"Are you sure you don't need me in the office?" "If you're asking if I won't miss you, I surely would, Lara," Miguel answered, planting little kisses all over her face. "Every d*mn minute that I don't see you."It was still dawn nang magising siya sa mga maiinit at nangangailangang mga haplos ng kanyang asawa. They had just shared a steamy four o'clock AM intimacy. Ni hindi siya sigurado kung nakatulog na ba ito mula sa pag-o-overtime sa iniuwing trabaho."But I'm going to be very busy today. Kailangan kong matapos ang lahat ng engagements ko to free up my schedule tomorrow. Baka wala akong magawa kapag sinama kita sa opisina," patuloy nito bago ikinulong siya sa mga bisig nito. Isiniksik naman niya ang mukha sa dibdib nito. "But can I go over to bring you lunch?" tanong niya pa in the hopes to get a glimpse of him during the day."I'll have a lunch meeting with an investor, sweetheart.""Hmn," disappointed niyang sambit."Come on, don't make me change my mind. Marupok ako pagdatin
"Oh my gosh! Is Lena alive all this time?!" Carlotta exclaimed, looking like she'd just seen a ghost."Paano, Miguel? Namatay na ang babaeng iyon! Nakita naming lahat nang ilibing siya! Sino ang babae na 'to?" Stefan was equally perplexed. "She's not Lena! Her name is Lara, Stefan! Don't you all remember? May kapatid si Lena!" sagot ni Lola Cordelia, not sounding so patient at her children."Kapatid? Ah, I remember now. That little brat who suddenly went missing! How did she grow up resembling her sister so much?" Sandra added."Did you have her face go through surgery, Miguel? Gano'n ka kadesperado na ibalik ang babaeng 'yon?" Leonard joined the conversation."It's been f*cking seventeen years ago! How could you not get over her death until this time?" said Stefan again."This is so ridiculous! What a shame! Are you so desperate to cling on to your position now?" Leonard remarked."All of you, stop this nonsense!" Lola Cordelia ordered sternly. "You have no respect!""And you gave h
The next thing Lara knew, nasa sahig na ang lalaki at pinapaulanan ni Miguel ng suntok habang pinipigilan naman ang asawa niya ng ibang miyembro ng pamilya. There's another familiar guy who pulled Miguel from the man on the floor at inundayan din ito ng suntok. Lola Cordelia desperately tried to stop the commotion as everyone took the opportunity to lash out at Miguel. Sa isang iglap, lugmok ang asawa niyang pinagtulungan ng sarili nitong pamilya.Lara couldn't stop screaming and crying. Nanginginig na dinaluhan niya si Miguel habang ang naunang galit na naramdaman niya kanina ay napalitan na nang matinding takot. "Are you okay?" Duguan na ang mukha pero nagawa pa rin siyang tanungin ni Miguel. Iniharang naman ni Lola Cordelia ang sarili nito sa kanila para hindi na sila malapitan ng ibang mga lalaki sa pamilya. Gano'n din ang ginawa ni Meredith na umiiyak na rin dahil sa nangyari kay Miguel. The one who hugged her earlier was still shouting Lena's name like his life depended on
Lara hadn't been the same since that night. Madalas, tulala siya. Hindi niya alam kung napapansin ni Miguel, pero naging busy rin kasi ito kahit nasa bahay lang nang ilang araw. He couldn't come to work looking like he was beaten to death. Kaya double time ito sa kabi-kabilaang call conference. Si Lara naman ay pilit na inaalala ang mukha ni Stefano and if she was right about him. She started searching for him on the internet. Wala siyang nakita na larawan nito from many years ago. Ang mayro'n lang na pinakaluma ay limang taon ang nakararaan. Pero sigurado siya. He was that man. "Okay ka lang ba, Miss Lara?" puna ni Auntie Rosette sa kanya. Nasa garden siya at malalim ang iniisip nang lapitan siya ng matanda."Auntie, oo naman po," sagot niyang ngumiti pa."Halos dalawang dekada na kitang inaalagaan. Sa tingin mo ba, makapagtatago ka pa sa akin?" Naupo ito sa tabi niya. "Ano ang iniisip mo?" "Wala po," kaila pa rin niya. Tapos ay hindi na niya alam ang idudugtong sa sinabi niya.
"I can't go home tonight," Miguel said.Kausap niya ang asawa via video call. Nasa opisina nga ito base sa background nito. And he looked stressed out. "Is anything wrong?" worried na tanong ni Lara. Migo wasn't his usual composed self. "No… None at all. I just need to catch up with things I missed," kaila naman nito agad at pinalitan na ang paksa ng usapan. "Don't forget to eat dinner, okay?""Ikaw rin. Do you want me or Auntie Rosette to send you dinner?" She was hoping he'd say yes. Para magkaroon siya ng rason para puntahan ito. Pero umiling si Miguel."I'll just have Jaxen order for us. I don't want you to come here or I'll not be able to do anything anymore. I miss you. You don't have any idea how much, sweetheart," Migo answered. She blushed a little. Lately kasi, talagang wala itong time sa kanya. Idagdag pa na nagpapagaling ito nang mga nakaraang araw. She also missed him a great deal. Pero nahihiya siyang sabihin iyon."So, stay home. Uuwi naman ako as soon as I'm done w
"I'm sorry," sabi ni Miguel sa kanya. Nasa living room silang dalawa at nakaupo. Si Meredith naman, nagluluto sa kusina. Tinapon ng babae ang niluto niyang beef caldereta dahil hindi raw edible iyon. Lara was hurt. But she tried her best to contain her tears. Pero hindi siya nagsasalita. It was already the next day. Meredith had the nerve to spend the night there and even slept beside Migo. Siya naman na nagmukhang t*nga, sa sofa sa sala natulog. Gulat na gulat pa si Miguel na makita si Meredith doon, pero mas lalo ang gulat nito nang makita siya. Hindi nito malaman ang sasabihin pero hindi naman nito pinaalis si Meredith. Na para kay Lara dapat ay una nitong ginawa. "I was totally drunk last night," he added. "I couldn't even remember anything." "Yeah?" Hindi niya napigilang maging sarkastiko. Idagdag pa sa ikinakasama ng loob niya ang katotohanan na dinala nito roon si Meredith. Ang akala ba niya ay walang ibang nakapupunta roon maliban sa kanya at kay Auntie Rosette?"I mess
"Lara, ano ang nangyari sa 'yo?" Payakap siyang sinalubong ni Tasya. Luhaan ang kanyang mukha nang makita siya ng kaibigan. Dahil niyakap na siya nito, hindi na rin niya pinigilan ang pag-iyak. Lara cried like a baby in Tasya's arms. They stayed like that for a good several minutes, Tasya rubbing her back and Lara crying rivers. Nang makalma ay saka siya nagkwento. Mataman namang nakinig ang kaibigan niya nang walang panghuhusga. "I can't believe that's just what I am to him, Tasya… To think that I loved him with all I got," hikbi niya. Hindi niya alam eksakto kung paano niya naitawid ang kwento niya nang hindi binabanggit kung ano ang narinig niya. Na hindi pinapaliwanag ang pinanggagalingan niya. At kung paanong hindi na rin nag-usisa pa si Tasya. Maybe, her friend just dwelled on the fact that she heard something that upset her. "Lara, you should have confronted him," sabi naman ni Tasya. "Sana tinanong mo. Kasi kung narinig mo lang at hindi mo naman pinatapos ang usapan, ma
"Please, not a word," Lara blurted out when she recovered. Pinigilan niya ang akmang paglapit ni Miguel sa kanya. Tasya sold her off. Kaya naman wala siyang choice ngayon kundi harapin ang asawa niya kahit na bakas pa sa kanyang mga mata ang ginawang pag-iyak. "Sweetheart, let me explain." May pagsusumamo sa tinig ni Miguel. "I don't wanna hear it," she stubbornly answered. "Kaya umalis ka na!" But in her heart, that's not what she wanted. Gusto niyang tawirin ang pagitan nila at yakapin ito. Yakapin ito nang mahigpit at sabihing ang tangi niyang gusto ay manatili sa piling nito kahit hindi siya mahalin nito. But she couldn't keep hurting herself, right? "Hindi ako aalis hangga't hindi ka nakikinig sa akin, Lara! You have to let me explain." Miguel took steps forward. "Tasya said you heard me and Meredith discussing about how I feel for you. I admit I might have said—""Stop!" Tinakpan ni Lara ang magkabilang mga tenga niya. It was a desperate attempt to stop him from telling he