THE PERFECT HUSBAND (LEE BROTHERS #1)

Chapter 72. Dinner Part II

✧FAITH ZEICAN LEE✧

GUSTO ko sanang sundan si Poppy sa restroom, to comfort her, pero mas pinili kong manatili na lang sa upuan ko at hintayin siya, respecting her need for space.

As I waited for her to return, I resolved to be patient. Whatever was happening, I needed to be there for her, even if it meant facing the pain and confusion head-on. The only thing I was certain of was my love for her and my determination to find a way back to each other.

Ilang sandali pa, natanaw ko na siyang pabalik. Umupo ulit siya sa puwesto niya—sa harap ko at pansin kong wala na ‘yong contact lens niya. Her eyes were now clear, and there were no traces of tears. The previous tension seemed to have shifted slightly, but the emotional weight remained.

I tried to meet her gaze, hoping for some hint of the Poppy I once knew, but her eyes were resolute, distant. Nakaka-frustrate na hindi ko man lang mahulaan kung ano’ng tumatakbo sa isip niya, samantalang noon, napakadali lang para sa ‘kin na basahin siya dahil hindi niya kayang ikubli ang emosyon niya. Isa ba ‘to sa napag-aralan niya sa Australia? Ang magtago ng emosyon?

Before I could even gather my thoughts to speak, Poppy took a deep breath and began to speak. “Faith,” she started, her gaze fixed on me, “may kailangan akong sabihin sa ‘yo.”

The seriousness in her tone made my heart race. “What is it?” I asked, trying to mask the anxiety in my voice.

“I've been thinking a lot lately,”patuloy niya, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. “At nakapagdesisyon na ‘ko.”

I leaned in, my chest tightening with anticipation. Her next words felt like they were coming from a place I had been dreading.

“I think it's best for both of us if we get an annulment,” she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

But the words hit me like a ton of bricks. My mind went blank as I struggled to process what she had just said. The word “annulment” echoed in my head, each repetition making it harder to breathe.

Gusto kong magtanong pero hindi ko magawa dahil parang may nakabara sa lalamunan ko, at sa tingin ko, kapag pinilit kong magsalita, mababasag ang boses ko. I felt a wave of helplessness wash over me.

Annulment?

Paano na ‘yong mga pangarap ko para sa aming dalawa? Para sa magiging pamilya namin? Hindi pa nga kami nakapagsisimula nang totoo. Ito pa lang sanang pag-uwi niya, pero bakit gusto na niyang tapusin?

The world around me seemed to blur as I grappled with the reality of her words. My heart ached with a depth I had never known, and the future I had envisioned with Poppy felt like it was slipping away.

Naramdaman ko ang paghapdi ng mga mata ko, at bago pa man ako maiyak at magmukhang tanga sa harap niya, mabilis kong dinukot ang cell phone ko sa bulsa at nagpanggap na kunyari ay may tumawag sa ‘kin para i-exuse ang sarili ko.

“Excuse me. I just need to take this call. Babalik din ako.” Hindi ko na siya hinintay pang makasagot, mabilis akong tumayo sa upuan ko at humakbang palayo. Nagpanggap akong may kausap hanggang sa makalabas ako sa restaurant at makapunta sa sasakyan ko. I needed an excuse to step away, to gather myself, and not let the flood of emotions I was feeling pour out in front of Poppy.

I slipped into my car, closing the door behind me with a soft click. The dim interior of the vehicle offered a temporary shield from the world outside. I rested my head on the steering wheel, the cool leather pressing against my forehead. My hands, trembling slightly, gripped the wheel tightly.

Hindi ko na napigilan. The tears came unbidden, streaming down my cheeks. I took deep, ragged breaths, trying to calm the storm of emotions that were threatening to engulf me. My mind raced with questions and fears—why did Poppy want an annulment? May iba na ba siya? ‘Yong Nathan ba? Na-realized na ba niyang hindi na niya ‘ko gusto dahil hindi na niya ‘ko kailangan?