CHAPTER 003 – The Devil: Cayson Montemayor

Jiggy slammed on the brakes hard the moment he heard what she said, causing their bodies to nearly crash into the dashboard. If she hadn't been wearing a seatbelt, she definitely would have.

Even the car behind them suddenly hit the brakes and honked loudly—perhaps also startled by their abrupt stop. And to think they were on the expressway, where cars were practically flying.

Good thing they didn’t get into an accident.

She felt dizzy from the sudden stop, prompting her to cradle her head and groan slightly.

“Jigs, what the hell?”

“Tell me it wasn’t true.”

She opened her eyes and turned to Jiggy—and there she saw disbelief in his eyes. His naturally red lips were parted, and his eyes were wide as he stared at her.

She adjusted her posture and glanced at the line of cars already forming behind them. Some were overtaking, while others were still loudly honking. She turned back to Jiggy, who still hadn't moved.

“It’s true. But I’ll tell you how it happened some other time. For now, let’s go. We might end up in a fight with other drivers here.”

Unconvinced, Jiggy resumed driving. He was still in shock from what he'd heard, and it was written all over his face. He would run a hand over his forehead... take deep breaths... and click his tongue in frustration.

She decided to turn her attention to the view outside the window and let Jiggy process the information she had just told him. Until finally, she heard him speak:

“You should’ve just slept with the devil, Rosenda Marie.”

She gave a sad smile while keeping her gaze on the view outside the car window, watching the tall buildings and the airport in the distance. They were already on the skyway and she could see everything from above—including the clear sky... which was the exact opposite of how she felt at that moment. A storm seemed to be brewing in her chest, one she couldn’t explain.

She took a deep breath. Once she got home, she would tell her sister, Ate Connie, about her condition—she knew it would hurt her, but if there was anyone in the family she could confide in, it was her sister.

The question was... what would her reaction be when she found out that it was Caligh Carson Montemayor who got her pregnant?

She’ll probably cry until she goes blind.

She sighed again. Connie hated that man, too.

She rested her elbow on the car window and stared blankly ahead. Her mind was racing with thoughts about what explanation she could give her sister once they finally sat down to talk.

***

“I’LL talk to you and Connie tomorrow at the same time about... what happened,” she said after getting out of the car and peeking into the front seat window.

It was just past one in the afternoon when Jiggy dropped her off at their family compound in Parañaque.

Her friend remained silent, but she could see the sadness and worry in his eyes. Jiggy still couldn’t believe how or why she had fallen for that devil’s charm. Well—she didn’t. And she never would. But that’s what she saw in his eyes. That’s why, tomorrow, right after attending church with the whole family, she would ask her sister to meet at their favorite coffee shop in the area, and Jiggy would meet them there.

Her sister Connie and Jiggy were the only people she could trust with her secret.

If she hadn’t gotten pregnant, she would’ve just buried what happened in the past—just like she and the man agreed. But this was the reality now. And she had no other choice but to tell them the truth. Then ask for help on how she could fix her problem.

Jiggy let out a long sigh and turned his gaze forward. “You better give us a clear and valid explanation, Rome. I won’t accept a shallow reason when it comes to that man.”

She forced a smile and stood up straight. “Drive safely.”

Jiggy didn’t say another word and simply closed the front seat window.

Even after her friend’s car had driven off, she remained standing where she was. Her eyes were on the road, but her thoughts were elsewhere. She was thinking about that day.

‘I’ve done everything to protect my family’s name in this town and my job at the school, Cayson Montemayor. So I’m hoping that what happened between us stays buried.’

‘I don’t kiss and tell, Rosenda Marie Cinco.’

Oh! Her stomach turned at the memory of the things they said to each other that last day they met. The day they woke up together and were both shocked.

They both made a mistake that night. A mistake that led to a consequence.

Now what was she supposed to do? Her family could never bear that kind of shame. And her conscience couldn’t handle the thought of being the cause of such disgrace either. Her parents would surely disown her, her aunts would be ashamed of her, and people around would laugh behind their backs. Her whole family’s name would be ruined!

Oh, what am I going to do? She couldn’t help but gnaw on her thumbnail out of sheer nervousness.

What am I going to do to save my family from humiliation?

Abortion?

She gasped loudly at the thought. Instinctively, her hands moved protectively to her belly.

No! Never!

Her pregnancy may have been unplanned, but she would never, ever hurt her baby! Her love for children was the reason she became a teacher—not just because it was a family tradition. So why would she hurt and deny her own child a chance at life? She wouldn’t. She couldn’t. She wouldn’t take away her baby’s right to live in this world! She would find a way to solve her problem. She would think of a way to avoid bringing shame to her family.

Maybe she could pretend she got assigned to a different location—Connie and Jiggy would help her pull it off! But... her family wasn’t stupid. They would surely contact the Montessori and ask about her transfer. They would investigate, and eventually, they would discover her lie.

That leaves Cayson Montemayor... her final option.

‘...I’m hoping that what happened between us stays buried.’

Those words echoed in her mind once more.

She exhaled deeply and felt her stomach.

“Looks like there’s no secret to bury. I need that man to save me, and my family from humiliation.”