CHAPTER IX: LIAR

My husband was hiding the truth from me about his ex... and their son...

And it's after I just decided to give our marriage a chance—to give him a chance—that I couldn't help but ask myself, what did I do wrong this time? Do I deserve this? When I have already done my best, all right? But still, this thing happens to us now...

May ilang buwan na rin simula nang malaman namin ang pagbubuntis ko. And it was my pregnancy hormones that often attacked me with anxiety and depression. But I was all right because my family was there, and my husband was my biggest support. When I felt ugly sometimes, he kept reminding me that I was beautiful. He made me feel pretty as long as he was by my side. Through all my cravings, Kaden was there. Even in the middle of the night, he would get the food I wanted. And even when it was sometimes impossible or hard to find, he would still look for it. I think he gave me all the support I needed from my husband while I was pregnant with our child.

Nakita ko kung paano naging mas mabuti pang asawa sa akin si Kaden.

But then one day, it felt like something was off. I felt like there was something Kaden was hiding from me or not telling me. I'm pregnant, and I've also become very sensitive. At first, I thought it was just pregnancy hormones making me overthink. But it didn't stop there. Especially when there were times when Kaden would tell me he was going somewhere, or when it seemed like he was just making excuses for places he was going, and I couldn't clearly understand where he was going or what he was doing. One day, I just confronted his secretary.

I already knew him, and I have this instinct to tell when people around me are hiding something. The secretary was weak and couldn't lie to me, his boss's wife. And I remember that before he worked for Kaden, he had been employed in my family's company. My dad had recommended him, and he became Kaden's executive secretary. So when I confronted him and asked about Kaden's recent trips, which weren't clear to me, the secretary didn't have a choice but to tell me the truth...

"You weren't a very good liar, Kaden," I told him when I confronted him.

Imagine, I was already an overthinking wife, and we had been together for five years. Back then, I would've kept an eye on him, but I was sure he was only busy with work. But now, it was different. Kaden was always telling me what he was doing at work and with other things every day. But when he started coming home late and couldn't give me a proper explanation of where he had been, that's when my doubts about him started.

I also realized that his secretary might know something—because there were times when he would slip up. Like this one time...

"Sir, should I send the allowance now?" the secretary asked Kaden while he was busy looking at his iPad and checking his boss's schedule. When Kaden was busy, his secretary was too. So maybe the secretary didn't realize that something slipped out of his mouth...

He froze, but after that, Kaden also seemed to stop when he realized what was said. I had been sitting so close to him, and with me being pregnant and acting like a needy wife, I wanted to spend more time with him. I was probably craving for my husband too, which might have been influenced by my pregnancy cravings. So sometimes I'd even visit his office just to see him more often. I was getting bored at home since I was alone when he worked all day.

"What allowance?" I asked them.

It was so obvious that they were both shocked, and their reasons didn't match up.

After all, no secret stays hidden forever. No matter how much they tried to cover it up, I still found out the truth. Like I said, Kaden wasn't a good liar.

"I just couldn't lie to you, Ayla..." he said, and his voice sounded like he was begging me.

I was just filled with anger now. But deep inside, I also felt weak, and I just wanted to cry.

Kanina lang ay lihim kong sinundan si Kaden. I'd been having doubts about him for the past few weeks. That's when I asked his secretary. And he told me Kaden was just visiting a patient at a hospital. The secretary looked like he was begging me with his eyes after he said that. So I didn't push him further. I knew he was just worried about his job, and whatever Kaden told him to do, the secretary was just doing his duty.

I didn't ask who my husband was visiting at the hospital. But deep inside, I had a bad feeling, and I didn't want to hear the rest of the truth. I knew it would only hurt me...

But I asked him when the next visit would be and which hospital it was. The secretary was still reluctant to tell me, but in the end, because of my persistence, he told me. I made him promise not to tell Kaden what he had said. His face was conflicted, but he nodded slowly.

And I found out the whole truth myself. When I went to the hospital he mentioned, on the day of Kaden's visit, I saw who he was visiting.

Parang nag-ugat ang mga paa ko sa kinatatayuan ko. I first saw Kaden entering a private hospital room, and the door had a glass section. I could clearly see inside. I saw my husband there, and a very familiar woman to me. And in the hospital bed, there was a little boy being examined by a doctor.

My blood rushed to my head. I almost felt like crying, but I suppressed it and only let my anger take over. I waited for the doctor and nurse to leave, and once they did, I followed them into the room. My husband and the woman were both shocked to see me there.

"A-Ayla..." Kaden stammered, his lips trembling.

It felt like everything around me was dimming. "What's the meaning of this?" I asked, my voice full of rage.

I saw Raya hugging the child. Kaden grabbed my arm and tried to pull me out.

"Bitiwan mo ako!" I yanked my arm away from him, pulling back.

He looked at our hands after I forcefully pulled away. "Ayla, let me explain... How did you know?"

And that's when I told him that he wasn't a good liar...

"Ayla, please..."

"Please what, Kaden? Explain yourself now! What was I seeing in that room just now, huh? Kaninong anak 'yon?!" I almost screamed out of anger and pain...

I already had a feeling I knew the answer!

I forced myself not to cry, trying to hold back the tears.

Kaden tried to hold me again, but I pulled away from him. I didn't want to be touched by him. He was a liar! He lied to me! And now this?! Oh my God...

"Please, calm down. We're at the hospital. Let's talk about this at home—"

I quickly turned my back on him. He tried to chase after me, but I wouldn't let him. I asked the driver to take me back to the house.

As I sat in the car, I couldn't stop the tears from flowing. I cried because of the pain I felt and the anger building up inside me. I even remembered my pregnancy, which made everything worse.

"Ma'am, okay lang po ba kayo? Masakit po ba ang tiyan ninyo?" the driver asked, concerned since I was pregnant.

That was when I remembered again and cried harder. I clutched my belly, which was already showing. It wasn't huge yet, but it was already obvious that I was pregnant.

Pagdating ko naman sa bahay ay nandoon na rin si Kaden, at nagpatuloy lang ang komprontasyon namin sa isa't isa.

"Ayla, please, let me explain first. Please give me a chance to explain. I didn't know about the child at first either—"

"Kaninong anak 'yon, Kaden?" I cut him off.

He was silent, staring at me.

"I'm asking you! Is that child in the hospital today yours?" It was painful to ask, but I needed to know the truth. Right here, right now. Because I already knew! No matter how much we delayed it, I'd still end up hurt!

Yumuko siya at marahan ang sumunod niyang naging pagtango. My tears fell again, soaking my cheeks. My chest ached so much.

Just yesterday, I was happy. And now... it was all gone.

"Please, Ayla. I didn't know I had a child! I didn't know she was pregnant back then. They only came to me now to tell me about the boy because they needed my help. He's sick, Ayla. Like you saw earlier in the hospital. I'm just helping them..." he tried to explain.

Naalala ko naman ang tagpong nakita ko kanina sa hospital. He was only helping them? But earlier, he had been smiling while talking to both the boy and the woman...

I glared at him. "I'm leaving, Kaden. I'm going to my parents' house."

Nanlaki naman ang mga mata niya sa sinabi ko. "What?

Ayla, no. Please, let's talk about this properly. It's not the solution to just leave me like this! You're pregnant with our child! What about me?"

"What? Naisip mo rin ba 'yan, ha? How about me? Inisip mo rin ba kung paano ako na asawa mo at buntis pa, at ano ang mararamdaman ko pagkatapos kong malaman ang pagtatago at pagsisinungaling mo sa akin?!" Nahampas ko na ang dibdib niya dahil sa galit ko.

"How dare you lie to m-me!" I couldn't help it with my trembling voice. Nanghina na rin ang mga kamay kong sinubukan ko pang ibilog para isuntok ko sa dibdib niya.

Naramdaman ko na niyakap naman ako ni Kaden at ang klase ng yakap niya sa akin ay para bang ayaw na niya akong pakawalan pa. I cried more inside his arms. Sinubukan ko pang makawala pero nanghihina na rin talaga ako dahil sa sobrang sakit sa dibdib ko na nararamdaman ko ngayon...

"I'm sorry. Forgive me... It wasn't really my intention to lie to you. But I hid the truth from you... And that's just because I didn't know how to tell you, Ayla. At ayaw ko sana na mangyari pa ito dahil alam ko na ganito ang magiging reaksyon mo. I didn't want to cause you more pain. I didn't want to hurt you. Kaya ko tinago... At hindi ko rin alam kung paano ko sasabihin sa 'yo na hindi ka masasaktan..." he said.

My lips just parted. Hindi na ako nakapagsalita pa, and I only cried in his arms.

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