“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 mind, as long as may lock, he can do me, as he pleases.
He picked up his wallet, and he brought out a condom.
“You don’t need that.”
“I don’t take chances, Bellanova.” Ah yes, the Bellanova name. Armando ripped the condom pack, and he slipped it on him. Our eyes met in the dark, empty supply closet, and his piercing eyes sent shivers to my spine.
This man is my husband.
“Cover your mouth, Arissa.”
As I felt the tip of him touch mine, my arms wrapped around his shoulders as the pleasure began to kick in. My moans became the only thing that was heard in the supply closet. As he kept thrusting himself in me, I hooked my legs around his waist. I could hear myself getting louder, and I tried to muffle my moans by burying my face into his neck.
Then he began to move faster as his lips began to ravage every naked part of my body; from my neck, to my shoulders, as he still kept pushing in and out. I felt my insides squeezing against his hot member.
“Fuck, Arissa!”
“A-Armando,” I moaned his name out, as he pushed in, and out faster, before my head was in complete ecstasy. “Oh my god, Armando!” He gave out two last slow thrusts, sending me shivers to my bones as I reached my limit as he did. I felt myself releasing, nang sumandal ako sa pader on which he pushed me against. I gasped for air, as he supported me. God, his stamina.
“Arissa, that was just once.” He gently pushed me against the wall and he whispered to my ear, “We have the whole night tonight, sweetheart.” Napahawak ako sa mga braso ni Armando, and I watched him smirk. He took off the condom, pulled up his pants, and he put on his polo. He took out some tissues from my purse, then he wiped me down. He helped me put on my underwear, and he zipped my dress up. I gulped as his long, thick fingers brushed against my spine. “I should go first.”
I did nothing but nod, as he left me in the supply closet alone. I glanced around; this is obviously the supply closet ng toiletries. Nag-kalat ang tissues, and soaps. I sat on the side, as I rested for a bit. Obviously, Armando cleaned me up, pero we did it twice, in this supply closet. He made me come. Twice.
Armando Miñel Teng. My husband. I don’t really have much to say about him. I don’t dislike him, neither do I like him. He’s using me, and I’m pretty sure na ginagamit niya lang rin ako. This marriage, I mean.
We’re not married-married. We’re married on paper, pero aside from the regular sex we get from each other, wala na kaming nakukuha sa isa’t-isa. I mean, siya meron, my shares sa Bellanova Corporation, but I’m a doctor, he’s the businessman between us. It’s conjugal property naman.
Well, you’re probably wondering why a 25-year-old neurosurgeon-in-training is married on paper, right?
That’s because I’m a Bellanova, and I don’t want to be one.
I stood up, and straightened my dress. I got a mirror from my purse and checked my make-up, tapos nagre-apply ako ng lipstick. I was wearing an off-shoulder red dress, that reached up to my knees. It had a lot of mesh, and Armando got it for me.
I left the supply closet, and went back to the party in the hotel. The party’s already quite noisy na ‘rin, kasi marami nang tao. My husband and I are actually in his cousin’s engagement party. And kami ng asawa ko, we have a bad track record with weddings.
Our lives began to go towards a different direction after a certain wedding, after all.
“You’re here, kanina pa kita hinahanap!” I smiled a little when a friend of mine, Kristian Bellezo-Bartolo, approached me. He had a glass of champagne with him. “You missed the toast.”
I smiled at Kris. “I’ve had enough toasts for the rest of my life, but thank you for worrying, Kris.” I squeezed his arm as we watched the people dance around.
The party’s extravagant, to say the least. After all, the celebrants are two equally-wealthy people. Nagkalat ang branded delicacies, as well as the decorations and settings.
I sighed, at napahawak ako sa balakang ko. “I was with my husband.” Kris shot me a glare, before he eyed me from eye to toe. “Kris, no judgements.”
“Hindi ko pa’rin alam kung bakit mo pinakasalan ‘yong gagong ‘yon. You deserve better, Arissa.” He scoffed.
“Thank you for always being on my side.”
Kris smiled at me. “You just say the word. May lupa asawa ko sa Batanes, no one can track you there.” I chuckled at his suggestion.
“Speaking of, where’s your wife?”
“She took our daughter to bed.” Tumango ako, before I felt a hand grasp my arm. I looked up to meet the eyes of that man, my husband.
Armando’s always had fierce eyes, from the day we met, his eyes have always looked like they burn with so much flame. The fact that he’s way taller than me, doesn’t help, too. He looks more intimidating, even when we stand as husband and wife, kasi his towering height dominates that of everyone in the room.
“The party’s over, let’s go.” Armando firmly began.
“Saan?” Kris, one with equally ferocious eyes, stared down at my husband. “Saan mo na naman dadalhin si Arissa?”
“What I do with my wife is none of your business, Bartolo.” My eyes went wide as Armando called Kris by his surname. “It’s none of my business din, whatever you do with that, waitress wife of yours.”
“Armando!” I immediately called him out, and he shot me a glare. Napamewang ako and I sighed, before I gave the two of them looks. “Tama na.” I firmly told them, and Armando glared at me. “Kung gusto mo makipag-away, wag sa engagement party ng pinsan mo,” I corrected myself, “No, pinsan niyo.” I crossed my arms.
I wasn’t lying. Armando and Kris were related, by law. Cousin-of-a-cousin. Pinsan nila parehas ‘yong bride, and I don’t think, this is where Armando should let out his temper on Kris, nor is this a place for Kris to snap at Armando. Maling time, maling place.
I held on Armando’s chest, as I pleaded with him with my eyes. “Not here.”
“妻子,” he called me his wife, in Chinese. “Looks like you’re getting used to dealing with me.”
I smiled a little. “We’ve been married for months, Armando.”
Armando placed his arm over my shoulder, and he pulled me closer to him, before he glared at Kris. “You’re lucky today.” I waved Kris goodbye as Armando pulled me away, in his arm’s grasp. I felt his breath close to my neck as he whispered, “You always take that guy’s side.”
“Kasi lagi mo siyang inaaway. Stop fighting with him.”
“People are too protective of you. They don’t know you that well, don’t they?”
“Hindi ko naman kasi sila asawa.” I deadpanned, and Armando smirked, before he let out a chuckle.
“Are you saying that you know me better than other people?”
I know a lot of things about him. Alam kong hindi siya naglalaba ng damit niya, madalas inaasa niya sa pinsan niyang bibisita sa bahay, bago kami naging mag-asawa. Alam ko rin na naka-postpaid siya at magastos siya sa data. Alam kong ayaw niya sa kapeng walang cream or gatas, kasi nag-papadagdag siya ng gatas sa grocery list ko, every single time.
But most importantly, alam kong he’s the only one who can get me out of the Bellanova Family.
“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?!”
“I’m so sorry for your loss.” I bowed when I apologized to the woman. Someone died on our table during a craniotomy, and me, along with my senior, Dr. Lim, were there. We had to open her husband’s skull kasi nalaglagan siya nung gumuhong debris sa restaurant, pero hindi kinaya. He still died.The woman in front of me cried, and I heaved a heavy sigh. Dr. Lim and I excused ourselves from the grieving family, and we headed to the neuro lounge. The surgery went on for six hours din, so I stretched my neck, and rested on one of the sofas.Sharon Santos. That’s the name of the woman who lost her husband.I’m a second-year neuro resident. This isn’t the first time I lost a patient, pero I make it a habit to remember their grieving families. Hindi naman namin kasalanan that their family member died, pero we couldn’t save them. This is the least we can do.“How many fatalities?” Tanong ko kay Dr. Lim.
“Dr. Casimiro, I need you to take her to an MRI.” Dr. Lim told me at tumango ako. We just finished a craniotomy, and we were called straight to the ER, kasi may bumaliktad daw na tricycle. They need all the neuro and ortho people here. Tumango ako and I helped push the patient to the elevator, and to the MRI. Before we got there, I was paged. I narrowed my eyes, and it was the Nurses’ Station sa ground floor. It was a 911. I took my phone from my pocket and called Dr. Yamamoto. “Dr. Yamamoto, can you take over for me?” [“Today?”] I heard Dr. Yamamoto’s voice on the phone, grumbling as she suffled things around. [“Where are you? I’m coming”] “On the way to the MRI, papalit. I was paged 911 sa nurses’ station, baka Lolo ko eh.” [“Okay, I’ll meet you sa MRI.”] “Thank you, Lumi.” We dropped the call, at dumating na kami sa MRI. Surprisingly, nandoon na si Dr. Yamamoto, Lumi. She and I work together well, but at the time, we’re on different
“You’re getting married to Armando Teng?” I rolled my eyes nang sinundan-sundan na ako ni Kris sa ICU, as I checked the SATs ng mga patienteng under neuro.“Kris, don’t you have patients to round to?” I asked, at siya naman, napairap. “I was supposed to tell you, kaso one of our patients coded, I had to be here.” Pumamewang ako at binalik ko sa nurses’ station ‘yong tablet for the electronic charts. “At saan mo naman narinig yong balitang ‘yon, Kris?”“Nasa oncology ako kanina, tapos nagtanong-tanong si Richie Teng tungkol sa’yo, he let it slip.” I sighed, and then I smiled at Kris. “Nako, Arissa, wag mo akong madadaan sa pangiti-ngiti mo. Wala kang maloloko dito.”“Ngayong alam mo na, will you be my witness?”“Hell no.” Kris deadpanned, and he walked away, kaya agad ko naman siyang hinabol. Magkatabi lang kasi halos ang ICU
“You guys don’t have to do this, wala ba kayong mga surgery today?” Tanong ko sa kanilang tatlo – currently in formal wear, sa labas ng courthouse. I was dressed in a simple, white dress, at yong mga kasama ko, naka-outfit din sila. Umiling kaagad si Suzie. “Um, no. Hell no. Sa labas lang kaming tatlo para just in case na bigla kang magka-cold feet, kailangang may magda-drive ng getaway car.” I chuckled a little before I nodded. “Okay.” In the corner of my eye, nakita kong pumasok na sina Armando, his lawyer, na mukhang witness niya rin, si Attorney Ronquillo, and a Bellezo. I remember him as one of the Bellezos in the wedding. I’ve always known from Tia that the Bellezos and Tengs are allies, pero I didn’t think that they were this close. Speaking of Tia, she arrived with Andreas, right behind Armando and his witnesses. She gave me a confused look as she walked towards me. “I thought this was a private thing?” Tanong niya sa