When Love Isn't Enough

Chapter One

Chapter One

Dream

"Zionne!!"

Halos mabitawan ko ang hawak kong libro sa sobrang gulat nang biglang may yumakap mula sa likuran ko. Isang boses ang dumagundong sa tenga ko—makulit, pamilyar, at matagal ko nang hindi naririnig.

Paglingon ko, bumungad ang ngiting-ngiti at walang kupas na mukha ni Addison Marie Del Valle. Still glowing, still dramatic, and still unapologetically herself.

"Addie?!" napasigaw ako, halong tuwa at gulat. "Kailan ka pa dumating? Hindi mo man lang sinabi na uuwi ka!"

Hinampas ko siya ng hawak kong libro—hindi naman malakas, pero sapat para ipadama ang inis at sabik ko.

"Surprise nga kasi!" sagot niya sabay irap pero may nakakalokong ngiti sa labi. "Paano magiging surprise kung sasabihin ko agad? Miss mo ko, no?"

"Miss na miss kita, pero hindi ko 'to inaasahan." Umayos ako ng upo habang siya naman ay naupo sa harap ko, parang walang nangyari.

Addison Marie Guzon.My best friend since we were little girls in pigtails and jelly shoes. Not related by blood, but definitely by heart. Kaya kahit gaano siya ka-bully minsan, hindi ko siya kayang itaboy.

She's always had a flair for the dramatic. Kaya nang makita ko ang titig niya ngayon, alam kong may dala na naman siyang balita. At hindi lang ito basta simpleng chismis. This was going to change something.

"Okay, spill na. Anong bago sa 'yo?" tanong ko habang sinusubukang hindi pansinin na inangkin na niya ang juice ko.

Nasa likod bahay kami ngayon, sa garden ni Mama. Tahimik, malamig ang simoy ng hangin, at napapalibutan ng bulaklak. Sa dulong bahagi, may taniman ng gulay. This place had always been my quiet haven—until Addison came in like a whirlwind.

"Hmm... wala namang masyadong bago. Pero..." Umiling siya, saka ngumiti ng may laman.

"Addie. Anong 'pero' yan?" tinaasan ko siya ng kilay, naghahanda na sa kung anumang pasabog.

"Pero, tungkol sa Kuya ko."

Napakapit ako sa armrest ng upuan ko. Even just the mention of him makes my chest tighten.

Ellison Gabrille Guzon.

Her older brother. The man I had been quietly in love with for eight long years.

"What about him?" I asked, trying not to sound too affected.

"He's getting married."

Parang tumigil ang mundo. Nakatitig ako sa kanya, sinusubukang intindihin kung totoo ba 'yong narinig ko. Getting married? Si Kuya Dave?

"Happy ka?" tanong ko, pilit pinipigilan ang panginginig ng boses ko.

"Of course! After all these years, finally, ikakasal na si Kuya. Isn't that amazing?" she beamed, looking genuinely excited.

Amazing?

No. Heartbreaking. Gut-wrenching. Crushing.

She doesn't know. Or maybe she does. But how could she talk about it like this?

"Hindi ko na alam kung kaibigan ba talaga kita o mortal kong kaaway," bulong ko habang pinipigilan ang pagbagsak ng luha ko.

Addison just laughed. "Grabe ka, bestie. Relax ka lang. Hindi pa tapos ang kwento."

I turned to her, confused. "There's more?"

She leaned closer. "He's getting married... to you."

Nanlaki ang mata ko. Literal na napabuka ang bibig ko sa gulat.

"Addie... what?!"

"I'm serious. I heard it myself. My parents were talking to Kuya last night. It's official—he'll be marrying you."

I shook my head slowly, stunned. "That's not possible. That doesn't make sense. Why me?"

She looked at me gently, eyes softening. "Because my Dad wants it. You know how he is. What he says, happens. And for business reasons, for legal matters... this arrangement makes sense."

Pero habang sinasabi niya 'yon, ako naman ay parang bumalik sa nakaraan.

I was fifteen.

It was a hot Friday afternoon, and Addison had invited me to their house to finish a school project.

The moment I stepped inside their house, I instantly felt out of place. Their home screamed elegance—wide marble flooring, glass chandeliers, sleek interiors. It was intimidating, especially for a girl like me who was raised to be simple, quiet, invisible.

Then he walked in.

Ellison Gabrielle.

He had just gotten home from work, still in his crisp white polo and navy slacks, a laptop bag hanging from his shoulder. May hawak siyang mga blueprints habang tumatawid sa sala. Napatingin siya sa amin—briefly—pero sapat para mahulog ang kaluluwa ko.

"Kuya, si Zionne nga pala," Addie said.

He just gave me a polite nod. "Hi."

"Hello po," mahina kong sagot, halos hindi makatingin.

His voice was calm, deep, and controlled. Yung tipo ng boses na parang kayang patigilin ang isang buong kwarto. He had this presence—cold but commanding. Hindi siya yung tipong madaldal, pero bawat kilos niya, may bigat. May tiwala.

That moment stuck with me.

Noong gabing 'yon, pag-uwi ko, hindi ko siya maalis sa isip ko. It felt ridiculous to develop feelings that fast, pero habang tumatagal, lalo lang siyang naging parte ng mga lihim kong panaginip.

He was ten years older than me. Already an engineer, already a man. Ako? Fifteen. Wala pa sa kalahati ng mundo niya. But that didn't stop my heart from choosing him.

For years, I kept it to myself. I watched from afar. I asked Addie little things about him—kung anong paborito niyang pagkain, kung anong klase siya bilang kuya, kung bakit siya parang laging malungkot. And then I found out... he once had a fiancée. A woman he almost married. But she passed away in an accident seven years ago.

After that, he stopped smiling.

That's when I told myself... maybe one day, I could be the reason he smiles again.

⸻

And now... that day might actually come.

But not in the way I imagined.

"Addie... seryoso ka ba talaga?" tanong ko habang hinahawakan ang dibdib kong hindi mapakali.

"Totoo 'to, Z. My Dad arranged it. Kuya agreed—well, sort of. Wala siyang masyadong sinabi. He just said... 'If that's what needs to be done.'"

"Cold, as always," I whispered.

"I know," sabay hawak niya sa kamay ko. "But listen to me. I know my Kuya. And I know you. If anyone can melt the ice around him—it's you."

"I want this. You know I do. Pero gusto ko rin ng kasal na may pagmamahal. Hindi lang dahil sa business, o dahil sinabi ng magulang."

"That's why I'm telling you this early. So you can decide for yourself. Before your parents come to you. Before things get out of your hands."

Tahimik akong tumango.

And in that moment, habang magkatabi kami sa ilalim ng gabi't bituin, isang tanong lang ang umiikot sa isip ko:

What happens when a long-time dream finally comes true—but the heart it's tied to, might never beat for you?