CHAPTER SEVEN: THE OTHER WOMAN

Life hadn't given Elaine a lot of happiness and moments to cherish. At the age of twenty-five, she could only count the moment she felt the happiest. One was the day Tan proposed to her.

It was on the 14th of February year 2016. Right in front of the fast-food restaurant that she used to work at.

She could hardly remember how she reacted or how she exactly said "Yes, I'll marry you!" But she could remember how nervous Tan was in vivid detail. The sincere emotions painted in his eyes while bending on his knees, holding a case in hand with an engagement ring in it.

After almost four years, Tan was proposing again. But he was not kneeling this time around. Nor was he holding a ring. No sign of nervousness, unlike before. And most particularly, Tan was not there to promise her heaven and earth. No more sincerity. No more respect. There was no love in his eyes either. His cold gaze held thousands of warning signs. As if she had to have herself ready for the upcoming hell. That he was certain she'll only end up in tears. And that she deserves every single drop of it.

Elaine forced herself to smile at him. Tears. For the past three years, all she did was cry. Elaine knew which was more painful. She knew what could make her burst into tears— losing him completely.

"I've prepared myself for this. Don't worry,"

Tan didn't reply, but a corner of his mouth twitched as if to say, "We'll see."

What was Tan capable of doing against her? Tan could be many things but he's not an abusive husband. There were times she was too difficult to deal with, but Tan had remained to understand her. He was always calm and gentle and always was supportive of her. If there is any of them that was more likely to be abusive, it'd be her and not him.

Elaine stood motionless, following Tan with her eyes as he left the shop.

"I BELIEVE I deserve an explanation, Tan,"

Rage and jealousy lied behind Janine's calm voice as she confronted Tan. She had the invitation card in hand, indicating that she had eventually received the news. Tan didn't know what to say to her. Even his girlfriend had received the card from his ex-wife.

He had mixed emotions about it. Elaine didn't change one bit. She really had the gut to do something like this. By the time he returned to the hospital, he wanted to phone Sean but he hesitated a few times. He wanted to buy him a drink but he knew he was busy.

He was furious with Elaine. After all that she did to him a long time ago, there seemed to be no guilt or remorse from her at all? The more frequently he got to see her, the more the anger grew bigger.

"Do you really have to do this, Tan? Why can't you just give up the Textile just for us? My family owns businesses as well. We don't need the Textile..."

"You know how much the company means to my family, Janine. There are families who are relying on the Textile. I can't just leave them flat," he said calmly.

The last thing he had in mind was to be associated with Elaine again, let alone remarry her. He didn't want a second disaster in his life. He's better off without her.

No matter how she could be of great help to the company's revival, he still chose to prevent her from coming back into his life. He's willing to give up the Textile, compensate all the people who are most likely to get affected by the downfall, be held liable to all the debts, disappoint his parents and ask for his late grandfather's forgiveness for he wasn't able to protect the company he'd hard-earned for years.

But Elaine kept getting on his nerves. Just seeing her pissed the hell out of him. And he needed her for DM Textile, for his people. He would rather use her for the sake of everything. He had nothing to lose anyway.

Somehow, Tan knew what her motive was—that is to rekindle the past.

He regretted that she had preceded him for the annulment. She wanted more than the ten million pesos she'd asked from him. Was the pain she caused him wasn't sufficient enough?

Tan clenched his jaw. Janine let out a sigh of resignation.

"Six months right?"

He looked up and stared at her eyes. It was not long ago when they started dating. Was it four or six months ago? But unfortunately, marrying her never crossed his mind.

Janine is Elaine's total opposite. Everyone thought she'd be an ideal wife. Janine was perfect as she is. She would really make a good wife and mother. But Tan could not picture himself marrying again. He might just fail the second time around.

"I'll wait for you. After six months, please come back to me, okay?" Her eyes watered and her chin was slightly shaking as she tried to hold back her emotions.

After hearing no response from him, she turned around and started to pick up her pace towards the door.

"Janine..."

She stopped in her tracks. Tan walked towards her. When he reached her, he held her close for a hug.

AS SHE finished gulping the whiskey down to her throat, she slid the glass down the counter. She spent her time drinking alone in the modern contemporary bar located around Makati Avenue. It was not her first time there. It was her third. She had no idea how she ended up there. After meeting with Atty. Ramas earlier, she dragged herself into the bar.

He told the lawyer to have everything prepared for her upcoming wedding with Tan. She knew that the latter was serious about the matter. That he was in favor of the wedding— for the sake of reviving the company, of course.

He gestured to the bartender, asking for another order of whiskey. She could only take three shots. Beyond that, it would be difficult for her to drive herself home.

She would marry Tan again. She felt glad and she wanted to celebrate it. She would have liked Drew to come with her, but Bistro was busy during the weekends.

She wanted to believe that there's still a tiny bit of love hidden inside Tan's heart. She could make his heart waver. All she needed to do was stir it a little.

But how about his girlfriend Janine? If scrutinized keenly by family background and degree, they indeed suit each other well. Elaine could agree to that. But the woman was out of the picture now. Elaine will go chase her happiness. She would not give a damn to anyone who'd try to get in her way.

"Hey, I told you a few times to change your songs! Those songs you keep playing are all fucking lame I just want to die than listen to it!"

Elaine looked up and glanced over her shoulder to watch the foreign customer complaining to the bar manager who was also trying his best to give explanations over and over again.

AS SOON as Tan arrived at the modern contemporary bar around Makati Avenue, he immediately looked for a spot where he could park his car. This place was considered as his and his brother's hideout every time he would come home from America. The bar has a luxurious interior design. Aside from that, they played classical and mellow music every past midnight.

When he made sure that his car was properly locked, he proceeded to the entrance. A foreigner's yell greeted him as he stepped into the bar. He then saw Lander, the bar owner slash manager of the bar, attending to the irate customer. Since he often spent time in The Hub, the latter became his buddy over time.

The foreign customer slightly pushed him back. He could tell that Lander has been trying to hold back his annoyance. Tan was about to move in their direction when he saw a familiar figure of a woman. Her face lying down the table. Slowly, she got up from the barstool, her balance unstable.

Deja vu. He had already seen this scene before. Tan sighed.

But instead of grabbing the pile of bottles from the counter to knock someone over just like what she did a long time ago, she snatched her bag instead. Her moves were almost frantic as she scanned her bag, pulling out a wallet, and slammed cash on the counter. Then she headed towards the exit, staggering.

Elaine walked past him, her every step unstable. Apparently, she didn't notice his presence. Tan's brows furrowed as he followed her with his eyes.

RIGHT before she could pull her car door open to lock herself up just like usual, her head began to spin. She started to feel sick and nauseous. Her bag slipped on her hand. She clutched her stomach as she struggled to reach for her car to support her balance.

Elaine vomited a couple of times before she was able to reach the door handle to steady herself up. She then grabbed the sleeves of her shirt to wipe her tears off. Still weak on her knees, she tried her best to yank the car door open. Just when she's about to do so, Tan appeared in front of her.

His eyes darted on the concrete floor where she threw up, then his gaze shifted on her pale face. He had that disgusted look on his face. Elaine flinched.

"Drunk again and you're driving. Old habits are really hard to die, e?" he muttered. Sarcasm was evident in his voice instead of concern.

She swallowed hard, holding back her tears. She's in her most vulnerable state right now. He probably didn't know how much she was trying her best to refrain herself right now from reaching him. She wanted to squeeze him tightly in her arms, and basically, cry her heart out onto him. To pour everything she was carrying in her chest. But she had run out of strength to do so seeing Tan's unworried face.