When Love Stays Forever (Book 3 of WL Trilogy) (ML, #3)

Kabanata 22

Kabanata 22

Ampon

Binitawan kaagad ni Benj ang braso ko pagkalabas namin ng bakuran nila. Inutusan niya kaagad ang guard na isara ang kanilang gate. Napatalikod siya sa akin. Nakita ko ang marahas at mabagal niyang paghinga na tila mo hinahabol iyon.

"Benj..." I called his name. I am still flabbergasted on what happened. Rinig na rinig ko ang galit at hindi makontrol na salita ng Mother niya kanina. Benedict, Benj, their father, and their mother was on that house. Si Maggie lamang ang wala. I am absolutely know nothing.

Hindi lumingon si Benj sa tawag ko marahil pinapakalma niya ang kanyang sarili. Ugh. Sana hindi na lamang ako pumunta rito at pumayag kay Lana. Pahamak talaga kahit kailan ang babaeng 'yon! Kainis!

"I'm sorry...Hindi ko alam—"

"No...No..." Agad na humarap si Benjamin sa akin. Nagsusumamo ang emosyong mayroon siya sa kanyang mata. I don't know how he handled these emotions inside him—guilt, sorry, angry, and sadness.

I look straight on his beautiful eyes. Noong una nag-alangan siyang tumingin sa akin sa mata pero bigla na lang itong dumestino sa akin. His jaw is still damn clenched. Ramdam ko ang sakit ng pagkakayukom ng dalawa niyang kamay. Iyong mabigat at mabagal niyang paghinga. Hindi pa rin siya kumakalma.

Hindi ko na nakayanang lumapit sa kanya. Kaagad kong kinuha ang kamay niya at hinawakan. I kissed his knuckles and closed my eyes and uttered my favorite word, "Benj..." I open my eyes. I breathe the air we shared. I was about to open my mouth to speak when I felt his lips on my forehead.

"I'm sorry," aniya sa bawat halik na binibigay niya sa noo ko. "I'm sorry. Really sorry..." Hindi ko alam kung bakit paulit-ulit siyang humihingi sa akin ng tawad. "I kept this. I kept this shit," he added. Tumigil na siya sa madiin niyang paghalik sa noo ko. "I kept this and agreed on my father's term. Tinago ko lahat. Lahat-lahat. I thought it was for good." He shook his head and continued while holding my hands. So the sorry is not for me. "Akala ni Mom wala akong alam tungkol sa sikreto ni Dad. Akala niya isa rin akong biktima sa ginawa ni Dad. But no...I knew my father's bastard. I knew him...I knew about Benedict."

"Benj...calm...calm." I kissed him. To wipe all the words he'd mentioned to me. Ubus na ubos na siya ngayon at ito lang 'yong naiisip ko para mapakalma siya. Noong una hindi siya tumutugon sa halik na ginagawa ko sa kanya. Hanggang sa naramdaman ko na bumitaw siya sa hawak sa aking kamay at napunta ito sa aking pinsgi. Benj's kiss is not the gentle one that I loved the most—he's kissing me deeply and hard. We're both breathless after the kiss. I felt his breathe on my forehead. Hinalikan niya muli ako sa noo ng madiin at matagal.

"I'm sorry," he said. This one is for me. I think he's relax now.

Lumayo si Benj sa akin ng ilang hakbang. I saw him breathe.

O God. He's calm now.

"You okay?" I asked him. Tumango naman siya sa akin. He gave me a small smile. "Good." I breathe the word.

"I'm sorry." He said again.

"O God. Benjamin. Stop saying sorry! Baka hindi ko na mapigilan ang sarili ko at masapak ka na lang!" I said disgusted. Ngayon lang ako nainis sa sorry. Kainis. Dahil naman sa inis ko, sumilip ang isa muling ngiti kay Benj. Somehow, I should thank my anger ability. It makes him smile though. "Alam mo, it's all up to you kung sasabihin mo kung anong nangyayari sa'yo—sa pamilya mo. Nasasa'yo kung sasabihin mo. But let me tell you one thing, I'm going to be your wife soon. And I don't allowed secrets! My rule, Benjamin." I crossed my arms above my chest. Tumaas ang isang kilay ko.

Benj chuckles. O God, you know how much I loved that sound. He was about to speak ngunit bigla kong naalala 'yong nakita ko kanina. "Before that...who's the girl?" ani ko. Napakagat ako ng pang-ibabang labi para mapigilan kung anong mang emosyong nabubuo sa akin.

A wide smile appeared on Benj's gorgeous face. Fuck it. Sometimes I just want to kiss him when he smiled like that.

"Uhm..." Benj looked away. Nakita ko ang pagkagat niya sandali ng kanyang labi para pigilan ang pagngiti. "That's Leana," anito. My eyes went wide. My lips part immediately, losing the energy to speak again. Hinihintay kong magsalita siya muli ngunit ilang minuto na ang lumipas ay wala pa siyang kasunod.

"So maybe I can conclude that—" I stopped on the midsentence.

"My cousin," natatawa nitong sabi.

Napaawang ako ng bibig. My face went red. Shit! Shit! Shit.

"Maybe I could establish the rule I have then, Scar. Tutal meron ka. I have mine, too." He still laughing at my damn reaction. My traitor face is continuously blushing. How I wish I can turn this off! "You're not allowed to get jealous on any girls. I don't allow you, all right?" Ngumiti siya at nagpatuloy. "Ikaw lang." Napatigil ito at ngumuso. "It's you when I know I'm sure about my future with you."

**

I told my parents na dito muna sa sariling bahay ni Benj ako matutulog. Dahil na rin sa kagustuhan kong malaman kung anong nangyayari sa kanya ay nagpapasyahan ko na dito na lang muna. After kong marinig sa kanya 'yong nangyayari sa kanya ngayon, I wish I could say something. I wish I could give him the same comfort words he'd said to me when I was wreck. But maybe telling him that I'll always be here on his side is good enough. Staying beside him at least.

Right now, umalis si Benj dahil tinawagan siya ng Mom niya. Hindi na ako nagpahatid sa bahay namin at nanatili na lang rito sa sarili niyang bahay. I don't find the right words to say.

Benedict is his father's bastard. Lumitaw ito noong sa party ni Jezel. Doon lang din nakita ni Benj si Benedict after nung agreement na mayroon siya at ang father niya. I know they all agreed na hindi na manggugulo si Benedict kapag binigay lahat ng pangangailangan niya. Benedict even has his father's name. My God. Their father admitted he committed this damn mistake. Nagkamali siya.

Nakwento ni Benj sa akin kung gaano sisising-sisi ang Dad niya sa nagawa niyang pagkakamali. It was just a night of mistake. Lasing siya at nagpadala.

Nalaman niya 'to noong minsang nakita niya si Benedict, ang mother nitong si Benedict, at ang Dad niya sa isang restaurant when he was 18 years old. Ilang taon din tinago ng tatay niya ito hanggang sa nalaman niya. Kinausap niya ang tatay niya tungkol dito hanggang sa naawa siya na hindi ito sasabihin sa mother niya. Benj agreed because he thought this was for his family's own good. Nagkamali siya. Lalo na ngayong akala ng Mom niya wala rin siyang alam dito. Masakit kung malaman ito ng Mom niya. That's why he's sorry.

Ngayon, nagkakagulo ang pamilya niya simula nang lumitaw si Benedict sa bahay nila. His Mom is angry. So angry and ashamed of herself. She can't even face Benedict. At gusto pa ni Benedict na doon tumira sa bahay nila which why his Mom wanted Benj all the time not to focus her attention at the bastard. Pero nasira na ang lahat hanggang sa humiling na ito ng annulment.

Iyong lahat ng sakit nasa mother niya, knowing she couldn't gave her husband a child dahil ampon lamang si Benj at Maggie. Hindi tunay na anak si tita Demi at tito Ben sila Maggie at Benj dahil may problema kay tita. She blames herself all the time ngayon nalaman niyang nagtaksil ang asawa niya. Kaya pala dati palang na hindi magkamukha si Benj at Maggie. Pati ang Mom niya.

Benj's family is sinking. And Benj is trying to save his own. I wish I could help him the way he helped mine. At kung mayroon man akong maitutulong para masalba ang pamilya niya gagawin ko. Gagawin ko para sa kanya.

I'll help him.

"