The Beast's Rejected Wife (Under Major Revision)

Chapter 9

I stared blankly at the wall, replaying the events of last night in my head. Even now, I still couldn't believe it. That was my first time... and I gave it to the one man who never cared about me. I gave my virginity to the man I hated. The man who ruined me. To an enemy.

My heart pounded against my chest, a mix of anger and regret twisting inside me like a knife. How could I have been so foolish?

"You're so stupid, Kaia!" I whispered to myself, clenching my fists until my nails dug painfully into my palms. "Bakit hinayaan mong mangyari ang bagay na 'yon?"

Flashes of the night surged back—his hands on my skin, the heat of our bodies tangled together. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to shake the memories, but they only grew sharper, more vivid. I had sworn to hate him, to never let my guard down. He was the man who tore my world apart, who made me feel small and powerless. And yet, I let him in. Isa iyon sa malaking pagkakamaling nagawa ko, ngunit may isang bahagi sa isip ko ang nagsasabing ginusto ko rin naman ang namagitan sa aming dalawa ni Gideon.

Matapos ng ginawa niya sa akin three years ago, kung paano niya ako ipinagtabuyan, kung gaano niya ako kadaling itinapon. . . I hated him with every fiber of my being. But the way he looked at me last night, the way his hands seemed to know exactly where to touch, had ignited something inside me I hadn't felt before—something dangerous, something thrilling. I slammed my fist against the wall, the sting in my knuckles grounding me, pulling me out of my spiraling thoughts.

It wasn't supposed to happen like this. I wasn't supposed to feel this way. And now, everything was different. My chest tightened as the weight of the truth settled in. This wasn't just a one-night mistake. This was something that would haunt me. Every time I closed my eyes, I'd see his face, his smirk, the way he'd claimed victory over me in the most intimate of ways.

A traitorous part of me wondered—was that victory really his, or mine? No. I couldn't think like that. Not about him.

Tears pricked the corners of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I wouldn't cry for him, again. Not now. Not ever. But deep down, the war inside me had already begun.

Inis akong pumasok sa bathroom ng kwarto ni Gideon at naghilamos saka nagtoothbrush. Inayos ko narin ang pagkakatali ng buhok ko at pinasadahan ng tingin ang kabuuan.

I was sore—so sore I could barely move without feeling it. Every small motion sent a wave of pain through me, a constant reminder of how recklessly it all happened. Para akong binugbog sa sakit ng katawan at ulo ko pati ang pagitan ng mga hita ko kaya naman hindi ako ganun makakilos. I am just wearing his black shirt with my panty on. Wala akong bra at hindi ko na ininda yun. Bumaba ako sa kusina para magkape ngunit bahagya akong nahinto sa pagkapasok sa pintuan ng maabutan si hage without his shirt on. Abala ito sa pagluluto kaya tahimik akong tumungo sa cup board at nagtimpla ng coffee.

I couldn't even bring myself to say a single word. My throat felt tight, as if the weight of what happened was suffocating me. My mind was a chaotic mess, consumed by every detail of last night. And yet, he sat there—calm, unaffected—as if nothing had changed. He didn't care. Of course, he didn't.

Why would he? To him, it was just sex, a moment of convenience. I was simply the closest body when he needed someone to release his frustrations on.

That thought struck me like a dagger to the chest. I let out a shaky breath, bringing my hand to my forehead, trying to steady myself. My fingers absentmindedly traced the handle of my coffee cup, the warmth doing little to ease the coldness spreading inside me.

How could he be so indifferent? I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye, half-hoping to catch some hint of remorse, some sign that he was at least thinking about it—but there was nothing. He sat there, as if last night hadn't happened, as if what we did meant absolutely nothing to him. And maybe it didn't.