A/N: Hello to all Dubredo babies na kakapanganak lang. Happy four years to us 💙💛
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"Mahal na mahal kita, Leni." He repeated for the nth time. He was emotional, he missed saying those words to her. "Marry me again." He smiled at her.
She smiled weakly and stared straight into his eyes, "I can't."
He frowned, he didn't know if he heard her right, "What do you mean you can't?"
"I'm sorry Rod, but I don't think I can marry you again." She said creating a distance between them.
"Bakit nga? Leni ano bang—"
"I'm scared!" She cried. "Natatakot akong subukan ulit. Natatakot akong sumugal ulit. Natatakot ako na kapag minahal na naman kita, masaktan lang ako ulit."
He was speechless, he didn't know that up until now she was carrying that pain.
"Rod, I'm sorry." She cried. "I love you but—"
"No, you don't." He cut her off. She frowned. "Kasi if you truly love me, wala kang alinlangan, no but's."
"Rod, it's not like that—"
"Then what is it?" He cut her off. "How can you explain all this? This setup? No label relationship? Friends with benefits? Live in? Ano? Kasi Leni ayaw ko na sana ng ganito eh, pagod na ako."
She looked at him with those sad eyes, "Pagod ka na?" She asked, afraid that he might say yes.
He sighed, "Pagod na ako sa ganitong setup natin, I don't want this. I want us to be official just like before. Leni, I want the strings. I really do." He said emphasizing his last words, he really wanted to be with her again. "So I'm gonna ask you for the last time, will you be my wife again?"
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1 month later
Everyone was busy with the upcoming occasion, it was one of the biggest occasion that everyone was excited about— The Araw ng Dabaw. Also known as the Charter Day, the Araw ng Dabaw cover a jam packed, seven-day schedule of trade fairs and cultural presentations. As the Local Chief Executive, Rody see to it that he will be there to oversee everything, from the preparation up to the presentations. For the past few weeks, he kept himself occupied with work—presscon, meetings, visiting areas, and other stuff concerning work, he did these on purpose so that he can forget how Leni rejected his proposal to be his wife again.
His world crumbled upon hearing her said no to be his wife again. Every time he's alone, all he can think of is Leni. It pains him, but there's nothing he can do about it now. She has already decided, he has done his part, he thought. He decided to go to work every day with over time most of the time, drowning himself with work so he cannot think about her anymore. He tried to be that Rody who always jokes about everything, but always angry at everything too. He tried to be okay most of the time in front of his friends and family. He tried not to talk about her and how she decided not to include him in her life anymore. He tried.
"Hi! Papa! I'm on my way to City Hall." Katja informed him through phone call.
"Bakit? Wala man ako sa opisina nak. May pinuntahan ako saglit." He asked.
"No, it's okay pa. Attend ako ng meeting with the Mutya ng Davao staff." She said. Ever since her parents "separated" again, she decided to stay with her Dad in Davao telling her mom that she's going to help with the Araw ng Dabaw preparation. Her mom decided not to interfere with her decisions.
