Hounding Howard (COMPLETED)

34 Goodbye

Althea POV

I drove aimlessly as I kept glancing at the annulment papers I carelessly placed on the passenger seat. I dont know where I am heading or what am I going to do. My mind is overflowing and I cant even think straight. I found myself parking my car at our old house in Manila. The house that mama and Papa bought, were Kuya Clyde and me grew up. This is the house that witness the happiness of our family and the sorrow of losing my parents.

Pagkalabas ko ay tinungo ko ang paso kung saan madalas naming iwan ang susi ng bahay. Npangiti ako ng matagpuan pa din iyon doon. Some things never change. Hindi binitawan ni kuya Clyde ang bahay na ito at madalas pa din syang magpapunta ng katulong sa mansyon para linisin ang bahay na ito. Pagkapasok ko ay ramdam ko ang biglang pangungulila.

Pangungulila sa magulang na maagang inagaw ng pagkakataon sa amin ni kuya Clyde. Saksi kami ni Kuya Clyde kung gaano kasaya si mama at papa sa pagmamahalan nila. At kahit na inamin nila sa amin ang sitwasyon na may totoong asawa si Papa ay tinaggap namin iyon dahil doon sila sasaya. Si Kuya Clyde naman ay itinuring ni Papa na tunay na anak at si Kuya Clyde naman ay itinuring na ding ama si Papa. Masaya kami kahit na bawal ang pag iibigan nila, kami din naman ang sinasamahan ni Papa at hindi ang unang pamilya nya. Natatandaan ko kung gaano gumuho ang katinuan ni mama sa pagkamatay ni papa sa aksidente sa construction na pinagtatrabahuhan nito. Isang trahedyang maituturing dahil ilang buwan lang ay sumunod din si mama. Iniwan nila kami ni Kuya Clyde.

Malungkot na napangiti ako sa mga simpleng kagamitan namin na mukhang alagang alaga pa din at malinis. Sinigurado talaga ni kuya Clyde na walang magbabago sa mga gamit dito sa loob.

Dumeretso ako sa kwarto ko at kagaya sa labas ay malinis na malinis pa din ito. Nahiga ako at ipinikit ang mata ko.

What am I gonna do now?!

Then the old man's last words echoed in my mind while he is handing me the papers...

"Your annulment papers if you choose to walk away from him dear child. Your choice Althea. It has always been your decision my grandchild."

Will I choose to walk away?

If what Abuelo said is true then this is not about me being a Devaraux. Howard is the one who plotted all these. If Howard is the one who asked for my hand in marriage to Abuelo then there is only one reason why he did it. The reason that I knew all along and I tried to push it at the back of my mind, ignoring it. The reason why I am holding back from him for so long, the reason why my mind was made up and why I tried to stick to my plans even when my heart cant take it. And The reason why he can go through lengths just to be with me...

I'm a fvcking look-alike of the woman he is crazily inlove with! The woman he cannot have...I look like Macky!

Is Macky the one he imagine he is with at that island? Is she the one he is thinking while we do it last night!?  Is he imagining her while he said his 'I love yous'?!

I grasped my chest as if it literally hurts and tears started rolling down my cheeks.

Damn! I should stop this line of thoughts! I didnt know the realization will hit me this bad!

I felt like my heart is crushed by that realization. I let myself cry my heartaches. I promised, this will be the last.

I knew that I cannot face him and ask those questions to him. Him telling me that I am right in my assumption will only make my heart stops beating. I admit it to myself, It has always been Howard. I have love him all this time. I've been fooling myself from deceiving him when in fact everytime he says he loves me, I prayed its true. That everytime he kiss me, my heart melts and everytime he hold me in his arms, I just wish he'll never let me go.