The Billionaire's Wife

Eleven.

This is a bad bad idea.

Gusto ko na kurutin si Vaughn kanina pa. Naglalakad na kami ngayon papunta sa opisina ni Debra at wala syang kaalam alam na nandito kami. Vaughn instructed two of his bodyguards to come with us inside.

Sinamaan ko sya ng tingin pero tumawa lang sya.

As much as kinakabahan ako sa kung ano ang pwedeng mangyari ay hinayaan ko na lang rin. Willing magpa loan si Vaughn, but he needed to know if we're eligible. Kahit naman sabihin nya na pera na namin ang pera nya dahil kasal kami, we both know the truth.

Gusto kong matawa nang magulat at nanginig sa kaba ang secretary ni Debra nang makita nya kami sa harap nya. My arms are locked on Vaughn's arms and she knows who we are kahit na bago sya.

“Hi. We would like to speak to Debra.” Nakangiti na sabi ko sa babae.

She picked up the intercom pero sa amin pa rin sya nakatingin, lalo na kay Vaughn. I know how Vaughn looked so friggin hot right now. Nakadagdag sa inis ko nang makita sya na all dressed up. Parang tanga, malapit lang naman ang MSGC sa Arciega Towers.

“Maam Debra, nandito po sila Maam Sasa at Sir Vaughn.” Sabi nya na hindi pa rin inaalis ang tingin sa amin.

We were waiting for an answer on the other line pero instead, bumukas ang pintuan ng opisina ni Debra. Her eyes widened when she saw us in the flesh.

“Debra. Kamusta?” I rolled my eyeballs when Vaughn smiled at my cousin.

I saw Debra swallowed. “Vaughn..” Tapos tinapunan nya ako ng confused na tingin. “Sasa.” Tapos nagbigay sya ng pekeng ngiti. “P-pasok kayo.”

Linuwagan nya ang pagkakabukas ng pinto ng opisina nya. We went in, naiwan ang mga guards sa labas.

“Uhm hindi kayo nagpasabi na pupunta kayo..” Halata na kinakabahan sya. Debra was wearing a floral dress na hanggang tuhod nya ang haba. Her usual attire.

“You want a loan, right? My wife told me.” Imbes ay seryosong seryoso na sabi ni Vaughn. Nakatayo lang kami in the middle of her office.

Napalunok si Debra. “Y-yeah, about that..”

“I can give MSGC a loan.”

Bigla ay parang kuminang ang mga mata ni Debra. “Really?”

“I can loan MSGC fifteen million, payable in five years, no interest.”

Tiningala ko si Vaughn. What is he doing? Ten million lang ang sabi ni Debra na kailangan and he's making the offer five million more. Humigpit ang hawak ko sa braso nya but he doesn't seemed to care. Nakatingin lang sya kay Debra.

“Thank you, Vaughn! W-we really appreciate it-”

“I'll send my people to review your papers. They will see if the expansion is really needed.” He cut whatever Debra was about to say.

Biglang nawala ang kinang sa mga mata ni Debra. “What? Wala kang sinabi na ganyan.”

“I am saying it now. That's the condition. I need to know if my money will really be used for the expansion you're saying or if MSGC will have the capacity to pay the loan. I am a businessman, Debra. I am not a charity.” 

Biglang tumingin ng masama sa akin si Debra. “You told him to do this?!” Galit na galit na sabi nya. “This is our company, Samantha! Porket nakapagpakasal ka na kay Vaughn, pakiramdam mo wala na pakinabang sayo ang MSGC?!” 

Napaatras ako and Vaughn stepped forward to cover me. “My wife didn't tell me to do anything but to consider the loan. And why are you even mad?”

Debra clenched her fists. “I will not give you MSGC's books. Makakaalis na kayo.” Mahina pero mabigat na sabi nya sa amin.

Vaughn chuckled. “Debra, Debra, Debra. You seemed to forget that I know you.”

Hindi sumagot si Debra, nanatili lang syang nakatingin ng masama sa akin. Si Debra 'yung uri ng tao na ang sarap sarap sagut-sagutin o awayin, pero marerealize mo na nagsayang ka lang ng oras kasi wala ka rin mapapala sa kanya. Sya 'yung hindi nagpapatalo, gusto nya sya ang tama.

I realized it the hard way.

Kaya imbes na sungitan ko rin sya ay ako na ang kalmado. Wala kaming matatapos o mapag uusapan ng maayos kung papatulan ko sya.

“Something's telling me na hindi expansion ang kapupuntahan ng pera. But I have an idea where. Or is it a who?” Sabi ulit ni Vaughn. May himig ng sarcasm ang boses nya at walang magawa si Debra kung hindi magngitngit na lang sa galit.

Tiningala ko si Vaughn. What is he talking about? Wala syang sinasabi about this.

“Umalis na kayo!” Bigla ay malakas na sabi nya.

“You want a f*****g loan? Beg for it.”  Mariin na sabi ni Vaughn na kahit ako ay nagulat.

“Vaughn..” I had to call him. Hindi ko alam kung bakit parang galit na galit sya ngayon.

Si Debra ang dapat na ipapakasal kay Vaughn. Sila dapat ang na engaged at nagpakasal ngayon. But Vaughn 'fell' for me instead, at walang nagawa si Debra dahil 'nagustuhan' ko rin si Vaughn. And everyone knows about it.

Kaya ayoko sana pumunta kami rito dahil baka may makakita at mabalita pa. Drama and more publicity is the last thing we need right now. Everything according to the plan is smooth. Hindi ko lang alam bakit ganito si Vaughn.

“Kapag nakapag decide ka na, you know my secretary's number. Set an appointment.”

Iyon lang at hinila na ako palabas ni Vaughn.

Nasa sasakyan na kami nang makausap ko na sya. “What the hell was that?!”

Halata pa rin ang galit ni Vaughn, his chest is still heaving. “Ginagamit ka lang ng pinsan mo. There's no expansion. The money won't be used for MSGC.”

I blinked twice. “What do you mean?”

“I have my suspicion. May nakarating sa akin na naghahanap ng investors si Jao. He needs ten million para sa gusto nyang itayo na casino sa Cebu.”

I gasped. “What? Sigurado ka ba?”

“I am sure. I keep tabs on Jao. I don't want him anywhere near us so I have to know where he was all the time or what he's doing. At the time na kailangan nya ng investors na makakapag bigay sa kanya ng ten million, tsaka lalapit sa'yo si Debra for an expansion fund with the same amount?” Kunot ang noo na paliwanag ni Vaughn.

Hindi ako agad nakapagsalita.

Jao was MSGC's former operations manager. He used to be one of the best employees of MSGC hanggang sa nalulong sya sa sugal. Before we knew it, nagdidispalko na pala sya ng pera ng kompanya. I wanted to file a case against him, pero nakiusap si Debra na huwag na. Doon ko nalaman na may 'something' sa kanila.

I let it go. I mean, three hundred thousand is a big amount, but since Debra beg for it, pinag bigyan ko, with the condition na hindi na magpapakita si Jao at puputulin nya na ang relasyon na mayroon sya rito.

At ngayon malalaman ko na ginamit nya pang front ang 'expansion' kuno ng MSGC to fund her lover's business venture? Aba naman. I can only be nice so much. Kung alam ko lang at kung sinabi lang sa akin agad ni Vaughn, hindi na sana namin kailangan pumunta dito.

“Bakit hindi mo ito sinabi sa akin?” 

Lumambot ang expression ni Vaughn. “Sorry. I just hate it when people use you like this.. I had to do something.” Tapos bumuntong hininga sya.

“Sana sinabi mo muna sa akin.” Gusto kong mainis kasi lumabas akong clueless sa harap ni Debra. But hearing why Vaughn's reason, narealize ko na ganoon rin ang ginagawa ko sa kanya.

I do things behind his back na alam kong para rin naman sa kanya, and that I hate people who are just obviously using him.

Wala nang nagsalita sa amin. Ginagap ko ang kamay nya at pinisil ko iyon.