Love Operation: Don't Become The Villainess

CHAPTER 49: I CHOOSE TO SUFFER ALONGSIDE YOU.

"Sino muna si Luciano Siciliano?"

I choked, "How do you know him?"

Sumama ang timpla ng mukha niya, "Ang sakit na talaga sa dibdib."

I stared at him in disbelief, trying to figure out how he knows him when an idea popped into my head, "A-are you stalking me?"

Hindi siya umimik. Kulang na lang ay malaglag na ang panga ko sa sahig.

He investigated Josie before, so it's possible that he's also doing the same to me!

"Ivan!?" hindi ko makapaniwalang sambit pero umiwas lang siya ng tingin sa tanawin sa labas. Hinigpitan ko ang hawak sa kamay niya para pilitin siyang lumingon sa gawi ko.

Biglang sumakit ang ulo ko, "Don't do that!"

"I can't help it!" halos sigaw niya rin, finally looking my way, "I want to know everything about you!"

Binitawan ko ang kamay niya't inayos ang pagkakaupo para harapin talaga siya, "Can't you just trust me?"

"I do trust you," he cried, "It's the people around you I don't! Tulad ng Luciano Siciliano na 'yon! Sino ba 'yon!? Bakit dalawa kayo palaging topic sa Golden Oak!? Dagdag pa yung si Martinez! Alam mo bang mababaliw na ako!? Sumama ka na lang kaya sa akin pabalik sa Massachusetts? Hindi pa nagsisimula pasukan namin, pwedeng-pwede natin asikasuhin pagtransfer mo agad nang walang problema. Akong bahala."

I didn't know what to say. I don't know how to look at him so I ended up covering my face with both of my hands.

Hinawakan niya ang mga kamay ko, dahan-dahang sinusubukang alisin 'yon mula sa pagkakatakip sa mukha ko pero nagmatigas ako.

"You didn't tell me anything about Luciano. Who is he, Cath?" parang nagmamaka-awa ang boses niya.

Bumigat ang pakiramdam ko. Ganun ba ako naging kapabaya? Naiintindihan ko naman siya. Pero may mga bagay talaga na sobrang hirap sabihin na hindi ko kayang ipaalam sa kaniya nang basta-basta. Hindi ba pwedeng pagkatiwalaan niya na lang muna ako? Was I not giving him enough assurance?

Finally, I allowed him to remove my hands from my face. With teary eyes, I smiled at him, "You're really going to make me lose my mind."

I felt his hands on mine went cold, "C-Cath, I'm sorry. You don't have to tell me who he is. It's okay."

I sniffed, resting my face on his shoulder. I really want to cry hard right now pero yung driver kasi namin nandiyan, haha.

"I'll tell you about him some other time," pagod kong sabi, "Not right now. I can't right now."

Hindi ko talaga kaya ngayon. Pagod na ako. Dumagdag pa si Agen. Pero hindi naman 'yon alam ni Ivan kaya hindi ko rin siya masisisi.

"But please," I continued, "Don't worry about him. He's not worth the worry. I promise you with my life. Just trust me. Give your all to me, and I swear I won't ever disappoint you."

He carefully wrapped his arms around me into a hug, "Yes, I'm so sorry, Cath. I'm so so sorry. This won't happen again. I'll wait, whenever you're ready or even if it never happens, I'll stay with you."

I silently cried, "Hindi ka mapapagod umintindi?"

"Hindi," his hold on me tightened, "Hinding-hindi. Tulad ng pag-intindi mo sa akin."

My shoulders relaxed when I felt a heavy weight has been lifted, but then again, the unsettlement remains.

~ * ~

For the rest of the day, we just took a rest at his suite. Doon na rin ako kumain ng hapunan. He didn't probe further about Luca or Josie.

Alas nwebe na ako nakauwi. Pagdating sa bahay ay pagod akong napasalampak sa kama ko.