After getting dressed, Demani remained inside the walk-in closet, standing motionless in the silence. Her ears strained for any sign of movement beyond the door, and her heart beat louder with every second of anticipation.
She wasn’t ready to see Van. Not after last night. Not while the sting of their fight still throbbed in her chest.
Then she heard it. The soft creak of the bedroom door, followed by the quiet but unmistakable sound of it closing.
Only then did she step out, her bare feet brushing against the cool floorboards as she cautiously emerged into the room. Her eyes darted toward the bathroom. The door was wide open, the light still on, but the room itself was empty.
Van was gone.
Just like that.
Demani began neatly arranging the clothes she and her husband would bring for their trip to Palawan. He would arrive at five in the afternoon to pick her up. They were leaving that night, and she could hardly wait to spend time with her husband and finally relax after such a long stretch of routine.The last time they went away together was right after their wedding. Their honeymoon. And that was never followed by another trip.Van had been busy with work, busy with the company. And she had no problem with that. She understood. She never complained because it was also for their future as a family.Besides... even without weekend getaways or luxurious vacations, Van never made her feel unloved.She was always cherished.
She had no plans of taking it back. Not her request. Not her bold, desperate need.Right now, she needed her husband’s touch more than anything else in the world. She needed to feel wanted. To be held. To be consumed.His love was the only thing that could quiet the storm raging inside her; more than warm baths, more than medicine, more than words. She ached for him, and she wasn’t going to pretend otherwise.Van didn’t say anything. Not a single word.Instead, he lowered his head and pressed a kiss to her burned hand, so tender it sent shivers up her spine. Then he kissed her again, a breath longer this time.Then again, slower, warmer, tracing the shape of her pain with devotion.
Van was taken aback by her sudden outburst, and truthfully, so was she. The sharpness in her voice, the force of the push; it hadn’t been intentional. She hadn’t meant to lash out. But she had been wound tight all afternoon, frustration simmering beneath the surface, and it had taken only one unexpected touch to make it all boil over.She was overwhelmed. Not just by the burnt dinner or the throbbing pain in her hand, but by everything; her thoughts, her day, and that maddening encounter at the mall.Van’s brows drew together in quiet alarm. “Are you… all right?”She pressed her hand to her forehead, sighing deeply, but didn’t answer. Instead, she turned away, needing something— anything— to do with her hands. She walked over to the cabinet and pulled out a stack of plates, moving with stiff, robotic precision.
It was Thursday afternoon when Demani decided to go to a shopping center to buy new summer dresses for their upcoming vacation in El Nido, Palawan. She had already started packing when she realized she barely had any beach clothes, so she thought of heading to Ortigas to shop first.She had already spoken with her parents during her visit a couple of days ago. She told them that she and Van would be going on vacation and wouldn’t be back until Monday. Surprisingly, her family didn’t question her about it, and when she informed her Grandma Val, the old woman was even delighted to know that Van had finally made time for her.Demani was relieved she didn’t have to make up any stories just to avoid being questioned about their absence at the upcoming Sunday get-together. Even Van was visibly pleased that the trip was pushing through.
As she expected, Van remained quiet the entire drive home.He had said goodbye to everyone politely when they left, and he even helped her into the car. While they were still on the way out of the city, he asked if she wanted to stop by a restaurant for dinner. But since she was still full from the hearty lunch with the whole family, she declined.Since then, Van had been silently driving. And though he was beside her, she felt the discomfort. She knew his mood had been completely ruined because of what happened at lunch. He was just forcing himself to keep talking, and she could tell. She also knew he would stay quiet and keep his frustration to himself unless she made the effort to talk to him.She figured it would be better for their relationship if they were honest with each other and talked about
"Good that you made it this Sunday, Van," said Luis, Demani’s father, as the couple approached them. Everyone else in the family was already at the house for their Sunday get-together, and it looked like they were the only ones they had been waiting for."I found a free hour, Dad," Van replied with a polite smile to his father-in-law.Daliah, Demani’s mother, stepped out from behind her husband and greeted her daughter with a kiss on the cheek. “Just in time, darling. I just finished cooking.” Then she turned to Van. "How have you been, hijo?"Van respectfully took her hand for a mano before responding. "I’m doing well, Mom. I’m sorry if I’ve missed a few of the Sunday gather