Territorial Men 3: Brooke Montero (Published Under LIB BARE)

31 ~ Briggs & Brianna

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE

"I WAS forced to marry your dad. Briggs was so in love with me that he did everything to have me." His mother said in a low soft tone.

Brianna looks like reminiscing the past. Ang mga mata nito ay nakatuon sa bintana ng eroplanong sinasakyan nila papunta sa Pilipinas.

Sa kabilang gilid ni Brooke ay ang natutulog na si Gelicah, ang ulo ay nakahilig sa balikat niya habang nakayakap ang mga kamay sa kanyang braso.

"Papa wanted me to marry him, given the fact that he was so in love me, Briggs Montero has a big name in business world. Kung masasabit ang pangalan ko sa mga Montero, siguradong lalago rin ang negosyon namin. I agreed to marry your father even I don't really love him." Brianna took a sighed then she smile. "But eventually, I learned to love him. Minahal ko ang daddy mo, Brooke, dahil kung hindi, wala ka sana."

Masaya sa pakiramdam na marinig ang buhay pag-ibig ng magulang niya, ngunit hindi niya maialis ang kirot sa dibdib sa katotohanan na walang masayang katapusan ang pag-iibigan na 'yon.

"Why did you have to..." Brooke swallowed hard. He was avoiding this topic ever since his mother woke up. But right now, it seems like its over. "...to leave us, to leave me?"

Sinulyapan siya ng ina, may lungkot sa mga mata bago muling ibinaling ang tingin sa makakapal na ulap sa labas.

"I thought my love for him would last till the end, but it did not. Sinubukan ko na mahalin siya ulit, na maging masaya ulit sa piling niya, dahil ayokong masira kami, ayokong bigyan ka ng hindi kumpleto at masayang pamilya. Pero habang sinusubukan kong gawin ang mga bagay na 'yon, mas nagiging mahirap para sa'kin dahil sa mga maling paratang niya." Pumait ang boses ng ina, makailang ulit na humugot ng hangin sa dibdib bago nagpatuloy.

"I never had an affair. I was faithful and loyal to him, to our marriage and to you. Your father was very like you when it comes to his physical appearance, women sweep on his feet. Mahal niya ako, pero alam kong may iba pa bukod sa'kin."

Brooke's lips parted a bit, shocked by what he heard. Wala siyang ideya na may ibang babae ang ama, no one told him 'bout it!

"Dad had an affair?" He almost whisper the words.

Marahan na tumango ang ina tapos ay malungkot na ngumiti. Nakita niya ang pangingilid ng luha nito sa gilid ng mga mata.

"Hindi ko siya masisi kung bakit nagkaro'n siya ng ibang babae, hindi lang isa, hindi lang dalawa. He slept with different women to punished me for not loving him back. I was hurt." Nilingon siya nito at kaagad na pinunasan ang luhang biglang bumagsak. "I was very confused with my feelings towards your father, kung hindi ko siya mahal, hindi ako masasaktan, di ba? Pero nasasaktan ako sa tuwing nalalaman kong may ibang babae siya."

Mariin niyang ipinikit ang mga mata. Hindi alam kung ano ang mararamdaman. His father was the one who had an affair? That's the reason why his mother left them?!

"It was dad's fault after all?"

Umiling ang ina. "May kasalanan din ako. Don't blame your father, he has his reason why he did all that to me. Kung may sisisihin ka man sa nangyari sa amin, ako dapat 'yon, Brooke, dahil ako ang unang sumuko sa aming dalawa. Ako ang nang-iwan."

"I grew up thinking that you were the one who have an affair. I don't bother to ask dad and lolo about you because I know it would only hurt me. But damn!" Brooke chuckled bitterly. "He was the one who made a reason for you to leave us."