Fair Share of the Past

Twenty-Penthouse

Chapter twenty

"eh girl. panu naman kasi. di kita maintindihan. bat mo ba sinabi yon? i mean we all know that Lance love you so much. bat mo naisip na tungkol lang to sa merger?" Alexis said.

nandito kaming lahat ngayon sa penthouse ko kasi kailangan ko ng kausap. after what happened last night. nadrain kasi talaga ang lakas ko.

"i overheard the oldies talking about lance and me and how they were happy that lance married me for the Merger. what do you want me to think? na maniwala pa rin ako sa Love na sinasabi nya?" i replied. napailing nalang si Alexis.

"Give it a shot girl. 5 years is long enough. you can handle this like a sensible woman." tiffany said and took a bite of pizza.

"and besides girl. 5 years na. kahit papano ba nakamove on ka? mahal mo pa ba sya?" Sammy asked. napatingin sila saken lahat.

"Hindi na." i answered coldly.

"Mali ka girl. sa buong 5 years na nasa NY ka. you never stopped loving him." sammy said softly. napataas yung kilay ko.

"and how sure are you?" i asked.

"Galit ka. you still hated him for what happened 5 yrs ago. you shouldnt feel a great emotion like that kung hindi mo na sya mahal.or kung nakamove on ka kahit papano." Sammy explained. napatahimik lang ako.

"There's something more than the Merger right?" Andrea finally spoke. napatingin ako sa kanya.

"what do you mean?" i asked. i little nervous.

"this isnt all about the merger Ven. theres something more than just that. if this is all about the merger. you will automatically confront him and asked him the truth. but you didn't. you just left. so maybe. there's something wrong in the picture that he doesnt know. there's something missing in the puzzle." she said seriously. i was cornered.

"Am i right V?" she said seriously.

"yes. there's something more than just the merger." i said softly.

"whaaaaat?!" anton finally spoke. makareact naman!

"the day i found out about the merger is also the day i found Lance cheating on me." their jaw literally dropped except for Andrea.

"With margarette i presume." Andrea said as matter of fact. i nodded.

"Oh no!" Sammy exclaimed and drink the whole can of Soda.

"Seriously! Lance cheated? woah. i never expected that." Alexis said suprised too.

"oh my gosh! that bitch! mapapatay ko na talaga." nanggigigil na sabi ni Anton.

"Does he know that you know?" Tiffany asked. i shook my head.

"I saw them at the Bedroom in his office. and they're sleeping naked beside each other. Elise knows about this and i told her to keep quiet. if Dad found out about that 5 years ago it would be a big scandal to both Clans." i said softly. nanghihinang napasandal silang lahat. except andrea.

"what do you expect? Lance and Mr.Benedictos are birds of the same feather." Andrea said coldly. tumayo sya saka lumapit sa glass wall ng penthouse. napatingin lang ako sa kanya.

everyone in the room fell silent.

coz she never spoke about Edward and what happened after i left. that's according to The Girls. when i left. nag enroll kasi silang lahat ng masteral except for me. even Lance did.

"Andrea.." i said softly. tumingin lang sya saken. and thats a blank stare.

"its true Ven. its either we play with them or the other way around. you should know how to play better than them. if not. you'll lose." lumapit sya sa table saka kinuha yung bag nya.

"I need to go. may appointment pa ko. i'll call you later. bye guys." she kissed my cheeks and left.

"Meet Andi Valdeverro sister." Anton said. napatingin ako sa kanya.

"Andi?" i asked. why Andi?

"yes sister. Andi Valdeverro. remember nung umalis ka. she called you one time nung nasa Korea ka?" i nodded "that's the day she found out that Edward was cheating on her." i fell silent.

"And Andi Valdeverro was born." napatingin ako kay Alexis na nagsalita. "she's like that after that day. you know."

"And she doesnt wanna be called Andrea since then." Tiffany Added.

"what happened?" i asked. nagkibit balikat silang lahat. meaning. they dont know?

"Hayaan mo nalang sya Sis." Sammy said softly. "Back to the real issue. anung gagawin mo na?"

"go back and give this another shot?" i said. they smiled and nodded.

"Go girl. supporter mo kami." Tiffany said.

"yeah. i know." i said and smiled.

********

"Nanay nanjan na po si Lance?" tanong ko pagbaba ko ng kotse. umiling si Nanay.

umakyat nalang ako sa taas saka nagbihis ng sando saka shorts. nanunuod ako ng spongebob nung dumating si Lance. tumingin lang sya saken saka dumiretso sa cabinet.

i must have hurted him that much. napatahimik nalang ako.

"Kumain ka na?" he asked suddenly. i shook my head

"why?" he asked.

"i'm not hungry." i said softly and stood up and left the room. i feel super guilty about what happened at the hospital. lumabas nalang ako saka pumunta sa secret garden. its 7pm already kaya mejo madilim na dito. binuksan ko nalang yung ilaw sa gazebo saka umupo sa duyan.

dapat nga wala akong paki sa mararamdaman ni Lance eh. kasi di ba? sya naman yung sumira ng meron kami.

pero kahit na. below the belt pa rin yung sinabi ko. i should say sorry right?

but how??

napatahimik nalang ako habang nakatingin sa langit. dinuduyan ng paa ko yung duyan.

tama bang bigyan pa to ng isa pang chance.

tumayo ako saka lumipat sa isa pang favorite place ko dito. sa Gazebo. yung gazebo kasi nasa ibabaw sya ng man made lake. yung man made lake kasi may falls pang maliit sa dulo papunta sa ilalim ng gazebo. may mga fish pa. tas parang bridge yung gazebo flat sa gitna saka may dome.

lumipat ako sa gazebo saka umupo sa mga harang dun. habang nakalaylay yun paa papunta sa tubig di lang inaabot kasi mataas. naman yung gazebo eh.

nakaupo lang ako dun nung biglang umupo si Lance sa tabi ko yung paa naman nya nakalaylay sa gazebo. nagulat ako nung bigla nyang hinawakan yung pisngi ko.

yung sinampal nya nung nasa hospital.

"Masakit ba?" he asked. he gently touched my cheeks. i got teary eyed. i shook my head in response to his question.

"I'm sorry Love. i didnt mean to slap you. i just got so upset. i'm sorry." he said softly. tumulo na yung luha ko. pinunasan naman nya agad. saka malungkot na ngumiti.

"i'm sorry too." i said softly. he smiled and pulled me gently towards him and hugged me.

"Love, sorry kung hindi ko nasabi sayo yung tungkol sa merger. but that merger doesnt have anything to do with this marriage Love. i wont marry you for any reason except i love you. and didnt i showed you that? di ba pinakita ko naman sayo kung gano kita kamahal?" he said gently. tumutulo lang yung luha ko.

"Love, this isnt about that stupid merger. we are married because i love you. hope you find it in your heart to believe me coz i've been spending my whole life proving you how much i do." he stood up and kissed my forehead.

"dont stay too late okay?" he gave me a peck on my cheek and left the garden.

what he said touched something inside me.

yeah. he was right.

hindi ko lang nagawang intindihin noon. ayoko kasing makinig eh. sarado yung isip ko noon. pero kanina..

when he touched my cheeks and explained it. my mind just cant accept it. but my heart knows what he said is true. he really did love me. and this isnt about the merger or anyone else. its all about us. Just US.