Forbidden Love

Chapter 14: The Freedom of Letting Go

Duke’s POV

Duke stood by the large window of his office, staring at the skyline that seemed to stretch on forever. The sun was setting, casting an orange glow over the city. Normally, he would’ve found solace in this view, but today, it brought him nothing but confusion.

Maxine? Give up? Hindi niya pa rin maisip. For years, Maxine had been so obsessed with him, holding on so tightly that he had felt suffocated. And now, she was the one who walked away.

He shook his head, trying to make sense of it. Si Maxine na sobrang possessive at controlling? Siya pa talaga ang nagdesisyon na tapusin ang lahat?

Duke had always assumed that if anyone would end their marriage, it would be him. He had expected Maxine to fight for him, to cling to the idea of them being together, no matter how broken their relationship had become. Pero heto siya ngayon, iniwan ng taong akala niya ay hindi siya kailanman bibitawan.

For a moment, he felt a twinge of guilt. Maxine didn’t deserve to be trapped in a loveless marriage, constantly hoping that one day he would love her the way she deserved. But no matter how hard he tried, his heart was never hers. It always belonged to someone else. Sabrina.

He ran a hand through his hair, feeling a strange sense of relief washed over him. Maxine had done what he couldn’t—she had let go. And deep inside, Duke knew that it was for the best.

Flashbackkkkkkkk!!!

Duke couldn’t shake the memory of the last conversation he had with Maxine. The way she had calmly told him that she was letting him go, her voice steady, her eyes filled with a quiet sadness. He had expected tears, anger, maybe even an argument—but instead, she had simply walked away.

In the days that followed, Duke had replayed her words over and over in his mind. “I love you, Duke. Pero kung mahal talaga kita, kailangan kitang palayain.” The honesty in her voice had shaken him to his core.

Maxine finally understood something that took me years to learn, Duke thought, staring at the floor. True love means knowing when to let go.

He remembered how Maxine used to cling to him, always trying to force a connection that wasn’t there. Hindi naman siya galit kay Maxine—he had respect for her, even admired her determination—but he could never give her the kind of love she wanted. The love that Sabrina had awakened in him long ago.

Yet, as strange as it seemed, he was… happy. Not because Maxine had given up on their marriage, but because she had finally learned to set herself free. She wasn’t just letting him go—she was choosing to let go of the pain, the false hope, and the illusion of happiness that would never come.

Maxine’s decision wasn’t out of weakness. It was out of strength. Sa wakas, natutunan din niyang mahalin ang sarili niya.

For the next few weeks, life felt strangely quiet. Maxine moved out of the house, and though the mansion felt emptier without her, Duke found himself embracing the solitude. He had time to think, to reflect on the past few years, and to realize just how broken their marriage had been from the start.

Hindi siya naging patas kay Maxine, alam niya iyon. He had gone along with the marriage out of obligation, thinking that maybe he could make it work. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t force himself to feel something that wasn’t there.

And now, with Maxine gone, Duke finds himself feeling… free.

He sat in his study one evening, sipping a glass of whiskey as the rain poured outside. His thoughts drifted back to the woman who had always been at the center of his heart—Sabrina.