His Secret Wife (Completed)

Chapter 23: Married

Chapter 23: MARRIED

Nakita kong masayang nag-uusap sina Mommy Rose at Lyrae habang parehong kumakain ng cake na dinala niya para sa kanyang apo. Agad naman akong nginitian ni Mommy Rose nang mamataan ako. Nginitian ko rin siya kahit na alam kong hindi ko deserve ang trato niya sa akin dahil sa ginawa kong pananakit sa nag-iisa niyang anak.

Lumingon naman ito kay Lyrae. "Rae, doon ka muna sa taas," pakiusap niya sa bata. "May pag-uusapan lang kaming importante ng mommy mo."

Unti-unti namang tumango si Lyrae habang pasulyap sulyap sa akin. "Sige po, lola."

Kinuha niya ang kanyang kinakain na cake at pati na rin ang juice bago umakyat patungo sa kanyang kwarto.

"Sandra, hindi na ako magpapaligoy-ligoy pa," she started talking as soon as I sat on the couch. "Sean told us that you two are getting a divorce. We were about to visit you and Lyrae sa bahay niya yesterday pero sinabi niyang kinuha na raw kayo ni Brendt. Is it really that easy to leave my son? So that you can do it again?"

I bit my lower lip as my tears pooled in my eyes.

"I'm not mad at you, Sandra. Nag-aalala lang ako sa pwedeng mangyari sa inyong dalawa, individually, at pati na rin sa pamilya niyo. Kung dati'y wala akong nagawa para kahit papaano'y mapanatili ka, this time, I wanna do something to help you and my son."

I would accept it if she's angry with me. I felt so guilty knowing that she wasn't angry, but rather concerned and worried. Do I even deserve his parents' kindness?

"I know that you and Sean had a rough start. Hindi naging maganda ang unang pagsasama niyong dalawa. It all started with an arrangement. But look, Sandra... My son changed a lot ever since you left. He became a better man and waited for you to come back. He loves you, Sandra. Alam kong kahit kausapin kita ngayon, desisyon mo pa rin ang mananaig. Pero please, Sandra. Nakikiusap ako. Hindi lang para sa anak ko, kundi para sa 'yo at pati sa apo ko. Kung may konting pagmamahal ka pang natitira para sa anak ko, sana 'wag kang magdalawang-isip na ibigay ito nang buo."

Nagpantig naman ang aking tainga nang marinig na nabasag ang boses ni Mommy Rose.

Agad ko siyang nilapitan at niyakap nang mahigpit bago bumuhos ang aking luha.

"I'm sorry, Mommy... I'm sorry." I apologized. "I'll try to be a better woman, a better mother and hopefully, a better wife."

Mommy Rose nodded and hugged me tighter. She kept on saying 'thank you' and that she's hoping for the best to happen.

Shannen's words hit me when we talked. Na-realize ko na nagpadala ako sa dikta ng isipan ko. I realized how stupid I was for my abrupt decisions before na dinagdagan pa ngayon ni Mommy Rose.

It's true that I don't want to hurt Lyrae nor disappoint her. It's true that I'm doing all of these sacrifices just for her. But it's not true if I tell myself that I'll be happy if Lyrae's happy because I know I won't. Maybe I will, but not genuinely happy.

If I'll stay with Sean, I will make sure that we will make Lyrae happy by giving her a complete and real family. We will give her love more than what she deserves. Ipaparanas ko sa kanya ang pamilya na dapat dati pa niya nararanasan.

Asking me to choose between my daughter and the man I love is a very hard thing to do. But my daughter wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the man I love.

"Thank you so much, Kuya. I owe you this one," nakangiting pasasalamat ko kay Kuya Carisle habang nag-aayos na ako ng gamit.

He finally taught everything I need to know about the company. He might not want this job, but he's good at it. He knows so many things. If Tito Wenn only knew, I bet he wouldn't punish Kuya Carisle that much.

Niluwagan naman niya ang kanyang necktie habang nakangiti sa akin.

"I hate that smile, Kuya Carisle. Alam ko na ang ibig sabihin nyan," I rolled my eyes at him.

"C'mon, Sands. Just introduce me to a girl. Malay mo siya na ang the one," sabi niya habang tinaas-taas pa ang kilay.

Nakapulot ako ng lapis at ibinato ko iyon sa kanya dala ng iritasyon, ngunit agad itong nakailag.

"But anyway, I almost forgot to tell you. Sabay na tayo pumunta kina Ash. Nandoon si Lyrae ngayon at pupuntahan ko rin si David."

Napakunot naman ang aking noo. "Nandoon si Lyrae?"

"Yeah..." he said habang tinutupi hanggang siko ang kanyang white longsleeves.

"Didn't Ash tell you? Sinundo niya kanina si Lyrae. Magbo bonding daw silang magtita."

Kinuha ko naman agad sa bag ang cell phone ko at nakita kong may text nga roon si Ashley na kinuha niya raw si Lyrae kina Brendt kanina.Pagkadating naman namin sa bahay ng mga Cane ay napag-alaman kong bumalik pala ng San Francisco sina Tita Adele kasama si Tito Randy. Tanging sina Ashley at Kuya David lang ang nandito.

"Where's Lyrae?" tanong ko naman kay Kuya David nang bumungad siya sa amin ni Kuya Carisle.

"She's with Ash in her room," sagot naman niya sa akin at tinuro pa ang hagdanan paakyat sa ikalawang palapag. "But, can I talk to you for a second?"

Tiningnan naman ni Kuya David si Kuya Carisle at saka tinanguan ito.

"Oh well... I'm just going to look for some alcohol in the kitchen to warm my throat up," biglang sabi ni Kuya Carisle at nagmamadaling umalis patungo sa kusina.

Binalik ko naman ang tingin ko kay Kuya David na seryoso ang tingin sa akin.

"What's with the look, Kuya?" nag-aalangan kong tanong sa kanya dahil ngayon ko lang siya nakitang ganito.

Huminga naman siya nang malalim at pinaupo ako sa sofa.

"We're not backstabbing you or anything..." panimula niya. "But we talked about you, Sean and Brendt."

"We?" I asked him.

"Carisle, Ash and Rick-Rich," sabi ni Kuya David na hindi pa sanay tawagin si Ricky na Rich.

"Nakauwi na si Rich?" gulat kong tanong.

"No. We just called him through FaceTime," agad niyang sagot. "But Rich is not the one who's important. Ang importante ay ang nangyayari sa buhay mo ngayon, Cassandra."

"I'm not in the right position to tell you this because I'm one of the candidates of the most playboy of all time, but I think that you should reconsider your decisions. It's not that I hate Brendt. Well, I admire him for being so committed to you and he even spent five years of his life for you and Lyrae. But, Sandra...it just doesn't make sense that you will divorce the man you love to marry someone you don't."

I already made my decision earlier, but hearing Kuya David's words made it clearer for me to understand. Bigla ring napalitan ng kasiguraduhan ang mga natitirang doubts sa utak ko.

"I get it, Kuya..." sabi ko naman habang tumatango-tango. "I've already made my decision earlier. I realized my mistakes. I'm going to end things between Brendt and me."

"Wow! Well...that's a fast turnover," nabigla niyang sabi habang nanlalaki ang mga mata. "But I think you should go and get your daughter now. In fact, we think that she's our last resort since you won't listen to Ash and an asshole like Carisle. Though it was amazing that you actually listened to me, but yeah...go and get Lyrae from Ashley now," nagmamadali niyang sabi.

Napakunot naman ang aking noo sa kanyang sinabi at agad na tumakbo paakyat ng kwarto ni Ashley.

Nanlamig ako dahil kahit nasa malayo pa lang ay naririnig ko na ang paghagulhol ni Lyrae.

I was thankful that the door isn't locked when I turned the door knob of Ashley's room.

"Lyrae!" I shouted my daughter's name when I saw her crying while Ashley's hugging her.

"Mommy!" she cried.

Nagmamadali naman siyang bumaba sa kama ni Ashley at patakbong lumapit sa akin. I kneeled down to let her hug me while she's crying.

"I'm sorry, Mommy..." she apologized. "I didn't know that you and Daddy are already married."

My eyes widened and it drifted to Ashley who is now smiling at me while showing a peace sign.