Chapter 205
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After placing Anna's luggage in her room which was on the floor above him, he immediately went out. He wanted to rest.
"Hon... " Anna called out, making him look back.
"Looking forward to sleep by your side tonight." Her smile reminded him his promise.
He didn't say a word. He just look into her eyes and asked himself why she wasn't giving up. Why would she allow herself to be emotionally battered? She's beautiful and surely wouldn't run out of suitors.
"Alright. "
He suddenly felt nervous.He wasn't sure if he was emotionally ready. His mind said yes but his heart cried 'no'. But he must force himself. He, then, realized that the greatest battle a man would face is, indeed, a battle against himself.
When he went inside his room, the portrait of Jia met his eyes. It may only be an abstract painting, but in his mind, vivid memories were safely kept.
Due to sleepless nights lately, he fell into a deep sleep, not knowing that it was already night time when he woke up. He was awakened by a weight and numbness in his arm. Only to realize, Anna was already sleeping beside him. How she got the key, he did not know. Perhaps, he forgot to lock the door.
He suddenly felt uncomfortable. He looked at her closer. She was so pretty, her face angelic. She also had that gracefulness that he loved about Jia but nothing about her was able to make his heart beat.
Another thought took over. "Bear with it, Anthon. You will eventually get used to it. "
When he looked around, the eyes of that portrait met his again. It seemed alive and confronting. Closing his eyes once more, he thought over and over again. But everytime he would open up, his eyes would always be dragged towards the painting. He knew that Jia would never be his but he couldn't allow himself to betray his love for her.
This was already too much. He gently lifted her head up and removed his arm. Then, he stood up by the window.
Looking back at her while sleeping peacefully in his bed, he finally realized, he just couldn't chew what he bit.
After a long while of contemplating, he wrapped the abstract painting together with Jian's photo frames and safely tucked it in a corner.
___
Aijohn and Grace did not take long in Atlanta. After a dinner with Maxine, they set out to catch the next plane going back to the Philippines. Aijohn needed to be in the field the following morning. He wanted to make sure that the organic fertilization wouldn't be corrupted. Or else, it would affect the potency of the plant's active enzymes.
After sending Grace home, he flew back to Palawan through their company's private helicopter. It was still dawn when he arrived so he slept first in his old room. In the morning, the whole team would disperse throughout the farms to supervise the fertilization.
However, perhaps because he was drained out from the long travel, he woke up late. The lab was already quiet. He went out to check them at their houses which were surrounding the lab, but nobody was left.
When he went back inside, his eyes was caught by the flashing lights of Hailey's computer. It seemed that it was opened. He looked closer and saw that some files were also opened.
He shuddered and stepped back. Who would ever dare to open it? Only the two of them knew the password.
While he stared closer at it, the next scene sent him shivering. A woman was walking gracefully towards the monitor. Only to realize that the screen was shifted into a video camera. And there was indeed a woman coming towards it.
Aijohn stood frozen to his place as his eyes got simultanously wide and constricted! The woman then sat down before the computer, turned to look at him and smiled. He wanted to run away but his feet were pinned to the floor. He wanted to shout but his voice suddenly dried up.
"Hailey? "He said as he stood trembling.
"Yes, dear. Don't be scared. I'm alive and not a ghost. " She, then, smiled sweetly.
"What... What happened? "He asked, still couldn't believed his eyes.
"Calm down first, close your eyes and take a breath. " She softly said.
He did exactly what she said. The rising tide inside his heart finally ebbed down after rounds of deep breathing.
When he opened his eyes, Hailey was already standing beautifully before him. She then held his two hands and lifted it both to cup her face.
"Touch me and prove to yourself that I'm alive. "
With thunderous beatings of his heart, he ran his fingers to her face. Right, she was alive! Her skin was soft and supple in his touch.
Before he could think of what to say and do, being still shocked to see her, he suddenly realized that she already captured his mouth into a taunting and seductive kiss. This was Hailey! This was so her. This was her style. This was her way of losing his mind into a passionate encounter.
Finally able to get into the reality, he drew back. Seeing his reaction, she smiled.
"I miss you, hubby! "
Aijohn trembled once again. This was getting complicated. He never expected that his lovelife would also end up in turmoil like this.
"Hailey, I'm sorry! I'm already married..."
She laughed. "Yes, to my sister. While you walked down that aisle and promised to take her to forever, I remembered you saying those same things to me. "
Aijohn was dumbfounded. She was there at his wedding?
"We all thought you were dead. "
"But nobody had the evidence. "
"Nobody would survive in that kind of vehicle crash. "
"But I did. "
"How? I had been searching hard for you. I did not give up easily. "
"I know. "
"But why didn't you show up earlier ? I am already commited to someone else. "
"Are you not happy to see me? "
"I am but.. "
"Do you love her? "
"I'm sorry but yes... "
Hailey laughed bitterly. "That is all I need to know. "
"It's my fault but I have reasons. Don't worry, I will not take you away from my sister the way mom took our father away from his wife. "
"I'm sorry but you know that I also loved you so much before. I even refused to live any longer until Grace came along."
"I know. " She smiled, her eyes were faraway.
"I'm now taking back this lab. This is
my life. I want you to leave, then. These hundreds acres of land is too small to accomodate both of us. "
Aijohn was also dumbfounded. This was also his life, his dream, his advocacy. To leave here would also mean his giving up in all of these. But staying here would possibly ruin his marriage.
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After placing Anna's luggage in her room which was on the floor above him, he immediately went out. He wanted to rest.
"Hon... " Anna called out, making him look back.
"Looking forward to sleep by your side tonight." Her smile reminded him his promise.
He didn't say a word. He just look into her eyes and asked himself why she wasn't giving up. Why would she allow herself to be emotionally battered? She's beautiful and surely wouldn't run out of suitors.
"Alright. "
He suddenly felt nervous.He wasn't sure if he was emotionally ready. His mind said yes but his heart cried 'no'. But he must force himself. He, then, realized that the greatest battle a man would face is, indeed, a battle against himself.
When he went inside his room, the portrait of Jia met his eyes. It may only be an abstract painting, but in his mind, vivid memories were safely kept.
Due to sleepless nights lately, he fell into a deep sleep, not knowing that it was already night time when he woke up. He was awakened by a weight and numbness in his arm. Only to realize, Anna was already sleeping beside him. How she got the key, he did not know. Perhaps, he forgot to lock the door.
He suddenly felt uncomfortable. He looked at her closer. She was so pretty, her face angelic. She also had that gracefulness that he loved about Jia but nothing about her was able to make his heart beat.
Another thought took over. "Bear with it, Anthon. You will eventually get used to it. "
When he looked around, the eyes of that portrait met his again. It seemed alive and confronting. Closing his eyes once more, he thought over and over again. But everytime he would open up, his eyes would always be dragged towards the painting. He knew that Jia would never be his but he couldn't allow himself to betray his love for her.
This was already too much. He gently lifted her head up and removed his arm. Then, he stood up by the window.
Looking back at her while sleeping peacefully in his bed, he finally realized, he just couldn't chew what he bit.
After a long while of contemplating, he wrapped the abstract painting together with Jian's photo frames and safely tucked it in a corner.
___
Aijohn and Grace did not take long in Atlanta. After a dinner with Maxine, they set out to catch the next plane going back to the Philippines. Aijohn needed to be in the field the following morning. He wanted to make sure that the organic fertilization wouldn't be corrupted. Or else, it would affect the potency of the plant's active enzymes.
After sending Grace home, he flew back to Palawan through their company's private helicopter. It was still dawn when he arrived so he slept first in his old room. In the morning, the whole team would disperse throughout the farms to supervise the fertilization.
However, perhaps because he was drained out from the long travel, he woke up late. The lab was already quiet. He went out to check them at their houses which were surrounding the lab, but nobody was left.
When he went back inside, his eyes was caught by the flashing lights of Hailey's computer. It seemed that it was opened. He looked closer and saw that some files were also opened.
He shuddered and stepped back. Who would ever dare to open it? Only the two of them knew the password.
While he stared closer at it, the next scene sent him shivering. A woman was walking gracefully towards the monitor. Only to realize that the screen was shifted into a video camera. And there was indeed a woman coming towards it.
Aijohn stood frozen to his place as his eyes got simultanously wide and constricted! The woman then sat down before the computer, turned to look at him and smiled. He wanted to run away but his feet were pinned to the floor. He wanted to shout but his voice suddenly dried up.
"Hailey? "He said as he stood trembling.
"Yes, dear. Don't be scared. I'm alive and not a ghost. " She, then, smiled sweetly.
"What... What happened? "He asked, still couldn't believed his eyes.
"Calm down first, close your eyes and take a breath. " She softly said.
He did exactly what she said. The rising tide inside his heart finally ebbed down after rounds of deep breathing.
When he opened his eyes, Hailey was already standing beautifully before him. She then held his two hands and lifted it both to cup her face.
"Touch me and prove to yourself that I'm alive. "
With thunderous beatings of his heart, he ran his fingers to her face. Right, she was alive! Her skin was soft and supple in his touch.
Before he could think of what to say and do, being still shocked to see her, he suddenly realized that she already captured his mouth into a taunting and seductive kiss. This was Hailey! This was so her. This was her style. This was her way of losing his mind into a passionate encounter.
Finally able to get into the reality, he drew back. Seeing his reaction, she smiled.
"I miss you, hubby! "
Aijohn trembled once again. This was getting complicated. He never expected that his lovelife would also end up in turmoil like this.
"Hailey, I'm sorry! I'm already married..."
She laughed. "Yes, to my sister. While you walked down that aisle and promised to take her to forever, I remembered you saying those same things to me. "
Aijohn was dumbfounded. She was there at his wedding?
"We all thought you were dead. "
"But nobody had the evidence. "
"Nobody would survive in that kind of vehicle crash. "
"But I did. "
"How? I had been searching hard for you. I did not give up easily. "
"I know. "
"But why didn't you show up earlier ? I am already commited to someone else. "
"Are you not happy to see me? "
"I am but.. "
"Do you love her? "
"I'm sorry but yes... "
Hailey laughed bitterly. "That is all I need to know. "
"It's my fault but I have reasons. Don't worry, I will not take you away from my sister the way mom took our father away from his wife. "
"I'm sorry but you know that I also loved you so much before. I even refused to live any longer until Grace came along."
"I know. " She smiled, her eyes were faraway.
"I'm now taking back this lab. This is
my life. I want you to leave, then. These hundreds acres of land is too small to accomodate both of us. "
Aijohn was also dumbfounded. This was also his life, his dream, his advocacy. To leave here would also mean his giving up in all of these. But staying here would possibly ruin his marriage.
After placing Anna's luggage in her room which was on the floor above him, he immediately went out. He wanted to rest. "Hon... " Anna called out, making him look back. "Looking forward to sleep by your side tonight." Her smile reminded him his promise. He didn't say a word. He just look into her eyes and asked himself why she wasn't giving up. Why would she allow herself to be emotionally battered? She's beautiful and surely wouldn't run out of suitors. "Alright. " He suddenly felt nervous.He wasn't sure if he was emotionally ready. His mind said yes but his heart cried 'no'. But he must force himself. He, then, realized that the greatest battle a man would face is, indeed, a battle against himself. When he went inside his room, the portrait of Jia met his eyes. It may only be an abstract painting, but in his mind, vivid memories were safely kept. Due to sleepless nights lately, he fell into a deep sleep, not knowing that it was already night time when he woke up. He was awakened by a weight and numbness in his arm. Only to realize, Anna was already sleeping beside him. How she got the key, he did not know. Perhaps, he forgot to lock the door. He suddenly felt uncomfortable. He looked at her closer. She was so pretty, her face angelic. She also had that gracefulness that he loved about Jia but nothing about her was able to make his heart beat. Another thought took over. "Bear with it, Anthon. You will eventually get used to it. " When he looked around, the eyes of that portrait met his again. It seemed alive and confronting. Closing his eyes once more, he thought over and over again. But everytime he would open up, his eyes would always be dragged towards the painting. He knew that Jia would never be his but he couldn't allow himself to betray his love for her. This was already too much. He gently lifted her head up and removed his arm. Then, he stood up by the window. Looking back at her while sleeping peacefully in his bed, he finally realized, he just couldn't chew what he bit. After a long while of contemplating, he wrapped the abstract painting together with Jian's photo frames and safely tucked it in a corner. ___ Aijohn and Grace did not take long in Atlanta. After a dinner with Maxine, they set out to catch the next plane going back to the Philippines. Aijohn needed to be in the field the following morning. He wanted to make sure that the organic fertilization wouldn't be corrupted. Or else, it would affect the potency of the plant's active enzymes. After sending Grace home, he flew back to Palawan through their company's private helicopter. It was still dawn when he arrived so he slept first in his old room. In the morning, the whole team would disperse throughout the farms to supervise the fertilization. However, perhaps because he was drained out from the long travel, he woke up late. The lab was already quiet. He went out to check them at their houses which were surrounding the lab, but nobody was left. When he went back inside, his eyes was caught by the flashing lights of Hailey's computer. It seemed that it was opened. He looked closer and saw that some files were also opened. He shuddered and stepped back. Who would ever dare to open it? Only the two of them knew the password. While he stared closer at it, the next scene sent him shivering. A woman was walking gracefully towards the monitor. Only to realize that the screen was shifted into a video camera. And there was indeed a woman coming towards it. Aijohn stood frozen to his place as his eyes got simultanously wide and constricted! The woman then sat down before the computer, turned to look at him and smiled. He wanted to run away but his feet were pinned to the floor. He wanted to shout but his voice suddenly dried up. "Hailey? "He said as he stood trembling. "Yes, dear. Don't be scared. I'm alive and not a ghost. " She, then, smiled sweetly. "What... What happened? "He asked, still couldn't believed his eyes. "Calm down first, close your eyes and take a breath. " She softly said. He did exactly what she said. The rising tide inside his heart finally ebbed down after rounds of deep breathing. When he opened his eyes, Hailey was already standing beautifully before him. She then held his two hands and lifted it both to cup her face. "Touch me and prove to yourself that I'm alive. " With thunderous beatings of his heart, he ran his fingers to her face. Right, she was alive! Her skin was soft and supple in his touch. Before he could think of what to say and do, being still shocked to see her, he suddenly realized that she already captured his mouth into a taunting and seductive kiss. This was Hailey! This was so her. This was her style. This was her way of losing his mind into a passionate encounter. Finally able to get into the reality, he drew back. Seeing his reaction, she smiled. "I miss you, hubby! " Aijohn trembled once again. This was getting complicated. He never expected that his lovelife would also end up in turmoil like this. "Hailey, I'm sorry! I'm already married..." She laughed. "Yes, to my sister. While you walked down that aisle and promised to take her to forever, I remembered you saying those same things to me. " Aijohn was dumbfounded. She was there at his wedding? "We all thought you were dead. " "But nobody had the evidence. " "Nobody would survive in that kind of vehicle crash. " "But I did. " "How? I had been searching hard for you. I did not give up easily. " "I know. " "But why didn't you show up earlier ? I am already commited to someone else. " "Are you not happy to see me? " "I am but.. " "Do you love her? " "I'm sorry but yes... " Hailey laughed bitterly. "That is all I need to know. " "It's my fault but I have reasons. Don't worry, I will not take you away from my sister the way mom took our father away from his wife. " "I'm sorry but you know that I also loved you so much before. I even refused to live any longer until Grace came along." "I know. " She smiled, her eyes were faraway. "I'm now taking back this lab. This is my life. I want you to leave, then. These hundreds acres of land is too small to accomodate both of us. " Aijohn was also dumbfounded. This was also his life, his dream, his advocacy. To leave here would also mean his giving up in all of these. But staying here would possibly ruin his marriage.
