I couldn't control my own rage anymore. Sinugod ko 'yong babae at hinatak ang buhok. Nagdidilim na talaga ang paningin ko sa galit.She tried to reach for my hair to get back at me but she failed. Iniharap ko siya sa akin at sinampal.Tila do'n lang nagproseso ang utak ni Aaron. Humarang siya sa pagitan naming dalawa no'ng babae. "Fucking hell, Cassidy! Kumalma ka nga!"Naningkit ang mga mata ko sa kanilang dalawa, nanginginig parin ako sa sobrang pagkamuhi. "Out of my way." I said while gritting my teeth."Aaron 'wag mong hayaang makalapit ulit siya! Did you see what she did to me? Did you see how barbaric she was?" lumuluhang saad ng malanding babae habang nakakapit kay Aaron."I have to talk to Aaron, so if you would you be kind enough to evacuate this area, I would appreciate it." Puno ng diin kong anas sa babaeng kahalikan niya. But deep inside, I'm breaking in half. All the walls I built to protect my heart came crashing down the moment I entered this place.Aaron saw the determined look in my eyes and sighed. Humarap ulit siya do'n sa babae. "I'll text you later."The girl shot me an annoyed look before stomping her foot. "No! I'm going to stay here. Kung gusto mo siyang makausap, then dito lang ako," she said in a defiant tone."Melissa—"Aaron was cut off again. "Hindi ako aalis! I want to hear everything this lascivious harlot has to say."My temper skyrocketed when she said those two words. Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili kong kunin ang swiss knife ko sa pouch. She saw it and her eyes widened."Oh God! She wants to kill me!" She cowered in fear behind him.Nanlaki rin ang mga mata ni Aaron. "What the hell? You're going too far!"Inilabas ko ang knife part no'n at itinutok sa babaeng nagngangalang Melissa. "Labas!""Cassidy, I said stop!"Hindi ako nakinig kay Aaron. Only a few people can unleash the serial killer inside of me.Nakatutok parin ito kay Melissa. "I said out!"Nagmamadali siyang tumakbo palabas. She even fell on the floor because her 6-inch stilettos are giving her walking difficulties. I kept the swiss knife in my pouch again. Paglingon ko kay Aaron, nakita ko ang galit sa mukha niya.Mariin niya akong hinawakan sa braso at iniupo sa couch. "What the fuck was that Cassidy?" His voice reverberated on all four sides of the room.I looked at him coolly, when in truth, my insides are shaking. "How dare you? How dare you cheat on me Aaron?" puno ng inis at hinanakit na tanong ko.He gave me a sarcastic laugh. "You call that cheating?""Yes! Wala ka na ba talaga ni katiting na respeto para sa akin?" My voice cracked and faltered, giving me away."Don't you dare talk to me about respect! Ikaw ba nirespeto mo 'ko no'ng nagpakama ka kay Aerold? Nirespeto mo ba 'yong relasyon natin? Heck, you didn't even respect yourself!"Tumayo ako at galit na galit na dinuro siya. I was pointing a shaky finger at him and he doesn't seem to care. "You have no right to accuse me because you do not know what really happened! You only saw the picture! Pero wala kang alam! You know nothing!" Dinuro-duro ko 'yong dibdib niya. Naiiyak na ako.I can still remember that night vividly. I hate him. But I love him.
And I don't want to lose him. Hindi lang kasi sarili ko ang pinaglalaban ko rito. Pati karapatan ng anak ko."Leave. I'm trying to work here," mapait niyang saad.Napatayo ako sa couch at hinila siya nang akmang tatalikuran niya ako. "Work? Trabaho mo na ba ngayong makipaghalikan sa Melissa na 'yon? Sabihin mo sa kanya na sa susunod na maabutan ko siya rito ay tutuluyan ko siya!"Inis na binalingan niya ako ng tingin na para bang ako pa 'yong may ginawang kasalanan. "Who are you to tell me what to do? Gagawin ko kung ano ang gusto ko, and you have no say on that Cassidy. And Melissa is what I want."Nag-collapse 'yong legs ko. Nanghihinang napaupo ako sa couch. "Hindi mo naman siya mahal. You're using her to hurt me, to get back at me. Don't do this Aaron. Masasaktan lang natin lalo ang isa't isa," halos nagmamakaawa nang sabi ko. My tears fell as my heart broke. Hinawakan ko 'yong kamay niya pero tinanggal niya ito."Hindi ko siya ginagamit, Cassidy. You're too full of yourself. I like her."Umiling ako nang paulit-ulit. "No, no! Hindi mo siya gusto! Sinasabi mo 'yan para makaganti!" Naiiyak kong sabi habang pilit na niyayakap siya. "We're over," sabi niya ulit, na para bang hindi pa sapat 'yong mga sinabi niya para masaktan ako.He turned his back on me but I called him. I called him and told him the real reason I was here."Aaron I'm three weeks pregnant," nakayuko kong saad.There was heavy silence embracing us. All I could hear was heavy breathing. Hindi siya nagsasalita, so, I continued."Aaron, narinig mo ba 'ko? Nagbunga 'yong ginawa natin. Sabi mo pananagutan mo 'ko kahit ano'ng mangyari."I risked one glance and saw him looking towards me. He has no expression. He was unreadable right now."You promised, Aaron. And upto now I'm still holding on to those promises. You told me you've never broken a promise."Pagkaraan ng mahabang katahimikan ay narinig ko ang mga yabag niya. Nagtaas ako ng tingin at nakitang papalapit siya. Without even changing his expression, he spoke, "Fine. I'll
marry you, Cassidy."Natuod ako sa kinatatayuan ko nang sabihin niya'yon. Ngunit bago pa magbunyi ang kalooban ko ay yumuko siya at bumulong sa may tenga ko."I'm only doing it for the child, not for you. Never for you."