Chasing My Love [Completed]

Chapter 23

'You are selfish. - Yego'

Saritha stared at the handwritten letter na natanggap niya mula sa asawa. Kasama doon ang annulment papers na pinadala ng abogado nito. It was just a simple note but it tore her heart.

Pero pinilit na lang niyang ibaon ang sakit na iyon... which she's tried to forget after so many years. The papers are now summoning her to court back in the Philippines. And she has no choice BUT to be present in the first hearing and find her own lawyer.

"Three long years," Celine said. Sa mga panahong nagtago siya sa Barcelona, Celine became a close friend of her from afar. They were both good friends of Ashley at sila ang sumuporta sa dalaga noong nagbubuntis ito at gusto nitong ipalaglag ang dinadala. They were both the ones who convinced her to do otherwise.

"I know. It was like just yesterday..." tipid na sagot niya.

"Halos one week lamang ang pagitan ng flights ninyo ni Ashley pauwi," Celine said. "Kung hindi iyon busy sa paghahanap ng bagong office space niya ay sasama satin 'yon."

She just smiled. "It's fine. We saw each other  in Barcelona a month ago. Nagkaroon kasi siya ng fashion show project doon."

"So what brought you back?" masayang tanong ni Celine. "Napauwi ka na ba finally ni Yego?" she joked.

She looked at her friend's eye directly. "I need your help, Celine. And it's serious. As serious as what happened to Ashley a few years ago."

"What? Are you pregnant also?"

Umiling si Sari. "Celine, I'm married."

"Woah, siz. Why weren't we invited?" pagtatampo nito bigla.

"We still weren't friends then. Isa pa, hindi pa tayo magkakilala noon," pagtatapat niya.

"Noon? How long ago was this? To think na akala ko ay may pag-asa si Yego sayo."

She breathed deeply. "Yego and I... we were married when I was eighteen."

"What the..." Celine was dubmfounded. Hindi niya alam kung anong sasabihin o gagawin.

"Celine, okay ka lang?" tanong niya sa kaibigan.

"This is big news." She drank her glass of water straight.

Tumango-tango siya. "But Celine, the thing is..."

"Kaya pala. Kaya pala nang tumakas ka to Barcelona three years ago ay halos ipahalughog ni Yego ang buong Pilipinas. You are his wife. He was... absolutely miserable when you left, Sari."

She tried to not feel anything at all towards the man she just mentioned. "We had... our own problems, Celine. One that we couldn't solve. But now, here's the solution finally at siya na ang nag-umpisa nito ngayon." Inilapag ni Sari sa table ang annulment papers nila initiated by Yego's lawyers. Nandoon din ang note nito sa kanya.

"An annulment? From Yego?" gulat na tanong ni Celine. "This can't be happening."

"It is happening. I am back because I need a lawyer. Kailangan ko ng tulong mo on this one, Celine. My parents can't know about this yet dahil sigurado akong tututol sila."

"But Sari, sigurado ka ba dito? Can't you guys talk it out, at least?"

Umiling-iling siya. "My mind is set, Celine. Hinding-hindi ko na siya babalikan dahil hindi siya magbabago kahit kailan."

"But... I really thought he loves you," pangangatwiran ng kaibigan.

"I highly doubt that."

****