Pretend as the Billionaire's Wife (SPG)

KABANATA 7

SERAPHINA ROSE P.O.V

"What is the meaning of this?" he boomed, his voice echoing through the kitchen.

Ang hangin ay sumirit sa tension. Nawala ang ngiti ni Maria, pinalitan ng kanyang karaniwang maskara ng pagiging sunud-sunuran. Nahalata ni Feliz ang galit ng kanyang ama, kaya lalo pa siyang yumakap sa aking binti, ang kanyang ibabang labi'y umuusok.

Ang aking puso ay bumabagtas laban sa aking mga tadyang, isang makabagbag-damdaming drum solo laban sa biglang katahimikan. Ang idyllic na sandaling ito, ang mahinang koneksyon na aking itinayo kay Feliz, ay malapit nang masira.

Huminga ako ng malalim, nagpatibay sa aking sarili. Oras na upang gampanan ang aking papel, upang maging ang Isla na inaasahan ni Rowan, ngunit may isang twist.

"Making breakfast, darling," I said, my voice adopting a saccharine sweetness I knew Isla would use. "Didn't you hear Feliz and I giggling? We haven't had a family breakfast in ages, have we, sweetheart?" I cooed at Feliz, who peeked out from behind my leg with a wary glance at her father.

Rowan's expression remained unreadable. His gaze flickered from me to the messy counter, then back to me. "Family breakfast, huh?" he finally spoke, his voice laced with skepticism. "Since when did you take an interest in such domestic activities, Isla?"

"A change of heart, wouldn't you say?" I replied, my voice dripping with a feigned innocence that even made me cringe internally. "Besides, a happy wife makes for a happy husband, right?"

May isang patak ng kung ano, marahil pagkabigla, ang dumaan sa mga mukha ni Rowan. Binuksan niya ang kanyang bibig upang sumagot, ngunit biglang huminto, ang kanyang tingin ay tumatagal kay Feliz, na ngayon ay tumitingin sa kanya na may halo ng takot ang mga mata, marahil dahil sa pinakitang reaction ng kanyang ama.

Sa isang buntong-hininga, tila nahimasmasan siya ng kaunti. "Siguraduhin mong maayos na linisin ang kusina, Maria," aniya, ang kanyang boses ay may kaseryusuhan at lamig.

Pagkatapos, sa huling tingin sa aming tatlo, kanyang iniikot ang kanyang wheelchair at umalis sa kusina, ang pagkalampas ng pinto ay nag-echo sa katahimikan na iniwan niya.

Maria scurried over to the counter, her eyes wide. "Madam, are you alright?" she whispered, her voice laced with concern.

I forced a smile, the playful facade faltering slightly. "We'll be fine, Maria," I said, my voice softer now. "Thank you for your help."

As Maria began clearing the counter, I knelt before Feliz, wiping a smudge of flour from her cheek. The small girl looked up at me, her eyes wide and searching.

"Will Daddy be mad at us?" she asked in a small voice.

My heart ached for her, for the fear that had become a constant companion in her young life.

"No, sweetheart," I said, cupping her face gently. "We didn't do anything wrong. Now, how about we finish making those pancakes?"

Feliz's lips curved into a hesitant smile. "With chocolate chips?"

"Absolutely," I promised, a silent vow echoing in my heart. I wouldn't let Rowan, or anyone else, take away this small spark of happiness, this fragile sense of family I was determined to build, even if it meant playing a dangerous game in a stolen face.

~~~~~

Ang mga sumunod na araw ay sumasailalim sa isang kakaibang rutina. Ang mga umaga ay inilaan sa kusina kasama si Feliz, isang magulong simponya ng tawanan, mga apron na may halong harina, at ang matamis na amoy ng pancakes o scrambled eggs. Si Maria, sa una'y nag-aalangan sa paligid ng "bagong" Isla, unti-unting lumambot, isang nag-aalangan ngiti ang pumapalit sa kanyang karaniwang mahigpit na ekspresyon tuwing ang tawa ni Feliz ang nagpupuno sa hangin.

Gayunpaman, ang mga umaga ay palaging sinusundan ng pagdating ni Rowan. Nanatili ang kanyang malamig na expression , ang kanyang tingin ay patuloy na hamon habang pinagmamasdan niya ako na makisalamuha kay Feliz. Minsan, may pumapatak na kung ano – siguro'y pagkakuripot, marahil pati na rin pag-apruba – sa kanyang mga mukha, ngunit agad itong pinalitan ng isang bakal na maskara.

Ngayong gabi nasa kusina ako, biglang dumating si Rowan.

"Enjoying your little charade, Isla?" he'd sneer, his voice laced with bitterness.

"Just trying to be a good wife and mother, darling," I'd retort, my voice dripping with a practiced sweetness that felt like poison on my tongue.

Ang mga gabi ang pinakamahirap. Ang tensyon sa mansyon ay naging ramdam na. Kakain kami sa maselang katahimikan, ang tanging tunog ay ang pagkakabangga ng mga kubyertos at ang paminsang ubo upang sirain ang nakakasikip na katahimikan.

Isang partikular na maselan na gabi, matapos ang isang napakasakit na pahayag mula kay Rowan, sa wakas ay nagalit ako.

"What did I do?" I challenged, my voice trembling with a mix of anger and frustration. "I woke up in a hospital bed with no memory of the past month! You tell me what I did."

Rowan slammed his fist on the table, the sound echoing through the vast dining room. "Don't lie to me, Isla!" he roared. "You took the jewels, disappeared for weeks, and now you pretend to be some… some doting mother?" Putangina, hindi ko talaga alam kung ano ang patungkol sa mga nawawalang alahas. Dahil ang totoong Isla ang may gawa nu'n at hindi pa niya sinabi sa'kin kung anong mga ginawa niya. Kahit ni katiting na information wala akong alam.

"Jewels? Disappeared?" My head spun. Isla's secrets, hinted at before, were starting to unravel, painting a picture of a woman far more complex than I initially imagined.

"Who are you so angry with, Rowan?" I asked, my voice softer now. "Me, or the woman I seem to be?"

Silence descended upon the room once more, heavy and suffocating. Rowan's gaze held mine, his anger giving way to a flicker of… vulnerability?

"I…" he began, then stopped, his jaw clenched tight. With a frustrated sigh, he pushed himself away from the table.

"Don't play therapist, Isla," he muttered, his voice laced with a hint of defeat. "Just… stay out of my way."

Umalis siya mula sa silid kainan, iniwan akong mag-isa at si Feliz na may mga tira ng naputol na pagkain at isang isipan na puno ng mga hindi nasagot na tanong. Ano ang nakaraan ni Isla? Anong mga lihim ang kanyang tinatago na maaaring magdulot ng ganitong galit kay Rowan?

Kada pag-uusap ko kay Rowan, mas nararamdaman ko ang isang kakaibang hatak sa kanya, isang patak ng kung ano na hindi masunurin sa lohika at rason. Ngunit ang hatak na iyon ay laging nababalot ng takot sa kanyang mga mata, ang galit na bumabagabag sa ilalim ng kanyang mga emosyon.

Isang bagay ang unti-unting lumilitaw – ang pagganap bilang si Isla ay higit pa sa simpleng pagpapanggap bilang asawa at ina. Ito ay pag-unravel ng isang magulong pugad ng mga lihim, isang mapanganib na laro kung saan ang mga hangganan sa pagitan ng katotohanan at kasinungalingan ay naging malabo hanggang sa hindi na makilala. At habang mas naglalaro ako, mas nauunawaan ko na ang pinakamalaking panganib ay hindi para kay Rowan, o kahit kay Isla. Ito ay para sa akin. Mas tumatagal ako sa pagsuot ng ninakaw na mukha, mas marami akong panganib na mawala ng lubusan ang aking sarili.

~~~~~

"One more story, momma, please?" she pleaded, her voice a soft mumble.

Isang ngiti ang sumilay sa labi ko. Ang mga araw, bagama't puno ng tensyon, ay ginanap ang mga mahahalagang sandali na ito - mga kwento bago matulog kasama si Feliz, isang simpleng aksyon na nagdulot ng isang piraso ng normal sa aming magulong buhay.

"Alright, one more," I agreed, pulling the covers tighter around her small frame. "Tonight, we'll have a story about a brave princess."

Feliz's eyes widened with delight. "A brave princess? Like the ones in my storybooks?"

"Even braver," I assured her, my voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "This princess wasn't afraid of dragons or wicked witches. She was afraid of… of being different."

Feliz frowned, a furrow appearing on her brow. "Different? Why would she be scared of that?"

"Because in her kingdom," I explained, "everyone had to be the same. They all wore the same clothes, spoke the same way, and even ate the same food. But this princess, she was curious. She loved bright colors and funny songs, and her favorite food was… well, let's just say it wasn't the same boring porridge everyone else ate."

Feliz giggled, the sound music to my ears. "What was it, momma?"

"Chocolate cake!" I revealed, a dramatic flourish in my voice. "The most delicious chocolate cake you've ever tasted."

Feliz's eyes widened further. "Chocolate cake? Like the one we had for breakfast yesterday?"

"Exactly!" I chuckled. "This princess loved chocolate cake, and she wasn't afraid to show it. But the other princesses, they made fun of her for being different."

A shadow of sadness crossed Feliz's face. "That's not nice."

"It wasn't," I agreed. "But this princess, she was brave. She knew that being different wasn't a bad thing, it was what made her special. So, she kept eating her chocolate cake, singing her silly songs, and wearing her colorful clothes. And guess what?"

"What?" Feliz whispered, her voice barely audible.

"The other princesses, they started to see that being different wasn't so bad after all," I said gently. "They started trying new things, and soon, the whole kingdom was filled with bright colors, funny songs, and of course, the delicious smell of chocolate cake."

Feliz sighed contentedly, a peaceful smile gracing her lips. "So, the princess wasn't scared anymore?"

"No, sweetheart," I whispered, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "She learned that being different was her greatest strength. And she lived happily ever after, surrounded by friends who loved her just the way she was."

Pumikit ang mga mata ni Feliz, bumagsak ang kanyang paghinga sa isang mabagal na ritmo.

Sa isang malambing na ngiti, yumuko ako at hinalikan siya sa noo. "Good night, my brave princess," I murmured, the words echoing not just for Feliz, but for myself as well.

Sa tahimik na kadiliman ng silid, humiga ako sa tabi niya, ang bigat ng sarili kong sikreto ay dumidiin sa akin. Ngunit habang natutulog ako, lumipad sa loob ko ang isang kurap ng pag-asa, marupok na parang pakpak ng paruparo. Siguro, siguro, kahit sa buhay na ito na binuo sa kasinungalingan, makakahanap ako ng lakas ng loob na yakapin ang pagkatao ko – isang babaeng hindi natatakot na maiba, isang babaeng, tulad ng prinsesa sa kwento, ay mahahanap. kanyang sariling happily ever after.