A Husband's Regret (ENGLISH)

Chapter Two

Unexpected Encounter

Saturday arrived, and I woke up with my little son sleeping beside me. I was so tired last night that I didn't even wake up when my son lay down next to me while I was asleep. It has been a busy week. Due to the upcoming change in management, we were rushing to finish our pending books to be published. Thankfully, Aegeus doesn't seem to be getting bullied at daycare anymore after I went and talked to his teacher.

I got up slowly, but before I could fully stand, my son opened his eyes. I smiled and kissed his cheeks.

"Good morning, handsome..."

"Good morning Mommy," he smiled and sat up, rubbing his eyes. "It's Saturday, right, Mommy?"

I nodded with a smile. "Yes, baby."

"Yay! It's Aegeus' favorite day, Mommy!"

He hugged me and held me tight. "We'll have our date, okay?"

"Yes, where does my baby want to go?"

"To the zoo! I want to see an elephant!"

"Okay then, we'll go to the zoo--"

I didn't finish my sentence because my cellphone rang. I picked it up and sighed when I saw who was calling.

Here we go again.

"My, it's grandma! Tell her to come with us!" my son exclaimed excitedly upon seeing my mom's caller ID picture.

"Go downstairs, baby. I'm sure Yaya has prepared breakfast," I instructed him before answering the call.

I closed my eyes as I heard sobbing on the other end before I could even say anything.

Here we go again!

"My, what is it again?"

I heard my mother's deep sniff before she responded. "Sammie, please come with me, dear. M-My husband didn't come home last night, and my friend said he's at a hotel--"

"My! Let him do whatever he wants! Just get an annulment for God's sake!"

"You know I can't do that! I love--"

"Bullshit! He's cheating again, isn't he?! What number is this for him this year?" I cut off her repeating lines.

I moved my phone away from my ear as my mother's crying escalated. I held onto my cellphone tightly and tried to calm myself down.

"My... it's Saturday, I can't go with you. Aegeus and I have plans--"

"I understand, dear. I-I'll just go with your brother--"

My eyes widened. "You know what will happen if you take Kuya with you, My! Are you serious? The last time you let him come with you, he almost killed Dad!"

I loathed my father. I hated him. I really do; he deserved what my brother did to him. But along with my father's hospitalization came my mother's hospitalization. I can't let that happen again.

"B-But I can't go alone--"

"Then don't go!"

"Sammie, I w-want to see him! This might be the last time I tolerate his behavior. If he cheats again, I'm leaving him and coming home to you! I promise!"

I wanted to scream at my mother for her words. Countless promises she never fulfilled.

"This will be the last time, My."

"Th-Thank you--"

I didn't let her finish, and I hung up quickly.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I felt pity for my mother. I had grown up witnessing her tears due to my father's repeated betrayals. She spent half her life like this, chasing my father, crying each time he found another woman, trying to leave but never succeeding. A hug. A kiss. An apology. She would transform back into a loving wife for my father.

She loved him that much, and I despised that kind of love. I would never be like her.

Why would you choose to stay in a relationship that only brings you pain?

She used to say that she didn't want us to grow up without a father, so she clung to a relationship where she was the only one loving. When I moved away and started a life in another country, I hoped she would finally leave my father. But she didn't.

She didn't love us as much as she loved my father. If she did, she would choose us over him. How many times did my brother and I beg her to leave our womanizing father? Too many. Until my brother and I got tired and decided to distance ourselves from the dysfunctional family.

But it seemed like "like mother, like daughter." Just when I thought I had found a faithful man, he turned out to be like my father – a cheater.

You're happy now, Sam, stop thinking about him.

I shook my head, trying to dispel those thoughts. I hurriedly went through my morning routine and caught Aegeus eagerly eating his breakfast.

"My, Yaya has fixed my things..."

I smiled sadly and stroked his hair. "Baby, Mommy has something to take care of. Grandma wants to go somewhere, but we'll go to the mall later. How about we going to the zoo tomorrow?"

Aegeus' smile vanished, and he pouted. "But today is Saturday, it's our date."

"I know, sweetheart. Mommy is sorry, but grandma needs me."

"Can I come with you, Mommy?" he asked, his voice sweet and pleading, while wrapping his arms around my waist.

"Baby, kids aren't allowed there."

He let go and frowned. "Okay, Mommy."

"Grandma and I will buy you some Legos--"

"How many?" he quickly interrupted.

"One?"

He pouted more and displayed a small finger. "Two, Mommy? Please..."

"I'll buy you two plus a pizza," I said with a smile.

"Yay! I'll wait for you, Mommy. Love you!"

He hopped off his chair, kissed me on the lips, and ran off. I smiled and hugged him tight.

"I love you so much, baby..."

***

"Why do people cheat?"

I don't understand. If you're no longer happy, why not just separate? Why not just leave?

It would be better if my father would just leave my mother than see her crying and him begging for her forgiveness every time he's caught in his misdeeds.

I don't believe he loves my mother anymore, even despite all the other women he's been with. He never even thought of leaving my mother.

He won't leave, but his love for my mother has long faded. All Sandra Miller did all her life was beg for her husband's affection.

"Mom, did you take your medication?" I recall asking her.

Almost two years ago, my mother was diagnosed with anxiety and PTSD. Since then, she's been on medication. All because of my good-for-nothing father.

I asked my mother, who was staring blankly as tears flowed down both her cheeks. I grabbed a tissue and handed it to her.

Our driver, who I booked for the day because my car is under coding, had been glancing at us since earlier.

"Are we almost there?"

I checked my phone and nodded. "Two minutes."

"Mom, did you..."

"Do I still need to? S-Sammie, I thought this time things would be okay. It's been three months; he's only been going between home and the office. Hanz hasn't said anything either! Why does he never run out of women to flirt with?! He's married, yet he still pursues them!"

I closed my eyes and pressed my temples, feeling a headache coming on. He wouldn't be able to flirt if he wasn't so flirtatious in the first place.

But he was the infamous womanizer, Colton Miller, and my mother thought she could change him.

Too bad. He didn't change.

At 53, my mother, Sandra Miller, still looks beautiful and sexy. She was a former Miss Philippines, but she gave up the crown to become a devoted wife to my father. I don't know why she's still putting up with him.

You know it... she's in love...

Damn that love. Pure bullshit. If someone cheats on you, it's over. Stop holding onto them.

Before we enter the restaurant, my mother and I head to the restroom to freshen up. She's Sandra Miller; she always ensures she looks presentable and stunning in front of my father's mistresses.

"Your Aunt Sol called, your Dad's in the restaurant."

"Let's go then, but please, Mom, don't cause a scene."

She nods, gripping my hand as if drawing strength from it. I squeeze her cold hand.

We entered the restaurant, but I halted when I accidentally bumped into a man's back in a corner. I don't know why, but the sensation feels familiar.

"S-Sammie?"

I shake my head, thinking it's impossible for him to be here. It would be next to impossible. There's no reason for him to be here.

"My—"

I don't finish my sentence as he steps away and walks off. I caught sight of my father at the far end of the restaurant. He's smiling, engaged in conversation with a woman who has her back turned to us.

Just as I suspected!

My mother arrives there, pouring juice over the woman's head. I quickened my pace and grabbed Mommy's arm, shooting a glare at my pale-looking father.

"Oh my God!" the woman shrieks, around my age and as pretty as I expected.

"You're a w***e!"

"Who the hell are you?!" the woman snaps back, struggling to clean herself up.

Lucky for her, it was juice that my Mommy grabbed.

"Who am I? I'm that man's wife, you slut!" my mother angrily, pointing her forefinger at my father.

"Sandra, it's not what you think! She's just our new employee—"

My father wasn't able to finish his sentence as Mommy slapped him hard. It's a surprising sight, not just for me but for my father as well.

Even though my mother witnessed my father's infidelity countless times, she never slapped my father. She would usually direct her anger towards objects. She'd even hit my father's chest, but she never slapped him.

"S-Sandra..." my father called out to my tearful mother. There was fear in his eyes.

I guess, this is really the last time...

"I'm done, Colton."

"My...I think—"

"Sandra, no—"

"It's been three decades. I endured that long, but I can't anymore. I've been saying that I stayed by your side all these years because I love you. I love you so much that I couldn't live without you. I can't lose you. I believed that you'd change, even though I know that's impossible."

I always thought my mother was weak because she couldn't let go of a love that was hurting her. But now I can see how strong she is for staying in an unfaithful relationship.

"But the truth is, it's not just that. I'm not holding onto you just because I love you, but also because I don't want to see you happy with someone else. I'm keeping you in this relationship because I want you to suffer too. I don't want you to be free. But our children were right. I'm the only one suffering. I'm the only one getting hurt." Mommy lowered her head and wept.

It's like her final cry for the man who did nothing but hurt her. The entire place fell silent, and even the security I noticed earlier didn't approach us. I embraced Mommy, patting her back. The woman my Daddy was with awkwardly ran away. Meanwhile, my father's eyes were filled with fear, much like mine. He seems to realize this is the end. It's over for him.

"Sandra... No, I promise—"

"Dad, please. Enough," I told him, firmly shaking my head.

My father turned pale and sat down. As I was about to lead Mommy away, I was surprised by my Daddy collapsing onto the floor.

His fall created a thud. He clutched his chest, his lips turning blue.

"C-Colton!" Mommy shouted as she moved away from me. She knelt beside Daddy, shaking him.

I felt like a statue standing in place, staring at my father's condition. I hate him, but he's still my father.

"D-Dad?!" I sat down, my hands trembling touching him soaked in his juice-covered shirt.

Mommy cried while calling for help. I realized tears were streaming down my cheeks too.

"Daddy!!!" I screamed and pressed my ear against his chest. I shook him while searching for his heartbeat.

"Call 911!" a familiar voice shouted from behind.

I turned, and my heartbeat quickened even more when I looked into his blue eyes.

Pisces...

He hurried over to Daddy and adjusted his position, his hands starting CPR.

This can't be happening...