JUSTINIT’S been five days since she asked me for an annulment. I know she’s just hurting. Hindi madaling tanggapin na wala na si Pauline. But it was an accident at walang may gusto ng nangyari. She blames the people around her—even me.Nagulat ako nang may tumapik sa balikat ko. Narito ako sa isang upscale restaurant. Kanina pa tapos ang meeting ko pero hindi muna ako umuwi sa bahay. I just need a little bit of time before I face her again. Ang hirap makita na nasasaktan ang asawa ko. She’s there . . . but she’s really not there.“Problem?”Nang tumingala ako ay nakita ko si Dad. Sinenyasan niya ang dalawang bodyguard niya na lumayo muna sa amin. There were only four tables in the private room at sa laki ng space ay magkakalayo ang mga mesa. It’s almost next to impossible to hear what the others are talking about. Hindi ko alam na narito rin pala siya kanina.Tipid akong ngumiti sa kaniya. “I’m okay.”Tumikhim siya. “But not really.”Sa lahat ng pangyayari sa buhay ko, ang akala ko a

JUSTINI ASKED her to go overseas with me. Plano kong dalhin siya sa Greece. Santorini is nice around this time and I think she’s going to love the culture aside from the white and blue surroundings. I want the best vacation for her . . . for us.Maayos na ang pakiramdam niya at wala na siyang trangkaso. Riz admitted that she soaked herself in the tub hanggang sa lumamig ang tubig nito. Obviously, she’s going to catch a cold at dahil mahina ang katawan ay kaagad siyang pinasok ng lamig at nilagnat. I felt angry that she wanted to end our marriage. But it saddens me more that she wanted to end her life and she’s doing it slowly. And if she thinks I’m going to stand here and watch her fade away, she’s got another thing coming.“Are you warm enough?” tanong ko sa kaniya. We are aboard my private plane. The flight to Greece from Manila is almost thirteen hours.Riz nodded and held my hand. “I’m warm enough. Dalawang blanket na kaya itong ikinumot mo sa ’kin,” natatawang sagot niya sa akin

JUSTINHindi ko na siya pinatulan at sayang lang ang oras ko. Donnabelle is still standing in the middle of my office at kung hindi ko pa siya pauupuin ay hindi siya aalis doon.“Please take a seat. I don’t know why you’re here but I know it’s not just to ask how your daughter is doing. This is related to your own concern.” Naupo ako sa swivel chair ko habang siya naman ay sa visitor’s chair.“Alam kong alam mo na ang tungkol kay Romeo. Kung anuman ang ginawa niya sa shop, wala akong kinalaman doon. Lumabas kami nang araw na ’yon at sa isang coffee shop kami nagkita. Iniwan niya ’ko roon at sinabing may sasaglitan lang siya.”That explains the CCTV kung bakit sa labas lang nakita ang dalawa. But Donnabelle can also just make this up to save herself. I don’t know what to believe anymore. Is she really capable of hurting her own daughter? “Wala kang kinalaman, pero naroon ka malapit sa pinangyarihan. Narinig mo ba ang sigaw ni Riz?” I gritted my teeth and bit the inside of my cheek to

RIZIYON ang naging routine ko tuwing Lunes. Pumupunta ako sa ampunan at binibisita ang mga bata. I told Justin about the orphanage and what he did filled my heart with so much joy. Instead of donating money, he asked Rowan to get the children’s medical information at ibinigay sa isang bagong tayong clinic na naghahanap ng mga pasyente. In an instant, dalawa na ang natulungan namin. Dra. Roces who is a general practitioner suddenly acquired thirty patients. Pina-checkup ni Justin ang mga bata roon at binigyan ng vitamins. Aside from that, he asked Rowan to find a dental office that would take them in to clean their teeth. Ang sabi ni Justin, prevention is better than cure. Kaya iyon ang ginawa niya para sa mga bata. We lost one child, pero trenta ang ipinalit ng Diyos. I still see sadness from Justin’s eyes kapag nakakasama ko siya sa ampunan. There’s longing in his eyes at alam kong nami-miss niya si Pauline. Dapat ay may sanggol na siya sa kaniyang bisig ngayon na pinagpupuyatan.Na

RIZJUSTIN didn’t come home that night or the following night. In fact, he didn’t come home for the whole week. And another week after that.I wanted to know where he was, but I still have my pride. I brought it up, yes. But he chose to end us. Nasaktan ako sa kaalaman na sinukuan niya na ako, pero ipinangako ko rin sa sarili ko na kahit kailan ay hindi ako maghahabol sa isang taong ayaw na sa akin. If he doesn’t want me in his life anymore, then so be it. It’s funny how he made me happy, and in the end, siya rin ang naging sanhi ng kalungkutan ko.I packed my clothes and I have decided to take a trip for a bit. Ang bitbit ko lang ay ang mga personal kong gamit na ako mismo ang bumili. The rest stays. Pera ni Justin ang ipinambili niya roon. He can throw it out himself or donate it to the poor. As for the shop, pareho namang nasa pangalan namin iyon. He can do whatever he wants with it. It will continue without me dahil naroon ang mga recipe. Competent din ang mga staff ko. Pero sana,