Chapter 19: CHAPTER NINETEEN
"I DON'T know, Victoria. I think it's not the right time yet." Ani Noah sa asawa matapos alukin siya ng asawa tungkol sa pagtatayo ng sariling law firm.
Kareresign lang niya sa trabaho. He doesn't have the confidence to build his own firm.
Victoria rolled her eyes, annoyed. "My dad is a well respected man in your line of work. I'm sure he'll back you up." Pilit ng asawa na ikinailing niya. "I'm fine with my job now. Hindi pa ako handa na magtayo ng sariling firm."
Napabuntong hininga si Victoria at nagkibit balikat. "Okay, sabi mo eh. Just remember that you can't keep working in that toxic workplace forever. Learn how to depend on yourself."
Tumango si Noah. Wala pa siyang lakas ng loob para ipaalam sa asawa ang kalagayan niya. He's too ashamed to tell his popular and successful wife that he is now a jobless person.
"Anyways, I'll be busy the whole day. Ikaw ang magcook ng dinner kasi baka late akong umuwi." Biglang sabi ni Victoria
Noah frowned. "Why?"
"I just have some business to attend to." Makabuluhang sambit ni Victoria at umalis ng office ni Asher. That's when Asher came in.
"Man, alam mo bang kalat na ang pangalan mo sa news? Why is Vivienne not doing anything?" Nagtatakang tanong ni Asher habang si Noah naman ay napahilamos sa mukha at napatayo.
"I don't know...I'm gonna go to work."
"You're a lawyer! Do something!" Pigil ni Asher na ikinatigil naman ni Noah. "I'm not a lawyer anymore. I resigned."
Asher's eyes widen. "Ano?! Alam ba 'to ng mga magulang mo? Teka, bakit ka nagresign? You always wanted to be a lawyer! Eh si Victoria? Alam ba niya na wala kang trabaho?"
Nanghihinang napaupo si Noah. "No one knows yet..Nagresign ako kasi nahihirapan na ako. I have bad feedbacks from my clients, my boss treats me like shit. I guess I'll work another job."
Lumapit si Asher at tinapik-tapik ang balikat niya. "I'm here for you, buddy. Kahit isa ako sa mga nagpahirap sa buhay mo noon, kaibigan mo naman na ako ngayon. If you need any help, I'll do anything I can."
Noah nodded. "Can you keep this a secret? Ayoko pang malaman ng mga magulang ko."
Asher nodded earnestly. "Your secret's safe with me, bud."
Noah smiled. "Thanks." He left his friend's office bago tumungo sa pinapasukang trabaho.
VICTORIA casually flipped her hair as she enters Noah's law firm. Agad niyang pinapasok ang mga trabahador na magaalis sa gamit ng firm.
"Miss Victoria? Anong...anong nangyayari? Bakit nila inaalis ang gamit ng firm?" Tanong ni Aeign at halatang kinakabahan.
Tinanggal ni Victoria ang pink shades at matamis na nginitian si Aeign. "They're my men. Simula ngayon, ako na ang may-ari ng building na'to. That means, I can do whatever I want with this small building."
Dahan-dahang nanlaki ang mga mata ni Aeign. "P-Po? Bakit? Alam kong nirerentahan lang ang building na'to pero, bakit bibilhin mo?"
Victoria wrinkled her nose. "Nothing, really. Let's just say...I'm having my revenge."
Kumunot ang noo ni Aeign. "Revenge?"
Magsasalita pa sana si Victoria nang dumating ang boss ni Noah na si Atty. Sanchez. "Anong nangyayari dito?! Aeign, bakit nila inaalis ang mga gamit ko?!" Galit na tanong ni Atty. Sanchez kay Aeign.
Victoria's smile faded and faced Atty. Sanchez. "How's your day, Atty? Just to inform you, binili ko nga pala ang 3 million building na'to." She smiled sweetly. "Basically, I own this and I am your boss."
"Anong sabi mo?! Bakit mo ginawa yun? Ha? At bakit pinapatanggal mo ang gamit namin?!" Atty. Sanchez is fuming in anger.
Victoria clicked her tongue. "Irerenovate ko ang firm na 'to. So, starting today, it's not your firm anymore and you don't have a job." Nilingon niya si Aeign. "Except for you, Aeign. You'll stay together with Noah—speaking of him, where's my husband?"
Nakayuko lang si Aeign at mapaklang tumawa si Atty. Sanchez. "Kaya ba binili mo tong building at inalisan mo ko ng trabaho, para kay Noah?" Tumawa ito. "Well, sorry to burst your bubble but Noah resigned days ago." Ngumisi ito. "You did this for nothing."
Victoria stilled. She felt her world crumbled. "H-He resigned?" Tumingin siya kay Aeign. "Is it true? Noah resigned?"
Aeign slowly nodded. "Sabi niya, ayaw daw muna niya ipaalam sa pamilya niya at sayo. Sabi niya, huwag ko daw muna sabihin." She winced.
"Nasaan siya? Sabi niya, pupunta siya ng trabaho. Kung nagresign na pala siya dito, then where is he?!" Hindi mapakaling tanong ni Victoria.
Aeign's head remained low. Victoria is sure that Aeign knows something but wouldn't tell. Siguro ay binilinan ito ni Noah na huwag magsalita. "Aeign! Tell me or else isasama kita sa tatanggalan ng trabaho. Don't lie to me or else you wouldn't like what I'd do to you." Pananakot niya.
Bumuntong hininga si Aeign bago nagsalita. "H-He's at Cruixe Restuarant."
Hindi na sumagot si Victoria. Dali-dali siyang pumasok ng sasakyan at nagpamaneho sa restaurant kung nasaan si Noah. How dare him not tell her his situation?! I'm the wife, why would he keep secrets from me?!
Victoria is trying to keep calm but she's about to go mad. He declined her offer to build a new firm but he chose to resign as a lawyer?
"We're here, Miss Victoria—"
Mabilis na binuksan ni Victoria ang pintuan ng sasakyan at tumakbo papasok ng cruixe restuarant. Nang makapasok, binati siya ng isang waiter pero hindi niya ito tinuunan ng pansin. Her eyes are frantically roaming around the restuarant to look for her husband, until her eyes settled on someone who's serving food to a table. May magiliw na ngiti ito sa labi.
Victoria flipped her hair and tuned out the whispers from the customers. Of course, they know her. She's very popular.
Mahigpit niyang hinawakan sa kamay ang asawa na halatang nagulat. "Victoria..."
She frowned. Hawak niya ang kamay ng asawa habang palabas ng restaurant. "What do you think you're doing?!" She hissed.
"Ha? Teka, paano mo nalaman na nandito ako?"
"That doesn't matter! Bakit nagresign ka sa work mo? And why did you keep it from me?!"
Noah's head hanged low. "I was ashamed..." he whispered.
"You're ashamed?! Do you know how ridiculous you look back there? A lawyer, working as a waiter? Inalok kita ng offer na magtayo ng sariling firm pero tinanggihan mo. You chose to resign and work as a waiter instead—"
Noah suddenly hugged Victoria, making her still. "N-Noah..."
"I need a hug." He whispered and Victoria automatically hugged him back.
"What happened to you? Tell me, please." Victoria managed to calm down.
"I have bad feedbacks from my clients and boss. So I'm having a hard time finding another job as a lawyer. Nagresign ako kasi nahihirapan nako." He chuckled. "No one treats me right. Even my office looks old and dusty so I decided to resign. Hindi ko kayang magtayo ng sarili kong firm kasi alam kong hindi ako magaling at panigurado, hindi ako kikita doon."
"So you chose to be a waiter?" Victoria asked, still hugging her husband.
Noah's huh tightened around her waist. "I work as a waiter in the morning, a driver in the afternoon and a cashier in the evening."
Victoria tightened her hug. Her heart tightened as well, hearing her husband's words. Hindi niya alam pero naiinis siya. Nagagalit siya sa mga taong sinaktan ang asawa niya. "You don't have to work so hard.."
Noah chuckled. Kinalas nito ang yakap. "I have to. My parents are relying on me. I need to support them."
"You're working too hard...kasalanan talaga ito ng boss mo eh. Buti nalang tinanggalan ko na siya ng trabaho!" Victoria gritted her teeth in anger.
"Ano nanamang ginawa mong kabaliwan?" Noah asked.
"I bought your law firm's building worth 3 million pesos. Since ako na ang may ari, tinanggalan ko ng trabaho ang boss mong demonyo. Though pinapaimbestiga ko pa kay Aeign yung dalawang kliyente mong sinabihan ka ng masasama."
"Bakit mo ginagawa yan? That's bad." Sermon sa kaniya ni Noah na nakakunot ang noo.
Victoria frowned. "You should be glad that I'm wasting my precious time to hurt those who hurt you. I'm that nice."
Finally, Noah smiled. "Ikaw? Mabait?"
Victoria tried to hide her happiness seeing her husband finally smile genuinely. "Mabait kaya ako! Hindi lang halata." She tsked. "Anyways, d-did you sort things out with your dating rumor with my sister?" She asked.
Noah shook his head. "I tried calling her but she's not answering. Lalong lumalaki ang balita."
"Leave it to me. Those rumors make me sick anyways. I can make those rumors disappear in 24 hours." She smirked.
"You've been helping me a lot..may gusto ka ba sakin?" Noah teased.
"Oo, gusto kita."
Victoria stilled when she realized what she just said. Even Noah who's just teasing her stilled and his smile faded.
Her eyes shifted. Hindi ito makatingin sa mga mata ng asawa dahil sa hiya. "Um...W-What I mean is.."
Victoria's eyes quiver and her hands shiver in nervousness, pero ganun nalang ang bigla niya nang hilain siya ni Noah sa beywang at hinawakan ang baba niya. Unti-unti, nilapat nito ang labi sa labi niya...
"Miss Victoria?"
Mabilis na tinulak ni Victoria si Noah at humarap sa boses na tumawag sa pangalan niya. She just sighed. Nabitin siya at bad mood siya!
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