Scandalous Affair (Tagalog/Filipino)

Crown 9 ♛ PRISONER

A MOAN ESCAPED her throat from the pleasure taking over her whole world as her body danced in a sensual music that he could only create within her.

She felt like a violin and he was the bow stroking her strings, like a lover to a beloved. Every vibration, every melody that they created in unison was taking her higher and higher to a chasm of place she could only reach with him.

Her soft moans and erratic pants mingled with his deep male groan of appreciation as he moved within her, filling her with love, again and again, faster and deeper. Harder. Until that moment where she couldn't take anymore, couldn't go anywhere else but to explode into a pure bliss of pleasure and shatter into millions of pieces and disappear...

And then, there’s nothing—only a vast vision of fathomless and bottomless darkness catching her, closing her in... chocking her breath out of her. Burying her alive...

Kyra's eye flew open as she woke with a start... hurting. Napaupo siya nang mabilis dahil pakiramdam niya’y hindi siya makahinga sa sakit ng dibdib niya. Her hand gripped the sheets while the other stroked her burning chest, soothing the ache caused by her vivid dream that has started as the most beautiful dream. But ended in a heartbreaking tragedy. If only it was just a simple nightmare. But it wasn’t.

Those images of a man kissing her, undressing her with those sensual lips and hands, the sound of his deep voice whispering sensual words that were making her moan in ecstasy drove her mindless as he pleasured and worshiped her body.

Kyra knew those were her memories. She might have forgotten, but her body didn't. Kaya madalas niyang mapanaginipan iyon. Meeting Sage again made her realize that what she’d lost has been haunting her dreams—Sage's love.

What he said was right. He loved her. Adored her. And she lost it forever. He hates her now with all of him. All of he was.

Hindi ba't iyon ang sinabi nito kanina? She wasted his love and left him. Niloko niya si Sage at ginago. So what else does she expect other than his wrath for what she did?

Ilang beses siyang huminga nang malalim upang ibsan ang mahapding kirot sa ilalim ng puso niya. Siguro’y iyon ang dahilan kung bakit hindi niya maalala ang nakaraan niya at ang tungkol kay Sage. Dahil hindi niya matanggap ang ginawa niyang kasalanan rito. Maybe this was her karma, like what Sage had said.

Hindi ang utak niya ang ayaw umalala. It was her. She’s the one pushing her memories away. Ayaw niyang umalala dahil masakit para sa kanya ang maalala ang nawala sa kanya—ang pagmamahal ng lalaking mahal na mahal niya.

Napapikit si Kyra sa bugso ng damdaming tumupok sa kanya sa kadiliman ng silid niya. The realization was staggeringly weakening.

Oo. Mahal pa rin niya ang asawa niya kahit hindi niya ito maalala. Makalimot man ang utak niya, naroon pa rin ang nakatagong pagmamahal niya para rito, nagkukubli sa dilim. Naghihintay na dumating ang araw na muling madama at maramdaman.

At iyon mismo ang dahilan kaya siya nasasaktan ngayon. Her dream deeply hurts just as her forgotten memories do. It hurt that she lost his love. At mas nakakapanghina ang kaalamang hindi na niya mababawi iyon. Hindi na niya maibabalik ang nawala.

Kita naman niya iyon sa galit ni Sage sa kanya. At kahit hindi nito aminin sa kanya, alam at ramdam ni Kyra na gumaganti ito sa kanya.

The question now was, would she let him tear her down?

He’s practically holding her neck by the string. Kung aalis siya ngayon, pwede niyang gawin iyon. But she also knew what will happen if she did that. She could lose everything and start with nothing.

Could she live with that? Live with nothing?

Alam niyang hindi. Because living with nothing means living a life that's not worth living.

DAHIL HINDI na dalawin ng antok at hindi na ulit makatulog, naisip ni Kyra na lumabas ng kuwarto niya at magbasa ng libro. Reading help her fall asleep. Maybe it can serve its purpose now, she thought.

Pero nagsisimula nang lumiwanag ang kalangitan ay nagbabasa pa rin siya. She was oblivious of anything, she’s too engrossed with the novel she was reading that she didn't notice someone was watching her. Until she felt that prickling sensation at the back of her neck.

Umangat ang mata niya mula sa librong binabasa niya at agad na sumalubong sa kanya ang lalaking laman ng panaginip niya. Nakatayo ito sa entrada ng sala kung saan siya nagbabasa. The five o'clock shadow on his face made him look more mysterious, his jaw was even sharper, his eyes seemed to be glowing like a wolf's eye under the full moon, and his lips... he’s heart-stoppingly beautiful, in a rugged way.

Heat flooded her veins and her skin tingled secretly from the intense perusal of Sage's dark eyes on her. Seeing him in his soft blue sweatpants and the visible chest muscles and hard packs under his white vest made her throat run dry. He looked effortlessly like Hercules just by merely standing there. He's too gorgeous for a man.

Uninvitingly, her dreams swam inside her brain and she felt lost all over again from the drowning pleasure that only Sage could awaken and assuage in her. And she felt his masculinity reaching her igniting the fire in her. Her senses grew sharp and her nerves shudders because of the way he was looking at her, as though he’s virtually stripping her naked.

Kyra shifted alarmingly in her seat at the sensation awakening and clawing at the pit of her stomach. Something dangerous. Something she knew she shouldn't give into.

"H-hindi kasi ako makatulog kagabi, kaya nagbasa na lang ako," she said awkwardly when the silence lengthened unbearably, she anxiously waved the book to him.

He slowly stepped out from the shadow he was lurking into and Kyra had the chance to glimpse at his sinuous body as he walked near her.

Pigil-pigil niya ang hininga habang lumalapit ito sa kinauupuan niya hanggang sa inilayo niya ang tingin niya rito. She had to look away because she couldn't handle the tension that was gripping her body. Itinuon na lamang niya ang paningin niya sa libro niya habang pilit na pinahihinahon ang sarili.

Pero muling bumalik ang tingin niya kay Sage nang marinig niya ang malamig na boses nito.

"Yeah... I know," he said as he walked pass her in a chillingly cold shoulder, as if what she saw earlier was all in her imagination.

Her shoulder fell when the rush of disappointment swept away the heady fog she thought was surrounding them in that seconds. Mukhang sarili lang pala niya ang niloloko niya at pilit na pinapaniwala sa bagay na wala naman—bagay na matagal nang nawala.

"Lalabas ka ba?" kaswal na tanong niya habang sinusuot nito ang running shoes nito sa may pintuan.

Ewan niya, pero nang mapanaginipan niya ang bagay na iyon, parkiramdam niya hindi tama na nagagalit siya rito sa paraan ng pakikitungo nito sa kanya. It's as if she understood his anger. At tama lang na magalit ito sa kanya. He has grounds. At kahit na hindi niya matandaan ang bagay na ikinagagalit nito, ramdam niyang siya ang may kasalanan.

He stood up from bending and stretched his hands above his head, flexing those muscles on his lean back. "I'm going out for a jog," sagot nito saka binuksan ang pinto.

Kyra watched him disappear out of the door and she had a distinct feeling that her heart sank as the door shut close. Napabuntong hininga na lang siya nang mapag-isa na lang siya. The still air and soundlessness of the house never made her feel so lonely, until now.

This was the price she has to pay. Right? She earned his fury, his deep-rooted hatred towards her. At alam niyang hindi magbabago iyon hanggang hindi siya napapatawad ni Sage.

Pero paano siya hihingi ng tawad sa kasalanang hindi niya maalala? Paano niya maiintindihan ang isang bagay na hindi niya alam sa simula pa lang?

What was she thinking leaving her husband anyway? Kung mahal niya si Sage, at kung tama ang pakiramdam niya, bakit niya ito iniwan? He said he loved her, she felt it. So what went wrong?

Inis na isinara ni Kyra ang librong kanina pa niya tinititigan. She could no longer focus on what she was reading. Nagulo na ang utak niya. Umalis siya sa sofa at umakyat na lang sa kuwarto niya.

Papaakyat na ang araw at siguro ay dadalawin na siya ng antok ngayon. She put the book down the table and climbed on her bed, still thinking things that made her head ache. Things she couldn't understand. Yet.

Sa ngayon, kailangan muna niyang alalahanin ang nakaraan niya. She can't do anything right now, while she had nothing but a vague memory of the past. Hindi pa rin iyon sapat.

But at least, she could understand Sage. Kung bakit mainit ang dugo nito sa kanya, kung bakit para itong sasabog na bulkan dahil sa kanya... at wala siyang ibang magagawa kundi ang tanggapin iyon.

She could already hear her inner self shouting at her in defiance. But she closed her ears and pushed it away.

Mapapagod lang siya kung lalabanan niya si Sage. At napapagod na siyang lumaban nang mag-isa. She's been trying to survive on her own for two years. Ngayong maayos na ang ipinaglalaban niyang bahay at ari-arian ng daddy niya, she finally freed her shoulders from that big chunk she had been carrying. Ngayon, ang sarili naman niya ang pagbibigyan niya.

If she sticks with Sage, maybe she could find out her past. Hindi man siguro niya magustuhan ang nilalaman ng nakaraan niya, parte pa rin sila ng pagkatao niya. And maybe in time, Sage could forgive her. Wala namang sugat ang hindi nahihilom ng oras.

TANGHALI NA nang magising si Kyra kaya hindi na niya naabutan si Sage na pumasok sa opisina. Napakunot noo pa siya sa pagtataka nang isipin niya kung ano nga ba ang totoong trabaho nito.

He owned the biggest mall in town, and also considered the second biggest mall in the country. He manages a bank, and that alone tells her he's million miles away from her financially. Ano pa ba ang hindi niya nalalaman tungkol rito?

How ironic. Sarili niyang asawa pero hindi niya kilala.

Pagkatapos maligo ay bumaba na siya sa kusina para magluto sana. Pero nasurpresa siya sa mesang punong puno ng pagkain. She doubted if Sage cooked all of them... pero hindi pa rin niya mapigilang matuwa.

Pero agad din iyong nawala nang makita niya ang left-over ng niluto niya kagabi sa loob ng ref at hindi man lang iyon nabawasan. She recalled what Sage told her last night.

It was his favorite food, at ni minsan ay hindi niya iyon naluto sa asawa niya. It was a simple request. Then why didn't she do it? Hindi kaya napapabayaan niya ang asawa niya noon?

Nasa kalagitnaan siya ng pag-iisip nang marinig niya ang pagtunog ng telepono. Tinungo niya iyon at maagap na sinagot.

"Good afternoon, miss. Can we speak to Ms. Lagdameo? Shakyra Lagdameo," sagot ng isang babae sa kabilang linya. Nagmamadali ito na parang hinahabol na oras

"Yes, speaking. Sino po sila?"

"It's Sapphire Stone. From Kryptonite."

The phone almost slipped from her grasp when she heard the caller's name. Kausap niya mismo ang may-ari ng Kryptonite—ang isa sa mga kilalang restaurant sa lugar nila at isa sa mga hiring restaurants na dinalaw at binigyan niya ng CV habang naghahanap siya ng trabaho.

She's been praying she'd receive a call, dahil bukod sa kilala at malaking restaurant ito ay malaki ang kinikita ng mga waiter at staff nila doon, kahit iyong mga baguhan pa.

"Free ka ba ngayon?"

Nakunot ang noo ni Kyra sa tanong nito. It wasn't what she was expecting.

"Wala naman po akong gagawin ngayon..."

"Thank God..." The woman sighed with relief. "We would like to hire you formally and conduct the courtesy of the usual hiring process. But, due to unforeseen circumstances, that wouldn't be the case... anyway, you think you can start working now? As in right now?"

Nagulat si Kyra sa natanggap na balita pero mabilis siyang umoo at hindi na nagdalawang-isip pa. To think na wala man lang siyang orientation. Naisip lang niyang walang dahilan para tanggihan ang trabahong iyon. Isa pa, wala rin siyang masyadong gagawin sa bahay.

"Kaya naman po."

"Good." Saglit itong nawala at nakarinig siya ng mga galaw at sigawan na parang ang dami-daming nangyayari sa paligid.

Mayamaya ay narinig na niya itong nagsasalita. "We'll talk about the salary and all after your workload tonight, okay lang ba? In the meantime, I need you here in half an hour, tops. Earlier, much better."

Driven by thrill, Kyra didn't waste time or even pause to think. Mabilis siyang nagbihis at naghanda para lumabas ng bahay. Sinigurado din muna niyang maayos ang bahay bago umalis.

She still needs money. Hindi naman siya babayaran ni Sage sa paglilinis niya ng bahay at pagluluto, ayon sa kontratang pinirmahan niya. Besides, wala silang usapan na hindi siya pwedeng magtrabaho. And more than money, she's doing this for herself. Cooking and restaurants are one of the few things that are closest to her heart and she doesn't want to lose it too, just as she lost someone she loved—and still does.

PARANG ISANG fiesta ang nadatnan ni Kyra sa pagdating niya kanina. Kaya pala gano'n na lang ang pangangailangan nila ng staff. May dalawa silang staff na hindi pumasok; iyong isa nagkasakit, iyong isa naman umuwing probinsya nang walang paalam. Alam naman daw ng mga ito na may event sila ngayon.

Pero suwerte na rin ni Kyra ito. Ngayon, may trabaho na siya at may maganda pa siyang sahod. Pagkatapos ng nangyari sa bar ni Danrick, nahihiya na siyang bumalik doon. Kakausapin na lang niya si Danrick pag-uwi niya ng bahay at magpapaliwanag. Isa pa, baka mas magalit si Sage sa kanya. Baka ipasara pa iyon ni Sage kapag nagpumilit siyang magtrabaho doon.

"Kyra, sa table 9."

Tinanguan niya si Marj at hinanda ang ballpen at notepad niya habang lumalapit sa table nine. May tatlong nakaupo roon; dalawang lalaki at isang babae. Sa lalaking nakahawak siya humarap at nakangiting nagtanong.

"May I take your order, sir?"

The guy looked up from the menu and stopped to stare at her. Bigla siyang nakaramdam ng pagkailang.

"Kyra?" He smiled at her when he recognized her, pero hindi niya magawang suklian ang ngiting iyon.

Do I know him?, she thought and tried to remember him from somewhere in her mind as she watched him look around.

"Do you own this?" biglang tanong nito sa kanya.

"Uh... hindi po. Waitress lang po ako rito."

"Really?" Tumawa ito na parang hindi makapaniwala. "Pumayag si Sage na pagtrabahuhin ka? I thought nasa France pa kayo. Last time he said, you were putting up a restaurant."

Isang ngiti lang ang naisagot niya rito. Mabuti na lang at um-order na ang mga kasamahan nito kaya hindi na niya kinailangang magkuwento at magkunwaring kilala niya ito. Though, he clearly knew her. At alam din nito na sila ni Sage, noon. But not about the fact that they're separated.

Fact? Hindi naman siya sigurado kung annulled na ang kasal nila ni Sage. For all she knew, baka hindi pa nawawala ang bisa ng kasal nila.

Pero bakit iniisip nitong sila pa rin ni Sage at dapat sana ay nasa France sila? Hindi ba nila alam ang nangyari sa kanya? Kaibigan niya ba ito? O si Sage? Kakilala? Naging katrabaho?

Umikot ang isipan ni Kyra sa mga katanungang iyon sa natitirang oras ng trabaho niya. Kung sana may mga sagot siya sa mga iniisip niya, hindi na sana siya nagkakaproblema ng ganito.

"MARAMING SALAMAT talaga, Kyra. You really are my savior!" Hindi pa ito nakontento ay niyakap pa siya ng mahigpit ni Sapphire.

"Wala po iyon, ma'am. Ako nga po ang dapat na magpasalamat dahil ako ang tinawagan ninyo."

Her twenty-five-year-old boss laughed. "Bakit ba napakapormal mo pa rin sa'kin?"

"Siyempre po, kayo po ang boss ko."

"But still. Mas gusto ko pa rin ng less formal. Baka sakalin pa ako ng mga ate ko kapag nalaman nilang may nagpo-po sa 'kin na mas matanda pa sa 'kin. No offense meant."

"It's okay..." Hindi naman siya nao-offend pagdating sa edad niya. Just a little bit pensive. Dahil biglang dumaan ang apat na taon sa kanya ng napakabilis.

Inabot na siya nang gabi nang matapos siya ng shift niya. Ramdam na ramdam niya ang pagod dahil sa p*******t ng mga kasu-kasuan niya. But she felt fulfilled rather than exhausted.

"Kyra, gusto mong sumabay sa 'min pauwi?" yaya sa kanya ni Marj.

"Ah... hindi na. Magbu-bus lang kasi ako." Magkaiba din sila ng ruta kaya baka mas gabihin siya ng uwi.

"Sige. Ingat ka na lang pauwi. Kita na lang tayo bukas." Nagpaalam na si Marj sa kanya.

Ito ang kasa-kasama niya kanina habang nangangapa pa siya. Napakaayos nitong mag-assist kaya madali niyang nasa-ulo ang routine niya. She was just grateful that there was none of her usual blank moments today.

Narinig niyang tumunog ang cellphone niya habang naghihintay siya sa may bus station. She grimaced at the name flashing on her screen. But she also couldn't ignore the squirming sensation in her stomach.

"Where are you?" came a terse, deep masculine voice.

Napapikit siya. She could already imagine his scowling face. "Pauwi na."

"I'm asking for a place, Kyra."

She could hear the anger in his tone that was barely contained and thought it wouldn't be a good idea to ignite the fire, so she told him where he was.

"What are you doing in that place instead of staying here?"

Nagsimula nang magsitayuan ang mga katabi niya at nakita niya ang paparating na bus. That made her sigh in relief—for now, at least.

"Mamaya na tayo mag-usap. Andito na ang bus." Pinatay niya agad ang telepono at sumakay sa naghihintay na bus.

She needed to conserve energy, both physically and mentally... even emotionally, if she was to confront an angry Sage. Because tonight would be nothing different from the previous night. At mas lalo pang hihirap ang buhay niya sa mga darating na gabi.

Pagdating niya ng bahay ay sinalubong kaagad siya ni Sage sa pintuan pa lang. He was wearing his white stripe polo shirt with his sleeves rolled to his elbow, no tie, black slacks, and jacketless. Nakasandal ito sa damba ng pintuan at nakahalukipkip habang nakatitig sa kanya.

Gustong pumikit ni Kyra sa pagkairita pero nagpipigil na lang siya. The way he was acting was ridiculously absurd. Kung pulis siguro ai Sage, baka nakulong na siya sa salang pagtakas. But she didn't even escape. She's not a thief nor a prisoner.

She could already feel his brimming anger. Wala naman siyang ginagawang masama. Pero bakit siya kinakabahan? It wasn't like she went out to have fun. Nagtrabaho lang naman siya.

Paano nga naman iyon maiintindihan ng isang katulad nito? He's practically a king in his own castle. He earns money without moving a single muscle, not even his eyes.

Pumasok siya nang hindi ito pinapansin. She heard his intake of breath that sounded like a hiss. Sinundan siya nito sa loob at sa kusina.

"I presume you didn't know yet, but you’re not supposed to leave the house without my permission."

She stopped. Ibinaba niya ang dalang bag sa counter at umikot siya paharap rito. "Sa pagkakatanda ko, wala sa usapan natin ang ganyan," sabi niya habang nagtatanggal ng sapatos. "Kumain ka na ba?"

Nang hindi ito sumagot ay binuksan niya ang ref para magsimulang magluto.

"If I recall, the clause says you have to live here and offer the new owner of this house—which means me—your undivided service."

"Tama. Pero hindi mo sinabi na kailangan akong nandito ng buong araw kapag wala ka. Isa pa, sinisigurado ko namang malinis itong bahay bago ako umalis."

She turned in time to see his mouth tightening into a tight line. "Hindi mo ako binabayaran, Sage, at kaingan ko ring kumita. Kailangan ko ng trabaho."

He scowled deeper. "For what? You're already cleared. Mababayaran mo na ang utang mo sa akin. You want food? We have enough foods here. You want clothes? I can buy them for you. Sabihin mo lang. Kaya hindi mo na kailangang magtrabaho. Just stay here."

Natigil siya sa paglilinis ng repolyo dahil sa sinabi nito. Pinatay niya ang gripo at muling hinarap si Sage.

"Are you buying my freedom?"

He visibly went still. She thought he would drop the argument, pero bigla itong naglakad palapit sa kanya hanggang sa nasa pagitan siya ng malamig na tiles ng lababo at ng mainit na katawan nito.

He leaned over her until his hands were resting on both her sides, caging her in. Just him and her. And nothing else.

Napalunok siya habang tinititigan niya ang mga mata ni Sage. She couldn't look away. His magnetic gaze was too powerful, like it was sucking her in and throwing her into an inclining vortex with no one to catch her.

"Why do you think you're here, Kyra?" he drawled like a panther.

Hindi siya makapagsalita, lalo na kung ganito kalapit ito sa kanya na halos hangin na niya ang mainit na hininga nito.

Up close, she saw his face slowly changed into a hard granite, his eyes flashing like an ice that left her cold despite his warmth.

"Need I remind you, that you—my wife—are my servant now. You pay me with your service... and you knew that. So don't ask me of buying your freedom because you already surrendered it to me the moment you signed the papers."

Mabilis itong lumayo sa kanya. Pakiramdam tuloy niya, parang mayroon siyang nakakahawang sakit. Sa isang iglap ay naramdaman niya ang pagod na sinisingil ang katawan niya.

"Forget about work. Dito ka lang sa bahay," marahas na sabi ni Sage bago siya nito iniwan.