No strings attached |(UNDER REVISION)

Chapter 39- I see you again

"Putangina..." I muttered under my breath as I leaned against the elevator wall, my fingers tightening into fists.

I wasn't expecting to feel anything upon seeing Aiah again. After all these years, after everything that happened-she was the one who left. She was the one who walked away.

And yet, here I was, my heart racing, my mind spiraling, my chest tightening as if something heavy had settled inside it.

The elevator dinged, signaling I had reached my floor. Pero parang wala ako sa sarili habang naglalakad palabas. My feet moved on their own, but my thoughts were stuck-stuck on her.

Aiah.

The woman who broke me.

The woman I swore I had moved on from.

So why? Why the hell do I still feel this way?

I let out a frustrated sigh and ran a hand through my hair. Hindi ko maintindihan kung anong mas ikinagugulat ko-na nandito siya sa Manila ulit, na may kasama siyang lalaki, o na may anak na siya.

I pulled out my phone and checked the time. I need a drink.

Or maybe I just needed to shake this feeling off.

Because whatever this was-this effect she still had on me-I refused to let it ruin the life I had already built.

I was about to walk away when I heard it.

"Mikha..."

That voice.

It stopped me in my tracks, my grip tightening on my phone. Slowly, I turned around, and there she was-Aiah, standing just a few feet away, looking at me like she wanted to say something.

Like she needed to.

I swallowed, my pulse pounding in my ears. "Ano?" My voice came out more clipped than I intended, but I didn't care.

Aiah opened her mouth, hesitation flickering in her eyes. But before she could speak, a hand wrapped around her waist.

"Let's go, honey," Adrian said, stepping beside her. His tone was firm, casual even, but his grip on her was anything but.

Aiah stiffened slightly. I noticed it. I noticed everything-the way her shoulders tensed, the way her fingers twitched like she wanted to reach for something... or someone.

Me?

No.

I forced a smile, masking the storm brewing inside me. "Mukhang may date pa kayo ng asawa at anak mo."

Aiah's lips parted, her eyes widening just a fraction.

Adrian's hand tightened on her waist as he nodded. "Yeah, we do."

Silence.

A heavy kind.

Aiah didn't move, didn't say a word. And for a second, just a fleeting second, I wondered-if Adrian wasn't here, would she have said something?

Would she have stopped me?

But it didn't matter. It shouldn't.

I nodded, exhaling sharply. "Then don't let me keep you."

And before I could do something stupid-like ask her if she was really happy-I turned around and walked away.

This time, she didn't call my name again.

As I walked away, my heart pounded in my chest, but I kept my steps steady. I refused to look back.

I shouldn't care.