The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
For twenty-five years, beauty queen and actress Melanie Marquez has endured a union with American husband Adam Lawyer and how!
For the longest time since she had short-lived relationships with men, Melanie has devoted her love and care for Adam since the day they were married.
She indeed committed her marital vows that traditionally say “…to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part…”
It was Adam who pursued her and professed everlasting love to his muse which finally made Melanie leave two of her most cherished pursuits in the Philippines—successful showbiz and modeling careers.
Without qualms, she settled with him in a remote part of Utah in the US.
It was indeed a decision that defined Melanie’s character—firm, brave and responsible.
It was a life far removed from the maddening crowd of show business Melanie was used to thrive—a quiet and personal life in a ranch in Utah where the couple raised cattle and horses.
It seemed they were the only people in the world.
God was the center of their universe as they were active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, commonly known as Mormon which originated from Utah.
Adam Lawyer’s pursuit of her
The passion and dedication bore them two children, Adam Lawyer, Jr. and Abraham Lawyer who are both grownups.
Somewhere along the way, though, Melanie’s love for Adam has diminished curiously, especially when they returned to the Philippines.
It was here that she experienced, according to her, the physical, mental, emotional and financial abuses inflicted on him by Adam.
One of them was his forcible abduction where she was placed in a mental institution against her will.
“He thought I was crazy,” Melanie, 1979 Miss International, reiterated during a reunion over lunch with her fellow beauty titlists, 1975 Mutya ng Pilipinas Miss Photogenic Azenith Briones, 1975 and 1976 Miss Young Philippines Jean Saburit and Marilou Fernandez, respectively, 1976 Miss Maja Philippines Cynthia Nakpil, Binibining Pilipinas contestant Maria Corazon Esguerra Lozada and fashion model Reggie Prada.
There was also an incident, according to Melanie in a separate interview where Adam struck her while she’s sleeping.
“He also broke my rib when he pulled the seat belt against me while I was driving the car. I sustained a fractured rib which still hurts until now,” she disclosed.
All these were denied by Adam and his legal advisers.
Earlier, Lawyer’s legal team has issued an official statement on the controversy. “Our client, Mr. Adam Lawyer, categorically denies with strongest terms the allegations thrown against him. Ms. Melanie has always been engaged in ostentatiously accusing Mr. Lawyer of abuse, but all of which were found to be baseless or unfounded by the proper forum. This is nothing but an act of harassment suffered by our client; an act of defamation on the part of Ms. Melanie,” wrote Atty. Jecko G. Bello.
Most unforgivable act of betrayal
But the most unforgivable act of betrayal, Melanie said, was his alleged illicit affair with her Production Assistant (PA).
“Tinulungan ko pa siya at pinahiram ng pera para sa pag-aaral ng kanyang anak pero nagawa pa niya akong pagtaksilan (I supported her, lent her money for the education of her child but she still betrayed me),” said Melanie infuriatedly.
Marquez decided not to get the payment from her.
“Hindi ko sila nahuli sa akto pero nakita ko kung paano sila maglambutsingan (I didn’t catch them on the act but I saw them playfully/naughtily cavorting each other),” she said.
After all these, she waited for the right time to get even with her husband.
“What I did was to blacklist him so that he couldn’t come back here. I was favored by the authorities so he cannot step in Philippine soil,” informed Melanie.
Last January, the actress had contemplated filing a divorce against Adam but she changed her mind.
“I am not filing a divorce,” she smiled.
What was Melanie thinking?
Your guess is as good as mine.
Still sending flowers
Meanwhile, she has been sensing that Adam wants a reconciliation.
“Nagpapadala pa ng bulaklak sa akin (He still sends me flowers),” she admitted.
But she clarified that there is already a behavioral pattern about Adam’s attitude which she is quite afraid of.
At the moment, she lives separately in an apartment in Utah and has applied for protective custody over her safety.
Lawyer is the fourth man in Melanie’s life.
The first guy in her life was now Senator Lito Lapid with whom she has a son named Manuelito who according to her lives in Las Vegas.
An Arab was the second man in her life whom she has a son, who just like Adam, Jr., is an autistic.
The third man in Nene’s life is actor Derek Dee, a Chinese descendant of the owner of China Banking Corporation with whom she has two daughters, Michelle and Maxene Dee.
And now an American.
“That’s why they say my children are international,” she burst into laughter.
And true to her beauty title, Miss International. (Boy Villasanta)