Bewitching the Tempter

Chapter 38: Madly

I thought he's gonna ask or confront me already, but he didn't. Tahimik at mabilis niya lang kaming pinasakay sa sasakyan niya and he drove away silently, ni tapunan ako ng tingin ay hindi niya ginawa.

Nang makarating ay tahimik pa rin siya, kahit no'ng pinapasok na niya kami sa mansyon.

"A-Alaric..." I uttered as I looked at his back. Nagulat naman ako nang lingunin niya ako na namumula ang mata.

"Bakit, Klio?" He asked and hurt was evident in his voice. "May gusto ka bang sabihin?"

I nodded and tears immediately fell from my eyes. "S-Si A-Astraea Luna..." sambit ko ngunit hindi ko maituloy dahil sa naramdamang pagbara sa lalamunan.

He chuckled but I also saw tears streaming down his face.

"Astraea Luna, so that's her name." He wiped his tears and looked at me. "Why do you have to hide her from me, Klio? I know you have your reasons but..." he shook his head. "Damn, I really can't blame you. Hindi ko kaya."

"Sorry, Alaric. S-Sorry." I muttered and went closer to him but he stepped back.

"I don't know how to act right now, Klio. Damn, she looks like me especially when I'm young! Damn, I have a daughter! I want to be happy, Klio! Pero 'di e... isang dekada akong wala sa tabi niya. She grew up having another man as her father! I wasn't there, Klio."

I was kind of surprised with his sudden blurting but I couldn't blame him. Alam ko namang karapatan niyang magalit dahil sa ginawa ko. I deprived him of knowing his daughter, that alone deserves a rage. Kahit na ano pa ang rason ko ay alam kong 'di no'n maijujustify ang maling nagawa ko.

"I'm sorry. Mali ako." I said once again. "But Astraea's not angry with you, bata palang alam na niya na hindi si Denver ang totoo niyang ama. Hindi ko lang sinabi sa kanya kung sino because I thought you already have your own family. After all, the last thing I knew about about you was that...you got married."

Umiling siya. "I...I didn't marry her because I love her. Alam ko ang gago ko pero hindi ko kayang magmahal ng iba, Klio. I used Katia, yes, and it's horrible. At siguro nga, ito ang karma ko sa lahat ng mga maling nagawa ko sa nakaraan. Siguro nga deserve ko 'to."

Bumuntong-hininga ako. "You don't. Life just fucked us so bad pero 'yong mga nangyari, 'di natin deserve 'yon e, pero wala na, nakalipas na...wala na tayong magagawa pa. I wanted to turn back the time and correct my mistakes, but that's not possible anymore. Ang magagawa ko nalang ay matuto mula sa mga pagkakamaling iyon para sa hinaharap."

My eyes widened when he suddenly dropped on his knees.

"But w-why... why do you have to go through all those hardships without me beside you?"

I wiped my tears and held his hand. "Kasi mahal kita at ayokong madamay ka sa gulo ng buhay ko. I was deemed as a criminal at ano sa tingin mo ang magiging buhay mo kung patuloy kang magiging parte ng buhay ko?"

He shook his head and tears fell from his eyes again.

Ngumiti ako at lumapit para punasan iyon.

"I'll introduce you to Astraea. Your daughter is kind and she doesn't hold any grudge against you. I'm also sure that she'll be delighted to meet you."

Humigpit ang hawak niya sa akin at mataman akong tinitigan.

"Can I really do that? Can I really introduce myself as her father?"

Tumango ako. "You deserve that, Alaric. You've waited for so long already and I think it's time now."

Just as if fate was really playing with us, I heard our daughter's voice behind us right after I said those words.

"Mommy! S-Siya po ang Papa ko?" She asked.

Nanlalaki naman ang mata kong lumingon.

"A-Astraea!" I panicked. Ngunit mas lalo lang akong nagulat nang mabilis siyang maglakad papalapit at huminto sa tapat ni Alaric na nakaluhod pa rin sa tapat ko.

"P-Papa?" She asked while looking at his eyes. "O-Our eyes! We're the same." Natutuwa niyang sabi at niyakap ang ama nang mahigpit.

I saw Alaric flinched but at the same time, happiness was etched on his face.

"Anak," he uttered and hugged Astraea back tightly.

Naiiyak naman akong pinagmasdan sila. I didn't know it would look so beautiful. For a while, I forgot that there's a crisis going on.

"Ako po si Astraea Luna, I-I am your daughter." My daughter continued even when tears were already streaming down her face.

"I...I am your father. Alaric Augustine. That's my name, princess." He answered and kissed Astraea's head.

That moment was like a pure bliss. It was the first time they met each other but they already seemed to love each other already.

Astraea and Alaric talked for hours, I just let them have that moment by themselves because that's what they deserve, kaya hindi ko rin alam kung ano ang pinag-usapan nila.

"Tito Ashtine is Ate's real father, mommy?" Dane asked.

I know he's too young for this but I also don't want to feed him lies.

"Yes, baby. He's Ate's real father."

Dane smiled. "He saved us and he seems like a kind person kaya I like him, mommy."

Tumango lang ako at ngumiti nang bahagya. I want to be happy that they like him but I also don't want to be unfair.

Si Denver, they're still their father. Dane's father and my husband. It's quite complex but I hope someday, maunawaan din nila ito.

I was about to sleep when Alaric approached me.

"I'm sorry, Klio."

Kumunot ang noo ko.

"Bakit?"

"I'm sorry for being angry earlier. I shouldn't have felt that way when I knew nothing."

I sighed. "Don't be sorry. It was my choice and it's not your fault that you didn't know about it."

His melancholic gaze focused on my eyes.

"I'm sorry too, I didn't know that you fell into coma, I didn't know that you had depression..." he uttered which made my eyes widen.

"How did you know that?" I asked.

I'm sure Astraea wasn't aware of that, so who told him?

"I'm sorry..." he continued and the next thing I knew, he was already hugging me so tight.

Nanigas ako sa kinatatayuan but I also softened when I felt his warmth and breath against my body. It made me feel at peace, awakened those emotions I thought I've longed forgotten... and made me feel loved.

It made me realize one thing... that I am still deeply, madly... in love with him.