Whelving Warmth (LAS #1)

30

Whelving Warmth
Chapter 30

"You've done so much just to be with me but you'll let it go to waste just because you thought.. I'm not inlove with you anymore?"

His eyes remained at me. Halu-halo ang emosyon sa mata niya pagkatapos aminin sa akin ang lahat. He looked hurt, happy, tired and contented all at the same time.

I roughly wiped my tears with the back of my hand. Bagama't nanghihina ang tuhod, pilit akong naglakad patungo sa kanya ng walang nakuhang sagot.

"You thought I'm inlove with Ash?" I softly whispered.

My heart is beating widely against my chest while staring at him with vehement passion.

He licked his lower lip before speaking, "I just don't want to bother you anymore if you're already happy with him. Masaya na kong malaman na masaya ka."

Bahagya akong natahimik sa sinabi niya.

"Ash was there for me five years"

Malungkot siyang napangiti. "I know," he muttered and looked away.

Sinundan ko ang tingin niya na napunta sa painting sa harap namin. The painting is full of warm colored swirls and strokes. The colors looks even more vibrant because of the black background. Litaw na litaw ang bawat kulay.

It's an abstract painting. Isang likha na mukhang walang tiyak na ibig sabihin.

It's the last work I made before we parted ways.

"For five years, Ash stayed with me. Nung iniintay kong magising si daddy, siya yung nasa tabi ko. Nung pinagduduhan ng boards ang kakayahan ko, nandon siya para protektahan ako. When I was too broken because of what happened to us, he poured his love to me. When I went to California for may masters, he visited me regularly to make sure that I don't feel alone. For five years, hindi niya ko pinababayaan."

His heavy sigh was audible in the entire gallery.

"Sabi mo dati, babawiin mo ko kapag nalaman mong hindi ako masaya?" pagpapaalala ko sa kanya. "I'm happy now, Theo."

I held his arm to make him look back at me. "But it has no match to the happiness I feel when I'm with you."

Tinaas ko ang kamay ko hanggang maabot ang mukha niya. I caressed his jaw.

This is the guy who sacrificed his dream for me.

This is the guy who always puts me first before anything else.

This is the guy who worked so hard just to prove that he's worthy of me.

And he did all those just to be with me.

I can feel the overflowing emotions getting out of my chest, now filling up my entire system.

"You still own my heart," his sharp gaze soften. "I'm grateful for all the things Ash did for me. But.. I never opened my heart for him again. It had always been yours, Theo. Since the day I surrendered it to you until now. Sayo pa rin ako."

It's unfair to Ash pero ilang beses kong hiniling na sana si Theo ang kasama ko sa mga panahong kasama ko siya.

Ash never failed to make me feel his love and I'm so guilty that I cannot return it to him anymore.

Because my heart? It has already found it's way to Theo.

Si Theo na ang mahal ko.

"Sariah," he called out my name, almost breathless.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and smiled at him sweetly, "You sacrificed so much to be with me. Don't you think it's the right time to redeem your reward, attorney?"