Scandalous Affair (Tagalog/Filipino)

Crown 6 ♛ REMAINING ANSWER

"WHAT? IKAW ANG BUYER?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong ni Kyra kay Sage habang seryosong nakatitig ito sa kanya. She could feel her blood draining from her face.

"Why else would I be here?" Sage c****d his head, but Kyra could only stare at him stupidly.

Goodness! This isn't happening!

Why would Sage want to buy their house? Hindi niya maintindihan!

Naglakad ito papunta sa kung saan at sinundan lang niya ito nang tingin hanggang sa bumalik ito sa harap niyang may hawak na papel. Hindi niya napansing may dala-dala ito kanina pagdating nito.

"Here," he said, handing her the documents. Wala sa sariling inabot niya iyon. "Read them and sign it." Then he’s walking away again.

"Teka muna, sandali." Sage turned around and her heart squirmed. She opened her mouth and closed them again when she realized she forgot what she wanted to say.

Panic settled at the pit of her stomach because what was happening to her right now was worse than stuttering. This is a mess! Everything was a big bloody mess! Konti na lang at mababaliw na siya.

Bumaba ang ulo niya sa hawak niyang papel dahil ayaw niyang makita ni Sage ang nangyayari sa kanya. She had to pull herself and gather her wits if she wants to save the fate of her family's home.

Muli siyang tumingin kay Sage at nakita niya ang iritasyon sa mukha nito. "A-ano 'to? Bakit bigla-bigla ka na lang sumusulpot dito at sasabihing bibilhin mo ang bahay namin? Sinabi ng lawyer mong bukas pa ang appointment natin?"

Sage rooted his feet to the ground as he fixed her an impatient stare. "I can change my own schedules anytime I want, Kyra, and I can't wait until tomorrow. I have plans."

At siya pa ngayon ang kailangang mag-adjust? This man could honestly be a first class arrogant. Why did she ever marry him? She’d never guess.

Dinaanan ng mga mata niya ang laman ng papel na hawak niya at maraming katanungan agad ang nabuo sa utak niya nang makita niya ang nakalagay na petsa kung kailan iyon ginawa.

She fixed Sage an accusing look. "What's this? Pinagawa mo na 'to bago ako pumunta sa banko ninyo?"

He shrugged casually as if he wasn't guilty of her charge. "I'm a businessman. I want everything ready and prepared."

Naiirita na si Kyra sa pag-uugali ng lalaking nasa harapan niya kahit na ang pakiramdam niya ngayon ay parang isang maliit na dagang nahuli ng malaking pusa. She felt encompassingly trapped.

Nahahapong napaupo siya sa upuan sa likuran niya. She was losing, alam niya iyon. She can't fight Sage, not with his money, influence, and cunning mind.

Her eyes wandered around his fingers. They were empty. He wore no ring. So what could that mean? Were they divorced? Hindi na ba sila kasal? Who ended it? Siya ba?

She sighed as she brushed her hair back from her face before turning to look up into Sage's unperturbed face. She would give anything just to know what was going inside his mind.

"Sage, bakit mo ba ginagawa 'to?"

Matagal itong nakatitig lang sa kanya. And then he put his hands inside his pockets. "Let's just say you owe me this.”

"Owe you what exactly, Sage?" tanong niya, pero nanatiling tikom ang bibig nito.

She could see there were things playing in the depths of his eyes that she couldn't decipher. Masyado iyong mabilis na nawala bago pa niya iyon makita at mapangalanan. And that's all she was getting from him. Nothing more than a cold face with a closed expression.

Kyra sighed again as she shook her head. Walang patutunguhan ang usapan nila kung palaging ganito. Sage was being evasive and domineering and her always being curious and still remain clueless.

"Alam mo kung ano sa tingin ko ang ginagawa mo? Sa totoo lang hindi kita maintindihan e. Una tinanggal mo ako sa trabaho. Pangalawa, ginigipit mo ako sa utang ng daddy ko. At ngayon, tutulungan mo akong makabayad sayo? It doesn't make sense, Sage. Kung may gusto kang ipamukha sa'kin, bakit hindi mo na lang sabihin ngayon na, para matapos na lahat ng 'to. Nang sa gano'n, hindi na tayo nag-aaksaya ng oras at panahon."

Nang sa gano'n, hindi na ito nag-aaksaya ng lakas para pahirapan siya dahil wala naman siyang maalala. Nothing about this was making sense to her. Nothing really makes sense to her anymore.

"You seem to get this wrong, Kyra." Sage cut in her thoughts, his voice hard and cold as ice chips, eyes narrowing into tiny slits. "You know you fvcking owe me, at least, this. To let me have what you took from me. And you're wrong. I'm not doing this to help you. Wala akong balak na tulungan ang isang taong hindi karapat-dapat sa tulong ko. So let's get that one straight, shall we?"

His brutal honesty rankled deep inside her. What was it that she had viciously done to deserve such unfair treatment from him? Pumatay ba siya ng tao?

Hindi na lang siya nagsalita at itinikom na lamang ni Kyra ang bibig niya. Trying to talk and reason with Sage was like talking to a wall. Hard and unmoving.

Pinagtuunan na lang niya ng pansin ang hawak niyang papeles. It was a letter of intent stating the amount of money he's willing to pay for the house, including the furniture and valuable centerpieces that would come with the house, and the lot.

Hindi na kinuwestiyon ni Kyra ang perang handa nitong ilabas sa pagbili nito ng bahay. It was rightfully reasonable and fair. Hindi lagpas sa sinabi ng attorney niya at hindi rin bababa.

What bothered her though was his condition. One condition. Na bibilhin lang nito ang bahay kung papayag siyang manatili roon at manilbihan bilang kapalit.

"You're crazy," pagak na tawa niya saka malakas na ibinagsak ang mga papel sa coffee table. "Patitirahin mo ako rito kapalit ng serbisyo ko? What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Nagkibit ito ng isang balikat saka isinandal ang balakang sa sofa. "My lawyer suggested it's a good idea instead of throwing you out."

Kyra almost gasped at the outrageous thought. Dahil hindi malayong mangyari iyon. Gano'n ito kaseryosong playasin siya sa bahay niya. So should she thank his lawyer instead for suggesting such a stupid condition?

"But if you don't like the conditions, it’s okay. I won’t be forcing you to sign anything."

Kyra could only shake her head in a mute, unbelieving gesture. Daig pa niya ang isang dagang naipit sa mouse-trap. Wala siyang kawala. Sage was tightening an invisible noose around her neck.

He had these papers drawn even before she knew he owns the bank, it’s almost as if he’s expecting her to do exactly this—sell the house. Knowing she’s running out of time, he would step up and offer to buy it and she would have no other choice but to sell it to him. At dahil desperado siya, alam nitong gagawin niya lahat maipagbili lang niya ang bahay.

Pero bakit ba ito ginagawa ni Sage? Because in her point of view, he’s proving her something. Everything looked clean and well-planned, para lang mahulog siya sa gusto nito, so he could control her. But could she let him?

Hindi.

Tiningnan niya ito at nakita niyang tahimik lang itong nakamsid sa kanya. "Kung gano'n naman pala," aniya at tumayo na rin. "I'm sorry. Pero maghahanap na lang ako ng ibang buyer na hindi ako gagawing alila sa sarili kong pamamahay."

Sage's ice cracked up. "Don't be fvcking stupid, Kyra," he gritted dangerously. "You need the money and you have no choice but to accept my offer. Or else—"

"Or else what, Sage?" she challenged. "Tinatakot mo ba ako para pumayag akong ibenta sayo ang bahay?" Lalong nagdikit ang mga labi ni Sage habang nagtatagis ang mga bagang nito.

"Alam ko ang ginagawa mo. Sinigurado mong mahuhulog ako sa patibong mo para ano? Para iparamdam sa'kin kung ga'no ako kasama? Kung ga'no kita nasaktan? Pinapahirapan mo ako dahil iniwan kita? Iyon ang gusto mo hindi ba?"

Inisang hakbang lang siya nito at mabilis nitong nahawakan ang mga braso niya. Kyra fought not to flinch from his fingers biting down her skin and willed herself to meet his angry eyes.

"Don't turn the tables on me, Kyra. Kagagawan mo lahat nang ito. Pinili mo 'to. So don't look at me like you're the one who's wounded," marahas na sabi nito bago siya nito pinakawalan.

Kyra rocked on her heels to stop herself from falling from the impact. She didn't even budge when he glared at her. "Didn't you ever wonder why bad things happen to you, Kyra? Because you deserve them. Oh, yeah, what do they call it? Karma?" He laughed jeeringly, mocking her with his sarcasm, deliberately wounding her.

"So what really happened to you, Kyra, huh? What happened to that obsessed Italian chef-wanna-be who likes to make a fool out of himself for you? Kung iyon naman pala ang hinahanap mo sa isang lalaki, sana sinabi mo na kaagad sa akin para maihanap pa kita. You could've settled with someone better than him."

Kyra suddenly felt cold. So cold she shivered beneath her sweatshirt and jeans. Hindi niya alam kung dahil iyon sa nalaman niya o sa paraan ng pagkakasabi ni Sage na handa itong ihanap siya ng ipapalit niya sa rito. He made it sound like she cheated on him and only confirmed one of her fear—that she made a mess of their marriage. And what's worst was, she actually felt guilty.

"So, where is he?" muling tanong nito. "Hindi ba niya tinupad ang pangako niya sayong five-star hotel at restaurant sa gitna ng Italya? Tell me Kyra," he paused for a moment before slowly said, "Why are you working on that tacky bar last night when you should’ve been running that fantasy hotel of yours? Hmm?"

"Hindi ko alam! Hindi ko maalala..." Hindi na nakayanan ni Kyra ang mga naririnig niya at ang unti-unting pagdagan ng kung anong mabigat sa dibdib niya. But Sage kept on beating her with his sadistic words.

"You don't really remember? Or you mean you don't want to remember?"

"Hindi ko alam ang mga sinasabi mo! And I'm not arguing my condition to you." Napahilamos siya ng mukha niya dahil naguguluhan siya. Hindi niya maalala ang lalaking sinasabi ni Sage, but God help her... she knows he was telling the truth.

"Very well then. I'm not in the mood to listen anyway." Narinig niyang sabi ni Sage. "But I'm warning you, Kyra. 'Wag kong malalamang bumalik ka sa bar na iyon."

Napamaang siya rito. "What?" Was he kidding her? Does he really want to have that satisfaction to control her life?

"Don't patronize me. Babalik ako at gagawin ko kung ano ang gusto ko at wala ka ng pakialam doon!"

Anger tighten his jaw. "Ayokong bumalik ka doon."

Her heart thudded against her chest before it soared up high. "Bakit? Ano ba’ng pakialam mo?"

Dahil asawa mo pa rin ako?

"Because no woman in her fvcking right mind would want to put her life in danger like that," sagot nito at mabilis niyang sinalo ang puso niya bago pa iyon mabasag ng tuluyan. "Gusto mo ba talagang mabastos ng gano'n?"

Naikuyom niya ang mga palad niya dahil sa galit. He was basically insulting her and Danrick's business. How dare him look down on them with his arrogant nose? Kung sa una palang ito na ang dahilan kaya siya naroon. What does that say for himself?

"My hands were tied," she forced out when she had her emotions under her rein. "Iyon lang ang trabahong kaya akong tanggapin at sa totoo lang, wala akong pakialam sa opinyon mo. So just keep it on yourself. Kaya ko ang sarili ko."

Hindi niya kailangan ang isang katulad nitong mapangmata, arogante, mayabang, walang puso at higit sa lahat, hindi niya kailangan ng asawang hindi niya matandaan at maalala. Nabuhay siya ng dalawang taong wala ito sa buhay niya. Mas lalo lang naging komplikado ang lahat simula no'ng araw na nagkrus ang landas nila.

"Do it, Kyra. Or find another job," pagpupumilit pa nito.

Umiling siya. "I can't."

His nose flared. "Then you're not coming back into that—"

"Tama na!" sigaw niya. "Sa tingin mo ba hindi ko sinubukan? Do you have any idea how it feels waiting for a call that you know would never come and yet you still hoped? I was in a desperate need, at dahil sayo iyon! At wala akong magawa dahil sa pesteng—" Kinagat niya ang labi niya nang kumibot iyon. Umiinit ang sulok ng mata niya at kapag hindi siya tumigil, lalo lang niyang ipapahiya ang sarili niya.

"Tiningnan mo man lang ba ang credentials ko bago mo ako tinanggal sa trabaho?" Dahil kung sinilip man lang nito iyon, siguro nakita nito ang dahilan kung bakit hindi siya makahanap ng matinong trabaho, kung bakit walang gustong tumanggap sa kanya dahil sa kalagayan niya.

But obviously, he didn't because he just didn't care. Ang gusto lang nito ay ang pahirapan siya at parusahan. Ang dali lang para rito na takutin siya, gipitin siya, paikutin siya, at pilitin siya. She lived with fear for far too long and she even faced death.

Does she deserve this?

Kumawala ang isang malalim na hining sa dibdib niya habang pinipilit niyang isaayos ang damdamin niya bago muling hinarap ang lalaking nagpapabigat ng kalooban niya.

"Ano ba’ng kailangan mo sa akin, Sage?" she asked warily, resignation heavy on her voice. She felt battered.

Sage just stared at her for an entire minute with a deadpan and stone face, not betraying a single emotion in him.

"Fine," he muttered then. And Kyra didn't know if she could take a breath then or hold it still.

"I'll give you time to decide, but you have until midnight, Kyra. If you fail to give my lawyer an answer then prepare to lose everything. And while you make your decision, just remember I'm not going to give you the same offer twice."

Kyra just watched him go, walk out the door and leave. But minutes had passed and she still didn't feel a bit relieved.

KYRA WOKE and the darkness and stillness of the middle of the night greeted her in an eerie silence. A cold liquid rolled down her eyes and another before she wiped it with a trembling hand.

Huminga siya ng malalim at kinastigo ang bugso ng damdamin niya. She rubbed a palm over her chest and settled it there. But she just couldn't stop it. Nasasaktan pa rin siya. Parang iniipit pa rin ang dibdib niya.

Umiiyak siya kanina. She's been crying while asleep, at dahil iyon sa panaginip niya.

It was the first time she dreamed about it again since that day she woke up from her long slumber. And all that deep sorrow, sadness, and desolation slammed back into her again, crushing her with a force that almost broke her heart all over again.

She closed her eyes and a single tear slipped from her eyes again as she thought of her dream. May hinahanap siya. Hindi niya alam kung ano iyon, pero alam niyang mahalaga sa kanya ang hinahanap niya.

She was sobbing in her sleep, crying in her dreams, desperately searching for what she’d lost. She just wants it back. And it wasn't even something. Para iyong hangin. Hindi nakikita ng mata ngunit nararamdaman. It was intangible. Abstract. Yet very powerful. It’s something she couldn't live without.

But she lost it. And now, she couldn't find it... and couldn't have again.

Pero ang kaibahan sa noon at sa ngayon... alam na ni Kyra ngayon kung ano ang nawala niya. And it has something to do with Sage.

It was him who triggered that dream. And Kyra believes that Sage could trigger more than just a dream. He could bring her the memories she can't remember, the life that her mind scratched out. He can solve the puzzle—no—he is the missing puzzle.

Sage is her remaining answer.

Kyra swallowed her doubts as she reached for the papers she threw in the bin after Sage left. Maybe she could be doing a wrong decision, or worse. Perhaps she's just too emotional it was influencing her judgment right now. Siguro nga mali na pumayag sa kagustuhan ni Sage at tuluyang mahulog sa patibong nito.

But she just doesn't care anymore.

Gusto lang niyang makaalala. Gusto niyang maalala kung ano ang hindi niya maalala. Gusto niyang malaman kung ano ang nangyari sa kanila ni Sage. Kung sino ang lalaking binanggit nito kanina. Kung bakit ito galit sa kanya.

Gusto niyang bumalik ang buhay na nawala sa kanya. She's tired of living like a blank paper. Empty and dotless. Napapagod na siyang palaging nakatingin sa likuran niya at walang makita kun'di puro agam-agam at mga katanungang walang kasagutan.

Sa isang buntong-hininga ay pinulot niya ang ballpen sa study table niya at mabilis na pinirmahan ang pangalan sa papel at kasunod ang thumb mark niya. Signed and sealed.

Just like her fate.