"Where do you want to eat dinner?"Kumain kami kanina kasama ni Bonie ng lunch sa katabi na restaurant ng boutique. But now that he's asking that while we're alone inside his car, it feels different. Kung dati nagagawa kong sabihin sa kaniya ang pangalan ng mga mamahaling restaurant na gusto ko, ngayon ay natatahimik na lang ako. I feel like I lost my confidence over things and ended up a woman who always doubts the words inside her head, so she can't voice them out. Ayoko lang na isipin niya na tulad pa rin ako ng dati, I want him to see me as a changed person, a better woman who's deserving of a second chance."I-Ikaw, where do you want us to eat? We can just take it out, sa bahay na lang tayo kumain, what do you think?" bumaling siya sa akin saglit, kunot ang noo at patuloy na nagmamaneho. Binalik din naman n'ya ulit sa unahan ang attention at hindi na nagsalita kaya pinili ko na lamang din manahimik. Maya-maya lang ay huminto na rin kami at nagulat akong dinala niya ako sa restaur
Warning! R-18. You can skip that part, especially the minors. This is not reverse psychology, but read at your own risk, at kung makulit ka please hold yourself accountable for your actions._____Maaga akong gumising kinabukasan. Ngunit hindi ako agad lumabas ng kwarto. I stayed there the whole half day of waiting and packing some of my things na dadalahin ko sa Batangas. The day after tomorrow, ay kasal na namin. Hindi ko mawari ang dapat kong maramdaman, naghalo ang lungkot, kaba, saya at excitement sa akin.Umahon ako mula sa bathtub kung saan ko binabad ang sarili sa loob ng kalahating oras. I nakedly went inside the shower cube at hinayaan kong bumuhos sa katawan ang malamig na tubig.The cold water cascades over my skin as I shut my eyes. I turned it off for a moment to soap my skin, and while doing that, I kept my eyes closed. I soaped my face down on my neck and my nape down on my shoulders. But I could almost barely breathe when I felt a hand cling to my stomach and his body
We woke up early the next day to prepare. Hindi ko masyadong nakasama si Chrome dahil abala rin ito at madalas na kausap ni Tito Greg. Inabot pa nga sila ng tanghalian sa pag-uusap. Pagkatapos naman ay nawala na ito sa paningin ko. Inayusan na rin kasi ako after lunch, hanggang sa ipasuot na sa akin ang wedding gown.Hindi ko ramdam ang sarili ko ng mga oras na pinagmamasdan ko ang kabuuan sa salamin. I never thought I would have a chance to wear a wedding gown knowing that Chrome was going to be my groom. Maaaring naghintay ako sa kaniya sa loob ng anim na taon pero hindi na ako umaasangng babalik siya sa akin at ikakasal kaming dalawa. Dapat ba akong matuwa na hindi siya mahal ni Katherine at iba ang pakakasalan nito?I might sound selfish, kung sabagay to carry out such a scheme just to get him is already a selfish decision I have ever made. But I love him. Hindi ako naging selfish noon against Chrome, pero ngayon, if it's the only way I could fight for my love, then I will be."An
Be there at nine; don't be late.Iyon ang bumungad sa akin pagkagising ko. Chrome was out early, and it was only past six. He just left a note telling me to get there at nine. Ngayon kasi ang start ko sa pag t-trabaho as his secretary. Hindi ko alam pero wala ako sa mood ngayong araw, or maybe noong nakaraang linggo pa, simula noong ikasal kami.Pagkagising ko kasi kinabukasan ay wala si Chrome, nagbiyahe raw ito patungong Mindanao para dumalo sa isang conference. Hindi man lang ito nagpaalam sa akin. Ang kinalabasan tuloy, mag-isa akong umuwi rito. Ilang araw siyang nawala. Maybe I was a little disappointed kasi kahit paano ay umaasa ako na magkakaroon kami ng little time to spend. Like honeymoon out of the country. Ngunit mukhang hindi siya interesado sa gano'n, isa pa ay napaka busy niya. Sino nga ba naman ako upang paglaanan niya ng oras. I only have the title as his wife, and it was all just that. A title.I didn't bother to eat a heavy breakfast. I just made myself a sandwich an
Dumeretso ako ng washroom sa ground floor to fix myself and process everything that happened within just a few hours of being here. Kakasimula ko pa lang ay ramdam ko nang magiging mahirap para sa akin, knowing we're all in the same building.Chrome and Gear in the same building doesn't sound right. But I think aware naman si Chrome that Gear's working under his company. Nang masiguro kong okay na ako ay saka ako nagpasyang bumalik sa opisina na parang walang nangyari. I placed my phone on the table at pasimpleng sumulyap sa Office ni Chrome, but he wasn't there. Kumunot ang noo ko. Saan s'ya pumunta? Hindi ko siya nakita sa baba. Hindi ko na lang iyon pinansin at nagpatuloy hanggang sa dumating ang lunch time.Tumayo na ako to grab some lunch when Chrome entered my office wearing his usual serious face. Wala siyang suot na coat, which leaves him only wearing his button-down white sleeves, na nakatupi hanggang siko, at bukas ang tatlong nauunang butones. He looked so freaking hot that
Warning: R18It was past 8 in the morning and I was already inside my office doing my work. I checked my phone when it vibrated, reminding me of Chrome's meeting schedule with the planning department. Tumayo ako at dala ang iPad ay tumungo ako sa opisina niya. I knocked three times against his door, and I opened it when he told me to come in.Naabutan ko siyang abala sa pag-check ng ilang documents. Sumulyap siya sa akin ng mabilis at binaba ang tingin ngunit napaangat din ulit siya at tuluyan nang binaba ang hawak."Mild," hindi ko siya masyadong pinapansin simula kagabi, that is why I looked at him in a formal way. Like I was just really here as his secretary and not his wife."I just want to remind you that you have a meeting this morning at nine thirty with the planning department, sir. You only have twenty minutes to prepare. I'll also check with the department to remind them and to proceed to the conference room. And oh, I am also going to ask the staff to prepare coffee. Anong
Matapos ibaba ang telepono ay binalingan ko naman ang ilang documents na pinadala ni Chrome rito after meeting.Napasapo ako sa noo ng maalala ang nangyari kanina. Halos hiyang-hiya ako noong bumalik kami sa conference room. Lalo pa't nasa amin ang tingin ng lahat tila nagtataka kung bakit magkasunod kami at kung bakit tila natagalan kami. Some of them are looking at us suspiciously at isa na roon si Gear na sobrang mapanuri ang titig sa akin.I swear! Huling beses na iyon at hindi na mauulit dito! I can't bear the embarrassment I felt. Kahit wala naman talaga silang alam pero 'yong pakiramdam na parang may meaning ang mga tingin ay hindi nakakatuwa.Tinapos ko ang trabaho ko sa umagang iyon. Tumayo na rin ako to grab lunch. Saktong paglabas ko ng office ay ang paglabas ng pamilyar na babae sa elevator. Hindi pa ito nakatingin sa akin. She's looking for something in her pouch, ngunit napahinto rin ng nasa tapat na siya ng opisina ni Chrome at sa harapan ko. It was too late for me to g
Hindi ako ginambala ni Chrome maghapon. Natulog ako sa kwarto pagkapasok ko at nagising ako ay gabi na. It's almost a month after we married each other. I was now staring at my reflection inside the bathroom, holding my stomach.Nang makaramdam ng gutom ay bumaba ako. Hindi ko alam kung nasaan si Chrome, or maybe he's inside his room. Binalak kong dumeretso sa kusina and I saw a man busy cooking. I yawned and squeezed my eyes before walking near him. I sniffed. Kumunot ang noo ko ng hindi 'yong pabangong madalas niyang gamitin ang naaamoy ko. He smells good tonight, pero mas prefer ko 'yong dati."Did you change your perfume? I like the previous one, Chrome. Pero ang bango ng niluluto mo ah? New recipe? Nagutom tuloy ako." I held his waist para makagilid ako to get a cup. I am planning to make myself a cup of milk. Ngunit ng mag-angat ako ng tingin sa kaniya ay halos mabitawan ko ang cup at nanlalaki ang matang napatitig sa mukha niya. I automatically withdrew my hand from gripping hi