INTERNAL CRIES-COMPLETED

Epilogue

This will be the last update of this story. This is the epilogue, Kheeno Jakobe’s Pov.

Epilogue
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“I know that this is hard for you, Kheen. But for my daughter, I’ll do everything for her. Siya na lang ang natitira sa akin. Siya na lang ang tanging dahilan kaya ako nabubuhay sa mundong ito. Siya na lang ang dahilan kaya ako masaya. And I don't want to hurt her.”
 
Hindi ko alam kung bakit bigla-bigla na lang naisipan ni Arden na pakasalan ako. At pagkatapos ko pa talagang mag-propose kay Dalia.
 
“I’ll give you everything you want. You’ll become the CEO of Escorial Company. You will own half of the plantation... name it, Kheeno, I’ll give it to you. Just marry my daughter.”
 
I can't believe this.
 
“Tito, I’m way older than Arden,” I said with all the bitterness in my mouth. This is the truth that it's so hard to swallow. A painful pill that I am not even sure if I can swallow.
 
Bata pa lang si Arden ay iniiwasan ko na ito. Bukod sa hindi kami magkaedad, ayaw ko lang talaga sa kanya. She’s not the type of person that you wanted to hate, kasi itong si Arden ay kabaliktaran ng lahat. Hindi siya kagalit-galit, she is so sweet, naive, and so friendly to everyone around her. She is the type of person na gugustuhin ng lahat.
 
Growing up, I felt so disgusted with myself thinking that I liked her. She is way younger than me, mas bata pa nga siya sa kapatid kong si Rhomisor. Kaya pilit kong iniiwasan ito. I don't want to get attached to her, because I don't want to be called a cradle-snatcher if I pursue her.
 
Nakatulong din sa pag-iwas ko sa kanya na sa syudad ako nag-aral ng sekondarya at paminsan-minsan lang umuuwi. At mas lalo kong ipinagpasalamat na sa abroad ako nag-koliheyo, mas lalo akong malayo sa kanya.
 
Thinking that my feelings will eventually fade as time flies, I pursue Dalia. She’s a perfect woman that every man will want to be. Kaya noong palagi nang nagpaparinig si Papa tungkol sa pag-aasawa, I eventually asked Dalia to marry. Kasi siya lang din naman ang girlfriend ko.
 
I didn't expect that something would happen next—the unexpected twist of my life—and that is marrying Arden McKenna Escorial, the woman I’ve been avoiding. 
 
“Ang sarap magluto ni Señorita McKenna, pre!”
 
Umigting ang panga ko dahil sa narinig.
 
“First time raw na nagluto si Señorita kanina, sabi ni Joshelle! Biruin mo, ako pa ang unang nakatikim!” dagdag ni Andrew, na mas lalong ikinainis ko.
 
That was actually for me! Kung hindi ko tinanggihan iyong pagkain, sa akin iyon! Ako ang makakatikim ng unang luto niya!
 
Pero hindi nangyari kasi hindi siya nagpumilit! Hindi niya ako pinilit na tanggapin iyon! Hinayaan niya akong hindian iyon, at ang masaklap pa ay binigay niya sa iba!
 
I didn't expect it though! Sa ugali niyang pinipilit lahat ng gusto, that was the first time she didn't insist on giving it to me. And it annoys me.
 
“Don’t expect that I will love you, Arden,” puno ng pang-iinsultong saad ko.
 
Pain crossed in her eyes. It's so visible that I can almost touch and taste it.
 
She didn't say anything. She was just silently watching me with pain in her eyes. She’s trying to hide it though, but her innocence just didn't let her.
 
Sa bar ako dumiretso pagkatapos nang kasal namin. I didn't even mind if Dalia was calling me a hundred times, dahil ang gusto ko lang gawin ngayon ay magpakalasing.
 
I don’t know how I should feel. I don't know why I feel sorry and guilty at the same time. I didn't do anything. She's the one who wanted this. She's the one who wants to marry me. Instead of enjoying her young life, she chooses to jump into this shitty marriage that isn't suitable for her age!
 
“Be careful of that girl, there's a fire burning behind her eyes. She makes kingdoms fall—and monsters wish they'd never been born.”

Sinipat ko si Uno dahil sa sinabi nito at ininom ang alak na nasa baso. Ang tinutukoy niya ay si Arden.

He's fucking right! Kaya nga galit ako sa kanyang ginawa. She wants me to be caged in her quicksand and drags me down, then leaves me barely breathing after.