Love Until It Hurts (Monteverde Series 4)

33

Chapter Thirty Three

            "Are you ready for this?" Zade held my hand and I nodded firmly. He kissed my temple to give me confidence. It's been two months since he rescued me from Siargao. And in those two months, I learned how to slowly pick up the broken pieces of myself and rebuild what's left of me. Zade never gave up on me, he never lost hope that I will be my old self again.

            He nurtured me and made me feel that I was loved and appreciated. That my value did not decrease just because someone else had me.

            "Salamat, Zade." Binigyan ko siya ng isang kalmadong ngiti na sinuklian niya ng tango.

            "You sure you're ready?" Nag-aalangan pa rin na tanong niya sa akin. Mahina akong natawa bago sumulyap sa mansyon na nasa harapan namin ngayon. Nasa loob kami ng kotse pero nararamdaman ko na agad ang aura ng mga Monteverde.

            "Oo. Kaya ko," I answered.

            "I admire your bravery and resilience."

            "I admire yours as well."

            Not everyone knows that I am alive. Only Zade, Jen do. When I got back, I asked Zade to take me to see my mother. Sa una ay ayaw niya ngunit napapayag ko pa rin siya sa huli.

            Nalungkot ang puso ko ng masilayan ko ang Nanay. Pero hindi ako nagpakita, nagmasid lang ako. And I saw that nothing has changed. She was still the same person she was before she disowned me. Nagsusugal pa rin siya at palaging lasing.

            Kapag maayos na siguro ang lahat ay babalikan ko siya, siguro sa mga oras na iyon ay hindi n'ya na ako ipagtatabuyan, siguro sa mga oras na yon ay nagbago na siya, siguro kahit papaano ay maiisip niya pa rin na anak niya ako.

            I sighed.

            "Don't. Don't, please," Zade muttered next to me. I gave him a glance and he shook his head at me. "I know you. 'Wag mo ng isipin ang nanay mo. She doesn't deserve a daughter as selfless as you are..."

            "Zade, she's my mother, she gave birth to me."

            "And I will always be thankful to her for that. But she lost the title when she pushed you away. No mother would do that to her own flesh and blood."

            Napapikit ako at lumunok. Nagkaroon ng ilang sandaling katahimikan sa paligid namin bago niya sinapong muli ang kamay ko para halikan ito.

            "I'm here, I will be your everything. Lahat ng pagkukulang nila sa'yo, pupunuan ko. Hindi kita iiwan, at pinapangako kong kahit ano'ng mangyari wala ng kahit ano pang hahadlang sa ating dalawa. I will not let fate toy with us again, no. I will fight to keep you."

            "I know that. But there issues that I have to sort out alone. May mga bagay na hindi mo kayang ayusin para sa akin, Zade, at isa ito sa mga bagay na 'yon. I appreciate all that you do for me, but this one thing in particular is something that I have to address by myself."                          

            "Alright... I understand." He held my hand. "I love you."

            "I love you, too. Always," I whispered. "Always, Andeng."

            He bridged our gap and gave me a fleeting kiss. He then fixed his polo to make sure there are no visible creases. Once he was done, he gave me a teasing wink.

            "Do I look alright? Because you look stunning and I don't want to look like a butler next to you," he jested and I laughed and hit his arm.