His Last name, My Secret

The Attempt

Chapter 5

-ZELENA's POV-

My heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird as I slipped out of the bedroom, clutching nothing but my phone. Panic and cold, sharp, relentless that pricked at my skin with every step I took. I had to get out. I had to run. The oversized shirt I wore brushed against my thighs as I moved like a shadow through the vast, dimly lit living room. Huminto ako sa pintuan, nanginginig ang kamay ko habang hawak ang knob, kahit anong mangyari kailangan kong makalis palayo kay Hunter. Pero pa hindi ako nakalabas ng bigla akong hinila pabalik ng isang malakas na pwersa.

Napasinghap ako, isang matalim at halos nasakal na tunog ang kumawala sa lalamunan ko habang umikot ang mundo sa paligid ko. Kumapit ang mga braso ni Hunter sa katawan ko, mahigpit, sobrang higpit habang hinahatak niya ako palapit sa kanya. Parang mapuputol ang hininga ko nang mapadiin ako sa hubad niyang dibdib, pawisan, mainit at matigas. Nagpumiglas ako, pilit na kumawala, pero lalo lang humigpit ang hawak niya. Parang bakal ang kapit niya habang kunot na kunot ang noo nitong nakatingin sa akin. Magulo ang buhok niya, nakasuot lamang nag pajama at walang damit pero ang mas nakakatakot ay ang mga mata niya, nagliliyab sa galit na parang kayang-kaya akong saktan nito.

“Where do you think you’re going?” mahina pero mabigat niyang tanong, na kahit pabulong pero nandoon ang babala.

Napakapit ako sa oversized shirt ko, pilit pinapakalma ang mabilis kong paghinga.

“Let me go, I'm leaving” mahina kong sabi, nanginginig ang boses ko at pilit na sinasalubong ang mga mata nitong nagliliyab sa galit.

Marahas na pinakawalan niya ako kaya, napahawak ako sa braso kong namumula dahil sa higpit ng magkakahila niya at napasandal sa pinto dahil sa pagkabigla.

“Leaving?” ulit niya, mas lumalim ang boses. “You really thought you could just walk out… without me noticing? Are you trying to escape from me?”

“H-Hunter...” I whispered, my voice was thin and shaking, shame and terror choking me. My lips parted to explain, but the words clung to the back of my throat, suffocated by fear. All I could manage was a deep, shaky sigh as I stared at the floor, desperate to hide the trembling that betrayed me. Oh, God!

“Really, huh?” he sneered, his sarcasm cutting like a knife. “You think I’m stupid?”

Humiliation burned beneath my skin. I wanted to vanish. Disappear. Anything but stand there, caught and powerless under his gaze.

“I—I’ll go back to my parents,” I stammered, pero pilit kong inilabas ang dapat kong sabihin sa kanya. “It’s fine, I’ll explain to them. I’ll tell them I left on my own. And the debt... I’ll pay it back. Bit by bit, I swear.”

To my surprise, Hunter laughed loudly. It wasn’t amusement, it was something crueler. Mocking. A sound that twisted my stomach and stole the last flicker of hope from my chest.

“You think this is about money?” he spat. “Don’t make a fool of me, woman. You don’t know how angry I can get. Try me again, and I swear, I’ll show you hell.”

His voice was quieter now, but the rage behind it had not faded. If anything, it had settled into something colder. More dangerous.He grabbed my wrist again. Pain flared.

“Stop it, nasasaktan ako!” I gasped, but he didn’t let go. His grip only tightened, and I struggled, panicked, but I was no match for him. His strength overwhelmed me, and he pushed me away from him kaya napsubsob ako sa carpet.

“I’ll let this slide,” he said, crouching beside me, his breath harsh against my ear. “But don’t ever try to run from me again. Next time, it won’t be just this. Do you understand?”

I couldn’t speak. I could only nod, tears streaming down my cheeks, body trembling like a leaf in a storm. Shame and terror drowned me. The cold floor became my sanctuary, at wala akong magawa kundi manatili sa posisyong ko ng hindi tumitingin sa kaharap ko.

“The next time this happens, I swear I’ll break your legs, so you’ll be crippled for good,” he growled. “Foremost, I hate disobedience. I don’t tolerate anyone who can’t follow my orders. Remember, you’re here under my roof because your parents used you to pay off their debt. You have no right to complain about anything I say or do.”

I couldn’t respond. He released my chin with a sharp shove, causing me to nearly fall forward. I caught myself with my hands on the cold cement floor. He said nothing more. I heard him walk up the stairs, and as soon as he disappeared, I let out a stifled sob, the fear overwhelming me. I stood up and returned to my room, where I finally allowed myself to cry freely.

I reached for my phone and was about to dial Zyra’s number, but I hesitated. She might be busy, I thought. And that’s when it hit me, hard. Now, wala na akong kakampi at wala akong masasandalan pa. I sighed, hugging my phone tightly in my hand, then wrapped my arms around myself until I felt dizzy and fell asleep.

Kinabukasan, nagising ako as sunlight spilled into the room. My heart pounded for a moment, disoriented, until the realization sank in. Naalala ko ang nangyari kagabi kaya bigla napahilamos ako sa aking mukha. Tumayo ako at agad na pumunta ng banyo para maghilamos at mag toothbrush, pagkatapos noon ay lumbas na ako ng silid at nagtungo sa kusina.Sigurado ako sa mga oras na ito ay tulog pa si Hunter at ang kasama nitong babae kagabi.

Relief flooded me when I found the house quiet and empty, at mukhang hindi pa bumababa ang dalawa. The silence wrapping around me like a fragile layer of peace. I moved quickly, brewing coffee, toasting bread and preparing something for him, even though I didn’t know what he actually liked. I doubted he even noticed. And then, the image of the woman he brought home last night flashed in my mind. My stomach twisted. My face soured as unidentified feelings crept in, unwelcome but strong. He had someone else in his room… and here I was, worrying about his breakfast.

Bitterness churned in my chest. I lost focus, and before I knew it, the toast had burned. The sharp smell snapped me out of my thoughts. I grabbed it in a panic, burning my fingers in the process, and tossed it into the trash with a curse under my breath.

I leaned against the sink, at agad na hinugasan ang daliri kong napaso sa toaster.

"No. I can’t let this get to me. Hunter and I, of course we don’t love each other. This marriage is just a contract. He’s free to do whatever, be with whoever." I reminded myself, as I forced my hands to steady and dropped another slice of bread into the toaster para palitan ang mga nasunog kong tinapay.Nang matapos ako ay agad ko naman hinarap ang iba pang pwede kong gawin hanggang sa hindi ko namalayang patapos na ako.

Natapos ko nang linisin ang bahay, nag-mop ng sahig at pinunasan ang bawat sulok, pero wala pa rin ang dalawa. Pakiramdam ko’y unti-unting sumisikip ang paligid, at ang tanging naririnig ko lang ay ang sarili kong mga galaw. Lumabas ako sa hardin, naghahanap ng sariwang hangin, kahit kaunting bagay lang na makakapagpagaan sa bigat sa dibdib ko. Tahimik pa rin ang lahat at walang bakas ng may taong nakatira sa malaking mansyon ni Hunter.

Kinuha ko na lang trash bag at dinala palabas ng gate. Nang buksan ko ang gate para itapon ang basura, bigla akong nagulat sa malakas na busina ng sasakyan, dahilan para mapatalon ako nang bahagya.

Hunter? Was that his car? He left early?

Kung ganon, hindi pa ako gumising ay umalis na sila dahil nasa garahe lang pala si Hunter at nag-iisa na ito. I looked away the moment his eyes met mine, frowning. I turned my back to him, pretending to be busy with anything else.

"You." mahina nitong sabi pero sapat na para manindig ang mga balahibo sa katawan ko.

"H-huh?" I flinched, heart jumping in my chest as his deep voice cut through the air behind me.

"Stop pretending you’re doing something," he said, his tone cold. "Get your things from my car, the ones your family dumped on the street."

I froze. I hadn’t even noticed he was already behind me.

"My... things?" I repeated, dazed turning my face to him. He raised an impatient brow at me.

"Yes," he snapped. "They're in my car. Take them out. At baka madumihan ang sasakyan ko."

Just like that, whatever admiration I had felt for his looks turned into lead in my chest. His words stung. Sharp and unkind but again I ignore it. Before he could humiliate me any further, I walked toward his car, swallowing my pride. The trunk opened, and there they were my things, messy and crumpled, tossed together like trash.Hindi ko pa man nahawakan ang gamit ko nang marinig ko ulit ang boses nito.

"Follow me,"