CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER NINE

MASAMA ang tingin ni Victoria habang nagsasalita si Avamae. That bitch wouldn't stop talking for hours.

"You okay?" Pabulong na tanong sa kaniya ni Damon na katabi lang niya.

She simply rolled her eyes. "How could I be? I saw this conniving bitch again."

Damon slightly chuckled. "Okay naman siya, ah? I mean, I met her earlier and she seem nice."

Victoria narrowed down her eyes. "Huwag kang magpapauto sa kaniya. Alalahanin mo ang inutos ko sayo. Gawin mo iyon." Pabulog niyang sabi sa katabi.

Humarap siya kay Avamae at matamis itong nginitian. "So, Ava, when will you leave France?"

Ava smiled back. A fake one. "Maybe after three weeks? May photoshoot kasi ako dito and a fashion walk in Paris." Sagot nito na may bahid ng pagmamayabang sa tono nito.

Pasimple siyang bumaling ng tingin sa asawa na hindi manlang siya tinitignan. Nakatugon ang atensyon nito sa pagkain at halatang sarap na sarap.

Bumulong na naman si Damon. "Sino ba iyang kasama mo? It's unlike you to be with someone who's not popular or rich. Base sa mukha niyang kasama mo, mukhang hindi ito mayaman."

She looked up at Damon. Hindi pa pala nito alam na asawa ni Victoria si Noah. "He's just someone. He's an attorney."

"Just like you dad, huh?" Damon asked.

"Yeah, just like dad pero mas rich and handsome naman si daddy." Victoria defended.

"Speaking of your dad, kailan ang balik niya?"

Victoria shrugged before drinking a glass of alcohol. "Probably next month. Kasama niya si Vivienne and Kero. They'll be coming home together next month."

Damon leaned in on the chair. "Does he know? That you're married?"

Natigilan si Victoria sa tanong ni Damon. "I-I'm not married!" Uminom muli ito ng alcohol.

Damon looked at her flatly. "Come on, you can tell me the truth. Although sinabi na sa akin ni Asher. Thouhh hindi ko pa kilala kung sino ang asaw mo. But judging from now, I assume Noah is your husband? Hindi ikaw yung tipong taong basta basta nalang makikipagdinner sa iba."

Victoria rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'm married but don't tell anyone else. Noah and I agreed to keep this little marriage a secret."

Damon stared at her intently. "Arranged marriage?"

Victoria nodded earnestly. "Yeah.."

Damon sighed in relief. "Thank god." Sambit nito.

Kumunot ang noo ni Victoria. "Wy do you sounded so relieved?"

Damon grinned. "Oh, nothing."

Victoria didn't answer and unconcsiously looked at her husband who's quietly eating.

He's ugly. That's a fact. Although sabi ni Aqua ay gwapo ito pero para kay Victoria, pangit ang asawa.

Though she can't understand him. Hindi niya maintindihan kung bakit tuwang-tuwa ito nang makarating ng ibang bansa. She's used to this experience. Like, she can travel the whole world in just a year. She's that rich.

She just can't understand why he's so happy with just a simple experience. It's just travelling but why is he so happy?

Noong una siyang makalapag sa ibang bansa, she didn't feel anything. She wasn't happy nor sad. She just couldn't feel anything at all.

Natigilan si Victoria sa naisip.

She told Noah that she's happy with her life..

But is she really?

She has the money, fame and beauty. That's happiness for her. But what is happiness to others?

Kung sasabihin ng iba na kasiyahan ang pagmamahal, then that's bullshit. Hindi naman nakakain ang pagmamahal na iyan. Hindi iyan bubuhay sa iyo. You buy everything using money. You buy everything you want and that makes you happy.

—Atleast, that's what Victoria thinks.

Pero para kaya sa asawa niya, ano ang kahulugan ng kasiyahan?

Somehow, Victoria wants to experience happiness the way Noah feels it.

Happiness...when can she experience real happiness?

"Earth to Victoria." Damon called while waving his hands infront of her.

Sumimangot siya. "Ano?"

Using his lips, he pointed towards Avamae who's casually talking to her husband. "Wanna do something about that?"

Kumunot ang noo niya at halatang naguluhan sa tanong ng kasama. "What do you mean?"

"Don't you feel jealous? Avamae is talking and laughing with your husband." Ani Damon.

Victoria frowned. "Ano naman ngayon? I mean, Noah and I aren't in a relationship, romantically. I don't have feelings for him and I'm sure he feels the same way."

Damon sighed. "He's your husband. Marami pa kayong gagawin ng magkasama. There will be time where you two could get to know each other and time will come where you'll suddenly realize that you love him."

Victoria cringed. "I don't do love, Damon. It's a waste of time. Why would I fall inlove when I'm contented with what I am now? At tsaka, hindi ko type si Noah." Pabulong niyang sabi.

Hinihiling nalang niya na sana hindi marinig ng asawa ang pinaguusapan nila ni Damon.

Damon shrugged. "Malay natin. Baka sa susunod, patay na patay ka na kay Noah."

Victoria cringed again. She has never ever in her life, fallen inlove. Siguro sa sarili niya, oo. Pero sa ibang tao? Nopes. She's too busy to fall in love.

Kung dadating man ang panahon na mainlove siya, it will definitely not with Noah because he's too ugly for her and mataas ang standards niya sa lalake.

She stared intently at her husband who's laughing with Avamae. Kapagkuwan ay nagpaalam ito para magcr. "I'll just go to the restroom. Excuse me." Anito at umalis.

Damon stood up too. "I'll go to the restroom as well." and he left.

Naiwan sila ni Avamae sa table. As soon as the two left, Ava's sweet smile faded and raised her right eyebrow habang mataray itong nakatingin kay Victoria.

"What the hell do you want?" Victoria asked.

Umiling si Avamae at simimsim ng wine. "Nothing. Just to make it clear, hindi ko inaagaw si Noah sayo. He's just a passing fancy—"

"What?" Victoria asked. "Ulitin mo nga ulit yung sinabi mo?"

"I said, hindi ko siya inaagaw sayo. He's just my passing fancy." Ulit ni Avamae.

Victoria crossed her arms. Her blood is starting to boil. "So you're using him." It wasn't a question, more like a statement.

Avamae grinned. "Partly. I mean, ano bang maigagamit ko sa kaniya? His body?" Ava scoffed. "He's not my type. His riches?" Mapakla itong tumawa. "Oh please, mas mayaman ako sa kaniya."

"But you're using him." Victoria uttered with her legs crossed.

Avamae sighed heavily. "I was just bored. I was alone at the airport nang nakita ko siya. So I thought, 'why not play with him a little?' That man has always had a crush on me. Panigurado ay hindi ako kayang tanggihan niyan."

Humigpit ang hawak ni Victoria sa wine glass na hawak. "You're taking advantage of his feelings for you?"

Avamae shrugged. "Noah has always been weak to his emotions. In short, madali siyang mauto." Tumawa ito na para bang nanlalait.

"He's so insecure about himself. Always gloomy and boring. I want to play with him and maybe hurt him a little. Para naman hindi na boring ang buhay niya." Avamae teased.

Dahil sa sinabi ng kaharap, hindi na napigilan ni Victoria ang sarili at binuhusan si Avamae ng wine sa mukha at tinapunan ng pasta sa ulo.

She then stood up and smashed her hands on the table creating a loud noise. She then whispered, "you are a disgusting little bitch. I hope you had fun playing your own dirty little game. Toying with someone weaker than you...you deserve to go to hell."

Aniya at akmang lalabas nang dumating sina Damon at Noah nang sabay. "What's happening here?" Damon asked.

Nasa likod lang nito si Noah na talagang tinulungan pang tanggalin ang mga pasta na nagkalat sa ulo ni Avamae.

And that pissed her off.

She held Noah's hand and stopped him. "Can you, for once, stop being the nice guy?! She had been playing with you." Victoria yelled.

Avamae was sobbing habang nandidiring inaalis ang mga pasta sa ulo.

Naiiyak na tumingala ito sa kaniya at nagsalita, "you are the one to talk! You keep telling me I'm a bitch pero mas masahol ka pa sa akin. Sa tingin mo hindi ko alam ang tinatago mo? I know that you also like to play around at dahil bored ka, si Noah ang napili mong paglaruan. You are after all, a spoiled ass bitch. Playing dirty while being the bitch is what makes you happy." She shouted and stormed off.

Akmang susundan pa talaga ito ni Noah nang pigilan ito ni Damon. "Ako na ang susunod sa kaniya." He glanced at Victoria. "You two need to talk." He said before walking out the restaurant.

"Mon Dieu! You created a mess on my restaurant. Leave!" Galit na sigaw ng manager at hinila sila ni Noah palabas ng restaurant.

Seryosong tumingin sa kaniya si Noah. "What happened?" naguguluhang tanong nito.

Victoria heaved a deep sigh. "Alam mo, for an attorney, you are a dumb one. Hindi mo ba napapansin na Avamae is toying with you since from the start?" Mataray na tanong ni Victoria.

Noah crossed his arms. "Alam ko. I knew since from the start."

Victoria stilled and with wide eyes she asked, "alam mo naman pala. But why did you play dumb? And how did you know?"

"During college days, Avamae used to bully me a lot. No day passed where she didn't bully me. My college life was hellish because of her. Nang makita ko siya sa airport, I realized that she has something wicked upon her sleeves. Alam kong paglalaruan na naman niya ako katulad ng ginawa niya sa akin noong college kami."

Nagpapadyak na sumigaw si Victoria. "Then why didn't you say anything?! Bakit nagbubulag-bulagan ka?"

"Because I'm weak. I'm the frail Noah she knew from college and I will always stay that way. There's no use for me to fight back." Depensa ni Noah.

"You're an attorney. You defend people but why can't you defend for yourself?" Victoria asked.

Noah shrugged. "Maybe because I don't care about myself as much as I care about others." Simpleng sagot nito.

And from that, Victoria knew something about Noah.

He loves people. He cares about them but he doesn't care about himself.

Kaya siguro ganun nalang ang tuwa nito nang makaabot ito sa France. Pangarap nito ang makapunta sa ibang bansa pero dahil mas inuuna nito ang mga magulang, hindi nito natutupad ang mga pangarap nito.

He puts others first before himself.

But he's too weak. Emotionally.

Napakurap-kurap si Victoria at luminga-linga.

Wala na ang asawa. Mukhang nauna na ito sa hotel nila.

Victoria heaved a deep sigh before walking. Tatawagin sana niya ang driver nila para magpahatid but she's too drunk. Naparami yata siya ng inom ng alcohol kanina.

Ngayon lang niya nararamdaman ang epekto ng alak sa sistema niya. She's slowly getting fuzzy and her visions becomes blurry.

Tahimik lang siyang naglalakad hanggang sa may tatlong lalake ang tumigil sa harap niya.

"Aujourd'hui est un jour de chance!" Anang isang lalake na ang ibig sabihin ay 'Today is a lucky day!'

"Yeah, we caught a sexy girl." Ngising sambit ng isang lalake.

Victoria doesn't know what to do. Nasa katinuan pa naman ang isip niya at nakakapaglakad at isip pa siya. So she did the thing she thinks is right.

Hindi niya pinansin ang tatlo at nagpatuloy sa paglalakad at akmang kukunin ang phone para tawagan si Noah nang hablutin ng isa sa lalake ang kamay niya para mahulog ang cellphone.

"Where are you going? We'll have a good time, I promise." The man smirked.

Victoria frowned and kicked the man's groin and ran as fast as she can. The three ran to catch her and was quick to pick up their pace.

"Ugh.." she grunted and stopped dahil napagod siya.

Nang makalapit ang tatlo, unti-unti siyang naglalakad palayo pero tumama ang likod niya sa isang lalake at hinawakan ang dalawang kamay.

Nagpupumiglas siya at sumigaw. "Help!" She shouted.

The other man touched her waist while the other squeezed her butt that alarmed Victoria.

"Stop touching me!" Sigaw niya at patuloy sa pagpupumiglas.

Patuloy siya sa pagsigaw at pagpipiglas hanggang sa bigla nalang humandusay ang tatlo sa sahig.

She looked up and saw Damon breathing heavily.

Doon umiyak nang malakas si Victoria. She was so damn scared to death. She was violated and all she could do is cry.

Hinubad ni Damon ang coat nito at sinuot sa kaniya. "Let's get you home." Aniya at giniya siya papunta sa kotse nito.

She's really thankful that Damon came into the picture. Kung wala ito, baka napagsamantalahan na siya.

And as the ride goes on, she wonders, nasaan na kaya si Noah?