Love Me Harder

Chapter 34

Chapter 34

KYO

"WHERE ARE YOU, KYO?" It was Mari's voice on the other line.

I was in the middle of packing my things when my phone rang. I answered although there was no longer reason for her to call me. Malinaw ang usapan namin simula pa lang. Kapalit ng kunwaring tuloy ang kasal naming dalawa ay ang hiling nyang vineyard sa Batangas na nagkakahalaga ng forty million pesos. I'd already sent her the documents, so what else did she need from me?

"Kyo, I just realized that it would be so much better if we proceed on marrying each other. Matutupad ang merger ng parents natin. Mapapalaki ang negosyo. At tayo lang din naman ang bagay para sa isa't isa. Kaya isasauli ko na lang ang vineyard sa 'yo. " 

"Not interested." Dinampot ko na ang aking maleta na katabi ng naka-loudspeak na phone.

"You mean, you still like that woman? And you're going to marry her?" May pait sa tono ni Mari, pero walang dating sa akin. Wala akong nararamdamang sakit sa dibdib ko, hindi katulad pag sa boses ni Ruby ko naririnig ang ganito. 

Hindi ko na sinagot ang tanong ni Mari. I hung up and picked up my luggage. I have to go now. I have to go back to Cebu before Ybarra discovers my plan.

I later found out what that old man did. I was to blame because as I was too complacent. I thought everything was fine, because I already made my choice. I didn't expect Ybarra to make Ruby choose between me and her family. And I felt betrayed when Ruby didn't choose me, despite me choosing her in a heartbeat. I was disappointed by the kind of love she had for me, but now I understand why. She is not like me because she grew up in a normal family. She can't just abandon those people who raised her with love.

My upbringing has limited my understanding of the world, but because of my efforts to learn things over the years, I am now more aware of what is going on around me, and brainwashing will no longer work on me.

I have so many realizations after I was exposed to this world. Coming out of the box where I had been imprisoned for many years, and becoming a member of the Black Omega Society Elite Brotherhood and the band itself, has been extremely helpful to me. Alam ko rin na hindi na ako nag-iisa. Ang brotherhood ay nasa likod ko. May sariling mga koneksyon na akong nabuo. Kahit tumiwalag ako sa anino ni Ybarra, ay wala na akong dapat katakutan.

Hindi na kami magtatago ni Ruby katulad noong plano namin dati, dahil ngayon ay kahit nasaan kami, kaya ko na syang protektahan. Ang kailangan ko na lang ay mapaoo sya. Gagamitin ko ang pagkakataon na ito na mahina sya sa akin para hindi sya makatanggi. Para hindi na maulit iyong dati. I don't care if she hates me in the end, as long as she knows she can't get away from me.

Yes, this is a selfish love. I will do everything to keep her, regardless of how she feels. Aalagaan ko sya, ibibigay ko lahat sa kanya, at kung hihilingin nya, susubukan ko ring mahalin iyong mga taong mahal nya. 

Alam ko na rin pala ang tungkol sa batang sinasabi ni Ruby na anak nya, si Baby Qurio. That kid is her sister's kid with T, our band leader. That's what I still don't understand: why she had to make sacrifices for her sister, and why she chose to let me hate her when she can just tell me the truth. But maybe this is how a typical family works; they enjoy making sacrifices for each other as a pastime.