Falling for the Broken Billionaire

Chapter 24

Landon's POV

It was Maya and Spade’s wedding.

Kanina ko pa napansin ang matalim na tingin ng ama at ina ni Ingrid. Being her partner wasn’t my idea. It was Ingrid’s but I take full responsibility. Hindi ko na iniisip pa ang maaari nilang gawin. All I wanted was for the party to be done, go to Veronica and embrace her.

Seeing these people who hurt my heart, I thought I would be fine, but… not at all. Staying with them in the same place feels suffocating. Para akong sinasakal nang hindi nakikitang bagay.

“Did you tell Veronica that you’re switching places with Ingrid’s partner?” Spade asked. ‘

I shook my head.

I never told her because I also wanted this. I want to forgive Ingrid for what she did. I want to understand why she did that. I was ready to fight for her. I was willing to declare war on those who were against us. But she chose to let go of me… just like that.

“Why? That’s all I want to know.”

“I was too scared to make my own choices. Either of the two, I know I’m going to regret it. I don’t want to lose my parents who nurtured me to become the person I am today. So, I had to let you go.”

I smiled bitterly.

Kung alam niya lang na hindi ko siya hahayaang i-abandona niya ang mga magulang niya para lang sa akin kung sakaling pinili niya ako. Ako ang gagawa ng paraan para makuha ko ang tiwala at approval ng mga magulang niya. I wanted to prove them wrong. But maybe, I was too late to say it.

“I guess I got the answer I needed,” I told her. “Let’s just forget the past and move on with our lives,” I said, tapping her shoulder.

“I wish you happiness.” Sabi ko sa kanya. "Friends?" I asked, extending my hand.

She nodded. Her eyes teared up. "Friends," mahinang bulong niya. I almost couldn't hear it.

After that, we danced to our heart's content. I was feeling happy but hurt at the same time.

Pagkatapos sumayaw ay nakapagdesisyon akong lumayo na sa kanya. I walked away but then she called my name.

“Maverick,” Ingrid called.

Nilingon ko siya.

“Uh-huh?”

“N—Nothing.” Sabi niya at nagmamadaling umalis.

It was as if my heart was squeezed tightly.

Maybe we’re not meant for each other.

Although, I hope we were… pero mukhang malabo na. Ayaw ko na rin na ipilit namin ang wala nang pag-asa pa.

And then, an image of Veronica laughing flashed into my mind.

Wait… where the hell was that woman?

I looked for her everywhere, but I couldn’t find her, so I went outside.

I kissed her that night.

After meeting Veronica, I’ve learned a lot of lessons. I also didn’t want to let her go. I want to become selfish this time.

And, I’ll make sure no one will be on our way.

I don’t know what I felt for her, yet. But I do know that she’s the only one who could make me feel at peace. She gave my heart a warmth I never thought I could have. She’s the only star that lit up my sky at dark times.

I wanted to say sorry to her for not telling her that I exchanged partners with Ingrid, so I sealed it with a kiss.

When I heard that Spade and Maya were having their honeymoon and Veronica wasn’t coming with them, I badly wanted to go to her. I asked for Spade’s permission to spend the following night at their house. So that I could also guard Veronica.

When she told me that I wasn’t her first kiss and that she dumped his ex-boyfriends after doing something more than just a kiss. I didn’t expect that. I was expecting her to be a virgin. But it doesn’t matter to me after all.

Virgin or not, I have the decision to make her mine. I wanted to protect her from everything. I wanted to be there for her.

I wanted to marry her… whether she likes me or not.

Pero nang sinabi niya sa akin na saka na kapag hindi na ako sobrang mayaman, I feel irritated deep inside. Many women want to marry someone like me for wealth and fame… but this woman, she didn’t want any of those. Which made me more interested to have her.

Katulad na katulad siya ni Maya at Ingrid.

Ingrid.

I still love this girl. Palagi pa rin siyang bumisita sa isipan ko pero, pinilit kong huwag bigyan ng pansin ang mga kaisipan iyon. Mahirap siyang kalimutan pero kailangan kong gawin.

That night at the VVIP suite, I was in rage, honestly, but I didn’t show it. I was just mad about some possibilities. What if she got drugged and then sexually abused? What if I wasn’t there? My mind was filled with unspoken ‘what ifs’.

She got drunk… so drunk that I want to devour her. Her lips were inviting me to kiss her, but I managed to control myself. I was grateful that I was able to stop my desire. God, this woman!

She’s driving me insane. And the sight of her sleeping because of drunkenness made me want to fully own her.

“Fall for me, Veronica.” This is what I told her before she fell asleep.

I want her to fall for me, because I want to fall for her too. Or maybe, I already did.

The moment she woke up in my condo, for the first time in a long time, I felt like I was complete and alive again. No one made me feel this way but Veronica. Habang tinitignan ko siya, mas determinado akong pakasalan siya.

I want her to become my wife as soon as possible.

If it means giving up everything I have… then I’m willing to do it.

I could give up everything for her.

Wealth? Fame? Money?

Not to brag, but I could earn that in just a short time.

So, I don’t mind giving up everything if it’s the only way for me to have her.

She likes a poor man… then I’ll become one.

But before that, I need to punish her ex-boyfriends first. So, I went to them one by one.

Oo, isa-isa ko silang pinuntahan. And guess what, Veronica’s a f*****g virgin. Well, I already have a feeling she is, but what she told me triggered me more. Iyong sinabi niya na higit pa sa halik ang ginawa nila ng mga boyfriend niya.

I almost killed her ex-boyfriends if they all said they spent a night with her.

I don’t know, but I was feeling relieved. It’s as if my heart was freed from some kind of doubt. At her age, hindi ko inakala na birhen pa siya. And I’ll do everything to be her first. I’ll slowly but surely take her.

Nang bumalik sila Spade at Maya, all my hopes were gone. Parang ang layo na naman ni Veronica sa akin. It seems like Spade and Maya were our barriers. Dahil ito na ang laging sumusundo kay Veronica sa unibersidad kung saan ito nag-aaral.

I want it to be my job.

Gusto kong ako ang sumundo sa kanya every now and then.

So, I took the risk.

I sold all my properties to Spade.

“Have you gone mad? You’re selling this because of her?” nagugulat na tanong nito.

“I want to marry her,” I said.

Biglang sumeryoso ang mukha niyang nakatingin sa akin.

“She’s not Ingrid, you moron!”

“I know… but I want to marry her.”

“Why do you want to marry her? What’s going on in your mind? Do you want to get back at Ingrid… just because she got married?”

Umiling ako. “I never think like that. I want to marry Veronica because she’s all that I wanted to have.”

That woman saved me from the pain I was suffering for a very long time. And I couldn’t just let her go.

“f**k! What are you going to tell your parents? They’ll never be happy about it.”

“But marrying Veronica will be my happiness. So?”

“You’re insane,”

“Yeah. Your sister-in-law made me.” I said, smirking.

With that, he bought all of my properties.

I asked Spade for Veronica’s phone number. Gladly, he gave it to me without any hesitation. I texted her, asking her to hang out with me because I missed her. Now, my next step is to make her say ‘yes’.

Hindi pa siya handa but… we’ll get there. She’ll stay single, but I want her to reserve her heart for me… because I have already reserved mine… for her.

I want to heal with her... I want to love her… and give her everything until there’s nothing left for me.