Alex sat on the bed, waiting for Revilla, who had been in the shower for over an hour. He had tried to brush off the feelings he had experienced that day, but the more he pushed them away, the stronger they became. As he scrolled through his phone, the bathroom door clicked open, revealing Revilla in a night robe. Her exposed collarbone and the water droplets glistening on her milky skin only intensified his desire.
He swallowed hard and scratched his nape, trying to look away. When Revilla noticed Alex's presence, she froze for a moment before approaching him and clearing her throat.
"Ahem, what are you doing here?" she asked, her tone cold and distant. But Alex had made up his mind—he wasn't going to let this go. He wanted her, he wanted her back by his side. No matter what had happened between them, he couldn't bear to let her slip away. The opportunity was right in front of him; he couldn't let it pass.
Revilla, on the other hand, was more embarrassed than annoyed by his presence. After what had happened between them, she had done everything she could to avoid him.
"What am I doing? Don't you know, Revilla? I'm trying my best to show you how much I love you!" he shouted, his voice filled with desperation. She flinched slightly, caught off guard by his intensity.
He needed to control his temper right now. Being dumped by her was the most painful experience for him at this moment. Revilla sighed and looked at the handsome man standing before her. He was far better than her ex, who had cheated on her and treated her terribly, but she wasn't in the right place emotionally to accept the sincere love Alex was offering.
"Why are you staying silent, Revilla? Say something, tell me what you want. You keep pushing me away, and it seems like you're happy to see me hurt," his words sounded harsh, but he was also in pain. Revilla took a deep breath and looked into his eyes, which were full of emotions.
"Let me be honest with you this time, Alex," she said, as he listened intently.
"You saw that day—I'm not a good person. I have many flaws you haven't even noticed yet. I'm not worthy of standing by your side. Stop trying to win me over, Alex. There's no point," she said, ruthlessly breaking his heart. Alex let out a small scoff and frowned.
"Your little deceptive words won't work on me, Revilla. I'm determined. You need to be honest with yourself, not with me," he said as Revilla's eyes flickered. Yes, she should be true to herself. She was doing the right thing. So why did it feel like she wasn't being herself?
Without a second thought, Revilla removed the fabric from her body, letting it fall to the ground. Alex was completely stunned. What was she doing? He was confused.
"Look at me, Alex. I'm only covered in sinful scars that I brought upon myself. I'm not good enough for you." Alex was too shocked to respond. Revilla fought back her tears, determined not to appear weak in front of him.
Ahem…
Someone cleared his throat from behind—it was Braylon, and he wasn't alone. Eryx was with him. Revilla turned bright red as Eric and Braylon quietly closed the door behind them and walked over. Eryx helped Revilla put on her robe and then hugged her tightly.
Alex was stunned. When did they get here? Had they noticed what was happening? Revilla sat there, silent, while Alex struggled to process everything. The tension was broken when Braylon spoke.
"We just came to check on you, Revilla. You've seemed out of it lately. But we didn't expect to walk in on… well, this. We're really sorry," Braylon said softly, his tone so gentle that it nearly brought Revilla to tears.
"Well, can someone explain what exactly is going on here?" Eryx asked, grimacing at Alex, who stood there as if nothing had happened. Revilla was too embarrassed to say a word.
"She refused my proposal, so I came here to find out why she was giving me lame excuses," Alex said, rolling his eyes.
"Lame excuses?" Revilla scoffed. They all saw her, how she was feeling. But why did he call it a lame excuse? She was on the verge of losing it when Alex spoke again.
"Do you think I didn't know?" he began, his voice low and hurt. "Every time you came to work covered in hickeys, my heart ached. The woman who should have been in my arms was with someone else. I had so many chances to make you mine, but I let it all go because you seemed happy."
Eryx and Braylon exchanged glances and then looked back at Revilla, who was nervously fidgeting with her fingers.
Alex continued, "But it all felt like a lie. You weren't as happy as you pretended to be. I wanted to hold you, to tell you everything would be okay. But the more I tried to get close, the further you pulled away."
Alex became emotional, and the next words wouldn't come out as he took a deep breath to continue.
"I just want your love, Revilla. Not your body. Let me help heal your scars," he said, his voice trembling with emotion. Without waiting for a response, he stepped out of the room, leaving the trio alone.
Braylon sighed and looked at Revilla, who was shaking even more. Eryx wrapped his arm around her shoulders and gently caressed her.
"If you need to cry, don't hold back. We're here for you," Eryx said as Revilla hugged him tightly and began to cry uncontrollably. Braylon watched the tender scene unfold. Eryx was always so gentle, yet he had been rude to Braylon. Shaking off his thoughts, Braylon gently patted Revilla on the back.
"Give him a chance, Revilla. He's worth it," Braylon said before walking away, leaving Eryx feeling confused. Another chance? Wouldn't he deserve one too? Eryx was puzzled by Braylon's words.
After a few minutes, Revilla managed to calm down. Eryx handed her a glass of water and sat beside her. The atmosphere was awkward once again. Although there were no secrets between them, it felt complicated; it all began with Braylon and Eryx and had now shifted to Revilla and Alex.
Revilla was about to say something, but Eryx interrupted her.
"You don't need to explain anything right now. You still have time. Just take a moment to relax, and then you can talk. And remember, we're here for you," he said, watching her press her lips together to keep from crying again. Eryx gently patted her back, trying to soothe her for a little while longer.