Chapter 8
1053 Words
“If you think that you can escape from me, think twice, Denima.”
Malamig na tumitig ako kay Nicholai.
“Stop this, Nic. What do you want?” may diin na sabi ko.
Binitawan niya ang kamay ko at nilagay ang magkabilang kamay niya sa gilid ko. Caging me on the door.
“Wala ka bang aaminin sa akin?” salubong na kilay na sabi nito.
Napalunok ako sa tanong niya. He was looking at me intently. Alam na ba niya?
No! It was impossible. There was no way that he’d know about it.
“What? Anong pinagsasasabi mo? I’m tired, Nicholai. I want to rest. So please, leave.” I looked away. Hindi ko kaya ang titig niya. Nanunuot ito sa akin.
“So wala ka talagang balak ipaalam sa akin?” His jaw clenched and suddenly punched the door.
Gulat at nanlalaki ang matang kong nakatitig sa kanya.
“When are you going to inform me that you are pregnant with my child?” Hindi ko alam kung bakit parang ramdam ko ang hinanakit niya. Kitang-kita ko na nasasaktan siya dahil wala akong balak ipaalam ito sa kanya.
I looked away again. Wala akong masagot. He already knew it.
“Ganyan na ba kalaki ang galit mo at pati ang anak ko ay ipagkakait mo na sa akin? Don’t be selfish. Anak ko din yan.”
“Selfish?” Napatawa akong ng pagak. At tinitigan siya ng malamig. “Big word coming from you, Nicholai. Sa ating dalawa, ikaw ang ang selfish. How could you do this to me when you know I already love someone else!” Hindi ko na napigilan pa ang mga luhang kanina pa gustong bumuhos sa mga mata ko.
“Bakit?!” I punched his chest. I did it a couple of times na baka sakaling maibsan nito ang nararamdaman kong sakit.
Napatigil ako nang bigla niya akong niyakap. “Stop it. Stop crying, damn it! It’s not good for the baby.” Mas napahagulgol ako sa sinabi niya sabay hawak ko sa aking tiyan.
I gasped when he suddenly carried me and put me on the bed.
“What are you doing, Nic? I told you to leave!” Hinilot ko ang aking sintido. He was stressing me out. Hindi niya ba maintindihan na gusto kong mapag-isa?
“I’m not leaving.” Nakipagsukatan siya ng titig sa akin. “Well… You can choose. You will stay with me in my place or I will stay here with you.” I laughed sarcastically from his remark.
“Baliw ka ba?! You know I am not allowed to be stressed! But here you are stressing me out!”
“Stop being stubborn. I will take care of you and our baby from now on and we will get married next week.”
Nanlaki ang mata ko sa sinabi niya.
“Married? Next week? You are really out of your mind, Nicholai. Baliw ka na! Anong pinagsasabi mo?! I will not marry you!”
“You will marry me whether you like it or not! This is for the sake of the baby. So okay lang sayo na walang buong pamilya ang anak natin? Is that what you want?”
Hindi ako makasagot sa kanya. Napapikit ako at hinawakan ulit ang tiyan ko. Naiipit ang bata sa situation namin. I couldn’t make any decision without considering my baby’s welfare.
“Don’t tell me you are still going to marry that f*****g fiance of yours? Are you going to make him the father of our child?” I looked at him coldly.
If Philip would still accept me, I would rather do that. But I knew to myself that I couldn’t do that to him. That was so selfish of me.
“Are you out of your mind? There’s no way in hell that I will allow that to happen, Denima,” galit na sigaw nito.
Pagod na akong makipag-argue sa kanya. I sighed heavily.
“Answer me. Damn it!” galit na sabi nito. Instead of answering him, humiga ako sa kama at pinikit ang mga mata.
***
Hindi ko alam na nakatulogan ko na pala talaga si Nicholai. Nagising lang ako na parang hinahalokay ang loob ng tiyan ko.
Patakbo akong pumasok sa banyo at sumuka. Pero hindi nakaligtas sa pandinig ko ang mura at yapag ng isang tao sa loob ng kwarto.
“f**k! Are you okay?” It was Nicholai. Bakit hindi pa rin siya umaalis?
He scooped my hair and caressed my back habang patuloy pa rin ang suko ko. Nang matapos ay padarag akong tumayo at hindi siya pinansin. Matapos magmumog at maghilamos ay inabutan niya ako ng towel.
I looked at him and sighed. Sabay abot ng tuwalya sa kamay niya.
“Why are you still here?” tanong ko habang papalabas ng banyo. Nakasunod naman ito sa akin.
“I told you. I will take care of you and our baby.” Irita akong napatingin sa kanya.
“I can take care of myself, Nicholai. Kaya pwede ba umalis ka na? Please! Kahit ngayon lang. Gusto kong mapag-isa.” Pagod ko siyang tiningnan at naupo sa kama.
I heard him sigh at umupo sa harap ko. “Kakausapin ko ang pamilya mo at pamilya ko. We will get married next week and I will take care of everything.”
“Alin ba ang hindi mo maintindihan, huh? Ayokong magpakasal sayo! Hindi kita mahal at hindi-hinding kita mamahalin,” may diin na sabi ko.
Hindi ko alam kong guni-guni ko lang ba ang nakita kong sakit sa mata niya. Pati na din ang malungkot na ngiti nito sa akin. Or maybe he was just manipulating me again by showing me those emotions. But of course, I knew him better.
Ang sakit at malungkot na ngiti sa kanyang mukha ay napalitan agad ng ganun kabilis. Now he was looking at me with those cold ruthless eyes.
“I know. This is not just all about you. It’s about my child. I don’t want the baby to be an illegitimate child. So whether you like or not. You are bound to marry me.”
“Or else. Babagsak ang pinaghirapang Firm ng pinakamahal mo at gagawin kong lahat para sirain ang buhay niya,” Nakangising dagdag nito.
I clenched my fist and looked at him angrily. I thought I knew him better. Pero hindi pala. Hindi ko alam na mas malala pa pala siya sa inaakala ko. Now he was like a demon in front of me being reincarnated.
“f**k you!” I said gritted teeth.
“I literally want to f**k you.” He smirked. “Choose wisely, Denima,” he said and left me with no choice.
- Writer
