Goodbye To Love

xv

Third Person

"Alam mo, you're so good with this flirthing haha... Pero takot ka naman sa commitments..." Greggy chuckled.

Irene rolled her eyes as she sliced a piece of red velvet cake. "Where and when did I ever say takot ako sa commitment?" She asked.

Greggy shrugged his shoulders and leaned back, "How come you never, even one, had a boyfriend. Or someone to fling on with." He questioned back.

This made Irene pause and looked at him, "Hindi ba pwedeng I'm just waiting for the right one?" She retorted.

"How will you know if you're with the right one when you haven't even tried finding him?" He countered.

"Why are you answering my questions with questions?" She chuckled. He shook his head and smiled, "We talk like that. I realized that every time you and I partake on a conversation, it always leads to questionings." He smirked.

"Ang daming tanong, wala namang sagot..." She looked at the cake. "Why don't we just not question anything?" She suggested.

"Do you know what they'll do to curious minds?" He questioned. "Ba yan, sabi ko wag na tayo magtanong." She snickered.

Greggy laughed at her reaction and nodded slowly. "Okay, okay..." He straightened his back and sliced a piece of his cake.

He then remembered her gift for her. "Hey..." He called.

"Hmm?" She hummed as she drank on her water. "I have something for you pala..." He smiled. She stared at him wide-eyed, "Hmm?"

He fished out a little blue box on his coat pocket and smiled. "It's... Ah.... It's lola's engagement ring..." He smiled at her. He then opened the box and it revealed a silver band with a marquise diamond cut on top.

Irene gasped as her eyes laid down on the sparkling ring. "Wow..." Her fingers were about to touch with the box but stopped midair and looked at him. "Why?" She asks.

Greggy smiled, "Lola told me to give this ring to the woman I'd imagine a future with. This might be her engagement ring but... This is my promise ring to you." He looked at her and then back to the box to get the ring out from it. He laid the box on top of the table and slipped his hand on her left hand.

Irene was bewildered with what was going on, but at the same time, she felt safe. She felt in peace with everything that was happening.

She let him hold her hand, her eyes never leaving the ring on his hand. Slowly, her eyes traced his hand, his arm, his shoulders, his jawline, his lips, his nose, and to his eyes.

"You... imagine a future with me?" She frowned. "But I lied to you..." She said as she remembered how she faked her identity.

Greggy smiled at her, "You did because it was told on to you to do it. It was never your choice to not be who you are... It was your father's." He explained, his hand still holding hers, and his other hand holding on to the ring.

She gazed back on the ring and smiled, "You sure about this?" She said.

He nodded without hesitations, "I am."

She smiled, opened her left finger and looked at him in the eye. "Promise?"

"Promise." He breathed out and slipped the ring on her left ring finger, held her hand close to him, and kissed the ring.

"Be my forever." He murmured. "I will." She exhaled.

⊶⊷⋆⊶⊷

"Oh my gosh" Imee shrieked.