Forsaken Wife (Completed)

22: Defenses

THIS STORY IS UNDER REVISION. That is the reason why some chapters have no contents. Since I have work on weekdays, I can only make an update by weekends.

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JADE TALLIA

After the run, I took a long shower. Damn it, kahit saan ay hindi ko makuha ang kapayapaan na ninanais. I thought I could relax after, pero ninakaw na naman sa akin ni Zander ang karapatan na iyon.

I wear my robe and make a coffee. I sat at the window sill of my living room and watch the horizon. I sighed whiled feeling its warmth in my palm and tummy.

Napatingin ako sa table na di-kalayuan nang mag-vibrate and cellphone ko. It must be Mama, Apollo, or Zander. I don't feel like answering it, so I pretend na hindi ko ito naririnig.

Hindi nagtagal ay nakarinig ako ng katok sa aking pintuan. Binaba ko ang mug sa table bago lumapit sa pintuan. Ginamit ko ang peephole para malaman kung sino ito.

It was Zander. It looks like he also took a bath when he got home because I noticed that his hair is still a little wet and his clothes changed.

"Zander, go away. I'm not in the mood for another fight." Saad ko habang hindi binubuksan ang pinto.

"Open the door or I'll open it myself." Ma-awtoridad nitong sabi.

"Go ahead. Smash it. Tatawag ako ng pulis." Hamon ko.

"Sweetheart, why would I break this lovely door if I already know the password." Kahit hindi ko ito nakikita ay alam kong may mapaglarong ngiti sa mga labi nito.

Napasinghap ako. "Wala ka bang ibang magawa, Zander? At ako ang ginugulo mo?"

"I just want to hang out with my wife. That's all."

"Why don't you hang out with your girlfriend? Hindi ba niya alam na lumilipat ka ng ibang bahay." Inis kong saad.

"Umalis siya ng maaga. She has to attend some business meeting."

At dahil wala siyang magawa ay ako ang pagkakaabalahan niya? What am I? Some kind of an entertainer?

"Go away, Zander. I am not authorizing you to come in. Don't open my door or I'll smash it on you. End of conversation." He became silent so I think he understand my threats. Lumayo na ako at kinuha muli ang aking mug para ilagay na iyon sa lababo.

I was in the kitchen when I heard my door clicked. I groaned. "Zander!"

Mabibigat ang aking hakbang na bumalik sa living room. I saw him sitting at my sofa while his legs crossed the other. His eyes roamed my head to my toe. "Are you wearing anything under that robe?"

"It doesn't concern you. Leave. Now. You're trespassing." Asar kong saad.

"I always get my way, Tallia. Hindi mo ba ako kabisado."

"Kabisado nga kita, kaya alam kong hindi maganda ang balak mo." Matapang kong sabi.

He stood up and walked towards me. Napaatras ako nang nagtangka itong abutin ako. Lumambot ang kanyang ekspresyon. "Tallia, don't avoid me. Please."

"I'm not. I'm just protecting myself." I said. My arms hugged my body as defense mechanism.

"Let me hold you, Tallia. Come here." He said softly. Once again, I feel like a moth drawn to his fire. This time, I'm a different moth. A smart one.

"No." Matigas kong sabi. "Leave."

"Don't you love me, Tallia?"

"Zander, when you left, I thought I have threw away all this feelings. But you came home and everything's confusing."

"It's not only you, I'm feeling it too, wife. I thought all I'm feeling was grudge and revenge. But when our eyes met, you looked so sweet and innocent, and I told myself, how could I hurt someone like you?"

Hindi ko hiniyaang matibag ng matatamis na salita nito ang buong depensa ko. "I'm asking myself every night if you're worth fighting for, Zander. If I could give this marriage another fight, will I win your heart this time?"

"I don't know how to answer that for now, Tallia. I'm sorry. Please bare with me. I'll find a way to fix it. I will self-reflect. Just please, all I'm asking is your patience."

"For how long?"

"I don't know. God, I don't know." May paghihirap sa boses nito.

Paano kung malaman nito ang kasinungalingan na ginawa ko noon para makasal kami? Magbabago ba ang tingin nito sa akin? Mawawala ba ang pagmamahal na nilaan niya para sa akin?

"Paano kung napagod na akong maghintay at nagmahal ng iba?"

Napansin ko ang pagbabago ng ekspresyon nito. "Si Apollo ba?"

"It's just 'what ifs'."

"If he makes you happy better than I do, then who am I to stop you?"

"Thank you." I said. "But, please leave for now. I want to be alone."

"I respect that." Patalikod na sana ito ngunit parang may naisip at humarap muli sa akin. He took long steps towards me.

His right hand cupped my chin and the other encircled my waist. He drew me closer to his. I gasped. "If you don't like this, you can push me away."

I stepped on his foot. Nabitawan niya ako at napaluhod siya. That's more like it. Seeing him kneeling in front of me. "I've warned you not to get close to me, didn't I? That I want to be alone."

"Tallia! It hurts like hell!" He shouted.

I smirked at him. Nilagpasan ko ito. "Kindly close the door when you leave."

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SWEETKITKAT❤️
Sabaw.

Revision Date: 05July2020