One More Chance by Jaycelle Rodriguez

Chapter 111: Recalling the past

~~~I can hold my breath. I can bite my tongue. I can stay awake for days if that's what you want. I can fake a smile. I can force a laugh. I can dance and play the part if that's what you want. I can do it. But I'm only human and I bleed when I fall down. I'm only human and I crash and I break down. Your words in my head, knives in my heart. You build me up and then I fall apart, 'cause I'm only human~~~

-Christina Perri-

"Well, I just thought it to be funny because these past few days I've always had a passenger with almost the same expression when they told me to take them to that company. So I wonder, what's in that building that makes almost all my passengers haggard and stress?" I just gulped but didn't answer his question.

"Uhm... do you also work in that company?"

I let out another sigh after hearing his question. Deep in my mind, I also wonder if when can he notice that I want to have a quiet and peaceful ride?

"Nope." I chose to answer while facing the window.

"Ahh..."

"My husband owned that company."

"Huh? Your husband owned that comp---" Surprised was laced in his voice and from the corner of my eyes, I saw the way he covered his mouth in surprise, but I chose to ignore him.

I emphasized the word husband and I don't care whatever he might think after that, I just hope he won't open his mouth again.

And when the atmosphere inside the cab became quiet, I leaned against my seat and closed my eyes. What happened inside the coffee shop and Gerry's revelation came back to my mind.

***

FLASHBACK...

"W-What? What the hell are you talking about? W-What do you mean the room has a hidden camera that night?" My eyes went wide as soon as Gerry, the bartender told me that there was a hidden camera installed in the room where the incident happened a few years ago.

I haven't heard all the details yet, but beads of cold sweats have started forming all over my body and my inner guts already telling me that the next words he's going to say are something I wouldn't want to hear.

We are inside the cake shop and sitting in the far corner, where he took us earlier to talk.

"I'm sorry, Sam, I didn't know there was a hidden camera---"

camera?" I whispered-yelled as I don't want to catch everyone's attention. I tried to calm myself and formed my fists under the table. "I didn't know one of my

and the worst-case scenarios started to dance in my head. "W-What happened after that? How did you catch him, I mean, how did you know it was

was a video, a sex video to be exact and it was you and that man you told me to put a sleeping pill on his drink---" "But you put

"I saw what happened in

me a few seconds to catch my breath again. It's so embarrassing

to that footage, I mean, to that fucking video? Did he... did

he nodded and that suddenly took all my strength

when he recognized who the man was, he used it to blackmailed him and demanded a huge amount of

Y-You mean to say your friend recognized Luke

him if he continued his plan but he didn't listen to me. He carried out his plan, but it surprised him when he got home and couldn't find the flash

"Why? What happened?"

and looked at me. "But he escaped. He escaped when Mr Williams filed a case against him.

eyebrows suddenly knitted in

say? Did you just mention the

he your husband? I remember he told me that you got

that means he knew it all this time?" I asked under my breath, but

out the video a week after the incident and I found out you two got married because we bumped into each other maybe four or three

to continue what he was about to say when I slammed my hands over the table. I looked at him with fierce eyes as if

knew about

that happened!

truth a week after that

a

pretended as if he didn't know anything! He blamed me

with unshed tears around my eyes. I've already lost care if all the people stared at me and wondered if

are watching you right now." Francis opened his mouth for

at me. I've already made up my mind. I should talk to

asked and stood up from

him and kept going until I got to the entrance and made my way towards

we've reached

the window to check if we were already in front of the building

hundred dollars from my wallet and gave

I placed the dollar in his hand before he could even open his