The Runaway Wife

“I’LL wait for you tonight, Janine. Don’t be late. You know that I hate people wasting my time.”

Janine looked at the blank screen of her phone. The call ended minutes ago, but her heart was still hammering inside her chest. The last words that she heard from the other line were still lurking in her mind. Those words were spoken by the husky voice of a man, the man that Janine had been dreading to see every day of her life.

“Miss Janine,” the soft voice of the restaurant’s waitress called her attention.

Janine heaved a sigh and plastered a smile on her face before she turned around. “Yes, Filipa?”

The French woman smiled. “We got another order of your garlic pasta,” she said in French. “It looks like our customers love your recipe.”

She forced a smile on her face. “That’s good news,” she said, starting to move into the kitchen. “It’ll be ready in a few minutes.”

Janine was in the middle of plating the pasta when Felix, the bartender at her husband’s restaurant, approached her. In his late forties, the man still managed to maintain a good lifestyle through frequent visits to the gym.

“I’m delighted that Sir Ken married you, Janine,” he said, beaming at her. “You gave life to this dark and gloomy restaurant—one of his hundreds of restaurants.”

Janine let out an awkward laugh. “I’m flattered,” she replied as she topped the pasta with a basil leaf. “I’m happy to meet all of you, too.”

“We’re happy, too, Janine!” Felix tapped her shoulders. “Wait for a minute...” He paused, then narrowed his eyes at her. “Today is your second anniversary here at KentoBox, right?”

She nodded. “Yes…” She must admit that she had forgotten about it. “It’s my second year here.”

“And it also means that your wedding anniversary is just around the corner!” Filipa butted in and snatched the pasta plate from the table. She swiftly placed it on her tray and strolled gracefully outside the kitchen.

“Do you have plans tonight? This calls for a celebration!” Felix asked hopefully.

Janine lowered her head and remembered that she got a call from Ken just a few minutes ago. Her husband was reminding her that today was Friday. And Friday meant dirty play. Janine shut her eyes at the horrible events that flashed through her mind. She bit her lower lip and took a deep breath. Before Felix could notice her uneasiness, she opened her eyes and looked at him with a fake smile.

“I’d love to have a few drinks with all of you, but I’m afraid I can’t,” she started with a forced smile on her face. Sometimes, Janine wondered if the café staff noticed her reluctance to talk about her husband. “Ken just called me earlier. We have plans tonight,” she continued.

Felix grinned and narrowed his eyes at her. “What kind of plans?” he asked. “Is that some kind of planning to have a new member of the family?”

Janine almost flinched at that question. The restaurant staff didn’t know anything about Ken when he was out of the restaurant or what he did when he was not wearing the chef’s uniform. All they knew was that Ken was a successful bachelor, and every woman would swoon over him just to get his attention. That was also what she thought he was before he asked her to marry him.

“I don’t know,” she said, looking away. “Ken is always up for something that surprises the hell out of me.”

Janine didn’t know if she sounded scared or excited about what she said. And she didn’t have the energy to worry about it anymore. Her mind was occupied with what would happen when she got home. Would she survive?

***

TIME flew by inside the kitchen, and before Janine knew it, the clock had struck six in the afternoon. She caught her chest as her heart started to hammer wildly. Should I escape? She ditched the question in her mind. She knew for a fact that wherever she went, Ken could still find her.

After she informed her co-workers that she’d be out early, Janine quickly went to the locker to change clothes. As soon as she stepped out of the restaurant, her hands felt cold. The Parisian afternoon breeze felt cold on her cheeks. It was as if the wind was kissing her worries away.

Was it? Janine doubted it.

Why would it let her feet walk toward Ken’s restaurant if the sky really cared for her? Why would it let her gaze revert to Ken while he was doing wonders with dough and icing inside the showroom of the restaurant? Why would it let her heart wrongfully beat fast for him?

Janine wanted to laugh at herself. And why would she blame the sky for the destiny that she chose to have? She let herself fall for Ken’s trap, and no one was to blame for that but her.

She hailed the first cab that passed by on the street. The driver had to ask her twice for the destination before she could finally give the block address of Ken’s house—it was their house, actually. But she couldn’t stomach calling it home.

Home was where you feel safe and sound, right? Ken’s house didn’t offer any of the two except danger. Especially when it was Friday night, she’ll receive a message or a phone call from Ken before her shift at the café ended.

When the driver stopped in front of the vast gate, Janine dragged her heavy feet out of the vehicle. She knew that Ken was looking at her on the monitors of his CCTV cameras as she walked toward the entrance. She pressed the code on the intercom, and the tall gates automatically opened.

The house was lit in every corner. Janine found it unusual because Ken hated bright lights, especially on Friday nights. She looked upstairs, and her gaze stopped at their bedroom door. Janine felt her chest squeeze her heart, and she didn’t know why.

She went to the stairs and slowly took steps until he reached their bedroom door. “Ken...?” she called in a whisper.

Janine heard a shuffling noise inside the room. When it stopped, she held the doorknob and found the door unlocked. Holding her breath, Janine pushed it open. A sharp cry escaped her lips before the darkness took over her eyes.

She had to escape. She needed to run. But why did she feel that something inside her prevented her from doing it?

Five years later...

“JANINE, are you done?” Adelle, her co-makeup artist, tapped her shoulders. When she saw her client, she smiled. “Wow, Mrs. B, you look fantastic!”

“Special thanks to this gorgeous woman that did my hair and makeup,” she said with confidence.

“I have no doubt about that,” Adelle said. “Would you mind if I borrowed her for a moment? I need a hand in my area.”

When Mrs. Benitez let go of Janine, Adelle pulled her toward the other dressing room. They were at an anniversary event and were chosen mainly by Mrs. Benitez to do the hair and makeup for her co-teachers. Mrs. Benitez was the dean of a Chinese school in Manila and was known for being an influencer in the fashion industry because of her glamorous OOTD, even in her late thirties.

“How much did she pay you?” Adelle asked. Her eyes were focused on the check in her hand. “Let me see the figures.”

She tried to get the paper from her, but she hid it behind her back. “I’ll tell you later,” she said, making her friend groan. “Where are the other clients?”

Adelle rolled her eyes upward. “Two students and three professors,” she said, pointing at the people sitting in front of the vanity mirrors. “But before you start on them, I have good news for you.”

Janine knotted her forehead. “We’ve got events again?”

Adelle nodded with a broad smile on her face. “Not just an event, but a big event!” She took out a calling card from her back pocket and showed it to her. “One of the parents here is a fashion event organizer, and she asked me if we could facilitate their makeup artist in their fashion show on Saturday!”

Janine gasped. “Fashion show?” She clapped her hands in excitement. “What clothing brand?”

Adele beamed. “FARAH.”

***

“I STILL can’t believe that I became a part of this fashion show by Farah,” Janine whispered to Adelle as they watched the models ramp on the catwalk wearing nude makeup that complimented their Parisian attires. “It’s one of the famous clothing brands in France, right?”

Adelle nodded. “That’s why I thought that you were perfect for this event because you worked in some fashion shows in France. I’m sure you’re quite familiar with the makeup styles that French models prefer. And I’m right, you really did well.”

“And I thought they were going to pay us in euros,” she joked but fell silent when she noticed one of the male models approaching them. “Look, I think he has questions for you, Adelle.”

Her friend looked at her back and gasped when she recognized the man. “That’s Paulo Montreal.”

“Oh, you know me?” the man asked, looking at her instead of Adelle. “I’m Paulo.”

Janine hesitated because she was unsure if he was talking to her or Adelle. But he was looking at her, so maybe he was talking to her. Before the man could pull back his hand, Janine took it. “I’m Janine.”

“I know you, Janine Cross,” he said with a smile. His double-lid eyes reminded her of someone from her past.

“You know Janine?” Adelle asked out of belief. “How come? This is our first time attending this event.”

“I know her because she introduced herself in the dressing room before the event started,” the man replied and smiled again, flashing them his pearly white teeth.

Adelle nudged her in the waist. “He looked like the K-pop idol, Cha Eun Woo, right?”

"I always get that, but I am not Korean,” Paulo said with a chuckle. “So, I was actually looking for you, Janine.”

Janine knotted her forehead. “Me? Why are you looking for me?”

“I wanted to offer you a full-time job,” he said without a hint of hesitation. “Can you be my personal hair and makeup artist? I’ll double your service fee on every fashion event that I’ll be needing you for.”

Janine scowled at the man, who looked the same age as her. “Personal hair and makeup artist?” she repeated in disbelief. “Paulo, that’s so generous and kind of you to offer me a full-time job, but I have to decline your offer.”

“Why?” he asked. He didn’t look bothered by her refusal.

“I prefer freelancing for now.”

“For your plan on putting up a cosmetic business?” he asked, and based on his expression, he looked as if he dropped his ace for this conversation.

“How did you know about that?” Janine asked with furrowed brows. “Are you stalking me?”

“It just happened that one of your trusted clients is acquainted with me, and she recommended your service to me,” he said and wiggled his brows. “You know Mrs. B, right?”

Janine gasped and nodded. “Yes, she’s a client-turned-friend of mine.”

“I didn’t expect that I’d see you here at our event. And, since you’re here, maybe we’re really destined to work together. So, is it a ‘yes’?”

When Janine didn’t answer, he spoke again.

“I can also help you with your business. I’m willing to be an investor, or perhaps a business partner?”