ONLY HAVE YOU

CHAPTER 16

-JAYDEN POV-

I can’t even blame her for what happened. She was right. May asawa na ako noon, but I still hurt her. No matter how much I try to justify it, mali pa rin ang ginawa ko kay Belle. Every time I remember the way she cried before leaving, parang may mabigat na bagay na dumidiin sa dibdib ko.

Back then, ako mismo ang unang tumutol na ipaalam sa iba ang relasyon namin. She was still young. Nag-aaral pa siya noon, and I didn’t want her future to be ruined because of an arranged marriage she wasn’t even emotionally prepared for. I thought I was protecting her. But now… she’s the one hiding our marriage. And somehow, that hurts more than I expected.

Today is the second day of her shoot at Imperial Agency, and honestly… I still can’t believe how much she changed.

Belle became beautiful in a way that makes people stop and stare. Not just because of her face, but because of the confidence she carries now. The shy little girl who used to quietly follow me around the house is gone. This Belle is different. She knows how to stand on her own.

Tahimik akong nakatingin mula sa monitoring area habang ginagawa niya ang first set ng shoot. She was wearing a fitted black silk dress, her long hair softly falling over her shoulders habang inaayos siya ng stylists. The entire studio felt focused on her.

And damn…

She looked like she belonged there.

The photographer kept praising her while the staff rushed around the set.

“Perfect, Ms. Belle!”

“Beautiful! Hold that pose!”

“Great expression!”

Every movement she made looked natural. Effortless. Parang hindi siya kinakabahan kahit maraming taong nakatingin sa kanya. She slowly lifted the wine glass in her hand while maintaining eye contact with the camera, and everyone inside the studio seemed impressed by her presence.

And for some reason…

I felt proud.

“Sir…” mahinang sabi ni Jun habang nakatayo sa tabi ko. “Baka matunaw si Ms. Belle sa kakatitig mo.”

Hindi ko siya pinansin.

Because honestly, I couldn’t stop looking at her.

Yesterday, when I wrapped my arm around her waist outside the building… iba ang pakiramdam. The way my chest tightened caught me off guard. For the first time, hindi ko na siya nakita bilang batang si Belle.

She’s already a woman.

And maybe that’s what scares me the most.

“She changed a lot,” mahina kong sabi habang nakatitig pa rin sa kanya. “She’s not the same little girl anymore.”

Napangiti si Jun. “Finally realized it?”

I ignored him, but deep inside, magulo talaga ako. Because every time another man looks at her now, something inside me gets irritated.

At lalo ko iyong naramdaman nang magsimula ang next concept ng shoot.

The director gathered Belle and Dave Gomez in the middle of the set habang ipinapaliwanag ang next scene. Dave was one of the most famous male models in the country. Tall, confident, and annoyingly good-looking.

And I hated how comfortable he looked standing beside my wife.

The two of them were reviewing the script together habang nakangiti si Dave kay Belle. Tapos si Belle… she smiled back politely.

That alone already irritated me.

“Okay,” sabi ng director habang hawak ang storyboard. “For the next scene, after the wine toast, slowly move closer to Ms. Belle… then kiss her.”

Biglang nanlamig ang buong katawan ko.

"What?"

Parang kusa akong napatayo.

Hindi puwede ’yon.

Before I could even think properly, naglalakad na ako papunta sa set. Agad natahimik ang buong studio nang makita nila ako.

“Sir Jaden?” gulat na sabi ng director. “Nandito po pala kayo.”

Hindi ko inalis ang tingin ko sa hawak niyang script.

“Change the scene.”

Natigilan silang lahat.

“Sir?”

“Remove the kiss.”

Tahimik ang buong paligid.

Even Belle looked shocked.

The director awkwardly laughed. “Sir… part po kasi iyon ng concept ng advertiser—”

“I said change it.” Malamig ang boses ko, but I could already feel my patience running thin.

“A hug would be enough. There’s no need for a kissing scene.”

Napatingin si Dave sa’kin, halatang confused sa bigla kong pagkontra.

“But sir—”

“If you can’t change it,” putol ko habang diretsong nakatingin sa director, “then stop the shoot.”

Biglang natahimik ang lahat.

Ramdam ko agad ang tingin ni Belle sa’kin.

Confused. Maybe even angry.

Pero wala akong pakialam sa tingin ng ibang tao that moment. All I could think about was another man kissing her in front of everyone.

And I hated it.

The director immediately nodded. “O-okay po, sir. We’ll revise the scene.”

Napabuntong-hininga ako bago tuluyang tumalikod at umalis ng set.

Pagpasok ko sa office, agad akong sinundan ni Jun. The moment the door closed behind us, napatawa siya.

“Sir… seriously?”

Napabagsak ako ng folder sa mesa ko.

“What?”

“You literally stopped the entire production because of one kiss scene.”

Napairap ako habang hinihimas ang sentido ko.

“Okay lang ba sa’yo na may ibang lalaking hahalik sa asawa mo?”

Biglang lumawak ang ngisi niya.

“There it is.”

Napakunot-noo ako. “What?”

“You’re jealous.”

Agad akong napailing.

“That’s ridiculous.”

“Really?” natatawa niyang sabi habang nakasandal sa mesa ko. “Because that didn’t look like concern earlier. Mukha kang handang sirain ang buong studio.”

Napapikit ako sandali.

Because damn it… Maybe he was right.

I’ve never reacted this way before.

Not with Belle.

Before she left, I kept convincing myself na responsibility ko lang siya. That I cared for her because she was family.

But now?

Now I get irritated every time another man gets close to her.

Especially Dave. The way he smiles at her. The way he looks at her. I hate it.

“She’s my wife,” malamig kong sabi.

“And now you finally sound like a husband,” sagot agad ni Jun.

Natigilan ako.

Tahimik akong napatingin sa glass wall ng office kung saan tanaw ko ulit ang studio.

Nandoon si Belle, fixing her hair while talking to the staff. She looked calm, professional… beautiful.

And suddenly, I remembered the day she left.

Doon ko lang narealize kung gaano kalaki ang parte niya sa buhay ko.

At ngayong bumalik siya…

I don’t think I can let her disappear again.