Chapter 3

The party went on. The audience began to dance by partners just like Valjerome's parents. I couldn’t help but smile and be jealous of the couple. Today is their 50th anniversary today, yet the love in their eyes were still intact.

"You're drinking too much," a deep voice whispered beside me.

I slowly glanced at him and smiled. "Are you going to stop me from this too?" I laughed and shook my head as I gulped the shot of whiskey I was holding.

I guess, I’m really drunk because I can now answer him in a pedantic way without feeling nervous. Well, I am always like this when drunk. It's like I'm opening a door from a room I'm locked in.

I don't know how many shots I've had. All I know is that I’m putting all my frustrations I’m feeling right now through drinking with my husband, with this necklace and with our lives living with each other.

"Oh, son. Why don't you dance with Jazzie? It's getting late, it's a pity if you don't make the most of coming here," asked Valjerome's father when they returned to our table.

It's already dawn.

"Jazzie's tired, dad," Valjerome replied simply as he gently put his arms around my shoulder.

I wanted to scoffed, but I refused to. He just doesn't want dance with me.

"Excuse me, I'll just go to the restroom," I politely said to everyone, including my husband.

"I’ll go with you," he said and quickly supported me as I stood up.

"I can handle myself," I snapped and pushed him slightly to have distance between the two of us.

Even though he still wears a masked, yet I could feel the tension of his clenching jaw. "I will go with you," he said with an undeniable tone and guided me for a walk.

I just bit my lower lip and drifted as he pulled me along. When we reached the washroom, he quickly let go of my hand like he was shaking off something unclean on him.

I didn't know why he came along, probably to make his parents always believe that we were a loving couple. I swallowed the bitterness and went to the restroom.

I took out the powder compact and refined the makeup in front of the mirror. Although I don't want to always put any make ups on my face, I have no choice because I am carrying a reputation. After retouching, I decided to go out of the bathroom.

But the scene before me once again smashed my disguise. My husband, Valjerome, was now having a passionate affair with a woman from nowhere. I watched as his long fingers lifted the woman's skirt and the woman on top of him let out a moan of satisfaction.

In Valjerome's eyes, who am I exactly? He can flirt or even make love with any woman at any time without regard to my feelings, but why can't he make out with me?

For three years, he hadn't touched me, and despite my attempts to get him drunk and strip naked to please him like a whore, I was defeated every time by his disgusted look. I didn't understand why I became a nasty rat in his eyes after his parents asked him to marry me when we were the closest friends before we got married.

I took a deep breath and decided to bypass them. I didn't want to be like a shrew, shouting at my cheating husband in public, because I knew it wouldn't help to repair our relationship.

Instead of going back to the table where Valjerome’s parents were, I directly went to the mini bar counter on the side. I immediately asked the bartender for a margarita and quickly gulped it down once he filled it up. Not minding the lime here, nor the salt.

I continued drinking until my surrounding’s already spinning. I laughed for a moment because minutes have passed but my husband was still not looking for me.

Can't he see me?

Or is he just not looking for me because he's doing something disgusting right now?

With that thought, I drank another shot. I was about to order again when a man approached by my side and offered his hand to me. I stared at him with dizzy eyes. Half of his face was behind a black mask but that didn't make me mesmerized about him. His ocean blue eyes captured my entire attention.

"Why don't you dance with me, gorgeous lady? I swear it's more fun than drowning yourself in alcohol," he uttered in a manly voice.

I couldn't answer right away and just kept staring into his beautiful eyes. I was about to speak when a strong arm wrapped around my waist with possession. I just closed my eyes and leaned on him; I already knew the presence of my husband by the scent.

"You're hitting on my wife, mister," Valjerome's voice was calm, but I knew it was a precursor to his anger. He is the heir to a Mafia family, I knew what would happen to that man. I didn't want to drag anyone down with me.

But the stranger man across from me was not intimidated by Valjerome's threat, I could even feel the tension between them. I had to stop this before the worst happened. Just as I would like to speak to calm Valjerome, the man across from me spoke again, not to my husband, but to me.

"You don't deserve someone like him," he said and walked away.

I could feel Valjerome's hard grip based on his heavy breath. I could assure that if I wasn’t leaning on him, he would have quickly followed the man and killed him right away. I just closed my eyes again and let myself jailed by his body.

His rising body temperature reminded me that I was not dreaming. I had been longing for the scene for so long--being leaning on him, and I could feel my burning skin out of his touch. However, I could only bury my delight within my heart...

Then I felt that he was carrying me carefully so I slowly opened my eyes again. Our eyes met. I couldn't read the emotion on his face but I just chose to smile thriftily.

But Valjerome's anger didn't subside, and his voice echoed as he cupped my chin with the same hand that had just touched another woman.

"Listen, dear, even though I won't touch you, you have no right to act like a slut and seduce others. If it happens again, you will know the consequences."

Valjerome finished and left me aside again like a piece of garbage.

--

When I walked to the entrance of the banquet hall, I found Valjerome's driver already waiting at the door.

"Ma'am, Sir asked me to take you home."

I didn't have any strength left to respond or to ask Valjerome's whereabouts, so I just nodded and got into the car.

There was no sign of Valjerome in the villa either, maybe he went to the bed of some new lover. Don't think about it, just play the role of his puppet wife, I knew from the beginning that I would face this situation, right?

I laid on the bed, not knowing when I fell asleep. But I was woken up by the blinding light of the room. My head felt like it was going to split, probably because I was greedy at the party yesterday and drank a few more glasses. I didn't expect the after-effects to be so severe.

I was just about to call Manang to pour me a glass of water when I saw a sturdy back next to the curtain, and I jerked backwards in shock, trying to hurry out of bed to check if my current look was good, when Valjerome turned around.

"Awake?" Valjerome spoke with his low voice.

I was totally in a state of shock at the moment, and I have no idea how to deal with the situation in front of me. It was the first time since Valjerome had ever been in my room. What did he want?

While I still didn't know what to say, Valjerome spoke again.

"Get up and eat. I'm going to work."

I blinked and stared at him several times.

What?

Am I hallucinating?

Is he talking to me now?

"Aren’t you going to speak?" he asked frowning.

I fell silent and averted my eyes. "Be careful," I stuttered in a low tone. The reason I said so was because every time the 'work' he mentioned didn't really mean work, but something to do with guns.

I heard him scoffed. I was surprised when he suddenly bent down and held my chin towards him.

"Is that all?" he asked while staring at me.

I was swallowed. "A-what ..." I trailed off.

What should I say?

"Souvenir?" I added.

He raised an eyebrow and released me slowly. I heard him cursed silently as he brushed his hair through his fingers.

"What will you do today? I heard you cleared your schedule," he casually asked.

I looked away when I remembered the reason why I cancelled my schedule for this week. Apparently he didn't know that today was our wedding anniversary, as he always did.

"No. I'm just going to rest here, I'm just tired of the shoot after another," I lied.

He stared at me.

"W-What... I'm going to get ready and go down for breakfast." I quickly got up and went to the bathroom to avoid him.

I looked in the big mirror and my face turned red when I noticed that I was now home.

He dressed me up again!

I jumped a little when I heard a knock outside the bathroom. "Why?" curiously biting my lip.

"I'm going," he informed.

I could not answer immediately. I heard her footsteps leave as I quickly opened the door. He stopped walking and frowned at me.

"A-ahm... Are you coming..." I bit my lower lip and met his gaze, "home early?" I carefully said.

He didn't answer, he just kept staring at me like I am a solving puzzle.

"I'll try," he answered sparingly and then finally left my room.

I couldn’t help but smile as I went inside the washroom.

Maybe he also remembered what we have today that's why he's acting nice.

I happily took a shower and groomed myself. I was still in the room, but I'm already planning what should I cook for tonight. Valjerome maybe a mafia boss, but he still has his legal company to take care of. He's running a company named ABCD Construction Corporation — a leading engineering and infrastructure firm here in the Philippines.

I blew dry my hair and finally went out of my room. I was happily whistling as I walked down the hallway when I was startled by a woman coming out of my husband’s room. All the joy and happiness I had felt disappeared so quickly. My memory came back to me last night when I stared at his face.

She's that girl. She was the one who he was kissing with last night.

I secretly smiled bitterly and reluctantly continued to walk. I even met Valjerome’s right hand Jaime climbing the stairs. I know at that moment, Valjerome ordered him to kill the girl.

"Oh, Jazzie. Eat all of these, I cooked a lot today," Manang greeted me with joy.

I forced a smile and sat on the chair. I couldn’t swallow my food, Manang seemed to notice my lethargic aura so she sat in the chair next to me and gently caressed my shoulder.

"You alright?" worriedly she inquired.

I lazily curved up my lip and nodded.

"Did your husband greet you?" she asked cautiously.

I stopped scooping my food and tremblingly dropped the spoon I was holding. I glanced at Manang and smiled again despite a lone tear fell on my cheek.

"I guess he doesn't even remember our wedding anniversary today..."