COLD STEEL

CHAPTER 36

HABANG naglalakad pababa ng hagdan si Chad galing sa kuwartong inoukupa ni Tasia ay hindi mapigilan ng binata ang mapangiti at mapailing sa sarili.

I knew it, I really like her... I love Tasia, he said to himself.

Hindi niya kailanman naisip na maaari pa siyang magmahal uli pagkatapos nang nangyari sa dati niyang asawa na si Clouie.

Clouie's death made him die as well. His world stopped all of the sudden when he saw her body lying on the ground a year ago. He became aggressive, lonely and his heart was filled with anger. He even forgot to smile until Tasia came to his life one day.

Ang presensya ng babae ang unti˗unting nagbalik sa sigla niya, sa mga ngiti niya at sa magagandang emosyong nararamdaman niya na matagal niya ring hindi hinanap sa sarili. Kaya nang lumitaw si Jamie at sabihin ang lahat ng mga nangyari ng gabing mamatay ang asawa niya kasabay nang pagkukuwento nito ng sariling pinagdaanan ay napagtanto ni Chad na hindi niya pa kayang ibigay ang sarili niya ng buo sa dalaga.

Tasia is his precious gem. Hindi niya gustong marumihan ito ng nakaraan niya. Kailangan niya munang ayusin ang sarili, tapusin ang lahat sa nakaraan bago niya maibigay ng buo ang sarili kay Tasia, dahilan para makipaghiwalay siya rito. At hindi madali iyon.

Knowing that Tasia was his friend's ex˗girlfriend was making him mad. Knowing that Tasia once fell in love with Jude was not a good memory for him to remember. Thinking that the woman she love and his dear friend was in a relationship for not so long ago can make him anger, especially that the two were staying in the same house─ under one roof. Yet, Chad trust his Jude. He trust his woman. In addition to his thought, Jude is inlove with Jamie.

Chad sigh. He didn't even notice that he was now standing in front of the study room where Jamie is waiting for him to continue their conversation. He sighed again and hold the door's doorknob and open it.

Nang mabuksan niya ang pinto ay kaagad niyang itinuon ang mga mata sa sofa set kung saan niya iniwan ang babae, at nakita niya ito roon. Nakatalikod sa direksyon niya.

I need to finished this so I can come back to Tasia, with no scars and regrets. Free from pain and ready to be hers as a whole person without any secrets.

Pumasok siya sa loob ng silid at tumikhim. Kaagad namang lumingon si Jamie para tingnan kung sino ang dumating, pero hindi na ito nag˗abalang tumayo pa at sa halip ay hinintay na lang siyang maupo sa katapt nitong sofa.

"Si Jude?" tanong ng babae nang makaupo na siya.

"Nasa kuwarto niya," seryosong sagot niya.

"Bakit?"

"He's inlove with his bestfriend who was just announced a while ago that she has a child," he said looking at her eyes intently. "I believed , you got what I am saying."

Tumango ang babae pero hindi nakitaan ni Chad ng kahit na anong emosyon. Napailing na lang siya. Tasia and Jamie were different from each other from the looks and attitudes, he can tell.

"Stop staring at me, Mr. Sanchez. Anastasia might not around yet she will be jealous if she found you looking at me like that," Jamie said in a firm voice.

Tumikhim si Chad dahil sa sinabi ng kaharap. "Sorry about that. I just thought that Tasia and you were twins yet the two of you are far different from each other," he explained.

"I see," she nodded a few times. "As I said earlier, I'll give you names─"

"And in exchange, we must protect Tasia and your son, am I right?" he cut her words.

"Yes."

Sumandal si Chad sa kinauupuan. Humalukipkip din siya at matamang pinagmasdan ang mukha ng babae. Walang emosyon, malamig ang mga tingin pati ang boses ay bahagyang nakakatakot.