A Sinful Forbidden Affair

Chapter 30

"Zenith Alistair Sujuico! Ano ba itong pinasok mo!"

Muntik na naman siyang mabatukan ng beastie niya kung hindi lamang siya nakaiwas sa mabilis nitong kamay.

"Lintik kasing titi mo 'yan! Saan-saan pumapasok! Bwisit! Argh!" Patuloy ito sa paglalakad sa harapan niya.

Habang siya ay nakaupo sa sofa at sumisimsim ng alak.

"Ilang beses kitang sinabihan na makipag-usap kay Michelle noong nagkakaproblema kayo!

Settle things dahil mag-asawa kayo, nakinig ka ba?" Itinulak ng hintuturo nito ang noo ni Zenith.

"I never agreed of you having an affair! kahit ayaw ko na suportahan ka, e. and Alex and I decided to be silent about the issue for we thought finally you'll be genuinely happy! Pero ano ito? Akala ko ba, aayusin mo? Bakit naging ganito?"

Napasalampak ng upo ang kaibigan sa sectional sofa niya sa kanyang opisina.

"Brrr." Parang bata itong pinaglaruan ang labi na at hinipan pataas ang baby bangs.

Umayos ito ng upo at hinarap siya.

"Ang pinakamaganda mong gawin, confess everything to Michelle. Kung ano man ang maging desisyon niya, ang gawin niya, at magiging kahihinatnan lahat ng nito ay tatanggapin mo." Stephanie looked at him. Her stare was comforting and assuring all at the same time.

"Ihanda mo ang sarili mo sa posibilidad na mawala siya sa buhay mo. Us, women, hindi kami mga martir. At sa kaso ninyo ni Michelle, wala siyang isasaalang-alang na anak para mag-stay sa marriage ninyo. Kahit nga siguro meron, that will not be a reason for her to stay, kahit pa mahal na mahal ka niya."

Zenith felt like his heart was squeezed hardly sa narinig. He sighed deeply. Bakit ba kasi na nasa huli ang pagsisisi? Bakit ba hindi niya makita ang mga konsekwensya ng kaniyang gagawin? Bakit nagpanaig siya sa mga insecurities niya?

Mas lalong sumikip ang dibdib niya nang maaalala lahat ng efforts na ginawa ng kaniyang asawa para masaayos ang pagsasama nila. Michelle did all she could do, at heto siya sinira ang pagtitiwala at pagmamahal nito sa halip na mas mahalin ang kaniyang katuwang sa buhay.

She smiled at him warmly. Stephanie gave him that sense of reason. Most of the time, her out of the box ideas or kind of reasoning came true. If siya ang voice of practicality, si Stephanie naman ang voice of reality and positivity. When given a situation where everyone would look at it negatively, kay Steph, she would view things on a brighter side. She had this positivity na nakahahawa, not to the extent of toxic positivity.

His voice broke. "Steph, I can't."

He fought back the tears but he couldn't. He hugged her tightly and cried his heart out.

Walang nagawa si Stephanie kundi yakapin nang mahigpit ang kaibigan. When Zenith called her name like that, she knew he felt helpless. He was in agony. Oo, madaling husgahan ang mga taong nagkakasala. But weren't we all sinners?

Mayroon bang tao na hindi nagkakasala? Wala.

She closed her eyes and bit her lip, fighting the urge to cry with her best friend. A brother she never had, she could even say Zenith was more than her brother. Seeing him like this broke her heart apart. Kung maaari lang niya saluhin ang dinadala nito, she would. She knew he was a good man, he was not perfect and none of us were. But she never condoned his actions.

It had been ages since he became this vulnerable. Mga bata pa lamang yata sila noong makita niyang umiyak nang ganito si Zenith. His shoulders were rocking incessantly habang humahagulhol.

She hugged him tight while caressing his back. Nang pansamantala itong tumigil sa pag-iyak, bahagya niya itong inilayo sa kanya. She wiped his tears away and she looked straight into his eyes.