The Unbroken But Impure

CHAPTER 37 THE REALISM

It was past two in the morning when she finally left. The air outside was cool, the streets quiet. She walked unsteadily with discomfort, her gem really aching this time, her heels clicking unevenly against the pavement. Each step felt heavier than the last.

She had done it again and she suffered too much beatings.

By the time she reached Mateo's house, her makeup was smudged, her hair loose from its pins. She locked the door behind her, kicked off her heels, and sank onto the couch.

The mask was still in her bag. She pulled it out and stared at it in her hands.

It was only fabric and elastic. But it felt heavier than it should, as if it carried the weight of everything she had been trying to escape.

She set it down slowly, like putting away a weapon she knew she might pick up again. She went inside the toilet to take a bath to remove the traces of her escapade. Tears flowed out of her eyes upon seeing her underwear.

There were spots of blood on it. They broke her.

She was no longer a virgin, she thought.

She thought of John. The memory of him, his voice, his quiet smile, the way he had looked at her back in the concert, rushed in like a tide she couldn't fight. She had loved him without saying it outright, had dreamed of a life where she was worthy of that love.

And tonight had been proof she wasn't.

She covered her face with both hands, shoulders trembling, her sobs muffled in the night air.

That afternoon.....

She was sitting in the waiting area of a discreet clinic. The doctor she had trusted before was in Baliwag, but she couldn't wait that long not with the gnawing question eating at her.

When her name was called, she stepped into the small examination room.

The doctor, a middle-aged woman with kind eyes, gestured for her to sit. "What can I help you with?"

Mae hesitated, then spoke in a low voice. "I... I need to know if I'm still a virgin."

The doctor tilted her head slightly. "Can you tell me why you're concerned?"

Mae's fingers twisted in her lap. "I... was intimate with someone last night. There was... I bled. There were blood spots. And I'm afraid... I'm afraid I might have lost it."

The doctor nodded with understanding. "Alright. Let's take a look. You'll be fine."

The minutes stretched as the doctor worked carefully. Mae stared at the ceiling, her heart thudding in her ears.

"Mae, your hymen is still intact but there's a little visible tearing, yet incomplete rupture. Since you bleed, there may have been a tear or stretch, but it hasn't fully broken. Physically you are still a virgin." The doctor said.

Mae let out a long breath, her shoulders sagging with relief. "Thank God..."

"A partial tear can cause small bleeding without full rupture. In other words you can be intimate without technically losing your virginity. In your case, your hymen was really damaged but not enough to fully rupture. In my career, I've only seen this a handful of times."

Mae blinked, still processing. "So... I could bleed a little each time, and every man would believe..... he's my first?"

The doctor actually smiled at the thought. "Well....in theory... yes. But you'll know the difference when it's truly broken it will be far more painful, and the bleeding will be heavier. Like a menstrual period. Still..." Her tone sharpened. "...bulletproof or not, one wrong move and it's gone. This isn't invincibility. It's just... unusual anatomy."

"But tell me what really happened. The complete story." The doctor curiously asked.

Mae told her what happened from the move until the stag party.

The doctor was left in awe with what Mae said. More than ten men, taking her virginity in every encounter.

The doctor gave her a small, knowing smile. "Many will envy you! Still, be careful. It's not just about the physical. Sometimes, the heart is harder to protect than the body."

Mae left the clinic walking slower than she had entered. Relief pulsed through her veins, but so did something else—a quiet, almost dangerous awareness. She now carried a secret no one could guess. A secret that could change how others saw her, if she chose.

She wasn't sure if it made her feel protected...

...or powerful.

Monday.........

Mae had spent the last two days keeping her mind in check. The memory of Saturday night was still fresh, and though she had told herself over and over that nothing had "really" happened, she knew she had crossed lines in ways that mattered to her heart.

When she heard Mateo's familiar car pulling up outside, something inside her lifted. She hurried to the door, trying to hide her despair but tried to show how much she had missed him.

Mateo stepped inside, pulling off his sunglasses, a tired but warm smile on his face. "Miss me?"

"Of course," she said softly, wrapping her arms around him.

The rest of the day passed in an easy rhythm late breakfast, a walk along the riverbank, stopping by the restaurant to check on things. In the evening, they stayed in, cooking dinner together. Laughter came easily between them again, as if the past week had been a mere pause in a longer melody.

When night fell, they ended up in each other's arms.

"Your future husband is too lucky to have you Mae!" Mateo growled.

The rituals of the two had just been completed. Mae didn't allow him to enter her front door which made her a little guilty. More than ten men already entered her opening trying to break her but she didn't let Mateo in.

Afterward, they lay together in the dim light. Mateo stroked her hair, his voice low. "I came home earlier than planned because I heard about the accident. It's all over the news. Mayor Willie Villarico, his bodyguard... and four of his police officers. Luis, Adrian, Nathan and Mark."

Mae kept her expression still, but her heart skipped.

"The funeral's in two days," Mateo continued. "In Urdaneta City. I need to be there."

She nodded. "Of course. I'll come with you."

Two days later....

They arrived at the city hall, the main hall transformed into a solemn space. Four caskets rested at the front, draped with flags, the air heavy with incense and muted murmurs.

One by one, people came forward to speak—colleagues, family, city officials. Their voices carried words like "public servant," "dedicated," and "protector of the people." Stories of kindness and heroism filled the air.

Mae kept her face neutral, but inside, she smirked at the irony. She thought of the nights she had spent in a locked room with the three officers and with Willie the following night—nights that spoke of anything but honor.

She glanced at Mateo, who stood respectfully beside her, his hand lightly resting at her back. She tightened her lips, keeping her thoughts to herself.

The following days.....

They went on small trips, visited nearby towns, shared meals at roadside eateries, and spent long evenings in each other's company. Sometimes they would sit in silence, just watching the world pass by from the veranda. Other times, they would talk until late, sharing dreams and teasing each other over small things.

One night, as they curled together: "Your future husband is too lucky to have you Mae!" Mateo growled as he released his desire inside her backdoor.

Mae rested her head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. She thought of the doctor's words, of the relief she felt, of the promise she had made to herself.

Temptation might come again it always did but she would fight it this time. She had too much to lose.