Tears of Vows

PART 1

I realize that my fairy tale has turned into a nightmare. Tears of vows indeed — the tears of shattered dreams and wounded hearts.

"I, Alondra Oceania, take thee, Sebastian Yoon, to be my husband," I whispered on that day.

"I, Sebastian, promise to cherish and protect you, Oceania, as if you were my own," Tugon niya.

But it was all a lie. Those vows are not true.

The memory of our vows speaks so loud in my mind like a cruel joke.

"I vow to stand by your side through every storm and every calm, to be your partner, wife, your friend, and your confidant. I vow to support your dreams. To be your safe haven in times of... chaos."

I didn't vow to stand by his side; I vowed to stand by our lies.

I remember that day...

His smile was radiant, his eyes sparkling with a warmth that seemed genuine. But deep down, I knew he wasn't feeling anything.

He had no emotions in those eyes, just a cold, empty void.

And as I gazed into them, I felt like I was drowning.

Paano ko ba naman pagsasabihan ang puso ko? Naging tanga ako sa pag-akala na may magbabago, samantalang ako rin naman ang may kagagawan ng lahat.

Ako ang naglagay sa kanya sa lugar na ito, sa isang impyerno na walang kasiguraduhan.

Kasal nga kami, at naiintindihan ko kung bakit. For our son, our six year old son...

As I recall the vows we exchanged, tears prick at the corners of my eyes.

The pain still lingers, like an open wound. I'm trapped in this loveless marriage, forced to live a lie.

I trapped myself here and I don't even know how to escape it.

Kahit nakukuha ko ang atensyon galing sa pamilya ko ay hindi ko pa rin maiwasang isipin ang hirap.

And then there's Joaquin... my ex-fiancé, Sebastian's brother.

Oh, the irony.

If only he knew the truth about our marriage. He thought we were meant to be together, but little did he know that I was already married to his brother.

Sebastian Yoon, a man who married me because our family wanted him to, because I was carrying his child.

NAKARINIG ako ng pagsara ng pinto ng sasakyan. It was Sebastian, kakarating niya lang. At parang alam ko nanaman ang mangyayari.

As he walked into the house, his usual nonchalant demeanor was like a slap in my face. He didn't even say hello, didn't even acknowledge my presence.

Inisip ko nalang na sana'y ako'y isang bula lamang, masasaktan sandali bago mawala sa kailaliman ng dagat.

Sinubukan kong lakasan ang loob ko para tanungin siya kung kumain na ba siya, kung gutom ba siya.

Pero parang may nakabara sa lalamunan ko, isang tipak ng semento na hindi ko mailuwa.

Ang tanging lumabas sa bibig ko ay isang alinlangan na "K-Kumain ka na ba? Pinagluto k-kita..."

He stopped in his tracks, his cold gaze piercing through me like a dagger.

"Where's our son?" Our son. Not "my son" or "the boy", but "our son". The first time he's ever referred to our child as such.

I felt a spark of hope, of possibility. Maybe, just maybe, he's starting to feel something after all.

"T-Tara. Kain na tayo." My thoughts was quickly extinguished as he walked back down the stairs without hesitation, his eyes still as cold as ice.