Running Away from the Billionaire (LOB series #4)

Chapter 17

Madilim pa rin sa paligid nang ibuklat ko ang mga mata ko. I looked around, nasa kwarto ako ni Klaus. I saw the time from his alarm, it's only 2 a.m. Napaupo ako nang makita na iba na ang soot kong damit. I'm wearing a silk spaghetti strap nightdress. Sa akin to. He bought it for me when I used to sleep here. Hindi pa pala niya itinatapon.

Nakahinga ako ng maluwag nang mapansin na soot ko parin ang bra at panty ko. Baka mamaya may nangyari pala sa amin nakalimutan ko lang. Ayaw ko namang gayahin si Klaus at gumawa ng re-enactments.

Napatingin ako sa pinto. The door was slightly open and I can see the light from the corridor, naririnig ko din ang boses ni Klaus pero hindi ko masiyadong maintindihan. Tumayo na ako at naglakad palabas.

As I walk to were he is by following his voice, mas lalo kong naririnig ang sinasabi niya. Nasa veranda siya at may kinakausap, sa phone lang siguro dahil wala akong marinig na isa pang boses.

"Man, you know I love her. I've been in love with her for God knows how many years." Napatigil ako sa pagsasalita. I don't want to assume that it's me but something tells me that it is me. I moved closer. "Hindi ko kayang lumayo. I–I can't."

"But you–Klaus, you're making it more complicated than it already is by being with her." Ngayon naririnig ko na kung sino ang kausap niya. It's Demitri and he's on speaker pero hindi ito masiyadong malakas kaya hindi ko marinig kanina.

"I don't want to lose Kayla again." He said in frustration. "You know how I've been when she left. I don't want to be in that position again. I—I can't—I just... can't."

There was silence. Wala na akong naririnig na nagsasalita. Sumilip ako at nakita ko si Klaus na nakatingala sa langit. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang makita na nagpunas siya ng luha mula sa mga mata. He's crying.

Am I hurting him too much? Ganon ba kasakit para sa kanya ang makasama ako? Ganon ba ako kasamang tao para pahirapan siya ng ganito? It feels like whenever he cries, it's always because of me. I've seen him cry, I've seen him beg so many times. Dahil sa akin. Palaging dahil sa akin.

How can he still love me after all the pain I've put him through?

Sa sobrang gulat hindi ako nakagalaw nang humarap siya sa akin at magtama ang mga mata namin. Namumula ang mga mata at ang ilong niya.

"Klaus." Nakatitig lang siya sakin at hindi nagsalita. "I'm sorry."

"I know Kaye. You're sorry that you can't love me back. I get it." Pain is evident from his voice. Pain but with no hate. He looked away and harshly wiped the tears from his eyes. "It's not your fault."

Parang may kumirot sa puso ko na makita siyang nagkakaganyan. Kapag nasasaktan siya, nasasaktan ako. Kapag masaya siya, masaya din ako. We always argue, palagi kaming nag aasaran at nag pipikunan, but in reality, every argument that I had with him it is always because we were used to treating each other that way. I love talking to Klaus. I enjoy every moment with him.

This feeling is different from the way I felt about Demitri, but whenever I'm with Klaus, it always felt like home.

Naglakad ako palapit sa kanya at tumayo sa harap niya. Hinawakan ko siya sa pisnge at pinaharap ang mukha sa akin. Napangiti ako. Ang swerte ko sa taong to. He rolled his eyes when he saw me smile. Lalayo na sana siya pero pinigilan ko siya. Mas lalong lumawak ang ngiti ko nang makita na naiinis na siya.

"Stop laughing at me Kaye." Masungit na sabi niya. I chuckled.

"I'm not laughing. I'm just... happy." After all this time. He still loves me. This guy still loves me.