27/04/2026
WHAT SHE COULDN'T OWN(You Could Be Mine)
Eury Evans
THE CHURCH was adorned with her carefully chosen flowers, arranged in elegant white baskets that lined the aisle. Mula sa tinted glass shield ng bridal car ay tanaw ni Daphne ang rangya ng Manila Cathedral. The towering structure stood majestic against the morning sky, its intricate details glowing under the golden sunlight. It was everything she had dreamed of—grand, sacred, and perfect.
Yet something inside her felt anything but.
Ang hindi alam ni Daphne ay nagsisimula nang mamuo ang tensiyon sa loob ng simbahan. Brian had not arrived yet.
Maging si Dylan ay hindi alam kung nasaan ito. They had been together the night before and had even fallen asleep in the same condo unit. But when Dylan woke up that morning, Brian was gone. No note. No message. Nothing.
He had tried calling him several times, but Brian never answered.
The same went for his parents’ calls. Donya Belinda was on the verge of collapsing from anxiety, her hands trembling as she clutched her rosary. Don Alvaro, on the other hand, was seething with anger, his jaw clenched as the possibility crept into his mind—had his son decided to back out of the wedding?
Inside the bridal car, Daphne and Monica remained unaware of the growing panic.
Nagtaka sila kung bakit wala pa ring hudyat para sa bridal march. Halos kalahating oras na silang naghihintay, ngunit hindi pa rin tumutugtog ang wedding song na pinili ni Daphne. The silence was beginning to feel heavy, almost suffocating.
Napabuntong-hininga si Monica bago kinuha ang kaniyang cellphone mula sa purse at agad na dinayal ang numero ng kaniyang Tito Alvaro.
“What?!” sigaw ni Monica, dahilan upang mapalingon ang driver at mapapitlag si Daphne. Halos hindi maitago ng dalaga ang galit at takot sa kaniyang boses habang kausap ang tiyuhin.
“What’s happening?” agad na tanong ni Daphne nang matapos ang tawag.
Ngunit hindi siya pinansin ni Monica. Sa halip, mabilis itong nag-dial muli ng panibagong numero, this time with trembling fingers.
“Hello,” sagot ni Monica, matigas ang boses.
Magsasalita pa sana ito nang biglang inagaw ni Daphne ang cellphone mula sa kaniyang kamay, as if driven by an instinct she could no longer ignore.
“Hello,” malambing na boses ng isang babae ang sumagot.
Nanlamig si Daphne.
Slowly, she pulled the phone away from her ear and looked at the screen.
Brian.
Iyon ang pangalan ng tinawagan ni Monica.
Her heart dropped.
Ngayon ay sigurado na siya—may nangyayari. Something she was never supposed to find out on her wedding day.
“Hello,” she said softly, forcing calmness into her voice. Kailangan niyang kontrolin ang sarili—not out of anger, because she had no right to be angry at Brian or even at Janice—but to stop herself from breaking down. Tears had already begun to gather at the corners of her eyes. She had to hold herself together.
“I know you’re waiting for him,” sabi ng babae sa kabilang linya. “Don’t worry, hindi ko siya gustong ilayo sa iyo sa araw mismo ng kasal mo. I have a brain and a heart—hindi ako katulad mo.”
Each word struck her like a blade.
“Ingatan mo siya. Dahil nandito lang ako…”
Hindi na niya narinig ang sumunod na mga salita.
Bigla na lamang inagaw ni Monica ang cellphone mula sa kaniya at siya na ang sumagot, unleashing a storm of anger on the other end.
Ngunit para kay Daphne, everything faded.
Kahit ang mga sigaw ni Monica ay tila naging malabo sa kaniyang pandinig. Ang tanging malinaw ay ang boses ng babaeng iyon—ang bawat salitang patuloy na umuukit ng sakit sa kaniyang puso.
Ang sigaw ng kaniyang pusong sugatan ang tuluyang bumingi sa kaniya.
The echo of her breaking heart pulled her into a deep, suffocating silence.
---
Hindi naglaon ay nagsimula rin ang kasal.
Brian stood at the altar, looking every bit the perfect groom in his tailored suit. Beside him was Dylan, dressed in a casual khaki ensemble, though his posture was far from relaxed. His eyes kept darting toward Brian, watching him closely.
The church was breathtaking, filled with guests and soft murmurs of admiration. But for Brian, none of it mattered.
He felt nothing.
A flicker of irritation crossed his face as he shifted his weight. There was nothing to be afraid of, he told himself.
It was just a wedding.
Nothing more.
Ilang minuto pa lamang siyang nakatayo roon ay tila gusto na niyang umalis. The urge to walk out clawed at him, persistent and tempting.
“Be patient,” bulong ni Dylan, sinisiko siya nang bahagya.
“I hate this,” mahina ngunit mariing sagot ni Brian.
“There’s no turning back,” tugon ni Dylan. “Nandito ka na. That must mean something.”
“I gave my word,” malamig na sabi ni Brian. “That’s it. I never wanted this.”
Dylan sighed but said nothing more.
Just then, the bridal march began.
The soft swell of music filled the cathedral, drawing every gaze toward the entrance.
Brian lifted his eyes.
And there she was.
Daphne.
Walking down the aisle with quiet grace, her hand resting gently on her father’s arm. The long train of her gown shimmered behind her, flowing like a river of light. She looked ethereal—like something too pure for the world she was about to enter.
For a moment, Brian simply stared.
His dark eyes followed her every step, unwavering.
Yet deep inside him, there was no spark. No warmth. No love.
Only emptiness.
This was the most wretched wedding he had ever known.
They would stand before everyone and exchange vows—vows that meant nothing.
Maybe she loved him.
But he didn’t care enough to know.
Sa kaniyang paningin, ang lahat ng ito ay hindi pag-ibig kundi bunga ng kaniyang pagiging makasarili.
Still, he remained where he was.
He had given his word.
And that was enough.
---
Daphne Drew Samonte reached the altar, her steps steady despite the storm inside her chest.
Her father’s hands trembled slightly as he lifted her veil, revealing her tear-bright eyes. He leaned in and kissed her gently on the cheek.
“Take care of my princess, hijo,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “I entrust her to you now.”
Brian gave a respectful nod and briefly embraced him before taking Daphne’s hand.
Her fingers were cold.
But she did not pull away.
Together, they faced the altar.
The ceremony began.
Words were spoken—vows, promises, blessings—but to Daphne, everything felt distant, like echoes bouncing off empty walls. She responded when needed, smiled when expected, but inside, she felt hollow.
Still, she stayed.
She had chosen this.
---
At last, the priest declared them husband and wife.
“You may now kiss the bride.”
The words sent a jolt through Daphne.
Her heart pounded violently against her chest.
Hindi dahil ito ang unang beses na mahalikan siya ng isang lalaki—
Kundi dahil ito ang unang halik ng lalaking mahal niya bilang kaniyang asawa.
Brian lifted her veil slowly.
Their eyes met.
“I’m scared,” iyon ang sigaw ng kaniyang mga mata.
But Brian’s gaze remained unreadable.
This is what you wanted, right?
The unspoken words hit her harder than anything else that day.
She swallowed hard.
Then everything disappeared.
The crowd. The church. The pain.
All of it faded as Brian leaned in and pressed his lips against hers.
The kiss was firm, controlled—devoid of emotion.
And yet, to Daphne, it felt overwhelming.
His lips silenced her thoughts, drowned her fears, and for a fleeting moment, made her forget everything that had shattered inside her.
His kiss swept her off her feet—
And carried her somewhere far away, where pain did not exist.
Even if only for a moment.
