Whisper of Virtouso (Love Material Series #2)

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

—Last Chapter

"How long will you hurt me?" Kerson asked weakly, his gaze fixed on the passing cars.

"I didn't mean to hurt you, Kerson. I just wanted to see your dreams come true," I replied. "I was trying to protect myself because I couldn't bear the thought of losing you."

"In order to save yourself, you had to destroy me with your lies. . ." I heard him sob.

I couldn't bring myself to respond. My mind went blank. I was lost, unsure of what to do next. I had only made things more complicated for myself and Dion.

Tama si Mama.

Tama si Ate Kissha.

Tama si Shainny.

Tama si Erica.

Tama si Kenzo.

Tama lahat sila. Sana, sana una pa lang nakinig na ako. Sana nasabi ko na ang dapat sabihin.

Pero, putangina, pakiramdam na 'to, hindi na nawala!

Kahit ilang taon na siyang nawala, siya pa rin hinahanap ko, e! Kahit nawala siyang ilang taon, siya pa rin ang gustong-gusto kong mahalin.

"I'm sorry I hurt you. I'm sorry if I lied you," I whispered, my voice filled with remorse.

"Of course, we'll hurt each other. That's just part of life. To experience love is to accept the possibility of pain," he replied softly. "To be present in each other's lives means understanding that there may be times of absence."

As Kerson drove, silence enveloped us, the hum of the cars filling the void between us. I couldn't shake the weight of guilt, the burden of my mistakes weighing heavily on my mind. I still didn't know how to tell my son the truth, how to admit my faults and face the consequences of my actions.

"Kerson, ako ang magsasabi kay Dion ang lahat. Baka mabigla ang bata," I said. 

"Aly . . ." His voice cracked, tears evident in his tone. "Can you tell me more about our son? What are his habits? What does he like? His favorite color, foods, toys. . . Everything about our son."

I turned to him slowly, noticing the redness in his eyes from crying— from pain, from the hurt he felt towards me.

"Your son—" I began.

"Our son," he corrected me firmly.

I bit my lip nervously. "Our son's name is Dion Stephen. His favorite color is green, his favorite toys are dinosaurs. He's a gentle child, quiet most of the time. He loves being kissed before bed and when he wakes up in the morning. He's a sweet child, just like you."

"That's my son. . ." he smiled through his tears. "Damn it. I've been away from him for fours years. He hasn't seen me for four years. Damn it!"

I played with my fingers, feeling the nervousness rise again as tears streamed down my cheeks. I regretted so much. If only I had been honest earlier, if only I had faced the truth, I wouldn't be struggling like this now.

"Babe," Kerson's voice brought me back. "I'll fix this. We'll fix this together, okay?"

I couldn't find the words to respond, my tongue feeling heavy.

"I promise, we'll mend what's broken. I'll rebuild our family. Our children shouldn't have to endure the pain of an incomplete family," Kerson declared earnestly, his eyes fixed on the road ahead.

"Kerson, tumigil ka na. Isang mali 'to ang ginagawa mo. P'wede ka magpaka-tatay kay Dion habang may taong minamahal ka," tugon ko. "Ayoko masira ang lahat. Ayoko makasira."