Whisper of Virtouso (Love Material Series #2)

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

Mali 'to. Malapit siya magpakasal. Malapit na siya magkaroon ng asawa. Ayoko maging hadlang sa lahat ng bagay.

I heard him exhale deeply. "But you're right. I can still be a loving father to our child, even while I love you."

"Kerson, it's not about that. H'wag mo ako mahalin dahil ayaw mong maranasan ng mga anak mo ang broken family, mahalin mo ako dahil mahal mo ako." saad ko.

"I've loved you all along. From high school, through college, even when I was in Australia, it's always been you, Lyzza," Kerson confessed, pulling the car over to the side of the road for a more intimate conversation.

"But. . .you're engaged already. You have Rhian. You're on the verge of getting married, and I can't be the one to disrupt that," I admitted, avoiding his gaze because his eyes felt like a dagger to my heart.

"Rhian? Seriously?" Kerson burst into laughter. "Rhian is my fiancée?"

Nagkunot-noo ang aking ginawa, nagtataka kung bakit tumatawa siya.

Gago ba siya? Tinatarando ba niya ako? Nakakaputangina 'ata 'to!

"Gago ka ba? Adik ka, Kerson?" I sarcatically asked.

Tawang-tawa pa rin siya halos mamula ang buong mukha niya. "Nope. Nothing. Saan mo ba nakuha n'yan?"

"I'm serious, Kerson. Noong isang araw nasa mall kayo ni Rhian, I saw you with her. Narinig ko na magpapasukat pa kayo na susuotin niyo sa kasal. At kanina, gusto mo pumunta ako sa mismong kasal niyo." paliwanag ko.

"Fuck! Na-misintrepret mo po. Listen carefully, babe," malambing na saad ni Kerson. "I don't have a fiancée. I don't have a wife. I haven't even had a girlfriend since I left for Australia. Rhian and I have never been together since you came into my life," Kerson clarified, his tone serious yet tinged with relief.

"Huh? P-Paano 'yong narinig ko noong nasa mall kayo? Paano 'yong pinapupunta mo ako sa kasal?" naguguluhan kong tanong.

Gulong-gulo ako. Hindi ko alam kung ano'ng nangyayari ngayon. Nakadagdag pa 'to problema ko. Hindi ko pa rin maintindihan. Malinaw ang pagkakarinig ko noong nakita ko si Kerson at Rhian sa isang mall. Sabay daw sila magpapasukat sa susuotin nila sa kasal.

Ano ang sinabi niya kanina? Sa tungkol sa kasal?

"Actually, Rhian wants to invite you to their wedding," he explained swiftly. "Auto-pass kung hindi ikaw ang asawa ko."

I turned to the window, trying to conceal my smile. Suddenly, I felt his hand on my face, gently cupping it as he drew me closer. Our foreheads touched as he spoke in a resolute tone.

"Aly, you're the only one I want to use my last name with," he declared firmly. "Our children will bear our names too."

Tumango ako sa kaniya, ngumiti ng malapad. "Seryoso ka ba, hindi ka papakasal sa iba? Kung ginagago mo ako, mas gago ako sa'yo kaya umayos ka, Zack Faulkerson!"

"I'm a hundred percent certain!" he exclaimed with a smile. "If only you could touch my heart, you'd know who it truly beats for."

"Baho ng alam mo!" Umiwas ako ng tingin muli at ngumiti ng patago. "H'wag mo muna na'tin isipin n'yan. Nagiisip ako kung paano ko sasabihin kay Dion ang lahat ng 'to."

"We can do it, babe. All I want is to be a father to my child. In four years, I want to make up for not being there," he said, his smile fading into a pained expression. "My son will know that I am the father he's been longing for all this time."

The car ride home felt suffocating, each passing moment dragging on as I grappled with the truth I needed to share. Kerson's presence beside me only intensified my anxiety, his obliviousness to the bombshell I was about to drop amplifying the guilt gnawing at my conscience.