She keep on glancing with Magnus who's busy playing with Aresun in the sofa. Their son keeps on giggling. Nakakapanibago sa pandinig dahil hindi naman palatawa ang anak. Seems like he's been waiting for his father, huh?
Nang lingunin siya ni Magnus ay mabilis siyang umiwas ng tingin.
She can't still believe it. Her husband is alive. Sa sobrang hindi pagkapaniwala niya ay nagamit niya ang phone na tinaguan niya ng maigi sa closet. She searched all about him. On how he really died on 1:43 am but miraculously his heart starts beating again after few minutes.
What if she didn't left? Will they be together now?
Or maybe she can't still face him. Because until now, she's still blamimg herself, she still can forgive that she's the reason of Magnus' misfortune. When they got married, his old building was burned, he got shot twice, he lost his Empire and he almost lost his life.
She always think highly of herself but after realizing what she have done to Magnus, pakiramdam niya ay wala na siyang mukhang maihaharap dito.
He survived. She's so happy that he's alive, but she would be really selfish if she keep him once again. What if he was given another life but not to continue what they had? Paano kung ang pangalawang pagkakataon nitong mabuhay ay hindi para sa kanya kung hindi para baguhin ang desisyon nito sa buhay?
Her heart ached with her own thoughts.
"I'll start doing my job, Ma'am." Pormal ang malamig na boses ni Magnus na nagpapaalam sa kanya.
When she glance at him, hindi na nito karga si Arenus. Their son was placed on the crib, already sleeping soundly.
Napatikhim siya at tipid na tumango.
"O-okay."
Tumitig pa sandali si Magnus sa kanya pero hindi niya man lang masalubong ang mata nito.
Magnus left, doon niya lang naalalang huminga. She released a deep breathe and can't help to think with the situation with her husband again.
Babalik ba sila sa dating gawi? Forget about the year being away and be back in a snap? That they will live happilu ever after now? That's what she keep on dreaming before, Magnus will be back and they'll be finally happy.
Pero bakit na nagkatotoo ay mahirap pa ring magdesisyon? She thought it would be easy to just kiss and make up but it wasn't. Until now, nanatiling nakasunod ang konsensya at paninisi sa sarili.
Magnus is a good man. Clearly, she doesn't deserve him.
Pagkatapos niyang magluto ng meryenda ay napagdesisyunan niyang lumabas. Aresun is still sleeping soundly. Nais lang niya rin na masilip si Magnus.
And she wasn't disappointed with the sight. Magnus is riding a horse. He look like a hot cow boy.
He skillfully stop the horse, swabeng bumaba ito habang bitbit ang mga damo. He walk towards the cow and feed it with the grass he was holding. Kahit na nasa kalayuan ito ay klaro niya ang maliit na ngiti sa labi nito.
Magnus wants a life in farm, or more like a peaceful life. If she had give him that life sooner, would that tragedy even happen?
Her she go again, blaming herself for the nth time.
"Hello, Ma'am!" Bati ni Jan sa may kalayuan at kinawayan siya.
Ngumiti siya pabalik at kumaway, lalo pa't bumati din sina Angie.
"There's snacks inside! You should eat first!" Sigaw niya pabalik para madinig siya ng mga ito.
They just nodded.
She glance at Magnus then decided to went to him. Alam niyang napansin na siya nito pero hindi ito nag-abalang lumingon. Abala ito sa pagpapakain ng baka.
"Kumain ka muna." Hindi sinasadyang naging malamig ang boses niya.
Magnus stared at her coldly. She's not the old Hera to be able to tolerate his cold glare. Now that she wreck the wall that she built inside, ay dama niya ang takot na gumapang sa kanya.
"Smiling at other people and can't do it on your own husband?" He almost growled while he says that.
Nag-init ang pisngi niya sa sinabi nito. Hindi agad siya nakaatras nang humakbang papalapit ang binata.
"Or maybe you only do that to your workers, huh? Fine...Ma'am." There's sarcasm on the way he called her.
Napasunod na lang siya ng tingin sa binata na pumasok sa maliit na bahay niya. Nauna na kasi sina Jan kaya sumunod na si Magnus. Napailing na lang siya at sumunod.
Nang nakapasok siya ay umalingawngaw na ang tawa ni Angie. They're all having fun on the table, and she can't help to think about the Hiraeth. Where some of her girl cousin is giggling, some genuinely smiling and talking non-stop. And looking at how Jan and Luhan stealing each others snack remind her of how patay gutom the Benjamin is.
And Atle who's sitting on one of the chair remind her of her husband---wait, she can't compare no one to Magnus---Atle's here?!
Bago pa siya makapagsalita ay nagtapatan na si Magnus at Atle. Both of the same height and body proportion, one looks gorgeous rough and one is angelic soft.
Natahimik rin ang limang naroon, nag-aabang sa sunod na mangyayari sa dalawang binata.
"Sunshine? Why is your worker mad?" Takang tanong ni Atle habang nakatitig pa rin ka Magnus.
"Sunshine?" Magnus' voice is like an acid dripping on her stomach. Halatang hindi nagustuhan ang tawag ng lalaki sa kanya.
"Yeah. She's like a sunshine, she smile like a brightest sun in summer." Atle said.
Magnus' jaw clenched and in just a blink, he punched Atle hard that made the poor guy fell on the floor.
"Magnus Sebastian!" She hissed but Magnus is like a deaf.
"No. She's a snow, she's cold as the snowflakes in winter." Magnus said coldly.
Atle surprisingly just keep on the ground, nanatiling nakayuko at tahimik. Which is unusual kasi alam niyang may kakayahang lumaban ang binata at hindi naman sa may inaasahan siyang away pero nakapagtataka lang ang biglang pananahimik ni Atle.
"Sebastian?" Atle echoed on what she hissed earlier.
Nang mag-angat ng tingin ay nasasalamin ang pamilyar sa dalawang mata.
"You heard her, right. I'm a Sebastian." He said coldly and there's pride on his voice as he mentioned his last name.
"I'm...I'm a Sebastian, too..."
Magnus eyes widen on what Atle said. Napaatras ito ng isang hakbang at pinasadahan ng tingin ang kapatid na nanatili sa lapag. Atle slowly stood up. Muling nag-lebel ang dalawa.
"You're proud to be a Sebastian... but I hate being one." Atle said bitterly.
"Maxwen..." Magnus muttered.
Isang mapaklang ngisi ang kumawala sa labi ni Atle.
"Maxwen Atle Sebastian." Atle uttered with disgust.
Magnus face softened for younger brother. Maxwen is the second son, the first bastard, and being on his place doesn't seems easy.
But upon remembering what Atle addressed his wife, biglang uminit na naman ang ulo ni Magnus.
"Blood is thicker that water, they say, but when it comes to my wife, I can your blood spread on my way." Malamig na banta ni Magnus.
"Try me, brother. You were gone for a year, you think I didn't make a move on her?" Atle smirked.
Muling umigkas ang kamao ni Magnus pero mabilis na sinalo ni Atle.
"Big brother don't punch their sibling. I guess, you're not my brother at all." Atle said coldly.
That's her cue. Bago pa man masuntok ni Atle si Magnus ay mabilis siyang pumagit na at sinalo ang suntok ni Atle.
Atle's eyes widen on what she did. Hindi inaasahan ang pagsalo niya sa malakas na suntok nito. Halatang hindi makapaniwala.
"All of you. Out now." She said coldly.
Natahimik ang mga tauhan niya. Halatang nabigla sa pagiging malamig niya pero tahimik naman ang mga itong umalis. Binitawan niya ang kamay ni Atle at nanatiling nakaharang ang katawan sa asawa.
Kumislap naman ang mata ni Atle sa paghanga.
"Wow. You were so strong! That made me admire you more, Sunshine---"
"Maxwen Atle." Malamig na banta ni Magnus sa kapatid nito.
Agad na nasira ang itsura ng binata.
"You can't stop me. I don't have a brother." Atle said.
"Don't really test my patience, Maxwen. My wife is mine alone." Malamig na banta ni Magnus sa kapatid.
"Enough, both of you." Malamig na pigil niya sa dalawa.
Tumahimik naman ang mga ito.
"You should go home, Atle." Utos niya sa nakababatang kapatid ng binata.
Atle didn't move for seconds but eventually sigh in defeat and exited her house. Siya naman ay humarap kay Magnus.
"Go back to your work---"
"You really act like I'm just your mere worker, huh? Damn. This is not how I picture out will gonna happen before." Magnus hissed and carry her without a warning.
"Magnus!"
Namula ang pisngi niya at sinubukang gumalaw pero sadyang malakas ang binata. Hindi niya alam kung saan siya nito dadalhin pero papalabas sila ng bahay.
And there's a cars on the gates. Maraming eleganteng sasakyan ang naroon at isang taon na niyang huling nakita ganoong klaseng sasakyan.
"I'm the one who found her first. She's mine." Malamig na saad ni Magnus sa pamilya niya at pinasok siya sa isang kotse.
"My son!" She panicked but eventually calm down when Magnus' men knocked on the car's door, carrying Arenus who's crying.
Binuksan ni Magnus ang pinto ng kotse at kinuha si Arenus. Dion started the engine and left the place. Unti-unti na ring kumalma si Arenus at nakatulog muli sa dibdib ng ama.
"What happened? Why is the whole Benjamin clan are there?" Tanong niya sa asawa.
"We're all looking for you, Hera. Sadyang nauhanan ko lang sila kaya akin ka." He said cruelly.
Bakit pakiramdam niya ay may kaakibat na galit ang boses nito sa pamilya niya? It's as if he's on a difficult competition with her family.
"W-what happened when I left?" She can't help but to ask while staring at Magnus whose eyes are already close while hugging Arenus.
"Hellish." Magnus muttered.
Her heart ached on that.
She knew that leaving her old life is the nice choice she ever had. Arenus able to grow in peaceful life, not in their chaotic world. She shouldn't regret that she left...but seeing Magnus is like a big slap of regret on her face.
Hindi niya alam kung saan sila patungo. Basta nakarating sila sa isang mansiyon.
Halos kaladkarin na siya ng binata dahil sa malalaking hakbang nito. Hawak nito si Arenus sa kabilang braso at ang kamay ay nakahawak sa kamay niya.
"Magnus, I have a house, a farm, a farmers, an animals...I shouldn't be here." Iling niya at sinubukang pumiglas sa mahigpit na hawak nito.
"But I am here, so you should be here." Pagtatapos ni Magnus sa pinag-usapan nila.
She sighed heavily and shook her head.
"Magnus, listen---"
"No. You listen to me, Hera Juu. You already had a year with yourself. Now, you have no choice but to spend the next years with me." Malamig na saad ni Magnus at ni-lock ang main door.