CHAPTER 26

YEARS LATER

"And now, you may kiss the bride," masayang sambit ng pari sa bagong kasal na si Lauren at Lanche.

Seryosong tumingin si Lanche sa asawa niyang si Lauren. Habang masaya namang nakatingin si Laurrn sa kaniya. Hindi maipaliwanag ni Lauren ang nararamdaman niya ng pakasalan siya ni Lanche.

"I love you, Lanche Hendrix. Ill promise, that I will never gie up on you, that I will love you no matter what happen. I really love you, Lanche. Thank you for everything..," naiiyak na sambit ni Lauren hbang nakatingin ka Lanche.

Hinawakan naman ni Lanche ang kamay nito bago hinawakan ang mukha ni Lauren.

"Ill promise, I will do everything to make you happy, I will never hurt you, I will protect you. I love you, my love...." sensiridad na sabi ni Lanche at hinalikan si Lauren sa mga labi nito.

Kasabay noon ang maalakas na hiyawan at palakpakan ng tao. Masayang-masaya si Lauren dahil sa sobrang taagal niyang itinago ang naraaramdaman niya paraa kay Lanche, ngayon lang niya ito makakasama ng walaang nasasaktan.

Sa kabilang banda, hindi pa rin maalis sa isip ni Lanche si Brie. Kahit na kasal naa siyaa kay Lauren ay di niya magawang alisin sa isip si Brie. At kailan man hindi niya iyon kakalimutan.

Habang nagkakasiyahan ang lahat, ipinagdiriwang kasal nila. Muling humarap si Lanche sa picture ni Brie na nasa cellphone nito.

 Ayun yung araw na masaya silang daalawa. Ayun yung araw na masasabi niyang nagmamahaaln na sila ni Brie. 

"Mahal na mahal kita, Elle. Kahit na maaga mo kong iniwan, hindi ka pa rin umaalis sa isip at puso ko..." pilit na pinipigilan ni Lanche ang luha niya.

"Do you know? Do you know how much the pain that you left to me? And untill now, Im hurt when you left me. Hindi ko nga alam kung tama bang magpakasal ako. Dahil alam kong magagalit ka kapag di ko ginawa ang bilin mo," sabi nito na tumutulo na ang luha.

"Mahal na mahal kita ng sobra, Elle. Mahal na mahal kita..." 

Sa di kalayuan, hindi inaasahaan ni Lauren na maririnig niya ang mga sinabi ni Lanche. Hindi man taama, pero nasasaktan pa rin siya. Pero naiintindihaan naman niya ang asawa. Alam niyang hindi niya kayang palitan si Brie sa buhay ni Lanche. 

Napangiti n alamang siya ng mapait. Kahit na masakit, wala siyang magagawa kundi ang tanggapin ang lahat. 

"Lauren? Kanina ka pa ba?" gulat na tanong ni Lanche habang pasumpleng pinahid ang luha nito.

Walang nagawa si Lauren kundi ang ngumiti lang. Lumapit siya sa asawa at niyakap ito.

"Lanche, if you need to talk. Im always here. Im your wife now," nakangiting sambit niya habang nakatitig sa lalaki.

Niyakap naman nya ang asawa. Ayaw niyang nakikita itong malungkot. Lalo na kung si Brie ang dahilan. Nangako siya sa babae na gagawin niya ang laha mapasayaa lang ang lalaki.

"Thank you for everything... I really appreciate all of this, but you dont need to do this," sai nito na ipinagtaka ni Lauren.

"Lanche, we already talk about this, right," sabi ni Lauren.

Huminga ng malalim si Lanche bago muling naagsalita.

"You dont understand---"

"No, I understand you. I understand where's the pain from, just give me a chance to love you agaain, Lanche..." naiiyak na sabi ni Lauren.

Tinignan lang siya ni Lanche. Muling hinawakan ni Lauren ang mukha ng asawa.

''I will never leave you, my love... I will never leave you, I'll promise..." seryosong sabi ni Lauren. Hindi na niya kayaang mawala pa ang laalaking pinakamamahal niya.

Niyakap lang siya ni Lanche bilang pagganti sa laahat ng kabutihang nagawa nito sa kaniya.

*****

ONE WEEK PASSED

LAUREN'S POV

Nagising ako nang wala na si Lanche sa tabi ko. I just feel the sadness, when I did'nt saw his bag. He left without saying goodbye to me?

Tumayo ako para mag-asikaso. This is the first day as mrs. Claveria. And I dont know what to be feel.

Im glad to be his wife, but in the other side, I feel plenty. Because I know that he would never love me how much as he loves Brie.

After I ate my breakfast, I need to go back to Carniva Company. I want to show to them, that im not wrong to marry him. 

After an hour, I arrived on our company. The staffs greet me as well. I slightly smile to them as I replied.

"Good morning, Miss President!" Melody gladly greet me.

"Where's Lanche? Is he here?" I asked her.

"Ah yes, Miss President. He's already here," she replied.

"So why did you asked your secretary, Lauren? Don't you know where's your husband is?" Luanne, my sister asked me.

"Of course not, I know that he is going here..." I said without looking at her.

"Good morning, Miss Luanne," Melody also greet her.

"What are you doing here?" I asked her. What the hell is she doing here? She dont have any appointment here.

"Is it bad to visit my PARENTS company?" grumpy she said.

"Luanne, if you are here to annoy me, not now. I m not in the mood to fight you back," I said to her.

"Oh c'mon, Lauren. Do you think that Im wasting my time to see you here? My time is so precious to be wasted especially to you," she said while her holding her bag.

"You don't have any appointment here, so why did you wasting your time to come up here? I thouht that your time is so precious?" I said seriously to her.

"Then why don't you asked Dad? For sure he will answer all you questions." She started to make me annoyed.

"I dont have a time to asked him, why don't you answer me directly instead? For sure it would'nt kill you?" I asked.

She's started to walked slowly to me.

"I want your mood today, so serious," she said with a fake smile on her face.

"Well, actually, Dad's bring me here to watch you. To keep my eye on you," And now she totally annoyed me.

"Watch me? That's ridiculus! You making me laugh, Luanne. Why my dad did that?" I said with a smile on my face. To make her annoy. But Im wrong, because she already annoyed me at the first.

"Maybe he don't trust you anymore?" 

I felt the pain on my chest.

"You left your career for what? For thatt guy? And what? You go back here and to take what's belong to me?" I felt her insecurities.

"That's not my problem anymore, Luanne. So, know your limit," I said seriously too her. Before I go back to my office.

LAUREN'S POV

"Hon? Are you arrived?" Im asking Lanche in the call.

"Yeah, I already here. How's your day?" he asked me.

"Im here on Carniva. Im starting to sign the other documents," I replied to him.

"Ma'am, Maam Luanne is here," Melody greet me.

"Hon, Ill call you later okay?" I said.

"Is there something wrong happened?" 

"Don't worry, everything's fine..." I said before I end the call.

I quickly go outside and I saw her face again. 

"What do you need, Luanne? Is there a problem?" I asked her as I raised my eyebrows to her.

"Oh, C'mon, Lauren. Don't be paranoid. Im just relaxing here. Be comfortable..." she said that makes me annoy.

"If you are here to checking me out, You're wasting your time," I seriously I said to her. She is nothing. 

"So why are you look pale? Are you threatened?" 

"What do you think?" Im staring her seriously.

"Just chill, Lauren..." She started to grin as she really makes me annoy.

"Stop daydreaming that you can steal what's mine now. I will never let you ruin me again. You will never be a Lauren Dawson, Luanne. So maybe wake up." I give her a sweet smile before I go inside the office.

"Bitch!" I heard her murmur but I dont care. She ruined me once. I will not let her to do that to me again.

*****

"So, you're bitch sister is messing you again?" Chiara started to ask me a question.

"She always doing that, what's new?" I said with a tired on my face.

"Then why don't you gave her a lesson? You know she can ruin you once again, Don't you afraid?" she asked.

"Nope, Im not afraid. I need to control her evil plans. I will not let her ruin me again. She was ruined my relationship to Lanché. And now that Im a Claveria? I will not ket that happened again. Never again!" Im starting to remember what she did.

I love my husband, that's why Im scared to lost him again.

"Just be careful to your bitch sister. She's hypocrite!" Chiara warned me.

"Good afternoon, Madame!" Meshua greeted me.

"Good morning, Maam..." Chillet is on his side.

I smiled to then and give her a warmth treat.

"Madame, My captain give you this," he said while carrying the bouquet of flowers. That makes my heart melt.

I accepted it and thanks to him. 

"So sweet! How many years that I will wait to found my man like Captain Claveria?" Chiara's joking me.

"You will found him in the right time and place," I saud with a glad in my heart. 

I thought that he forget me. But Im wrong. Even if he is on Singapore, he never forget that he have a wife here in the Philippines.

"By the way, Girl. The Reunion is already near. Will you come?" 

"I dont know and I will try..."

"Okay, then. Babusshh!" She hug me as she said goodbye before she left.