3: The Call She Shouldn't Answer

Tahimik ang buong Fullerton Mansion. Ang tanging maririnig lang ay ang mahina at steady na paghinga ni Grant habang natutulog sa tabi ni Erixia. 

His arm was wrapped around her waist, holding her close even in his sleep.

Parang takot siyang mawala siya.

Parang kahit sa panaginip niya ay kailangan niyang siguraduhin na nandiyan pa rin ang asawa niya lalo\t kapag nagising na siya.

Erixia stared at him.

Sa dilim ng kwarto, kitang-kita niya pa rin  ang maamo at napakaguwapong  mukha ng lalaking minahal siya nang walang kondisyon.

The man who gave her everything.

The man she kept hurting.

Slowly, she reached out and touched his cheek.

"Why are you still so good to me?"

Mahina niyang bulong.

Pero walang sagot.

Tuluy-tuloy lang ang tulog ni Grant.

---

2:00 AM.

Nagising si Erixia dahil sa isang tunog.

Bzzzt.

Bzzzt.

Dahan-dahan siyang bumangon, maingat na inalis ang braso ni Grant sa kanyang katawan.

Agad siyang napakunot-noo nang gumalaw ito.

Pero hindi nagising ang lalaki.

Huminga siya nang malalim bago kinuha ang cellphone.

At nang makita niya ang pangalan sa screen...

Nanlamig siya at halos mamulagat  ang kanyang mata

Stanley.

Tumigil ang mundo niya ng ilang segundo.

The name she didn't want to see.

The name she was trying to forget.

Patuloy ang pag-ring.

Calling... Stanley.

Tinitigan niya lang iyon.

Hindi niya gustong sagutin.

Hindi niya dapat sagutin.

Hindi na.

"Stop..." bulong ni Erixia sa sarili. 

Pero hindi tumigil ang phone.

Sa tabi niya, mahimbing pa rin natutulog si Grant.

Walang alam.

Walang kamalay-malay na may taong pilit pumapasok muli sa buhay ng asawa niya.

---

The call ended.

Akala niya tapos na.

Pero ilang segundo lang ang lumipas...

Tumunog ulit.

Bzzzt.

Napapikit si Erixia.

"Why?"

Hindi niya alam kung bakit siya kinakabahan.

Hindi dahil gusto niyang kausapin si Stanley.

Kundi dahil alam niyang may parte ng nakaraan niya na ayaw siyang pakawalan.

---

Muling tumunog ang phone.

This time, may kasamang message.

Stanley:

"Erixia. Kailangan nating mag-usap."

Tiningnan niya ang screen.

Hindi siya gumalaw.

Then another message came.

"Hindi ako tumatawag para  guuhin ka o ang asawa mo"

A few seconds later...

"Pero may kailangan kang malaman."

---

"Erixia?"

Bigla siyang natigilan.

Mahina pero malinaw ang boses ni Grant.

Napalingon siya.

Nakadilat na ito.

"Why are you awake?"

Agad niyang itinago ang phone sa ilalim ng unan niya.

"Nothing."

Grant frowned.

"Nothing at 2 AM?"

Napangiti siya nang pilit.

"Nagising lang ako."

He looked at her.

Still sleepy.

Still gentle.

"You okay?"

Napalunok siya.

"Yes."

Grant reached for her hand.

"Come here."

Hinila siya nito pabalik sa kama.

Automatic niyang ipinatong ang ulo sa dibdib niya.

The same place where she always felt safe.

"Can't sleep?"

"Hmm."

"Thinking too much?"

A small laugh escaped her.

"Maybe."

Grant kissed her forehead.

"Don't."

"Don't what?"

"Carry everything alone. Im here, my love"

Natahimik siya.

Dahil hindi niya alam kung paano sasabihin sa kanya...

Na ang pinakamabigat niyang dinadala...

Ay ang mga bagay na ginagawa niya mismo.

---

Maya-maya, nakatulog ulit si Grant.

Pero si Erixia...

Hindi na.

Nakatingin lang siya sa ceiling.

Sa isang kamay niya, hawak ang phone.

Sa kabilang kamay...

Hawak niya ang kamay ng asawa niya.

Two worlds.

Two choices.

Stanley on one side.

Grant on the other.

At sa unang pagkakataon...

Alam ni Erixia na kailangan niyang pumili.

Hindi kung sino ang mahal niya.

Dahil alam na niya iyon.

Ang tanong ay...

Kung sapat pa ba ang pagmamahal niya para ayusin ang lahat ng sinira niya.

CHAPTER 3: The Call She Shouldn't Answer

(Continuation)

Tahimik pa rin ang kwarto.

Nakatalikod si Grant, mahimbing na natutulog habang nakahawak pa rin sa kamay niya.

Kahit tulog...

Hinahanap pa rin siya nito.

Napatingin si Erixia sa kanilang magkadikit na kamay.

Then her phone lit up again.

Hindi tawag.

Message.

Dahan-dahan niyang kinuha ang cellphone.

At doon niya nakita ang pangalan na ayaw niyang harapin.

Stanley.

Napatigil siya.

Ayaw niyang buksan.

Ayaw niyang malaman.

Pero bago pa man niya mapigilan ang sarili...

Binasa niya.

Stanley:

"Stop ignoring me."

Napalunok si Erixia.

Sumunod agad ang pangalawang message.

"Kailangan mong malaman na hindi ako tumatawag para guluhin ka."

Humigpit ang hawak niya sa phone.

Then another message appeared.

"Jade cheated on me."

Nanlaki ang mata niya.

Jade.

Hindi niya kilala nang personal.

Pero alam niyang siya ang babaeng kasama ni Stanley matapos ang lahat.

Ang babaeng pinili niya.

Ang babaeng naging dahilan para isipin ni Erixia na tuluyan nang lumayo si Stanley sa buhay niya.

At ngayon...

"Malaya na ako."

---

"Erixia..."

Napatingin siya kay Grant.

Bahagyang gumalaw ang lalaki sa tabi niya.

Agad niyang pinatay ang screen ng cellphone.

"Hmm?"

"Nothing."

Hindi na nagising nang tuluyan si Grant.

Sa halip, hinila lang siya nito palapit.

"Sleep, Rixy."

Mahina ang boses nito.

"Tomorrow is another long day."

Napapikit si Erixia.

"Okay."

Pero hindi siya nakatulog.

---

Hindi niya alam kung bakit siya naapektuhan.

Dapat wala na siyang pakialam.

Stanley was part of her past.

A mistake.

A chapter she wanted to close.

Pero bakit may kakaibang bigat sa dibdib niya?

Hindi dahil gusto niyang bumalik.

Hindi.

Alam niya iyon.

Ang dahilan...

Dahil si Stanley ang isa sa mga taong nagpapaalala sa kanya ng pinakamasakit niyang pagkakamali.

---

Muling nag-vibrate ang cellphone.

Hindi na niya gustong tingnan.

Pero nakita niya ang preview.

Stanley:

"I know you're awake."

Natahimik siya.

"You always do this. You run away when things get complicated."

Naramdaman niyang sumakit ang dibdib niya.

Dahil tama.

Iyon ang ginagawa niya noon.

Tumakbo.

Tuwing may problema.

Tuwing may guilt.

Tuwing kailangan niyang harapin ang sarili niya.

"I need to talk to you, Erixia."

"Not as someone from your past."

"But as someone who knows the truth."

---

Dahan-dahan niyang ibinaba ang cellphone.

Tumingin siya kay Grant.

Sa lalaking natutulog sa tabi niya.

Sa lalaking kanina lang ay binilhan siya ng rosas.

Sa lalaking gumawa ng paraan para sorpresahin siya kahit pagod na pagod galing trabaho.

A man who still loved her.

At sa kabilang banda...

Isang tao mula sa nakaraan na may hawak na bahagi ng mga sikreto niya.

Erixia closed her eyes.

Hindi niya alam kung ano ang mas nakakatakot.

Ang harapin si Stanley...

O ang posibilidad na isang araw, si Grant ang unang makaalam ng lahat.

Fullerton Holdings.

Top Floor.

CEO's Office.

The entire executive floor was eerily silent.

No one dared interrupt Grant Anderson Fullerton whenever he locked himself inside his office.

His reputation preceded him.

Calm.

Collected.

Brilliant.

And terrifying when he chose to be.

A soft knock echoed.

"Sir..." Bahagyang iniawang ni Azii ang isa sa double oakdoor ."The person you requested is here."

Grant didn't immediately answer. He simply closed the folder in front of him before saying, "Send him in."

"Yes, sir," ani Azi at agad na isinara ang p***o.

A few seconds later...

The office door opened once again. A man in his early thirties stepped inside.

Tailored suit.

Confident posture.

Sharp eyes.

Stanley Howard.

The son of billionaire businessman Mr. Amado Howard.

The moment their eyes met, neither of them smiled. Grant calmly gestured toward the chair across his desk.

"Please."

Stanley frowned. "I expected we'd meet somewhere else."

Grant leaned back. "So did you." A faint smile appeared on his lips."But I prefer my own office." He clasped his hands together. "Here... I know everything."

Silence.

Stanley slowly sat down.

"So..." ani Grant.

"You knew I'd come."

Grant nodded once.

"Kaya nga inimbatahan kita."

That answer caught Stanley off guard.

"I thought—"

"You thought this was  a business meeting, right?" Grant let out a quiet chuckle. "It wasn't. I'm not going to end a hand sa pipitsuging negosyo ng  taong pilit na sinisira ang pamilya ko"

---

Stanley narrowed his eyes. "You've known?"

Grant didn't answer immediately. Instead, he poured two glasses of water. He slid one across the table.

"I don't drink during business." Stanley didn't touch it.

Grant took a sip from his own glass before speaking.

"Matagal ko nang alam na nagkabalikan kayo ng asawa ko."

The room fell silent. Stanley's expression hardened.

"Erixia..."

"Doesn't know."

Grant finished his sentence.

"I'd like to keep it that way. Pero matigas ka, kaya hanggang madaling araw ay ginugulo ang asawa ko."

---

"Kagabi.. akala ko tulog ka na kaya sinubukan kong kausapin sya," sinusubukan ni Stanley na magpaliwanag

Grant looked out the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the city. "I was."

A pause.

"At first."

His reflection stared back at him from the glass.

"I heard her phone vibrate. I heard her get out of bed. I heard her whisper. And I heard her lie."

His voice remained calm.

Almost emotionless.

But somehow...

That calmness was far more unsettling than anger.

"I pretended to be asleep.Because I wanted to see what she'd do." He finally looked back at Stanley. "She didn't answer your call."

Stanley remained silent.

"But she read your messages." Grant added quietly.

"I know."

---

"You've been watching us?" Stanley asked.

"No." Grant's expression didn't change. "I've been protecting my marriage."

The words hung heavily between them.

"You've met her several times over the past few months."

Stanley's jaw tightened.

"You had dinner, talked, you kept secrets." Grant's eyes never left him. "And three nights ago..."

He paused. "The charity gala."

For the first time... Stanley looked genuinely surprised.

"You know about that too."

Grant nodded. "I know enough." His fingers tapped lightly against the polished desk. "I know my wife left the venue. I know she met you. I  know she came home trying to hide what happened."

Silence swallowed the room.

---

Stanley exhaled slowly. "If you know all this... Why haven't you confronted her?"

Grant smiled bitterly.

"Because I wanted to hear the truth from my wife." His gaze lowered to the wedding band on his finger."Not from surveillance. Not from rumors." And not from the man she chose to betray me with."

For the first time since entering the office... Pain flashed across Grant's face.

Just for a second.

Then it disappeared.

Replaced once again by composure.

---

"You should hate me."

Stanley finally admitted.

Grant met his eyes.

"I don't." That answer surprised him."I don't waste hatred on people who knowingly made bad choices."

A brief silence followed.

"But don't mistake my restraint for weakness." Grant's tone remained even. "Your father built the Howard name. I built mine.If I wanted a business war..." He leaned forward slightly. "It would begin and end on my terms."

Stanley understood the message.

Grant wasn't boasting.

He was stating a fact.

---

Grant stood and walked toward the window.

Without turning around, he spoke one last time.

"I didn't ask you here to threaten you. I asked you here because this ends today. No more calls. No more messages. No more meetings."

Stanley looked at the back of the man whose marriage he had helped fracture.

"And if she contacts me?"

Grant closed his eyes briefly. "Then..."His voice was quiet. "I'll deal with that as her husband."

He finally turned to face Stanley."And if you contact her again..."

There was no anger in his expression.

Only certainty.

"I'll deal with you as Grant Anderson Fullerton."

The meaning was unmistakable.

Stanley rose from his chair.

For the first time since entering the office, he realized something.

Grant wasn't a man who shouted.

He was a man who planned.

And that made him far more dangerous than anyone Stanley had ever met.

Stanley let out a slow breath before standing.

"I understand."

He straightened his suit and turned toward the door.

"I won't contact—"

Click.

He froze.

The unmistakable sound of a pistol's safety being disengaged echoed inside the silent office.

Stanley slowly looked over his shoulder.

Grant stood behind his desk, one hand holding a black handgun, its muzzle pointed steadily at Stanley's chest.

His expression remained frighteningly calm.

No anger.

No shouting.

Just cold restraint.

"You know what's funny, Stanley?" Grant's voice was almost conversational. "You walked into my office thinking this was going to be negotional. It will not."

"Grant..." halos mamulagat ang mga mata ni Stanley, nanginginig ang kanyang mga tuhod. 

"You touched what was mine." Grant took one slow step forward. "I've spent years building companies." Another step. "I've survived enemies."

Another.

"I've forgiven more than any man should."

His finger rested outside the trigger guard.

"But don't ever mistake my patience for helplessness."

Stanley slowly raised both hands.

"I'm not here to fight."

"No."

Grant's eyes never left him.

"You came here because you thought I'd react like every other husband."

A bitter smile crossed his lips.

"You were wrong."

The two men stood frozen, the tension thick enough to suffocate the room.

Neither of them spoke.

Neither of them looked away.

BANG!

Isang putok ang umalingawngaw sa loob ng opisina.

Nanigas ang katawan ni Stanley.

Unti-unti siyang napaluhod, bago tuluyang bumagsak sa marmol na sahig.

BANG!

Agad na humandusay ang  duguang katawan ni Stanley sa sahig ng opisina ni Grant.

Hindi niya ito unang beses na ginawa. Nauna nang mawala sa landas niya si Baron, wala na sa kanya ang pangalawa pa. 

Walang emosyon ang mukha ni Grant habang nakatingin sa walang buhay na katawan.

Pagkaraan ng ilang segundo, pinindot niya ang intercom.

"Jeff."

Agad sumagot ang boses sa kabilang linya.

"Yes, sir?"

"Clean this up."

"Understood, sir."

Pinatay niya ang intercom.

Hinimas niya ang wedding ring sa kanyang daliri at mariing pinisil.

Mahina siyang napabuntong-hininga.

"I would've forgiven the betrayal..."

Tumigil siya.

"...but not the man who kept coming back."