To Love and Avenge

chapter 50

Ale’s POV

Still very adamant about me going back home this early, I decided to stay away for a couple of days to cool things off.

I need time and space to cope with myself. I haven’t even contacted my family except for Shiela and Mang Kanor. I wanted to take things easy. I wanted to rest or, if it is safe to say, I wanted to shut myself down once again.

Yes, it is kind of boring here, leaving you nothing to do other than roam around the garden and have your time spent in the underground, which I am not used to. However, it'll be better here than going home now. I don't want to face them nor face the dilemma of endless confrontations.

Today, I will be meeting Xander somewhere. I feel the need to distract myself and henceforth, I can’t end up all day crying and stressing.

I'm afraid that it will hurt the baby and affect its development.

I smiled bitterly at myself.

"What have you gotten yourself into, Ale?"

Despite having strong restraints on having a baby before, my disposition has finally changed after a few days of my stay here. Realizing now, I can say that I truly love the baby and have to protect her at any cost.

Thinking of the life inside me was what kept me from holding on, giving me another reason to live, revenge, and will soon be happy.

Besides, Maria has been watching closely over my health, so it wasn’t hard for me to cope with my pregnancy.

For the last few days, I started to get attached to her motherly treatment, starting to rely on her at some points.

Who wouldn't? She's very gentle and she always put me in priority. A thing a mother will do for their every daughter.

Only if mom was here, things wouldn't have to be this difficult for me. I sigh.

“Monica, are you going out?” she calls out from the kitchen after seeing me preparing to leave.

Monica… was what they all knew about me. It is one of my few screen names. I just have to put on some changes to my face to hide my real identity.

And this property was even named for a certain Monica Perez.

“Yes, I will be meeting someone. Please take your meal and do not wait for me.” I instructed.

"By the way, how about our groceries?" I continued.

"Well, it may last a couple of days to a week."

"Okay, I will buy some then."

“Okay, but never starve yourself, okay?” she then responded, kissing my cheeks.

“Okay.’’ then, I bid her goodbye.

At the restaurant...

When I arrived, Xander was already there, eagerly waiting for me. He looks so handsome and fresh in his casual attire- faded denim pants and a white shirt.

“Hi, sorry I’m late, heavy traffic.” I apologized.

He smiled and nodded understandingly at me, then, he stood up and pulled a chair for me.

“How are you?” he later asked worriedly.

“As you can see, I am fine now,” I said, avoiding my urge to ask about Dauis.

“Well, I can see that you are gaining weight now.”

I only laugh at his observation. Of course, I'm pregnant and I have been eating like a pig recently. It doesn't sound offensive to me though.

“So where have you been for the whole time? Everyone was looking for you.”

“I needed time to cool down so I stayed away for a little. I assume Dauis already told you about it, right?”

“Yeah, In fact, he asked me to help him find you, and I promised to help.”

“He asked for your help?” I asked excitedly. After hearing him say that Dauis was looking for me, I had grown hope for our relationship. Maybe... maybe he loved me after all. And the baby, the baby would tie the knot for us.

“Yeah. he did. Your a**hole husband has been looking for you. I was supposed to tell him about our meeting but when you said that I should keep it, then I realized that maybe you are not ready yet.”

“I will rethink it. But I have an important matter to ask you about.” I then said in a very urgent yet sad voice.

“Go ahead.” he smiled at me.

“This Candy, who is she?”

“Well, based on what he told me, she was his business colleague, so there is no need for you to be jealous.”

“I am not, I was just feeling insulted.”

“Do you love him?” He later asked. His warm smile faded at his own question, as if he regretted that he asked me about it. I even saw how a flash of anger flickered in his eyes but quickly concealed it, preventing it from surfacing again. Or maybe I just wronged him. Maybe I was just seeing things and giving a false meaning to them.

How could he be angry towards the situation, especially with Dauis, when he was his cousin?

I nodded at him in response. I swallowed the lump that was forming in my throat, prohibiting me to speak. As tears may start to build, blurring my vision, I can only nod at him repeatedly.

“Then you must return to him,” he suggested as he once again stood up, this time, to give me a comforting hug.

I reciprocated the genuineness of his action by hugging him back too. Feeling his warmth and comfort, I leaned my head on his shoulder and cried.

He simply gave me an understanding tap on my back, and said, “Go on, cry your heart out. I will always be more willing to lend you my shoulders. After this, you must return strong, okay?”

Hearing him say it. I pulled away and gathered myself. I smiled at him and thanked him for his kindness.

After having breakfast, he walked with me to the grocery store and insisted on helping me do errands. At first, I rejected his help, but he was very persistent in insisting.

Feeling a little sore and tired from walking for almost half a day. I bid him goodbye. He offered to drive me home but I strongly refused his offer, which he respected.

“Whenever you need someone to talk to, you know where to call, right?”

“Of course. Take care Xander, thank you for your time.”

“No, thank you, Ale,” he said and kissed me on my forehead. That’s so sweet of him. I thought to myself.

Going back to Sta. Luisa’s, I carefully thought of what Xander had just said.

Daius has been looking for me and even sent men for it, so that means he still cares about me after all.

Xander has no way to lie to me anyway. What will he get if he does so? And besides, it is high time for me to face reality. Running away and hiding won’t solve our problems. There is much more than that. There is a little life involved now.

I should be firm with my decisions.

When I arrived home, Maria had immediately come to help me.

“How was your day?” She asked cheerfully.

“Uhm, it's fine, I met with my friend.” She happily nods, knowing that I am having a life again since she had witnessed how low I’ve been through.

She led me to the dining hall and quickly prepared the soup she specially made for me.

She had always been like that. She always had extra care for me like I was her child. Sometimes I would even like to ask if she had already regained her memory, but I was adamant about it that I might offend her.

“That’s good then. How about the father of your child? Have you thought of telling him your situation?” she asked as she brushed my arms with her hand.

“Not yet, but maybe, when I get back to the city, I will be staying there again for quite a time and visit you only once in a while,” I explained to her.

“Well, I might feel lonely again being alone here. It would be selfish of me if I asked you to stay with me here always. What is more important is that you mend that relationship of yours and give the baby a complete family. That alone will make me happy.” with tear-filled eyes, she manages to say.

I went to her aide and hugged her. Lately, I have noticed that I always feel like I want to hug everyone.

“I promise to visit you always.”

I wanted to set her free. I doubt if there is still danger in her life as it was stated in the report to hold her in the safe. It has been a decade now, but what I am afraid of is when she said that her memory has not returned yet.

“By the way, I plan on getting you a place near mine so it would be easy for me to visit you. How about that?”

“Anything that pleases and is inconvenient to you,” she responded expectantly.

“So, your memories… have you remember anything now?” I asked her.

“She only shook her head in response but averted her eyes away from me. Avoiding any eye contact.

At first, one would think that by her actions, she must be lying. But why on Earth would she lie when what lies to it is her freedom.

I later excused myself after consuming the soup she had prepared.

My decision to take her with me to the city was final, so I made a call to Roldan to arrange a place for her.

“Who is she Ale again?” she curiously asked.

“A friend of mine," I said, avoiding answering his queries. I know I sound absurd about it. Housing a person that was basically from a safe house was against the rules. Except, of course, if the threat or whatever reason there is was cleared up, she should be sent to her home.

For some reason, setting her free would be my responsibility despite the absence of her memory. So, I take all the responsibility for my actions.

After the call, I announced to her my final plan, and she was so happy when she heard it and excitedly packed her things.

The afternoon came and we arrived in the city. Our first stop was at her apartment. I even help her settle down before I head home. But before that, we ate our first meal together there as a call for celebration before calling it a night.