Chapter 17: Chapter 17

"Good morning, attorney. Attorney Cuangco's secretary dropped by for these papers, your signature is needed."

Tatiana nodded at her secretary, "Just place it on my desk, Francine. Did you already eat lunch?”

Her secretary shook her head, “Not yet, attorney.”

She glanced at the wall clock. It was past twelve noon but she still has so much work to do.

"You can take your lunch now, France. Next time when it's eleven thirty you can go have your lunch."

“Thank you, attorney. Are you not taking a break yet?”

Tatiana shook her head before she returned her attention on the paperworks infront of her. “I'll just finish all these.”

It was past three when she decided to eat. She made a phone call at an Italian Cuisine and had it delivered in her office. She was famished. But she knew she couldn't eat well with those paperworks piling up her desk.

She stopped eating when her phone rang. Since it was not a registered number, she chose to ignore it but then it called again.

But the ring continued, making her sigh.

"Good afternoon." She said curtly.

She heard a deep sigh on the other line. “Tatiana, are you avoiding me?”

"Jacob?"

"It's me."

There was a silence before he spoke again. "You're avoiding me."

“I'm not. I came back from a long weekend and my work is piling up. Why would I avoid you?"

"You didn't go here. You don't miss a Wednesday appointment. My secretary said it was your secretary who brought the papers here.”

She massaged her temples. "My work here is piling up. We don't have an appointment today, right?”

"No.”

"See. Seriously, Jacob. I'm busy. I must drop this call."

"You're avoiding me because of what happened back there in Palawan---"

She laughed dryly. "Nothing happened, Jacob. Stop assuming things."

"What the fuck?!---" she cut the line after that.

"You're so dumb, Tatiana." She scolded herself, why did she ever had sex with that man again, hmm? What happened to her principles and pride? She told herself to never repeat her mistakes, but she did.

Her guilt only hightened when Jerome called her.

The last time they talked, it was before his business trip.

"Hello?"

"Tatiana, hon. I just got back into our house, I'm so tired" She heard his exasperated sigh. "How are you and Julie?”

"We're okay here. How's the project doing?"

"It was doing great, I send some engineers to supervise there so I could go back here in Florence. Christian and I talked yesterday.  He told me you went to Palawan?”

Shit.

“You didn't tell me about it.” he said. “You could've left a message, Tati. That’s more than a week ago and you didn’t even bother to tell me at all.”

"I'm sorry, it slipped out of my mind." She reasoned out. The truth is, she doesn't really have a plan to tell him about it.

"Because you're in Palawan." He concluded. Jerome knows what happened with her in Palawan, excluding the fact that she got married there.

"I'm sorry, Jerome."

"Are you okay, Tatiana? You sound really stressed. I told you, you don't need to work so much. I can provide for us You didn't really have to go back there in the Philippines."

"You know for a fact that I can't not work, Jerome. I'm a career woman. I didn't become a lawyer to just to not work hard. And... my family is here.”

"And me?"

She sighed, tired. Here he goes again. "We talked about this, didn't we?"

"You seem very distant nowadays, Tatiana. You don't even call me. It's always me who finds time for us to talk." He said on the other line. He was still calm though. Even in their arguments, he does not really raise her voice at her.

"Please be honest with me, did you see him?”

“W-who.”

“You know who I'm talking about, Tati.”

Her tears fell. She was so burdened with guilt. Here goes the guy who loves her so much, took care of her and he was exactly the guy who made all Jacob's promises to her came true.

It was Jerome who saw her at worst and stayed but she cheated on him, she slept with the man who broke her heart.

“Yes.” she whispered. She couldn't breathe properly. Her chest felt so heavy.

"Did-- did he meet Julian?"

His voice was as if he was afraid.

"No," she wiped her tears away when her secretary came inside her office. When Francine saw her, she bowed and went out again.  "I would never do that, I'd never risk losing my child.”

"Our child." He corrected. "Did you talk with him?”

"Yes.”

"And do you want... to be with him again? Tatiana?"

She was taken aback with the question. “No! No of course not, Jerome. I've moved on.”

"God. I am so threatened right now."

"Jerome, I--"

"Save it," he gently said. "Let's just talk later, okay? I need to rest."

"Okay. I'm sorry."

"Don't say sorry, please stop crying." He said.

She was so unfair. So fucking unfair and she knows it. What was she thinking when she was in that island, that she could be the same girl nine years ago? Damn, she was so stupid. So delusional.

She can't believe she cheated on a man who loves him just because she lusted after the man who abandoned her.

She was seriously having a bad day, she couldn't concentrate on her work anymore. She meant to study the cases on her desk but she couldn't concentrate. Her thoughts was on her boyfriend.

Her mind was too consumed with what she did, and then her guilt was eating her up.

Back then she was so scared that Jerome would cheat on her. He was good looking, he's always away for work. Women flocked at him so she was so scared he might cheat someday and leave her.

Her confusion only added more when a bouquet of sunflowers were delivered in her office. She didn't have to think twice about who gave her those.

Jacob is the only one who used to give her these flowers.

"Mam, I already signed the receiving form." Her secretary placed the flowers on top of her desk.

"Did you open the card, Francine?"

"No, ma'am.”

She picked up the card, it was the strike's card, a black one accented with gold.

Tati,

If things aren't clear to you yet, I just want to let you know that my feelings for you have never changed. I still like you alot and I miss you. So please, don't stay away from me.

Yours,

Jacob.

She swallowed hard. Her feelings are betraying her once again. She couldn't give in on him again. She wouldn't hurt Jerome again. She can't. He's the only one who gave him the sense of security and assurance.

She crumpled the card, then threw it on the waste basket.

The secretary's eyes widened.

"Please throw this away, Francine.”

"Ma'am?”

She motioned the flowers, "Throw it away. If you want, you can have it."

She went home early so she could cook for her son. She feels that she needs to spend more time with her son, she knows he's been lonely. She is planning to take her son at the park on weekends. She needed him right now. He's the only one who could make her sane.

She wiped her son's sweaty face.

"Mom, this is really good." He grinned. It was some italian dish she cooked.

"You should eat a lot,” she pinched his cheeks.

"Miss Susan, did Christian drop by earlier today?”

“No, ma'am.  But he called earlier and talked to your son. He said your driver is starting tomorrow.”

"Christian hired him?"

"Yes ma'am.  The name is Dante.”

After their meal she ran a bath for her son and tucked him to bed.

Jerome later that night, called.

Jerome's face appeared on the screen of her iPad.

"Hey," his voice was hoarse. "Hello, young man. Daddy misses you so much.”

"Daddy!" Julian, who was on her lap, squealed. "Dad, I miss you too!”

"How about mommy?" He playful raised his eyebrows before he stood up and went to his room .

"Well?"

She nudged her son to tell him yes.

"Mommy miss you too, dad."

“I hope you're looking after your mom. Make sure no other guys go near her.” Jerome winked. His dimple showing since he was putting his best effort to hide his grin.

"Yes, sir." He straightened and kept a straight face. "When we are in a mall and a man looks at her, I raise my fist. Just like how you said I would, dad."

What the hell?

She glared at Jerome.

Her boys just gave her a laugh.

"You better make those men stay out of mommy.”

Julian smirked, his smirk always mirrors Jacob's.

Damn that man. Why does he have to cross her mind like this again?

“I bought a lot of toys for you, son.” Jerome shifted the camera on a medium box. She shook her head, he's always spoiled Julian in all ways.

"Dad! Thank you."

Julian hurriedly kissed my cheek and removed himself from my lap. He said he needed to sleep now because he was sleepy, he said goodnight to Jerome and his mom.

Tatiana turned off the lights so her son could sleep better and  left his room.

"Hey."

"I'm sorry, Jerome. If I didn't inform you. It slipped off my mind, there's just so much going on here.”

She saw his faint smile. "I'm sorry, I was mad. I haven't gotten much sleep so I was in a foul mood.”

"Next time, please tell me what's going on, okay?. I want to know where you are so I don't worry. I know you've been busy but please find time to talk to me. I miss you guys so much and it's not helping.”

"Okay. I'm really sorry, Jerome.”

"Thank you, hon." He sighed, "So... where did you see him?”

"I--- I... I met him, I accidentally met him in a restaurant."

"Did you guys talk?" Jerome asked.

"Yes.”

"Did you talk long?”

She sighed,  "Where is this conversation going, Jerome?"

"I just want to know. Is there something wrong with that?"

"We just talked, once. That's all." Years of being in a law school she mastered arguments and even lying. And she feels bad because she's lying right now.

"Why didn't you tell me, then?”

"Because there's no need to. What then if we saw each other? It's not a big deal to me anymore."

"Don't tell me it's no big deal when that man used to be the reason you cried everyday for years. I feel so threatened, Tatiana." He admitted, pissing her off.

"Well, there is no need for you to be threatened, Jerome! Because if you ever forgot, I loathe the man. I hate that man."

How can you ever have sex with the man you loathe, then? Her conscience screamed.

"I am sorry." his voice became so gentle it touched her heart.

She suddenly felt bad about lashing out to him like that. He didn't deserve that. Of course he had all the right to know what's going on with her because he is her boyfriend.

"No, I should be the one saying that. Sorry." Tatiana apologized. "I promise that from now I won't forget to inform you about what's going on."