One More Chance by Jaycelle Rodriguez

Chapter 103: | love you and I'm sorry

You say it's over, | say we've just begun. 'Cause, it ain't forever until our lives are done. | know | did sthings

that | never should I'd undo them if | could. I'd turn my life around for you, anything you'd askto. | won't

deny it, | know that I've done wrong, but you have to admit it this love is just too strong to just fade away into

the night without putting up a fight. We can make it all alright if we can give it one more try~~~ -Piolo Pascual-

"Don't touch me! Don' fucking touch me!" | whispered-yelled. | tried as much as | can to prevent the tears from

falling and | thank God for not letting those tears flow. "Sam, listen to me---"

| didn't let him finish his statement as | slapped him again. Cherry was nowhere to be found, maybe she had

already left the coffee shop.

Shaking my head, | gave him a death glare before heading back towards the office. | closed the door but not

even a second when Luke swung it open.

"What are you doing here? Get out!" | screamed, glaring at him as | pointed to the door behind him, but he didn't

listen, instead, he walked over to where | stood. "Sam, letexplain."

"Explain? Well, fuck your explanation because | don't have tto listen to it! You already had four years but you

never did, you never tried to explain!" "Sam, please---"

"Fine! I'll give you a minute to finish your explanation as to why you didn't file the divorce papers!"

"Sam"

"You don't want it? Well, then, get out!"

"No! I'll take it. | didn't file them because I love you and | realized | couldn't let you go easily---" "Jesus Christ!

Can you stop mentioning the word | love you? It makescringe, forgodsake!"

"But that's the truth. | love you and | know | couldn't easily take the pain away and forgivebut---"

"Tss! What did you say?" | asked, couldn't help but narrow my eyes on him. "Take the pain away? And what made

you think that I'm still in pain? Whoa! Are you still thinking I'm still in love with you, that I'm still head-over-heels

with you and that | haven't moved on yet from you?" Why do | feel that at that certain moment, | should have

asked those questions myself more than him?

"Well, for your information, I've already moved on from you and honestly, I've sometimes forgotten that once in

my life, | met you!"

"Sam..." He was shocked to hear what | said. Shock and hurt immediately registered in both his eyes.

"Yeah, that's the truth! If I didn't have Cali with me, maybe I'd already forgotten a long tago that someone

like you existed."

It took him a few seconds before finally found his tongue back.

"Well, | couldn't blyou for that. I'm sorry. | didn't file the divorce papers because | want you back---"

He was interrupted when | suddenly laughed in front of him. And hearing those words maderemember what

happened earlier this morning.

ork

FLASHBACK...

It was already 11:45 am, 15 minutes after the meeting with the buyers had finished and Cali and | were

preparing to leave when Luke stopped us. He said something to his daughter and a few minutes later, Cali went

back and suddenly asked if she could stay a little longer.

| didn't understand why she was asking to stay until Luke toldhe'll prepare for our lunch. At first, | was

hesitant with the idea of having lunch with him and not to mention in that sold house, but Cali --- of course,

for my Cali, | finally agreed.

| was surprised when he showed us his little talent in the kitchen when he cooked spaghetti with meatballs and

garlic bread that Cali got most excited about. He said it was Patrick who helped him master the recipe and it took

him almost two weeks to perfect the taste of the sauce.

After eating lunch, he volunteered to wash the dishes, so Cali and I already went back to the living room. And

since my daughter already seemed to enjoy the show on TV, | decided to go upstairs and just found myself in the

sold room that held a lot of memories of the past... of our past.

And a wave of nostalgia washed overthe moment | walked into the room. It's been almost five years since |

packed up my things and left the house, but wandering my eyes on the four corners of the room, | noticed that

nothing has really changed. The old clothes | left in the closet were still there even all those little things and

accessories that Luke gavewere still in the drawers.

It was really a surprise toseeing those things and it suddenly brought back a sting of pain and sadness. |

don't know why he's still keeping them, especially now that we're selling the house and | also have no plan on

taking them.

| was about to close the drawer when | heard Luke's voice which madehold my breath in shock.

"I didn't move them even when | know you already left."

My head snapped at him. | didn't know he had finished washing the dishes. He had his hands in his pockets and |

gulped when he started making his way in my direction.

"Actually, | was the one who personally cleaned them every week." He said not looking atbut at the

accessories in the drawer where | had left open until that moment.

"Why?" My mouth couldn't help but ask the silent question that formed in my head but when I realized it, it was

too late to take it back as he already heard it, so | have no choice but to continue. "You said it was you who

personally cleaned them, so | asked why? Why didn't you just throw them?"

"| didn't throw them because they were the only things left insince you left. And | was hoping to see them on

you again."

| frowned, but at the stime, a slight chuckle escaped my lips.

"What the hell are you trying to say?" | asked and was about to go back to the bedroom if | hadn't stopped by his

next words.

"| love you."

My whole body automatically turned to him not just in shock, but in anger that instantly filled my heart.

"Can you cup with a nicer joke next time?" | asked, forming my fists.

"I'm not joking. I love you, Sam. | love you and I'm sorry for not realizing it before."

Tears started forming around my eyes as | laughed at him. The memories of the past suddenly flashed back in

my head including those words... those painful words he told me. Those times when | was helplessly begging for

him to loveand those times when he shouted atthat he will never feel the sfor me... he will never

love me.

"What did you just say? You love me?" | didn't wait for his answer as | laughed again, bitterly. "Uhuh! You love

me! Really? Since when did you realize you love me? Since | left you or since you found out that I've already

moved on from you and that | now have David?" "Sam---" he started walking closer tobut | stopped him

using my hand.

"No! Don't cnearand don't

you dare touch me!" And when he stopped walking, | started asking again. "I can't believe you're now telling me

you love me! Huh! So what happened to the determination you had four years ago? Remember, you toldyou

will never love me? You toldto wake up on my slumber because even in my wildest dream, you will never

learn to love me!" Maybe | said each word a little more calmly, but | was almost

exploding inside.

All the painful memories of the past, as well as the feeling, rushed back toall of a sudden and that made my

tears roll down my face. | could no longer hold them back. "Samantha, I'm sorry---"

"No, you're not!" | wiped away the

first set of tears before continuing. "What was | to you before? You never once treatedas your wife nor as a

woman. You never once saw my worth and yet you insulted my whole being. | always asked myself what | did to

deserve your punishment? Yes, | loved you and because of that stupid feeling I had for you, | made the biggest

mistake which ended up having Cali in my life."

| paused just to breathe but he has already spoken.

"I know. | know | made a lot of mistakes and hurt you not just once but most of the twhen you were with me

and I've been the most stupid man for doing those things. | regret every single day that | wasted not telling you

how sorry I am and for not being a good husband to you. Honestly, | started having the sfeelings for you

when

you

were in high school and was about tébreak my relationship with

Cheery, but when you did what you did at the night bar, it suddenly crashed. | mean, it should beand not

you doing those crazy things. | have a lot of dreams but it all changed when | know you got pregnant. | don't

know what to do, your father forcedto marry you and if | didn't agree, he would have taken our company. I'm

the only child, so | had no choice but to listen to them and my parents and marry you."