Chapter 1

"Sign this divorce paper!" Pabalag na itinapon ng asawa ni Irene na si Ruyi ang divorce paper. Dahan-dahan namang kumunot ang noo ni Irene sa narinig at mabilis na tumayo. "Mag-impake ka na rin at umalis dito sa bahay ko!"

Irene had just come back from the hospital and was about to share the good news with him. In her hand was the result of her pregnancy test and as she expected, she was pregnant. It came as a shock to her especially since she and Ruyi had only spent one night together which was a mistake. 

Not that it mattered to Irene. To her, this was a way of sealing their loveless marriage. 

“D-Divorce...? Anong sinasabi mo, Ruyi?" Irene's voice broke and her voice was unstable. "Bakit tayo maghihiwalay?" She couldn’t believe her ears. Why now? Why was he suddenly bringing this up? 

Sarkastikong natawa si Ruyi at napailing kay Irene. "You think I wouldn't know that you've sleeping with my brother? Sa tingin mo ba talaga ay hindi ko malalaman ang panloloko mo sa akin? Alam ko na ang lahat!"

Umawang ang bibig ni Irene sa gulat. "Sleeping with Kyler?!" hestirikal na tanong niya. "Ano bang sinasabi mo—"

Bago pa matapos ni Irene ang sasabihin ay itinapon na ni Ruyi sa harapan niya ang isa pang folder, nahulog ang mga laman non at nagkalat sa sahig. "Itatangi mo pa? Ganito karaming pruweba at nagagawa mo pang tumanggi?! Matagal mo na akong niloloko!"

Irene hurriedly picks it up only to drop it back with a scream. Mga larawan niya iyon, walang damit at tanging kumot lang ang tumataki sa kanyang katawan. Nakahiga siya sa kama, mahimbing na natutulog at kayakap si Kyler, ang stepbrother ni Ruyi. Ang ilang larawan naman ay ang halikan nila ni Kyler, na kahit kailan hindi niya matandaan na ginawa niya, at hindi niya gagawin kailan man.

“This isn’t possible!” Irene yelled. "Hindi ko magagawa yan, Ruyi! Hindi totoo ang mga larawan na yan!"

"Shut up!" sigaw ni Ruyi, dumagundong iyon sa buong living room. "Tama na, Irene! Huling-huli ka na kaya huwag ka na magpalusot pa!"

Marahas na umiling si Irene, tumulo na ang mga luha. "No... No, hindi. Where did you get this? Puntahan natin siya, ask them! Maniwala ka sa akin, Ruyi. Hindi ako yan, hindi ko magagawa yan. Tawagan mo si Kyler ngayon! Itanong mo siya—Itanong mo at sasabihin niya na walang katotohanan ang lahat. This is fake, Ruyi!"

Someone set her up. Kung sino man ang nagbigay kay Ruyi ng mga larawan na ito ay gusto lang sila nito sirain. Paano niya magagawang lokohin ang asawa niya, kung simula mga bata pa lang sila ay gusto na niya ito?

Humakbang palapit si Irene kay Ruyi at kumapit sa braso ng asawa, pero marahas iyon tinabig ni Ruyi kung kaya't napasalampak si Irene sa sahig. Napahawak siya sa balakang niya at ininda ang sakit.

"Sign the divorce paper," malamig nitong sabi. Walang pakialam kahit umiiyak pa si Irene sa harapan at nasa sahig. Ruyi didn’t want to hear any explanation from her. He felt betrayed and the only thing he wanted was for her to leave his life.

"R-Ruyi... please maniwala ka—"

“The picture is pretty clear, Irene! You must’ve thought you’d be able to keep it a secret forever! Why didn’t you just marry Kyler if you loved him so much? Instead, you’d rather go behind me and sleep with him!" Ruyi shot back, his voice not faltering.

“Hindi ko siya gusto! Hindi ko siya mahal! Wala kaming relasyong dalawa!" hagulhol ni Irene at pinaghahampas ang sahig. "Why would I agree to marry you... if I was in love with your brother?” She asked in a whisper, hot tears slipping out of her eyes. "You have to believe me! Alam mong hindi ko kayang gawin yun!"

Tatlong taon na mag-asawa sina Irene at Ruyi. Their parents were close friends as well as business partners, so it was no shock that they’d want their children to be together. It was a way of strengthening the family relationship as well as their businesses.

At dahil doon ay kilala na nila ang isa't-isa mula pagkabata pa. Parati silang magkasama dahil ganon din ang mga magulang nila. They're childhood best friends. Alam din nila mula pagkabata na sila ang magkakatuluyan, ayaw man nila o gusto. Pabor iyon para kay Irene dahil si Ruyi na ang gusto niyang makasama habang buhay. Pero para naman kay Ruyi, nakababatang kapatid lang si Irene. May ibang gusto si Ruyi, and Irene secretly loved Ruyi although she never had the guts to tell him because she didn’t want to ruin the friendship they had.

Just when she thought he was beginning to love her, Ruyi had to leave New York for London for his University. During those years, Irene did her best to keep their friendship alive but she could feel them drifting apart slowly. 

Nang bumalik si Ruyi sa Pilipinas ay bente siete anyos na ito at handa na para i-take over ang kompanya. Maraming nagbago kay Ruyi, both physically and mentally. Mag nag-mature ito, nagkaroon ng malaking biceps, at mas lalo pang naging magandang lalaki at naging malaking ang appeal, kung kaya naman kabilaan ang nag-aabang na babae.

Nagkaroon nang pagitan sa kanila ni Irene. Pagiging magkaibigan na lang ang kinakapitan ni Irene na meron sila ni Irene, pati iyon ay nawala pa. Bumalik si Ruyi ng Pilipinas at may ipinakilalang girlfriend nito kahit pa alam ng lahat na engaged na sila ni Irene dati pa.

Ruyi's father was extremely furious and disappointed that he immediately threatened to take the company away from Ruyi if he didn’t break up with his girlfriend. Walang nagawa si Ruyi kundi iwan ang girlfriend at sundin ang kagustuhan ng ama na pakasalan si Irene sa lalong madaling panahon.

At si Irene na ang pinakamasayang tao nang malaman na tuloy ang kasal nila ni Ruyi. Call her selfish, but she wasn’t letting another woman take Ruyi away from her. Not after all the years she had spent waiting for him. Naniniwala siya na si Ruyi ang nakatadhana para sa kanya. She was just twenty-one when they got married and her heart yearned to be loved, especially by Ruyi.

Simula noon ay hindi na nakita pa ni Irene ang girlfriend ni Ruyi. Pero ni minsan din simula nang ikasal si Irene kay Ruyi ay hindi sila nagtatabi matulog. Parating nasa guest room si Ruyi at kung umuwi naman ito ay hating gabi na at tulog na siya. And Irene knew their marriage was bound to fail. Kailangan niya gumawa ng paraan para maisalba iyon.

A year into their marriage, namatay naman ang mga magulang ni Irene mula sa isang car accident. Wala roon si Ruyi para damayan si Irene kung kailan niya ito mas kailangan. At doon nakilala ni Irene si Kyler, ang stepbrother ni Ruyi. Isang beses lang nakita ni Irene si Kyler kaya hindi  alam ni Irene kung paano bakit pinaniniwalaan ni Ruyi na mga larawan na nakita.

“I want you out of my life, Irene. I don’t want to hear whatever excuses you have. Get your things and leave.” Hindi nagpatinag si Ruyi, ayaw talaga makinig sa mga paliwanag ni Irene. "Let's end this. Your parents passed away. Wala na rin bisa ang kasunduan ng mga magulang natin."

Water welled in her eyes as she realized that it was either now or never. She had to tell him how she truly felt. Perhaps, that would get him to change his mind.

“Please, Ruyi. I love you. I always have.” She dropped to the ground and lowered her eyes as tears flowed nonstop from them. 

“Alam ko. Hindi ka naman papayag na pakasalan ako kung hindi mo ako mahal. Pero hindi kita mahal, Irene. Alam natin pareho kung sino ang mahal ko," deristsong sabi ni Ruyi na walang emosyong makikita sa mukha.

Chills ran down Irene's spine at her husband's statement that all she could do was stare at the document with a blank expression. 

“Alam mo... ang nararamdaman ko?” pabulong na tanong ni Irene. "At... hindi mo man lang talaga ako sinubukan mahalahin sa kabila ng tatlong taon na pagsasama natin?"

"Dahil iyon ang totoo," salubong ni Ruyi. "Bakit ko pipilitin ang sarili ko sa bagay na hindi ko talaga kaya? Hindi pa ba sapat na nanatili ako sa tabi mo sa loob ng tatlong taon?"

Her lips parted but no words came out. She felt like her heart had shattered to pieces. Before she could muster the courage to speak, Ruyi clenched his jaws and began to walk away.

Gustong humabol ni Irene at magmakaawa na huwag siyang iwan ni Ruyi. Alam niya kung saan pupunta ang asawa niya, kay Cereina... ang exgirlfriend ni Ruyi. Alam niyang after three years ay muling nagkikita ang dalawa. Nalaman niya ito nang minsan na sundan niya si Ruyi.

Pero sa huli, nanatiling nasa sahig si Irene at umiiyak, pinapanood ang paglalakad palayo ng asawa niya palayo sa kanya.