Chapter 1

“Congratulations, Mrs. Velazquez. You're 8 weeks pregnant” Halo-halong emosyon ang naramdaman ko. I feel excited and scared at the same time. I'm going to be a mother! I can't wait to see Desmond's reaction!

TODAY is our 2nd wedding anniversary. I prepared a candlelit dinner and cooked Desmond's favorite foods. Isang linggo na mula ng malaman ko na buntis ako. Dahil bukod sa busy si Desmond ay hindi pa rin ako makahanap ng tamang timing para masabi sa kanya ang sitwasyon ko. But today I'll tell him about our unborn child, that we're having a baby.

“I can't wait to tell him about you” I smiled as I caressed my baby bump.

FOR the nth time, I looked at the clock. It's 8:00 pm already pero wala pa rin si Desmond. I tried to call him but he's not answering his phone. Where could he be? Dapat ganitong oras nandito na siya. I called Jeremy, Desmond's secretary. He told me that Desmond left early today. So, I also called Desmond's friends but they don't know where he is. I called Desmond multiple times but he never answered.

What if he's with her? I felt pain in my chest from that thought. Baka hindi naman. He won't do that to me. I trust Desmond, he's not going to hurt me.

NAGISING ako dahil sa malakas na pagsara ng pinto, nakatulog pala ako kakahintay sa asawa ko. Desmond entered our house, magulo ang buhok at hindi maayos ang damit niya. My instinct tells me that he did something that would hurt me. Ipinasa walang bahala ko ang nasa isip ko at lumapit sa kanya.

“Where have you been? I was worried.” Sabi ko sa kanya at umambang aalalayan siya but he stopped me.

“I'm tired, Yvonne.” He said and continued walking.

“Saan ka ba kasi galing?” I ask again. I waited to him tapos hindi niya ako ma

“Office.” maikli niyang sagot.

“I called Jeremy, maaga ka daw lumabas. Saan ka pumunta?” I blurted. “I told you we're going to have dinner together.” halos pa sigaw kong sabi sa kanya, I'm pissed. It was our Wedding anniversarry. “It’s our anniversary, did you forget?” I added.

“Can we talk about this tomorrow? I'm tired.” Walang gana niyang sabi at naglakad papunta sa kwarto namin.

Bakit parang pakiramdam ko wala siyang paki-alam sa akin? He's not like this before. Kaya hindi ko maiwasan na maisip na baka ganyan siya kasi bumalik na si Samantha. Is she affecting her?

“Are you seeing someone else?” I shouted. Hindi ko alam kung dahil sa frustration ko or ng hormones kaya nasigawan ko siya.

"I SAID WE'LL TALK TOMORROW!” I stepped back when he was about to raise his hands at me. This is the first time na sasaktan niya ako, pero nilakasan ko ang loob ko and ask him about Samantha. I need to know why he's like this all of a sudden.

"I was told na bamalik si samatha, are you with her? Kaya ka ba nagkakagangan dahil sa kanya?” Naiiyak kong sigaw sa kanya. Hindi ko na mapigilan ang emosyon ko. Naiinis at natatakaot ako na baka tama ang hinala ko.

“DID YOU SLEPT WITH HER?” may panunuya kong tanong habang naguunhang tumulo ang luha sa mga mata ko. Halos hindi na rin ako makapagsalita ng maayos dahil hindi ako makahinga ng maayos sa sobrang emosyon na nararamdaman ko ngayon.

“FINE! I'll give you what you want!” sabi niya at inisang hakbang ang pagitan naming dalawa. Napaatras ako dahil natatakot ako sa kanya, his dark eyes looks scary. The way he look at me is different para bang anumang oras ay kaya niya akong saktan, he looks frustrated and annoyed.

I protected my tummy with both of my hands, afraid that he might hurt me baka matamaan ang tiyan ko. Hindi ko alam kung napansin niya pero he still walk towads me.

“Yes, I was with her and yes I slept with her multiple times! Happy now?” He said as he corned me on the wall dahil wala na akong maatrasan.

“Why? S-Siya pa rin ba? D-Do you still love her?” Halos hindi ko maibigkas ng maayos ang sasabihin ko dahil ang hirap magsalita habang pinipigilan kong tumulo ang luha ko. How could he do this to me? Dis I do something wrong? Is there something wrong with me?

“Yes.” He said and walked towards the front door imbis na sa kwarto. I want to shout at him ang stop him pero walang lumlabas na boses sa mga bibig ko dahil sa pag-iyak.

Nanghihina akong napaupo sa kinatatayuan ko, para akong nauupos na kandila dahil sobrang sakit ng pakiramdam ko.

“After all this years siya pa rin? Paano naman ako? Did you ever love me?” I asked him again kaya napahinto siya. I looked at him, I know I look terrible right now but I need to know his reasons. Kaya ko nmang tanggapin siya ulit.

“Yes, siya naman talaga sa una pa lang, Yvonne. I'm sorry.” He coldly said without looking at me.

“The annulment certificate will be delivered here tomorrow. I already signed it.” bigla akong tumayo at lumapit sa kanya and hold his arms.

“Annulment? Why?” I asked him confusingly. "You're everything I have, please don't leave me." I begged

"Hindi ko kayang mag-isa, Desmond. I need you." Hindi ko na makita ang mukha niya dahil sa luha ko but I don't want to let him go. If I did, I knew that I wouldn't see him again. We need him.

“I’m done with this relationship, Yvonne.” hinawi niya ang kamay ko. Pero pilit ko pa rin siyang pinigilang umalis.

“Okay lang naman sa akin kahit dalawa kami. Basta wag mo lang akong iwan, please” Awang-awa ng ako sa sarili ko. Buong buhay ko nagmakaawa ako namahalin at tanggapin bilang ako. Ngayon kung kailan akala siya na ang magmamahal at tatanggap sa akin ay iiwan ako.

"Sabi mo hindi mo ako iiwan." I added.

“I was just kind to you because of your brother.” He said na ikinatigil ng mundo ko

“Don’t give meaning to that. There’s nothing between us.” He said and left. Halos hindi ako makagalaw sa kinatatayuan ko sa mga sinabi niya, nakabalik na lang ako sa wisyo ng tuluyan ng umalis ang si Desmond.

KINAUMAGAHAN ay hindi umuwi si Desmond, gabi na pero wala pa rin siya. I was waiting for him to come home, I was crying all-day while waiting for him. Ngayon halos wala ng luhang tumutulo sa mata ko, my eyes are tired, I feel weak.

Napalingon ako sa front door ng may nabukas nito na ang akala ko ay si Desmond pero hindi pala, his mother entered the room holding a brown envelop. I don't know what to feel or react to but I went to her para sana makipagbeso pero umiwas siya sa akin. Kumirot ang puso ko sa ginawa niya but I still force myself to smile.

"Napadaan ka ma, wala ho dito si Desmond nasa trabaho pa po siguro." Magalang na sabi ko at inaya siyang maupo. Pero ng akmang maglalakad ako papunta sa sala ng biglang pumasok si Desmond, he's back. He came back for me! I was so happy so I run to him and hugged him tightly affraid that he will leave again.

"Thank you, for coming back for me!" I said happily. I looked at him and smiled widely pero nawala din ito bigla ng makita ko kung sino ang nasa likod niya.

Si Samantha. He holds Samantha's hands in front of me, ang sayang naramdaman ko ay biglang nawala sa ginawa niya. I felt betrayed and lost right now at walang salita ang lumalabas sa bibig ko. I looked at Samantha, she looked at me with a disgusted look. I want to shout at her pero pinigilan ko ang sarili ko, I'll look even more pitiful if I do that.

"I'm not here to fix our relationship, Yvonne. I'm here to end it."