Belle cursed under her breath when she accidentally dropped her bag on the elevator's floor. Kusa niya iyong nabitiwan dahil sa dumulas iyon sa ngayon ay pawisan na niyang mga kamay. They had been stuck the lift for some time now kaya naman nagpapawis na siya.She knelt down on the floor annoyed. Isa-isa niyang pinulot ang mga gamit niyang nagkalat at gigil iyong muling isinuksok sa bag niya. Tumulong din si Zyrone.Ilang sandali pa nakita nito ang keyholder niya. He looked at it for a while before lifting his gaze at her. "Who's Lillie?" tanong nito.Kumurap siya, sandaling nag-isip. "M-my daugther," sabi niya bago marahang kinuha sa kamay nito ang gamit niya. He smiled, a poignant one. "How old is she?"Tumayo siya at muling bumalik sa puwesto niya, sa kabilang dingding ng lift, opposite Zyrone's. "S-she's two," alanganin niyang sagot. He doesn't need to know that Lillie is turning three in 3 months. Tumango-tango ito. Sandaling natahimik. "Just after..." bulong nito. Hindi siya

“How are you?” tanong ni Eliseo kay Belle. She turned to the car’s window and watched the road outside. It was Eliseo’s routine every day—to call her while she’s on the way to her office. Nasa Bulacan pa ito at talagang ine-enjoy ang pahinga nito. And she wants him to do so.In few weeks time, Eliseo will be turning 75. And she knew, her grandfather would eventually be too weak to oversee their company. Kaya naman talagang doble-kayod siya sa pagta-trabaho. Sa umaga, nasa PSC siya. Sa hapon naman, ang atensiyon niya nasa Prime Mall. She had a lot of things in her hands now. But that’s just how things should be.She’s now the Interim CEO of PSC. Things are different now. Kung noon, halos wala siyang ginagawa sa kompanya kundi ang mag-obserba o magbigay lang ng advice kay Eliseo, iba na ngayon. All things that needed decisions are directed to her.And she doesn’t want to miss anything that needed her attention in the company. Because only by making sure that everything is settled at w

Belle anxiously looked at her reflection on the mirror. She was wearing her branded little black dress, diamond stud earrings and light make-up. She looked… perfect given the place and occasion where she’s going to. But perfect is so far from what she's feeling right now. Maybe because tonight, she will finally talk to Zyrone for one final time like how he’d put it in words. One final time, pag-uulit niya sa isip. Nang um-oo siya noong isang araw na payag na siyang makipag-usap dito, humiling siya ng panahon para paghandaan ang pagkikita nila. She wanted to compose herself and gather her wits. She wanted to make sure that she’d behave like how she’s supposed to—an ex wife who had been living the best days of her life since she’d left him. Because as she sees it and given the many chance encounters she had with him, her stupid heart is not over yet with Zyrone.And so she wanted to be sure that she will not expose herself when they would finally talk. She had rehearsed every damn sce

“This is really good food, as always, Aling Imelda,” ani Zyrone sa ale na siya mismong nagsilbi ng mga pagkain nila. She had learned that Zyrone rented the whole place for tonight. It seemed he really planned to bring her there despite their earlier agreement on where to meet.Ngumiti lang ang ale bago bumaling sa kanya. “Natutuwa ako sa nangyari sa buhay mo, Belle. Salamat at nagawi ka ulit dito sa atin. Mabuti pa itong Zyrone paglagi dito,” umpisa ng matanda. “Sige na, kumain na kayo,” dugtong pa nito, muling ngumiti bago tuluyang naglakad pabalik sa puwesto nito.Marami nang nagbago kay Aling Imelda kagaya rin ng karinderya nito. Kung noon, lumang daster at apron lang ang suot nito, ngayon naka-slacks na ito at blouse na magandang klase. The older lady was now also wearing light lipstick and gold earrings. The place is no different. Well-ventilated na iyon dahil sa mga electric fans sa dingding. Pati ang mga silya at mesa, nagbago na rin. It seemed the whole place has gone through

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Belle. The rawness of his confession is burning a hole in her chest.She bit the insides of her cheeks and balled her fists. She felt her throat burned as she suppressed her tears. She was confused and hurt… terribly hurt. Painful memories came back like a bullet train hitting her in the head and heart.Him talking about the past, their past, was opening an old wound she had thought she had already healed from. But feeling the overwhelming pain she is feeling right now, mukhang hindi pa siya talaga naghilom. Hindi pa siya maayos.She just convinced herself that she did have moved on because she had too. She had a child to love and nurture. Lillie needed her.But her heart… still broken. “Belle, I didn’t know what happened that night. I was drunk. Grace told me that we…” He shook his head. “But… I’m not really sure. I-I… I’m sorry.”Umiwas siya ng tingin, pilit na pinakalma ang sarili. There he is again with his sorry that never seemed enough. How could sorry b