บททั้งหมดของ Love in Beta: บทที่ 171 - บทที่ 180

The weeks passed by, and Maya’s business expansion was slowly gaining momentum. Ang daming work na kailangang tapusin, pero Maya was determined. Her team was in full swing, and she could feel the pressure mounting, but there was also a sense of excitement in the air. For the first time in a long time, she felt like everything was aligning—the business, her relationship with Ash, and even the possibilities for her future. Ngunit hindi lahat ng bagay ay kasing daling asahan. Ang mundo ay patuloy na nagbibigay ng mga hamon, at hindi palaging makikinig ang buhay sa plano mo.Maya was sitting at her desk one morning when her phone buzzed. It was an email notification from her lawyer about an issue with the paperwork for one of the major partnerships they were working on. Her heart sank as she read through the message. It was a minor legal obstacle, but enough to cause delays in their timeline. She took a deep breath and tried to stay calm, but the pressure was beginning to take its toll. G

Maya was sitting at the kitchen table of her apartment, a cup of coffee in front of her. The morning light filtered through the window, casting a warm glow on the small space. It had been a few weeks since the crisis at the company, and things were slowly getting back to normal. However, despite everything settling down, she couldn’t shake off the feeling of unease. The events that had unfolded had left an imprint on her, and now, more than ever, she was questioning the people around her. Maya sighed, taking a slow sip from her coffee. Tingnan ko nga kung may pagkakataon pa akong magpahinga, she thought, but it seemed like the days were just getting busier. She was facing new challenges at work, and although things were somewhat calm, her mind kept going back to the leak and the betrayal she had felt. Just as she was about to finish her coffee, her phone buzzed. It was a text from Ash.“I’ll be at your place in 30. Can we talk?”Maya’s heart skipped a beat. She had a feeling this w

Ang gabing iyon ay puno ng kalmado at pag-aalalang naghalo sa mga nararamdaman ni Maya. Nasa kotse siya, nakatanggap ng mga salitang nagbigay liwanag sa kanyang dilim, ngunit kasabay nito ang mga tanong na hindi pa rin nawawala sa kanyang isip. Habang nagmamaneho si Ash, ang bawat tunog ng sasakyan, ang bawat pag-pindot niya sa manibela, para bang lahat ng galaw nito ay nagsisilibing senyales ng isang bagong simula para sa kanila. Ngunit may mga nararamdaman pa rin siyang takot na naglalakbay sa kanyang mga ugat.Pagkatapos ng ilang minuto ng tahimik na biyahe, huminto sila sa isang magandang restaurant na matatagpuan sa isang tahimik na kanto ng lungsod. Maliwanag ang mga ilaw, ang mga bintana ay may tanawin ng mga puno na dahan-dahang gumagalaw sa simoy ng hangin. Habang papasok sila sa loob ng restaurant, hindi maiwasan ni Maya ang mag-isip. Paano kung hindi mag-work out? Paano kung ito na ang huling pagkakataon? Para bang ang bawat hakbang nila ay puno ng mga tanong at mga posibi

Kinabukasan, habang ang araw ay sumisikat, nararamdaman ni Maya na may mga bagay na parang unti-unting nagiging malinaw. Hindi pa siya sigurado kung anong klase ng relasyon mayroon sila ni Ash—pero may isang bagay siyang tiyak: Ang takot na matagal niyang kinu-cover up ay unti-unti nang humuhupa. Siguro dahil sa pag-usap nila kagabi. Ang bawat salita ni Ash ay may malalim na kahulugan, at tila nagsisimula siyang magtiwala na may posibilidad pa ang lahat ng ito.Habang papasok siya sa kanyang opisina, nagri-ring ang kanyang cellphone. Isang message mula kay Ava.Ava:“How was it? Please tell me everything! I’m dying to know! I’m here for you, whatever happens, ha?”Si Ava, palaging nandiyan. Nasa tabi niya ito kahit anong mangyari. Maya smiled as she replied, “We talked. And for the first time, I felt like... like he really gets it. It’s not easy, Ava, but maybe there’s a chance for us.”Naisip niya na hindi lang siya ang naglalakad sa madilim na landas. Si Ash din, tulad niya, ay puno

Maya woke up the next morning with the lingering thoughts of the night before. It was a restless sleep, full of dreams she couldn’t remember but felt like they were trying to tell her something. It felt as though the universe was urging her to make a decision, but she didn’t know how to move forward without feeling like she might break something—either within herself or with the people around her.Paglabas niya ng kwarto, nakita niyang magkausap si Ava at si Julian sa living room. Hindi maiwasang sumakit ang ulo ni Maya sa iniisip na ang mga tao sa paligid niya ay may mga nararamdaman na hindi niya kayang i-respond sa tamang paraan. Her heart was being pulled in so many directions, and it was all too much.“Good morning,” Maya greeted them quietly, trying to sound normal. But deep inside, there was a tension, a nervous excitement at the same time. The weight of the conversation she’d had with Ash, the openness they shared, was still fresh in her mind.Ava looked up at her with a smile