Wild Deception

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

"Will you at least touch your food? You're starving yourself to death, baby."

Theo stared intently at Arriane. They're facing each other on a round table in the kitchen. Ilang araw pagkatapos nitong malaman ang katotohanan ay bihira na itong magsalita. Laging tahimik at parang may malalim na iniisip. Gustong pagsisihan ni Theo na isiniwalat niya rito ang lahat ngunit batid niyang hindi na niya maibabalik ang nangyari. After all, Arianne deserves the truth.

Arriane has to bear the fangs of truth. Ito lang ang makakapagpalaya sa kanilang dalawa mula sa nakaraan. Masakit man tingnan ang blangkong mga mata nito'y iniinda ni Theo ang emosyong gustong kumawala sa kanya. It's not that easy to accept everything.

"Baby, please? You're worrying me too much."

Hinawakan ni Theo ang kabilang kamay nito na nakapatong sa ibabaw ng mesa. Sinubukan niyang hulihin ang mga mata nito ngunit tila tumatagos lang sa kanyang mukha ang paningin nito.

"Arianne..." malumanay na tawag ni Theo sa kanyang pangalan. Mabigat ang kanyang pagbuga ng hangin dahil hindi man lang ito kumurap para sa kanya.

"You can't be like this forever, baby. Please let me feed you. You're getting thinner now. Baka magkasakit ka."

Hindi man lang natinag si Arianne. She's just staring at the food on the table. She can feel her dragon growling at her but she seemed not to care at all. She feels like she's dead. Too much information must have killed her senses that she can't even respond.

"Tsk." Theo creased his forhead with frustration. Napahilamos ito ng kanyang mukha.

"Hindi ako gutom," walang ganang sagot niya. Her eyes glistened with unfathomable emotion. Truth and lie can really kill a person in an instant. She was hurt by the truth and knowing that her life was a lie broke her even more.

"Baby, please help your self--"

"Ayaw ko na rito."

Natigilan si Theo sa biglang sinabi ni Arianne. Napaawang ang kanyang mga bibig at hindi makapaniwalang tinitigan ang kaharap. His heart went rigid. What was she talking about this time?

"You want to go somewhere? I'm thinking about it, too. Maybe you need to unwind after everything that happened. Don't worry, I'll have my assistant book tickets for us. How about going to Paris? Does that sound good to--"

"Ako lang ang aalis." Diretso ang tingin ni Arianne sa kawalan. There she goes again with her blank stares. It's creeping Theo out.

"Baby--"

"Let's stop pretending that we can bring the past back, Montreal." Dumaloy ang mga butil ng luha mula sa mga mata ni Arianne ngunit diretso pa rin ang mga mata nito sa kawalan. She's restraining herself from looking at Theo's face because she might give in.

"You're just stressed, baby. C'mon, kumain ka na," sansala ni Theo. Siya na mismo ang kumuha ng pagkain at naglagay sa kutsara. He was about to spoon feed her but Arianne threw another dagger towards his heart.

"Stop it. Let me go, Montreal. Hindi ako bagay sa'yo. Nasaktan na kita noon at hindi malayong masasaktan pa ulit kita. You'll be a lot better without me."

Naibaba ni Theo ang hawak na kutsara. Kagat ang ibabang labi ay umiling siya. Arianne's just going through a lot. He has to understand her. He thought.

"But I love you. And I won't let you escape this time, baby. Mas masasaktan ako kung lalayo ka. You can hate me all you want for loving you this much but I won't let you go. Stop thinking likd that. You know that I will do anything for you, even if I have to give up all the cards that I have. Please ask me anything aside from letting you go because I really won't."