Chapter 1

Hindi magawang kilalanin ni Lauren kung ano ba ang talagang nararamdaman niya habang tulalang nakatingin sa flight board schedule na kaniyang tinitingala. A flight from the US has just landed a few minutes ago. Isa lang ang ibig sabihin niyon—Felix has arrived, too.

The thought of him made her throat dry. Napalunok tuloy siya dala ng tensyon na bumabalot sa kaniyang sistema. It’s been a long time since they last saw each other, seven long years to be exact. At hindi niya alam kung paano ito haharapan. With everything that had gone by in their lives, she can’t expect him to be happy to see her again despite the fact that they’ve known each other for a decade now.

Their history traces back to their college years, where they were both sophomores. Pareho sila ng program at naging magkaklase rin ng ilang semester sa sumunod pang tatlong taon nila sa kolehiyo.

Seven years after they earned their degree, Lauren found herself in a loveless marriage with him.

Kung hindi lang dahil sa isang pagkakamaling nagawa nila noon, sigurado siyang hinding-hindi siya pakakasalan ni Felix. They are worlds apart. While he was born into a wealthy family that owns multiple business enterprises and are known in different industries, Lauren remains to be just an ordinary blockmate he met by chance back in college.

Kahit siya, hindi rin niya alam kung paanong nangyaring nasa iisang kama na lang silang dalawa ng sumunod na umaga pagkatapos ng graduation nila. It was just a simple graduation celebration they both attended with their circle of friends, but it turned out to be something that changed her life completely.

Ang malinaw lang sa kaniya, may kung anong nakahalo sa alak na ininom nila ng gabi na iyon kaya nag-iba ang pakiramdam niya.

Everything was chaotic the morning after.  Felix blamed her for everything, instigating that she planned everything all along.

Everyone in their program knew how conservative and traditional Felix’s family has always been. Kaya noong nalaman ng mga ito na may nangyari sa kanilang dalawa, agad-agad ay ipinakasal sila sa isa’t isa.

Their marriage stained their relationship even more. Sa galit nito, lumipad ito patungong ibang bansa kinaumagahan pagkatapos ng kanilang kasal. It’s been seven years since he took that flight and never came back to this day.

But everything’s all in the past now. Ang mahalaga, nandito na ulit ito. Magagawa na niyang ipaliwanag ang side niya na hindi siya ang may pakana ng lahat. Baka sakaling magawa niya pang isalba ang kasal nila.

Nawala ang atensyon niya sa tinitingnan nang mag-ring ang phone niya. A smile immediately drew to her lips when she saw the name Alonzo on the screen. Agad niyang sinagot iyon kasabay nang pansamantalang pagkabura ng asawa sa kaniyang isip.

“Yes, my baby?” she asked with her voice slightly pitched higher than her normal speaking voice.

“Mommy! Ate Diane took me to the mall. Is there any pasalubong you want, Mom?” he asked.

Instantly, her heart melted at the thoughtfulness of her son.

Yes, they have a child.

That one night stand they both couldn’t remember ended up gifting her the most wonderful gift of her life—Alonzo, her son.

Noong time na nalaman niyang buntis siya sa anak ni Felix, wala na ito sa bansa. Sinubukan niya itong tawagan upang ipaalam dito ang sitwasyon, pero laging busy tone lang ang nakukuha niya mula rito. Only after repeated attempts to reach out to him made her realize that he actually blocked all communications with her.

Alam niya noong mga panahong iyon ang galit na nararamdaman ni Felix para sa kaniya, kaya alam niyang hindi rin magiging madali para rito ang kilalanin ang anak nila. She locked herself in her home for three days.

She felt so alone. Wala na siyang mga magulang—namatay noong bata siya—at halos sabay na binawi ang grandparents niya noong college siya. She has no one beside her.

Then, Alonzo came. Bigla ay naramdaman niya ang mainit na yakap ng Diyos sa presensya ng anak niya. Na para bang ito ang sagot sa lahat ng kalungkutang naramdaman niya sa loob ng mahabang panahon.

She longs for a family, and she had found one in Alonzo.

Kaya napagdesisyunan niyang itago anak niya mula sa pamilya ni Felix sa takot na baka kunin ng mga ito si Alonzo mula sa kaniya.

She smiled as she remembered the question of her loving son. “A pizza will do, Alonzo.”

“Okay, Mommy. See you in a bit po! I love you po!”

Mas lalo siyang napangiti sa ka-sweet-an nito. Saktong ibinubulsa na niyang muli ang cellphone nang mamataan niya ang paglabas ni Felix ng gate.

A lot of years had gone bye and it only favored Felix. 

Kung noon sa program nila ay hinahangaan na ito ng maraming babae, hindi malabong mas lalo na ngayon. He looks so manly with his black turtleneck shirt that hugs his figure so perfectly. Kita tuloy ang malalaking ugat sa mga braso nito. Felix obviously bulked up, too, and he still looks hot as he used to.

Ang kaibahan lang sa noon at ngayon, mas lalo itong nagmukhang suplado. Bahagya pa kasing nakakunot ang may kakapalan niyang mga kilay at ang talim tumingin ng kaniyang mga mata kahit pa bilugan iyon. His thin lips weren’t smiling either, which only made him look more intimidating than ever.

Muli niya itong pinasadahan ng tingin kasabay ng unti-unting pagkabura ng ngiti sa kaniyang mga labi nang dumapo ang kaniyang mga mata sa hawak nitong suitcase. It’s a purple suitcase and she sure knew it wasn’t his.

Binalewala lang niya iyon at excited na sanang lapitan ito. Ngunit sa isang hakbang pa lamang ay napahinto na siya at natulos sa kinatatayuan.

A few seconds after Felix walked out of the gate, a stunning, elegant-looking woman followed right behind him. 

Tuluyang nabura ang ngiti sa mga labi niya nang makilala ang babaeng kasama nito, na ngayon ay nakaangkla na ang kamay sa braso ng kaniyang asawa.

She was Felix’s childhood sweetheart and an outstanding graduate of UP, with the highest GPA in the university’s history.

It was Megan, the woman everyone thought Felix would marry. Not until she came into the picture to ruin it.