Ruthless Seduction

Chapter Thirty Seven

Axel's POV

As soon as I found out where Valerie was, I drove to their hacienda without second thought. Those days I had to spend without her felt like a decade. I couldn't function properly. I couldn't fucking eat, I couldn't sleep. She was all I could think about. I was miserable at best but most of the time, it was worse. I had to sleep every night without her by my side and wake up to the fresh grief of not being with her. Nothing seemed to make sense anymore even the simplest task was a hard work, leaving me feeling even more numb. It was my fault, I had no one to blame but myself.

I just had to see her. I had to tell her that I love her, that she was the only woman I had ever loved like this. That she was the only woman that I would want to spend my whole life with.

My car stopped at the huge wooden gate between the tall stone walls. Two uniformed guards were standing on the either side of it. I rolled the window down when one of the guard approached me. They easily recognized me and let me in. I drove inside the hacienda and a few more miles to Valerie's house. I pulled up in front of it and got out of the car.

Their front entrance was open so I went in. I called for Valerie and suddenly saw Jaime, going down the stairs. Our eyes locked and his eyes slitted in a glare.

"What are you doing here?" He asked in a controlled but very hostile way.

"Jaime, I want to talk to Val." I sounded as if I was begging. "Marami akong kailangan ipaliwanag sa kanya."

"Ganyan ba talaga kakapal ang mukha mo?" Jaime said as he walked towards me. "Pagkatapos ng ginawa mo sa anak ko nagawa mo pang pumunta dito."

"I'm sorry." I said in a broken voice. "I didn't want to hurt Val. That's the last thing I would want to do. Mahal ko si Valerie. God knows how much I love her."

"Your words mean nothing. You have already hurt my daughter. I would never let you near Valerie again." Matigas na sabi ni Jaime.

"Jaime, please..." I said in a weak voice.

"Leave." He looked really intimidating when angry. Controlled but still very intimidating. "Aalis ka ng maayos o gusto mong tumawag pa ako ng guard para itapon ka palabas ng hacienda?"

"I just want to see her. Kung gusto mong lumuhod ako gagawin ko, payagan mo lang akong makausap siya kahit sandali."

He shook his head, his face hard and stoic.

"Damn it! She could be pregnant with my child right at this moment." I said out of desperation. How I wish it was true kung iyon lang ang paraan para hindi siya tuluyan malayo sa akin. Sure there was a possibility but it was very slim, since she had always been careful with her pills.

There was a sudden silence between us. He pursed his lips together and his eyes grew cold. "Kung buntis nga ang anak ko, kaya kong buhayin ang magiging apo ko ng hindi ka kinakailangan. Mas gugustuhin kong maging disgrasyada siya kaysa maging querida."

My shoulders sagged at his words. Gusto kong magalit. It wasn't fair. Kahit maliit ang posibilidad na buntis nga si Valerie, hindi ko pa rin maiwasan ang makaramdam ng galit. If she really was pregnant, they wouldn't want me to be a part of my own child's life?! It drove me berserk inside. I refuse to be shut out of my child's life! I shouted for Valerie's name as Jaime tried to stop me.

Valerie's POV

I had spend the whole day riding Mitsy around the hacienda, trying to get my mind off Axel. I hated doing nothing. Lalo ko lang kasi siyang naiisip kapag wala akong ginagawa. I got tired after a few hours and put Mitsy back to the stable and then I decided to go back home. Papasok pa lang ako ng bahay ng marinig ko ang ingay sa loob. It was my dad and my body froze when I also heard Axel's voice. I quickly ran in to find them there. Axel was shouting for me and dad was shouting for him to get out.

"Dad... Axel?" Mahinang sabi ko.

They both turned their heads to me. I looked at Axel. My heart fluttered a little... a lot actually and it took all the strength I had not to break down in front of him. He looked thinner now, there were dark circles under his eyes, his stubbles grew thicker. The emptiness that I had felt since we were apart showed on every part of me and I wished it didn't. No words were exchanged for a few minutes.

"Val..." His voice quivered with emotions. He slowly took steps towards me. I couldn't move my legs even if I wanted to. It felt as if I was glued to the ground. He stopped in front of me and cupped my face.

His eyes were glassy with tears. "Val, I've missed you."

I gently eased away from his hands and looked down to the floor. "Please, just leave." I said, almost in a whisper.

"Ginagawa ko na ang lahat para mapawalang bisa ang kasal namin sa lalong madaling panahon. Matagal ng tapos ang lahat sa amin. It was a stupid fucking mistake, Val. I was young. I didn't know what love was. I didn't take marriage seriously. Everything was just a game to me." He said in a gentle and pleading voice. I saw the longing in his eyes and the pain there too.  "Don't leave me, Val baby. Please, don't. I promise you, you'll never shed a single tear because of me again. I'll never hurt or disappoint you again. You're my life now and I'm nothing without you."

I looked at dad, trying to ask him for help because I didn't know what to say. His eyes were mellow and sad as he looked at me. He was letting me decide but at the same time, I knew he was sad about it. I could see it in his eyes. I love Axel but I love my dad more. He would never hurt me like Axel did.

"Umalis ka na." I firmly said.

"Don't do this to me." His voice was raspy and laced with pain. "Val, kaya kong tanggapin ang galit mo pero hindi ko kayang mawala ka sa akin." He took my hands and slapped it against his face. "Sige, magalit ka. Sampalin mo ulit ako. Do whatever you want to me but don't leave me."

I swallowed the lump in my throat as I tried to keep my face steady and emotionless. "It's over, Axel. I don't want to be with you anymore." Those words felt like acid in my mouth. It hurt to say it.

"No, no, it's not over." He shook his head and tears slid down his cheeks. "It isn't over. I know you still love me. Tell me you still do."

I didn't say anything. I just stood there with a stoic face, afraid that one single movement would cause me to show my emotion. I had never seen him cry before and I was shaken for awhile. He dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around my waist. He cried and sobbed like a little boy. I fought the urge to hold him, to comfort him, to brush my fingers through his soft hair.

I gathered all the strength I have to pry his arms away from my body. I ran to my room and tears began to fall from my eyes. I promised myself that this was the last time I would cry because of him. I promised myself that I would move one and just focus on picking up the pieces of me that I had lost. I still didn't how I was going to do it, I didn't know if I could but with my dad and my brother and my friends behind I knew I would figure it out.