Through Your Eyes — Chapter 33

ERIC'S POV

"Stop it, Eric," I said, turning my head away from him. I looked outside the window as images of Shirley sailed in my thoughts.

"To clear your best friend's image, I must admit that it was all my fault. I intentionally made her drunk. Earlier that afternoon, I heard reports about Calla, and I got a bad temper. She was the less threatening person around that I could project my anger with."

I did not complain anymore, nor I confronted him for how evil he was in easing his pain away through someone else, instead of me. There was no use to crying over spilled milk anymore.

"The reason why we were not able to disengage was that she became anxious when she thought about you. She was already hysterical, and I got scared. I had no choice then but to call for help from your staff."

I remained quiet, maintaining my gaze outside the window, but he knew I was listening. His confession cut my heart like a knife. Of all places, why did he choose mine? He saved himself from shame but not me. I could almost figure out the thoughts of my colleagues every time they saw me.

"I had to swallow my pride and bear the shame in coming to you. I was so afraid of publicity."

He chose to crush my heart rather than tarnish his image. I wondered if he ever fathomed the depth of my heartbreak the moment I saw them.

"Where is Shirley now? At your house?" I chose to ignore his self-centeredness by changing the topic but even my fingers were already trembling.

"I have her assigned at our branch in Sama Island."

I got lost in my thoughts as my mind waved up scenarios of them enjoying the pristine beaches of Sama island. I portrayed them in my mind, lying on the sand together. I imagined them kissing each other. He even could have these two ladies, one at a time. Of course, I did not forget that Sama Islands was Calla's homeplace.

"Don't worry, Red. I won't be seeing her anymore."

I turned to look at him. "If I had no control over those whomever you might want to be with before; I couldn't care less also to whatever you want to do with your life."

Eric then reached out for my hand and laid his begging eyes on me. "Red, I want you back."

I scoffed and said nothing, withdrawing my hand from his grip. If only he had apologized while my wound was still fresh, maybe it could have healed without any scar. However, he cut and pounded it over and over again until it got no hope of healing.

"Please, Red. I could not imagine life without you. Let's go home." His pleading voice was soft and hopeful.

"I'm sorry, Eric. I have committed to someone else already." I held his gaze and saw how his face dropped.

"You don't know who Mr. Grey is, Red. Don't get yourself deceived."

"I was once deceived, so what is there to be afraid?" I shrugged.

"Red-"

"It's my life, Eric. You're out of it."

"What could he buy that I could not?" he snapped. Eric was a proud man, someone who wouldn't be too happy in taking no for an answer.

I glared at him, my lips trembling in anger. "That's the problem with you, Eric. You always think that I want the whole world. If I have to choose, I rather live a simple life with real people around me. Money can't buy genuine happiness, I wonder if you know about that. If that's your mindset, then you can buy truckloads of them."

Eric closed his eyes and bit his lip. Probably, he realized his mistake but Eric was aggressive, acting in anger first before thinking about the consequence of his impulsive behavior.

"I-I'm sorry, Red. I'm really very sorry." He picked up my hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it with eyes closed. I knew at that moment he was sincere.

"You may go inside now, but I want to let you know that I'm not stopping."

I let out a pursed smile before I opened the door and stepped out. I knew Eric chose to stay away because I wounded his pride.

"I'm also sorry, Eric. I can't take you back anymore."

I saw Eric drew in a deep breath and closed his eyes. He did not move and look at me even if I knew he heard the sound of a closing door. So, I left and went straight to the doctor's lounge, bearing the weight of a heavy heart.

I slumped at the couch, staring at the TV screen without seeing anything. My mind played the scenes that Eric confessed like a broken recorder. When the current show paused for the news break, I heard the newscaster mentioned Sama Island. I looked up as the place caught my attention.

"President Ric Abella refused to make a comment about the ongoing charges of a netizen that he had seen him with a beautiful woman in an indecent act. The post has gone viral overnight and reached ERIC'S POV

"Stop it, Eric," I said, turning my head away from him. I looked outside the window as images of Shirley sailed in my thoughts.

"To clear your best friend's image, I must admit that it was all my fault. I intentionally made her drunk. Earlier that afternoon, I heard reports about Calla, and I got a bad temper. She was the less threatening person around that I could project my anger with."

I did not complain anymore, nor I confronted him for how evil he was in easing his pain away through someone else, instead of me. There was no use to crying over spilled milk anymore.

"The reason why we were not able to disengage was that she became anxious when she thought about you. She was already hysterical, and I got scared. I had no choice then but to call for help from your staff."

I remained quiet, maintaining my gaze outside the window, but he knew I was listening. His confession cut my heart like a knife. Of all places, why did he choose mine? He saved himself from shame but not me. I could almost figure out the thoughts of my colleagues every time they saw me.

"I had to swallow my pride and bear the shame in coming to you. I was so afraid of publicity."

He chose to crush my heart rather than tarnish his image. I wondered if he ever fathomed the depth of my heartbreak the moment I saw them.

"Where is Shirley now? At your house?" I chose to ignore his self-centeredness by changing the topic but even my fingers were already trembling.

"I have her assigned at our branch in Sama Island."

I got lost in my thoughts as my mind waved up scenarios of them enjoying the pristine beaches of Sama island. I portrayed them in my mind, lying on the sand together. I imagined them kissing each other. He even could have these two ladies, one at a time. Of course, I did not forget that Sama Islands was Calla's homeplace.

"Don't worry, Red. I won't be seeing her anymore."

I turned to look at him. "If I had no control over those whomever you might want to be with before; I couldn't care less also to whatever you want to do with your life."

Eric then reached out for my hand and laid his begging eyes on me. "Red, I want you back."

I scoffed and said nothing, withdrawing my hand from his grip. If only he had apologized while my wound was still fresh, maybe it could have healed without any scar. However, he cut and pounded it over and over again until it got no hope of healing.

"Please, Red. I could not imagine life without you. Let's go home." His pleading voice was soft and hopeful.

"I'm sorry, Eric. I have committed to someone else already." I held his gaze and saw how his face dropped.

"You don't know who Mr. Grey is, Red. Don't get yourself deceived."

"I was once deceived, so what is there to be afraid?" I shrugged.

"Red-"

"It's my life, Eric. You're out of it."

"What could he buy that I could not?" he snapped. Eric was a proud man, someone who wouldn't be too happy in taking no for an answer.

I glared at him, my lips trembling in anger. "That's the problem with you, Eric. You always think that I want the whole world. If I have to choose, I rather live a simple life with real people around me. Money can't buy genuine happiness, I wonder if you know about that. If that's your mindset, then you can buy truckloads of them."

Eric closed his eyes and bit his lip. Probably, he realized his mistake but Eric was aggressive, acting in anger first before thinking about the consequence of his impulsive behavior.

"I-I'm sorry, Red. I'm really very sorry." He picked up my hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it with eyes closed. I knew at that moment he was sincere.

"You may go inside now, but I want to let you know that I'm not stopping."

I let out a pursed smile before I opened the door and stepped out. I knew Eric chose to stay away because I wounded his pride.

"I'm also sorry, Eric. I can't take you back anymore."

I saw Eric drew in a deep breath and closed his eyes. He did not move and look at me even if I knew he heard the sound of a closing door. So, I left and went straight to the doctor's lounge, bearing the weight of a heavy heart.

I slumped at the couch, staring at the TV screen without seeing anything. My mind played the scenes that Eric confessed like a broken recorder. When the current show paused for the news break, I heard the newscaster mentioned Sama Island. I looked up as the place caught my attention.

"President Ric Abella refused to make a comment about the ongoing charges of a netizen that he had seen him with a beautiful woman in an indecent act. The post has gone viral overnight and reached more than two million views until it was taken down."

I bit my nail as the news hooked me. I imagined Eric's shame if his incident with Shirley leaked to the public.

"The incidence happened in one of the beach resorts of Sama Island where a netizen caught him making out with a beautiful, young woman who is reported as a resident of the island. The name and other details are held to protect temporarily the privacy of the concerned person."

Before the news ended, my phone vibrated. I took my phone from my bag and swiped the screen.

"Sean."

"Dear, I wonder if you have seen the news." Sean's voice lightened my mood right away.

"About what?" I smiled, glancing at the screen that had returned into its morning show.

"Our country's beloved president involved himself in a controversy."

"Yes, I just saw it. Why are you so affected?" I teased, keeping no malice at all.

"Honestly, I'm bothered. Can I see you?"

more than two million views until it was taken down."

I bit my nail as the news hooked me. I imagined Eric's shame if his incident with Shirley leaked to the public.

"The incidence happened in one of the beach resorts of Sama Island where a netizen caught him making out with a beautiful, young woman who is reported as a resident of the island. The name and other details are held to protect temporarily the privacy of the concerned person."

Before the news ended, my phone vibrated. I took my phone from my bag and swiped the screen.

"Sean."

"Dear, I wonder if you have seen the news." Sean's voice lightened my mood right away.

"About what?" I smiled, glancing at the screen that had returned into its morning show.

"Our country's beloved president involved himself in a controversy."

"Yes, I just saw it. Why are you so affected?" I teased, keeping no malice at all.

"Honestly, I'm bothered. Can I see you?"