The Only Escape (Isla Julieta Series #4)

Chapter 42

CHAPTER 42

"Olesia," bungad ni Nikolas nang pumasok ako sa bahay.

"What?" Tuluy-tuloy ang pasok ko sa bahay at umakyat sa kwarto.

He followed me inside my room and he closed it. I removed my earrings, necklace, and shoes. Nakahalukipkip akong hinarap siya. "What?"

Huminga siya nang malalim at tinuloy ang paglapit sa akin. "Vio's already three. Hindi ba... hindi ba natin siya susundan?"

"What?!" I looked at him with a gago-ka-ba look.

"You're just twenty-nine. Kaya mo pa namang magbuntis, 'di ba? Si Vio lang ba ang gusto mong anak—"

"Kaya kong magbuntis pero sana tinanong mo muna kung gusto kong magpabuntis sa'yo." Umiling ako.

Kinuha ko ang tuwalya at bago pa ako pumasok sa banyo para makaligo, may pumigil sa braso ko. "Olesia, come on... asawa mo ako pero—"

"Ginusto ko bang makasal sa'yo, Nikolas? May choice ba ako? I tried escaping from you, right? Where did that lead me? Namatay yung mahal ko. Kakayanin ko bang tumakas ngayon? Mayroon akong Vio."

"Olesia, mag-asawa pa rin tayo at gusto ko ring magka-anak—"

"Gusto mo palang magka-anak, bakit hindi ka humanap ng babaeng gustong magpabuntis sa'yo? File a divorce, then, kasi hindi naman ako mabuting asawa sa'yo. You don't live with me, my child isn't yours, and I won't also give you one. Spain doesn't even need a fucking reason for a divorce!"

"Oles—"

"I was just forced into this marriage! I'm fine with just having Vio with me. Kung hindi si Valerio ang ama ng anak ko, huwag na lang. Do you understand? So, please, just go," then I entered the bathroom.

I heard him call me one more time but I banged on the door and didn't hear anything from him anymore.

"Vio?" I entered his room after I took a bath.

Nabungaran ko siyang nasa kama niya, nanonood sa iPad habang ang yaya naman niya ay nagliligpit ng cabinet niya.

"Mommy," he smiled at me and sat on the bed.

"What are you watching?" Tumabi ako sa kanya at marahang kinuha ang iPad.

Napaawang ang bibig ko at nagsisimula na namang tumulo ang luha ko.

How to learn programming for beginners.

"Mommy, are you crying?" Lumuhod siya sa tabi ko at humawak sa pisngi ko para iharap sa kanya ang aking mukha bago punasan ang luha ko. "Is this bad? I'm sorry—"

"N-No, mijo." Tumikhim ako. "W-Where did you learn about this? P-Programming..."

"I borrowed yaya's phone earlier during recess in school and I wanted my friends to watch my favorite show on YouTube but before the show played, a video of that played first."

"A-And?"

"And I want to learn about that! Because it said I can be a... what was that again? A video game programmer? I want to make my own video games someday! Our teacher asked us last week what we wanted to be when we grew up, I said, I want to be like my Daddy Valerio. I still want to be like him but..." he pointed at his iPad, "...I want to be a video game programmer, too."

Oh, god.

Binitawan ko ang iPad ni Vio at niyakap siya nang mahigpit.

"W-Why, mommy? Am I not allowed to become a video game programmer?"

Kumalas ako sa kanya at umiling. "No, mijo. Of course! You can be a video game programmer."

"Yehey!" He clapped. "Mommy, can I borrow your laptop? I wanna try out the steps he was explaining."