Love After Regrets

Chapter XXIV

Nagising siya sa isang hindi pamilyar na lugar. She squinted her eyes and blinked twice— thrice but even if her eyes adjusted from the light that was coming from the window beside her, she couldn't get a grasp of where she is right now.

She tried to prop up on her elbows but failed. She groaned in pain when her head throbs and she felt a slight pain in her ribcage area.

A panic shut through her as she heard footsteps from outside. It was light. Then the door opened and revealed a woman she despises the most. The woman who ruined her life.

"What the fuck are you doing here?!" She spats venom in her every word.

Natigilan ang babae at gulat na napatingin sakanya. Her shocked eyes turned into a soft one— relieved even. Lumapit ito sakanya.

"You're awake." She stated and sat on the chair beside the bed. "Kukuhanin ko sana ang temperature mo." Dagdag pa niya saka kinuha ang thermometer sa bedside table.

Saka lamang niya napansin ang mga gamot at mga gamit sa table na iyon.

How long was I out?

"Nandito ka ngayon sa bahay namin sa probinsya. Your friends insisted on this."

"My friends?" Her eyebrow raised at that. She can't believe this woman. She won't.

Tumango ang babae saka ngumiti. Ni hindi mo makikita sa maamong mukha nito ang kasamaan. Tila hindi ito makabasag pinggan kung tutuusin, not like the first time she met her.

What a deceiving bitch.

"I'm sorry." She said as she put the thermometer on Cloud's armpit. Ayaw man niya but she was too weak to fight. "I have come clean. Rain is not his name. His name is Ryan Demeter..." She trailed off.

"I knew it! I never doubted myself and I could never do such thing." Bakas ang kasiyahan sa mukha at boses ni Cloud ngunit agad na nawala iyon ng maalalang sira na ang relasyon nila ni Hestia. She couldn't even reach the woman. She must be really angry. "But it doesn't matter now. Hestia hates me." She sadly said.

"I think your friends got it all under control." She said which made Cloud attention come back to her. Ngumiti si Nicole. "You see— Demeter is the fruit of my one night stand with sir Lance."

Nawindang si Cloud sa narinig. "What?" It came out as a whisper.

The girl smiled with pity, "I was so drunk and he took advantage of my state." She swallowed a lump, "At nagbunga iyon. I tried to tell him everything pero wala. It was useless. But I did confront him several times because I needed his support. Hindi ko kayang mag isa to. Baon na baon kami sa utang."

Nicole grabbed the thermometer and inspected it, "It was after his company got raided that he gave me a proposal." bumaba na ang temperatura ni Cloud. She smiled, "Ang sabi niya'y pananagutan niya lang ako kapag sinunod ko ang utos niya. And because he left me with no choice, I did what I did and ruined such a beautiful relationship." Nicole looked at Cloud apologeticaly.

"I didn't mean it, Cloud. I was blackmailed. Kawawa ang anak ko pag hindi ako sumunod. Pasensya ka na." Tumungo ito upang itago ang luhang namumuo sakanyang mga mata.

Dahil dun, nahabag ang loob ni Cloud. How can she stay mad with a person who was a victim as well?

She reached for the woman's hand and squeezed it, "Don't worry. I forgive you." She sighed.

"Thank you." The girl smiled genuinely.

"What do you mean about my friends, again?" Cloud remembered.

"Inutusan nila akong umuwi sa probinsya to hide you, me and my son for the mean time." She said. Kumunot ang noo ni Cloud.

"Hide me? From who?" She was confused as hell.