Chapter 10

I looked at myself in the comfort room mirror to see if I looked okay. I'll be meeting my clients today.

Yes. Baxter and Erine. I am really happy for them. Finally they were able to fight for their love. But still, I have to continue pretending that I didn’t know them and I wasn’t what they recognized as Equija.

I hurried out of the CR and I caught up with the seemingly hurried man and I was hit.

"I'm sorry" he said in a baritone voice

Our eyes met both and I was shocked. How would I ever forget the face of the man who took my fem and who broke me into bits?

But to my surprise he passed me after apologizing as if he didn't know me.

"Zeke my man!" I saw Baxter and Erine meet him in a corner of the restaurant. Erine saw me immediately and her eyes seemed to have a strange meaning.

"Ezekiel. I want you to meet our wedding organizer. Ms. Anthalia"

I felt every fiber of my being was shaking. I barely walked any closer despite the persecutors they looked at me

"Its you."

My heart beat erratically.

"I'm sorry awhile back. I haven't seen you."

I was surprised, Ezekiel is pretending not to know me or does he not really remember me anymore? just like that? What should I expect?

Pretenses Thalia!

"Its okay Sir, no harm done. Shall we start the meeting?" I need to get away fast.

We talked about how the designs and colors would be part of the wedding, Ezekiel obviously isn’t that interested because he kept looking and busy with his phone.

"My brother here will be the one to handle with the visitors, champagne and wines to be served at the wedding, he insisted to come and personally tell you, I'll leave him with you now Thalia we will be meeting some friends ..."

"Ah..err yes .. yes Be careful." Baxter just nodded while Erine gave me a smile.

I felt the tension of Ezekiel and I turn around after saying goodbye.

He's eyeing me deeply as if I've turned into something else.

"Uhh .. uhm do you have particular brand or ..."

"Let's stop the pretensions shall we Ms. Alivarez?"

He said with a deep and cold voice. He knows me. He recognized me!

"What? Im sorry sir I didn't get that"

"Oh come on wife. Stop lying will you? That's where you're really good at." he smirked

I was stunned by what he said. Did he just call me "wife"?

I filed a divorce before I can even go back to the Philippines, one of the most powerful and authoritative lawyers of greece I trusted to annul our marriage without my presence, what the hell is he talking about?

"Where the hell have you been in the past 2 years?" I noticed the anger in his voice, God my heart beat it hasn't normalized yet!

"All this time you've just been here?" I noticed that he could speak straight Tagalog,

"what? you won't speak? are you playing mute now just like how you played well pretending to be someone else then and now?" he brought himself closer to me, but I stand my ground. No I wont allow him to hurt me once more.

"what do you want Ezekiel?"

I saw that he was stunned when I called his name. But he recovered quickly and smiled

"oh, nothing that I can remember, just that ..." he slowly stood up. I stopped breathing when he turned and stood behind me, I felt the heat of his breath in my ear.

"I'll just charge the arrears" I felt his lips on my shoulder which is bare at the moment because of my off shoulder dress,

"that is for fooling me before, and theres a lot more Anthalia, you gave me a 2 years in a merry chase dont you think it is time to get even?”

and that he left me in the air without a doubt, leaving me dumbfounded and alone. Just like before, I felt my foot tremble, and a lonely tear fell.

Every memory rush through, how he claimed me and made me feel like he loved me up to the moment he became cold and stone when the real Equija showed up as if nothing happens between us. I thought then, is there a chance? that he would fall in love with me as Anthalia, not as Equija, but I was wrong.

I felt my cellphone vibrate in my pocket. It was an unknown number

"yes hello?"

"just to inform you ... I own the land where your business is located, I heard you are still paying every month?" there is a mischief in his tone

I closed my eyes So he was the mysterious owner of the land ?! But ...

"I'm paying right Ezekiel. Your secretary and I talked about that. 2 YEARS AGO"

"yes but ... I am afraid Mr. Acapulco is willing to triple the payment so ..."

I can hear the amusement in his voice! Damn you!

I found my fist balling in anger.

"What do you want Ezekiel?" exasperated, I was able to say it even though the emotions I was feeling were too much,

I heard him laugh,

"good. You really are a business woman now my dear wife. You sound so expert with negotiations. Tonight, see me in the Barracks Resto, wear something nice. Perhaps, a sexy red dress? hmmm I will see you tonight wife"

"quit calling me wife!" I can not control myself. There were also tears that I had been preventing from flowing. No one answered on the other line.

a seconds later

"I did not sign the papers." that's all and he's gone on the other line.

What did he say?