"Ang dami mong binibitawang salita na parang ang dali lang tanggapin. How do you expect me to react?!" Napalingon ako sa kanya, halatang napuno na.Huminto siya sa stoplight at tumingin sa akin, ang mga mata niya ay puno ng diin. "Then ask me. Stop making assumptions and just ask me what you want to know."Napaatras ako nang bahagya, hindi makayanan ang intensity ng tingin niya. His gaze was unwavering, like he was challenging me to confront him. "I don't care about your life, Dylan. Whatever it is," halos bulong ko, pilit na kinakalma ang sarili kong kaba.Napangisi siya, pero ang ngising iyon ay puno ng sarcasm at halatang may halong sakit. "What's new about that? I’ve always been nothing to you," sagot niya, ang boses niya ay mababa pero ramdam ang bigat. At bago pa ako makasagot, muling pinaandar niya ang sasakyan.Nang makarating kami sa restaurant para mag-dinner, ni isa sa amin ay hindi nagpresinta na magsalita. Tahimik kaming kumakain, at ramdam ko ang bigat ng tensyon sa pagi
Gusto kong lumaki siya na may bukas na puso at isipan, handang tanggapin ang ideya ng kanyang ama kung dumating man ang panahon. At ngayon, naririnig ko ang kanyang mga salita, naramdaman ko ang isang mapait na halo ng pride at ginhawa.I felt my heart tighten with emotion as Mateo’s words sank in. His unwavering love for me, his understanding, and his maturity—he had no idea just how much it meant to me. I held him tighter, as though trying to keep him in that moment, to shield him from any pain that might come in the future.“You’re such a wise little man,” I said softly, my voice thick with gratitude and love. “I’m so proud of you, Mateo. You have a good heart, and that’s all Mama needs.”He pulled back slightly, his bright eyes looking up at me with the same sincerity that always made me want to protect him at all costs. “Mama,” he asked, his voice innocent but filled with curiosity, “are you going to be happy with him?”Napapikit ako, pansamantalang nalamigan ng tanong niya. Dire
At sa unang pagkakataon, nakita ko siyang ngumiti—isang ngiti na tunay, walang halong kaplastikan o pormalidad."You’re welcome, kid. Don’t run too fast, okay? You might hurt yourself. Your mother will get worried," sabi ni Dylan na may halong lambing.Gusto kong tumawa, gusto kong umiyak, pero pinilit kong pigilan ang anumang emosyon."It’s okay! I’m a big boy! I’ll protect my Mama," sagot ni Mateo nang may pagmamalaki.Napangiti si Dylan, bakas ang amusement sa mukha niya. "Yes, you’re a very good boy. Now, let me help you find your Mama. Show me where she is."Nataranta ako. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang gagawin o saan itatago ang sarili ko. Pero bago pa ako makakilos, biglang itinuro ako ni Mateo."There she is, mister! That’s my Mama!" masiglang sabi ni Mateo.Nagtama ang mga mata namin ni Dylan. Nakita ko kung paano nanlaki ang mga mata niya sa gulat. Ang panga niya ay bahagyang bumaba, tila hindi makapaniwala sa nakita niya.Hindi ko alam kung paano huminga. Parang huminto ang buo
Nalaglag ang panga niya. Parang bigla siyang nawala sa sarili habang pilit iniintindi ang sinabi ko. His eyes glittered, tila napuno ng emosyon. "I... I have a son..." halos hindi makapaniwalang sambit niya.Huminga ako nang malalim, pinilit na kontrolin ang nanginginig kong boses. "Don’t worry about it, Dylan. Mateo is educated about our situation. I’ve prepared him for this. He understands co-parenting, and he’ll adjust. You don’t need to push yourself into this if you’re not ready."Napahilamos siya ng kanyang mukha at natulala. Para bang pinoproseso ang lahat. Biglaan at talagang nakakagulat. Maski ako ay hindi ine expect ito.Tumingin siya sa akin, puno ng emosyong hindi ko mabasa. "Not ready? Amalia, I’ve missed years of his life! How could you think I wouldn’t want to be part of it? Part of him?"Natahimik ako. Hindi ko inasahan ang ganoong sagot mula sa kanya. Nakikita ko ang galit, pagkagulat, at isang malalim na lungkot sa kanyang mga mata."I’m not here to ruin your lives,"
"Good night, Amalia," sagot niya, ang tono ng kanyang boses ay may kasamang bigat, na para bang gusto niyang magtagal pa, pero alam niyang kailangan niyang magtakda ng hangganan.Dahan-dahan kong isinara ang pintuan at naramdaman ko ang kabigatan ng bawat hakbang ko. Ang bawat sandali ng katahimikan na pumapaloob sa aming pagitan ay tila mas matindi kaysa sa anumang salita. Sa bawat pag-alalay ng kanyang mga mata sa akin, may mga hindi pagkakaintindihan, may mga pagkakataon ng pagdududa.Nasa harap ako ng aming maliit na sala, at sandali akong napaupo sa sofa. Naisip ko kung anong nangyari kanina—paano nagbago ang lahat ng bigla.Sobrang bilis ng pangyayari. Parang ang lahat ay nagaganap nang hindi ko kayang sundan, hindi ko kayang iproseso. Alam ko naman na inihanda ko ang sarili ko para sa araw na ito, pero iba pala talaga ang pakiramdam kapag ang lahat ng iyon ay naging realidad. Parang ang mga plano ko at mga paghahanda ay naging wala nang silbi. Parang bumalik ako sa simula, sa u
I pulled him into a hug, unable to hold back my tears anymore. "I’m proud of you, Mateo. You're stronger than you know."As I held him, I realized that this moment—this conversation—was only the beginning. There were so many emotions, so many unresolved feelings, but for the first time, I felt like we were on the right path. We weren't alone anymore, and maybe—just maybe—Dylan could become part of our lives again. It wasn’t going to be easy, but for Mateo, I was willing to try."Later, we’ll talk to him. We’ll figure it out together," I whispered, kissing his forehead."I’m excited, Mama," he said, snuggling deeper into my embrace.I smiled through my tears, thankful for the love we shared. I didn’t know how things would unfold, but one thing was certain: no matter what happened, we had each other.I smiled as I stood up, wiping away the last of my tears. "For now, let's have breakfast, and you get ready because he told me he'll visit today," I said, trying to sound cheerful, though m
But in that moment, the years of resentment and bitterness started to feel lighter, as though his tears were washing away the past."It's okay. It's done, Dylan. What you need to focus on now is what’s here. Mateo," I said softly, my own voice thick with emotion as I fought back my own tears. "He needs you now. He deserves you now."I could feel his body tremble against me, but there was something in his hold that told me he wasn’t going anywhere—not this time.As I spoke those words, I could feel the weight of everything between us—the years of silence, the missed moments, the unspoken regrets—crushing us both. But as his arms tightened around me, there was a shift, a quiet promise in the way he held me. It was as if, for the first time, he was truly seeing me, seeing Mateo, and realizing that the past could no longer control what came next.Dylan’s hands slowly pulled away, and when he looked at me, his eyes were raw—worn by pain, but also filled with something deeper. Understandin
And sometimes, a new beginning was all we really needed.The morning passed in a blur of laughter and dinosaur battles. Dylan didn’t rush off, didn’t make excuses. He stayed, and for once, he seemed like he was exactly where he needed to be.Pagsapit ng hapon, naramdaman kong hindi ito basta kapritso lamang. Ang ngiti ni Mateo—ang maliwanag at masayang ngiti niya—ay patunay na nagsisimula nang magbago ang mga bagay. Mahaba pa ang tatahakin naming landas, pero sa unang pagkakataon sa mahabang panahon, pakiramdam ko ay papunta kami sa tamang direksyon.Nakakapanibago makita si Dylan na unti-unting pumapasok sa papel na ito, kahit na nagsisimula pa lang. Alam kong magkakaroon ng mga hamon sa daan, pero ang makita silang maglaro—si Mateo na ipinapakita kay Dylan ang paborito niyang koleksyon ng laruan na dinosaur na may sobrang sigla, at si Dylan na nakikinig nang mabuti, ang ngiti niya sobrang totoo—ay nagbigay ng matamis na kirot sa puso ko."Look, Mister Dylan!" Mateo exclaimed, his sm
Ang bahay at kompanyang iniwan ni Papa para sa akin, ngunit napunta sa kamay ng madastra kong si Miranda.Balita ko'y nagkakaproblema na sila ngayon. Ang kompanya’y walang namamahala dahil wala akong lugar doon—ang tunay na tagapagmana. Dahil sa ginawa ni Dylan, hindi na rin nila naangkin ang buong kontrol. Ang kompanya ay naghihintay na lamang sa akin, at ang kailangan ko na lang gawin ay kunin ang mga papeles upang maayos ang lahat.Nasa bahay silang mag-ina ngayon—ang bahay na ipinagkait sa akin noon. Bagamat hindi ko sila paaalisin agad, nais kong iparamdam sa kanila ang halaga ng lahat ng ito. Kailangan nilang matutunan ang kanilang pagkakamali. Ngunit higit sa lahat, nais kong mabawi ang mga bagay na may sentimental na halaga para sa akin—ang mga alaala ni Papa na nakapaloob sa bahay na iyon.Lalo na ang kanyang mga painting.Ang mga iyon ang pinakamatibay na alaala ko sa kanya. Kasama ng kanyang mga gamit, gusto kong ibalik ang lahat ng iyon sa tamang lugar—sa akin. Hindi para s
As he lay there, spent and satisfied, I couldn't help but feel a sense of power and satisfaction. I had taken control, dominating Dylan in a way that neither of them had expected. "You're incredible," he whispered, his voice hoarse. "I never knew I could feel this way." I smiled, my heart filled with a mixture of desire and triumph. "This is just the beginning, Dylan. There's so much more I want to show you." Ang linggong iyon ay puno ng mga bagong simula at masayang sandali na magkasama kami. Ngunit ang isang gabi ay tumatak nang husto—ang hapunan kasama ang ama ni Dylan sa kanilang engrandeng bahay. Ito ang unang beses kong makapasok sa ganoong kagilas-gilas na lugar, at sobra akong kinakabahan! Habang naglalakad kami papasok sa malalaking double doors, hindi ko mapigilang mamangha sa laki at karangyaan ng bahay. Ang mataas na kisame, eleganteng mga chandelier, at napaka-gandang kasangkapan ay parang eksena sa isang pelikula. Hinigpitan ko ang hawak ko sa kamay ni Dylan, tila nag
Sumiksik ako sa kanyang dibdib, dinig na dinig ang tibok ng kanyang puso. Ang tunog na iyon ay nagbibigay sa akin ng seguridad, ng paniniwala na magiging maayos ang lahat."Handa akong harapin ang mundo kasama ka, Dylan," sabi ko, puno ng determinasyon. "Hindi na ako matatakot. Hindi na ako tatakbo. Para sa'yo, para kay Mateo, at para sa ating kinabukasan."Ngumiti siya, ang ngiting nagdala ng liwanag sa buong kwarto. "That’s all I ever wanted to hear from you, my love.""I want to give you everything you've ever wanted," he continued, his voice thick with emotion. "I want to be the one to make it right."Before I could respond, Dylan's lips were on mine, and the world around us seemed to fade away. The kiss was gentle at first, a tender exploration of their unspoken desires. But as our lips parted slightly, the passion ignited.I responded eagerly, my hands reaching up to thread through his hair, pulling him closer. I could taste the hint of cinnamon from his, and it only fueled my d
Naningkit ang mga mata ko. "What did you do, Dylan?" usisa ko, pilit na hinahanap ang kasagutan sa kanyang mukha.Tumawa siya nang mahina, ngunit seryoso ang sunod niyang sinabi. "I just found out that you are rich..."Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. "Huh? What are you talking about?"Tumingin siya sa akin nang diretso, ang mga mata niya’y puno ng sinseridad. "Remember when I spent years looking for you?"Tumango ako. "Yes... and?""Instead of finding you at first, I found something else," sagot niya, tila may mabigat na sasabihin. "I discovered that your stepmother, Miranda, and her daughter abused you. They took everything—your company, your house—everything that was rightfully yours. Ginamit nila ang lahat ng iyon para sa pansarili nilang kapakanan.""What?!" halos sigaw ko, ang boses ko’y nanginginig sa galit at pagkabigla.Hinila niya ako palapit at niyakap nang mahigpit, pinipigilan ang panginginig ng aking katawan. "Yes, Amalia. They’re yours. Lahat ng inagaw nila sa'yo, ibinalik ko n
"I'm sorry, I guess I can't hug your boyfriend, Claire," biro ko, pilit na sinasabayan ang pagiging seryoso ni Dylan."Hmph," ungol ni Dylan habang nakakunot ang noo. "There's no need for that.""Relax, Mr. Husband," sagot ko, pinisil ang kamay niya sa aking bewang. "Julian is like a brother to me, and you know that."Ngunit hindi pa rin mapigil ang pagbuntong-hininga ni Dylan. "Still, I'd rather not take chances," sagot niya na may bahid ng paglalambing, ngunit halata rin ang pagiging seryoso.“Wow, Dylan,” sabat ni Claire habang umiiling. “Looks like Amalia’s stuck with a jealous husband.”“I prefer protective,” sagot niya nang mabilis, na tila ipinamamalas ang kanyang pagmamay-ari sa akin.Napailing na lang ako habang natatawa, ngunit sa loob-loob ko, masaya ako. Ang possessiveness ni Dylan ay hindi nakakainis, kundi nakakapagbigay ng pakiramdam ng seguridad—isang bagay na matagal kong hinanap sa buhay ko."Dylan, this is Claire and her boyfriend, Julian," sabi ko, na dinidiinan an
"Amalia, I will love you every single day of my life. I will love you through every fear and doubt. I’m never letting you go again."At sa sandaling iyon, alam kong tama ang naging desisyon ko. Hindi ko na hahayaang hadlangan ng takot ang kaligayahan namin. Wala nang atrasan. Handa na akong harapin ang lahat, kasama si Dylan—ang lalaking mahal ko, ang ama ni Mateo, at ang taong handang itaya ang lahat para sa amin.Sa simpleng opisina ng municipal hall, nakatayo kami sa harap ng officiant. Suot ko ang isang puting damit na hiniram ko kay Claire, at si Dylan naman ay naka-tuxedo. Hawak niya ang kamay ko, mahigpit ngunit puno ng pagmamahal. Mabilis ang pangyayari. Kahapon madaming ginawa si Dylan. Madami siyang tinawagan sa biglaang desisyon namin. Inubos namin ang araw na iyon para sa gagawin namin. While me, I called Claire to inform them to attend to as my family, as my witness. She was so shock at nagalit pa nga dahil sa hindi na siya naging updated sa aking buhay. Sa aking love lif
Nakatitig lang ako sa kanya, tila walang sapat na salita upang sagutin ang bigat ng kanyang damdamin. Ang bawat katagang sinabi niya ay parang palaso na tumama sa puso ko—sugat na matagal nang nakakubli, ngunit ngayon ay muling sumibol ang kirot."I never meant to disappear, Dylan," mahina kong tugon, halos pabulong. "Pero sa panahon na iyon, hindi ko alam kung paano haharapin ang lahat. Lahat ng sakit, lahat ng pagkawala. Mateo was the only thing that kept me going."Napayuko ako, pilit na ikinukubli ang mga luha na pilit na gustong lumaya. "I thought… I thought it would be easier to leave you. To let you go. Pero mali ako. Every day, I missed you. Every day, I wished you were there to see Mateo’s first smile, his first laugh, his first step."Hindi ko napigilan ang pag-agos ng luha ko. "Iyon ang pinakamasakit, Dylan. Na sa bawat milestone ng anak natin, wala ka. Pero ako rin ang dahilan kung bakit ka wala roon. And for that, I’m sorry."Bigla niyang hinawakan ang kamay ko, mahigpit
"Oh, Dylan," I panted, my hands gripping the sheets. "I need you inside me."He looked up at me, his eyes dark with desire. "Not yet, my love. I want to taste every inch of you first."With that, he dove back in, his tongue probing deeper, his fingers working in perfect rhythm. My body trembled as waves of pleasure washed over me. I was on the brink of orgasm, but Dylan seemed to sense this and pulled back, denying my release."Please, Dylan," I begged, my voice hoarse. "I can't take much more."He smiled, a devilish glint in his eyes. "I want to hear you beg for it."My cheeks flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and arousal. I had never been one to openly express my desires, but Dylan was drawing out a side of me I never knew existed. "I want you, Dylan," I whispered, my voice gaining strength. "I need your cock inside me. Please, fuck me."His eyes widened at my boldness, and he stood up, his hard cock straining against his pants. He quickly shed his clothes, revealing his muscu
But now, as we stood face to face, there was a glimmer of hope that perhaps the wounds could be healed.Dylan's lips curved into a slight smile, a hint of nervousness and anticipation playing across his features. He wanted this moment to be perfect, to make up for all the lost time. Slowly, he reached out, his hand gently caressing my cheek, sending shivers down my spine. It was a simple touch, but it conveyed a world of emotion.My heart raced faster, and I found myself leaning into his touch, closing my eyes briefly to savor the sensation. When I opened them again, I saw the question in his eyes—a silent plea for forgiveness and a chance to start anew. Without a word, I nodded, my eyes glistening with unshed tears.Nang magtagpo ang aming mga labi, ito'y malambot at maingat sa simula, tila tinatantiya kung tatanggapin ko ang kanyang pag-amin ng pagsisisi at pagmamahal. Ngunit habang tumatagal, ang halik niya'y naging mas malalim, mas totoo—punong-puno ng emosyon, para bang ito na an