Chapter 6: “You were just the girl he used before me.”

"Moon, wait!"

Napatigil si Moon sa gitna ng corridor ng Madrigal Empire's executive floor. Malakas ang tibok ng dibdib niya habang naririnig ang papalapit na boses ni Lucas. Tumalikod siya nang dahan-dahan, pinipilit ikubli ang lungkot at inis sa maamong mukha niya.

“Anong kailangan mo, sir?” matigas niyang tanong, tuwid ang katawan, pero nanginginig ang boses.

Lucas halted, his chest rising and falling fast. His hands were clenched by his sides, as if he was holding himself back.

“Please,” bulong niya, “can we talk?”

Napangiti si Moon ng mapait. “Talk? After everything? After that girl introduced herself as your fiancée like I was just another employee craving your attention?”

Lucas stepped closer. “She wasn’t supposed to, Moon, hindi ko alam na—”

“Don’t,” she cut him off, her voice low but sharp. “Don’t insult my intelligence.”

Moon felt her face burn, not from shame, but full of betrayal

“I deserved the truth,” she added, her voice cracking. “At the very least, Lucas, I deserved goodbye.”

Natahimik si Lucas. Halatang may gustong sabihin, pero hindi niya magawa. His fists were shaking now. Gusto niyang hawakan ang kamay ni Moon, yakapin siya, ipaliwanag ang lahat pero hindi niya magawa. Not here. Not now. And not when Daniella could be watching.

“Moon, please… let me—”

“No,” she whispered. “Save it. For her.”

Tumalikod si Moon. And with every step she took away from him, Lucas felt the weight of the secret he carried push him down even deeper.

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Later that day…

Inside the Madrigal conference hall, Daniella sat at the head of the table, legs crossed, sipping from a porcelain cup of earl grey. Nakangiti siya habang sinasala ang mga department heads.

And then dumating si Moon, dala ang ilang contracts na kailangang ipapirma sa fiancé ng bagong Queen of the Empire.

“Oh, Miss De Vera,” Daniella greeted sweetly, her red lipstick too perfect, too sharp. “There you are.”

“Yes, ma’am. Here are the files that Mr. Madrigal requested.”

Daniella stood. Tinanggap niya ang files, pero hindi agad binuklat. Bagkus, tinignan niya si Moon mula ulo hanggang paa, hindi bastos, pero sapat para iparamdam ang lamig ng hangin sa buong silid.

“You’re very efficient,” Daniella said. “Kaya pala nagustuhan ka ng fiancé ko.”

Moon blinked. “Excuse me, ma’am?”

“I mean professionally,” dagdag ni Daniella agad. “You’ve been working under Lucas for a while, right?”

Bawat salitang lumalabas sa bibig ni Daniella ay may kasamang pagdududa, parang may panusok. Pero matatag si Moon.

“Yes, ma’am. Professionally.”

“Hmm. Well, I do hope you remain professional. Alam mo naman, some girls tend to overstep when the man in charge is… irresistible.”

Isang mapait na ngiti ang pinakawalan ni Daniella bago siya umalis ng conference room. Naiwan si Moon na tila binagsakan ng mundo.

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The next day…

Rumors began to swirl.

“Did you hear? Si Moon daw at si Sir Lucas may past pala?"

“Uy, kaya pala ang lapit niya kay boss, naku, delikado yan sa fiancée!”

“I heard his fiancée personally asked for her transfer sa lower branch…”

Moon walked past them all, holding back tears.

Sa HR department, she was called in for a random performance evaluation, something that had never happened in her two months sa company.

Sa bawat sulok ng office, she could feel the eyes. The whispers.

Lucas saw her once in the hallway, looking so small despite her strength. He wanted to reach out pero naroon si Daniella. Laging naroon si Daniella.

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Later that night…

Moon stared blankly at the city lights from her apartment window.

A soft knock echoed.

She opened the door, and to her surprise, there he was—Lucas Madrigal. Soaked in guilt. Tired. Wounded.

“Lucas, anong ginagawa mo dito?”

“I needed to see you. To explain everything.”

Moon crossed her arms. “Now you care?”

“I never stopped.”

“Then bakit mo ko iniwan?”

Lucas looked at her, voice low and honest.

“Because loving you meant hurting you.”

Silence.

Moon didn’t reply. Not yet. But her eyes spoke the pain he caused. And behind those eyes, Lucas saw something else, anger, yes. Betrayal, yes. But still… hope.

He just didn’t know how long it would last.

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