A Wife's Regret

Chapter 15

LIA ELIZA ALFARO's POV

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I dressed up before going out of my room.

As usual, dumaan ako sa kusina to have my light meal, but not like usual, hindi ko nakita ang mga ito sa kusina.

Kumuha ako ng mga prutas sa ref and fresh milk. I toasted a piece of bread pagkatapos ay naghiwa ako ng mansanas.

I silently had my breakfast there and prepared to leave after washing the dishes.

I made sure na naka-lock and pinto bago ako nagtungo sa garage.

Kalalabas ko lang ng gate nang makita ko ang pulang sasakyan sa katabing bahay.

Eli and her friend get inside the backseat. I saw Chase open the passenger's door for that woman he was talking with last night.

She wasn't familiar to me. Matagal na akong nakatira sa bahay namin ni Tim, and I didn't even notice her the past years.

Pinagpatuloy ko na ang pagmamaneho. I saw him looked at my car nang daan ko sila.

"Good morning, Ma'am." My staffs greeted me pagpasok ko ng bakeshop."

May ilan nang customers sa loob taking their orders.

Dinala ko lang ang bag ko sa opisina ko sa pangalawang palapag. I tied my hair and put the hairnet bago ako dumiretso sa kitchen.

I washed my hands carefully bago ako nagtungo sa mesa para tingnan ang orders. I chose the simplest one.

Most of the time, I would help make the orders although I have staffs in charge sa paggawa ng mga iyon.

I also always made sure na maayos ang lahat sa labas, that everything was properly arranged.

It took me more than a couple of hours bago ko matapos ang isang simpleng one layered na cake.

Ako na rin ang nag-arrange sa box at nagsulat ng letter na nasa request ng customer.

After than, nagsalin ako ng mixtures ng cupcake sa mga liners bago ko ilagay ang mga iyon sa oven. Habang naghihintay na maluto ang mga iyon, gumawa na ako ng icing to put on top of those.

Nang makagawa ako ng ilan, nilabas ko na ang mga iyon at dinisplay sa glass.

I was currently fixing the breads sa basket nang maramdaman kong may batang humawak sa laylayan ng coat ko.

"Hey!" anito. "I want that." Tinuro nito ang nag-iisa na lang na flavor ng red velvet cupcake sa loob ng glass.

Agad naman akong nilapitan ng magulang nito and apologized.

"I'm sorry, miss. Naiinip na kasi siya. Medyo mahaba pa ang pila."

Pumaosk ako sa counter and get her daughter's order ready.

"What else?" I asked them.

Nagturo na nang nagturo ng iba pang flavor ng cupcake ang bata and some breads. I just got what she wanted. I took her mom's order too.

"795"

Nagbigay ito ng one thousand bill sa akin. I gave her the change and the receipt.

"Ikaw ba ang may-ari nitong bakeshop, miss?"

"I am."

"Wow, that's great. Thank you."

Her daughter kissed her on her cheek habang buhat niya ito.

"Thanks, mommy."

Pinanuod kong lumabas ang mga ito ng bakeshop, until I heard someone in front of me.

"Miss, give me one mango torte and two butter cake loaves. Idagdag mo na rin 'yung isang box ng chocolate truffle."

"Go to the next counter," I told him and left the counter.

"Psh... sungit naman nito."

Bumalik ako sa kusina after taking my rounds.

I mixed up different flavors of muffins at nilagay rin ang mga iyon sa oven. Nang matapos ang nauna, sinimulan ko nang lagyan ng toppings ang mga iyon.

I remember Eli, the first she went to my bakeshop.

Kinain niya ang mga cupcake na naka-display without getting my permission, and his father didn't even warn her not to touch anything before going to the restroom.

I suddenly remember the other day.

Perhaps he taught he won.

He won't get her easily, and I would make sure of that.

"Ma'am, here's the report po." Shai handed me the folder.

"I'll check that tomorrow," I told her at diretsong lumabas ng opisina ko bitbit ang handbag ko.

I drove to Eli's school to fetch her.

Tumayo ako sa waiting area kung saan p'wedeng hintayin ang mga bata. Napansin ko ang pagtabi sa akin ng isang babaeng noon lang naging pamilyar. The woman at the neighborhood.

Maybe she felt that I was looking at her kaya naman bumaling din ito sa akin. Nakita kong bahagyang namilog nag mga mata niya, seemed surprised to see me.

"H-Hi..." Alanganing sambit niya. "You're here to fetch Eli?"

What else did she think I would do there?

I could say Riel didn't really lie.

"I'm Reni..." Nilahad nito ang kamay sa akin. "I'm Xeri's sister. We met na when I fetched Eli--" Hindi na nito tinapos ang sasabihin nang tanggalin ko ang tingin sa kanya.

Yeah, I remember that, but I didn't even give her attention kaya hindi ko na siya naalala.

Nakita ko rin sa gilid ng mata ko na binawi niya ang palad niya.

She stood there quietly hanggang sa makita namin ang mga bata.

Eli stopped when she saw me, but her friend held her hand hanggang sa makalapit sila sa amin.

Tumingin ito sa likurnan ko na tila ba may hinahanap.

"Where's daddy?" mahinang tanong nito habang malamlam ang mga matang nakatingala sa akin hawak ang backpack na nakasukbit sa mga balikat niya.

"He's not here. Let's go." Akmang hahawakan ko pero lumayo ito sa akin.

"I'll wait for daddy then," muling mahinang sagot nito.

"Let's get in the car."

Lumapit ito sa babaeng nasa tabi ko at humawak sa laylayan ng coat nito.

"I'll just go with Xeri and Ms. Reni."

I didn't answer for a while, trying to limit myself. I didn't want to lose my temper in front of so many people.

"I said... let's get in the car," I said coldly. "Do you want me to say that again?"

Nakita kong napalunok ito at mas lalong kumapit nang mahigpit sa babaeng iyon.

"Uhm... I think we'll just wait for Chase. He's just checking the car's tires sa parki--"

"Who are you to decide?" Malamig na tanong ko rito. "Last time I checked I am still her mother."

Hindi ito nakasagot. Tinanggal ko rin ang tingin sa kanya and held Eli from her.

"Mommy..." Eli called habag hila ko ang braso niya papunta sa sasakyan ko. Isinakay ko ito sa backseat bago ako nagtungo sa driver's seat. "A-Are we going home? Can we call daddy?"

Tiningnan ko lang siya sa rear habang palabas ng parking. She looked anxious there.

Ilang sandali lang naramdaman ko na ang pag-vibrate ng cellphone sa loob ng coat ko. It was probably him.

I ignored it at hininto ko ang sasakyan sa isang restaurant. Binuksan ko ang pinto sa backseat.

"Get out."

"Mommy, I want to go home," anito na namamasa ang mga mata.

Kinuha ko ang braso niya at binaba siya mula sa loob ng sasakyan. Pumasok kami sa loob ng restaurant and get a seat. I ordered for her and waited na dumating ang mga pagkain.

"What are you witing for?" I asked her nang hindi niya ginalaw ang pagkaing nasa mesa.

"I don't wanna eat, Mommy."

Kinuha ko na mula sa bulsa ko ang cellphone nang muli kong naramdaman ang sunod-sunod na pag-vibrate no'n. I looked at the screen and saw his name. I knew it.

"I-Is that daddy calling? C-Can I talk to him?"

I pressed the do not disturb mode at muling tumingin rito. "Eat"

Namamasa ang mga matang bumaling ito sa pinggan niya at dahan-dahang kinuha ang mga kubyertos. She ate slow. Sa bawat pagsubo ay kaunti lang ang nababawas sa pagkain nito.

I told her hindi kami aalis roon hanggang sa hindi niya nauubos ang pagkain niya. I just let her stop when her tears started falling.

"Anong nakakiyak?" I coldly asked her.

"I said I don't wanna eat, Mommy," mahinang sambit nito.

I heaved a deep sigh at inabutan siya ng panyo. "Wipe your tears now. We'll leave."

Pinahid nito ang luha gamit ang mga braso at nanatiling nakayuko sa pinggan niya. Hinintay kong dalhin sa mesa ng take out bago ko ito muling dalhin sa sasakyan.

As expected, his father was waiting in front of the garage. I could get the car inside dahil nakaharang siya roon. He immediately opened the backseat's door nang huminto ako.

"Eli..."

"Daddy..."

Buhat niya na ito nang makababa ako ng sasakyan. They were hugging each other tight like as if I kidnapped her.

"How are you? Are you okay?"

"I'm okay, daddy..."

"What happened to your eyes? Did you cry?"

Eli looked at me and said nothing. His father also shifted his gaze at me and gave me a glare.

"Let's get inside. Take a bath and rest."

Pinanuod ko lang ang mga itong pumasok sa loob ng gate.

CHASE KARSON MAJARES' POV

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I went inside her room and walked towards her.

"What's wrong with you?" I asked irritatedly at her.

"Don't you know how to knock?"

My jaw clenched. "Ano na naman ang ginawa mo sa bata, huh?"

"I fetched her. Is there something wrong with that, or there's something wrong with the way you are reacting?"

"You don't have to fetch her. I was there."

"Why not? She's my daughter. I'll fetch her whenever I please."

"And you didn't even tell me? You were even ignoring my calls," malamig pa rin na sambit ko.

"Why do I have to tell you? Do you own her? Do you own all the rights to her?"

"Eli won't go with you if you didn't force her. You're making the kid more scared of you."

"Is that what you told her? Are you trying t manipulate her?"

"Am I? O baka ikaw?" malamig na tanong ko rito. "You won't fetch her unless I begged, right? But what are you doing now? All of a sudden gusto mong sunduin siya? For what?"

"You think you won? You think you get her easily?"

Lalo pang nagtangis ang bagang ko at nararamdam ko na naman ang apoy sa didbib ko habang nakatigin sa kanya.

"Don't ever use her, Lia. Don't ever manipulate her and hurt her eventually. Don't make me hate you even more."

"Hate me. Hate me all you want. I don't give a damn. Now, if you don't mind, you can get out of here."

"We'll leave. You like it or not."

"Let's see. If you can really convince her to leave."

Unit-unting kumuyom ang mga palad ko habang matalim pa rin na nakatingin sa kanya.

"I wish I have known from the very beginning that you are really like that. Heartless."

"At kung nalaman noon pa?"

"Then I wouldn't waste my time giving a damn about you."

Muli ko itong binigyan ng matalim na tingin bago tuluyang lumabas ng silid niya. I composed myself bago ko binalikan si Eli sa silid niya.

Nakahiga na ito sa bed and she said she didn't want to eat. It was fine dahil alam ko magigising siya ng hating-gabi and wait for me to come home from work para gawan siya ng late dinner.

"Okay ka lang ba?" malumanay na tang ko sa kanya and caressed her hair.

She nodded. "I'm okay, daddy."

"Don't worry... bukas susubukan kong sunduin ka nang mas maaga."

"Okay, daddy."

Tumabi ako sa kanya sa bed at inunan ang ulo niya sa dibdib ko.

"Daddy?"

"Hmm?"

"Don't ever give me to mommy, okay?"

I smiled a little at her and caressed her cheek. " I won't."

"Don't die and leave me forever, okay? I don't wanna be like mommy. Sad and masungit."

I chuckled. "I won't leave you. Daddy will grow old with you."

"I'll take care of you, I promise." I let her kiss my lips and hug me tight.

Hindi nawala ang bahagyang ngiti sa mga labi ko habang nararadmamn ko pa rin ang bigat sa dibdib ko. Maybe it was really... time to let go. Let go of the dreams na hindi naman talaga matutupad at malabo naman talaga mula sa umpisa.

Maybe... it was time to let go Lia Eliza and just have my Liana Elizabeth dahil noong dumating siya sa buhay ko... siya lang naman talaga ang matatawag kong sa akin.