Forbidden Relationship (Forbidden Series #3) (Completed)

Chapter 36

When can you say a relationship is right?

Is it when you love each other? When you're comfortable? When your parents approve of your relationship?

What if it's not right? What if it's forbidden?

Is a relationship automatically forbidden if one family member did something terrible to the other?

For me… yes. You're forbidden from loving each other.

I promised Yhael that I wouldn't hurt him.
But what can I do? We'll both just end up getting hurt if I don't let go.

It's so hard to even look at him now. When I think of his name—Yhael—a name given to him by his late parents… I feel guilty. I didn't do it. But why does it feel like I carry the weight of it too?

It's hard to hold back—especially when I remember that Mommy was pregnant with me when she did it.

They say a child in the womb inherits all the sins of the mother. If that's true… does that mean I carry her sins too?

"Yhael…" I whisper, staring at the man lying on my bed. He has his eyes closed, clearly asleep. He came over so early this morning.

"Hmm?" he mumbles sleepily.

"What if one day you come to hate me?" I ask quietly.

He doesn't respond right away. He sits up slowly, brushing his hair out of his face. His eyes search mine, but I look away before he can see the tears brimming in mine.

"May ginawa ka bang masama para magalit ako sa 'yo?" tanong niya. Hinahanap niya ang aking tingin.

"I-I'm struggling…" I whisper, finally meeting his gaze. "B-Because of you, I can't leave the house. I can't talk to Sovie… or our friends."

He freezes. I was the one who said it—but it feels like a billion knives pierce my own heart.
How much more painful must it be for him?

I lower my gaze as the tears I've been holding back finally fall. Warm. Heavy. Silent.

"I'm sorry," sambit niya. "Sorry kung nahihirapan ka dahil sa'kin."

Gusto kong umiling at sabihing wala siyang kasalanan pero rito na kasi mag-uumpisa. At matatapos sa pag-alis niya.

"Pero mas pinili kita kaysa sa mga taong nagpalaki sa'kin." Tumingin ako sa kaniya na nakakunot ang noo.

Bakit parang may pinaparating siyang iba sa tono ng kaniyang boses?

"Ayaw din nila sa akin, 'di ba?" Tanong ko.

Umiwas siya ng tingin. Sapat na iyon bilang kasagutan sa tanong ko.

"Wala akong pakialam kung ayaw nila sa'yo..." bulong niya. "Kaya kitang piliin—"

"Pipiliin mo pa rin ba ako kahit na ang sama-sama ng pamilya ko?" Putol ko sa kaniyang sinabi. "Masama ang pamilya ko, Yhael."

"Pero hindi ibig sabihin no'n na masama ka rin," mariin niyang sinabi.

Hinawakan niya ang dalawa kong kamay na nakapatong sa aking hita. Pinisil niya iyon upang mapatitig ako sa kaniya.

"Sa ngayon kaya mo pa akong piliin kasi hindi mo pa alam e'," hikbi ko. "Paano kapag nalaman mo? Sa paanong paraan mo 'ko masasaktan para lang makaganti?"

Nakita ko ang gulat sa kaniyang mga mata. "A-Alam mo na?" Nauutal niyang tanong.

"Bakit hindi mo kaagad sinabi sa'kin?" mapait kong tanong sa kaniya.

Ilang segundong naging tahimik ang kwarto ko. "Akala ko ba walang sikretong itatago sa isa't-isa? Kaya pala kahit nandito ka sa tabi ko, feeling ko ang layo-layo mo pa rin kasi ang dami mong hindi sinasabi sa'kin."