Chapter 29: Chapter 29

"Stay out of this."

"Stay out of this? I am your brother, I care about you! And I need to tell you that whatever you're doing, this is fucking wrong."

"I am still older than you, Christian. You don't have to lecture me with anything because I know what I'm doing, I know the choices that I'm making."

"Poor choices." He sneered. "Alright, I won't medfle. Just don't come crying to me when this whole thing goes down." Her brother left, slamming the door shut.

When she came back, Christian had already left. Her parents asked her what was wrong between them, or if they had a fight since he was storming out. The look on her face gave it away. Jerome came to her, asking what just happened.

"Rome, I'm tired. Let's just go home." She said. In her mind, what her brother said bothers her. Jacob got drunk because of her, and now her brother knows. Probably, he's figure it out that Jacob Shaw is the father of his nephew.

Sooner or later, she has to make a choice.

Jerome's fingers that were massaging her shoulders pulled her out of her trance. "I hope whatever Christian and you fought about, hope you both can talk about it. I'm always here to listen, okay?"

"Thank you for being an understanding partner."

"That's what I'm supposed to do. I'm always on your side because the last thing I want is for us to fight."

She rested her head on the crook of his neck. In the corner of her eye she saw Susan passed by them.

"Goodnight." Jerome greeted her.

"Goodnight, Jerome, Tati."

“Is Julian asleep?” she asked. She took a nap on the couch so Jerome tucked him to bed.

He nodded. "He's tired. He was already sleeping soundly."

She rolled her eyes, chuckling. "Well, he's such a heavy sleeper."

"Aren't you tired? You want to get some sleep now too?" Her heart was touched by the softness of his voice. Eversince, he's always talked to her in a very gentle voice.

"Hmm. That's a good idea."

"I'll just run your bath, okay? Wait here."

She closed her eyes for a moment feeling a little more guilty each time. Everytime Jerome is doing something for her or even just a mere look at him she just feels more guilty.

She cheated on him. He didn't deserve that.

Jerome came back, scooping her in a bridal style. He placed her at the edge of the tub. "Everything you need is here. Go take a bath.”

"Okay. Thanks for this." Tatiana smiled.

"And Tatiana?"

She looked up to see him leaning in the door frame like he always does. "I ... miss you so much."

Her heart hurt at that. She literally fought her tears. I'm so sorry, Jerome...

She looked up at him, she smiled gently.

That night she slept next to him. He draped an arm into her tummy, and it reminded her of the nights she was with Jacob  Nothing else felt like home than being in Jacob's arms... not even being here with Jerome.

She worries about Jacob. His mother just died. And when things starts to get better with them, Jerome comes home. That's when they needed to distance themselves from each other. She just hope he understands. She needed more time

She had to be in Strike the next day. She hasn't been here in a few days. She proceeded in the board room, Andrew Zobel greeted her. "Hey, good morning attorney."

"Morning, Andrew. I hope I wasn't late?"

Andrew shrugged it off. "Well, atleast you weren't late than the CEO himself."

Oh.

She kind of expected he would be here now. He's never late in a goddamn meeting.

Andrew pulled a chair for her. She looked up to him and smiled. "Thanks, Andrew."

They waited for ten minutes, the other members  of the bored kept asking where the hell is Jacob. Thank god Andrew was there to save his ass.

After a while the board room opened revealing Jacob Shaw in his brown and black suit and tie. Tatiana gasped. He cut his hair!

It was a shorter undercut now, his face was clean, no scruff or little stubble growing. He looked divine and fresh. Tatiana couldn't help but stare.

"Sorry. I was late." He chirped. Their eyes met. His eyes were cold and guarded, and he looked away.

Now that hurt.

The meeting was a blur to her.Jacob and her weren't in good terms. If they were, he should've greeted her.  He looked like he couldn't even look at her.

She stood up when the meeting was adjourned, the gentlemen started to walk out of the boardroom. Andrew, Jacob and her were the ones left inside.

"Tatiana, we're going to a coffee shop downtown. Wanna come?"

"Andrew, let's go." He heard his stern voice. He stared at her for a while before he looked away

"Jacob, can we talk?"

He raised and eyebrow. "Talk about what, attorney? The meeting is done.”

"Don't use that attitude on me now, Jacob. Please, let us talk."

He didn't speak, but he glued to where he was standing. Andrew excused himself, saying he'll wait outside.

"Talk." He ordered.

"I'm sorry." She lowered her head, she stepped closer to him.

"You're sorry about what, Tatiana? You just disappeared into my life when your boyfriend came back. And you sent me a text that you should stop seeing me for a while? Like I'm the third party!" He chuckled sarcastically.

"I thought you were okay with what we had---"

"I'm your fucking husband!" He lashed out. "But you completely made me feel like you're choosing the guy over me, Tatiana! I can't believe it, after all we've been through. To prove you that I want us, you would just discard me like a piece of trash. Tell me, huh. Is this your way of getting back at me?"

"No! How could you think like that? I stayed with you because that's what I want, asshole.” Damn it to hell.

"Then why don't you stay with me again, then? Can't you leave him?"

And that she didn't answer.

He took off his necktie harshly and looked at her with his cold eyes. Tatiana knows he was trying to mask his feelings. This man has swallowed a chunk of pride. "You know, when you stayed with me... I though you were choosing me. I know I'm fooling myself when I thought I could win you back. I forgot, years changed you. You weren't the same girl anymore."

She looked down to wipe her tears as she held her ground. Hearing everything he wanted to say.

"You left me! Remember. You left me."

So they're back to this again.

"I looked for you!”

"But not enough! Not enough to find me! If you really looked for me, I shouldn't have been with Jerome right now."

Now she's seeing something in his eyes and those were frustrations. He raked his fingers in his hair. "So it's my fault that you're with someone else? You committed to him because you wanted to. Don't toss that bullshit and say I left you. You know now I didn't leave you."

"All these happenings not healthy anymore." He shrugged. "It's okay if you chose him. I think I can deal about losing you again."

Her vision blurred due to her tears.  "Jacob stop this."

"I don't know anymore, Tatiana."

He spent his night getting drunk and smoking. He didn't want any company. He wanted to be with himself, well, being alone is sometimes less complicated.

He has battles he would never win. His passion, the person he wanted to be, the girl he loved, and his pride that led him to regrets when his mother was gone. And maybe, it doesn't stop there.. Maybe he would have to lose the love of his life again for the second time.

It was bullshit, holding on that maybe Tatiana would choose him since he was her first love, or they have reconnected again. He didn't even think that maybe that man have his chances, Jerome rebuilt her again, watch her grow and be a woman she's bound to be. It wasn't him who was there for her in that span of years. It was Jerome.

He went to work with his head pounding, his eyes were bloodshot so he came to he entered his empire with sunglasses on. He feels like shit. Lately alcohol has been his escape. He still hasn't recovered from thr death of his mother  and there goes Tatiana, leaving him. He must have been a real sinner to deserve these catastrophes.

"Morning, sir." His assistant greeted.

What's good with the morning?

Hopefully, he can ask Andrew to attend his meetings for him. "Go get yourself up, Jacob. Man, this ain't good anymore."

Jacob just rolled his eyes.

"You can't win her back getting drunk like this. You treat her like shit the other day, she was crying when she left. And then you act here like you're the only one wounded. You have to man up."

He didn't want their advice, "go to hell, Andrew."

His bestfriend shrugged. "I'm just trying to help you. You know I want to punch you sometimes." Andrew clicked his tongue. "I'll proxy your nine o'clock meeting. But that's it.  Lately I've been doing the CEO's job and spending little time with my girls. You sober up right now, Jake. You're not being yourself."

He slept until it was 4:00 in the afternoon to attend his meeting, he didn't even eat. He wasn't hungry at all.

The meeting adjourned at 5:30, they have found the culprit who stole from their company. A guy from accounting. He was immediately sued and went to jail. Jacob was too tired to be angry, he just made sure that guy would get what punishment he deserves.

His forehead creased when he saw her sister and nephew inside his office.

"Mia, what are you doing here?"

Miana rolled her eyes before coming around to give him a kiss on his cheek. "Nice to see you too, little brother." She said sarcastically. "Jasper's out of the country, may dinedirect na bagong movie. James and I feels so lonely, thought you'd take us out for dinner."

"Sure. You didn't need to come here though. Should have picked you in the house instead." He carried his nephew on his couch "He's always asleep." He commented. Noticed that his nephew got fatter than the last time he was. "Mia, you seen a doctor for James? He's so heavy.”

"Yes I had him checked already. He's got a meal plan now, we're restricting him from chocolates. Now he's mad and won't talk to me.

He chuckled. Trust a Shaw to throw some tantrums sometimes.

In the car, James was already awake.

"Hey, I heard you're not talking to your mommy? What's wrong, why are you getting mad at her, Jamie?" He said in a gentle voice. James had a big frown, the little guy resembles too much with Jasper.

"She doesn't want me to eat chocolate."

"It's because it's not good for you, Jamie. The doctor said that if you keep eating junkies, you'll gonna end up into a fat kid. I know you don't want that."

"Look at uncle, okay? You see, tito's got muscles and nice body. It's because I'm cautious with what I eat." He winked at his four year old nephew

"That's why your mommy doesn't like you eating chocolate, cause she wants you handsome like your daddy and uncle."

Jacob looked at the rear view mirror, her sister was smiling.

He winked at his nephew.  "You should apologize to mommy later."

"RESERVATION under the name of Jacob Shaw." The woman led them into the seat, but he stopped walking when he saw a familiar woman in one of the tables.

Tatiana.

She was laughing with whatever the man told her, he was holding her hand. No doubt it was his boyfriend.

He stopped walking to take a look. Must be their age or older, he's got blue eyes like him...

"Jake." His sister said behind him.

"Go ahead.  I'll be there in a minute."

He walked towards them. Still, they didn't notice him, they were too busy with each other. He was fighting his jealous and his anger because if he don't he might end up flipping that table and punching that man's face.

He cleared his throat, making both of them turn towards him.

He looked at the man, he mirrored Tatiana's shocked expression.

"Jacob..."

"Evening, Tatiana." He greeted politely, masking his anger and rage. He looked at the Jerome guy. "Evening. You're Tatiana's boyfriend?"

He saw fear in the guy's eyes. Huh, feel threatened now, Engineer?

Jerome stood up, offering his hand. He looked at his wedding band.   Jacob smirked. "I'm Engr. Jerome Castro. Tatiana's boyfriend. Who are you?"

"Jacob..." Tatiana said. For a moment he looked at her, her eyes were pleading, it broke her heart how she wanted to hide him.

"I'm Jacob Shaw, Tatiana's boss." He watched her relax when he said that. But he wasn't through.

I am never gonna be your secret husband, Tatiana.

"...and her husband."