Chapter 14
1603 Words
Zac
4 years later...
Ever since Bella left me without a word. My world crashed. And my heart shattered into pieces. I was so broke back then. I was so deeply in love with her, but still...she hurt me.
Pinahanap ko siya sa mga tauhan ko dahil wala siya sa kanilang isla. Hindi siya bumalik doon.
After months of searching and looking for her, the men I hired found her. They took a photograph of her but to my surprise, she was with someone else already.
I was raging mad. I got so furious. My mind went crazy. So, it's easy for her to replace me in her heart? Does she love me? I asked myself those questions, every single day after she left.
Life for me was an empty, yawning chasm that I really couldn't fill. I went home each night numb from the pain. The pain that she left in my heart. The pain that after all these years, still lingers in my soul. I just told myself that this was the price you sometimes paid for loving someone too much.
She was my world. My happiness. My life. She's all that matters to me. I never cared about anyone until I met her.
The alcohol helps me every time I badly miss her. I'm still yearning for her kiss, her touch, her beautiful body that I couldn't resist when we make love.
Damn! I miss everything about her! Hindi ko na namalayan na may munting luha na umagos sa gilid ng aking mukha. It just breaks my heart every time I miss her. She was really my everything.
She's the first woman that I loved. The first woman that I wanted to hold forever. The woman that I wanted to become my wife. The mother of our future babies. And she's the woman that I want to spend the rest of my life with until we're grey and old. Till my last breath on this earth.
But I don't know why after all these years I still hope that she would eventually come back to me. Damn! I'm being stupid again! I'm just dreaming for the impossible to happen!
Forget it. It doesn't matter anymore. I won't forgive her. Marahas kong pinahid ang aking mga luha.
I kept myself busy handling my family's businesses when she left me. I need to divert my focus to other things to keep me sane.
I'm in Cebu right now. I have business meetings in the coming weeks here and I planned to stay for a while in my villa.
I'm drinking at the bar right now in Cebu. There's also a live band here. I'm just alone. I'm on my fourth, six, glass of vodka, sorry I lost count already.
Then suddenly, a woman sat beside me.
"Hi, I'm Scarlett. Are you alone?" she asked and smiled at me. I am. I just nod.
"Would you mind if I drink with you?"
Pinasadahan ko ng tingin ang kanyang hitsura. She's wearing a one-shoulder, sexy red mini dress. She's pretty and smoking hot, but I'm not interested for hookups. I just want to drink. Eto lang ang pinunta ko rito.
"Sure," I said and smiled at her. Naupo na siya sa tabi ko.
The alcohol hit my system already. And this girl is clinging to my arms. Probably, she's hitting on me. But I didn't mind. I'm not interested in her.
The live band started to sing. But I ignored them. I just continued drinking. After two or three songs the mood changed.
A girl vocalist started singing.
Her voice is very familiar to me. My jaw dropped when I saw the woman who was singing the song. I tense up for a while.
I felt the pain and longing again. I thought I can bury my memories of her after all these years. But I'm filled with different emotions right now.
My heart started to beat so fast. My breathing becomes ragged. I almost slipped the glass of alcohol I'm holding.
How can I forget her? Goddamnit! She's killing me!
"What's wrong?" asked Scarlett. She seems so confused about my reaction when I looked at the stage.
"Oh, do you know her?" She asks again.
She also looks in the direction of a woman I'm staring at. "I know her because I'm a regular customer of this bar," she said. "Oh, and I heard that the handsome owner of this bar is her boyfriend. I think they have a son already," she casually said.
"What?!" I was shocked.
The last words she said kept spinning in my head. Nanginig ako sa aking kinauupuan. Parang tinakasan ako ng dugo sa sinabi niya. I'm trying to catch my breath. I calm down my nerves. So, that's why she never came back. She has a family already. I'm trying to hide the pain I'm feeling right now.
But suddenly, I came up with a foolish idea.
I stood and held Scarlett's hand. I dragged her closer to the stage. She's so confused. Nagpatianod nalang siya. Luckily, there's a vacant seat there. That's perfect for my plan!
Napansin kong natigilan si Bella sa pagkanta. Sandaling nagtama ang aming mga mata. Agad din siyang nagbawi ng tingin. Hindi siya makatingin sa akin ng diretso. Pero tiningnan niya ang babaeng kasama ko. I caught her eyes staring at Scarlett's hand as she's clinging tighter to my arms. I smirked.
Then Bella continued singing. I wrapped my arms over Scarlett's shoulder. She giggled. I suddenly kiss her lips. Hoping to catch Bella's attention again. When I glanced at her, she was also staring at us. Pero bigla itong nagbawi ng tingin nang mapansin niyang lumingon ako sa kanya.
I smirked.
I wanted her to get jealous. I still want to know that after all these years, I still have some effect on her feelings. If she still harbored feelings for me. And I think I was right. Based on her reactions, I feel that she still has some sort of feelings toward me. And somehow it makes me happy.
I deepen my kiss on Scarlett's mouth. I'm not bothered if we catch other people's attention. I need to make Bella feel jealous of this woman.
I drove home to my villa that night I saw Bella. I still can't forget her. Seeing her just brings back all those beautiful memories we shared on that remote island. How in love we were with each other before. We're just inseparable...until she left me.
How I wish we just stayed there for good. If I can just turn back the time. I would never leave her alone in my condo knowing that she would leave me. I really can't accept the fact that she left me after I gave her everything. I loved her more than I love myself.
I missed the business meeting in the morning. Because I wasn't able to sleep well last night. The thoughts of her occupied my mind.
She still have those beautiful face and still hotter than ever. Knowing that I have no place in her heart now, I think this is the right time to really forget her. Kailangan ko na siyang kalimutan. Hindi kailanman sumagi sa isipan kong manira ng isang pamilya.
Natagpuan ko na lamang na nandito ako ulit sa bar kung saan kumanta si Bella kagabi. Umaasang makikita ko ulit siya dito. Pero ilang oras na rin ang tinagal ko dito ay hindi ko pa rin siya naaaninag. Siguro uuwi na lang ako ngayon. Alanganing oras na rin naman.
Pero natigilan ako nang may babaeng lumampas sa 'kin. Papalabas na siya ng bar. Dire-diretso lang siya at hindi niya napansin ang pagtitig ko rito. Habol ang tingin ko sa babaeng dumaan.
At hindi nga ako nagkakamali. It's her. It's Bella! Kaya naman dali-dali akong tumayo palabas ng bar para sundan siya. I need to talk to her. Maybe, I want some closure to our relationship. She still owes me an explanation for why she left me 4 years ago.
"Bella, wait!" Awat ko kay Bella ng tuloy-tuloy lang siya sa paglalakad. Madilim na sa lugar sa mga oras na ito. Marami na ring lasing sa paligid.
Napahinto siya nang hawakan ko ang kanyang braso. Gulat ang ekspresyong maaninag sa kanyang mukha.
"Oh, Z-Zac. I-kaw pala," she's stuttering.
Halatang kinakabahan siya ng mapagtantong ako ang tumawag sa kanya.
"Can we talk?" I said.
"Ba-bakit?" Aniya.
Umiwas siya ng tingin sa 'kin habang hawak ko pa rin ang kanyang braso. Nakatuon lamang ang kanyang mga mata sa baba.
"I think you owe me an explanation," seryosong saad ko.
Damn! I need to know everything about why she left me.
"Please, Zac...Wala na tayong dapat pag-usapan pa," aniya sa malungkot na tinig. "It's been four years already. Let's forget the past," she said.
There's sadness in her eyes.
"Hell yeah! It's been f*****g four years since you left me without a word!" I gritted my teeth and clenched my fist. I can no longer hide my anger toward her.
"How can you be so cruel, Bella?" My voice rises. Anger runs through me when I looked back on the past.
"I'm sorry, Zac. Pero kailangan ko ng umuwi. Naghihintay sa 'kin ang anak ko," she said. My knees suddenly became weak. So, what Scarlett told me was true? That she already has a son.
My breathing becomes ragged. I felt my chest hurts by what she just said. Unti-unting kusang kumalas ang aking kamay sa pagkakahawak ko sa kanyang braso. Napatulala na lang ako habang pinagmamasdan si Bella na tuloy-tuloy lang sa paglalakad papalayo sa 'kin.
- Writer
