EMPIRE SERIES #1 (COMPLETED)
Carmela Raleigh was orphaned after her grandma died. But she was able to get through it with the help of her lover, Nate, and his family. They treated her as if she were a member of their family and allowed her to live w...
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"I'M SO sorry, son, for hiding your brother and sister from you," Tito Ben said, tears streaming down his face.
I looked away dahil hindi ko kayang makita 'yong sakit sa mga mata nila.
Hawak ko 'yong kamay ni Arlo. Hindi ko binitiwan 'yong kamay niya simula kanina pa. Akala ko alam na niya 'yong tungkol kay Nate, pero hindi pa pala. Tito Ben just told him na naging magkarelasyon sila ni Tita Lily, but he didn't tell Arlo about Nate and Jen.
"Why are you telling me this now, Dad?" Arlo asked. I could see the tears forming in his eyes. Lumingon siya kay Tita Ivy na wala ring tigil sa pag-iyak habang nakatayo sa likuran ni Tito Ben. "Mom, did you know about this?" tanong niya.
Dahan-dahang tumango si Tita Ivy.
I heard him sigh. Pain flashed through his eyes. I squeezed his hand, telling him na nandito lang ako sa tabi niya at hindi ko siya iiwan.
"I'm so sorry, anak. Hindi ko agad sinabi sa 'yo dahil ayaw kong pumangit ang tingin mo sa Mama mo because I know how much you love your mom. I... made a lot of mistakes and there's no valid reason for everything that I did to Lillian. I cheated on her. I hurt her. And I regret everything that I did to her. But please...don't hate your mom. She didn't do anything wrong, son. Ako ang may kasalanan nito lahat."
Dalawang buwan na simula nang malaman ni Arlo ang lahat, hindi ko na talaga kayang makita 'yong lungkot sa mga mata niya.
Arlo loved his family so much, but I knew that every single day after the day he found out everything that happened between his parents and Tita Lily bothered him a lot. Nakikita ko siya minsan na nakatulala at para bang may iniisip na malalim.
He wouldn't tell me, but I knew he wanted to see his family again. He wanted to meet them.
"Love..." tawag ko kay Arlo.
Nasa dining table siya at busy sa ginagawa niyang trabaho. Halos dito na tumira si Arlo sa apartment ko. Dito na rin niya dinadala 'yong mga trabaho niya na hindi natatapos sa office dahil gusto raw niyang umuwi agad sa 'kin. Kaya dito na lang niya tinatapos kaysa mag-OT siya.
"Yes, love?" sabi niya. Saglit niya akong nilingon bago nagpatuloy sa pag-compute ng mga materials para sa next project nila.
Naupo ako sa tabi niya at hinawakan 'yong kamay niya. Napatigil siya sa ginagawa niya at humarap sa 'kin. Tinanggal niya 'yong suot niyang salamin and he motioned me to sit on his lap. "Come here, love."
Naupo naman ako sa binti niya. I put my arms around his nape while gently brushing his hair. "Do you think you can take a week off? Or even just five days?" tanong ko sa kanya.
Saglit na kumunot 'yong noo ni Arlo. "Why? Do you want to go on a vacation?" agad na tanong niya.
Ipinakita ko kasi sa kanya dati 'yong mga pictures ko sa Batanes noong tumira ako roon. He kept on insisting na magbakasyon kami. Pero ayaw kong pumayag dahil nahihiya ako sa boss kong magpaalam dahil wala pa akong isang taon na nagtatrabaho roon.
