Chapter 4

The question came out of Caelan’s mouth so fast and sharp that Veyra almost let out a disbelieving laugh.

She leaned back against the edge of her desk, crossing her arms over her chest. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me, Veyra.”

“I did.”

“Then answer.”

Veyra tilted her head, her gaze cool and measuring. “At bakit ko naman sasagutin?”

“Because you looked uncomfortable when Mara mentioned his name.”

“I was uncomfortable because my live-in boyfriend just hired me to break up with myself!” Ramdam ni Veyra ang pagtaas ng boses niya, pero agad niya itong ibinaba sa isang kontroladong bulong. “That’s why I was uncomfortable, Caelan.”

Caelan’s jaw tightened as a sharp muscle moved near his ear. “That’s not what I meant.”

“I know exactly what you meant.”

Veyra turned away and picked up the consultation contract again, mostly because if she didn't find something for her hands to hold, he would see how violently they were shaking. “And for the record, Soren is a client. Nothing more.”

Caelan’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the blue folder in her hand. “You know him?”

“Apparently.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“It answers enough of it.”

He leaned back in the leather visitor's chair, resting his forearms against his thighs, his dark gaze fixed entirely on her face. Veyra knew that exact expression. 'Yan 'yung mukha ni Caelan kapag sinusubukan niyang basahin kung talagang galit siya o kung nagpapanggap lang siyang hindi nasasaktan.

Usually, he figured it out within seconds. Today, she prayed to God he wouldn't.

She slid the contract across the wood, placing it directly under his gaze along with a black ink pen. “Sign.”

Caelan stared down at the crisp paper. “Gagawin mo talaga 'to?”

“You already paid the consultation f*e, Mr. Caelan Virel. Non-refundable 'yan.”

“I can ask my assistant to initiate a chargeback. I can refund it right now.”

“Don’t.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t want your money,” malamig na sabi ni Veyra.

His brows pulled together in a deep, troubled crease. “Then what do you want?”

Veyra’s fingers tightened so hard around the edge of the desk that her knuckles turned stark white.

What did she want?

Gusto niyang sabihin nito na nagkamali ito. Gusto niyang tumayo si Caelan, kunin ang kontratang 'yan, punitin sa harap niya, at sabihing kabaliwan ang lahat ng 'to. Gusto niyang yakapin siya nito at amining natatakot lang ito.

Pero sa halip na sabihin iyon, huminga siya nang malalim at tiningnan ito sa mga mata.

“I want you to stop making decisions for both of us.”

Caelan went completely quiet.

“You decided you were unhappy,” patuloy ni Veyra, her voice dropping into a quiet, cutting rhythm. “You decided I wouldn't understand. You decided you couldn't talk to me sa bahay. And now... you’ve decided that breaking up is the only logical solution to our problems.”

“Hindi ko ginustong isipin na hindi mo maiintindihan—”

“You came to my office, Caelan!” putol niya sa sinasabi nito. “Dinala mo 'to sa trabaho ko!”

“I came because I couldn't say the words at home! Natotorete ang utak ko sa tuwing nakikita kita sa bahay!”

“Exactly.” Veyra pushed the contract a fraction of an inch closer to him. “So if you're going to push through with this insanity, at least do it right. Let me hear the absolute truth.”

Caelan stared at the open document for several long, suffocating seconds. The silence between them was so heavy that the ticking of the wall clock sounded like small explosions.

Finally, he reached out, picked up the pen, and pressed the tip to the line.

Caelan Virel.

Veyra watched the wet black ink coat the page. It was such a small, mundane action, just a signature on a piece of paper. Pero nang makita niya ang pangalan nito sa tabi ng sarili niyang lagda sa bottom page, parang may bumaon na kutsilyo sa gitna ng dibdib niya.

Three years ago, napanood din niya itong pumirma. It was on the floor-to-ceiling glass office of a real estate agent in BGC, signing the lease agreement for their two-bedroom condo. Natatawa pa sila noon dahil pareho silang kulang ang dalang cash para sa reservation deposit, and they had to call his older brother to transfer money while eating cheap convenience store noodles on the floor.

Three years later, she was sitting across from him, watching him sign a document that legalized his exit from her life.

Mabilis na nag-iwas ng tingin si Veyra bago pumatak ang luha sa mata niya.

“Okay,” she said, her voice terrifyingly steady. “First rule.”

Caelan set the pen down with a quiet clatter. “What?”

“No blaming.”

“Hindi naman kita isinisisi—”

“I’m serious, Caelan,” pigil niya rito. “If you want to lay down what you dislike about this relationship, do it. But don’t turn every communication failure, every distance, and every mistake into something I did to you.”

“I won’t.”

“Second, no rewriting history.”

He frowned slightly. “Anong ibig mong sabihin?”

“It means don't suddenly claim that our entire three years together was miserable just because you feel suffocated right now,” sabi ni Veyra, turning a fresh page in her legal pad. “Huwag mong buburahin 'yung mga panahong naging masaya tayo para lang maging mas madali sa 'yo ang umalis.”

Caelan’s expression softened, the hard lines around his mouth relaxing just a bit. “Hindi ko kailanman maiiisip 'yon, Veyra.”

“Good.”

“Because it wasn't miserable,” he added, his voice dropping into a raspy whisper. “It was the happiest three years of my life.”

Pakiramdam ni Veyra ay sumikip ang lalamunan niya. The urge to break down right then and there was overwhelming, but she bit the inside of her cheek until she tasted copper.

“Third rule,” she forced out, ignoring the heat in her eyes.

“Madami ka palang rules.”

“I’m a professional.”

“You’re my girlfriend.”

Veyra caught off guard. Hindi niya inaasahan iyon lalo sa taong gusto namang makipaghiwalay.

“Not while we’re inside this room,” mabilis na balik niya.

The words slipped out with razor-sharp edge. Napatitig sa kanya si Caelan, shock flashing through his eyes, and Veyra instantly felt a pang of regret. Pero hindi niya pwedeng bawiin 'yon. Weakness was contagious, and right now, she needed immunity.

She cleared her throat, tapping her pen against her pad. “Third rule, no mixed signals.”

Caelan met her gaze. “Anong meron sa mixed signals?”

“Everything,” Veyra stated bluntly. “Starting today... don't kiss me goodbye in the morning. Don't pull me close when we’re sleeping in the same bed. Don't text me randomly to ask if I’ve eaten lunch. Don't hold my hand just because you feel guilty or sad. And most importantly, don't tell me you love me every time you see me cry.”

Bumaba ang tingin ni Caelan sa mga kamay niyang nakalapag sa lap nito. “And if I miss you?”

“You’ll survive.”

“And if you miss me?”

Veyra swallowed hard, forcing her gaze to stay locked onto his face. “I’ll survive too.”

He didn't respond. The silence drifted between them like smoke, dense and impossible to breathe through.

“Any questions, Mr. Virel?”

Caelan looked up slowly. “Yes.”

“What is it?”

“What if I change my mind?”

The entire room went completely still.

Napatitig si Veyra sa kanya. Her heart gave one violent, painful thud against her ribs, followed by another. For a split second, the professional mask almost slipped entirely.

Dahan-dahan niyang ibinaba ang pen sa desk. “Then you tell me.”

“Gano'n lang ka-simple?”

“No.”

“What else?” Caelan asked.

“You don't come crawling back just because you’re lonely,” malamig na sabi ni Veyra.

Caelan’s eyes hardened slightly. “I wouldn't do that.”

“You don't know that, Caelan!” she countered, her voice rising with sudden, sharp authority. “Nakikipag-break ka sa taong kasama mo sa bahay sa loob ng tatlong taon! You are going to feel lonely. You’re going to miss the quiet routines, the coffee in the morning, having someone waiting for you at night. That's natural. Withdrawal 'yan.”

“I know—”

“And you might mistake that sudden emptiness for wanting the relationship back,” patuloy niya, leaning forward across the desk. “I’ve seen dozens of clients do it. Tatawag ulit kapag madaling-araw kasi tahimik ang apartment nila, tapos kinabukasan, maiisip nila na mali pala 'yung pagbabalik nila.”

Caelan leaned in too, closing the distance between their faces until she could smell the familiar, faint scent of his cologne. “What if it’s not withdrawal, Veyra? What if I miss you simply because I still love you?”