The Limit to Your Love (18+)

26 | The Mystery

"It's okay. It's okay. Shhh. . ." bulong ni Gideon doon sa babaeng nakahubad. "It's all good."

Sa paligid nila, maraming nagtumbahang mga gamit. Pati ang laptop ni Gideon, nasa may carpet na. At iyong unan sa tabi nito, mamasa-masa, may mga lipstick marks, at isang nakakalat na pakete ng condom. Teka—lipstick. . .marks? Condom?

My fists and jaw tremble, bones nearly cracking under the strain of my rage. I pivot and walk away, each step feels like a knife twisting deeper into my broken heart. Akala ko nagbago na siya. Ang buong akala ko seryoso siya sa akin. Pero hindi. . .tarantado talaga siya. Tinarantado niya ako!

My vision blurs with tears, but the raw emotion propels me forward, past the shocked house staff. I won't let him see me break. In fact, I won't let him see me again!

Tuluy-tuloy akong naglakad hanggang sa ilang hakbang na lang ang layo ko sa may labasan. Pero si Ate Jessica, bigla akong niyakap mula sa likod.

"Bee. . .teka, huwag ka namang umalis nang ganyan—Gideon! Gideon!"

Mabilis kong narinig ang mga yabag na tumakbo palapit sa amin. It's Gideon.

"Boss, nakita niya kayo."

"Oh, no. Bee. Let me explain." Hinatak niya ako at saka niyakap nang mahigpit. Nalukot naman ang mukha ko at saka sinuntok-suntok ang hubad niyang dibdib.

"You, fucking asshole. I hate you—"

"You!" Dumagundong ang galit na boses ng isang babae na nanggaling sa kanan. Pagtingin ko, nagulat akong si Kimberly pala ito na naka-bob cut na ang kahel na buhok. Nakasuot ito ng isang white silk robe at hindi na hubo't hubad. "So it's really you, huh. Not LJ or Maeve or anyone else. . .but you!"

Then, she charges over to me and quickly grabs my hair. Hinugot niya iyon nang malakas kaya napatili ako sa hapdi. "Argh!"

"Bitch! You told me you had nothing for Gideon, you lying, ugly whore! Qué descaro! (What nerve)," palahaw ni Kimberly sabay ng pagluha. Her dark blue eyeliners are now painting her cheeks. " All this time, you were playing innocent, acting like you didn't care—"

"Kim, stop," suway ni Gideon na pilit na itinutulak palayo ang Espanyola. "Stop it—"

"You're pathetic, Beatrice! Crawling into his bed like a desperate, second-rate skank. You don't deserve him, and you never will!" aniya sabay sapak sa'kin bagaman mabilis akong nakailag. "I'm gonna fuck you up, do you hear me? I'm gonna fucking destroy you and that thing in your belly—"

"Kimberly!!!" Gideon shouts like thunder, freezing Kimberly and everyone else in the house, including me. "Are you out of your goddamn mind? How many times do I have to tell you that we are fucking over?! Don't you get it? Do you want me to lose the last shred of respect I have left for you? Do you want me to drag you out of this building? Because I fucking will!"

Pagkatapos, bigla na lang lumuhod si Kimberly sa harap ni Gideon at saka niyakap nang mahigpit ang kabuoan ng kanang hita nito.

"Gideon, mi amor. Please don't do this to me. There's nothing going on between Louie and me. I was just drunk during the yacht incident, okay? Didn't you tell me you love me? That I'm your girl? If you want to make that bitch your primary, it's fine with me. Just don't leave me. I love you, Gideon. I love you so much, mi amor. You know I'll do anything for you, right? Can that bitch do what I can do? Can she make you happy like I do? Does she even know what you want? Does she know about your baby—"

Pagalit na hinablot ni Gideon ang likod na bahagi ng suot na robe ni Kimberly at para itong pusang kinaladkad palapit sa may pinto. "Get her clothes!" galit na utos ni Gideon kay Ate Rhona na siyang tumakbo patungo roon sa study room.