Chapter 2 Meet

• “Are you still sad?” Mia, my brother Dean’s wife and also my best friend asked. She hurriedly visited me earlier right after she came back from Spain.
• I forced a smile that didn’t even reach my eyes. “I’ll be lying if I said I’m not, Mia. You know how much I sacrificed for him.”
• “Since our elementary days, till we graduated from college, you witnessed it all,” I added, trying to ignore the thorn that was inside my throat.
• It’s been five months since I left, or more like he did. I wasn’t able to see him anymore, nor was I willing to face him. True to my words, it has also been months since I last cried. When I forced myself not to shed any more tears, it wasn’t easy. I wasn’t completely healed. Well, it was the hardest.
• I was thankful that my family and friends were there. They lifted me up to forget and enjoy my freedom. I stayed at our Villa near the beach where we first met.
• I know that many people would rather be far away from the places that used to be their paradise before they got broken, but I prefer to face my fears. I wanted to measure how many months or years it would take me to fully heal myself. That one day, this place wouldn’t give me painful memories anymore. I wanted to experience how this place completed me, broke me, and how it would mend my little pieces once again.
• “I once felt what you are feeling right now, Bella. Condolences. I just found out what happened to you and your baby,” she stated with sadness in her voice.
• “I’ll visit you next time, your brother is already paranoid. He keeps on calling me and telling me to go home.” Her blonde hair scattered when she bent to hug me. “Take Care!” Then she went out.
• I simply nodded and pinched my wrist to avoid shedding tears. Yes! The saddest part was that, I had a miscarriage three months after we parted. I didn’t know until I collapsed one day.
• The doctor told me how dangerous my pregnancy was, but it was also one of the happiest days of my life. However, not soon enough, I lost my baby. The doctor told us that it was because I was exposed to too much stress.
• Black, my ex-husband didn’t know what had happened to me for the past five months. I didn’t know what happened to him either. Was he still living at our house? Was he working hard or slacking off? Or did he find another woman whom he would spend the rest of his life with? I didn’t know.
• Back then, he would often hug me from behind, squeezing my palm slightly as he would put some small kisses on my shoulders. His gray eyes would devour my soul and his black hair would hide more than half of his forehead. It was a scene so beautiful that I couldn’t forget, yet I know that I was slowly recovering from my fall. Not until we married each other did everything change.
• I stood up, faced the huge mirror and stared at myself. I have these almond-like eyes with enticing brown pupils. My hair was black and long while the shape of my face complemented my features. My eyelashes were long and curly, as were my eyebrows a great fit too. A long pointed nose with thin pinkish lips.
• I turned slightly to see my curves and side view. Everything was extravagant to witness, from head to toe. But I know that looks wouldn’t remain forever, and my beauty inside and out wasn’t enough to let him stay.
• “Princess!” I snapped myself back when I heard someone screaming.
• “Princess you have to hear this!”
• “We have some good news, Princess!”
• I saw my two brothers rushing towards me, panting so hard.
• “What is it, kuya?” I asked, addressing them as Brother which means older brother in Filipino. We have Filipino blood, that’s why we know a little bit of Filipino words.
• Kuya Andrew went to the living room and stood right next to me with a smile on his face. “You mentioned before that you wanted to pursue modeling, right?”
• I shrugged my shoulders, slamming my whole weight on the sofa. “I did, but I think that was years ago. Well, that was when I hadn’t married him yet though. Why?”
• Kuya Casper chuckled and sat next to me. “Well, it’s not too late to do it.”
• “What do you mean?” I asked, confused about what they were trying to say.
• They both looked at each other before they stared at me. Casper moved next to Andrew and they nodded, as if they were communicating with each other through their eyes.
• “Well, we decided to send you to New York for modeling.”
• Kuya Casper sighed. “I know that you love modeling but couldn’t achieve it because of him, so we wanted to let you know that you can do what you want now, princess. No one will control you and your dreams anymore.”
• Kuya Andrew nodded rapidly. “Indeed. Mom and dad already booked your flight back to New York City.”
• “Is this for real?” I was almost dumbfounded. I couldn’t comprehend their words fast so my reactions were a little bit late.
• When they nodded while smiling, I knew that my life was about to change drastically. I suddenly hugged my brothers tightly and we screamed with glee. I was thankful that I have my brothers at my back who are willing to push me up in times of my weakest moments.
• We talked for hours before mom and dad returned home. My dad was handling his business matters while my mom? Well, mom was with dad every day since he loves mommy so much that he couldn’t work properly without her by his side. They are the sweetest.
• “I already packed up your stuff, Princess…” Mom said before chewing her food. We’re currently eating our dinner without Kuya Dean since he’s already a paranoid married man who often gets jealous of small things.
• I glanced at her and smiled. “Thank you, mom.”
• “Would you like me to go with you, princess?”
• I shook my head. “It’s OK, kuya Andrew.”
• “Are you sure, Princess? I can cancel my mee-----” I cut off what he was trying to say. “I’m already twenty-four, kuya, so you don’t need to worry anymore,” I stated.
• They’re always like this, overprotective parents and brothers. My family often calls me ‘princess’ because coming from them, I am their princess while mom is our queen. My friends call me Bella, but my real name is Princess Bella Daño—De Villa. Well, soon Princess Bella Daño once again.
• Mommy giggled and looked at me tenderly. “You may be a woman but you are still our princess who peed her bed when she was five years old------”
• “Mom!” I stopped her. “At least I didn’t cry when you went to the Philippines just to visit your friends.” I teased and saw my dad’s warning gaze.
• He stopped eating and stared at mom who was amusingly laughing too. “Well darling, I thought that you wouldn’t come back. I thought that you were leaving me—us!”
• The dining room was filled with laughter when my phone suddenly vibrated in my pocket. I slid my hands inside and pressed it.
• It was such an overwhelming feeling when I saw who just messaged me. After five months, he finally sent me a text. I bit my lips when I realized that I didn’t edit his name on my phone. My lips trembled slightly and my breath hitched.
• MY LOVE (BLACK):
• Let’s meet tomorrow. You choose the time and place. Good evening.