AEIRYN

TOO much love almost killed me before. If only I asked about his background, I would've known about Ryl's existence toward Tyron's life.

I knew it was my fault. I fell for the wrong person. I tried making the wrong person right, and I tried making the sinful situation the most ideal one.

When I fell for Tyron, I didn't know that I would become a mistress. I wasn't aware of it at first. I was a prisoner of love—the love that poisoned me.

***

IT was really my nature to be always mad. Kahit walang ginagawa sa akin, I was always frowning. Good thing that I am always beautiful no matter how fucked up the situation I was into.

"Can't you just leave me alone, Aeidan? We're not identical twins. Napagkakamalan kang boyfriend ko! How can I manage to take a man home—"

"Shut up, Aeiryn. Kuya Aeignn asked me to stay. Hindi ko rin gustong bantayan ka. I hate crowded places especially bars. I have no choice," he said cutting me off.

This brat!

"No, Aeiryn. You're the brat. Stop looking at me as if I am a hindrance towards your happiness. I don't give a damn about your sexual life, just don't get pregnant, don't get hurt, don't cry, and don't acquire STD. Mom will surely kill you," he continued as if he heard what I said in my mind.

"Shut your mouth, Aeidan," I replied as I rolled my eyes.

I stood up from the high stool I was sitting on and went to the center of the dance floor. I was wearing my black fitted croptop and a black fitted short skirt.

I danced along with the loud rock music. Wala ako sa mood kaya narito ako. Naiinis ako dahil kailangan kong iligtas kanina ang isang abogado kahit na siya ang dahilan kung bakit na-acquit ang isang murderer. I wanted him to die but Mom didn't permit me to kill him. Mom said that she would use him for a different purpose that was why I needed to save him.

The loud rock music stopped and a solemn music took over. I looked around and everybody had their own partners.

"What a disgusting world I live in," I hissed. I was about to walk away when I suddenly felt someone held me arm.

My reflexes told me to punch this scumbag but I couldn't move. In the end, I found myself dancing with this stranger.

"Hi," he said smiling. I saw his white teeth that made him more captivating.

He is tall—around 5'11 feet I think. He has hazel nut pair of eyes. He has pointed nose and a pinkish lips.

"I almost punch you for touching me without permission," I said that made him laugh.

"I'm sorry. Do you want to sit now—"

"Let's just continue dancing."

We danced and danced. It was the first time I ever felt so safe around someone else's arms. It was as if he never wanted my body unlike those men I met before. It was like as if he wanted to just take care of me and nothing else. This was also the first time that someone didn't take advantage of me. This was the first time . . . and it was so fucking magical.

TYRON pursued me. It was seven months ago since I met him.

Those months he was courting it was the most devastating yet the most magical days of my life. Why? Kuya Aeignn gave him so much hard time. Nanditong magpadala siya ng kahon na puro dugo kay Tyron, magpadala ng granada, magpa-deliver ng mga bulaklak na nabubulok, and he even almost made Tyron be fired from his work as an architect, but Tyron endured everything just for me. He ensured that no one could ever make him back down. He was really one of a kind.

We were at the beach right now—of course I have a chaperon, Callia was with me. She was at the cottage watching me thoroughly.

"Thank you for saying yes, lovey. I love you so much," said Tyron while we were in the water. He grabbed my waist and pulled me closer to him.

I stared at him. Mahal ko siya. Alam kong mahal na mahal ko na siya.

Kuya Aeignn insisted that I should've had checked his background but I refused. What he showed me was enough. His efforts and how he endured every hardship Kuya Aeignn gave him was more than enough—or so I thought.

"Thank you for loving me, Ty. Thank you for enduring my nasty personality—"

"No, lovey. You are unique and that's what is important. No matter how hard you are to handle, I am always willing to take the risk."

I smiled and gave him a peck on his lips that shocked him. That was the first time I initiated a kiss. "I love you."

He smiled at me before giving me another peck on my lips. "I love you more, lovey."

We bathe under the sun and when we both felt contented, we went straight on our suite.

I took a shower and wore a robe. He then took a shower after me.

I was sitting on the sofa browsing on my phone when he suddenly sat beside me.

"Lovey, I have something to confess though I do not know if this is the right time to say this. I have fallen for you real hard that I do not want to pretend in front of you nor lie about anything about me," he stated.

My heart suddenly trembled. May mali akong nararamdaman na para bang may sasabihin siyang hindi maganda. I was afraid. Why would I not? This was the second time I fell in love and I didn't want to become another man's toy. Ayaw ko nang lokohin o paglaruan ulit just like what Paul Jassen did to me way back years ago.

"W–what is it?" I stuttered. I was really afraid of what he has to say.

He held my hand and smiled at me awkwardly. "I am a married man."

Those five words drove me insane. I was more than shocked. I didn't know if I was still breathing properly.

"W–what did y–you say? What do you mean?!" I was so close to crying.

"I am a married man. I have a four-year-old daughter named Tamara," he replied.

I pulled my hand he was holding and I stood up angrily. "YOU MADE ME YOUR FUCKING MISTRESS?! YOU MADE ME A FUCKING WHORE?!"

"Lovey, calm down—"

"How can I fucking calm down when all along you didn't tell me that I am falling for a married man?! Hindi ko pinangarap maging kabit, Tyron!"

"Yula and I already separated a year ago. We are just waiting for the final decision of the court regarding our annulment," he explained. Bahagyang gumaan ang paghinga ko sa narinig ko ngunit hindi pa rin ako makakalma.

I wanted to slap him real hard pero hindi ko magawa dahil sa sinsero niyang mga mata na ngayon ay parang nagmamakaawa sa akin. "Why didn't you tell me the soonest? You could've told me, Ty!"

"I missed the chance. I fell deeply in love with you that I no longer know how to say these things without losing you."

"No words could ever ease my anger right now, Ty. You played me—"

"I didn't. I would never do that, lovey. Matagal na talaga kaming hiwalay ni Yula. It all started when she cheated on me. I saw her having sex with her officemate while Tamara was beside her sleeping. I hated her to the bones but I knew that she cheated because I lost the spark. Ako ang may kasalanan kaya nagloko siya. Lagi kong inuuna ang trabaho, lagi kong inuuna ang ibang bagay kaysa sa kaniya, lagi akong walang oras, and I hardly give her sexual needs. Kasalanan ko and I do not blame her for cheating on me. Ako ang may pagkukulang sa kaniya kaya niya nagawa ang bagay na iyon. I just hated the fact that Tamara would have a broken fam. Hindi ko na kasi maipipilit na mag-stay pa kay Yula kung alam kong wala na. Pareho lang naming pahihirapan ang mga sarili namin."

I pitied him. Ramdam ko ang sakit ng bawat sinasabi niya but I stood still. I pretended that I wasn't affected with what he said but I knew that my feelings for him was taking over me.

"Sana sinabi mo pa rin. Mas naintindihan ko sana kung mas maaga mong sinabi. You're selfish, Ty. Gusto mong ikulong ako sa 'yo without asking kung tanggap ko ba ang sitwasyon mo," I said calmly.

He stood up and carefully caressed my face. "I will understand if you will leave me now, lovey. Maiintindihan ko dahil kasalanan ko. Totoong dapat na noon ko pa sinabi sa 'yo."

Inilabas niya ang telepono niya at may b-in-rowse siya roon bago niya ipinakita sa akin. "What is this?"

"There are pictures of me and Yula inside the court in there and the next photo is the result of first and second hearing. I am telling the truth when I told you that we are just waiting for the court's final decision of the annulment," he explained.

I browse his phone. I scanned everything. I am an elite agent. Alam ko kung kailan edited o hindi ang isang bagay and . . . he was telling the truth. Kilala ko pa ang judge na nakaupo sa harap nila and that judge really was someone who usually handles annulment cases.

Parang naglambot ang mga tuhod ko at napaupo akong muli sa sofa.

"Lovey, I won't ask you to understand me, but I told you everything because I no longer want to hide something from you. Mahal na mahal na mahal kita kaya gusto kong malaman mo ito and if you will choose to leave me now, I will understand you. I wronged you for not telling that I am still married to Yula and I have a daughter. You can escape from me now—"

I kissed him. Alam kong mali, alam kong masama, alam kong hindi dapat pero sinuungan ko. I kissed him and he kissed me back. This was a fucking sin yet I was enjoying it. I felt so fucking low yet this was what made me happy. Mahal na mahal ko siya at kahit kasalanan na mahalin siya, gusto ko pa ring ituloy. Sobrang baba ng ginagawa kong ito pero hindi ko mapigilan ang sarili ko. I was a prisoner of his love na kahit mali na . . . gusto ko pa ring gawing tama.

I was so close pulling his hand and placing it above my breast when someone suddenly slammed the door wide open.

We both turned our gazes at it and we saw Kuya Aeignn with a furious—mad face.

"Fucking get out, Aeiryn. This man needs to learn his fucking lesson!"

"Stop it, Kuya!"

"You better stay away from it, young lady! This fucking man is fucking married yet he fucking wants you to be his fucking girlfriend!"

He knew. He was not Aeignn Lev Ricafort for nothing.

"He explained everything to me, Kuya. I already know his situation!"

"And you fucking let him fooled you?! Bobo ka na ba, Aeiryn?! Iyan na ba ang naging resulta ng pagpayag namin na magawa mo ang gusto mo?! Tingin mo ba nagagalit kang ako dahil ayaw kitang maging masaya?! My God, Aeiryn! Fucking wake up!"

"Just . . . just leave us, Kuya. Kaya ko ang sarili ko."

Imbes na sumagot si Kuya Aeignn sa akin ay nilingon niya si Ty na nasa tabi ko.

I was about to pull him off when he spoke. "I am not taking her away from you. Naiintidihan kong gusto mo siyang kunin. Alam ko ang dahilan kung bakit at alam kong ginagawa mo ito dahil mahal mo ang kapatid mo, pero sana malaman mong wala akong balak na saktan siya. Sinabi ko ang totoo sa kaniya dahil deserve niyang malaman iyon. Mahal ko ang kapatid mo. Hindi ko siya sasaktan. Wala akong balak pero alam kong masasaktan pa rin siya dahil on process pa rin ang annulment ko—"

"Don't fucking try me using your sweet inedible words, fucker. I ain't fucking with you. Wala akong pakialam sa annulment mo o kahit mamatay ka pa ngayon sa harap ko. You stay away from my sister or I'll fucking kill you!" banta ni Kuya Aeignn at hindi ko na mapigilan na mapagitna.

Tyron was fighting for me and I should do the same.

"Once you kill him, I'll kill myself too. Now choose, Kuya. Either you let me stand by my own decision or lose me forever. Your choice."

***

That was where I went wrong. I let that love poisoned me. Kuya Aeignn forced me to wake up but I chose to be blinded by that fucking love.

If only I could turn back time, I would choose Kuya Aeignn over Tyron. Reason? I wanted to be worthy enough for Ryl. If only I never met Tyron and I didn't drown unto him, hindi ko sana nararamdaman ngayon ang panliliit sa harapan Ryl. Alam kong sinasabi niyang tanggap niya ako at ang nakaraan ko, but that was not the case for me.

Ryl deserves better and I guess . . . it would never be me.

--

M A Y O R A
I C E _ F R E E Z E

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