The Trophy Wife

One year later Perth, Scotland "Wake up, my princess." Sunod-sunod na pagyugyog sa kaniyang balikat ang nagpagising kay Stacey. "Hmmm... Anong oras na ba?" Halos hindi niya maidilat ang kaniyang mga mata sa sobrang antok. "It's five o'clock in the morning, sweetheart," sagot nito. Masuyong kinurot ni Calvin ang magkabilang pisngi ng kaniyang asawa. She hates it when he does that but he loves it the most when he sees her face acting so irritated, he finds it cute. "Stop it!" saway niya rito na hindi pa rin iminumulat ang mga mata. Sleeping is her hobby and Calvin squeezing her chicks is so annoying. She slapped him so hard trying to get rid of his goddamn hands. " I won't not until you open your eyes, stand up and go jogging with me," pilyong sabi. "But it's too early," she protested. "I don't have time later, sweetheart. I have a business meeting at nine. The weather outside is so good and it's not that cold, ice is starting to meltdown." "Okay-okay just give me a minute then," napipilitang sabi niya. Wala siyang choice kung hindi ang pagbigyan ang makulit na asawa. One week after their wedding ay lumipad sila patungong Scotland. Calvin takes over their business here. __ After an exhausting but stress-free jogging they went into a fine dining restaurant for a healthy breakfast and because of being a health-conscious nitong si Calvin ay naging malaking factor ito para maimpluwensiyahan ng husto si Stacey. "I gotta go, sweetheart. I'll pick you up at seven, let's have dinner together," paalam nito, sabay halik sa pisngi ng asawa. "Don't bother to pick me up, let's just meet halfway. I know how tiring it is at work, I don't want to give you a burden." "But it's..." She cut him off. "I insist! No more but, Mr. Adecer." Sunod-sunod ang naging tango nito. He knows her wife so well and he loves how she treated him. Manipulative but full of love and respect. He raised his hands in defeat. "Okay, just give me a ring if you're on your way to our meeting place," anito. "Yeah, sure I will," ang sagot naman niya rito sabay tango. __ Makati, Philippines "Hmm... Let me taste it." Nanunudyong napatingin si Fritz kay Arriane. He knows so well how worst his girl when it comes to cooking. After taking a little portion of meat to taste, he stopped for a while to relish the taste and to his surprise the food tasted good. Hindi makapaniwalang napatingin siya rito. " How's the taste? You like it?" May halong kaba at excitement sa mukha ni Arriane. Sunod-sunod ang pag-iling ni Fritz. "No, I don't like it, babe," maagap na sagot nito Nanlulumong napatingin siya rito ang buong akala pa naman niya ay magugustuhan nito ang kaniyang niluto. " I don't like it coz I love it, that's the right word to describe your adobo. How come na na-perfect mo ang pagluluto nito?" manghang tanong pa niya rito. Ang kaninang disappointed at malungkot na mukha ni Arriane ay napalitan ng tuwa sa mga papuring narinig mula sa nobyo. "Because I made it with love, I want to please you, honey," masuyong sabi pa niya. "Oh, how sweet of you to go out of your comfort zone and explore new things just to please me. I thought the famous Arriane Gomez didn't do stuff like this." Humahangang tingin ang ibinigay niya rito. "Hmm... Don't underestimate me, Mr. Saavedra. I can do anything for love," naghahamong sabi nito. "That's more I like it, babe. Come on I'll hug you," nakangiting sabi niya rito. Lumapit naman ito sa nobyo at nagsumiksik sa matipunong dibdib nito. "This is your reward for being such a good girl," sabi ni Fritz, sabay gawad ng masuyong halik sa labi ng nobya. "I'll prepare the table for us, let's have dinner before you leave," aya ni Arriane. "That's a good idea, I can't wait to eat your adobo," sang-ayon naman ni Fritz. "Just watch a movie then. I'll call you when I'm done," suhestiyon niya. Tango lang ang itinugon ni Fritz sabay lakad palabas ng kitchen at nagtungo sa sala. ___ He can't help but to reminisce the first day when he and Arriane met, they are both broke and in pain. Arriane breaking up her boyfriend of three years because she found out with her bare eyes that he's cheating on her. Fritz feels like dying because his one great love is marrying somebody else. They became friends where no one else can understand what they are enduring that time and the rest is history. ___ Perth, Scotland "Something's came up, we need to go back to the Philippines as soon as possible." Bungad ni Calvin sa asawa nang makauwi ng bahay, agad nitong niluwagan ang suot na necktie matapos tanggalin ang kaniyang coat at ilapag sa leather sofa. "Why? What happened?" nag-aalang tanong ni Stacey. "Dad is not in good condition, I need to take over his position before it came worst. Is it okay with you or do you want to stay here?" Biglaan ang naging desisyon ng mga board of directors ng ADECER GROUP OF COMPANIES, takot silang kapag nalaman ng mga investors na nakaratay sa ospital ngayon ang presidente ng kompanya ay magsipag withdraw ang mga ito ng kanilang kontrata sa AGC. Calvin is so worried of his father but at the same time he wants to take in consideration of what her wife would feel after telling her his decision of coming back to the Philippines. "I'll go with you, in times like this I want to support you, I am your wife and I promised to be with you through thick and thin," sinserong sabi niya. For almost one year that they've been together ipinagpasalamat ni Stacey na dumating sa buhay niya si Calvin. He's a good person, he treats her so well and she have this high respect on him. Lumapit ito sa kaniya at kinabig siya nito para yakapin. "You don't know how appreciative I am. Thank you for coming into my life," puno ng sensiridad na sabi ni Calvin. "Same here, thank you for changing me into a much better person," sagot ni Stacey. At pagkatapos niyon at marahan siyang bumitiw sa pagkakayakap ng asawa. "I think I better start packing our things." "Yeah, early in the morning the chauffeur will fetch us, our private plane is in the airport already." Sunod-sunod ang pagtango niya. Mahirap para sa kaniya ang bumalik sa sariling bansa, napakaliit ng Pilipinas para hindi magtagpo ang landas nila ng dating nobyo na si Fritz lalo pa't iisang mundo lang ang kanilang ginagalawan. God knows how hard it is for her to live far away from the man that she used to love. But, this is her faith at umaasa siyang napatawad na siya nito sa mga kasalanang nagawa niya rito. Ang iwanan ito at magpakasal sa iba ay isang malaking kasalanan. Alam niyang walang kapatawaran ang kasalanang iyon.