Minus the incident with Asia, everything was going according to plan.
My mother was so relieved when I broke her the news the same day my father signed the paper. She was more at ease now that the lawyer was about to file the petition for annulment. She already improved so much when I got back, but she was even livelier and healthier in just a matter of days.
It was painful to admit but I played a part on coddling her for years, treating her like a fragile glass. I thought shielding her from my father was the best thing I could do for her. I was too afraid that she wouldn't be able to handle the truth and that it would push her into an abyss of depression and wouldn't be able to recover. Clearly, I was wrong. I should have trusted her more and believed that her love for me was enough. There was no point in punishing myself thinking about it now though. What mattered now was that she was better than okay.
As for my career, everything was already set in stone. I would be acting from time to time but establishing myself as a director was the ultimate goal. Soon enough, I'd be working behind the scenes rather than being under the spotlight.
My latest issue with Asia was already old news. It helped that both parties never paid attention to it. Reacting would only douse fuel to the fire, and without the fuel, the fire eventually died.
The still nameless ghost of my past felt like an itch that I couldn't reach, but I knew that I could live without finding out who it really was. He or she had no power over me anymore; the card that whoever it was had, no longer had value to me. The only reason why I was scared of it before was because of my father, but now that my father was no longer a threat, I couldn't care less if those photos from the past got released.
If there was one thing that I was scared of right now... it would be losing Hadeon again. If he told me directly that he wouldn't take me back... I wasn't sure if I could ever recover. I was barely existing when I was in New York. The only thing that kept me going through those years was Film School, and the only reason why I enrolled in the first place was because of Hadeon.
It made me feel connected to him somehow. Even if it was just in my head. I could feel him supporting me each day, telling me how proud he was that for once, I was doing something for myself.
I couldn't take losing him again. I would do everything... just so he would forgive me for hurting and leaving him behind. I would never give him up again. I would never give us up like that again. I already knew what losing him felt like. I refuse to feel like that again.
Even if I had to stalk to get a glimpse or make some excuses to be with him, I would do it without a second thought. Like right now.
"Kaia," I heard Ate Lavie's voice before I saw her.
She rushed inside her office with a folder on her hand. I stood up from the sofa and removed my sunglasses to properly greet her. Nang makalapit siya sa akin ay bumeso ako.
"I'm sorry. Did you wait long? Meron kasi kaming meeting," paliwanag niya.
"No worries. Kakarating ko lang halos," nakangiting sagot ko.
It was true. Wala pang sampung minuto ang hinintay ko. Her assistant brought me in her office to wait.
"Nakakahiya sa'yo. Hindi ka na dapat nag-abala pa. I would have asked someone to deliver the invitation to you."
Just like what Mrs. Serrano promised, she asked Ate Lavie to give me an invite for their resort's opening in Batangas which was happening this weekend. I knew it was the perfect justification to see Hades today.
I grinned. "It's okay. I'm free today and I'm going to see Hades anyway," I reasoned out. That was my excuse to her, and I would be using the same excuse to Hades, except it would be the other way around.
"Oh." Her eyebrows raised. "Lalabas kami ngayon para mag-lunch. Kasama ka pala?"
My eyes almost sparkled at the opportunity. I could say yes, but a part of me didn't want to play her like that. She seemed like the type who would invite me to join them anyway. I was still thinking of the best route to take when a knock came from the door before it swung open.
We both turned to who entered the office without any invitation. Hadeon's brother, Kuya Xavi, sauntered inside like he owned the whole building. His eyes were immediately set on Ate Lavie, then shortly transferred to me. I saw the slight surprise on his face.
"You have a visitor... or did she get lost?"
Ate Lavie's forehead creased in confusion. "Huh? She came here to pick up the invite... and visit Hades."
I saw the amusement on Kuya Xavi's face. "Of course. You're joining us for lunch, right, Kaia?"
I wasn't sure the extent of what he knew, but Hadeon's brother was intelligent and pretty observant. He probably concluded that Hadeon and I have history. It helped that I even sent him the proposal to have one of their hotels as a location for our taping with an additional request.
"Yes. I am." I confidently nodded.
"That's great!" Ate Lavie remarked. "Nasaan na ba si Hades?"
"On his way down." He cooly placed his hands inside both of his pockets. Tumingin siya sa akin at nag-angat ng kilay.
"Sasabay ka ba sa amin, Kaia?" tanong ni Ate Lavie.
I drove myself today. I had Kuya Victor take a day off since I didn't have work. Hindi na hectic ang schedule ko katulad ng dati lalo na at palapit na ang lock-in taping. At kahit na magiging abala ako sa season two, I told Mama Ton that I didn't want to accept any work.
But even with my car, I could still come with them... Iyon nga lang ay baka hindi na sumama si Hadeon kapag naabutan niya ako rito at nalaman niyang kasama ako sa lunch. Knowing him. I grimaced.
Out of nowhere, a brilliant idea sprouted in my head.
"Is Hadeon riding with you?" I asked.
"I think so..." Ate Lavie unsurely answered and then looked at her beau for help, "Xavi?"
"Yup!"
"Great!" I cheerfully said. "I'll bring my own car. Please make sure that he'll go with you both and that he won't go by himself."
They stared at me like I was speaking in a different language, and they didn't get a word that I just said.
"I'll go first." I picked up my bag from the sofa and glanced at Ate Lavie who was still puzzled by me. "Please send me the location! Bye!"
Nagmamadali akong lumabas ng office. Ayaw kong maabutan ako rito ni Hadeon. I managed to get inside the safety of the elevator without crossing paths with him.
Nasa basement parking na ako nang matanggap ko ang text ng isang unknown number with a link to a restaurant followed by another brief message. I knew it was Kuya Xavi.
Kuya Xavi:
Reservation is under my name.
I gave him a quick thanks before driving off the building.
The drive took only thirty minutes. I freshened myself with a quick blush and some tint. I just mussed my hair a bit. It still looked volumized from the hair blower treatment I gave it earlier.
As for my clothes, well, it wasn't like I could do anything about it. I was always dress to kill anyway. Black blazer that was stylishly folded to my shoulders, gray ribbed crop top underneath, blue tight jeans for the bottom, and black knee-high boots.
Nauna akong makarating sa kanila kaya nang makaupo na ay medyo kabado pa ako. I didn't dare to look around. I didn't want any unwanted attention on me, especially when I was alone.
It was ten minutes later when they finally arrived. I sat up straight on my seat. Una kong nakita sila Ate Lavie at Kuya Xavi na magkahawak ang mga kamay habang kausap ang attendant sa harap. The unsuspecting Hades followed after them with his eyes on his phone. He was wearing a deep frown.
That reminded me that I forgot to text him to eat his lunch, like I'd been doing for the past few days. I was so nervous that I forgot!
"Hello again," Ate Lavie bid with amusement in her voice, as soon as they reached the table. "Did you wait long?"
Hades was still clueless. His eyes were stuck on his phone. I stood up and briefly turned my attention to Ate Lavie to greet her again, like I didn't just see her earlier.
"Just ten minutes, I think," I answered and that made Hadeon raise his head. His eyes found me and I saw the brief shock on his face.
"Kaia, what a surprise, I didn't know you were joining us for lunch," Kuya Xavi said in an obvious fake surprise. I wasn't sure if he intently said it that way or he was just a terrible actor.
I sarcastically smiled at him. His grin said it all. He pulled a chair and offered it to Ate Lavie, then sat on the chair beside her.
"Hades, take a seat," Kuya Xavi instructed. That made me look at Hades again. He was still staring at me like I was an anomaly.
He heavily sighed. I tensed a bit as he finally sat on the chair beside me. He looked at me with a deep scowl.
"Why are you here?" he said in a low voice, like he didn't want our audience to hear what he was saying but the size of table made that impossible, unless he whispered it to my ear.
I pouted. "You weren't replying to my texts."
"I am replying," he said like it was something to brag about.
"Puro period?" Umirap ako. "Anong gagawin ko sa period mo?"
"I reply to you at night."
"Para patulugin ako. Ano ako? Bata?" angil ko.
Hades' lips twitched. I remained glaring at him.
"Should we move to another table and give you two some privacy?" malokong singit ni Kuya Xavi at humalakhak.
His laughter turned a groan when Ate Lavie elbowed him.
"I'm starving. What should we eat?" Ate Lavie flashed a bright smile and gestured at the menu. Hindi ko man lang napansin na may dumating na palang waiter para ibigay ang menu.
We ordered a two-course meal, soup for starter and then different orders for the main course—but mostly meat. As expected, Hades ordered the wagyu ribeye and I did the same.
"Oh. Kaia, you mentioned that Gio went to culinary school during your interview. Is he planning to open his own restaurant?" it was an innocent question by Ate Lavie, and it was truly an innocent question... but it felt wrong to talk about Gio in front of Hades.
Kuya Xavi cleared his throat and quickly got some water. He not-so subtly leaned closer to Ate Lavie and whispered something to hear. Kumunot ang noo ni Ate Lavie sa narinig.
To avoid prolonging the awkwardness, I decided to answer her question casually, "Yes. He did. And he is. Inaayos niya na lahat. He wants to be really hands-on, kaya natatagalan."
"Does that mean magaling siyang magluto?"
It reminded me happy memories from New York, when Gio would always be experimenting and feeding me strange but oddly delicious food.
I genuinely smiled and nodded. "He's a natural! Sobrang sarap niyang magluto. I gained so much weight because of him."
"Oh. That's right. You lived together in New York," Ate Lavie commented, a detail she knew because of our interview.
"Baby." Kuya Xavi reached for Ate Lavie's hand and squeezed it.
"What?" She scowled.
"Kaia might not be comfortable talking about this," Kuya Xavi pointedly said but looked at Hades instead of me.
"Why not?" Ate Lavie looked so perplexed. "She and Gio are really good friends."
"Friends?" tanong ni Kuya Xavi. "Weren't you two married?"
My smile faded and my insides turned cold. All of the sudden, I felt extremely anxious. Because I knew that Hadeon could hear all of this. He was finally going to know the truth.
"Now, who's making Kaia uncomfortable," Ate Lavie mumbled in an exasperated tone.
"I-It's okay. I'm not keeping it a secret," I answered. "Gio and I aren't married... anymore."
"You got divorced?" medyo tumaas ang tono ni Kuya Xavier, pero hindi naman ganoon kalakas.
"Shh!" suway ni Ate Lavie.
I couldn't look at Hadeon but I didn't need to look at him to know that he was staring at me. I could feel him. His heavy presence matched his heavy stares.
I weakly shook my head and my answer came out weak as well, "Annulment."
"Null and void..." Kuya Xavi trailed. He looked at the person beside me again. "Why?"
My heart was pounding crazily inside my chest.
"I didn't love him." I licked my lips and swallowed hard, swallowing down my nerves. "I'm in love with someone else."