INTERNAL CRIES-COMPLETED

Kabanata 40

This is the last POV of Arden McKenna. The next update will be the epilogue, Kheeno Jakobe’s POV. 

Thank you so much for reaching this far!

Kabanata 40

Always

 
Pagod ang katawan ko nang magising ako kinabukasan. If Kheeno didn’t allow me to sleep after our 4th round, I’ll probably be tired as shit today. He isn't joking at all about what he said, pero dahil naawa siya sa akin dahil pagod na ako, hinayaan niya na akong matulog, late nga lang iyon. But that doesn't matter, though. Waking up beside him is the best morning I ever had.

I moved a little and adjusted myself dahil nararamdaman ko nang namamanhid ang kanang braso ko dahil nakadapa ang kalahit katawan ko, habang ang kalahati ay nakayap kay Kheeno.

He immediately woke up and looked at me with his sleepy eyes and knotted brows.

“Where are you going?” he asked with his bedroom voice.

Napangiti ako at sumiksik ulit sa kanya.

“Hmm... I just adjusted the position of my body,” mahinang sagot ko at pumikit ulit at yumakap nang mahigpit sa kanya.

Agad din naman akong niyakap nito nang mahigpit at hinalikan ang tuktok ng aking ulo.

“Don’t go away again,” he murmured and kissed my forehead. “I can’t fathom the idea of my life without you in it, baby. And I cannot bare to be apart from you anymore.”

Umiling ako. “I won’t.”

Nanatili kami sa ganoong pwesto hanggang napagpasyahan naming bumangon na. Kheeno called the receptionist for our food, saka ko lang din nalaman na siya pala ang may-ari nitong campsite na ‘to!

This man!

After we ate for breakfast, nag-ayos na kaagad kami ng mga gamit dahil uuwi kami ngayon para kausapin si Daddy.

Habang nasa biyahe, Kheeno was holding my hand while his other hand was driving. Paminsan-minsan din nitong hinahalikan ang kamay ko.

“Do you think your father will like me for you?” ilang sandaling tanong ni Kheeno nang magsimula na naming binaybay ang daan papasok sa hacienda.

I looked at him, smiling.

“I know he will,” I said, trying to calm him down.

Umiling si Kheeno.

"But he knows I hurt you; it would be incredibly difficult for him to accept or even allow his one and only daughter to have any kind of relationship with someone like me, someone who has caused you pain and disappointment."

Nagpakawala siya ng malalim na buntonghininga at nakatuon ang pansin sa kalsada. Parang ang lalim ng iniisip nito.

“I badly hurt you before, Arden—” 

“I love you, Kheen, okay?” putol ko sa kanya. He then looked at me before he looked away.

“You don’t remember your past, how can you be so sure about that?”

Emotions were dancing in Kheeno’s eyes, kaya humigpit ang hawak ko sa kamay niya. 

“I may not remember anything from my past, but I know, deep in my heart, you are the only man it beats for,” saad ko at tinuro ang dibdib ko.

If I truly love him from the past, then I know I’ll accept him in the present and the future, no matter what. I realize how rare it is to find someone who genuinely cares about me—someone who values my well-being in a world where it feels like true connections are becoming harder to find.