Chapter 4

ISABELLE's POV

               "How many times do I have to tell you, Mike, that I don't want to see you and I don't want to talk to you?!" I angrily said to Michael after we got out in Samañiego's private room.

Standing before the door of my office I turned to him. "And we have nothing to talk about, Michael."

I was about to close the door of my office when I get in but...

"We have so much to talk about Kristine!" He stopped the door before it closed and got in. "I want to see you and gustong-gusto kitang maka-usap!"

"I don't have time for this Mike... kaya please umalis ka na!" Itinuro ko and pinto palabas.

I can't face him right now because I am still in pain. Sa tuwing nakikita ko sya ang babaeng 'yon ang nakikita ko, ang kamalian ni Michael.

"You don't have time for me pero may oras ka sa kapatid ko, ganon?" Galit na iginit na sabi niya sa akin.

I can't believe this man!

"That's your sister!" I hissed at him in anger. "And I can't believe what you have just said to her earlier! Kukumustahin mo tapos di mo pala alam na nandito sya?"

The nerve of this man. Magkapatid ba talaga sila? Samañiego si Sven Alexandria at Madrigal naman si Michael, how they are related?

"She almost died in your place, Mike, tapos ganon lang ang inasta mo? Ang tawanan lang sya dahil wala kang masabi? Dahil di mo inaasahan na makikita mo sya kasama ko? Did you even worry about her?" Sunod-sunod kong tanong.

"For pate's sake Michael, she almost lost her life just to save me that day! I owe her a lot! I owe her my second chance to live if not for her!"

Just the thought of her blank looking face earlier irk me. Her flat emotionless tone when she talked earlier really bothers the hell out of me.

Nasanay na ako na lagi kaming nagbabangayan dahil kunting di namin pagkakaunawaan, o di gusto, o di kaya ay gusto lang nyang inisin ako sa di ko alam na dahilan.

First time I formally introduce myself to her went south dahil nag-away kami agad at nauwi sa pisikalan... well, o-only her ang nasaktan bacause of me... enough of that!

Ah... I really want to talk to her right now. Hindi ko gustong isipin nya na tama ang sinabi nya kanina sa akin.

Really?

Okay... fine it's true but that's only a part of it, alright?!

Gusto kong iwasan si Michael because that's the only room I can stay for long without reason aside for taking care of Samañiego.

I genuinely want to care for her until she gets better nang makabayad ako ng kahit kunti man lang sa kanya.

"Okay... you're right, that's a fualt of mine, so... I'm sorry." He suddenly apologize at me.

"You got the wrong person, I'm not the one who you should be apologizing about. Ang kapatid mo dapat."

"'Kay... I'll do that later."

"Hmm... then you can go now." Sabay turo ulit sa pintuan.

"Wag ka naman ganito Kristine. Mag-usap naman tayo, oh. Mahal kita, papakasalan ba kita kung hindi? Ganon na lang ba sa'yo ito? Sa haba ng-"

SLAP!

"Don't you dare!" Nasampal ko sya  ng walang pagsisisi. "Hahaha... sige let's talk!" I sarcastically laughed.

"Mahal mo ako kaya ako ang pakaksalan mo? At ganon na lang ba kadaling talikuran ang haba ng pinagsamahan natin?"

This time I looked at the man in front of me.

He still look good in his armani suit attire, and neatly comb brownish hair, yet... only now did I see him tired.

He has bloodshot eyes cause of lack of sleep at namamayat na siya ngayon. He now has this gloomy aura around him unlike before na kulang na lang pumutok na ang ulo nya sa subrang pagka-over confident nya, a bright aura na nagustuhan ko sa kanya.

But no...

"Tama na Michael... you should have thought of that before. In our  four years of relationship for three whole years di mo man lang naisip na mangyayari 'to?" I stared at him in the eyes letting him know how hurt I am for what he did.

"I know made a mistake... but I want a chance, a second chance, Kristine. Everyone desrve a second chance dahil tao lang ako at di ako isang perfect person. Kristine just a second chance is all I ask about."

Tumulo na ang mga luha ko sa nakikita ko ngayon na nagmamakaawang lalaking minahal ko.

And I am not used to see him like this, so desperate and begging as he cries now infront of me.

I could not help but gasp as he kneel to beg me a second chance, kaya wala akong ibang nagawa kundi ang yakapin sya.

"Please... please... Kristine b-bigyan mo lang ako ng isa pang pagkakataon." Umiiyak nyang pagsusumamo sa akin habang magkayakap kami. "A-and... and I'd be a better person, a better man for you... just- just give  me a chance to show and prove it to you."

No matter what he is still my first love and still love him even now kaya nasasaktatan akong makita syang ganito.

"Oh god..." napasinghap ako dahil di ko alam gagawin ko.

Noreen is pregnant and she needs Michael but I love him. I love him so much...

Kung mahal mo talaga ang kapatid ko... then fight for the love you have for him... because it hurts. It hurts... for the person who thought the one he/she loves will fight for them until the end but gives you up na walang pasabi-sabi...

Her voice suddenly echoed in my mind. Now, I think I understand what she meant that day.

I fought for my love for four years, only to be disappointed at the end.

At di ako nagkulang magpakita ng pagmamahal kay Michael. Mas minahal ko pa nga sya because I accepted his wedding proposal kaya nga subrang nasaktan ako.

Becoming his fiancèe made me so happy that I would be his wife and soon to be a mrs. Madrigal.

And this realization only hurts me no matter how much I love him... but... he is fighting for his love for me.

Do I have to fight for him and give him the chance he is asking for?

Can I forgive him?

Yes... I can. Mapapatawad ko sya at napatawad ko na sya, just as he said, he is not a perfect person at tao lang sya na nagkakamali rin. So, yes... I have forgiven him already.

"Y-you know how much I love you Mike, right?" Tanong ko sa kanya which he answered by nodding his head.

"That's why I forgive you and will give you a chance..." sabi ko sa kanya na ikinatuwa nya.

He kissed me in delight. "Thank you... salamat, Kristine, I'll make sure won't-"

"That's why I'm giving you a chance not to regret in the future dahil lang sa disisyon mo ngayon, Mike." I cut off in his sentence habang nakatitig sa kanya.

You have to be strong, Kristine.

"And I won't regret my decision today in the future... that much is I know." He smilingly said to me.

What I said really give him hope at nagbalik at dating lalaking minahal ko di tulad kanina...

"Chance to be a good husband... and a good father to Noreen and her child."

Ang ningning ng mga mata nya at ang kanyang mga ngiti ay unti-unti nang nawawala.

"N-no... no, no. You must be kidding me." His eyes is begging me but mine says otherwise. "You said you love me that you forgive me! Na bibigyan mo ako ng isa pang pagkakataon!"

Napatayo sya at gulong-gulo syang napapasigaw, thank goodness that my assistant walk-out earlier ng mapansin nya kami kanina at wala pang pasyente.

"That I am-"

"No you're not!!!" He shouted at me for the first time in anger. "If you are, di mo ito gagawin. Galit ka lang dahil sa pangangaliwa ako at nakipagsex sa ibang babae na di mo maibigay-bigay sa akin! Na di mo maibigay ang pangangailangan ko!"

SLAP!

"Is the truth hurts!"

SLAP!

Two resounding slap ang pinakawalan ko.

If I thought I am humiliated on my supposedly wedding day then walang makakahigit pa sa kahihiyang natamo ko ngayon.

I glared at him in disgust and in rage.

"Now... you've said it. Nagmula na mismo sayo that you only want sex in our relationship."

If I felt pain before then now there is only numb feeling in my heart.

"You said everyone deserves a second chance but there is always an exception." I heatedly look at him. "I take back what I've said... I loathe you so much that  I can't stand to see you."

"K-kris... I-I d... d-didn't-"

Naglakad ako palayo sa kanya at binuksan ang pintuan.

"Get out."

"Look... Kris-"

"Ayaw ko ng makita ka pa. What you've done and said made me regret loving you. You made me wish na sana di na lang kita minahal, na sana di na kita nakilala pa."

"Kris..."

"It's good that you've shown me your true self before it's too late for me to backout." 'Yon lang ang nasabi ko at tuluyan na syang pinalabas.

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