I grabbed the documents in my table as I heaved a deep breath. Tumayo ako ngunit agad na napakapit sa gilid ng aking lamesa nang mangatal ang aking tuhod.

Mariin akong napapikit bago tinantya ang sarili. Nang masigurong maayos na ang aking mga binti ay agad akong nagtungo sa tapat ng pinto ng opisina ni Archer. Tatlong beses akong kumatok bago tuluyang binuksan ang pinto.

Archer quickly glanced at me. His steely gaze immediately went back on the paper he's signing after our eyes met. Na para bang isang hangin lang ang pumasok sa kanyang opisina.

Marahan kong isinara ang pinto, takot na makagawa iyon ng kung ano mang ingay.

I walked towards his table, where he is signing documents. Huminto ako matapos tumapat doon at napalabi bago inilahad ang mga dokumentong kailangan niya. "Pinapabigay ni Ma'am Karisol."

"Just put it here." He pointed a side of his table using his head without even looking at me. Tipid na tipid ang kaswal na sagot niya.

Walang salitang ipinatong ko iyon sa kung saan ang sinabi niya. Umatras ako ng bahagya at tumayo sa kanyang harapan.

Ang lamesa niya ang tanging pagitan na naghihiwalay sa aming dalawa, ngunit sa inaakto niya at para bang ilang milya ang layo namin sa isa't isa.

"B-babe," I called and saw how the movement of the pen in his hand slowed down. Ilang sandali ay agad rin iyong bumalik sa mabilis na pagpirma sa mga dokumento. He's reading the documents then signing it after.

"Archer," muling tawag ko. I even readied my smile, thinking that he'll finally look at me this time but I was wrong. Napalis ang ngiti sa aking labi nang walang makuhang reaksyon mula sa kanya.

I bit my lower lip and tried again. "Sir," I whispered in an almost inaudible tone.

Titig na titig sa kanya ang aking mga mata kaya't nahuli ko ang paninigas ng kanyang katawan. He stilled for awhile. Ilang segundo ang natapos ay nag-angat siya ng tingin sa akin.

"Do you still need anything?" I don't know if I should be happy that he used a formal tone and not a cold one or what.

"Can we talk?" I smiled. Sa pait ng aking ngiti at tila ba nalasahan ko iyon. I didn't wait for his answer and immediately continue without leaving his eyes.

"If you want to b-break up. You can tell me. P-papayag naman ako. Wala naman akong magagawa kung ayaw mo na." Mariin akong napapikit nang pumiyok ang aking boses dahil sa hikbing kumawala sa aking bibig. I bit my lower lip as I cleared my throat. Nagbabaka sakali na hindi manginginig ang aking boses kapag ginawa ko iyon.

Seems like what I said caught his attention. Bahagyang kumunot ang noo niya ngunit wala pa ring imik.

"Hindi 'yung maririnig ko na lang na..." I trailed off when my heart clenched. "M-masakit marinig na may hinalikan kang iba. And t-that you're seeing someone already." I felt my tears at the side of my eyes. I tried hard to suppress it. I won't cry in front of him.

He shifted on his seat, frowning. Ngayon ay binitawan na niya ang panulat na hawak. "Aurie-"

"I love you." I smiled, I know it reached my eyes. "So much, Arch. Mahal na mahal kita. Sana pinakinggan mo 'ko..." I stopped when my vision blurry because of the tears in my eyes.

"I-I'll go ahead." I still want to say a lot of things but I immediately turned my back on him when I felt that I can't suppress my tears any longer.

Mabilis na kumilos ang aking mga paa kasabay ng pagbagsak ng aking mga luha. My clenching heart made it hard for me to move. I held the handle of the door as I pulled it down.

Akmang bubuksan ko ang pinto ngunit agad na may pumigil sa aking kamay. Kasabay noon ang pagpulupot ng matigas na braso sa aking baywang. I can feel Archer's heavy breath in my neck as he held my hand who's holding the handle of the door.

"Aurie," his pleasing tone made my body clenched more. "S-she kissed me. I didn't kiss her, Aurie. Hindi ko gusto 'yon. I only want your kisses, Babe." He whispered and my eyes shut closed when his voice trembled.

"And I'm not seeing anyone, I won't even dare. I-if you're talking about the meeting later with that woman, I'll cancel it. I don't care if I lose a client, Aurie. I don't fucking care if I lose anyone. Except for you, Babe. Losing you means losing my mind, too."

His hand on my waist travelled on my stomach. While the other's guiding my hand, stopping me from opening the door. Dahan-dahan at nananantya niyang sinalikop ang aming kamay mula sa likod ng aking palad. He brought our hands on my stomach. Kaya naman daalwang braso na niya ang nagkukulong sa akin sa kanyang mga bisig.

"If you w-want to annul your husband, I'll help you. I'll help you, Babe. I can father your child. I'll be the best father for him. I'm sorry, Aurie. Don't leave me." Pahina nang pahina ang boses niya. His last words were almost inaudible.

I can't help but gasped at his words. He'll father my child! And him? He knows that my child a boy?

"Aurie," he called. The pleading tone of his voice made my knees shiver. "Let me, Babe. Let me father your son. G-give me a chance."

Mariin akong napapikit. I felt the tip of his nose slightly brushed at the angle of my jaw. My lips parted when I felt his cheek on my ear. Ramdam ko ang basa roon kaya naman agad akong napadilat.

Is he crying? I confirmed my thoughts when I heard him sobbed.

I bit my lower lip as I held his hand who's still in my stomach. "R-Rye is your son, Arch. And I'm not married," I confessed. Nahigit ko ang hininga matapos banggitin ang mga salitang iyon kasabay ng mabilis na paglalandas ng aking mga luha sa aking pisngi.

Naramdaman ko ang paninigas niya sa aking likuran sa hindi ko malamang dahilan.

"Hmm. Yes, Babe. I'll treat him as my own. He's my son, Aurie." His whisper sounds like a good melody. But I tilted my head when I realized he misunderstood what I've said.

I shook my head while still facing the door. He's still at the back of me, while enveloping my body using his arms. "He's your son, Arch."

"I know, Babe. I know. I'll legally adopt your son--"

His words were interrupted when a phone suddenly rung. A familiar tone linger in the office. Noon ko natantong phone ko ang tumutunog. Bahagyang lumuwag ang yakap niya sa akin, tila ba hinahayaan ako sa kung ano ang nais kong gawin.

I fished my phone on the pocket of my slacks. Tuluyang kumalas ang kanyang mga braso mula sa aking baywang.

Napakunot ang aking noo nang makitang si Prestin ang tumatawag. I turned to Archer to faced him as I answered the phone.

"Presti--"

"Auriese!" It was my mother's voice. I can't explain but I felt like something's wrong.

Pinalis ko ang mga luhang naglalandas sa aking pisngi. I can now clearly see as I wiped my tears. My eyes were fixed at Archer's chest. 'Cause it feels like I can't concentrate if I'll look at his eyes.

"Mommy, why--"

"W-we're at the hospital. Nabaril si P-Prestin--"

My eyes widened as I heard her. Agad na nilukob ng kaba ang aking dibdib. Tila hindi pa sapat ang bilis ng pagkabog noon bago pa tumawag si Mommy.

Archer tilted his head while intently looking at me. Tila ba binabasa ang aking isipan.

"What? S-saang ospital, Mommy?" Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili na hindi putulin ang mga salita niya.

"No, no. S-si Rye, anak. Ang apo ko, k-kinuha nila." Putol putol ang salita niya dahil sa sunod-sunod na paghikbi niya. But I clearly understand what she said.

"W-what?" Nanghihinang tanong ko upang kumpirmahin ang narinig. My voice trembled as tears immediately rolled down my cheeks. Madaling naglandas ang mga luha sa aking pisngi dahil na rin kagagaling ko lamang sa pag-iyak.

I caught Archer shifted on his weight, naalarma ito sa agaran kong pag-iyak.

"R-Rye's kidnapped. S-sinubukang... manlaban ni Prestin k-kaya siya binaril."

My lips parted when my mother started weeping. Ibinuka ko ang aking bibig ngunit walang salitang lumabas doon. Mommy still saying something on the phone while still crying but I'm too preoccupied to understand it.

Who would even do that? Rozelli immediately came in my mind. Why? Or maybe Salvia!

I looked at Archer and he reached my elbow as he gently held it when our eyes met. "Si Rye, Arch. H-help me," I muttered in between my sobs. I didn't even know if the call ended already.

He repeatedly nodded his head. "I will, calm down, huh? Tell me what happened?" He tilted his head. Alerto niya akong tinitigan, ibinigay sa akin ang buong atensyon.

I let out a deep breath as I tried to control my chest who's now heaving up and down. "O-our son's kidnapped. Help me, Arch." I shook my head as my eyes blurry. "I can't lose him. H-Hindi ko kakayanin, Archer."

I gasped when he pulled my closer as he encircled his arms around me.

Mariin akong napapikit at malayang hinayaan ang mga luhang maglandas sa aking pisngi nang maramdaman ko ang marahang paghagod niya sa aking likod. "Calm down, Aurie. I'll find our son. I won't let something bad happen to him. Calm down first, huh?"

He didn't get it, didn't he?

Pilit niya 'kong inalo hanggang sa narinig ko ang muling pag-iingay ng aking telepono.

Bahagya akong lumayo kay Archer upang makita ng mabuti ang aking phone. I glanced at it and stopped when I saw that the number is unregistered. Matapos ay agad ko iyong sinagot dahil sa bagay na pumasok sa aking isip.

"Hello--"

"How are you, Auriese?"

Salvia's voice sent shiver down my spine. Mariin akong napapikit at makumpirmang tama ang aking hinala.

"I assumed, you already know who's missing?" Ang mapanuyang boses nito ang lalong nakapagpainit ng aking kalooban.

My jaw clenched as my grip on the phone tightened. "Where's my son?" I gritted my teeth.

Napunta ang atensyon ko kay Archer nang umalis siya sa aking tabi. He quietly run towards his table as he swiftly grabbed his laptop.

He quickly typed on the keyboard as he glanced at me. He mouthed something but I frowned when I didn't get it.

Muli niyang inulit ang sinabi at sa pagkakataong iyon ay nakuha ko ang ibig niyang sabihin. "Prolong your conversation," he mouthed.

"He's with me, honey. Don't worry. Go here if you still want to see your son."

I nodded as I heard Salvia's voice.

"Sayang, if only you didn't kill my son, you'll be my daughter in law."

There she is again and her issues about her son. And as if I'll marry his son. I'll definitely won't.

"Why can't you accept that your son is dead and I didn't kill him?" Gusto ko pang dugtungan iyon ngunit pinigilan ko ang sarili. Lalo nang maalala na hawak niya ang anak ko.

"Talagang hindi ko matatanggap hanggang hindi ako nakakaganti sa'yo. Its either I'll kill you or your son."

Mariin akong napapikit at marahang huminga ng malalim. I gritted my teeth.

"You choose. Be here, I'll wait for you and give you one hour. Kapag hindi ka dumating, that means you choose your live over your son. At kung ganoon ang mangyayari, hindi ka karapat dapat na maging ina."

How dare her! At sa tingin niya, karapat dapat siyang maging ina sa lagay na 'yan? She can't even stop her son in his obsession. Siya pa ang gumawa ng paraan para matulungan ang anak. She blackmailed my dad so I would marry her son? What the fuck is that. So how dare her question if I am worthy enough to be a mother, when in the first place it's her who's not worthy to be one at all.

"Where are you," mariing sambit ko. Pigil na pigil sa sarili na magsabi ng mga salitang hindi niya magugustuhan.

"Find it out, honey. You only have one hour."

I frowned at the phone. Find what? "Salvia-- fuck!"

I cursed when the line ended. Akamang muling tatawagan ko ang numero niya nang makuha ni Archer ang aking atensyon.

"I got her location," he muttered as he stopped typing in his laptop. "We'll make sure our son's safe."

My lips parted as I felt like a my insides calmed down a bit. I felt relieved as I heard him calling Rye his son, kahit na hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin niya nakukuha na siya talaga ang ama ni Rye.

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