With You

Chapter 18: Destroy

Chapter 18: Destroy

Claire got married too just after a few months that I married Harrison. Supposedly they will get married after we graduate, but then Claire's family decided to have their wedding early since I got to marry Harrison earlier as well. And I attended my friend's wedding with Harrison and Anya.

Napatingin ako kay Harrison sa tabi ko habang nagpapalitan na ng vows ang groom and bride sa harapan naming lahat. At naabutan kong nakatingin na rin siya sa'kin. Napangiti naman ako sa kaniya. "What is it?" mahina kong tanong.

Ngumiti rin siya sa'kin. Pagkatapos ay umiling naman siya bahagya. "Nothing... I'm just feeling happy right now..."

"Hmm? You are?" I smiled more at him.

He nodded. "Yeah..." and then he smiled as well.

And I think that Harrison looked calm and his mind was at peace... At that moment he seemed like he's just truly happy...

Hindi ko na siya tinanong pa kung ano ang nagpapasaya sa kaniya. Pero ako rin ay masaya...

These past months that I'm married to him I've felt the same way—pakiramdam ko ay kalmado lang din ako at masaya. I think that Harrison and Anya had made me happy.

At sa wedding reception naman nila ni Claire ay may ilang guests din na inusisa ako ng tungkol kay Anya...

"How old are you again, hija?" isang matandang babae na mukhang kaedad lang ni lola ang nang-usisa sa akin.

"I'm turning twenty this year, po." I politely answered.

"Oh. You're still really young. So, how's it trying to be a mother to your husband's daughter..." anito at nagpakita ng ekspresyon na para bang concern lang din ito sa akin...

Ngumiti naman ako bahagya. "Hindi po madali, pero mabait naman po na bata si Anya kaya hindi rin kami nahihirapan sa kaniya." sabi ko.

At nang makita nitong pabalik na si Harrison sa tabi ko ay bigla na lang din itong nagpaalam na aalis na. Tumango na lang naman ako at hinayaan na itong umalis. And then I just sighed a bit before I turned to Harrison with a smile on my face.

Hindi naging perpekto ang pagsasama namin ni Harrison. Alam ko na may mga tao pa rin na maaring pinag-iisipan kami ng ibang bagay, but it doesn't really matter to me as it does not bother me anymore now. Dahil ang naging focus ko na lang ay sina Harrison at Anya, at ang pag-aaral ko para maka-graduate na rin ako pagkatapos ay makapagtrabo naman. Kasi ayaw ko rin na umasa na lang ako kay Harrison. I should think of my career, too.

Until it came to a time wherein I and Harrison were already celebrating our one-year marriage anniversary. Napangiti ako nang makita ko na ang surpresa niya sa akin.

"You prepared all this for our wedding anniversary?" I smiled at my husband.

Nakangiti rin siyang tumango sa akin. "Do you like it?"

Nilibot ko ang tingin ko sa paligid namin ngayon. It's a romantic dinner he had them prepared for us tonight. At may music din. Napangiti pa ako lalo dahil na appreciate ko rin talaga itong effort ni Harrison ngayon para lang sa anniversary namin. I nodded at his question. "Yes. I love it. Thank you, Harri..." I smiled at him.

Nakangiti rin siya sa'kin. "You're welcome..." and then he kissed me on my forehead that I closed my eyes for a while as he do that.

Pagkatapos ay pinaupo na rin niya ako roon matapos niya akong pinaghila ng upuan. Before he also sat on the chair opposite to mine. Then we had a lovely dinner on that evening for our first wedding anniversary...

Bumalik na rin si Anya sa London pagkatapos lang ng bakasyon niya noon. But since then she also came back home during the Christmas and new year holidays. And we always spend time together while she's here. Harrison also find time to spend for me and his daughter.

Now I'm almost in my fourth year. At huling taon ko na lang din sa college. Nag-usap na rin kami ni Harrison tungkol dito. He said that I can have my training at his company. And I should work there after, too—kung gusto ko talagang magtrabaho. Ngumiti lang din naman ako sa kaniya at nagpasalamat sa offer niya sa'kin na makapagtrabaho rin ako sa company niya. I'm thankful that he's always helped me ever since. At na pinaparamdam niya sa akin na nand'yan lang siya para sa'kin palagi...

And the past year that I've been married to Harrison, I was happy... And I felt contented. Pakiramdam ko ay wala na akong mahihiling pa sa buhay ko ngayon...

Hanggang sa naamin ko na rin sa sarili ko na nagustuhan ko na nga nang totoo si Harrison...

Hindi naman kasi mahirap na magustuhan si Harrison. For me, he's a likable person. He's handsome and smart, he's the CEO of a successful company. And he's a responsible father to Anya and husband to me.

Sa katunayan nga niyan ay simula na yata noong kinasal kami ay wala na akong narinig na mukhang nambababae pa rin siya. And I mean to say that he's just became busy with his work, na kung wala naman siya sa trabaho niya ay nasa akin lang din siya at magkasama kaming dalawa. Kung nand'yan naman si Anya ay kaming tatlo ang magkasama.

Hindi ko naman siya pinagbawalan... I've always told him that he's still free to do what he wants...

But he's became the man I less expected him to be... instead.

Kaya naman hindi malabong naibigay ko na rin ang loob ko sa kaniya...

But not until I found out something about my husband.

I just found out one day that Harrison Abella actually planned on destroying the De La Cernas, my family...

I was just looking for a book to read in his office study that has bookshelves, too. Harrison also told me that I can get any book that I want to read in here. At hindi ko sinasadyang may madiskubre ako na mga dokumento na nandoon lang sa opisina niya sa mansyon.

My lips parted and my hands trembled as I held the documents in my hands. Hanggang sa bumukas ang pintuan at nakita kong naabutan na ako ni Harrison doon.

"What are you doing here..."

I looked at him. Nanginig din ang labi ko, but I still managed to speak to him about what I've discovered.

"All along... you were only planning on destroying the De La Cernas?" I asked him.

Nagkatinginan kaming dalawa. Unti-unti siyang lumapit sa kinatatayuan ko at umatras naman ako.

"Vienna," he tried to reach me.

Umiling naman ako sa kaniya at napalunok din ako. "Why..." I don't understand...

What's happening? Was I just used...

May masamang balak si Harrison sa pamilya ko. Hindi ko pa alam kung ano ang rason niya. Pero malinaw sa akin na may hindi siya magandang intensyon.

Umatras pa ako lalo. Nakita niya ang pag-atras ko. Pagkatapos ay umiling siya sa'kin.

"No... I want to destroy your father..." he turned serious as he said it.

And my lips parted as I looked at him.