Gloria Regali

Chapter Seventeen

Alejandro had come home one night with a shoulder wound. The duchess was already informed beforehand that her husband was injured in one of the encounter with the rebels. Anastasiya had waited for him by the veranda of the Casa Ladrillo. She had pulled her shawls tighter as the cold wind blew during the bleak night.

"Senorita, pumasok na kayo." Consuela's voice pulled the young duchess from her sea of thoughts. The duchess insisted on taking care of her husband despite the numerous household help the Casa had. No one could get through the thick-headed duchess as she made herself clear that her husband's welfare was her duty.

Anastasiya's gaze diverted when she heard the unmistakable sound of the kalesa pulling up the driveway. The young duchess rose from her seat as the swishes of her skirts were heard as she ran towards him. She had immediately placed an arm around her husband to support him. One of the guardia sibil stationed in the Casa had assisted the duchess with her wounded husband.

Anastasiya was left alone with her husband as they were left alone for their privacy. Alejandro's eyes were closed as the duchess gazed at her husband. She had reached out to caress her husband but found herself unable to. Because she can't seem to touch him, was it because of the ghosts of the past?

"Anastasia..." he mutters sleepily as his eyes were heavily lidded. The general had mistaken his wife for someone else, which absolutely infuriated the young duchess. He stroked her cheek lovingly and smiled. Seeing him smile absolutely broke the duchess's heart.

"Hindi mo alam kung gaano kita katagal hinintay. Nanaginip siguro ako at dinalaw mo ako muli."

The duchess's tear-stained eyes stared back in her husband in disbelief. Every word he said pushed an invisible knife through her.

"Huwag ka nang lumuha. Kahit ba sa panaginip ko ay malungkot ka pa din?" He chuckles at her fondly.

Even if he did not look back at her with the same way, Anastasiya knew there was still a wall that separated the both of them.
The duchess knew she loved her husband dearly. Even if it hurts for her to call the ghosts of the past. The duchess knew she would be alright if he was by her side. That's all i need, she convinces herself.

The De Balmen girl's memory lives as he laughs and Anastasiya cries. As the duchess looks at her husband again, she already knew. To Alejandro, she was just a shell of the girl her once loved.

A shadow of Anastasia. They bear the same name, yet the living seems to be the one to be a shadow from far away.

Even if he did not look at her the same way he did for Anastasia De Balmen. Even if she can't say anything in order for him to stay loyal for him. She would do her duty as his wife and she shall exile such thoughts that engulfed her mind. Knowing all too well that her husband was never hers.

Alejandro Novales would have belonged to Anastasia De Balmen. Anastasiya Andrada was not the keeper of his heart, it belonged to the ghosts of the past.

In an alternate reality, perhaps, the De Balmen girl would have been his wife. Alejandro would not cross paths with her, an Andrada, a daughter from the murderer's family. In another life perhaps, Alejandro would not have loathed her for the Andrada's were to blame for the demise of the De Balmens.

"Lahat ng lumbay na dinadala ng puso mo, lahat ng luhang pumapatak sa mata mo. Papawiin ko iyan lahat upang maging masaya ka lang."

Even if Alejandro did not love her as he would for the ghosts of the past. Even if Anastasiya's heart is torn apart and aching. All for her husband, she will endure all pain. Because in the end, Anastasiya loved him and she knew that Alejandro already belonged to someone else.