The Wicked Mrs. Gastrell (English version)

“Hey are you okay? Karina?”

Cholo’s voice awakened my already traveling spirit. I turned to him who was intently staring at me from his seat. I thought he was still busy with what he was doing earlier on the laptop.

I slowly nodded.

“Yeah, I’m good.”

I looked out of the car. We were passing through woods now.

“Is it still far away or are we here already?” I asked to change the topic.

“We’ll be there in thirty minutes. Do you need anything? Are you hungry? Are you thirsty? Do you need to pee?”

I shook my head smiling.

“No. This moment is so precious to let it go. We barely got to be together like this. I might as well talk to you.”

He finally closed the laptop and put it away.

“You want us to talk? Sure. What do you want to know?”

He moved towards me and took my left hand, placed it on his thigh, and played with the ring on my finger.

“Anything. You tell me. How about this project you’re so excited about?” I said.

“This project is not really kicking yet. We are still in the first phase. Research, analysis, and on-site examination first although many resource persons have already confirmed that there is indeed oil in the area. I’m so excited for this project because my mom and dad have long dreamed of entering the energy industry,” he said in an eager voice.

“You really cherish your parents,” I forcefully said despite the lump in my throat. “It might have been too late for me to say it but I’m sorry for the loss of your dad, Cholo. He’s too young to perish like that.”

He stopped stroking my finger.

“Thank you. It’s been years and I have accepted it. You can say that I have moved on from it. It hurts to lose a father especially if you know he still wants to live. Our money didn’t do anything to save my father’s life. The only thing I’m thankful for is that at least we were able to say goodbye to him properly.”

It hurts more to lose a father especially if you don’t know why he died. I didn’t even get to properly say my goodbye to him. My brother didn’t get to say his goodbye to him. At least you have seen him. At least you have told him everything you wanted to say. Me? I was robbed off that privilege. They robbed me of my rights as my father’s daughter like an animal

I smiled at him.

“Good for you. I’m sure your father is happy now wherever he is.”

“Thank you. How’s your family Karina? Are they good? I hope to meet them someday.”

I was caught off guard.. My smile hung in the air when he mentioned my family.

“Yeah, they’re good. They’re in the best place, but it looks like you will never be able to meet them.”

“And why is that?”

I squinted at him.

“Did you have amnesia? You said it yourself. You’ll annul me after the election. I’m sure my family won’t like to see my ex-husband by then.”

Nginisihan ko siya na nahulog sa malalim na pag-iisip. His grey hooded eyes gleamed in protest.

“Are you letting me go? I thought you will never let me go in forever? That you will never give me away to Elizabeth?”

He lifted his hands and caressed my ear.

I smirked and clinched the distance between us.

“Why? Would you let yourself be swayed? If you’ll be mine, you’ll go crazy when I let you go.”

“Then I’d be the one to chase you this time. I’ll stalk you, know all the things about you, and make you fall for me again until you have no choice but to be with me,” he teased me.

“Really? Then how about Elizabeth? How about the woman you love? Can you drop her like that? How about your reputation? You know the Asturias. Their most prized heiress is Elizabeth. Can you afford to make an enemy out of them? Hmm?”

He paused for a moment before laughing. I was shocked by his reaction.

“Why are you laughing?” I frowned at him.

He didn’t reply. He just took off the ring from my finger and played it on his palm.

“Wife, you must have forgotten who you’re married to. I’m a Gastrell. My name speaks for myself and what I can do. Do you really think I will cower at them if I decided to call it quits with Elizabeth?”

With a grin on his lips, he slowly put the ring back on my finger.

“There you go. Just as where you should be,” he whispered and kissed my hand.

A shudder crawled through my body at what he did. A little more smile from him and I might go down on my knees again right here.

“But you love her,” I whispered while carefully anticipating his reaction.

“But I’m married to you,” he answered, successfully hiding his emotion from me.

A little bit of frustration crept in me. What is he talking about? Could it be that…

“So if I ask you to marry me again now in the church, would you do it?”

This is where I will know if he is serious about what he is telling me or if he, like me, is making a way for me to fall into a trap.

“I want a grand wedding, wife, so now cannot be possible. Give me three months and I’ll give you one,” he answered without hesitation.

I let out a sigh and settled back into the seat. Just what the hell of a game you’re playing this time, Cholo? Have you seen through my plan? I can’t believe you have a change of heart overnight. It is not that easy to break one’s own feelings. I smiled at him then put our hands together.

“I love the idea. Let’s get married again in three month’s time.”

He grabbed me by the waist and kissed the side of my head. I leaned on his shoulder.

Cholo, I can not trust you. What are you planning now?

A few more minutes passed and the limousine stopped in a port area of Monte Vega.

“We’re here,” Cholo announced. He came down first and opened the door for me. I reached for his hand and put on the sunglasses.

“Thank you.” I pulled back my hair that was being blown by the naughty wind.

The weather is nice. Not that humid. Just the right amount of sun and wind.

Two of Cholo’s men are behind us with umbrellas on us. He extended his arm to me and I immediately understood what he meant. I waved at him before we walked towards a group of people who were on the runway of the port and were looking at us.

I wasn’t surprised to find Ymir and Elizabeth standing next to each other looking in our direction. The woman clings her brother’s arm. I couldn’t see their reactions because their faces were almost covered by the glasses they were wearing. I smiled at them and waved. I felt my husband get stunned for a moment by my side, which he immediately hid. I secretly thought about something. If I could say the right words and do the right actions then I could uncover what he’s been cooking secretly.

“Good morning, Mr. Gastrell,” greeted a tall elderly man as we approached them. Cholo smiled then shook his hand.

“Good morning, Sec.” He put his arm around me possessively and introduced me to his companions. “This is my wife, Karina. Hun, this is Alfred Benito, the secretary of the Department of Energy.”

The name and position of him immediately flashed in my mind. I smiled at him and at myself. This makes sense now. Ah, Cholo. You are easy to read.

“Good morning, sec. It’s an honor to meet you.”

I accepted his handshake with a smile. His face was so warm while looking at me.

“Ms. Karina, I am more honored. I have heard so many things about you,” he greeted back.

“I hope it’s a good thing,” I rode him on while pulling back my hand.

“Don’t worry. I only heard many good things about you from the Chairman. He loves you like how a doting father loves his own daughter.”

The smile suddenly disappeared from my lips when I heard that. Does this man know the Chairman? How come? I looked at my husband who was also waiting for my answer.

“Cholo,” Ymir called, interrupting our conversation. “We are having a problem. Can I talk to you for a minute?”

Cholo glanced at me. “Stay here for a while.”

I let go of his arms and watched him go with Ymir. I politely said goodbye to the secretary. I moved a little away from the crowd and called Vishen.

“Ms. Karina,” he answered immediately.

“You didn’t tell me about Sec. Benito. Does he know the Chairman?”

“I’m sorry Ms. but it was a direct order from the Chairman himself not to tell you.”

“What? So is it okay for me to get blindsighted? Vishen, I didn’t come here to play, you know that. Now tell me who this man is? It seems to me that he knows the Chairman.”

“Ms. Karina, this information is beyond my duty to tell you.”

I gasped in annoyance. Seriously. This man is so loyal. I can’t really get anything from him if he ever decides to be the Chairman’s soldier toy.

“Okay, I get it. It’s alright. Now, did you get any information about the joint venture of Cholo?” I pointed to the work I gave him.

“I have three fourths of the report, Ms. It is not yet complete because of the lack of data. As what I’ve gathered, the new company founded by Mr. Cholo Gastrell and Ymir Asturia is expected to be favored by the government to be rewarded of the project in oil drilling in the area. It’s more than a decade in the making, so all the money and resources of the two clans are in this project. Mr. Demish Viera, who is running for mayor, played a role in convincing the government,” he explained.

“Can you tell me how big this project is?”

“It’s a multi-billion dollar contract, Ms. Karina.”

“Hmmm, that big huh. No wonder they’re so obsessed with it. So what’s the conflict?”

I heard the clatter of fallen pots on the floor. I just shook my head. Vishen must have been in his house again experimenting with his never-improving cooking skills.

“Apparently they are now having a problem with the owner of the land. They don’t want to sell it to the Asturias because of decades of conflict. If it was only for the Gastrells, it would probably have been sold a long time ago,” he answered.

“I’m sure if it’s the government we’re talking about here then they could easily get the property. What’s the bigger deal here?”

“This land is not included in the area that can be drilled for oil. As for the real reason why they wanted it, I don’t know yet.”

My earthly body came to life more than ever. What is there on the land that they want to get? I looked at Cholo who was talking intently with Ymir. Their discussion seems to be heated. Cholo looks frustrated while Ymir removed the shades from his eyes so I could clearly see his reddened face.

“I know you won’t disappoint me, Vishen. I need the full report as soon as possible. And oh, before I forget, connect me to the owner of the lot. I want to talk to them.”

“Right away, Ms. Karina.”

“And wait I have some-”

I stopped talking when someone caught my attention. A ten-car procession stopped meters from me and out came the man I never thought I would see now. My mouth fell open when I saw the man coming out from the car.

What is this? A joke?

“Vishen, tell me how the hell Maverick Fuentebella is here?”

I sighed. I heard the banging of pots again followed by a female voice.

“Ms. Karina, that’s what I’ve been wanting to tell you. The investigation we were doing went awry because we had an encounter with Jex.”

I followed how went into the direction of Cholo and knock off his fist to his friend.

“Why? Is there something I needed to know? I thought it’s already settled?”

“Ms. Karina, I believe you need to rethink your strategy. Maverick Fuentebella accepted your husband’s offer to become the major stockholder of Gastrell Global Conglomerate.”

My jaw dropped when I found out. To say that I’m disappointed is not enough. I’m annoyed and angry. I thought he wouldn’t interfere. Why would he come into my life when I don’t need him?

“Thank you for the advice Vishen but I will stick to the original plan. I’ll call you when I need you again.”

I walked back to my husband who had been looking in my direction. And when he pulled me by his hand into his side, I had no enough reason not to look at Maverick’s way who’s watching at me with the same expression he wears on that day he first found me-pity.