Pretend as the Billionaire's Wife (SPG)

KABANATA 5

SERAPHINA ROSE P.O.V

Nakatayo ako ngayon sa harapan ng malaking mansion. Dito ako iniwan ng kaibigan ng Isla na 'yon na si Jade. Pilit kong binbaba ang suot kong dress na subrang ikli.

Lumapit ako sa sa malaking gate at pinindot ang ring bell. Hindi pa man umabot ng isang minuto the gate creaked open a sliver, revealing a man in a crisp uniform. His eyes widened in shock as they landed on me. "M-Madam?" he stammered, his voice laced with a mixture of disbelief and fear.

Madam? My brows furrowed in confusion. Isla hadn't mentioned anything about a guard calling me "Madam."

"Yes, it's me," Pinilit kong pinataray ang boses ko dahil 'yon ang ugali ng Isla na 'yon.

The guard continued to stare, his jaw slack with surprise. His fear was palpable, sending shivers down my own spine. What was going on here?

"I, uh…" he stammered, his voice barely a whisper. "I need to… I need to confirm."

He fumbled with a small device clipped to his belt, his face etched with worry. My confusion deepened with each passing second.

"Confirm what?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

The guard finally tore his gaze away from me and spoke into the device, his voice tight. "Gate, it's Madam Thorne."

A crackle of static filled the air, followed by a gruff voice. "Let her in, Garcia."

The guard, Garcia, shot me another bewildered look before reluctantly swinging the gate wider. "Of course, sir," he muttered into the device, his eyes never leaving my face.

Stepping through the gate, I felt a wave of unease wash over me. The guard's reaction, his fear, it was unsettling. What was Isla hiding? What had she gotten me into?

As I walked towards the grand mansion, its imposing facade casting a long shadow, a single, terrifying thought echoed in my mind: Was Isla right?

Nanginginig ang aking kamay habang itinutulak ko ang napakalaking pintuan na gawa sa roble, ang amoy ng pinakintab na kahoy at mga liryo ay sumasalubong sa aking ilong. Ang foyer ay napakaganda, ang kristal na chandelier ay nagbibigay ng kumikislap na liwanag sa marmol na sahig. Ngunit ang pigura sa gitna ng sala ang nagpatigil sa aking paghinga.

Isang lalaki ang nakaupo sa wheelchair, ang malapad na balikat niya ay bumabagay sa mamahaling kasuotan. Ang matibay na panga at matalim na asul na mga mata, ang parehong mga mata mula sa larawan na pinakita sa'kin ni Isla, ay pinalilibutan ng maitim na buhok na may mga pilak na guhit sa gilid. Ngunit hindi ang kaguwapuhan ng kanyang mga katangian ang nagpatigil sa aking paghinga, kundi ang malamig na galit na lumalabas mula sa kanya na parang isang nadaramang puwersa.

"At last," he drawled, his voice laced with a biting sarcasm that sent shivers down my spine. "After a whole month of gallivanting around, you finally decide to grace us with your presence, Isla. Did you run out of money again?"

My mind reeled. Isla? Gallivanting? None of it made sense. Everything this man, presumably Rowan Thorne, was saying was a complete mystery to me.

"Ako, uh..." Nauutal akong nagsalita, halos pabulong ang boses ko. Ang mga utos ni Isla ay umalingawngaw sa isip ko – gumanap sa papel, huwag magpakita ng kabaitan. Ngunit ang lamig sa kanyang mga mata, ang pait sa kanyang boses, ay nagbigay ng isang takot sa loob ko.

Pinatatag ko ang sarili ko, itinuwid ang aking mga balikat at tumingin diretso sa kanyang mga mata. "Sa totoo lang, Rowan," sabi ko, ang boses ko ay nakakagulat na matatag sa kabila ng pagyanig ng aking puso, "mukhang nagkakamali ka. Wala akong pinuntahan."

His eyes narrowed, the icy blue depths boring into mine. "Don't play games with me, Isla," he growled, his voice laced with a dangerous edge. "I know your tricks. Where have you been?"

Ang galit sa kanyang boses ay halatang-halata, ngunit may kasama pa itong iba – isang sulyap ng... sakit? Lalo pang lumalim ang kalituhan sa loob ko. Sino ba ang lalaking ito? Bakit siya mukhang galit na galit, at tila... nasaktan?

"Rowan, pakiusap," sabi ko, unti-unting lumambot ang aking boses. "Hindi ko alam kung ano ang sinabi sa'yo, pero wala akong pinuntahan. Ako... ako'y nasa hospital."

Bahagyang lumambot ang matitigas na linya sa kanyang mukha, isang sulyap ng gulat ang pumalit sa galit. "Hospital? What happened?

Nabara ang kasinungalingan sa aking lalamunan. Hindi ko pa puwedeng sabihin ang totoo – hindi pa. Hindi nang hindi ko pa nalalaman ang higit pa tungkol sa sitwasyong ito, tungkol kay Isla at ang kanyang buhay kasama siya.

Huminga ako ng malalim, at nagpasya na magsabi ng kalahating katotohanan. "Nagkaroon ng aksidente," sabi ko, halos pabulong ang aking boses. "Hindi ko masyadong maalala, pero nagising ako sa hospital."

The silence stretched between us, taut as a violin string. Rowan's gaze remained fixed on me, his blue eyes narrowed in suspicion. "An accident, huh?" he finally spoke, his voice a low growl. "That's a convenient story, Isla. But you've never been good at sticking to the script."

Nagkakagulo ang tiyan ko. Mukhang hindi naniniwala ang lalaking ito sa kwento ko kahit kaunti. Si Isla, kung sino man siya, ay tila may kasaysayan ng biglaang pagkawala at mga kaduda-dudang paliwanag.

"Rowan," simula ko, pinipilit ang kalmadong tono na hindi ko talaga nararamdaman. "Sinasabi ko ang totoo. Hindi ko maalala ang maraming bagay sa mga nakaraang linggo. Sabi ng mga doktor, posibleng pansamantalang amnesia ito mula sa aksidente."

He scoffed, a harsh sound that echoed in the grand foyer. "Amnesia, convenient. Especially considering the little 'business trip' you cooked up a month ago."

"Business trip?" I echoed, completely lost. Isla had never mentioned anything about a business trip, let alone disappearing for a month. Every word this man spoke revealed another layer of Isla's life, a life I was being forced to inhabit.

"Don't play dumb, Isla," he snapped. "The missing jewels, the shady phone calls… you think I wouldn't figure it out? You probably pawned them off for another round of high living, didn't you?"

My jaw clenched. Jewels? Shady phone calls? This was getting more and more tangled by the second. Isla, it seemed, wasn't just a socialite wife; she was a woman with secrets, a woman who clearly lived a life on the edge.

"Rowan, listen to me," I pleaded, desperation creeping into my voice. "I don't know anything about any jewels or phone calls. I swear to you, I don't remember anything from the past month."

Pinag-aralan niya ako ng matagal, hindi mabasa ang ekspresyon niya. Ang isang kurap ng isang bagay, marahil ay pagdududa, ay tumawid sa kanyang mga mata. Ngunit pagkatapos, tulad ng mabilis, ito ay napalitan ng isang matigas na desisyon.

"Whether you remember or not, Isla," he said, his voice cold, "the consequences remain. Garcia!" he barked, his voice echoing through the house.

A moment later, the guard from the gate appeared, his face still etched with bewilderment. "Yes, Mr. Thorne?" he inquired.

Rowan gestured towards me, his jaw clenched tight. "Take her to her room. And Garcia," he added, his voice dropping to a low growl, "make sure she doesn't leave. Not until I figure out what game she's playing."

Naramdaman ko ang pagbugso ng galit, mainit at matindi. Ang lalaking ito, na hindi man lang alam ang katotohanan, ay tinatrato ako na parang kriminal. Ngunit dahil nakakulong ako sa mukha ni Isla, at walang alaala ng sarili kong buhay, wala akong magawa kundi sumunod.

Sa isang talunang buntong-hininga, sinundan ko si Garcia paakyat ng engrandeng hagdan, ang bigat ng katahimikan ng mansyon ay dumadagundong sa akin. Napagtanto ko na ito pa lamang ang simula, na may lumulubog na pakiramdam sa aking puso. Nagsimula na ang laro, at ako'y isang piyesa sa isang nakamamatay na laban sa pagitan ng isang makapangyarihang, galit na lalaki at isang babaeng balot ng mga lihim. At ang pinakamasaklap? Hindi ko alam kung para kanino ako naglalaro.