After the period na tinawag ni Lumi na ‘honeymoon period’, I went back to the hospital, and resumed my daily work. Of course, Armando became a part of that daily cycle of mine. Honestly though, minsan naiisip ko na baliktad kaming dalawa. Lumi calls it a ‘Malewife’, pero I don’t think he fits the standards. Sure, he cooks very well, to the point na three months into this marriage, I don’t think I’d be able to eat without criticizing at the back of my head ang kahit sino bukod sa kanya, but he can’t do anything else. He cooks, I clean the house. Kapag nag-pu-poopoo yung dogs sa diapers nila, he hands them to me like medical waste. Ako din naglo-laundry, kasi he doesn’t even know how to separate the lights from the darks. He kept complaining about the shades of grey on our first month, kaya I relieved him completely off laundry duty. Siya tiga-sampay, though.
In contrast naman, Armando’s good at the things that I don&r
“Dalawa kayong residenteng naka-assign sa patienteng ‘yon! Had I and Sagazaki didn’t arrive on time, malamang, patay na ‘yong baby! Ginagamit niyo ba mga utak niyo o sadyang nandyan lang ‘yan sa loob ng kokote niyo bilang design!?” Sinigawan kaming dalawa ni Kris ng isa sa mga fellow sa pediatric surgery, si Dr. Elliot Welkins. Nakayuko kaming tahimik ni Kris sa conference room, kasama si Dr. Welkins at si Dr. Sagazaki, with Dr. Buenaventura and Dr. Lim, our department chiefs.We prepared ourselves for the worst. May patiente kami together ni Kris, a baby with a tumor sa liver niya. The baby, Ria, is just 10 months old, and dapat tomorrow, tatanggalin namin ‘yong tumor niya, kaso bigla siyang nag de-sat. Kung baga, ‘yong vitals niya, biglang humina, despite being on a few meds already.“Elliot, kumalma ka.” Dr. Buenaventura began. “Explain what happened, at bakit wala kayong dalawa sa NICU noong oras na
I straightened my dress as I looked at myself in the mirror. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Me, dressed up in a red, spaghetti-strap, slit dress, with full make-up on. This wasn’t supposed to happen, but it’s happening. This happened because of my mother. My ever-so-pakailamerang mother. She found out that I wasn’t invited to the engagement party, so she threw a fit kay Armando. Sometimes, I am amazed as to how napakakapal ng mukha ng nanay ko, sa totoo lang.Anyway, Armando somehow managed to get me into the party, but because of the precedence of my appearance, hindi ako pupunta sa party as his date, but as a doctor from the bride’s father’s hospital.Namili ako sa kakaunti kong alahas na naka-box sa drawer. I picked the silver ones; mula sa earrings at sa necklace, and then I chose a silver watch, too. Then I got a pair of stiletto heels to match my attire. Armando also left me a red purse. I too
“Ah, Armando, good god.” I heaved another pant as he thrusted himself deep inside me. “A-Arman—” he stopped me from saying another word as he ravaged my mouth, still not stopping from pushing himself in and out as I gasped for air. “Quiet now, sweetheart. Don’t you have,” He panted, as he threw the last remaining article of clothing on his body, his polo, then he pushed me against the wall, and then he thrusted inside me, once again, sending vibrations all over my body. “co-workers, on today’s party? If you’re loud, they might hear you.” Armando smirked, that damned smirk that put me in this position, in the first place. “Well, ano pa ba ang di nila narinig? We’ve done it in the hospital, anyway.” I gasped for air as he pulled out, just in time before I came. It took me a while to realize that we’re doing it in the supply closet. It smells like alcohol, the rubbing one, in here. Medyo amoy sabon ‘rin. And it’s honestly not the time to question Armando’s room
“Ah, Armando, good god.” I heaved another pant as he thrusted himself deep inside me. “A-Arman—” he stopped me from saying another word as he ravaged my mouth, still not stopping from pushing himself in and out as I gasped for air. “Quiet now, sweetheart. Don’t you have,” He said as he threw the last remaining article of clothing on his body, his polo, then he pushed me against the wall, and then he thrusted inside me, once again, sending vibrations all over my body. “co-workers, on today’s party? If you’re loud, they might hear you.” Armando smirked, that damned smirk that put me in this position, in the first place. “Well, ano pa ba ang di nila narinig? We’ve done it in the hospital, anyway.” I gasped for air as he pulled out, just in time before I came. The hotel’s supply closet is not a place to do things like, this, but to a man such as Armando Miñel Teng, there’s no such thing as a distinction between a hotel room and a supply closet. In his mi
“Artezia,” I called out a cousin of mine nang nagkita kami sa mobile bar ng resort. Well, our family’s resort. I am Arissa Erishelle Bellanova, the third Bellanova daughter, pero madalas, I don’t refer to myself as such. Today, though, is a different case. Because it’s a wedding. Heck, it’s my biological brother’s wedding, so I have to act like a Bellanova. It’s because of that damned deal. “Rise, you’ve arrived.” Artezia, or simply, Tia, smiled plainly at me as we saw each other, and she walked towards me. Tia and I, kung hindi kami kilala nung tao, malamang sa malamang, ay mapagkakamalan kaming magkapatid. The Bellanova gene is prominent sa aming dalawa. Ebony black hair, hazel brown eyes, and pearly white skin. The Bellanovas were well-known for that, at hindi kami excempted ni Tia doon. The only difference between me and Tia are our facial features. My face is more on the Asian side, and her face is more on the western side. “How was the biyahe from Manil
The aftermath of the entire leaving Ms. Teng at the altar didn’t come off as good. It was a mess, to say the least. The Tengs went back to their mansion up north, and we returned to our estate. The elders in our family went to their meeting room to discuss the entire...... ordeal, while Tia and I were in Tia’s bedroom. “So you mean to tell me that my brother had an affair? A long-time affair?” Tanong ko rito. From what I understood from Tia’s explanation earlier, my older brother had another girlfriend, bukod pa kay Miss Teng, and she got pregnant. Tia found out a few days before the wedding, and she made a deal with my brother na kapag tinuloy ni Leonel, my brother, ‘yong kasal, she will ensure na his other girlfriend and child are protected. Ang ending, he still left. I sighed, sa lahat ng information na niload sa akin ni Tia ngayon. “Son of a bitch.” “Hah, you called it.” “What do you think is happening, sa loob?” Tia cupped her chi
Nakahiga ako sa kama, and my cousins were on their phones. Si Ate Betsy, nasa balcony, may kausap ata na doctor, and Andreas was playing on his Nintendo switch. I laid back on the bed and I looked at the ceiling.“Ang tagal ni Tia.” I remarked.“Did you hear her mom’s voice, katakot!” Ate Judy remarked. “Grabe, nakatiis ka sa bahay na ‘to ng ganon kasama mo? All until 4th year high school?”I chuckled, not sitting back up. “Hindi ko naman nakaka-interact madalas ‘yong mommy ni Tia eh.” I sat up and met Ate Judy’s eyes. “Hindi naman ako taga-rito, diba?”“True,” Milano remarked. “hindi nga taga-rito si Rise.”I glanced at Milano and we smiled at each other. I don’t have allies in this house, but outside, I have a village who loves me, and cares for me. My ‘estranged’ cousins are among them. Kris, and his family, to
“Rise, I cannot believe you!” Nag-iimpake akong hinabol ni Tia sa kwarto ko. After the dinner, which was heavy, and nauseating, the responsibility of marrying a Teng fell onto me. I never wanted to marry a Teng, for God’s sakes, pero it’s Tia. Tia, who’s always protected me since the beginning. Tia, the only person who took care of my wounds kapag binubugbog ako sa bahay na ‘to. Tia, who ensured na makakapasok ako sa UP ng hindi alam ng nanay ko. Tia, who’s always been in love with Andreas. I cannot let her marry a man who’s not Andreas. Di bale nang ako. I’ve basically sealed my life to be alone with my dog, anyway. I can’t have children, and I am not interested in romance. A loveless marriage will be the least of my problems. I held her face with my two hands and I gave her a hug. “Tia, please.” “Rise, you’ve suffered all your life! God, I wanted you to leave this house for good, and then you pull off that brain-cutting stint of yours?!”