The Love That Found Me

CHAPTER 03

BREAK-UP

“…she doesn’t actually want what she thought she wanted all along.” –Alex Flinn

VINCE

She was not picking up his calls and that left a lot of worries in him. He was on my way to her townhouse, where they always rendezvous secretly since they got back together. Finally, He is freed from that pathetic tradition without breaching any stipulations that comes with it. It will be messy for sure. He and Aya both belonged to one of the prominent families of the country. Wanting to protect Elizabeth from the scandal of his failed marriage, he asked her to run away with him. He had it all planned out.

Hastily, he parked his car at the entrance of Elizabeth’s property. He no longer mind if I’d be seen by anyone.

“Beth…” He knocked at her door several times before it opened but it was not Elizabeth behind the door. It was Alejandro, Elizabeth’s best friend and also her cover-up boyfriend.

More than astounded, Vince was baffled by the man’s presence.

“Alejandro? Why are you here? Where is Beth?”  But the man just gave him a stern look. He could feel something bad was about to happen.

“Eli will not see you anymore. Go home, Vince. Go back to your wife.” His nickname to Beth had somewhat been giving him irks. It is as though they have been in a world where he was not part of.

“This is none of your business Gonzales. Let me speak to her.”

“Is it, really? As far as I know, it’s you who’s not supposed to be here, Buenvenida.”

He balled his fist as his patience wear off.

“Well, Beth is expecting me so step aside.” Stern eyes matched in equal fury. No one’s backing down, not that he plans to.

“Enough!”

Elizabeth’s voice was enough to disconnect their glares; still Alejandro didn’t move an inch.

“Beth! I am here now, babe.” However, the relief he just felt crushed down by how the woman looked at him.

“I told you we’re over the last time, which part of it was not clear to you.”

“I finally left her. I told you I just needed some time. The tradition has some stipulations… and I−“

“She said it’s over. Now, leave.” Alejandro once again stepped in which really irate him!

“This is just between Beth and me!”

“Leave, Vince. I don’t want to have anything to do with you…” Elizabeth said.

“No Beth! I love you and we have plans. I am sorry it took this long but we can be together now.” He was almost begging.

“If you truly have loved me, then why did you make me your secret affair? I couldn’t sleep at night thinking I am being used to destroy a marriage, to hurt your wife. And if you truly have loved like what you used to say, why didn’t you fight for me? Was losing your wealth scared you more than losing me?” Anger and pain were in her eyes. Alejandro went to Elizabeth and hugged her protectively.

Stunned, he couldn’t utter a word… Somehow, her words hit him.

“Go home, Vince. Can’t you see your wife loves you?” Elizabeth said while inside Alejandro’s arms.

“But I don’t love her! I never did and you know that!” He never cared for Aya. Hatred was all he had for that woman.

Elizabeth went to the door.

“Because you are selfish! You are not capable of love!”

“Beth…”

“Good bye, Vincent.”  Door shut in his face, but he did not want to give up just yet. He kept knocking, hoping he could talk some sense to Beth. Soon after, the village security came over and drove him off the area. He was also informed that he got banned from entering the vicinity as he was reported for the harassment.

INSIDE HIS HOTEL ROOM, he’s squeezing his hair while lying on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Everything had been thoughtfully planned out, it was almost perfect. This was extremely unexpected! Now, what? He had never been this clueless in his life.

“…You are selfish!”

 Elizabeth’s words kept on echoing in him. Is he? He just wanted to break away with the tradition. He was forced to marry Aya whom he never met. He asked her for so many times to back down, but she insisted. Aya was the selfish one and no one can see it from his perspective.

Aya…

He closed his eyes and the image of her begging him to stay suddenly appeared in his mind. It was unpleasant to remember. Unfortunately, the memories didn’t stop there. It went through and through, from seeing his wife cried silently in a corner to her bruises and wounds in the morning after he lost control over alcohol the night before. Like a dream, his aggression appeared in blurry scenes. He never hit her in his sober mind though verbal abuses were also in the package.

Conscience has no place for what he intended to do – make her regret her decision and give up. He couldn’t file the annulment himself as they are bound by the stipulations of their tradition. Only the female in the party could decline or call it quits. Otherwise, there were high price to pay. In his case, his father placed all his assets, including his new found business, in the stipulations. He couldn’t afford losing those things he worked hard earning. It was a manipulation at its finest.

However, there was still a way out. The stipulations would be applicable within two years of marriage. If things still didn’t work out after the said duration, he could then get out of his marriage with all his assets unharmed. And that’s what happened.

Again, now what?

Aya…

Well... She might still accept him. Will she? He did not like that idea but where else will he go?

Exhausted, he drifted to sleep. By the morning, he decided to go to his office as he was not ready to face his wife yet.  His secretary, Lily was surprised to see him.

“I thought you’re on a month vacation, Sir?” That was the plan. He and Elizabeth would escape abroad and stay there until the end of his annulment. But she left him, hanging and clueless.

“Get me a cup coffee and a clubhouse sandwich, please. Thank you.” He said instead of explaining, it would only annoy him.

He got inside his office and flopped in his receiving couch. He prepared a good handover to his cousin, while he was away, therefore there's nothing really left for him to do there.

See the hard work he had spent on just to get to this day? And the irony of it crushing before him, he could taste all the bitterness.

He sighed. Turning his flat screen on, he passed by channels after channels indecisively. His food came in after.

Too much turmoil, he wanted to scream all his frustration out. Unfair, the world is unfair! Elizabeth, Aya, his parents…. They are all unfair!

Closing his eyes harder to prevent crying and ran his palms on his face.

But the world was not done yet. Just as he was about to change the channel yet again, another blow hit him.

“Elizabeth De Vera finally engaged to Business Tycoon boyfriend, Alejandro Gonzales.” The news anchor said.