Killing Him [COMPLETED]

FORTY

Hi Readers! Thank you sa pagbabasa ng story'ng 'to. This will be the last chapter. Let's see each other sa EPILOGUE maybe tomorrow kung matatapos o sa weekend na! <3

FORTY

"Is it true, Eclaire... You have no relationship with Engr. Kei Hendricks?" seryosong tanong sa kanya ng isang host sa tv. I flushed all the negative things inside my head. Ayokong mag-isip ng bagay na alam kong ikakabahala ko rin sa bandang huli. I need to be optimistic.

"Engr. Hendricks and I are just friends. We've know each other for a long time. I've been with him since High School years and the relationship that was circulating is nowhere near the whole truth."

Seryosong saad ni Eclaire at malamyang ngumiti. She's been answering questions about her career the past minutes but now, alam nyang hindi nya matatakbuhan ang tanong tungkol sa eskandalong kumakalat sa bansa.

"So saan nanggaling ang usap usapang engage kayo ng nasabing engineer?" napahinga ako ng mabigat.

The heaviness of the question feels like a big burden to her. Ngumiti sya ng payak at ilang segundo bago ito sumagot. "It was just a made up story between the two of us. Katuwaan lang iyon na parang apoy na kumalat. I don't know how either. I didn't open up the topic about that kasi alam ko sa sarili kong hindi iyon totoo and I could deny that all day. Wala pong namamagitan sa aming dalawa ni Kei Hendricks."

Even though she stated the truth to the whole world, alam ko sa sarili kong may mabigat pa rin sa akin. Marahil ay sa kanya rin. But that will remain unheard by everyone. Pareho kaming may dinadaing na tanging ang isip lang namin ang makakarinig noon.

"It is clear, walang namamagitan sa inyo ni Engineer Kei Hendricks. Malinaw na malinaw." puno ng diing sabi ng host. Muli itong tumingin sa hawak nyang card at bumaling kay Eclaire. "Do you know Chloris Riyal Buenafuerte? Can you explain to us?"

Tumango si Eclaire bago nagsalita. "Chloris is also my friend. She's..." napatigil sya kaya napahawak ako sa aking dibdib. Wala akong hiniling na pabanguhin nya ang pangalan ko but seeing her in pain really doesn't feel good.

Kaharap nya ang buong mundo. Ilang tao ngayon ang nakaharap sa kanilang mga tv na nanonood sa kanya and I'm one of those who are eager to listen to this interview.

"...She's the real girlfriend of Kei Hendricks." napatango ang tv host sa kanya at may binasa sa kanyang card.

"Chloris Buenafuerte as we all know is a world class designer in London. Naging magka-klase kayo noong High School together with Kei Hendricks and that's where you all met each other. Tama ba ito?"

"That's where I met Kei. Junior High School pa kami noon and she's known Chloris years before I met him. She then flew to London to pursue her career. Doon kami nagkaroon ng oras ni Kei para lalong magkakilala so I think, doon nagsimulang kumalat ang chismis na may relasyon kami."

Mas lalong bumigat ang dibdib ko. Napuno iyon ng mga tanong na dapat ay pinagwawalang bahala ko nalang but I can't seem to stop myself from asking stupid questions. Paano kung nagkamabutihan sila noong mga panahong iyon? Paano kung na-inlove sya kay Eclaire? Paano kung...

May kaunting kirot sa aking dibdib. Hindi ko na naituloy ang tanong sa aking isip at parang narinig iyon ng host at isinatinig ang kinakatakot kong tanong.

"On that span of time ay wala kayong naging relasyon ni Kei?"

Napaiba ng upo si Eclaire at tumingin sa mga nanonood sa audience. The camera went there for a second, ipinakita ang mga fans nyang may hawak na banner at kaunting humihiyaw, bago ibinalik kay Eclaire ang tutok.