I can hear a familiar voice telling me to change my clothes but I have no strength to do that.

"Hmm," I hummed. Iyon nalang ang naisagot ko sa kung sino man iyon.

I tried to open my eyes and saw a familiar built. Slowly, I clearly saw who's in front of me.

A man who looked like Creed.

Unti-unti kong inabot ang lalaki, bahagya kong hinila ang ano mang unang nahawakan ko sa kanya.

"Damn," I heard him cursed.

"Don't l-leave," I muttered as I pulled him more.

"I won't. Now, change your clothes or I'll change it for you."

"Hmm." Before I fell asleep without changing my clothes.

Ngunit iba na ang suot ko pagkagising. D-did he?

"Vinia."

Wala sa sariling napatayo ako dahil sa tawag ni Creed at agad na sumagot. "Yes?"

He frowned. "What were you thinking?" I glanced on his phone. Matapos naming kumain ay may tumawag sa kanya at bahagyang itong lumayo para sagutin ang tawag.

I shook my head.

"I'm sorry, I have to leave."

I opened my mouth to answer him, ngunit walang salita na lumabas doon. I plastered a smiled so I can hide my disappointment.

What are you expecting, Vinia? That he won't leave you? Binalot ng pait ang aking kalooban. Siguro ay napilitan lang ito kagabi dahil na rin sa sitwasyon ko.

"I'll be back, we'll talk later," Sambit niya. And because of that I am hoping.

Inisang hakbang niya ang pagitan namin at ganoon nalang ang gulat ko nang salubungin niya ako ng mahigpit na yakap. My eyes widened as I felt my jaw dropped.

He encircled his arm around me while I can't move. I bit my lower lip and shut my eyes off tightly when I felt my eyes tearing up.

He gently caressed my hair as he whispered on my ear. "We'll talk later." Everything feels so familiar.

Akala ko ay pakakawalan na niya ako matapos sabihin iyon na hindi niya ginawa.

Ilang minuto pa ang lumipas bago ito muling nagsalita. "I'm sorry." I felt him kissed the top of my head before finally letting me go.

Akmang magsasalita pa ito ngunit agad na nagingay ang kanyang telepono.

He glanced on his phone and cursed. "Fuck." I met his eyes as he sighed heavily. "I need to go." I don't know if I'm just imagining things again but the way he told me that he needs to go sounds like he's convincing his self.

He left. At noon ko lang naalala na ikakasal na siya kay Cerys. Ano pa ang paguusapan namin? I sighed. Maybe he wants closure so he can finally marry Cerys.

I decided to go to my office, dahil wala akong magawa sa condo at si Creed lang ang naiisip ko. I thought the number of workloads in my office were enough for me to get distracted but I was wrong.

I'm currently reading business proposals but after a couple of minutes I'm thinking of him again. Thinking of the possibilities and what ifs.

What if hindi ako umalis sa tabi ni Creed kahit na hindi niya ako naaalala? Maayos kaya kami ngayon? What if I wasn't stubborn? Maybe my baby's still alive.

Sa huli ay wala akong nagawa kung hindi ang bumuntong hininga. Those were just what ifs.

Iyon lang ang ginawa ko buong araw. The whole day I'm just thinking about Creed and those possibilities.

I went back to my condo after pretending like a busy person.

Inakala ko na maaga itong makakabalik ngunit alas nueve na ng gabi ay wala pa ring paramdam si Creed. Should I wait for him? Or maybe I am just waiting for nothing.

I immediately shrugged my negative thoughts off.

He's Creed, he told you that he'll be back. He will, just wait for him, Lavinia.

Hindi ko alam kung ilang oras akong naghihintay kay Creed ngunit walang dumating hanggang sa unti-unti nang bumigat ang aking talukap at hindi na napigilan na mapahiga sa sofa.

Nagising ako dahil sa ingay na ginagawa ng aking telepono. I rose up and glanced on the wall where the clock is hanging. I sighed when I saw the time. Its already past midnight.

I looked at my phone when it stopped ringing. Ilang sandali lang ay muli iyong gumawa ng ingay. I saw an unregistered number on it. Wala akong balak na sagutin ang tawag, lalo na at hindi nakarehistro sa akin ang numerong iyon.

Muli itong tumigil at pagkatapos ay pumasok ang isang mensahe galing sa hindi kilalang numero. I glanced on my phone. Bago buksan ang mensahe ay tinignan ko kung pareho ba ang numero noon sa kaninang tumatawag.

I opened it when I confirmed that the one who's calling is the one who sent me a message.

I'm sorry I can't make it, Vinia. I'll go to your condo tomorrow.

Mapait akong napangiti matapos mabasa ang mensahe. It's from Creed. Kahit walang pangalan na nakalagay doon ay nasisiguro ko na si Creed iyon.

Tomorrow? Sarkastiko akong napangiti. Hindi na ako aasa roon.

Muling pumasok ang mensahe galing Creed. Agad kong binuksan iyon at binasa.

I'm really sorry, Vinia.

Mariing akong napapikit at muling binasa ang mensahe.

I shut my eyes off as I leaned on the sofa.

Hindi na ako nagabalang sagutin ang mga mensahe ni Creed. This is the reason why I don't want to expect in anything because I already knew what's next. I sighed in disappointment.

Marahas akong napabuntong hininga bago tumayo at nagpasyang magtungo sa aking silid.

Tanghali na ako nagising kinabukasan. I did my usual routine. I was about to leave when I saw the dining room. Wala sa sariling napailing ako.

Hindi na ako nagabalang kumain, siguro ay mamaya na lang.

I opened my condo unit's door. Natigilan ako ng makita si Creed. He's leaning on the wall beside my door with his disheveled hair and his hands are in his pocket. Napapikit ang mga mata nito ngunit agad na dumilat nang maramdaman ako. Umayos ito ng tayo bago ako tuluyang hinarap.

"Lavinia," He called.

"What are you doing here?" Ang tanong na iyon kaagad ang pumasok sa isip ko.

"About what happened last night, I'm sorry." Sorry again. Hindi ba siya mageexplain? I mean, I think I deserve an explanation.

What the hell are you thinking, Vinia? Bakit naman siya mageexplain sa'yo? Ano ka ba niya? Wala naman.

"Why are you here? Is it because of what you have said that we'll talk? Or you just want to say sorry kasi hindi ka bumalik kahapon? Alin sa dalawa?" Hindi ko alam kung bakit iyon ang nasabi ko sa kanya. "Kung isa sa dalawa na 'yon ang rason, sana hindi ka na nagabala na pumunta pa rito." I plastered a smile. Agad ko ring binawi bago pa iyon mauwi sa isang ngiwi.

"I want us to talk. Something came up last night. Kaya hindi ako nakabalik." He looks sincere though. Marami akong gustong itanong ngunit pinigilan ko ang aking sarili.

I smiled. "M-maybe later. I'm already late, I have a meeting. How about you? Wala ka bang gagawin?"

"I cancelled it. Shall we go?" Napamaang ako sa sinabi niya.

"I'll drive you to your office." Siguro ay nakita niya ang pagtataka sa aking mukha kaya agad niyang sinundan ang sinabi.

"You don't have to." Agad akong tumanggi.

"But I want to." He even arched his brow.

"If I were you, I'll be busy thinking about my marriage," Sambit ko bago siya tuluyang nilagpasan. Sa haba ng binti nito ay agad akong nasabayan.

Nalilitong bumaling ito sa akin. "What?"

I rolled my eyes. Hindi ako sigurado kung nakita niya iyon.

We entered the elevator then he asked. "What are you talking about?" He frowned. Oh Creed, tell me what am I talking about.

"Nothing." I shook my head.

There was a deafening silence until Creed asked me for the second time. "What are you talking about, Vinia?" Pirmi ang boses nitong bumaling sa akin.

I turned to him with a nonchalant facade. "I'm talking about your marriage, Creed."

Akmang sasagot ito nang bumukas ang elevator. Agad akong lumabas doon at mabilis na naglakad palayo.

Nahuli ni Creed ang aking braso kaya napatigil ako sa paglalakad.

He motioned the opposite way. "My car was parked on the left." Sinundan ko ng tingin iyon at nakita ang pamilyar na sasakyan.

Walang salitang bumaling ako sa direksyon kung nasaan ang kotse niya.

Creed opened the passenger's side of his car for me. Pumasok ako roon at hindi na piniling magsalita.

We arrived at my family's company. Hindi ko na hinintay na pagbuksan ako ng pinto at agad nang lumabas. Nagtataka akong bumaling kay Creed nang ganoon din ang ginawa nito.

I turned to him with a smile plastered on my face. "Thank you," Sinserong sambit ko.

"Hmm." He nodded his head.

"I'll go ahead, let's just talk later." Paalam ko dahil mukhang wala itong balak umalis.

"Alright."

I smiled and started walking to towards the entrance. Napatigil ako at nagtatakang lumingon sa kanya nang sumabay siya sa aking paglalakad.

"W-where are you going?" Nagalangan pa 'ko sa dahil sa tingin ko ay nakakabastos ang tono ko sa itinanong.

"Where are you going?" Ibinalik nito sa akin ang tanong na ikinakunot ng aking noo. Lutang ba siya? I mean, hinatid niya 'ko rito that means dito ako pupunta. Why is he asking?

"In my office." Pinili ko na sagutin nalang ang tanong niya.

"In your office then." I frowned in his answer. Hindi ko nakuha ang sagot niya kaya nagtataka ko siyang binalinggan.

"Don't mind me, just do your thing. I'll wait until you're done."

"Hindi ko alam kung hanggang anong oras ako aabutin." I can't remember if I have a schedule the whole day.

Really, Vinia? Pinaghintay ka niya kagabi tapos ngayon, okay ka na?

"Alright." He even nodded his head. I thought he'll leave but he didn't.

Sumabay ito sa akin papasok ng kompanya at nahuli ko ang isa-isang pagbaling sa amin ng mga empleyadong nakakasabay namin. Bakas ang malisyosong mga tingin nito ngunit nang binalingan ko ang iba ay agad nagpatay malisya at bumati kahit na nasa malayo.

Si Creed naman ay diretso lang ang tingin at nang napansin na nakatingin ako sa kanya ay agad akong nilingon.

"What?" Inosenteng tanong sa akin ni Creed. I shook my head. Is he really oblivious that everyone's looking at him?

Binati ako ng mga empleyadong nakakasalubong ko na sinusuklian ko naman ng ngiti. 

We arrived in my office and I saw my secretary on her table.

She immediately rose up and glanced on her watch before she greeted with a smile when she saw me approaching. "Good morning, Ma'am." Agad niyong sinundan ang sinabi nang makita sa likod ko si Creed. "Good morning, Sir."

"What's my schedule for today?"

She turned to her laptop. "You missed your meeting with Mr. Rosales, Ma'am so I rescheduled it for tomorrow. Your next meeting is with the board members, after lunch. For your last schedule, meeting with Ms. Ligaya at three."

I nodded. "Can you please buy me a breakfast?" Agad akong napangiwi nang maalala kung anong oras na. "Or lunch, perhaps."

"You haven't eaten your breakfast yet." It was a statement and not a question. I turned to Creed as I slowly nodded my head.

Seryoso niya akong tinignan kasabay ng pagigting ng kanyang panga. "Alam mo ba kung anong oras na?"

I glanced at my secretary who seems awkward because of our situation.

"I..." I hesitated. Sa huli at taas noo ko siyang sinagot. "I don't have time for breakfast."

Hindi makapaniwalang tumingin ito sa akin. "You what?" His brow arched.

"Tanghali na 'ko nagising-"

"Ako na ang bibili." Agarang sambit nito at muntik pang putulin ang aking sinabi.

Nakita ko sa gilid ng aking mata ang pagiging alerto ng aking sekretarya dahil sa sinabi ni Creed. Bumaling ako rito at nakita ko ang pagtatanong sa mga mata niya.

"Wala akong gagawin, ako na ang bibili." Creed muttered when he saw me talking to my secretary using our eyes.

I hesitated but I still nodded my head.

I turned to my hand bag and picked up my purse where my cards were in.

Naglabas ako ng isang card at iniabot kay Creed.

He glanced at the card and looked at me with a mocking face. "Anong gagawin ko d'yan?"

"Pangbili ng food?" I rose my brow up on him.

"Are you kidding me, Lavinia?" Bakit naman?

"I'm not." Sinabayan ko pa iyon ng pagiling.

"What do you want?" He asked, ignoring my answer.

"Anything."

"Alright, wait for me." Sambit niya at tuluyan na akong tinalikuran. Hindi rin kinuha ang card na inaabot ko.

__________