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Kabanata 141Vanessa’s POV "I don't look at her any way.""Yes, you do. Tinitingnan mo siya na parang mahalaga siya. Parang importante siya. Parang isa siyang taong lagi mong maaasahan.""Because she is. She's my assistant.""She's more than that, Seb. Siya ang babaeng kilala mo bago pa ako dumating sa buhay mo. Siya ang kasama mo noong prom. Siya ang babaeng naghihintay sa'yo sa loob ng maraming taon.""Paano mo...""Nakita ko ang mga pictures. Nabasa ko ang mga posts. Nakita ko ang lahat. May history kayong dalawa. Mahabang history. Bago pa tayo. Bago pa ako.""History doesn't mean anything.""It means everything. Kasi kilala ka niya. Kilala niya ang version mo na hindi ko na nakilala.""Vanessa, high school pa 'yon. College. Matagal na. Mga bata pa tayo noon."Sinubukan niya akong lapitan, pero mabilis akong lumayo.Itinaas ko ang kamay ko para pigilan siya."Kung pagod ka na..." Napasinghot ako. "Kung hindi mo na ako mahal, sabihin mo sa akin. Huwag mo akong hayaang maramdaman na
Kabanata 140Vanessa's POVMadaling-araw na nang makauwi si Sebastian sa bahay. Pagtingin ko sa wall clock, alas-tres na pala ng madaling-araw.Nakahiga lang ako sa kama, nakatalikod sa pinto. Nakapikit ang mga mata ko at pinapantay ko ang paghinga ko. Ilang oras na akong nagpapanggap na tulog. Naghihintay. Nakikinig. Iniisip kung anong oras siya uuwi.Narinig kong bumukas ang front door. Sunod ay ang marahan niyang mga yabag sa hallway. Maingat siyang maglakad, parang ayaw niya akong magising.Pumasok siya sa kuwarto. Bahagyang umingit ang sahig sa bawat hakbang niya. Naramdaman kong huminto siya sa paanan ng kama. Ramdam ko rin ang titig niya sa akin.Nagkunwari akong tulog.Naramdaman kong niyakap niya ako at marahan akong hinalikan sa pisngi."I'm sorry, Wife," mahina niyang bulong sa akin.Mainit ang hininga niya sa balat ko. Mahigpit niya akong niyakap at idinikit ang katawan niya sa akin.Pero wala akong naramdaman.Kundi lamig.Kundi distansya.Parang may kutsilyong unti-untin
Kabanata 139Vanessa’s POV Sebastian picked her up. He carried her toward the exit. She was still crying. Still talking."Sir, please don't be mad at her. She's your wife. She loves you.""Babalikan kita, Vanessa. I need to take her to the hospital. Her face is swelling.""Seb, wala akong ginawa. She's lying—"He did not look back."Seb!" I called out. "Please! You have to believe me!"He kept walking. He pushed the door open. He carried her outside. He put her in his car. He drove away.And I was left standing there. Alone. Humiliated. Betrayed.His voice echoed in my head. Cold. Dismissive. Unbelieving."We'll talk later, Vanessa."Nanigas sa kinatatayuan ko nang iwan ako ng asawa ko at piliing paniwalaan ang executive assistant niya.I felt the tears coming. I blinked them back. I would not cry. Not here. Not now.Sinubukan ko silang habulin, pero huli na.Through the window. In the passenger seat. Edith turned around. Nakita ko si Edith na nakangisi habang nakatingin sa akin. A c
Kabanata 139Vanessa’s POV Sebastian picked her up. He carried her toward the exit. She was still crying. Still talking."Sir, please don't be mad at her. She's your wife. She loves you.""Babalikan kita, Vanessa. I need to take her to the hospital. Her face is swelling.""Seb, wala akong ginawa. She's lying—"He did not look back."Seb!" I called out. "Please! You have to believe me!"He kept walking. He pushed the door open. He carried her outside. He put her in his car. He drove away.And I was left standing there. Alone. Humiliated. Betrayed.His voice echoed in my head. Cold. Dismissive. Unbelieving."We'll talk later, Vanessa."Nanigas sa kinatatayuan ko nang iwan ako ng asawa ko at piliing paniwalaan ang executive assistant niya.I felt the tears coming. I blinked them back. I would not cry. Not here. Not now.Sinubukan ko silang habulin, pero huli na.Through the window. In the passenger seat. Edith turned around. Nakita ko si Edith na nakangisi habang nakatingin sa akin. A c
Kabanata 138Vanessa's POV They were sitting at a large table in the corner. Sebastian was at the head. The partners were on either side. And Edith was right next to him. So close that her shoulder was touching his.She was serving him food. Placing it on his plate. Smiling at him. Laughing at something he said.Parang uminit ang batok ko nang nakitang nilalagyan ng ulam ni Edith ang plato ng asawa ko.I stood in the entrance of the restaurant. I could not move. I could not speak.Lester was behind me. He put his hand on my shoulder."Are you okay?" he asked."I'm fine.""Your face is—""I said I'm fine."We sat down at a table far from them. I excused myself para mag-retouch. I walked to the bathroom. I needed to breathe. I needed to think.I stood in front of the mirror. I looked at my reflection. My face was pale. My eyes were red. My hands were shaking.I took a deep breath. Then another.Patapos na akong mag-retouch nang bumukas ang CR at pumasok si Edith. She was smiling. That
Kabanata 137 Vanessa's POV "Ma'am, dumating na po si Mr. Santos," sabi ng executive assistant kong si Anna nang pumasok siya sa opisina ko. I looked up from my laptop. Anna was standing in the doorway, holding a tablet. Behind her, I could see a tall man in a dark suit. He was looking around the office with an expression of mild curiosity. "Send him in," I said. Anna stepped aside. The man walked in. He was older than I remembered. His hair was grayer. His face was more lined. But his eyes were the same. Warm. Friendly. Familiar. "Have a seat, Mr. Santos," nakangiting sabi ko at inayos ang kontrata na kailangan ng signature niya ngayong araw. Lester Santos sat down across from me. He smiled. A wide, easy smile. "Vanessa," he said. "You look exactly the same." "I look older." "We all look older. But you still have that same spark." I laughed. "I don't know about that." "I do. I remember you in college. Always the smartest one in the room. Always the most determined." I felt
Kiara’s POVEmosyonal akong umupo sa sofa pagkatapos umalis ni Chase sa bahay para sa kanyang business trip sa Mexico. Dalawang linggo siyang mawawala roon, at pagkatapos, Thailand naman ang pupuntahan niya.Hindi ko maiwasang kabahan. Alam kong trabaho lang iyon, pero iba ang pakiramdam kapag mag-i
Chase’s POVPagod na pagod ako galing sa sunod-sunod na meeting. Ramdam ko ang bigat ng katawan ko habang nagmamaneho pauwi, parang bawat segundo humihila pababa sa akin. Pero kahit gano’n, malinaw ang nasa isip ko—si Kiara. Ang buntis kong asawa. Siya lang ang gusto kong makita. Gusto kong marinig
Kiara’s POVDahil marami ang nakakita sa nangyari kagabi sa labas ng ospital, hindi na ako nagulat nang kinabukasan ay nasa headline na agad sina Eliza at Chase sa halos lahat ng balita. Hindi ko na kailangang magbukas pa ng TV; sapat na ang sunod-sunod na notification sa cellphone ko. Mga kaibigan,
Kara’s POV“Jack!” sigaw ko nang bigla kong maramdaman ang matinding pagsakit ng tiyan ko matapos kong inumin ang gamot na ibinigay niya sa akin kanina. Parang pinipilipit ang loob ko. Napayuko ako at napahawak sa gilid ng mesa para hindi tuluyang bumagsak.“Jack!” ulit kong sigaw, mas malakas, pero







