Hiding His Mistress: Diovanni de Marcel | B-1 ✔

Kabanata 8

KABANATA 8

Shuen's POV

"Magkape ka muna, baka makatulong ito para kumalma ka," mahinahong sabi ni Atasha habang inaabot sa akin ang mainit na cup of Starbucks. Her presence was like a remedy for what I was going through in these chaotic times.

Her concern didn't end with just the coffee; she also placed her thick coat on my shoulders to protect me from the intense cold of the late night. My mind wandered to Diovanni—had he arrived home safely, or was he still searching for me? In my need for peace, I turned off my phone when Atasha arrived to help me.

"Thank you, Atasha. Your help means a lot to me, especially knowing you have to work early tomorrow," I said, smiling with genuine gratitude.

Atasha took a sip from her cup and looked at me. "Do you remember when I was going through a tough time with Elias? You didn't leave me. I'm just doing what friends should do for each other," she replied, her voice full of sincerity.

Habang magkatabi kaming nakaupo, tahimik naming pinagmasdan ang walang humpay na daloy ng mga sasakyan sa highway. Naroon kami, sa labas ng Starbucks sa Tagaytay, dahil naisip naming dito muna magpalipas ng oras—kahit isang oras lang—bago niya ako ihatid pauwi. Samantala, pinipilit kong ihanda ang sarili ko para sa inaasahang galit ni Diovanni dahil sa biglaan kong pag-alis kanina. Kilala ko siya; hindi niya gusto ang mga taong umaalis nang hindi nagpapaalam.

Bumuntong-hininga ako nang malalim habang muling naglalaro sa isipan ko ang mga pangyayari ng araw na ito. Namamaga at pulang-pula ang aking mga mata, bunga ng walang tigil na pag-iyak. Pakiramdam ko'y tuyo na ang mga ito, parang naubos na ang luha ko, my gaze was left tired and dull.

"What are you going to do now?" Atasha's voice suddenly interrupted my thoughts.

I couldn't help but show my frustration in my voice. "Why didn't you tell me right away? So that I could have known and not feel this pain."

She took a deep breath. "Would you believe me if I had told you immediately after finding out?"

"I don't know... Maybe. I'm not sure."

"It's not easy to mention things that may cause hurt, especially if it could lead to a problem. That's why I hesitated. You might think it's just a coincidence, and that I might be lying. But now you know, and that's what's important," she explained.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the chaos inside me. My personal problem was heavy enough, and on top of that, a new betrayal. My emotions were scattered, and there was a piercing pain in my heart that was continuous and burning.

I thought I had no more tears, but I was wrong. They welled up again, and I couldn't stop myself from sobbing. Atasha immediately hugged me, a tight embrace. Despite the pain, I longed for an explanation from Diovanni. I needed to understand his reasons, even if it caused additional pain in my heart.

As we traveled back to Batangas, the familiar silhouette of our spacious home slowly appeared, where Diovanni would surely be waiting for my return. The guard recognized our car and quickly opened the gate for us to enter.

"Thank you for the ride, Atasha. Take care on your way home."

"No problem. Just call me anytime you want. I'll be there at any cost."

"Thank you. You're the best!"

Hinintay ko muna na tuluyang makalayo ang sasakyan ni Atasha bago ako pumasok sa loob ng bahay. Ang katahimikan sa ibaba ay nagbigay senyales na marahil ay mahimbing na ang tulog ni Diovanni. Isang malalim na buntong-hininga ang kumawala mula sa aking dibdib bago ako nagsimulang umakyat sa hagdan, ang bawat hakbang ay tila may kasamang bigat.