Villaverde Brothers Series 3: Marrying the Heartless

Chapter Eight

Therapeutic… that's what I felt while he was hugging me.

The warmth of his embrace had been unexpected, but somehow, it was exactly what I needed. He didn’t ask questions, didn’t try to fix anything—he just let me break, let me fall apart in the quiet safety of his arms.

When I finally pulled away, the weight in my chest felt lighter, though my embarrassment remained. I wiped my face hastily, refusing to meet his eyes.

“Sorry,” I mumbled.

“Raya, there’s no need to apologize. We all need to let it out sometimes.” His gaze lingered on me, soft yet searching, like he was trying to understand everything I couldn’t put into words.

Hindi na ako nagsalita. Umiwas na ako ng tingin. Sa puntong ‘yon, bigla akong nakaramdam ng awkwardness sa paligid. Hindi ko alam kung paano ko siya palalabasin ng kwarto. Napagod ako bigla at gusto ko na lang magpahinga.

Mukhang naintindihan niya rin ang bawat galaw ko kaya naman nagpaalam na siyang babalik sa kwarto.

“Magpahinga ka na,” aniya. “Babalik na ako sa kwarto ko. If you want to watch the sunset, kumatok ka sa ‘kin. Sasamahan kita.”

Tumango ako. Pinanood ko na lang siyang lumabas. Nang mawala siya sa paningin ay umupo ako sa kama, malayo pa rin ang nilalakbay ng isip. Hindi ko namalayang nakatulog na pala ako.

Nagising ako ng hapon na, tinanaw ko ang bintana at malapit nang bumaba ang araw. Pupungay-pungay akong tumayo at nag-ayos ng sarili.

Bumaba ako, hindi na kinatok pa si Zairus na baka nagpapahinga. Ayaw ko rin naman siyang istorbohin at gusto ko talagang mapag-isa.

Umupo ako sa tabing-dagat, hinayaan ang sarili na lasapin ang sariwang hangin.

The waves lapped gently at the shore, their rhythm soothing. For a moment, there was nothing but the symphony of the ocean and the sight of the sun slowly dipping lower into the water.

The sky was painted in shades of crimson, violet, and gold.

Hindi pa man nagtatagal ang paninitig ko roon, naramdaman ko na ang isang presensya sa likuran ko. Napayuko ako, hinawakan ang buhangin at pinaglaruan ‘yon sa ‘king kamay.

“Hindi mo ‘ko kinatok,” turan niya.

I dared to glance at him. He was standing behind me, the natural light casting a golden hue on his features. His white shirt clung slightly to his broad shoulders, the soft fabric rippling with the breeze. His black shorts revealed toned legs, evidence of a life active and full of movement. But it was his eyes that caught me. They were intense, unwavering, and right now, they seemed to hold nothing but concern for me.

Umupo siya sa tabi ko pero hindi ako nililingon. Diretso ang tingin niya sa harap. I followed his gaze, letting my thoughts dissolve into the colors of the sky.

“Beautiful,” I whispered.

“So are you,” Zairus said quietly.

I turned to him, caught off guard. He wasn’t looking at the sunset anymore—his focus was entirely on me. My heart skipped a beat, confusion and something deeper swirling within me.

His lips curved into a small, teasing smile, but there was no mistaking the earnestness in his eyes.

I exhaled slowly, not knowing how to respond. I hugged my knees to my chest and looked back at the ocean.

“Gusto kong mapag-isa…” mahina kong sabi.

“I’ll just sit here with you. You don’t have to say anything. I’ll just be here.”