Chapter 3 (SHE LEFT HIM)

A month later, napansin ni Althea na delayed na naman ang period niya, at first, she didn't think much of it, stress, overtime, late-night work, marami siyang dahilan para isipin na baka iyon lang ang dahilan ng delay. Pero habang lumilipas ang mga araw, hindi mawala sa isip niya ang isang possibility, What if…?

Day off niya nang araw na iyon, kaya nagdesisyon siyang magpa-check up, mag-isa siyang pumunta sa hospital, nervously waiting for the results to come out.

“Congratulations, Miss Reyes,” masayang bati ng doctor.

Napakurap siya, “Congratulations?”

Ngumiti ang doctor, “You're pregnant.”

Parang biglang tumigil ang mundo niya. Pregnan? She is pregnant? We’re having a baby? Nanggigilid ang luhang sambit niya sa sarili. Unti-unting napunta ang kamay niya sa tiyan niya, “I'm… pregnant?”

“Yes.”

Napangiti siya nang malapad, “I'm pregnant,” hindi niya napigilan ang pagtawa nang mahina, kasabay ng pag-iyak ng ilang luha hindi niya alam kung matatawa ba siya o iiyak.

Paglabas niya ng hospital, agad niyang kinuha ang phone niya, binuksan niya ang conversation nila ni Nathaniel, ilang segundo siyang nakatitig sa screen bago siya nag-type.

Come home early tonight. I have a surprise for you.

Ilang segundo lang, nag-reply si Nathaniel. What kind of surprise?

Napangiti siya. You'll find out tonight.

Should I be worried?

Maybe.

Baby, don’t make me overthink, or I'll go home right away.

Napatawa siya. Just come home early, hindi na surprise kapag sinabi ko.

Okay babe.

She stared at the message with a smile, hindi niya alam kung paano niya sasabihin, saybe she would cook his favorite dinner, maybe she'd put the pregnancy test inside a small box or maybe she'd simply walk up to him, hold his hand against her stomach, and say, We're having a baby.

She was already imagining his reaction when a familiar voice stopped her.

“Althea Reyes?”

Biglang nawala ang ngiti niya, dahan-dahan siyang napalingon, isang eleganteng babae ang nakatayo ilang hakbang mula sa kanya.

Victoria Montenegro, mother of Nathaniel Montenegro, the Chairman and Co-founder of Montenegro Holdings.

Nanigas si Althea, “Chairman?”

“I need to talk to you.”

Nagtungo sila sa isang restaurant malapit sa hospital.

Tahimik si Althea habang nakaupo sa harap ng ina ni Nathaniel, hindi niya alam kung bakit siya nito gustong kausapin but something in Victoria's expression told her this wasn't going to be a friendly conversation.

Hindi na nagpaligoy-ligoy si Victoria, she opened her handbag, then placed a check on the table.

Five million pesos.

Nanlaki ang mata ni Althea, “What is it for chairman?”

“Five million pesos.”

“I can see that.”

“Then you should understand why you're here.”

Unti-unting nawala ang ngiti ni Althea, “Ano po ang ibig sabihin nito?”

“I want you to leave my son.”

Parang may humigpit sa dibdib niya, “Excuse me?”

“You heard me,” Victoria leaned back, “end your relationship with Nathaniel. Leave the company. Leave his life.”

Napahawak si Althea sa kamay niya sa ilalim ng mesa, “Why?”

“Because you are not suitable for him.”

Napailing siya, “Hindi po kayo ang dapat magdesisyon kung sino ang karapat dapat na makasama niya.”

“I am his mother.”

“And I'm the woman he loves.”

Tahimik ang paligid.

Malamig na tinitigan siya ni Victoria, “You think love is enough?”

Althea swallowed, “Yes.”

A faint, humorless smile crossed Victoria's lips, “You're young,” napatingin siya sa tseke. “Five million,” then Victoria's voice became colder, “take it and disappear.”

Althea slowly shook her head, “No.”

“You're refusing?”

“Yes.”

“Then perhaps you should know the consequences,” Victoria leaned forward. “If you refuse to leave, I will remove Nathaniel from his position.”

Nanigas si Althea, “What?”

“I have enough authority within the family and the company to make sure he loses his position.”

“Hindi ninyo gagawin iyon.”

“I will.”

“Why?”

“Because I will not allow a woman like you to destroy everything my family built.”

Althea stared at her, “I'm not destroying anything.”

“Then leave.”

Napayuko siya, Nathaniel, Montenegro Holdings. Everything he had worked for, she knew how much that company meant to him, she had seen him work until midnight, she had watched him sacrifice weekends, sleep, and even his personal life for the company, he didn't just inherit the success he had, he earned it. And now, because of her, he could lose everything.

Victoria continued, “If Nathaniel loses his position, he also loses his inheritance.”

Althea looked up, “His inheritance?”

“Yes.”

Her chest tightened, “Everything?”

“Everything.”

Tahimik siyang nakatitig sa cheque, five million pesos, a lifetime of money she could never imagine having but that wasn't what mattered. What mattered was Nathaniel, his dreams, his company, his future and the life he had built with his own hands.

Then her hand instinctively moved toward her stomach, her baby, she couldn't lose her child, but she also couldn't be the reason Nathaniel lost everything. She closed her eyes, a tear slipped down her cheek, “Okay.”

Victoria raised an eyebrow, “What?”

“I'll leave.”

“Good.”

“I'll take the money.”

Victoria pushed the cheque toward her.

“But I'm keeping my baby.”

Victoria's expression changed, “I never said you could keep the child.”

Althea immediately shook her head, “No,” her voice trembled, “you can't take my baby from me.”

“You'll raise the child alone.”

“I will.”

“You'll never tell Nathaniel.”

Althea looked down, that was the hardest part, huminga siya ng malalim, “I won’t.” her voice almost broke. She took the cheque.

That evening, umuwi si Althea sa condo nila, she acted like nothing happened, nagpalit siya ng damit, nagluto, inayos ang dining table at nang dumating si Nathaniel, sinalubong niya ito ng ngiti, “You're early.”

“You told me to come home early.”

Napangiti siya, “I did.”

Lumapit si Nathaniel at hinalikan siya sa noo, “You said you had a surprise.”

Althea smiled, “Later.”

They had dinner together. Nathaniel talked about his day, she listened. Tumawa siya sa mga jokes nito, she pretended everything was fine.

And when the night came, they held each other the way they always did. The night was passionate, intense, and filled with the kind of love they had secretly shared for weeks, every touch made Althea's heart ache, because she knew this will be their last night together.

Nang makatulog si Nathaniel, tahimik na nakahiga si Althea sa tabi niya, pinagmasdan niya ang mukha ng lalaking mahal niya, she reached out and gently touched his cheek, “I'm sorry.”

Hindi gumalaw si Nathaniel.

Mahina siyang ngumiti habang pinupunasan ang luha sa kanyang pisngi, “I love you.” Isang huling halik ang iniwan niya sa noo nito, then she slowly got out of bed, kinuha niya ang bag niya. She glanced at him one more time, saka tuluyang lumabas ng condo.

Nang maka baba siya, muli siyang tumingin sa building, sa kanilang tahanan, sa lalaking minahal niya nang higit sa sarili niya, then she whispered, “Take care of yourself, Nathaniel.”

At bago pa sumikat ang araw, Althea Reyes was gone.