After All

Chapter 1

Betrayal

REESE

A love story usually ends in a wedding, and then the two main characters live happily ever after.

But for me and my husband, Javi, our wedding day was only the beginning of the real story.

No wonder our story was too perfect—something too good to be true.

I met Javier Mendoza back when we were young. Both our families were close friends and business partners.

Naalala ko pa ang una naming pagkikita. My yaya was finishing dressing me up and decorating my hair with a pretty ribbon that my dad had bought for me.

I grew up in a complete family—with a loving mom and dad. My grandparents spoiled me as a child, and I even had a baby brother, something I had prayed for before he was born. Akala ko noon ay masyado nang perpekto ang buhay na mayroon ako. I lived in luxury, so we never had any problems with money.

Ang hindi ko lang pala alam ay may mga lihim na itinatago sa akin—mga bagay na huli ko nang nalaman.

"Mommy," I called after stepping out of my bedroom to greet the visitors.

"Oh! Therese, come here, hija. You should greet your Tito and Tita," Mommy said.

Marahan akong lumapit at magalang na nagmano.

"Ang laki na ni Therese! Parang kailan lang, maliit pa siya noong huli kong makita," Tita Emerald said.

Nakangiti rin si Tito Javier Senior sa akin.

I smiled politely at both of them. I'd known the Mendoza couple since I was young, and they had a son named after Tito Javier, though he was mostly called by his nickname, Javi.

Parehong mabait sa akin sina Tita Emerald at Tito Javier. Kaya naman nakagaanan ko na rin sila ng loob habang lumalaki ako.

"Reese, this is your Tito Javier and Tita Emerald's son. This is Javi," Mommy introduced.

That was the first time we officially met, although I had already heard about Javi from our parents. It was the first time we saw each other because they didn't live nearby. Our families had decided to spend Christmas together at our house, which is why Javi and his parents came over.

"Hi," he greeted shortly but politely.

I smiled. "Hello. I'm Therese."

"I'm Javi."

I was nine years old back then, and Javi was twelve. Nagkita na rin kami noong mas bata pa kami dahil magkakaibigan ang mga magulang namin. Pero matagal na iyon, at masyado pa kaming bata noon kaya hindi na namin gaanong maalala ang isa't isa.

But since I was nine, we started seeing each other constantly at family gatherings, events, or even at school and church. We were enrolled in the same school, although he was always ahead of me since he started school earlier. We have an age gap of three years.

Ang alam ko, nagbuntis na rin dati si Mommy bago pa man ako, pero sa kasamaang-palad ay nakunan siya. Kaya parang pangalawang anak na ako nina Mommy at Daddy. Kung natuloy lang sana ang una niyang pagbubuntis noon, may kuya sana ako na siguro ay halos kaedad lang din ni Javi.

Aside from Javi, I also have another boy best friend—my childhood friend and Ninang's son, Quinn. My Ninang is also my Mommy's best friend, kaya naman kami ni Quinn ay halos sabay na pinalaki.

Then came high school, where I got close to another friend. She became my best friend, starting in high school. Her name is Alaine, a pretty and charming girl.

"Reese, someone's looking for you," a classmate told me.

"Oh. Who?"

"It's a boy."

Hm. A boy? It's probably either Quinn or Javi. Sila lang naman kasi ang alam kong pwede akong bisitahin sa classroom ko. Wala naman akong ibang kaibigang lalaki bukod sa kanilang dalawa.

I went out of the classroom to meet Javi. May pinapabigay daw pala ang Mommy niya para sa akin. "Thank you, Javi!" I smiled at him.

Bahagya lang din siyang ngumiti sa akin.

I'm still in my first year of high school, and Javi is already a senior. Kaya naman palagi siyang sinasabihan ni Tita Emerald na i-check ako dito sa school if he has time. I really love Tita Emerald. She's also like a mom to me.

"Who was that?" Alaine asked me. "Your older brother?"

Umiling ako kay Alaine. We're both first years and have only just met since we're classmates, kaya wala pa kaming masyadong alam tungkol sa isa't isa. "No. He's the son of a family friend," sagot ko.

"Oh. Really?"

"Yes." I smiled at Alaine.

"What's his name?" she asked.

"Javi Mendoza."

"Javi Mendoza..."

Ngumiti lang ako kay Alaine.

"Hindi ka ba nililigawan?"

"What?" My eyes slightly widened. I didn't expect her to ask that. At hindi ko rin iyon naiisip...

I shook my head. "No. We're just friends."

"Really? Then can you introduce me to him next time?" Alaine asked.

"Oh. Okay." I smiled at her again. At that time, I only thought na gusto lang din ni Alaine makipagkaibigan kay Javi...

Mga bata pa naman kami. Or at least that's how it was for me. Hindi ko pa naisip noon ang relationships other than just friendship.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit ako tinanong ni Alaine kung nililigawan ba ako ni Javi. She told me that it happens within family friends. Later on, I would realize what she meant by that.

When I turned eighteen.

"You look so pretty, Ate!" Reo said, his eyes sparkling as he looked up at his big sister.

I smiled widely at my little brother. "Really, Reo? You find Ate Reese pretty?"

"Yes!"

I smiled and patted his head. Malaki rin ang age gap namin ni Reo. Medyo matagal kasi bago uli nagbuntis si Mommy after sa akin.

Later on, I learned the reason kung bakit matagal akong nasundan. It turned out my parents weren't okay back then. Hindi ko lang alam dahil itinago nila iyon sa akin. If Reo wasn't born, baka naghiwalay na pala noon sina Mommy at Daddy.

I found out about my mom's affair with Javi's dad in the past on the night of my eighteenth birthday.

"Therese, the guests are here. Bumaba ka na at harapin sila," Mommy told me.

Tumango ako kay Mommy at hinawakan ko si Reo sa kamay. Sabay kaming bumaba sa malaking garden ng mansion namin, kung saan ginanap ang birthday party ko nang gabing iyon.

"Happy birthday, Reese!" Quinn greeted me with a handsome smile on his pretty face.

I just remembered that when we were younger, I really thought he was a girl because he looked so pretty.

"Thank you, Quinn!" I smiled at him.

Nanatili ang tingin niya sa akin nang matagal kaya tinawag ko siya uli.

"Quinn? Are you okay?"

He nodded. "Yeah. You're very pretty, Reese."

I smiled even more. "Thank you!"

Pagkatapos noon, narinig ko na dumating sina Javi. Tinalikuran ko si Quinn at lumapit kay Javi.

Javi smiled when he saw me. "Happy eighteenth birthday, Reese. You look so beautiful tonight."

I smiled at him. "Thank you, Javi! You look handsome too!"

His smile widened, and I felt genuinely happy seeing it.

The party continued. Pero napansin kong nawala ang parents ko. Mukhang hinahanap na rin sila nina Lolo at Lola, so I volunteered to call and look for them.

"Are you sure, hija?"

I nodded at Lola. "Opo."

I went back inside the house to look for my parents. Until I heard them arguing in their room. It was the first time I ever heard them fight.

"Talagang ipapakasal mo pa ang anak ko sa anak ng ex mo? Para ano? Hindi pa ba sapat sa'yo na palagi nang nagkikita ang mga pamilya natin all these years even when I don't want to! What's really your plan, Beatrice?"

I heard Daddy's voice, filled with anger. Then Mommy responded.

"What are you saying, Marko? Ang tagal-tagal na noon! Hanggang ngayon ba naman iniisip mo pa rin ang nakaraan namin ni Javier? And it's not as if I did something wrong or I cheated on you! Javier was just a part of my past. Simula nang malaman mo, nagkaganyan ka na."

"And I wouldn't know if Emerald didn't tell me!"

"At paano kinuwento ni Emerald sa'yo? Parang wala nga lang, hindi ba? Kasi nakaraan na iyon! I don't know why you're making this a big deal up until now."

Tahimik lang akong nakatayo malapit sa pintuan ng kwarto ng parents ko, unsure of what to do.

Apparently, my mom and Javi's dad were exes. Mommy married Daddy for business, but she already broke up with Tito Javier before then. Tito also met and married Tita Emerald, and they had Javi. Samantala, nagkaroon naman ng pamilya sina Mommy at Daddy—ako at si Reo.

Our families remained close because my Dad and Tita Emerald were best friends. They were as close as I am with Quinn.

Apparently, my dad was an overly jealous man...

"Mommy, am I going to marry Javi?" I asked my mom after my party ended that evening.

"Oh. Narinig mo bang napag-usapan na ng lolo at lola mo?"

I nodded. Kanina rin kasi sa dinner table, tinutukso na rin kami ng grandparents ko sa isa't isa ni Javi. Nakisali pa si Tita Emerald sa panunukso. Since Tita Emerald is a close friend of my dad, close din siya sa lolo at lola ko—parents ni Daddy.

Sometimes I wonder, bakit kaya hindi na lang sila ni Tita Emerald at Daddy ang nagkatuluyan? Tapos si Mommy at Tito Javier...

I shook my head at the thought. Kung ganoon nga, wala siguro kami ngayon nina Javi at Reo.

I didn't know that my family had such a complicated history until now. I realized that our life wasn't perfect after all.

Mommy sighed softly. "Iniisip pa lang naman ng lolo at lola mo. You know, they like playing cupid with their children and grandchildren..."

Nakatingin lang ako kay Mommy. She watched me closely, then sighed again.

"Don't worry about it, Reese. Wala namang mamimilit sa'yo." She gave me a reassuring smile.

"Did they also force you to marry Dad, Mom?"

Her eyes slightly widened. "Where did you hear that?"

I didn't answer.

She sighed for the nth time. "No, Reese. No one forced me. It was my decision to marry your dad."

Nag-angat ako ng tingin kay Mommy. "But what about Tito Javier..."

Her lips parted, but she didn't bother asking how I'd found out. "Reese, malaki ka na, and I think you'll understand. Arranged marriages are common in families like ours. Especially since we have businesses. Mas madali kasi kapag kakilala lang din ang mapapangasawa ng anak mo para ma-maintain din ang business ng pamilya.

"At that time, I had to break up with your Tito Javier because we just weren't meant for each other."

"You didn't love him?"

Umiling si Mommy. "It's not like that. But I had to make a decision for what was more important."

Apparently, Mommy's family almost went bankrupt at that time, so she had to marry Daddy.

"But when I married your dad, I already chose him," Mommy said.

Nagkatinginan kaming dalawa.

So when my formal engagement with Javi was announced at twenty, I decided to accept it—and to accept Javi as my husband.

"Are you sure you want to marry me?" Javi asked me.

I turned to look at him. "I will marry you. You will marry me too, right? For business..."

He just shook his head.

"Javi, do you know about our parents' secret?"

Nagkatinginan kaming dalawa.

I sighed a bit. "Your dad and my mom were exes. Hindi naman siguro tayo magkapatid, hindi ba?" I just chuckled after saying it. I've been going crazy thinking about it for the past couple of years.

"No. I had a DNA test done with my dad. I forced him to take it with me."

I turned to Javi again, my eyes slightly widened. Nagkatinginan kami.

He sighed softly. "When I was young, I thought my mom had feelings for your dad too. I even thought I wasn't my dad's son. But I'm glad I am."

Napangiti na lang ako sa sinabi ni Javi. Tito Javier is indeed a nice person, kaya siguro kahit ako, gugustuhin ko rin siyang maging daddy ko. But I'm glad too that he isn't, because that means Javi and I aren't siblings. I sighed at my silly thoughts.

"Will you still marry me after learning about our parents?" Javi asked me.

I nodded at him. "Yeah... Iyong sa parents natin, it's all in the past now." I smiled.

Bahagya na rin siyang ngumiti sa akin pagkatapos.

"You said you're just friends," Alaine confronted me.

"Uh..."

She laughed. "Just kidding. It's kind of expected, huh? Hmm."

Unti-unti na lang din akong ngumiti sa kaibigan ko.

"Quinn!" I called out to him, chasing after him as he was about to leave our university going to the parking lot where his car was parked.

"Reese..."

"You've been so busy lately. Hindi na tayo nagkikita masyado ngayon."

"Oh, that. I've been busy with basketball lately..." he explained.

Ngumiti naman ako sa kaniya.

Javi also used to play basketball in high school. Kaya lang ngayong college, mas nag-focus na siya sa business course niya. After all, he will work at his dad's company after he graduates. And even now, while he's still studying, nagtatrabaho na rin siya para sa daddy niya, so he's also busy. And currently taking his MBA.

He's older than us. Kami naman ni Alaine at Quinn ang magkakaedad. But soon, we will all graduate from school and become adults. At mukhang mauuna rin kami ni Javi na magpakasal at mag-asawa. We plan to get married just after I graduate from college.

"Oo nga, eh. Baka hindi ka na talaga magka-girlfriend niyan dahil puro ka basketball," I teased my childhood friend.

Bahagya lang din siyang ngumiti sa akin at wala nang dinugtong sa sinabi ko.

Little did I know that what happened to my parents could actually repeat itself. And maybe history couldn't help but happen to us too...

Hindi ko alam. Hindi ko inasahan. Akala ko noong una ay ayos lang kung magpakasal kami ni Javi. Kasi ginawa rin naman ng mga magulang namin, and they were able to stay together despite it. Akala ko magagawa ko rin.

I thought it was okay.

But sometimes, okay doesn't mean it's all right.

And betrayal can be a part of our long human history.

Author's Note: Hello, readers! This story has more chapters available on Patreon and in the Facebook VIP Group. If you want to join, kindly message my Facebook account, Rej Martinez, with the same profile picture as the one I'm using here on Wattpad. Thank you so much! Happy New Year! ✨