Chapter 10: Letting Go

Divina and Alfredo are now in a restaurant where they took shelter from the rain earlier. Divina had calmed down now and had stopped herself from crying, she also noticed that Alfredo's eyes were red too, it seems like he also cried. She couldn't imagine a very manly man bawled his eyes upon seeing her cry. They were both quiet as they sat across from each other. Divina also doesn't know what to say to her former lover. 'You've gotten thinner but still beautiful as ever… no, you've become lovelier.", Alfredo blushed as he was trying to find the right words to compliment Divina. Divina looked at Alfredo, unlike before he doesn't look too confident anymore which even made Divina more speechless. 'How are you, my Divina?", Alfredo suddenly asked between their silence but his tone reveals that he was nervous. Divina looked at Alfredo as she wondered why he had called her as his Divina. He stared at the man she was once involved with and noticed he was the one who became very thin and she could also see the dark circles around his eyes. You were saying I've gotten thinner but in reality, it was you who had become so thin, Alfredo. What has happened unto you?, Divina wanted to ask but she remained quiet. 'I am doing well, Alfredo.", Divina answered briefly. Alfredo smiled but his smile couldn't hide the sadness behind his mask as if he was carrying a heavy burden that even his smile couldn't cover it up. 'My Divina… You have no idea how I missed you so much…", Alfredo sincerely said, Divina felt his honesty. His eyes couldn't lie how he yearns for her… then his tears fell again. Alfredo couldn't stop crying in front of her. 'My Divina… I have regretted so much all the things I have done to you. I should've fought for you! I shouldn't have let you go!", Alfredo sobs. Divina felt pity towards Alfredo's tears and it even made her tear too. 'The truth is… I was just scared. My father and mother had threatened me to hurt you if I won't agree with my arranged marriage with Belen. I was scared of what my family could to do you. I wanted to protect you, that's why I agreed. But every day that passes by, it seems like I was going to be crazy about how I am missing you each day, my Divina. I loved you so much with my whole life… I couldn't give my love to another woman, not even Belen. You are the only woman I have loved, my Divina.", Alfredo confessed as he continue to cry about what had happened to both of them. Divina was surprised with what Alfredo had revealed and she couldn't stop herself from crying too. 'I rejected Belen… we weren't able to pursue the wedding because I had escaped on our wedding day. I want to find you but they didn't let me go. They locked me up and had beaten me… every day. At that time, I really thought I was going to die but… I thought about you. You gave me hope, Divina… you became my strength. Every time they hurt me, I always think of you and your sweet smile. At times, they even thought that I was dead already but I didn't give up because… I want to be with you again.", Alfredo explained as if everything had just happened yesterday. Divina's anger, because she thought Alfredo had cheated on her, was replaced by pity. Her former lover had endured so much just to protect her. 'The news of the Cruz clan hurting me and beating me up into pulp had reached my mother and father. They were enraged and had decided to break the arrangement between me and Belen. They saved me and had regretted their decision…", Alfredo added. 'Thank you for staying alive, Alfredo… if not, I would've blamed myself forever. You did this all for me… forgive me because I didn't know.", Divina sobs. Alfredo went over to her to hug her, Divina just let him be. 'My parents saw how pathetic I had become in the hand of Cruz's and they had promised me to let me be. They thought it was better for a broken relationship with the Cruz than to see me dead. However, there is only one thing I have ever wanted in my whole life… it's you, only you, my Divina.", Alfredo wholeheartedly said. Divina was speechless as she wasn't expecting Alfredo to love her so deeply. 'I love you so much, my Divina.", Alfredo repeated and hugged Divina tightly. Divina remained silent, if Alfredo had only said these words a few years ago, she was so sure of what she is going to answer but now… she is confused and she felt guilty because her feelings aren't as intense as what he felt for her… she even hated him so much these past few years. His love is so deep that he is willing to sacrifice himself to assure her safety. It was already late in the evening when Divina arrived home. Alfredo had walked her home but Divina was surprised to see Marco already waiting there. 'Marco?", Divina, surprised. Marco looked at Divina first before looking at the man next to her. 'Why are you here?", Divina curiously asked but Marco's eyes remained to stare at the man beside her. Alfredo also stared back at Marco. 'Because I was worried. You didn't meet me in our meeting place.", Marco answered as he diverted his eyes to Divina but his words seems heavy. 'Oh… yeah, at the coffee shop. Forgive me, it slipped my mind that I was supposed to meet you.", Divina answered honestly. Marco was hurt by Divina's words but he is doing his best not to lose his composure. 'You… forgot? But how… why?", Marco couldn't believe Divina had forgotten her promise, still ignoring Alfredo's glares towards him. 'Because she's with me.", Alfredo answered in Divina's stead. Marco directly glared at Alfredo for butting in between his conversation with Divina. 'Oh, by the way, Alfredo… this is Marco, he is the headteacher of the school where I am currently teaching.", Divina said but Alfredo and Marco's eyes are still with each other. 'Marco, this is…", Divina was cut off midsentence when Alfredo began to talk. 'Alfred… Divina's lover.", Alfredo answered without any pretensions. Marco was surprised at what Alfredo had just said. 'L-lover?", Marco repeated as he looked at Divina with his eyes that seemed to question her. 'It's just because…", Divina tried to explain but for Marco, those words were already enough to confirm. 'You don't have to explain, Miss Aljuego. Have a pleasant evening to both of you.", Marco said and gave a little bittersweet smile. 'But…", Divina tried to talk but Marco began talking again. 'Since I saw you already and you seem well. I should head home first.", is what all Marco could say before leaving the place without looking back at the two lovers. For some unexplainable reason, Divina felt heavy on her chest as she looks at Marco walking away from them. She couldn't understand but she somewhat feel sad. 'I better head home to, my Divina. You should take a rest too, this is a very long day for us. Thank you and I am so happy to be with you once again.", Alfredo said with all sincerity before hugging Divina. Divina hugged him back and smiled at Alfredo as he walks away too. It was just a few minutes before both Marco and Alfredo had left when the heavy rain poured once again like earlier this morning. She remembered Marco and worries that he might end up getting wet… then she realized, she had thought of Marco first instead of her lover, Alfredo. Monday… Divina had noticed Marco acting very lethargic. When they were left alone, Divina hurriedly checked his temperature by putting the back of her palm on his forehead. Marco removed her hand right away as if he was burned by her touch. 'You've got a fever, Marco.", Divina worriedly said and went to sit beside him. Marco remained silent. 'Did you take a medicine already?", Divina asked. Marco just shook his head. 'I'll get you some.", Divina still sounding worried. 'No need. I can manage myself. You don't have to make yourself busy because of me. Just go and attend your lover.", Marco sounded as if he was a sulking kid. Divina stared at Marco in disbelief. 'Are you sulking because I didn't tell you about Alfredo?", Divina asked. Marco couldn't answer, he just stared at Divina as if his eyes seems to ask why. 'It's hard to explain, Marco but… even I wasn't expecting that he would come back.", Divina said. Marco was still silent. 'Alfredo… was my one and the only lover I ever had. But one day, he just suddenly pushed me aside like a rag and told me that he is going to marry the rich daughter of the Cruz clan, Belen.", Divina admitted. 'If that's the case then why are you still accepting him back into your life? Do you love him that much that even after disregarding you, you would still be willing to be with him?", Marco tried to stay calm but couldn't hide the anger in his eyes. 'Because… he did those things to save me.", Divina said, sounding defeated. Marco calms down with what Divina had said. 'Alfredo's parents had threatened him to hurt me if he wouldn't separate with me. He should marry Belen Cruz if he wanted to protect me, that's why he did it… I knew nothing all about this until that day we saw each other again. He carried all the burden, including my anger because I was ignorant of his sacrifice.", Divina sadly said. Marco fell silent. 'But Alfredo couldn't bear to marry Belen. He couldn't force himself to love her, so he tried to escape on their wedding day but they caught him. They locked him up and had beaten him… all because of me.", Divina added. Marco thought for a while before letting out a deep sigh. 'His parents found out what happened and what the Cruz did to their son. They saved him and broke the marriage agreement between him and Belen… they had regretted it so much that they would allow Alfredo and I to be together again.", Divina added. Marco smirked bitterly. 'That man indeed had sacrificed and suffered a lot for you, Divina. No man is able to match what he had done for you… for your safety.", Marco said with a bitter smile. He sounds so sad and Divina felt awkward when he no longer calls her his beloved. 'If not because of what he has done… I won't even be able to meet you. How could I even contest to that?", Marco added and suddenly stood up. 'I do hope… really hope that you would love each other truly. Don't love him because you feel indebted for what he has done for you.", Marco sadly said and let out another deep sigh before leaving Divina alone. Divina was left with Marco's words to ponder. She wonders as what loving truly means.