"You don't have to adopt Periwinkle."

"You don't have to adopt Periwinkle."

"You don't have to adopt Periwinkle."

Those six words keep on replaying on her head over and over like it was a broken record. She wasn't sure if she heard it right or she might have been losing her hearing... more like her mind.

"What did you say." She is on an attack mode at the moment. She might have gotten excited to find out that Alden remembered that moment in the past but with what she heard from him right now erased all the kilig she's feeling.

Alden just stared at her with that dimpled smile. She tried to suppress the feeling of... whatever she's feeling at the moment staring at him. All she wanted is to punch this man's face. How dare he tell her not to adopt Periwinkle?

"Who do you think you are to tell me that I don't have to adopt her." She's mad. He continued to smile at her, and did not say a word.

"And you also said earlier that you meddled with Periwinkle's chance to get adopted by me. Is this where you start fulfilling your revenge on me?" She asked, holding back the anger and tears.

He shook his head but the smile did not waver. She's hating him more on a different level. Why is he so freaking' handsome, I can't concentrate being mad at the psycho. She will deal with her mind later. Right now, she wants to, at least, try to concentrate on the issue at hand, and that is Periwinkle's adoption, her heart could wait some other time.

"No. Didn't you hear all my story? Did you listen to every single word I said?" He asked, still smiling and she just wanted to erase that smile off of his face. She has this irresistible urge to punch him. Do you really want to do that? Her mind now is teasing her. She made an emotional note, not a mental note, that she will take care of her mind later.

"Didn't I tell you that things have changed since I realized how I exactly feel towards the woman whom I thought killed my brother? Didn't you hear the part when I said that I am more worried about her than mad or angry? I may have said that I had a plan to meddle on her adoption process, and that is true, but I can do better than that. I can make the adoption go away and you can still have her if you still want her." Maine just stared at him emotionless. Alden pulled her closer as he scooted more towards her.

"My mind is all over the place right now, Alden. I heard everything you said but I can't wrap my head around it. I can't think straight with that dimple distracting me." She didn't know why she said what she said but it was too late to stop herself or take it back. His laughter echoed in her room and it made her heart flutter more. Punyemas! Her mind screamed.

"I'm sorry if my lone dimple is distracting you, but I hope you realize too that you are in front of me right now, in your room," He looked around and his eyes landed on her bed. "is way more of a distraction to me than my lone dimple to you." He countered. Her jaw dropped at what he said. Is he flirting with me! She said inwardly. Oh yes! He's flirting with you, big time! Her mind screaming, yelling at her. She will really deal with her mind later.

"Oh no! You can't do this to me!" She said trying to take his grip off of her hands. "You can't make me fall in love with you as your revenge! That is just flat out cold and cruel!" Alden furrowed his brows. He doesn't know how to react to her outburst. She was able to get her one hand free. She reached over to her nightstand drawer.

"I have a gun here. Take this." She handed him a caliber .32. He crunched up his forehead, wondering. "Use that instead. I'd rather die now than going through the pain that my parents went through." Alden was taken back as she was handing him the gun from the barrel. He stared at it, then to her then back to the gun again.

"Who says making you fall in love with me or killing you is part of my revenge? Yes, I want you to suffer, that was my plan, not anymore. And killing you was never, ever a plan, The moment I laid my eyes on you is the same moment I killed myself for thinking of harming you." Maine furrowed her brows. Bewilderment and confusion written all over her face and eyes.

"What are you talking about?" She asked, confused as hell.

"Put that gun away!" He exclaimed, taking the gun from her. He put it back inside the nightstand drawer where she got it from. "Maine, you don't have to fall in love with me or whatever. I am just trying to make things right. I am here to apologize for thinking of hurting you even before I know you. I never investigated my brother's death the right way. Instead, I kept my mom's words to me and followed it to the tee. I relied on the truth she believes in rather than finding out the real truth for myself, maybe because I am guilty myself for not being with her when she needed someone the most. That was the biggest mistake on my part." He expressed. Maine fell into silence, thinking.

"I am here to make things easier on you, if you'll let me." He added. Maine stared at him, sizing him up.

"What do you plan then?" She asked. He looked at her in silence. Maine started to feel uneasy. Uneasy good.

"I plan to give you the rights to Periwinkle, given that you will let me and Aleck see her some weekends of your choice or whenever it is convenient for you." She was taken back at his bold statement. Giving me the rights? What the hell?!

"Give me the rights? Who are you to give me the rights to her? You are not her father." She's mad. Is he playing with her emotions? "Don't toy with me, Mr. Richards. I've gone through enough without you around." She got up from her bed to the other side, since Alden was sitting right next to her, blocking her way. She walked towards the window. Her tears are threatening to come rolling again.

"Will you listen to me first?" He said in a gentle, frustrated tone. "This is why I wanted to tell you everything first before we do the comments, reactions, rebuttals and rebukes." He said chuckling, got up and followed her. She turned around and stopped him with one finger motion. He halted.

"Then start explaining, Mr. Richards." Alden got goosebumps at the way she spoke, cold and icy. He took a deep breath and blew a sigh. She's scary at times and he knows that. He loves that about her.

"I can take Periwinkle from anybody including from the Child Protective Service because she is my niece. She is Alvin's daughter. When he died, Egay and Utoy hid her and her mother from her guardians since she got pregnant at a very young age and they were all afraid that something bad might happen to Irma and the baby if she found out. They tried helping Irma to raise Periwinkle after she gave birth and after Alvin's death. All of that slowed down till it stopped completely two, almost three years ago because Utoy had to leave town to pursue a job offer for him in Batangas and wasn't able to come back and Egay was sent to Zamboanga by his employer to be a farm foreman. They sent money to her, as much as they could, most of the time they lapse on sending her a few bucks here and there. They just learned recently that the building where Irma and Periwinkle lived caught on fire the same day of Vinny's death anniversary and that's where you found Irma and Periwinkle. By the way, that is her real name. Periwinkle Jasmine. Periwinkle is Alvin's favorite flower and Jasmine is Irma's. I don't know how you found out about it but that's her real name." Alden was trying to speak fast as he could because Maine's demeanor was still the same, angry and about to pounce. He suppressed a smile. If Maine would become Periwinkle's mother, he would not contest it. She has the making of a great mama bear, guarding and loving at the same time.

"They've been asking around about a young mother who used to live on the second floor of the burnt building, but nobody can tell where they went. After the fire, everyone split. Some stayed with relatives, some went back to their respective provinces and some stayed not far from the tenement. Nobody knows who went where but all they know is that nobody saw Irma or the child went out of the building that night. The fire department and PD found a few charred bodies of adults and children and everyone was documented but two, Irma Villamayor and Periwinkle Jasmine Villamayor Jimenez." He explained. Maine was just listening. She's trying to absorb everything that she's hearing but Alden lip movement is distracting her.

"As one of the living blood relatives of Periwinkle, since Irma is an orphan herself with questionable guardians, according to Egay, me and Aleck are the closest she got." Alden continued. She sat on the floor. Alden smiled and sat down too.

"How do I know that you are telling the truth?" Her voice cracked. Alden shut his eyes tight upon hearing her shaken voice. He's hating himself every time he hears her sad voice.

He pulled two folded pieces of paper from his back pocket and handed it to her.

It is the copy of the result of the lab test done. She hesitantly took it from him and with shaking hands, she unfolded it, and read it.

It is a paternity test result by a sibling. Since Alvin is not alive anymore, and can not exhumed his body, they took a sample from a person named Aleck Jimenez. She assumed that he is a brother. Then a DNA test made from both Alden and Aleck.

Aleck Jimenez, however a full sibling to Alvin, showed 69.9% match. Since he is not a father of Periwinkle, and they only shared some strings of DNA. She's a nurse, she should know. But she was still confused. Alden saw it.

"I wasn't able to do it with me for Periwinkle since I am only a half sibling to Alvin. It is different when we are trying to prove who our mother was but that has been determined long ago. Aleck and Alvin are full siblings and that's how we did it. To support my claim, me and Aleck did a sibling DNA test to show the court that I am closely related to them. Just for the sake of documentation." Maine knew what he was saying.

"I know that. Have you forgotten I'm a nurse?" She retorted because she couldn't think of anything to say, she bit her lower lip staring at the paper. Alden just sighed. Haahh! Just give me one reason to kiss you and I swear, I will not let you go. He uttered inwardly. He's been controlling himself since he saw her lying down on her bed.

He may be a good student, straight A's and all, but he will not deny the fact that he did some crazy stuff in the US just to survive and that includes sleeping with women for a roof over his head and some food and allowance, since his job is not enough to pay his rent.

"I haven't. I am glad you actually are so I don't have to explain further." He said, teasing her. She took a deep breath and threw him deadly glare. He chuckled. Yeah. You're so cute.

"How were you able to obtain a DNA sample from Periwinkle without asking me?" She was standing on one leg, one hand on her hip, the other holding the paper.

"I don't have to ask your permission. Everything you threw in a trash bin is a public property. I didn't ask you because I wasn't sure of the truth then." He explained. "Before I went on a two weeks leave. I have laid out everything I need to do to investigate the death of my brother. Utoy came by to surprise Molly and we got the chance to talk about Vinny. I had learned from Molly, Sonia and Nanay Alita and later on with Egay about the truth. They didn't know it was you until after they showed me a picture of a girl in a helmet showcasing her championship trophy. That's when Molly recognized you. And when she mentioned Periwinkle, Utoy got so excited and called Egay's mother in hope that she could get in contact with him. She did and the rest is what I had told you." Maine almost smiled because Alden was trying to talk so fast. She knows that he was trying to get in all the words he needs to say so she doesn't have to cut him off.

Damn! You're so handsome! She shook her head to shake off the thoughts she's been having since he came into her room. He is not healthy for her emotional stability. His driving her mad and wet.

"So, what am I going to do?" She asked. She's out of options now that the relative of Periwinkle showed up and there's nothing she can do.

It's the law and she can't go against it. She sat on the floor feeling defeated. There goes her chance of happiness. Maybe she's right all along. Maybe she is meant to live alone and that is alright. She's used to it. She's been alone since then.

Alden has a reputable job, he's an engineer, he owns his company. Periwinkle is practically set financially with him. He can provide for her, Aleck and more. He can provide for his wife, too. That left a bitter taste on her mind. That's all she knows about him, except for the wife thing. She's not aware of that and she doesn't want to know. Really? Is that why you're feeling bitter not long ago? There goes her mind again. She needs to shake that thought off.

The more she enumerates everything that he has and he is, the more she sinks on the floor, defeated, alone and unhappy. She just wanted to curl in a ball and cry. She hopes for the ground to open up and swallow her whole. Might as well.

"You can still have her. You don't have to give her up." She winced at that word. She doesn't have to give her up. This is the revenge he's been talking about.

"Then what's going to happen after that?" She spoke her mind unknowingly. "I will fall in love with her more and in a snap you will take her away from me and I will be left in pain and broken." She uttered looking down on her hands. She chuckled bitterly. If only she could look up to see the amusement on Alden's face, she would probably kill him with the .32 caliber inside the drawer next to Alden, but she didn't look up.

"Maine, I am not going to do that. I am dropping the revenge thing. I don't want anger anymore, I don't want a messy life anymore. I want peace and quiet with contentment. I want to be happy." He said, hoping she would look at him to see in his eyes what he feels for her. Again, she didn't. She's as stubborn as the mule. He reacted inwardly.

"Thank you for not taking revenge anymore. I am really sorry for what had happened to Alvin and your mom. It wasn't my intention to make you and Aleck an orphan. Could you tell Aleck that I am so sorry for losing his father, too." Alden furrowed his forehead.

"What's that man got to do in this story? Why were you sorry?" He asked, confused.

"Well, you see, my mother is the reason why Wilfred Jimenez left your mom. My mom is his first love according to my father. When my mom found out that my dad twisted the story between him, Wilfred and my Mom. You see, they were best friends in college who fell in love with the same woman. My dad fabricated a crazy, elaborated story that Wilfred was just toying with my mom's feelings and she had another woman. My mom saw a woman but did not ask about it anymore and broke up with Wilfred. She avoided him since then. But because they were friends, Wilfred asked my dad for help but my dad became selfish, saw an opportunity and gave him empty promises." She took a deep breath.

"Few months later she married my dad. A couple years later, I was born. The secret that my dad kept for years, came to light. The night of their 16th year anniversary, she learned about my father's elaborate scheme that involved another person. It was just a scheme, then she got so enraged. She packed up and left me and my dad that same night. The following day, my dad packed my belongings and took me to a boarding school. I have never spoken to them in person after that till they decided to marry someone else, my dad with his new wife now and my mom to Wilfred." She continued telling her story while playing with her hand.

"They call and text me but that's about it. Neither one of them showed up in any of my achievements. They can not sit down in one place for a minute just to talk about an arrangement for me." She doesn't understand why she's telling Alden about herself.

She never did that before, not even with her best friend, Luisa. She found out about it eventually, she put two and two together, that is how she knew about her and her parents' status.

Alden was dumbfounded at Maine's revelations. He thought that he had a hard life. He didn't realize the sadness he sees in her eyes was far more than just being sad, it is longingness, the want to belong to, the need to be loved, the want to be needed. He didn't think that maybe the reason why she is the way she is, is because... he came closer, sat beside her and without a word, he enveloped her in his arms.

He couldn't think of anything else to say. He pulled her closer and hugged her tight. She is crying. He rubbed her back to console her when the door slowly opened. Luisa's head popped in and saw them, she smiled. He signaled to be quiet and she just nodded and left again. Maybe they just wanted to know how they were doing.

They were silent for a while. Maybe the silence and being together is all they needed at the moment. No words, no sounds other than the beating of their hearts.

"You can have Periwinkle. I won't fight the child services for adoption. I will be okay." Maine said between sobs. "You and your wife may want to have a child someday and maybe this is what you've been waiting for." She added, pulling herself away from him but he didn't let her.

"I think she'll be better off... Wait. What? I don't have a wife. But there's one thing you can do,though." He said flatly. Maine looked up. If she had not pulled back a little bit, her lips would end up on his pinkish kissable lips.

"W-what?" She asked. "What else can I do?" She added wondering if there is a chance that she can be with Periwinkle.

"Marry me. Be my wife."

__________
End of TPA 24: Be My Wife

Thank you for reading the chapter. Please leave your thoughts, comments or just say Hi. Don't forget to tap the 🌟 to vote, and let's share the story to your friends for some good vibes. CTTO Media used.

💖 ~ Ms J ~ 💖
05.04.20

The Periwinkle Affair
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August 26, 2019