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"Ang bango naman niyan, ano ba yang niluluto mo?"

Napapitlag siya mula sa paghahalo ng sabaw ng niluluto niya ng maramdaman ang pamilyar na bango at bisig na yumakap mula sa likuran niya at kinintilan pa siya ng halik sa buhok.

Her heart raced and hammered against her chest.

Mabilis pa sa alas kwatrong hinarap niya ito only to be greeted by Machiavelli's warm smile that warmed her heart not with peacefulness but with nervousness, doubt and warning for her husband.

They locked their gazes and all she can do was to tore it off for her knees would always wobble and she'll lost it just upon by seeing and greeted by that familiar intoxicating pair of beautiful eyes.

It really draws her to something so familiar yet so impossible.

Heaven know how much she misses that little spawn of Satan.

"Kanina ka pa ba? Did you grill your eyes again against the computer monitor?" hindi niya maiwasang mag-alala at wala sa sariling nahaplos ang pisngi ng kagagaling lang na asawa mula sa eye operation at comatose.

Tipid na umiling ito sa kanya at may malaking ngiting tila nanlalambing.

No one speak or dared to speak after that day.

"I fired Chloe, I replaced her with Marco again"

Natigil siya sa akmang pagsubo at wala sa sariling napainom ng tubig while he watched her intently.

"W-why would you do that?" takang tanong niya suddenly and unintentionally filling the air between them that indescribable serious feels that sents chills all over her.

"I think it's wrong to have a female secretary and then you're there... I maybe you'll get jealous" napakamot ito ng batok at nahihiyang sinalubong ang tingin niya.

Cute.

Napangiti siya na agad ding napalis.

Paano siya magseselos? Kung alam na alam lang talaga nito lahat ng katangahan at kalanglangan niya na ayaw naman nitong pag-usapan. Muntik na siyang masinok ng makitang nakatingin na naman ito sa kanya.

Naging seryoso bigla.

"I would want us to talk... About that day"

Natigilan siya.

Nag aalinlangang sinalubong ang tingin nitong diretsyong nakatingin sa kanya. Lihim siyang napalunok.

Hindi niya ata kaya.

"A-ano bang gusto mong malaman?" Tila hirap pa siya at may bumibikig sa lalamunan niya bago mahapuhap ang sagot.

"Naisip... Mo man lang ba a-ako nung mga panahong niloloko mo ako?"

Now she totally can't answer.

She doesn't even know her rights to answer his questions.

Tao lang siya at marupok. Mahina. Pero talaga atang tatanga tanga siya at sobrang rupok sa dali niyang bumigay sa taong iyon.

Unti unti na atang bumabalik lahat ng sakit sa kanya at lahat ng pinagdaanan niya since that day the secrets and revelations got revealed to each and every one of them.

"I-I..."

What can she even say right?

Truly there's no right words to express how guilty she is to him and to the outcome that happened to all of them.

"Kasalanan ko din naman. Si Orianne. She's my first and only girlfriend. We were each other's first but I was just so attracted to you and I pull some strings to get you married to me when your family is in huge debt. We broke up. I admit, ako talaga ang may kasalanan ng lahat. Hindi ko makita ang sarili kong ipagpatuloy ang relasyon sa kanya na walang kasiguraduhan. Me, unable to picture myself with her spending all of my life with her... before I got you caged in this marriage. I cheated. I always think of you kahit siya ang kasa kasama ko and I cannot take it anymore. I just can't lie to her. But then I found out that she's pregnant while we're on the fourth month of our marriage. The child... It's mine but she's dying. Diagnosed with heart disease that can affect our baby. I feel guilty on cheating on you too, for supporting her and my baby behind your back when I can really talk to you about it. It was unexpected coming from someone like me who's moves are always calculated and cautious. She died. She found out that I was married to you. She doesn't know. Depression got her bad totally affecting our baby leading to her miscarriage and... death. Rome was her half brother. And I think that is why Rome did everything in his hands to destroy us. Maybe he thought that I dropped Orianne and the baby just to be with you when in fact it's a huge misunderstanding from the start that I should've fixed. And since both of them didn't survive I've been carrying everything since that day reason why..."

"Reason why Rome lured me and used me as some piece of trash ready to be discreeted anytime! You all want me to stick to my own nose and let me carry all the burden and problem you're all carrying! You used me like anyone else! You made me to someone who's not me! I became your trophy wife and you rob away my youth! My happiness and the possible successes that I could've accomplished!"

Surely there's no right word to explain what she's feeling right now, bigla'y gusto niyang manibugho sa lalaki bukod sa ginawa nitong pagkulong sa kanya sa isang kasal pati na rin sa panggagamit sa kanya.

Her heart is suddenly filled with hatred towards this man in front of her.

She can't believe it. All along it was him! Machiavelli that has been and always been the root of her problem!

Hindi maganda ang nangyari noon and it doesn't change the fact that she's still coping at tumityempo lang ng tamang oras para magsabi sa lalaki.

Rome did a very good job she must say.

He literally played the both of them with his hands and even has the audacity to impregnate her and dropping her like a hot potato afterwards.

The door opened.

Revealing a very shocked Machiavelli Zamora.

Taranta niyang tinakluban ang kabuuan. Buong kaba, takot at kung ano anong halo halong emosyon ang lumukob sa kalooban niya.

How can she freaking explain right?

Like hey husband I was just starting to heat the things up between my self proclaimed lover and gigolo and surprise! I cheated!

"Tell me I-I'm... Th-this is a dream..."

Mula sa gulat bumakas ang talim at galit na titig nito sa kanila at sa kalauyaw niya na nahuli lang naman nito sa kwarto nilang mag-asawa.

Disappointment.

Disgust.

But mostly rage.

Rage for her and for her lover.

"Masaya bang maiputan sa ulo Zamora?"

"R-Rome?"

Nagulat na binalingan niya ng tingin si Rome na nakangisi st kalmadong nagbihis sa harap pa nilang mag-asawa.

"Mraming salamat sa pagiging tanga Mrs. Zamora. At dahil diyan... Tapos ko nang pagsawain ang sarili ko sa awasa mo, tira tira ko na nga lang eh. Huwag ka mag-alala there's no strings attached. I just used her for revenge against you and what you did to Orianne"

Malamig pa sa yelong tinuran ni Rome sa asawa niyang umiigting ang panga. Bahagya siyang napaamang ng tumingin ito sa kanya.

"Sayang ka eh. Maganda ka sana. Uto Uto nga lang. Ginamit lang kita Marceline. Thanks for warming my bed though... You're far the best experience of them all, see you when I see you"

Umalis ito ng gulat na gulat silang pareho ng asawang si Machiavelli na ni hindi pa napupulot ang attaché case na agad namang nagpupuyos ang damdaming umalis ng kwarto nila at tila susugod sa gera.

She immediately covered herself up with her silk robe and followed him to the ground floor of the Zamora Building. She must be sad.

And mad.

But she just couldn't.

They were played.

And his husband is at rage.

She needs to stop him before creating a disturbing scene that can drag his own name.

"Machiavelli! P-please listen to me? I-it's not..."

"What Celine?! That you cheated? Sobrang sarap ba na tila ni hindi mo inisip yung mararamdaman ko o ang pangalang dala dala mo na masasangkot sa gulong ito?!"

She was about to went with him when they both turned their heads to a speeding headlights that suddenly came towards Machiavelli causing him to be blown away because of the hard impact.

She felt numb all over.

"Salamat na lang sa lahat Machiavelli"

At ni hindi niya alam kung saan nakakuha ng lakas para makatayo at masampal ang lalaki na rason ng lahat ng paghihirap niya ngayon.