The Path of Longing 🔞 (BINI MACOLET)

CHAPTER 38: Claire

It has been a draining week for Mason. She tried multiple times to come into Malory's door and ask for the latter's forgiveness. The date of their wedding was approaching soon and she can't help but to be afraid that her fiancé might have changed its decision upon marrying her. She spent sleepless nights, most of it coming from Malory's rejection when she seeks to communicate. Some of their friends even tried to interfere but the younger had built walls around her, not allowing anyone to talk to her. 

On the other side, it was another night of overthinking for Malory. She felt like her world collapsed. She craves for her lover's embrace and touch but the thought of her lying stopped her from welcoming its presence. 

10pm

Usually, tuwing 10pm ay maririnig ni Malory ang kasintahan sa pintuan niya, nagmamakaawa para papasukin at kausapin. Malory would always pretend that she's not home and would not answer any texts or calls from her lover. She's still in the process of sorting out her thoughts. Alam niya sa sarili na handa parin siyang pakasalan ang minamahal pero madaming bagay pa ang tumatakot at bumabagabag sa kaniya. Kung madali lang sanang kalimutan at isantabi ang mga takot na nararamdaman niya. 

Tonight, she plans to finally allow Mason to talk to her pero lumagpas ang 30 minutes ay wala siyang naririnig na ingay ng pagkatok mula sa pintuan niya. Wala ring text o tawag na galing kay Mason. 

The urge to open her door to check whether Mason was there came upon her but to her dismay, no existence of Mason welcomed her behind the door. 

To clear her thoughts, she decided to have a late night stroll. Kailangan niya ng sariwang hangin. For the span of one week, she just kept herself isolated and tonight where she felt like she was ready to face Mason only to not feel the latter's presence, she decided to spend the night strolling around a park near her unit. 

She sat on the nearest bench and took her time watching the night sky. She can hear her heart breaking. Mahal niya si Mason pero sobrang labo pa ng lahat para sa kanya. She wants to believe her pero pakiramdam niya ay may kulang. It may be stupid that she's running away from Mason once again but she couldn't help it. She unfolded herself infront of Mason, like an open book, where one of the contents state that out of everything she fears, on the top was the fear of being lied and cheated on. 

Her train of thoughts was interrupted when a tall woman with a long cascading hair suddenly sat beside her. Malory's reflex was to stand up, sort of weirded out by the sudden presence but as she was about to jolt from her seat, the woman looked at her and started to spoke. 

"Malory Yves Ricalde, right? Soon to be Mrs. Vergara?" 

Shock was an understatement as to what Malory feels as of the moment. Hindi niya kilala ang babae. Kahit malalim na ang gabi, maliwanag niya pang naaaninag ang mukha ng babae at sigurado siyang hindi niya namumukhaan kung sino man ito. 

"H-how did you know my name? Sino ka?" 

"You're really lucky but I know na ma-swerte rin si Mason sayo. Alam kong mahal niyo ang isa't-isa. May pinagdaanan din kami pero alam mo bang ni-minsan, hindi naapektuhan ang kumpanya ni Mason noong naghiwalay kami?"

Malory felt dumb founded. She doesn't know what the woman was implying but she felt herself listening, interested on what the woman was talking about since she seems to be someone who knows Mason by heart.

"When I made a mistake where she caught me naked, laying beside someone else on the bed nagawa niya kong iwanan agad. Nawala nalang siya na parang bula at hindi ko na nagawang magpaliwanag. I couldn't justify myself anyway. I hate to admit this pero I've been monitoring her for a week. Watching from a far. Nakikita ko kung gaano ka niya ka-mahal. Because if there's one thing about Mason, pag talagang pinahahalagahan niya ang isang bagay hindi niya yun susukuan. Isa ka sa mga bagay na yun Malory."

Malory can only blankly stare on the ground, processing everything that the woman was saying.

"What do you mean that you're watching her from a far? Stalker ka ba? May gusto ka sa fiancé ko?" 

The woman just laughed which annoyed Malory dahil anong nakakatawa sa sinabi niya? Baka mamaya may gusto nga tong babae na to sa magiging asawa niya. 

"I don't only like her. I love her but I am her past already. The reason why the both of you fought at kung bakit nasa ganitong sitwasyon kayo ngayon. I watched her from a far dahil alam kong anytime malalaman mo na nagsinungaling siya sayo about sa pagkikita namin. Call me nangingialam or what but this is the least that I can do para makabawi sa kaniya. Believe her when she says na walang nangyari samin. I wouldn't lie. Nag-initiate ako but the moment she pushed me.. I just knew her heart really belongs to someone already. That someone is you." 

Malory was about to speak when the woman suddenly pulled its phone, scrolling through its gallery. 

Ito pala yung ex niya na kinita niya sa Cebu? Matangkad, maganda, parang super model. Ano kayang meron sakin at nagawa pa kong piliin ni Mason? 

She can't help but to be insecured due to her own thoughts. Kahit siya ay sobrang nagagandahan sa babae. She was analyzing the girl's features until iniabot nito ang cellphone sa kanya and there she saw a video where Mason was sat on the edge of the bed habang ang babaeng kausap niya ngayon ay nakaupo sa lap ni Mason. 

She felt her blood boil. Nanandya ba tong babaeng to? Akala niya ba walang nangyari eh ano tong ipapakita niya ngayon?

"What the hell would I do with this?"

"Just watch it para malaman mo." 

With trembling fingers, Malory tried her best to tap on the play button. The video started playing. She saw how the woman infront of her hugged Mason as the latter came from the door. Nakita niya rin na sinubukan nitong halikan si Mason pero puro pagtulak ang ginagawa nito. Maya-maya pa ay nakarating ang dalawa sa kama at akmang paupo ang babae sa lap ni Mason ngunit tinulak niya ito sa kama at agad na tumalikod. 

So wala talagang nangyari? Tangina, Malory. Ang tanga-tanga mo.

As the video ended, Malory found out about the truth. Nag-usap nga lang ang dalawa. 

"I never came here para manggulo pa. Ipinangako ko naman kay Mason na pakinggan niya lang ako at hindi na ko magpaparamdam. The reason why I took a video of us that time ng hindi alam ni Mason was because.. a-akala ko bibigay siya sakin. At kung bumigay siya sakin at plano niya parin akong iwanan balak ko sanang gawing pang-blackmail yan para iwanan ka niya at bumalik sakin. But that didn't happened dahil mahal na mahal ka niya. She may have lied to you pero ginawa niya lang yun para protektahan ka. Don't lose the one who loves you so much katulad ng ginawa ko. Limited edition yun si Mason." 

Malory felt her tears rolling down her cheeks after realizing how pure Mason's love for her was. Ngayong malinaw na ang lahat, wala siyang ibang gustong gawin kundi ang puntahan ang kasintahan sa penthouse nito at suyuin. 

"Oh iiyak ka nalang diyan? The time is running. Puntahan mo na. Kung di mo aayusin desisyon mo, hindi ako magdadalawang isip na agawin siya kahit tanggap ko nang ikaw ang mahal niya. Nirerespeto ko na yun pero kung magkamali ka.. gagawin ko lahat para sakin siya ulit bumagsak. 

I'm Claire, by the way." 

"T-thank you, C-claire." Yun lamang ang tanging naging tugon ni Malory bago nag-book ng grab at tumungo sa penthouse ni Mason.

It was already 1am and Mason was probably sleeping already but she didn't care. Mas importante sa kanya na mayakap ito kahit hindi sila makapag-usap. 

30 minutes passed and the next thing she knew was that she's now standing infront of Mason's bedroom door. Agad siyang nakapasok sa penthouse nito dahil registered ang fingerprint niya sa security. Nang buksan niya ang pintuan, agad siyang nakaramdam ng matinding awa dahil sa nakita niya. Magulo ang kwarto, some of the liquor bottles was left discarded on the cold ground habang si Mason ay tulog sa kama nito, katabi ang isang unan na imbes na punda ang nakalagay ay isa sa mga t-shirt na sinuot ni Malory ang nandito. 

Mason was hugging the pillow, her nose buried on her shirt's smell. Nang makalapit siya kay Mason ay agad nitong napansin ang mga maga nitong mata. Malalim din ang eye bags nito indicating na hindi gaano nakakatulog at nakakapagpahinga. 

She gently caressed Mason's cheeks, letting her warmth travel through the latter's body. When Mason suddenly stirred from her slumber, she slowly squinted her eyes. Bakas ang pagkagulat sa mukha nito na para bang hindi naniniwalang nasa harapan niya ang babaeng naging dahilan kung bakit halos araw-araw siyang walang gana mabuhay nitong nakaraang linggo. 

Mason quickly jolted from her bed, hugging Malory tightly as her tears poured from her eyes once again. 

"U-uyab.. panaginip ba to? Please don't be a dream.. I missed you so much.. I'm s-sorry please patawarin at paniwalaan mo na ako.. I can't lose you.. Y-y-ou're still gonna marry me right?" Mason mumbled through her sobs as her tired eyes stared at Malory's face. 

Malory swept the tears away, fixing the CEO's disheveled hair before attempting to speak. 

"Malinaw na lahat sakin. I'm sorry din. Yes, I'm not a dream and yes, I will marry you." 

Instead of smiling from joy, lalo lang lumakas ang pag-iyak ni Mason. Natatakot siyang panaginip na naman ang lahat katulad nitong mga nakaraan. Halos mabaliw na siya tuwing magigising galing sa akala mo'y totoong panaginip. 

She can feel her anxiety slowly creeping in as she held Malory tighter, scared that any minute from now mawawala na naman si Malory sa paningin at hawak niya. Her trembling hands held onto Malory's figure, clinging tight. 

Malory sensing her lover's fear and emotion gently pinched its cheeks indicating na hindi panaginip ang lahat. 

"Hey, it's alright. Hindi panaginip to." 

Bahagyang sinampal-sampal ni Mason ang sarili bago tumingin muli kay Malory at ngumiti. Totoo nga. Totoong nangyayari ang lahat. 

"I-i was too scared na hindi na matutuloy kasal natin"

"This time matutuloy na. I promise. I love you, Mason."

"I love you so much, Malory. Stay with me always." 

The couple spent the entire night clinging into each other. Cuddling the night away as they embraced each other's presence once again. 

AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Konting jumpscare lang lol HAHAHAHA. I want to engage more with you guys. Send me questions or any message that you have through the link below. I'll answer as fast as I can. Kung may suggestions din kayo for future stories regarding ships or plots kindly let me know :)) 

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