How to Break a Billionaire's Heart (SPG)

Chapter 13

Nagising si Eloise sa sinag ng araw na tumatama sa mukha niya. Mabigat pa ang talukap ng kan’yang mga mata at ilang segundo rin bago niya maalala kung nasaan siya. Kung sino ang katabi niya.

Estevan’s arm was draped over her waist, his bare chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm behind her. Binalot siya ng init ng katawan ng binata at ang amoy nito’y kumakapit sa kan’yang balat na parang alaalang ayaw kumawala.

Walang ingay sa kwarto kun’di ang mahinang tunog ng air conditioning at ang hininga nilang dalawa. But inside her chest, her heart was pounding like it didn’t belong to her anymore.

She should’ve moved. She should’ve slipped out of bed and distanced herself before he could wake up. But she didn’t…she couldn’t.

Eloise stared at the ceiling, not daring to move at first. Her body was sore, but not in a painful way—just enough to remind her of what they did. Of how he made her feel last night. Of how she let herself want him.

At ngayon…heto na naman siya. Stuck in this silence.

You let him touch you. You let him look at you like you were his. You let him in.

She closed her eyes for a second, wishing she could stop time—or rewind it.

Pero sa likod ng kan'yang isipan, naroon ang katotohanang pilit kumakawala na hindi rin niya gustong baguhin ang nangyari kagabi. And that scared her more than anything.

Her breath trembled as she slowly sat up, careful not to wake him. The sheet slipped down her waist, exposing the bare skin he had touched with such quiet reverence last night. Her fingers curled against the mattress.

This wasn’t supposed to feel like this.

She stood barefoot on the wooden floor, her sundress lying where it had fallen last night—by the corner chair, near the glass door that led out to the deck.

Halos tumiklop ang kan’yang mga tuhod nang tumindig siys nang tuwid. Hindi dahil sa kahinaan na nararamdaman, kun’di sa mga alaala kagabi na dumaragsa sa isipan. Every kiss. Every whisper. Every time he asked, “Are you sure?” and waited for her answer.

I shouldn’t have said yes.

Naispatan niya ang sarili niyang repleksyon sa salamin sa kabilang dulo ng silid. Magulo ang kan’yang itsura, namumula ang pisngi, namamaga ang mga labi, at magulo pati ang kan’yang buhok. A girl who looked like she had just been wanted. Or worse, loved for that moment.

Pero hindi siya 'yon. Hindi siya pwedeng maging ‘yon. Alam niya kung hanggang saan lamang ang lahat ng ‘to. Alam niya kung hanggang saan lang ang kayang ibigay ni Estevan. At mas lalong alam niya na isang kahibangan ang kalimutan ang ginawa nito sa kapatid niya.

Mariin niyang kinagat ang pang-ibabang labi at umiling.

Pumasok siya sa banyo at marahang isinara ang pinto. Sumandal siya sa lababo, parehong kamay ay nakahawak sa malamig na marmol habang nakatitig sa repleksyon niya.

Isang buntong-hininga ang kumawala sa kan'ya—hiningang hindi man lang niya namalayang pinipigilan.

This is for Elizabeth, she reminded herself. Hindi ka nandito para mahalin. Hindi ka nandito para masaktan.

But the worst part wasn’t the guilt. It was the ache—the ache that told her she didn’t regret what happened.

Binuksan niya ang gripo at hinayaang dumaloy ang malamig na tubig. Naghilamos siya ng mukha makaraan ang ilang sandali, umaasang mahuhugasan nito ang init na nananatili pa rin sa kan’yang balat. But even when her face was dripping and her chest was heaving, it didn’t go away.

Why did he have to be like that? He was so gentle, the way he touched her screamed respectfulness, like it was real for him. That's what they had was real.

Elizabeth, this is for Elizabeth. He is not yours to want, giit niya sa sarili.

But the ache in her chest said otherwise. Tila niloloko lang niya ang sarili niya. And it’s something that she didn’t want to admit to herself.

“s**t,” she whispered, wiping at her face with shaking hands.

Makaraan ang ilang sandali, isang mahinang katok ang bumasag sa katahimikan.

“Eloise?” It was Estevan. His voice was low and uncertain.

Napatigil siya at napalingon sa pinto.

Hindi niya ito sinagot.

“Are you okay?” tanong ng binata. His voice was groggy, concerned.

Eloise shut her eyes tightly, as if that could make everything disappear.

“I’m fine,” she replied, her voice was thin but steady.

Saglit na tumahimik si Estevan sa kabilang pinto. “I’ll make a coffee. Come out on the rear deck when you're ready.”

Coffee on a yacht after the night they shared? How absurd.

“Give me a minute,” she said.

Ilang sandaling katahimikan ang nabuo sa pagitan nil abago niya narinig ang mga yapak nito palayo. Isang pagbukas at pagsirado ng pinto mula sa labas ng banyo ang narinig niya bago tuluyang tumahimik ang paligid.

Sumandal siya sa likod ng pinto ng banyo at dahan-dahang bumagsak sa sahig, yakap-yakap ang sariling mga tuhod.

This wasn’t the plan.

But for one night, she let herself forget.

And now… she didn’t know how to take it back.

Makalipas ang sampung minuto, lumabas si Eloise mula sa k'warto. Suot niya ulit ang sundress na suot niya kahapon.

Dahan-dahan niyang binuksan ang sliding glass door papunta sa rear deck. Basa pa ang ilang hibla ng buhok niya, mula sa tubig na isinaboy niya sa batok kanina.

Sinalubong siya ng maalat na simoy ng hangin na marahang dumadampi sa kan’yang balat. Nakatayo roon si Estevan malapit sa isang coffee table kung saan may dalawang mug na nakapatong.

“Hey,” he said, turning when he heard her footsteps.

“Hey,” she replied, arms crossed over her chest.

He handed her a mug. “Black, no sugar.”

Tumango siya. “Thanks.”

They stood there, side by side, both looking out at the water. Banayad na humahampas ang mga alon sa magkabilang gilid ng yate. It was peaceful. Almost too peaceful for what she was feeling inside.

“I hope you slept okay,” he said.

“Mm,” she hummed, taking a slow sip. “I did.”

He studied her over the rim of his cup. “You’re quiet.”

“I usually am,” sagot niya rito, hindi tinitingnan man lang ang katabi.

Hindi na nagkomento pa si Estevan. Tumango lang siya rito at muling humigop sa kape. But the silence stretched between them, and it wasn’t like last night’s silence—warm and intimate. This one was…fragile.

“Do you regret it?” tanong ni Estevan nang biglaan.

Natigilan si Eloise. She looked up at him, her grip tightening around the mug.

“No,” she admitted, and it was the truth. “But I’m trying not to think about it.”

Nagsalubong ang mga kilay ni Estevan. “Why not?”

“Because thinking makes it real.”

“Wasn’t it?”

Don’t do this, Eloise wanted to say. Don’t make it harder than it already is.

Instead, she looked down at her coffee and whispered, “It wasn’t supposed to be.”

Bahagyang napakunot ng noo si Estevan. “I don’t understand.”

“You weren’t supposed to be…” Her voice cracked a little. “You weren’t supposed to be like this.”

“This?” Mas lalong naguluhan ang binata sa sinabi niya.

“Gentle…” Her voice dropped even more. “Real.”

Ibinaba ni Estevan ang hawak niyang mug, saka tinawid ang distansya sa pagitan nila. Maingat niyang kinuha ang tasa mula sa mga kamay ni Eloise at inilapag ito sa tabi. Pagkatapos, hinawakan niya ang mukha nito—banayad pero mariin—pilit siyang pinatititig sa kan'ya.

“I meant everything I did last night, Eloise,” he muttered. “And if it meant something to you…kahit konti lang…I won’t pretend it didn’t happen.”

Hindi alam ni Eloise ang sasabihin. She’s confused about what he was trying to say. Isn’t this part of the deal?

“Estevan—”

“I’m not asking for anything. I just want you to know I’m not going to play dumb about this.”

Tumitig siya rito, pagkatapos ay umiling. “I don’t need you to mean it.”

“But I do.”

Eloise’s throat tightened. Nagtagal ang tingin niya sa g'wapong mukha ng binata.

You don’t know what you’re saying. You don’t know what I’m here for. If only you knew about my plan, you wouldn’t be saying this, tahimik na wika niya sa isipan.

Estevan’s hand lifted as if to reach for her cheek, but she stepped back. “Please don’t.”

“Eloise—”

“I just need some air.”

Hindi niya siya pinigilan. Wala rin siyang sinabing kahit ano para manatili ito. Dumaan lang si Eloise sa harap niya, tahimik na tinungo ang unahan ng yate—doon sa deck kung saan mas malakas ang hampas ng hangin, at mas malawak ang tanaw sa dagat.

She leaned against the railing. Humahapdi ang mga mata niya dahil sa mataas nang sikat ng araw.

What are you doing? she asked herself. Bakit mo hinayaang lumalim ito?

Because for one night, it felt like she wasn’t broken. That someone could touch her like she wasn’t a weapon. She was chanting about her plan while doing it with Estevan. Ngunit tila ginagawa lang niya iyon upang mabigyan ng katanggap-tanggap na rason ang nararamdaman niya sa mga oras na iyon.

Dumapo ang kamay niya sa kan’yang dibdib. Ramdam niya ang malakas na pagtibok nito.

Then, a few minutes later, she heard his footsteps again—but this time, he didn’t come closer. He just stood a few feet away.

“I won’t ask you to stay,” Estevan said. “But I want you to.”

She didn’t answer. Hinayaan niya itong magsalita lamang.

“I know something’s going on with you. Something you’re not telling me.”

Napasinghap siya sa narinig at napakapit sa tela ng suot na dress.

“But I’m not going to force it out of you, Eloise. Just know that I meant what I said…and what I did.”

Mas lalo siyang naguluhan. Why did he sound like he was forgetting about the deal? Unti-unti na bang gumagana ang plano niya? Ang ibig sabihin ba nito’y malapit na niyang bitawan ang binata at iwanang durog na durog?

All those questions clouded her mind. Pero hindi niya alam kung bakit sa likod ng mga iyon ay tila may kirot siyang nararamdaman.

Her fingers tightened around the metal railing. “Then you shouldn’t have done any of it.”

“But you let me.”

She bit her inside cheek. “I know.”

And with that, she walked to the edge of the deck, letting the wind sting her face. Because it was easier than letting him see her cry. And she didn’t even know why tears were slowly rolling down her cheeks.