Game 45 – Shattered into million pieces
Caleb leaned over Emma’s forehead to kiss her. She stirred and slowly opened her eyes. “Good morning.” He greeted her.
She smiled sleepily at him and it made his heart leap out of joy. He always wanted to wake her up like this. To wake up with her. He trailed his hand to her stomach where their baby was, he couldn’t wait to see his child with Emma. “Morning.” She said. She looked at him from up to down and frowned. “Aalis ka?” she asked as she assessed what he was wearing, he was wearing his suit and it’s a weekend.
He didn’t want to but he needed. His future or better yet their future is at stakes. He needed a stable job for Emma and the baby, he cannot do that if his current job is hanging on a thin thread. He needed to make plans.
That was what he had been doing for the past few weeks, he was going to build his own investment firm. It’ll be hard but with the proper investors it’ll be fine. And to have proper investors he needed to smooch some people.
He nodded. “I have to meet Anton Magdayao for brunch. He called the office and wanted to meet.” He told her. Hindi niya alam kung bakit tinawagan siya ni Anton Magdayao pero chance na rin ito para tanungin ito kung gusto nitong mag-invest sa tatayo niyang investment firm.
Emma wrinkled her nose. “Anton? Ano naman kailangan sayo ni Anton?” she asked. She sat up. “Can you just stay here with me?” she asked.
“I’d love to but I can’t. I have some very important meetings that I had scheduled for today. I’ll call you later okay?” Caleb kissed her on her lips chastely and stood up. “I love you.”
Just when he was barely out of the room, he heard Emma’s low whisper. “I love you too.” he stopped mid-track, he didn’t know if he heard her right but he was damn sure it wasn’t meant for him to hear it.
But by God, it made his heart beat faster. Emma loved him. She might not had confessed it to him directly but she did love him. He never had to question himself over it anymore.
She loved him. And the most wonderful thing was that they were having a baby. They were going to be a family and Emma loved him. They will be a happy family. He would make sure of that.
He walked away, he fought the urge to come back and make love to the love of his life and ask her to tell him what he just heard. Emma didn’t say it because she wasn’t ready for him to hear it. She was finding the perfect time and so was he.
He was going to ask her to marry him. It was obvious anyway, they were having a baby but he didn’t want Emma to think that he just wanted to marry her because of the baby. He wanted to marry her because he couldn’t think of spending another day with her not being his wife.
Yeah maybe they have known each other for almost six months only but as clichéd as it sounds it felt for Caleb that he had known her all his life. He had waited far too long for her and it was high time to marry her. To make her his.
Now, he was certain she would say yes to him. There was no doubt about it. She loved him so what could possibly go wrong?
When he was inside his car that was when he thought of asking her tonight. It would be perfect and tomorrow at her grandparent’s brunch they could announce their engagement.
He smiled as he drove to BGC that was just a few minutes away from Emma’s place. Oh they would need to talk about where they would live, he loved his place and he was sure that Emma loved her place too so they needed to compromise.
He’d find a perfect place for them. He loved Emma’s place and it was perfect in a way for them but he couldn’t shake the feeling that some other guys had been there and he didn’t want that and as much as he loved his place, there had been others there too.
He didn’t want their past mixed with their future. He wanted something new for the future they were going to have.
He would just ask Caden to design them a house. Maybe a house near his parents. That would be perfect. Tagaytay is only a few minutes away from Makati and it won’t be much of a hassle.
When he arrived at the restaurant where he was to meet Anton Magdayao, he was already there and he was so sure he saw Cassandra Carmichael leaving the place. He shrugged and walked towards Anton’s table. Two drinks were already set and both were half-empty.
“Please sit.” Anton said and gestured the seat across him. He waved at the waiter as Caleb sat.
The waiter came and asked for Caleb’s order. He asked for coffee. The waiter left.
“I'm sure you’re wondering why I called to meet you.” Anton started. “I want to buy West United Bank. I’ve known the bank has financial problems and I’ve also been told about you. I want you to stay when I buy it and I’m going to offer you to be one of the board of directors and not just the COO of the Philippine branch.”
Caleb couldn’t believe it. Someone was willing to buy West United at this point, James Carmichael had already told him before that it would be risky to anyone to buy it at this moment, it already hit rock bottom and it would be too hard to pull it up again.
It was risky because even when the clients didn’t know about the financial problems because it haven’t been announced publicly about it but of course, many businessmen knew about the problems. Stocks had been going up and down for the last few months and clients weren’t that ignorant. Clients would have lost their trust to the bank because of the financial problems.
So it was a risky business, buying it even if they sold it in parts. They might lose more than to gain more at this moment. That was one reason why Caleb wanted to go and build his own investment firm.
He needed stable.
“So you’re up for it? I will be flying to US to speak to Mr. West about it and I would like you to come with me as we talk about negotiations.” Anton asked him.
The waiter came back with his coffee and he swirled his teaspoon around it. “I… I need to talk with my gi… Emma first.” I told him, it didn’t feel right to call Emma his girlfriend at this moment any longer but he haven’t asked her yet so calling her his fiancée might jinx it.
Anton smiled. “Right, you’re dating Emma Price.”
Caleb remembered that Anton Magdayao was Anya’s first love, the man she left to marry her prince. So of course, this man knew Emma. Maybe they were even friends before it went down the drain with Anya and him.
“Yes. At kailangan ko muna siyang kausapin tungkol dito. She’s pregnant.” Caleb said and he didn’t know why he just announced to Anton, someone he didn’t even know that much about Emma’s condition right now but it just slipped out.
Anton didn’t look surprise with the announcement but just nodded. “Congratulations.” He said. “Then we’ll speak again once you’ve settled this with Emma.”
They talked more about business and they said their goodbye after it. Caleb decided to go to Greenbelt to buy a ring for Emma. He went straight to Harry Winston to look for the ring.
Once he had it, he went to his office for his other meetings.
When he arrived at his office, he placed the box to his desk and grabbed some folders for his conference video call with Mr. West at the conference room.
Three hours after his conference calls, he went back to his office and what he saw sitting on his desk with the box in her hands made his temper boil into fury. He slammed his door and glared at her.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing here?” he asked her harshly.
Regina smiled sweetly at him and it made him feel sick. “You’re proposing to her?” she asked.
“It’s not your goddamn business Regina. How many times do I have to tell you to leave me the fuck alone?” he yelled. She had been constantly trying to be here for two weeks and it was tiring to have her here.
She was acting as if she didn’t cheat on him and broke his goddamn heart into million pieces when she did.
He walked towards her and yanked the box away from her. “You need to leave. NOW.”
“Caleb honey, I’m only here to help you.” she said innocently. As if he was going to fall for that again. “I told you I can give you names for investors, I’ll call them up for you and you’ll have your investors in no time.”
“And I told you many times that I don’t give a fuck about it. I don’t need your help Regina. I know what entails with your help and I won’t give you that. I’m in a relationship and I love Emma.”
She stood up from the desk and came closer to him, she trailed her fingers on his arms. “I think you do need my help. And I also think that you should leave the slut and be with me again.” She said. “Remember how good we were together?” she asked and kissed him fully on his mouth.
And just like that, his future was no longer perfect.
Emma’s Point of View
I got bored at home so I decided to try baking. I’ve never really tried to bake because I was always busy with work. And since I have nothing to do then maybe I could learn to bake.
Kids loved sweets. And I’m going to spoil my kid with sweets too.
I smiled. I’m sure Caleb would spoil our kid too.
Two hours of dozens of cookies burned, I finally got it. I smiled and wrapped a few on a box while I ate the other. What? I’m pregnant and I’m hungry.
Naglakad ako paakyat para magpalit ng damit nang naramdam ko yung pagsakit ng tiyan ko, I gripped tightly on the rails. “Baby, don’t do this to mommy.” I soothe the bump on my stomach.
It really hurt and I waited for it to stop from hurting before I walked up to my room, I might fall and I didn't want that.
Pagkatapos kong magbihis ay dahan dahan akong bumaba at nag decide ako na mamaya ay pupunta ako sa hospital para lang makasiguro na walang problema sa pagbubuntis ko.
I’m a doctor and I know cramping is normal in pregnancy but I have to make sure, this is my baby after all. I love this baby with my life and I don't know what will happen to me if something bad happen to this baby.
This baby is my everything. My future.
I drove to Caleb’s office just to surprise him. I was bored and I need him to come with me to the hospital anyway because I just want him to be with me when I talk to my doctor.
I rode the elevator with the cookie box in my hands, I kept on imagining what would Caleb do once he sees me. I’ve never been in his office and this would be my first time so I do hope he’s not so busy for me.
I went out of the elevator and walked straight to Caleb’s office since there was no receptionist out there.
Smiling, I opened his door without knocking. “Ca…” I stopped just as soon as I saw him, my smile fell at the same time the cookie box fell on the floor. My tears started falling and I couldn’t help but stare at the man I had come to love kissing another woman’s neck.
It hurt my heart so painfully that I couldn’t breathe. My heart felt it was stabbed more than once. I told myself Caleb would never hurt me and I trusted the man not to.
When I saw the woman’s face, my heart totally shattered into million pieces. I closed my eyes to shut this image out but when I closed it my mind played another image in my mind. Andy fucking this woman.
How could I ever forget the face of the woman who destroyed my life? Who smugly smiled to me and when Andy tried to get off her, she wouldn’t let him? This woman was the woman Andy cheated on me with.
And now, here she was again. Her being the reason why my heart is breaking again.
She looked at me now with that face again, the smug smile she wore before. Caleb turned around and he saw me, his face showed fear and horror.
He pushed her away. “Emma, it’s not what you think it is…” he started walking towards me.
I backed away and when he reached for me, I slapped his hand away. “Don’t touch me.” I told him feeling disgusted.
“Emma… please.” Caleb pleaded.
I shook my head. “We’re done.” I said. I turned to look at the woman who until now I didn’t know the name. It had better stay that way or else I’m going to hunt her down and call someone to kill her for me or much better I’d kill her with my own hands. “It’s nice to see you with clothes this time.” I told her sarcastically.
“If you had walked a minute later, we would meet again just the way we met before.” She said smugly.
I really hated her. “I don’t doubt it. You’re a whore after all.” I sneered.
She glared at me. “And you still haven’t change.”
“Just like you, still a whore after twelve years. Jeez. I would have thought you’d change your profession but I guess nothing changes when you’re so desperate for money.” I faked a smile at her.
“Kilala niyo ang isa’t isa?” Caleb interrupted us.
“We’ve met twelve year ago.” She answered him. “How’s the brat? I hear she’s going to live here permanently.” she asked me.
“None of your fucking business.” I told her. I turned to Caleb. “This is over. We’re done. I don’t ever want to see you again.”
I turned around and walked away. It pained me and it broke me so much. I trusted him so much and I never knew he would hurt me. I was right to be cautious of him but I let him in again in my life. I was so damn stupid.
It hurt so damn much. So much more.
A/N:
six chapters left...