The Mafia Don's Affection

CHAPTER 28

IRIS JUST FINISHED SHOWER AND DRIED HER HAIR. She halts on her steps when she sees Joseph lying on the bed after she came out of the bathroom. Nagtaka pa siya kung bakit nakahiga si Joseph sa kama saka lamang niya narealized na mag-asawa nga pala sila. They would share the same bed. Same bed… this means — bumilis ang pagtibok ng puso ni Iris.

Joseph smiled, seeing Iris. “Come on. Let’s sleep.” He ushered her to come to him.

“Magtatabi tayo sa kama?” tanong ni Iris.

Natawa naman ng mahina si Joseph. “Or else what do you think? We’re husband and wife, Amore.”

“But…” Iris felt comfortable with Joseph, but she was not comfortable sharing the bed with him! Pakiramdam niya kasi ay hindi siya sanay. What’s happening to me? He is my husband. Is this the effect of my memory loss?

Iris inwardly sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. Tumingin siya kay Joseph. He was lying on the other side of the bed. Dahan-dahan siyang humiga sa kabilang gilid ng kama at tumalikod kay Joseph.

“Amore, baka mahulog ka diyan. Lumapit ka.” Narinig niyang saad ni Joseph.

“I’m fine here. Hindi naman ako malikot matulog.”

“Are you sure?” Joseph asked, making Iris look at her husband.

Sa tanong rin ni Joseph, napaisip si Iris. Kumbinsido siyang hindi siya malikot matulog pero sa tanong ni Joseph nagduda tuloy siya sa mismong sarili. Malikot ba akong matulog noon?

Tinapik ni Joseph ang espasyo sa tabi nito. “Lumapit ka sa akin.”

“I…”

“What’s the matter?” tanong ni Joseph nang makita ang pag-aalangan ni Iris na lumapit sa kaniya.

Nakagat ni Iris ang pang-ibabang labi. Hindi niya masabi ng deretso kay Joseph ang gusto niyang sabihin dahil baka ma-offend niya ito. At isa pa nahihiya siya dahil si Joseph ang nag-asikaso sa kaniya sa hospital. Joseph didn’t leave her side, and he always took care of her.

Napangiti na lamang si Joseph nang maisip niya kung bakit nag-aalangan si Iris na tumabi sa kaniya. “Do you feel uncomfortable lying beside me?”

Isang tango ang naging tugon ni Iris.

“Then come and lie down beside me. This could help you to get used to it, Amore.” Sabi ni Joseph habang pilit na tinatago ang ngiti na gustong kumawala sa kaniyang labi. He didn’t want to trick his wife, but he wanted to get closer to her.

“Ah?”

“If you don’t want to come closer to me, then I will come closer to you,” said Joseph and went closer to his wife.

Mabilis naman ang pagtibok ng puso ni Iris nang ramdam niya ang mainit na katawan ni Joseph sa tabi niya. She looked at her husband. Joseph was smiling and looking at her with affection in his eyes. Hindi niya kayang makipatitigan sa asawa niya kaya naman tumalikod siya rito.

Naramdaman na lamang ni Iris na kinumutan siya ni Joseph hanggang sa kaniyang balikat at dahil nasa ilalim sila ng iisang kumot, naramdaman niyang yumakap sa beywang niya ang asawa. Napahigpit ang hawak ni Iris sa gilid ng unan.

“Relax,” her husband whispered to her. “I won’t do anything to you. Though we are husband and wife, I won’t cross the line. Rest assured, Amore. Trust me.”

Ramdam ni Iris ang sincerity ni Joseph sa mga sinabi nito kaya naman kumalma siya at dahan-dahang tumango. “Thank you.”

Ngumiti si Joseph. “But at least let me hug you. Let’s sleep. Goodnight, Amore.”

Iris took a deep breath. “G-goodnight.”

Humigpit ang yakap ni Joseph kay Iris at ibinaon niya ang mukha sa batok nito. He felt calm after he smelled his wife’s scent.

Pagkalipas ng ilang minuto, naramdaman ni Iris na nakatulog na ang asawa niya. Pinilit niya ang kaniyang sarili na matulog at pagkalipas rin ng ilang minuto, dinalaw na rin siya ng antok.

NANG magising si Iris kinabukasan, wala na si Joseph sa tabi niya. Pero bumukas ang pinto ng banyo at lumabas doon si Joseph na nakatapis lamang ng tuwalya ang pang-ibaba nito. Iris couldn’t help but to stare at her husband’s gorgeous body.

Mabilis siyang pumikit at nagtulog-tulugan nang maglakad si Joseph sa harapan niya. Pumasok ito sa walk-in-closet.

Iris smiled. Hindi niya alam kung saan siya masaya. Basta napangiti na lamang siya nang maalala ang magandang katawan ng asawa niya.

Kapagkuwan napabalikwas ng bangon si Iris. Tinignan niya ang oras at alas syete na pala ng umaga.

“Late na ako,” nasambit niya.

Nagmamadali siyang bumaba ng kama ngunit napatigil siya. “Late ako? Saan?” Nagtaka siya. Nanatili siyang nakatayo sa tabi ng kama hanggang sa lumabas si Joseph sa walk-in-closet.

“Amore?” Nagtaka si Joseph. “What’s the matter?”

Iris looked at her husband. “I… I felt like today I needed to go somewhere. Hindi ko alam kung saan. Noong bago ako na-ospital, saan ako pumupunta tuwing weekdays?”

“To your work, of course. But given your condition, you can’t go to work.”

Iris pouted and sat on the edge of the bed. “Ang hirap naman ng ganito.”

Ngumiti si Joseph. “It’s okay. When you remember everything, everything will be fine.”

Napatango na lamang si Iris saka tumayo at naglakad patungo sa banyo. Sinundan naman ni Joseph ang tingin ng asawa niya. Isang tipid na ngiti ang kumawala sa kaniyang labi. Lumabas siya ng Master’s bedroom at nagtungo sa pribadong opisina.

“Don.” Monti greeted him when he entered his office. Monti was currently arranging the files on his table.

“What’s the matter?” Joseph asked.

“Report, Don.”

Umupo si Joseph swivel chair. “What is it?”

“The Alcaraz Family and the Carranza Family fought last night. It was a fierce fight. Some of them died and some got heavily injured.”

The Alcaraz Family is on the Mafia Don’s side, while the Carranza Family is on their enemy’s side.

Kumunot ang nuo ni Joseph. “Reason?”

“The Carranza Family tries to steal the goods from the Alcaraz Family. The elder sister of the Boss of the Alcaraz Family wishes to speak with you to deal with the Carranza Family.”

Tumaas ang kilay ni Joseph. “Elder sister? And she wants to speak with me?” He chuckled coldly. “I won’t speak with her. It’s between their families. I don’t want to interfere.”

Monti bowed. “I understand, Don. I’ll inform them.”

Tumango si Joseph.

After Monti left, Joseph opened his laptop and received emails from Amadeo. Then he also received emails from some rich businesses around the world who wanted to build a connection with him, to make a deal, and to build a partnership. Some of them wanted him to invest in their company and some wanted to invest in the Auclair businesses.

Joseph turned off his laptop. May oras para sa trabaho. Pero sa ngayon ang asawa niya na muna ang kailangan niyang pagtuunan ng pansin. He went back to the master’s bedroom to get his wife so that they could eat breakfast together.

Binuksan niya ang pinto ng Master’s bedroom at pumasok siya sa loob.

“Amore—” literal na natulala si Joseph nang makita niya si Iris na nagpapalit ng damit. She was naked and drying her body using the towel. He saw his wife's nakedness.

Napalunok si Joseph nang maramdaman niya ang panunuyo ng kaniyang lalamunan. Hindi niya napigilan na titigan ang asawa. Iris was petite, and her curves were beautiful. He could feel his friend down there getting hard. His imagination was getting wild. He was already imagining his wife moaning under him— Sh*t! This is not good!

Joseph wanted to look away, but his eyes didn’t want to leave his sight on the nice view in front of him. Pinilit niya ang kaniyang sarili na tumalikod habang bumibigat ang kaniyang paghinga. Mukhang hindi naman siya napansin ni Iris kaya lumabas na lamang siya. Nang makalabas siya ng kwarto, napasandal siya sa mismong pinto at huminga ng malalim.

His hand fisted and took a deep breath again. Ilang beses siyang huminga ng malalim hanggang sa tuluyang kumalma ang nag-iinit niyang sistema.

Nauna na lamang siya sa dining hall at hinintay doon ang asawa. But when Iris entered the dining hall, napako ang tingin niya rito at muling bumalik sa isipan niya ang hubad nitong katawan.

Iris smiled at seeing her husband.

Inabot ni Joseph ang isang baso ng tubig saka uminom.

“Darling.”

Naibuga ni Joseph ang iniinom niyang tubig ng marinig ang itinawag sa kaniya ni Iris.

“Are you okay?” Inabutan ni Iris ng tissue ang asawa.

Mabilis namang kinuha ni Joseph ang tissue at pinunasan ang bibig. He looked at his wife. “W-what did y-you just c-call me?” Nauutal niyang tanong.

Iris smiled and sat beside her husband. “Darling.”

Tumikhim si Joseph saka pilit na pinipigilan ang ngiti na gustong kumawala sa kaniyang labi. Pero nagtaka siya dahil bigla siyang tinawag sa isang endearment. All of a sudden.

“Why did you call me ‘darling’? This is new. And all of a sudden, Amore.”

Iris smiled sweetly and innocently.

Agad na nakuha ni Joseph ang gustong ipahiwatig ng asawa. “You want something from me, Amore?”

Hinawakan ni Iris ang kamay ni Joseph. “I want to see our wedding pictures.”

Bahagyang natigilan si Joseph pero hindi niya pinahalata ‘yon kay Iris. He sighed. “There are no wedding pictures. Because it was so sudden, we only signed the marriage contract."

“There’s no wedding ceremony?”

Umiling si Joseph. Tricking Iris into this marriage is already enough. Hindi na niya kayang magsinungaling pa rito. Though Iris liked him before, she lost her memories. He knew that Iris didn’t want to commit yet. He only tricked her. That’s why they became husband and wife. She said she had a lot of things to do and consider. Batid niya na sa oras na bumalik ang memorya ni Iris, siguradong magagalit at kakamuhian siya nito.

“Then how could you even say that this is a marriage if there is no wedding ceremony at all.” Iris crossed her arms. “Now, I wonder if I really liked you back then.”

Joseph smiled confidently. “Of course, you like me, Amore.” He touched his wife’s nose. “But you don’t have to worry, I love you more.”

Iris pouted. “I don’t understand why your grandfather wanted to kill me. Is it because I’m just normal, and you are wealthy?” Joseph told her about the sudden marriage before, so, she understood why they didn’t have a wedding ceremony at all.

Joseph sighed. “I don’t know what my grandfather wants. He wants me to marry the woman he likes for me, but I’m stubborn. I don’t want anyone to control my life. I don’t want to marry a woman I don’t like.” Hinawakan niya ang kamay ng asawa. “You’re the only woman I want to spend my life with. I don’t care about your background. I only like you, and it will be you until my last breath.”

Iris suddenly covered her face with her hands.

Natawa naman si Joseph. “Bakit?”

Umiling si Iris saka humarap sa lamesa. “Gutom na ako.”

“Then let’s eat.”

But Iris felt something was odd. And she couldn’t tell what it was.