บททั้งหมดของ The Substitute Bride: บทที่ 41 - บทที่ 50

The walk through the mahogany forest the next day was equally romantic. The forest was man-made and thick with a variety of green foliage and different species of trees and giant ferns lining the road so it appeared like a canopy, it might as well be the boulevard in Paris.They went sightseeing at the famous chocolate hills which was a unique geographical formation that was shaped like a cone and look like mystic mounds. They had lunch in one of the cosy floating restaurants on Loboc river and when the cruise stopped at Busay Falls, they enjoyed a light picnic on an islet surrounded by calming waters. Van had never had so much fun in her life or laughed so loud until her ribs hurt as Jake slipped and fell into the river simply because he was trying to look cool. She would always find herself sighing in content after the day's adventures and each day they made sure to end it with a romantic walk down the beach and watch the sunset. It was all surreal that Van wished never to

Jake's side of the bed was empty when Van woke up the next morning. She wasn't dreaming was she? The wedding dress, the wedding ceremony…they weren't all a dream right? It all felt like a dream but their clothes strewn on the floor beside the bed told her it was very much real. Van wondered where her husband–it felt so good to be able to call him her husband–could've gone so early in the morning? She got out of bed and went to part the curtains on the window when she saw him in the gazebo. She smiled affectionately then went to get dressed so she could join him. Jake ran agitated fingers through his hair as he paced about the gazebo. So many thoughts were running amok in his mind he felt like he was going crazy. All the joy and happiness he was feeling was making him sick because he knew he'd never be at peace until he was able to come clean and tell Van the whole truth. He'd thought that once they were married everything will become easy but he had

As soon as Karl was out of the door Van began to brew more coffee which she offered a cup to Jake and kept another for herself.They both sat at the rickety old table and Van sipped her coffee as she watched Jake through the rim of her cup. He was looking everywhere but her clutching the cup in a death grip. "Thank you for giving me a chance to explain." he said and this time he met her gaze. His voice was hoarse and tired. "I want to hear the whole story." She told him and he managed a small nod. "When I was six and Karen was just a baby my dad began to see someone else." Van flinched as she could guess by now who that someone was. Hadn't she always known that her mom had been unfaithful to her dad there was a time when Van was sure she'd gone to be with her lover abandoning them, that was about the same time their lives began to fall apart and her father's health began to deteriorate. However, she didn't interrupt Jake as he told his story.

The call came that afternoon and it took everything in Van to muster up the courage to hold back from running to his bedside. "How is he?" "He's doing okay now, he managed to get out of the accident with minimal injuries." "Thank God." relief flooded her as she clasped her Rella's hand. They were at the hospital's reception area along with his friends. Jake had gotten himself into an accident after he left her place that morning, she'd been beside herself with worry and guilt that maybe she drove him to it with her harsh words but Rella had insisted that it wasn't her fault at all , her friend was equally furious with him after learning the truth. Van was bouncing on her heels restlessly holding back because she knew that if she saw Jake in the current condition he's in, she'd be tempted to stay by his side even though she wouldn't be able to forgive him for what he's done which would be unfair to them both. The wound was still fresh and

Getting drunk and engaging in drunken brawls had become Jake’s favourite past time lately and he wore the nasty bruises on his face. His dad had given him an earful, he'd even threatened to take away his position as CEO but Jake didn't actually give a fig about the business much less his life or anything else for that matter. "Are you even listening? The new collection is behind schedule, the shareholders are displeased. All these for a woman with no face. Neither Ana nor I have met her, you didn't even invite us to your wedding." " Can we talk about this another time?" " Why you rascal… " " Dear, let it rest for now."Jake's stepmother placed a hand on his father's arm to calm him down. Jake looked away distastefully before he made for the front door making sure it shut behind him with a loud bang. Losing his mom had hurt him a lot, but losing Van the way that he had left him on the verge of losing his sanity. As it is now, he found nothing worth