Todos los capítulos de The Afterburn of Tempation: Capítulo 121 - Capítulo 130

Zhean’s Point of ViewMedyo mabigat pa ang pakiramdam ko. Nakasandal lang ako sa armchair sa tabing-bed habang nakapikit, trying to get a quick power nap. The past few days have been super exhausting, back-and-forth between work and checking up on him.Then, out of nowhere, I felt someone lightly touch and move my hand.Honestly, I thought nanaginip lang ako or hallucinating because of fatigue. But then, I heard a faint, super paos na boses."Z-Zhean..."My eyes snapped open immediately.I looked up, and right there, I saw my Abuelo slowly opening his eyes. Medyo pikit-dilat pa siya, struggling against the harsh fluorescent lights, pero gising na talaga siya."Abuelo?!" Napatayo ako bigla sa upuan."Abuelo, you're awake! Hang on, don't move too much, okay? Stay calm." almost knocking over my coffee cup on the side table.Nanghihina siyang tumango, his breathing still a bit labored. "W-Water...""Wait lang, Abuelo, I’ll call the doctor first. Hold on!"With my heart pounding like crazy,

Bianca’s Point of View"Yeah. Thanks again for the food," huling sagot ni Zhean habang nakaupo pa rin sa tapat ng mesa.Bahagya akong tumango at naglakad palabas. Nang masarado ko ang pinto ng ICU suite, hindi ko muna agad pinalagpas ang tarangkahan. Dahan-dahan kong isinara ang pinto nang walang anumang ingay, maintaining a tiny crack to silently eavesdrop on whatever he was doing inside.Narinig ko ang mabibigat niyang hakbang patungo sa kama ni Abuelo. Then came his cracked, raspy whisper laced with so much pain and unbearable guilt."Patawarin mo ako, Abuelo... I should be the one lying here... hindi ikaw."Napaatras ako nang bahagya. I crossed my arms, my eyebrows knitting together into a sharp frown. What on earth is he talking about? Bakit pakiramdam niya kasalanan niya ang nangyari kay Don Armado? Ano pa ba ang hindi ko nalalaman sa mga ginagawa ni Zhean behind my back?Napailing na lang ako at naglakad na palayo bago pa may makakita sa akin sa hallway ng hospital.Pagkauwi ko

Alessa’s Point of ViewPagkapasok na pagkapasok namin sa conference room, agad kaming nag-ayos ng mga gamit. Inilapag ko ang mga printed documents sa harap ng bawat upuan habang inaayos naman ni Cassie ang projector screen. We were preparing for the monthly Q3 finance review, a crucial meeting bago i-present ang numbers sa executive committee at sa board of directors.Ilang minuto lang, pumasok na rin si Bianca. As usual, the click of her high heels echoed sharply against the tiled floor, giving off that arrogant aura."Let's start the meeting," malamig niyang utos sabay upo sa dulo ng mahabang mesa.Pinangunahan ni Sir Mendoza ang presentation. "Alright, team. Let's look at the overall performance for Q3. So far, the numbers are looking solid on most sectors, especially with our local distribution. But let's dive deeper into the breakdown."Habang pinalilipat-lipat ni Sir Mendoza ang mga slides sa screen, abala naman ako sa pagre-review ng detailed balance sheet sa tablet ko. I was c

Content Warning / Reader DisclaimerTRIGGER WARNING: This section contains sensitive themes, including alcohol-induced aggression, attempted sexual assault, and emotional trauma. Reader discretion is strongly advised. If you are sensitive to these topics or feel uncomfortable reading scenes involving non-consensual advances, please feel free to skip ahead. Your mental well-being is the top priority.---Alessa’s Point of ViewBuong gabi akong hindi nakatulog. Nakasandig ako sa sulok ng kama ko habang nakayakap sa sarili kong mga binti, unti-unting pinoproseso ang lahat ng nangyari. The heavy darkness of the room felt suffocating, and every time I closed my eyes, I could still feel his hands violently tearing at my clothes and his rough, desperate lips forced against mine.Hanggang sa dahan-dahang sumikat ang araw.I heard rustling sounds from the living room. Gising na siya.Agad na tumaas ang balahibo ko. My heart hammered wildly against my ribs as I listened intently. Then came the

Alessa’s Point of ViewAfter my confession in the restroom, Cassie insisted na mag-leave muna ako. She saw how traumatized I was, so I submitted my request and suprisingly, Bianca approved it right away without any drama.Naisipan kong umuwi muna sa probinsya para mabisita si Mama. It’s been months since my last visit home to Iligan City. Habang nakatitig ako sa bintana ng bus, I couldn't help but fall deep into my thoughts.Bakit ganun? Bakit parang ang malas-malas ko pagdating sa mga lalaki?First was my dad who completely abandoned us. Then Marco, my childhood sweetheart and first love, who just ended up cheating on me and breaking my heart. Then Zhean with all his chaotic situations... and now Brion, the guy I thought would protect me.What did I even do wrong to deserve all of this?"Iligan! Iligan Terminal na po!" sigaw ng konduktor, cutting through my thoughts.Pagbaba ko ng bus, napansin kong wala man lang akong bitbit na pasalubong dahil sa sobrang pagmamadali kong makaalis n