Elaine forced herself to take her gaze away from Tan. Although she didn’t want to, but her eyes voluntarily landed on Janine who remained quietly seated in her chair. She gracefully took the water goblet on the table and slowly drank it.Elaine flinched when she felt Marco gentle squeeze on her shoulder. She raised her eyes at him. Marco looked away. His jaw flexed when he saw the tears in her eyes. Before the tears begin to fall, Marco hurriedly geared her towards the exit.One last time, Elaine turned to look at Tan. He was also looking at them. The emotion that’s evident in his eyes was unreadable to her, for her own eyes have been blurred with tears.She bit her lip hard, her chin quivered as she tried to rein her emotion. She wanted to cry but he was being held back by Marco’s tight hold.While walking out of the restaurant, Elaine wished Tan would run after her. Wished that he would take her hand and explain to her why he was with

Elaine’s head was spinning. Her eyes were begging him to spare her but the man didn’t even flinch a little.Then the elevator door opened. When the guy let go of her, Elaine automatically touched her neck, coughing hard, gasping for air. Her knees buckled and she fell to the floor sitting. The guy squatted beside her. “This is the price you need to pay for being alive, Elaine.”Elaine was slowly drifting off but she heard what he said. In a blink of an eye, she saw flashes of images and noises burst through.“This is the price you need to pay for turning your back on your father, Elaine!”“Die! Die! Just Die!”Elaine went literally still. Her whole body trembled in fear.  She couldn’t tell where the fear was coming from or when it’ll end...  August 18, 2017Quezon City, Philippines 

 Continuation of flashback... Before  Elaine entered the private room and started to walk towards him, Tan has been staring at her. He tried not to, but he can’t help but follow her every step as she approached.He wanted to move, go to her, reach for her. But he knew it was impossible and she won't even like it so he had no choice but to stay. Tan sat with his back on the headboard and wait until Elaine comes near.His eyes were fixed on her. He didn’t notice when Janine stood or if she said goodbye before she went out to leave them two alone.Elaine was staring back at him. When she stopped in the centre of the room- one meter from him, she stared at him over in a swift gaze. Then her eyes fell down to his feet which were still in a cast.She didn’t seem surprised at what she saw. She surely would have heard about his bone fracture. The gir

SANDRA was fixing her files in the drawer when the door to her office opened.“I’m going home early, Heidie. Please cancel all my meetings and reschedule them tomorrow.”She dusted off her hands. Got some more files to add to the pile of documents on her desk.“Doc…”“Why?” she asked.Sandra was stunned when she lifted her head and saw that aside from the nurse, a man she just saw in person but knew well was standing by her door.  ELAINE didn’t have the courage to go back and face Tan again but found herself parking her car in front of their rented house in Makati.She hasn’t been herself. She cannot erase what Janine told her from her mind. She was sure she knew about her past and hasn’t told Tan yet.Of her many secrets from her husband, which one does the doctor know? If she really wanted Tan for herself, she should

 August 30, 2017The next thing Elaine knew was the guy roughly grabbed the blouse she was wearing. She heard the buttons hit the floor. Her breathing was rugged. She wanted to fight him off and push him away, but she just couldn’t find her strength. The guy was immovable as he was still on top of her no matter how hard she pushed.He landed a punch to her stomach when he got irritated with her crying and struggling. Elaine gasped, it was as if she ran out of air for a moment.“Stop resisting, bitch!"'Please...' she heard herself begging but wasn't sure if he heard her."This is what you get for turning your back on your father!” he snapped and grabbed at her hair from the back. Elaine didn’t think about her aching scalp. She was more attuned to the excruciating pain from the hit in the belly and the truth of what he just