PASSIONATE DECEPTION

CHAPTER 7

SINFUL CEOS SERIES: BOOK 5

PASSIONATE DECEPTION

Doukas Damarcus

Chapter 7

“DAD DOESN'T want me to have any connections with you anymore and the Damarcuses after... after they found out your father's scandal of having a mistress.”

Atty. Sabina Vidales, the woman he used to know who doesn't appear stricken in whatever circumstances she's into yet at that very moment, she could not even lift her gaze nor look at Doukas’ eyes.

Hindi man sabihin ng babae ay nakakadama ito ng tension at kakatwang fright dahil sa ilang minutong pananahimik ni Doukas sa tabi nito.

Doukas remained dangerously silent for about fifteen seconds but his silence could make anyone tremble and run on their heels if they stayed in one room with him habang nasa ganoong estado siya.

He squeezed his hands into fists while he was trying his damn best to control the rage swarming in his every nerve endings. At least at that moment, the only thing he doesn't want to happen is to scare Sabina away. It wasn't practical and would not help to let of steam the situation if he would let anger took over his senses.

“You are the second person who told me the same bullshit today, Sabina. You arrived unannounced for that matter. Then it must be really bothering you.” He managed to speak but his voice turned out gravelly, low and rough.

Wordlessly, Doukas stood up from the visitor's couch and left Sabina before he reached for his executive chair and sat back there, trying to trust his messy brain to think any coherent words that would lessen the tension in the atmosphere.

Samantalang si Sabina ay kabadong pinapanood si Doukas habang disimuladong gumagalaw hanggang sa nagsindi ito ng sigarilyo. That made the woman’s face grimaced in aversion. Isa ang paninigarilyo ni Doukas sa palaging pinupulot na rason ni Sabina noong bago pa lamang silang magkasintahan na palaging nauuwi sa maliit nilang pagtatalo.

Ngunit habang tumatagal ang kanilang relasyon ay napag-aralan naman ni Doukas na dahan-dahan na iwan ang bisyo na iyon. But seeing him smoking again right in front of her, made Sabina doubt if he really learnt to stop smoking. O marahil ay itinatago lang nito sa kanya.

“Ang sabi mo’y hindi ka na naninigarilyo.” Sabina fumed through a tight voice. Her eyes squinted into Doukas’ direction before frowning at him.

“Of all the things we should be discussing by now, smoking is the last thing you should point out to me, Sabina.” He said, his face grim as he was popping from his cigar then blew the smoke in unhurried manner.

Sabina just sighed in resignation, na tila ba wala nga itong baon na lakas upang makipagtalo. But it appears to him that she went there not to make a fight with him but to end everything between them. Douke didn't even see it coming. He can not believe that Sabina chose to give up on him sa mga oras pa na kailangan niya ng karamay at kailangan niya ng taong makikinig sa kanya. Be damned!

“Everything makes sense to me now.” Suddenly he spoke using a toneless voice. Sinalo ni Sabina ang mabigat niyang titig sa babae.

Doukas could not figure out how much prowess she had to gathered before deciding to see him in his office and trumped a heavy conversation like that with him.

“This might be the reason why you've been cold to me since you left for California for a short vacation as what you have told me. Or should I say an excuse. Sa lahat ng tawag ko’y, kung hindi ako nagkakamali ay apat na beses mo lang nagawang sagutin and all of those times you were always in a hurry. Iyon pala ay iniiwasan mo na ako, Sabina.” Doukas ratified his words.

Ang pag-iwas nito ng tingin ay isang confirmation lamang na tama siya. Doukas made a dry and humourless chuckle as he muttered profanities in Italian under his breath.

“Gusto ko lang na intindihin mo rin ang side ko, Duke. This isn't easy for me, too.” Sabina said while looking down at her hands above her lap. “Alam mo ang obsession ng parents ko pagdating sa iniingatang imahen ng pangalan namin sa lipunan.”

“And it would ruin your goddamn reputation if you accept my marriage proposal, is that what you like to say, Sabina?” He challenged her.

“Hindi ba ganoon na nga mismo ang mangyayari, Duke?” Matapang na sinalubong ni Sabina ang kanyang mga mata. “Our love will never save all of us from the chagrin your parents brought up to us. Masisira at masisira tayo sa mata ng publiko. First is your psycho mother and now your father who's keeping a young mistress...”

“Stai zitto, il moroso.” His thick and rough Italian accent snappily rushed out from his mouth as he strode towards Sabina again.

(Translation: Shut up, sweetheart!)

His vision seemed darken because of fury. Wala sa loob na dinaklut ni Doukas ang braso ni Sabina at hinila ito patayo. Unaware that he was already scaring her. “My mother is not a damn psycho, Sabina. She is just headed towards depression because—”

“Duke, let me go.” Sabina uttered in her brittle tone, dread was in her eyes. Nang mapuna iyon ni Doukas ay saka ito nagpasyang umatras.

“Goddammit!” He fussed as he released Sabina’s arm in a not-so-gentle way.

This is so not happening! The repose life he has suddenly became worse and messy just because of his father and his mistress! Tama nga si Sabina. Kahiya-hiya itong inakyat na problema ng kanyang ama hindi lang sa kanilang pamilya kundi sa kanilang lahat. Higit lalo na sa kanyang ina na nawala pa sa katinuan dahil sa kabulastugan ng kanyang ama.

For him, it's hardly to believe that his father would chose to be selfish and mind his own happiness kapalit ng katahimikan ng kanilang pamilya. That is so damn unforgivable and there he was, mahabang panahon siyang walang nalalaman na matagal na palang sira ang pamilyang akala niya ay perpekto. Little did he knows that there's a woman appeared into their lives and ruined everything.

“I can't believe that this news still surprised you, Duke.” Salita pa ni Sabina habang si Doukas ay pabalik-balik na naglalakad sa malawak na espasyo ng executive office nito. His moves were heavy but his shoes didn't even make any noise against the ceramic floor tiles.

“I honestly don't know anything about this crap, Sabina. I did not even see any sign.” Pag-amin ni Doukas sa mabigat na tinig.

“You should believe it, Duke. Hindi lang ito isang alegasyon lang because my cousin's girlfriend happened to be one of this woman's chums. She saw that it was really your father together with his mistress when this woman threw a grand yacht party a week ago. At may ipinadala siyang ilang stolen picture sa akin.”

Mabilis na kinuha ni Sabina ang latest Iphone model nito sa loob ng signature bag at kaagad na ipinakita kay Doukas ang sinasabi nitong ebidensiya.

Marahas na napahagod si Doukas sa kanyang baba at hindi na hinintay pa si Sabina na ipakita pa sa kanya ang ibang litrato. Sapat nang nagmarka sa utak niya ang mukha ng babaeng sumira sa pamilya nila.

Hindi maipaliwanag ni Doukas ang mararamdaman habang hinihintay ang paglabas ni Sabina sa kanyang opisina. Hindi niya mapagpasyahan kung kikilos ba siya at pipigilan si Sabina sa pag-alis o kung mananatiling walang kibo.

Sabina is the woman he thought would be the perfect wife for him. Sa halos tatlong taon na magnobyo sila ay hindi pa sila nagkaroon ng malaking problema sa kanilang relasyon. Sabina is always been the most understanding one, the affectionate woman he ever met. Ito lang ang babaeng nakayang pagtiisan ang dominanteng personalidad ni Doukas. And she was in good terms with his parents and she was showing qualities of a woman who is a good home maker at hindi maintindihan ni Doukas kung bakit kay dali nitong makagawa ng desisyon ng mag-isa.

There was a hesitation in every steps she makes as she walked towards the door. Huminto ito bago pinihit ang door handle.

“D–duke, I am really sorry. Goodbye.” Basag ang boses nito nang sabihin ang huling mga salita na iyon bago isinara ang pinto ng opisina ni Doukas.

Doukas never felt alone and empty until this very moment. And above all, he had never felt so damaged, ngayon lang.

Lumipas ang mahabang minuto and his brain seems to stop working properly.

Doukas growled like a mad animal as he untied his necktie and threw it somewhere. Dinampot niya ang kanyang cellphone at susi bago tinungo ang pinto ng kanyang opisina.

Club Axis.

Walang ibang lugar na pumasok sa isip niya na maaari niyang puntahan maliban sa club na iyon.

Tuluy-tuloy si Doukas hanggang sa private lift, totally ignoring all his employees’ curios stares. Tila wala siyang nakikita sa kanyang paligid. And everyone must know that he obviously doesn't have any ounce of tolerance for talking to anyone who would dare to block his way. Kilalang-kilala na nga siya ng kanyang mga empleyado kaya kahit ang security guard na naroon na sa kanyang kompanya mula sa unang araw ng pag-o-operate nila ay hindi nagtangkang kausapin si Doukas.

Doukas slammed the door of his Bugatti Divo off and drove furiously. He got one unit out of forty units that the car manufacturer limitedly made. Napahampas na lamang siya sa steering wheel ng kanyang sports car nang maipit siya sa trapiko.

Halos magkasugat na ang kanyang mga kamay dahil makailang ulit niyang hinampas ang pobreng manibela while hissing random profanities both in Italian and English. Pakiramdam ni Doukas ay nasasakal siya sa loob ng kanyang sasakyan kaya naisipan niyang ibaba ang bintana.

Ngunit nang pausad na sana ang traffic ay noon tila may humila sa kanyang atensiyon at dumako ang maalab na mga ni Doukas sa isang pamilyar na pastry shop.

The patisserie that owned by his cousin, Camila Morandi– ang heart of dough pastry shop. Ngunit hindi ang pastry shop ang pumukaw sa kanyang atensiyon kundi ang babaeng nakatayo sa harapan niyon. The person who owned the face from the picture Sabina showed him back in his office less than an hour ago.

He could not be mistaken.

Pumihit ito at lalong luminaw ang mukha nito sa paningin ni Doukas. The woman seemed having a battle with her own mind. Tila may tinitimbang itong mabigat na desisyon sa isip nito like she was on the state of heart versus mind.

Doukas was not aware that he is already watching the familiar woman while rage inside his chest went palpable. He already saw red.

Napahinto sa pagninilay ang babae nang may dumaang isang mag-anak sa gilid nito na galing sa pastry shop ng kanyang pinsan. A couple together with their twin daughters. May hawak na tag-iisang cake box ang mga bata na tantiya ni Doukas ay nasa sampung gulang.

Pinanood ni Doukas kung paano nagbago ang ekspresyon sa mukha ng babae as she was watching the family at noon lalong nandilim ang paningin ni Doukas nang mahuli niya ang padre de pamilya na tinapunan ng kindat ang babaeng tinitignan niya.

Damn! This woman undeniably knows how to lure an old, married man exactly like his father. Forte na nga yata ng babaeng ito na pumatol sa may mga asawa at manira ng pamilya.

“YES, CAMILA. Everything including the cake that that woman purchased. Take it back and send her away.”

Chantara’s jaw dropped after she heard what the newly comer wanted to happen. At siya lang naman ang babaeng waiting customer na naroon kaya walang saysay kung ituturo pa niya ang kanyang sarili kung siya ba ang tinutukoy na ‘her’ ng lalaking iyon.

He even wanted to send her away like seriously?

This man is hilarious!

He might be possessing a powerful aura and looking so expensive from the tip of his dark brown hair down to the slipsole of his high cost leather shoes but who the hell is he to just demand like a king and send her away?

Aba! Customer din naman siya sa pastry shop na iyon at may pera naman siyang naibayad para sa cake na gusto niya. Ano ang problema ng lalaking ito?

“It appears to me that you are not in good shape, Duke.” Anang babae na tinawag nitong Camila. “But anyway, fine, I will send everything to your office but...” The woman paused. Lumampas ang tingin nito patungo sa kinaroroonan ni Chantara and it surprised the hell out of her when the splendid woman gave her a friendly smile.

“But you cannot have the cakes which are already paid by other customers. I don't like trouble, Duke so you better shut up, okay?”

“Cam, damn it!”

“You heard me, man. So, pumunta ka na roon sa cashier at magbayad ka. I want it all cash. Understood?”

Ang weird naman ng mga tao sa shop na iyon, anang isip ni Chantara bago siya napahalukipkip. Umayos siya at lumapit sa counter kung saan ang claiming area. Tatayo na kang siya roon habang hinihintay ang kanyang cake.

Nilingon niyang muli ang kinaroroonan ng dalawa at nakita ni Chantara na hinila sa isang sulok ng iritableng lalaki si Camila. Isang minuto ring nagtalo ang dalawa hanggang sa iniwan ng babae ang kausap nito at pumasok sa counter, ordering the shop's staffs to start packing all the cakes and yes, including the cake that she already paid.

The woman took a second to glance at Chantara and she noticed her eyes went apologetic before she entered in a room. Marahil ay office nito.

“I am sorry, ma'am but we need to give you back your money dahil iyon po ang utos ng amo namin.”

Napatanga na lamang si Chantara at tikom ang bibig na tinanggap ang pera na ibinayad niya para sana sa kanyang cake.

Nang lingunin niya ang gawi kung saan naroon ang lalaki kanina ay wala na ito roon.

Tahimik na lumabas ng patisserie si Chantara at tumayo sa isang tabi. She was still in shock as she was looking up at the shop signage kung saan nakasulat ang pangalan ng tindahan.

Heart of dough.

Parang hindi bagay sa shop ang pangalan nito, mapait na sabi ni Chantara sa kanyang isip because everyone else inside seemed heartless. Parang nagdulot pa ng kakatwang emotional damage ang ginawa ng mga ito sa kanya, sa araw pa na sana ay masaya siya.

The money that the cashier returned to her crumpled inside her fist. Tigagal siya sa nangyari sa loob. She was damn sure that she doesn't know that baleful man ngunit bakit pakiramdam niya ay matindi ang sama ng loob nito sa kanya?

Hindi maalala ni Chantara kung gaano katagal siyang nakatanga sa harapan ng pastry shop hanggang sa may pamilyar na boses ang tumawag sa kanya.