Hideaway [Completed]

Chapter 16

Nakatayo lamang sa harap ng mansion si Katrina while waiting for Miguel's driver. Tinatawagan lamang daw ni Miguel. She stared at the iron gates at gusto na lamang sana niyang lakarin at talunin iyon pero alam niyang wala rin siyang taxi na makikita sa lugar na iyon.

So she patiently waited for Miguel's driver. Nasa likod lamang daw iyon kaya umalis si Miguel para hanapin iyon.

"Saan ka pupunta?" a baritone voice suddenly asked behind her.

She quickly turned around to see an angry Aspen.

"Miguel told me you wanted to leave." Madilim ang itsura nito sa galit at hinanakit.

Fuck! Miguel called him, and not his driver, she realized. She clutched on her purse even more, trying to control herself and her emotions.

"Gusto ko ng umuwi. Gusto ko ng bumalik ng probinsya namin," diretsong sagot niya.

"What?" gulat na tanong nito.

"I know I don't fit in here, Aspen. I don't fit in your life. We can just strike a deal. Sustentuhan mo na lang ang bata and you can see him every weekend. That's it. Hindi na natin kailangan pang magkita araw-araw," dire-diretsong sagot niya.

"Is this about the engagement announcement just now?" galit na tanong nito.

"Partly," she lied. "Sinabi ko naman sa'yo di ba? I don't want any part of this. I just need money from you! Iyon lang! You don't need to drag me through this and make a mess of my life. Tahimik lang ang buhay ko and this happened!" She pointed to her tummy. "I didn't want this and I don't want you either! So please. Just let me leave you and your life for good. If you want, you can just send me money monthly and that's it. Iyon lang naman talaga ang kailangan ko sayo!"

Aspen looked so hurt after what she just said.

Katrina wanted to take it all back, to tell him the truth... that she's starting to fall in love with him pero ayaw niya. Ayaw niya ng gulo. She doesn't even fit in his life anyway. She's nothing compared to Dahlia.

"I arrived here not knowing about the announcement myself, Katrina. I brought you here because I wanted to tell my parents about us...," pag-amin nito. "I was willing to give up anything and everything just to be with you."

Katrina's jaw dropped.

"But it looks like my money is all you want and need," he coldly stated. She clearly saw walls being built through the coldness in his eyes as he stared back at her. "Wala kang pinagkaiba sa ibang mga babaeng bayaran. Thanks for giving me the best birthday I'll never forget." Iyon lamang at tinalikuran na siya ng binata pabalik sa party nito.

While she was left in the dead of night, alone and unwanted.

*****

It has been a week. No words were spoken between the two of them since that night. Katrina went back to her old apartment that night. Wala na siyang balak pang bumalik sa condo ni Aspen.

She knew what she did was right - pushing him away. Tama naman ang mga sinabi niya. She didn't fit in his life, not like how Dahlia would naturally fit. Isa pa, nagsama lamang sila all because of a mistake.

She loves the baby in her tummy. Pero alam niyang hindi siya pagbabalingan ng atensyon ni Aspen if not for the child she's carrying now. Kaya imbes na gumawa pa ng gulo, she will just remove herself from his everyday life. Ayos na siya na susutentuhan na lamang ng binata ang anak nito.

Nothing more. That's all she wanted before anyway, that day na puntahan niya ito sa opisina ito. Less involvement, less complications.

"Ano? Tapos ka ng magmukmok?" untag sa kanya ni Selena na ngayon ay nandoon sa maliit na apartment niya. May dala itong laptop dahil nag-aaral ito para sa finals nito. Sinasamahan lang siya nito matapos nitong malaman ang mga kaganapan sa party na iyon ni Aspen a week ago.