VELVET NIGHTS

Tears welled up in Angela Madrid’s eyes as she drove. It should have been a special day, not just for her but also for Tristan. But fate had other plans.

As she thought of the name of the traitor who was once her boyfriend and was now her ex-boyfriend, anger surged within her. “I hate you, Tristan,” she whispered, seething with rage.

Even though she was filled with this intense bitterness and felt like the heavens and earth had conspired against her, she still tried to calm herself because she was driving.

Tristan had been her boyfriend for almost a year before they decided to get married. Remembering the reason why she hadn’t thought twice about everything made her sigh sadly.

She was on her way to Batangas now, at the very hotel where she and Tristan were supposed to have their honeymoon. But because of an unexpected visitor who had revealed the whole truth, their civil wedding didn’t push through.

Angela found herself crying once again. She could feel a pain in her heart that she never thought was possible because, in reality, she hadn’t given Tristan all her love.

Fortunately, that was the smart move she made. If there was one thing she was grateful for, it was her intelligence in handling relationships. She never agreed to anything that she knew could lead to excessive compromise, like pre-marital sex.

A cold laugh escaped Angela’s lips as she thought of her last realization. She refused to engage in sex with anyone she was in a relationship with. She held her virginity in high regard.

Many might argue that times had changed, and such matters were no longer questioned. But her beliefs were different, and they were still rooted in tradition. And that was the reason why Tristan had strayed.

“Is there anyone objecting to this marriage?” the judge officiating Tristan and Angela’s wedding inquired.

The wedding was quite simple as it hadn’t been planned thoroughly. In fact, it had been just a little over a month since Tristan proposed. But due to unexpected news from her father, Antonio, Angela didn’t hesitate. She immediately accepted Tristan’s proposal.

There was a brief silence before the large door of the judge’s office swung open loudly. Both Tristan and Angela, along with their two witnesses from Tristan’s side, turned their heads to see.

“You can’t marry her, Tristan!”

Angela’s heart pounded in her chest. Then, she shifted her gaze between her groom and the crying woman who was now clutching her large belly.

“You can’t marry her, Tristan. You have to take responsibility for our child!”

That was what the newcomer sobbed out.

Angela wasn’t sure if that was all she had been waiting to hear from the unexpected arrival. But after hearing those words, it was as if her feet had a mind of their own. However, Tristan quickly grabbed her arm, preventing her from leaving.

“Angela,” Tristan began.

She glanced at Tristan briefly. Then, without saying a word, she delivered a resounding slap across his face. Taken aback, Tristan released his grip on her. Angela seized the opportunity and hastily left the place.

Sex, that’s the clear reason Angela saw why Tristan had deceived her. Because she refused to take that step with him, he sought it elsewhere, something she couldn’t provide.

Angela wiped away her tears and let out a heavy sigh. She’d be lying if she didn’t admit that she was hurting. Tristan was one of the longest relationships she’d ever had. But he wasn’t the first to propose to her.

That’s right. She had previous boyfriends who had proposed to her before. But she had turned them down. Perhaps because she wasn’t ready, or maybe because she didn’t have the same problems with Antonio back then. It was hard to say.

She met Tristan at a wedding where her flower shop provided the floral arrangements. Running a flower shop had been her mother Rosalia’s dream, and Angela had continued it.

Their encounter at that wedding led to Tristan visiting her shop, and from there, things developed.

But all of that was in the past now, and she had no intention of getting back together, especially since her phone had been buzzing with Tristan’s calls earlier. After a few moments, she decided to turn off her phone. Once again, she wiped away the tears that had soaked her face.

After landing, Karl Cervantes wasted no time. He had spent three long years in America, so the anticipation he felt now was far from ordinary.

He was on his way home to Quezon City when he called his mother, Evelyn. “Ma!” he greeted her with enthusiasm.

“Where are you, son?” she inquired.

“I’m on my way home, Ma, to you, of course,” he replied with a smile.

Mang Delfin, their family driver, was behind the wheel of the car sent by his mother to pick him up. “Okay, take care. Lunch is ready,” she added.

“Thank you, Ma. See you,” and the line went silent.

Evelyn had been a widow for ten years, and Karl understood just how much his mother had loved Ernesto, his late father. However, despite it all, she hadn’t closed herself off to the possibility of finding love again. Karl knew that as she grew older, his mother needed someone by her side. So, he was delighted when she told him about her former college classmate and suitor.

According to Evelyn, she and Antonio had crossed paths at a Grand Alumni Homecoming. Since then, they have rekindled their connection.

Karl had no objections if Evelyn decided to remarry. In fact, that was the reason he had returned to the Philippines: to attend his mother’s upcoming wedding with Antonio.

Even now, he couldn’t help but feel overwhelming happiness for his mother.

“Can’t you stay a bit longer?” Evelyn asked Karl as he walked her into the parking area where his car was parked.

Karl smiled and kissed Evelyn on the forehead. “I’ll be back the day after tomorrow. I just need to visit our hotel in Batangas today, especially since my friend got married there, and that’s where the reception was held.”

Evelyn let out a sigh and then hugged him tightly. “Alright. Just be sure to call me once you’re there, okay?”

“Sure, Ma. And besides, I won’t be the one driving, so you have nothing to worry about,” he reassured her, glancing at Mang Delfin, who was currently stowing his suitcase in the car’s compartment, with a smile.

Evelyn didn’t respond further after his assurance. He embraced her and kissed her forehead once more before he got into the car.

SAME DAY; BATANGAS, BAR, NIGHT...

Angela had been in that bar for several hours now, still wearing her simple, pure white wedding dress, along with her bridal shoes. She hadn’t changed or made any adjustments to her appearance. After checking into the hotel earlier, she hadn’t bothered to change. She simply drowned herself in alcohol.

She was well aware of the eyes that had been on her since she arrived. She knew exactly what they were thinking. She was a runaway bride. A bitter laugh escaped Angela’s lips. Then, she took another sip of the drink the bartender had placed in her glass.

In that state of disarray, brought about by her slight drunkenness, she felt as though someone was staring at her. With bleary eyes, she scanned her surroundings until she spotted a man sitting not too far away. She shot him with a disapproving look.

Angela had hoped that her actions would deter the man from his unwavering gaze. But something entirely different happened. To her surprise, she saw him stand up and walk towards her.

As he approached, Angela slowly realized that this man wasn’t just handsome; he was extraordinarily attractive. In fact, his charisma could easily rival that of Hollywood’s most famous actors.

He had deep black eyes, kissable red lips, a thin mustache on his face, tousled and slightly curly hair, and he was tall with a well-built physique.