.

"Beatrix..."

Xander never took his gaze off her. And shame on her because the memories of the passionate nights they shared together instantly crossed her mind. Napako ang paningin niya sa mga labi nitong bahagya pang namumula, dala ng halik na iyon. Her mind painted a vivid picture of how those lips trailed and tasted every inch of her body once not so long ago. Pinamulahan siya agad ng mukha sa naisip.

"you're acting like a virgin, sweetheart"

Disimulado niyang ipinilig ang ulo. "M-mauuna na ako sa loob"

"wait" mabilis siyang muling kinabig nito palapit sa sarili. "I still don't know who you are exactly, Beatrix Luna Montecillo" he took one of her hands and placed it on top of his chest, sa tapat ng puso nito "...but how do I explain this? Please enlighten me..."

Ilang ulit siyang kumurap habang dinama ng palad ang nagwawalang pagtibok ng puso ni Xander. She lifted her eyes to look at him. Nakatunghay ito sa kanya, puno ng pinaghalong tanong at pagnanasa ang mga mata.

She cleared her throat. "I'm honored I make your heart beat like crazy, Mr. de Silva" she said in a teasing tone.

He chuckled and pulled her even closer to him "I want you Beatrix. That one thing is clear. How my body reacts to you is undeniable"

Her eyes went round when she felt that hard thing poking against her stomach. Kahit pa nasa ilalim sila ng tubig ay ramdam niya ang reaksyon ng katawan nito.

"Y-you need to remember me first, Xander...bago...bago tayo mag..." nauutal na aniya.

"mag?..." untag nito sa sinasabi niyang hindi niya maituloy. Mas lalo pang lumagkit ang tingin nito sa kanya, obviously taunting and seducing her. She inhaled sharply dahil pagdating kay Xander ay parang zero defenses yata siya!

"Ay! Sorry po ma'am!" napataas kaysa sa normal ang tinig ni Manag Iska na nagulat sa nadatnang eksena sa pagitan nila ni Xander.

Napapahiyang itinulak niya palayo sa kanya ang binata bagaman halos hindi ito natinag sa ginawa niya.

"A-ano ho iyon, Manang?" she asked. Nakatalikod ang kasambahay sa kanila.

"K-kuwan ho kase...may bisita ho kayo Ma'am"

She frowned. Bisita? She wasn't expecting anyone.

"S-sige ho. Susunod na ho ako" She gave Xander an embarassed look before swimming away.

*******

"Bea!" Daniel quickly stood up when he saw her.

"Daniel!" she said surprised "how did you know I'm here? Ano'ng ginagawa mo rito?"

"Well, I called Mico and he said you came home..so.." inilahad nito ang dalawang kamay at sinabayan ng malapad na ngiti. Dinampot nito ang pumpon ng bulaklak at lumapit sa kanya upang iabot iyon.

"T-thanks" alanganin niyang tinanggap ang bouquet. "M-maupo ka muna, magbibihis lang ako" aniya. She was still wearing her robe and underneath it were her wet 2 piece swimsuit. Ang buhok niya ay nakabalot pa ng tuwalya dahil tumatagktak pa iyon sa pagka basa.

"Sure".

Matapos makapag shower at makapagpalit ng damit ay muli siyang bumaba sa living room upang harapin ang bisita. Nanlaki ang mata niya ng matanaw na naroon din si Xander, nakaupo ito sa katapat na upuan ni Daniel. Nakapaligo at nakapagpalit na rin ito ng damit. His legs were crossed at ang isang kamay nito ay nakadako sa gilid ng noo nito, na para bang nasa isang malalim na pag-iisip.

"S-sorry to keep you waiting" alanganing wika niya kay Daniel. Naupo siya sa pang dalawahang upuan sa gilid nito.

"No worries. You are always worth waiting for, Bea"

She saw Xander's brows arched up. He didn't say anything, but his lips were pursed together.

She faked a laugh "ikaw talaga, Dan"

"I missed you, you know that" Daniel glanced at Xander bago siya muling tinignan "Can we talk somewhere in private?"

Xander chuckled irritatedly "ano ka ba ni Beatrix?"

"I'm her fianceé"naghahamong tugon ni Daniel.

"Daniel!" she protested. Nag aalala niyang sinulyapan si Xander. His expression didn't change. Kalmado pa rin ito bagaman nasa mga mata ang hindi niya maipaliwanag na tila nagbabadyang panganib.

"Bakit Bea? Don't tell me you're still staying with him kahit pa hindi ka maalala ng lalaking 'yan?" may hinanakit sa tinig nito.

Beatrix stood up at walang paalam na hinila si Daniel palabas ng living room. Nagpatiubaya naman ang lalaki.

*******

Sinundan ng tingin ni Xander ang dalawa habang palabas ang mga ito ng salas. He can't fucking understand himself kung bakit naiinis siya sa bisita ni Beatrix. He somehow feels possessive towards the woman for reasons still unknown to him! Dahil lang ba ito sa pinagsaluhan nilang halik kanina? All his life, countless women came and go, at ni minsan ay hindi niya matandaang nakaradaman siya ng pagka possessive ni isa man sa mga ito.

Beatrix intrigues her, at matapos ang halik na pinagsaluhan nila kanina ay nasisiguro niyang hindi ito isa lamang kaibigan sa buhay niya.

He stood up from his seat, intending to follow the two.

"Just what are you doing, Dan?!" narinig niyang angil ni Beatrix sa kausap.

Hindi niya ugaling makinig sa usapan ng iba but his curiosity go the best of him. Huminto siya sa parteng iyon ng bahay kung saan malapit sa French door leading to the garden. Nasulyapan niya ang mga itong nakatayo sa hindi kalayuan.

"Kailan ka ba magigising sa kahibangan mo Bea? First, he betrayed you and now he couldn't even remember you! At nalimutan mo na ba ang dokumentong ibinigay ko sa iyo? He is using you!"

"You don't know anything Daniel, so please..." may pakiusap sa tinig ni Beatrix

"Ano pa ba ang kailangan mong i-give up para sa Xander na 'yan?! Your career was done because of him! You're young! Think about it" the man grabbed Beatrix's shoulders "You and I belong together Bea. You know I won't ever hurt you, and you know I love Mico as my own"

Banayad na inalis ni Beatrix ang mga kamay ng lalaki sa kanya "I'm sorry Dan. Please forgive me, when I agreed to marry you, I thought I was completely over him...ang akala ko kaya kitang matutunang mahalin..." banayad itong umiling "...but I still love him, Dan. It was him then, and still him now"

Daniel gave out an exasperated sigh. Halos sabungulin nito ang ulo sa pagkakasuklay nito sa buhok. The guy briefly turned his back on Beatrix and then with large steps went near her again.

"You and Xander, hindi kayo nababagay. Just annul the marriage! I don't even care kung ano ang nangyari sa pagitan ninyo while you're with him. I am accepting you, Bea" ginagap nito ang kamay ng dalaga.

Nag-igting ang mga bagang ni Xander sa nakitang paghawak ni Daniel sa kamay ni Beatrix. His instincts wanted him to rush towards her side and snatch her away from this man.

"Daniel please... I love my husband.." tangka nitong binawi ang kamay mula sa lalaki.

Husband? Lalong nagsalubong ang mga kilay ni Xander. He clearly heard her say 'her husband'.

"I can be so much more than that bastard, Bea!" Daniel refused to let go of Beatrix's hand, sa halip ay dumako ang mga kamay nito sa baywang ni Beatrix, forcefully pulling her towards him.

"Daniel! A-ano ba?!"

"What does he have that I don't huh?! Did you forget who was there for you and Mico all these years? It was me! I cannot let you go, Beatrix!" Bigla nitong sinunggaban ng halik sa labi ang nagulat na babae.

******

Shock was an understatement sa ginawa ni Daniel. Beatrix tried to push him as hard as she can ngunit para itong isang malaking batong hindi matinag. Sa pagkabigla niya ay hindi niya naiiwas ang mukha sa ginawa nito. Sinamantala ni Daniel ang pagkabigla niya at mahigpit na hinawakan ang mgkabilang panga niya upang hindi siya makagalaw.

"Umph!" she refused to open her mouth no matter how much Daniel tried to make her.

She managed to turn her face away somehow at mabilis na sumagap ng hangin. She could kill her friend for doing this!

"D-Daniel! A-no..ba! L-let me g-go!"

"You're mine Bea! You're-" Daniel was cut mid-sentence when a strong pair of hands grabbed him from behind. Ang sumunod na nalaman ni Beatrix ay ang pagbagsak nito sa damuhan, sapo ang dumugong ilong.

"Don't you dare touch my wife, you asshole!" nagsilabasan ang ugat sa leeg ni Xander sa galit. Muli nitong nilapitan si Daniel na hindi pa nakabawi mula sa dumapong kamao sa mukha nito.

Xander grabbed Daniel's collar at sapilitang itinayo ito at muling inundayan ng suntok sa mukha.

Beatrix was momentarily frozen, ni hindi niya nagawang awatin ang dalawang lalaki.

'Don't you dare touch my wife...'

'My wife...'

'My wife...'

Tila tumigil yata ang mundo niya sa narinig niyang sinabi ni Xander. Naalala na ba nitong siya ang asawa nito?

Nakakalokong ngumisi si Daniel sabay tulak kay Xander "Wife?! Ang lakas din ng loob mong tawaging asawa si Bea! Do you know how much she suffered because of you, you selfish jerk!" gumanti ito ng suntok kay Xander. Noon lamang tila natauhan si Beatrix. Agad siyang humarang sa dalawa.

"tama na!" sigaw niya "Daniel umalis ka na please!"

Nasa mukha ni Daniel ang matinding pagdaramdam "Go on Bea! Magpakatanga ka sa lalaking iyan. End up crying again, but this time, don't expect me to be there for you!" galit nitong pinunasan ang duguang ilong pagkatapos ay tumalikod at umalis.

Part of her couldn't help feeling sorry for Daniel. They have been friends for quite a few years already at naroon ito sa mga panahon ng kalungkutan niya. Daniel has been the father figure to Mico since they became friends.

Gusto niyang sipain ang sarili. It was all her fault! It was her fault for agreeing to marry him in the first place, thinking that she will be able to learn to love him. Ngunit hindi niya inasahan ang pagbabalik ni Xander sa buhay niya. Ni sa hinagap ay hindi niya inisip na muli pang magkakaroon ng tsansa ang pagmamahal niya para sa binata. She knows she will be hurting one of the persons she values in her life, but what else can she do when her world started to be complete when Xander was in it once again? Mali bang piliin niya ang pag-ibig niya para rito at mabuong muli ang pamilya niya?

Nagulat pa siya ng hawakan ni Xander ang braso niya at inspeksyunin siyang tila bata "are you hurt anywhere?"

Isang iling ang naging tugon ni Beatrix. Her eyes turned wide ng mapansin ang bahagyang dugo sa gilid ng labi ng asawa.

"Ikaw ang nasaktan oh! Sandali lang, I'll grab the first aid kit-"

"Are you my wife?" he asked in a cold tone na nagpatigil sa paghakbang niya.

She turned around and looked at him. His face was serious, naroon pa rin ang galit sa mga mata nito mula sa nangyari "answer me!"

Napapitlag siya sa dagundong ng tinig nito. "I thought you remembered...a-a while ago, you called me your... wife"

"That was because I overheard you and that bastard talking!" Tinawid nito ang pagitan nilang dalawa, his eyes turned into slits "So are you?! Asawa ba kita talaga?"

She gulped, trying to get rid of that invisible lump in her throat "Y-yes. I..I am your wife, Xander" kabadong tugon niya. Argh! Bahala na talaga si batman!

Xander held her chin with his thumb and index finger and made her look up, meeting his gaze "If you are, then don't let any other fucking man touch you!" madiin ang bawat katagang binitiwan nito, naniningkit pa rin ang mga mata. There was danger and warning in his voice "I don't want anyone else touching what's mine! Hindi ko man maalalang pinakasalan kita, don't do anything to tarnish the De Silva name, Ms. Montecillo. If you are indeed my wife, you are mine, and mine alone. Naiintindihan mo ba?"

Beatrix was hypnotized by those piercing set of eyes, hindi niya magawang bawiin ang paningin mula rito kahit pa yata tamaan siya ng kidlat sa oras na iyon. Sa halip na matakot siya sa ekspresyon ng mukha ng asawa at sa mga sinabi nito, ay kabaliktaran ang kanyang nadarama. She felt like she was in heaven because of what he said. Tila magandang tugtugin ang maliit na speech nito sa kanyang tainga.

A smile slowly broke on her lips at walang sabing yumakap sa binata sa pagkabigla nito. "Yes Xander. I'm yours...sa iyo lang ako...I'm your wife and nothing will ever change that" tumingala siya rito "let's give our marriage another chance, okay? I'll help you remember...Hindi ako susuko. I love you, Xander. Mahal na mahal kita..."

Hindi ito tumugon ngunit lumambot ang ekspresyon ng mukha. Maya maya ay naramdaman niya ang maingat na pagsalikop ng mga braso nito sa kanya, gently embracing her.

He kissed her forehead "what do I do with you, Beatrix?"