My Mr. Delulu

Chapter 6 – Old Ghosts

The apartment was cloaked in soft golden light, the kind that makes you want to stay still and just breathe. Outside, the city was winding down, but inside, we were already settled — dishes washed, toys packed away, and Kent snuggled under his dinosaur blanket. The quiet was comforting.

I sat cross-legged on the couch, my back against the cushions, holding a warm mug of thick chocolate made from tablea. The rich scent wrapped around me like a memory.

Eitan sat beside me, laptop closed for the night, his palm warm against the small of my back. His presence was steady, grounding. A silent reassurance.

“You look tired,” he murmured, brushing a stray hair from my cheek.

I managed a smile. “Just… a lot on my mind.”

“Work?” he asked, voice soft.

I nodded slowly. “Work. Life. Maybe some old ghosts.”

He tilted his head slightly, concern flickering in his eyes. But he didn’t push. He never did unless I opened the door first.

“I didn’t open the message,” I said after a long pause. “But I saw the name. Zander Cruz.”

He didn’t flinch.

Instead, he reached over and gently took my mug, setting it aside so he could hold both my hands. “You don’t have to explain. But if you want to, I’m here.”

My chest tightened — not from guilt, but from love. This was why I married him. Because he knew how to stay, even when the winds of my past came knocking.

“We met a long time ago,” I said. “Back when I was still trying to figure out who I was, or who I wanted to be.”

“Tell me,” he said softly.

So I did.

2015 – The First Encounter

The sun was relentless that morning, turning the expo hall into a low-budget sauna. My blouse clung to my back, and the strap of my bag kept sliding off my shoulder. The printed copies of my resume were curling at the edges from the humidity.

I was twenty-two. Fresh out of school. All nerves and dreams, with a pair of black heels that pinched too tight and a notebook filled with motivational quotes I barely believed in.

The venue was packed. Students buzzed from one booth to another, chasing hopes of a better future. I felt like a small fish in a very loud, airless pond.

I stood in a line — I didn’t even know which company it was for. I just knew I had to start somewhere.

“Ano’ng line ito?” I asked the girl ahead of me.

“Marketing team daw ng NXTel,” she replied, fanning herself with a folder.

I almost stepped out of line to look for another booth when a voice behind me said, “You’re in the wrong line, pero bagay ka sa marketing.”

I turned around.

Tall. Confident. Too confident, actually. His sleeves were rolled up like he wasn’t sweating at all. He wore a lazy smile that didn’t quite match the chaos of job fair day.

“Do I know you?” I asked, squinting.

“Not yet,” he grinned. “But maybe you should.”

Zander Cruz.

I didn’t know then that this man would become part of a chapter I’d bury so deep, I almost forgot it existed. Almost.

Back then, I wasn’t ready for forever. But he didn’t offer forever either. He offered a moment. A season. A detour.

Present Day

Eitan’s hand remained steady in mine.

He didn’t ask more. He just leaned in and kissed my forehead. “I trust you,” he said. “And I’m here — no matter what memories knock.”

I blinked fast, trying not to cry.

We didn’t need more words. We were both tired, but safe. Wrapped in the quiet of a shared life.

Tomorrow was going to be another full day. My OB check-up was at 2 PM, and Eitan already filed for half-day leave so we wouldn’t be rushed. I was supposed to be working from home too, but I took a leave. I needed a pause — not just for my body, but for my mind.

“Let’s bring Kent with us tomorrow,” I whispered as I leaned against his chest. “After the check-up, we can grab dinner outside. Somewhere he’ll enjoy.”

Eitan chuckled, warm and low. “He’ll demand chicken nuggets and ice cream.”

“And we’ll give in,” I smiled. “Like we always do.”

He nodded, then rested his chin on top of my head.

Still, as I closed my eyes, one name lingered quietly in the corners of my thoughts.

Zander.

And whether I wanted to or not, I knew the door I left unopened for years… was starting to creak open.