Prologue

Prologue

NAGISING si Eliza sa lakas ng tunog ng cellphone sa kung saan. She groaned and tapped Israel's chiseled chest. They are both tired and naked after they make love. Israel was so insatiable that he didn't stop until their body was drained. Para ba itong sabik na sabik sa kanya kahit palagi naman silang magkasama. 

"Babe, answer the call." She said in a hoarse voice, still closing her eyes but Israel just groaned and buried his face on the pillow.

Seconds later, the phone stopped ringing and Eliza was about to go back to sleep when the phone rang again. Whoever the caller is, he or she is so annoying! Mukhang hindi talaga ito titigil hangga't hindi sinasagot ang tawag kaya naman ay napipilitang bumangon si Eliza at sinundan ang ingay. She walked with her naked body towards the drawer located on the very corner of the condo unit, meters away from the king-size bed where they were lying.

She picked up the call without looking who the caller is. Hinintay niyang magsalita ang nasa kabilang linya.

"Master Zacchaeus Alaister Silvestri, where the hell are you?!" Ang kaninang nakapikit na mga mata ni Eliza ay namilog at nanlaki sa narinig niya. Why the hell did this caller calls Israel by another name? Or baka na wrong number lang ito. 

She looked at the screen to see who the caller is. Baka kasi unregistered number ito. Mas lalong lumalim ang gatla sa nuo ni Eliza nang mabasa ang caller's ID. It says Numero Uno Associates. Maybe it's business, she came to have a thought, discarding the memory of the caller calling Israel in another name. 

Her boyfriend's name is Zackary Israel Velasquez, not Zacchaeus Alaister Silvestri.

"Your father, Don Diabolos Romano is looking for you! God dammit! Where the hell are you? We still have things to settle, Alaister, and we have given you enough time to relax and enjoy. But please, do your responsibility and face your father!" Halata ang inis sa boses nito kaya hindi kaagad nakapagsalita si Eliza. Her mind is still processing the words said by the man on the other line. 

Did she heard it right? D-Diabolos Romano? Ilang taon na niyang hindi naririnig ang pangalang iyon. Pero kahit na gano'n ay hinding-hindi niya makakalimutan ang pangalang iyon. That person… the one who killed and violated her mother in front of her. Biglang nilukob ng galit at puot ang puso ni Eliza sa natuklasan at matatalim ang mga matang tiningnan ang natutulog niyang kasintahan. 

Parang may kumurot sa puso niya habang tinitingnan ang kasintahan niya. Is he just playing with me? She asked in her mind. Does he already know me? Bitterness engulfed her entire system. Did he really love me? Maraming mga katanungan ang lumilitaw sa isipan niya pero may kasagutan ng namuo sa kanyang isipan. Pinaglalaruan lang siya ng kasintahan niya. She’s sure of that. 

“Hello? Alaister—”

“Hi, Alaister is sleeping but he will wake up soon.” She said, trying to sound cheerfully.

“And who the hell are you?” the man asked.

“I’m Eliza Villanueva, Alaister’s girlfriend.” She replied and she heard the man sighed in relief. “May I ask how’s tito Diabolos?” Literal na napangiwi si Eliza sa sinabi niya. Gusto niyang masuka at mangilabot sa pangalang lumabas sa kanyang bibig. “Alaister told me that he’s leaving in the morning, what happened to tito? Is he okay?” She put worry in her tone as she asked.

Pero ipinagdarasal niya na sana hindi okay ang kalagayan ng demonyong iyon. She wished that Don Diabolos won’t just die easily. Gusto niyang magdusa muna ito bago ito mamatay. She’s been looking for that devil for years, wishing him to rot in hell, but seems like fate is playing with her. Sa anak pa talaga siya nito umibig. She seems like inside the game and she was being played. Kung demonyo ang ama nito, siguradong demonyo din ang anak nito. Like father, like son.

“Don Diabolos is fine, still breathing and kicking.” Bored na sagot nito. “Well anyways, tell your boyfriend to come here in Sicily early. His father is looking for him.” 

That won’t happen. “Okay I’ll tell him once he wake up. And will you be so kind to tell this statement to tito, ‘da zdravstvuyet, starik. Ya vse ravno ub'yu tebya’. Grazie,” she said and ended the call quickly. 

Walang ingay na pinulot ni Eliza ang suot niya kanina na ngayon ay nasa sahig na at mabilis na isinuot iyon. She’s wearing a floral maxi dress, hugging her curves. She then picked up her panty and wear it. Tinitigan niya ulit ang kasintahan na mahimbing na natutulog. 

“I regret meeting you, Zacchaeus Alaister Silvestri, and I wished to never meet you again.” Nakatiim bagang na sabi niya at tahimik na nilisan ang lugar. 

HINDI ALAM ni Eliza kung saan siya pupunta. She has nowhere to go. No relatives and friends here in the Philippines. But there is only one thing in her mind. And that is to hide from her mysterious and deceitful ex-boyfriend. Kailangan niyang protektahan ang sarili niya mula dito at lalong-lalo na sa ama nito. 

She’s alone now. She already left the only family she have because of the revenge she’s been seeking for. Hindi niya alam kung saan siya magtatago lalo pa at alam niyang mahahanap at mahahanap din siya nito. That’s if he’ll look for her. Sana naman ay hindi siya nito hanapin. 

She find a new apartment, away from the city, and lived there for weeks. Days turned into weeks and there’s no Israel— or should she say, Zaccheaus Alaister Silvestri came to find her. Ano pa bang aasahan niya? Talagang pinaglalaruan lang siya nito. He didn’t love her at all. He was just playing around. Hindi niya maiwasang makaramdam ng kaunting kirot sa puso kaya mapait siyang napangiti. At least, she can still feel pain in her heart.

Dalawang linggo na siyang nakahilatay sa maliit niyang apartment. Nagpapasalamat siya kay Ate Yadiel at pinatuloy siya sa apartment na pag-aari ng kapatid nito, kahit na kulang ang bayad niya. Sa dalawang linggong pagmumukmok niya ay nakahiga lang siya at walang ginagawa but she felt tired. She’s been feeling sick every morning. Been so extremely sensitive to particular smells and feeling dizzy whenever she stood up. Wala din siyang ganang kumain lalo pa at wala naman siyang perang pambili. She would just drink water and sometimes eat a biscuit in a day. 

Wala sa sariling napatingin si Eliza sa bintana. She’s been craving for something spicy these days kaya naman ay naisipan ni Eliza na mag-ayos at lumabas. She wore a pink sun dress match with a pink flat shoes before exiting the apartment. May pera pa naman siyang natitira kaya iyon nalang ang ginamit niya papunta sa syudad. Nagbus siya para makatipid siya ng pamasahe. One hour and a half, she arrived the city and directly went to the mall. 

Pagkapasok niya sa mall ay pakiramdam niya ay may sumusunod sa kanya. Pero hindi siya nagpahalata at taas-nuong naglakad. Seconds of walking to nowhere, the presence who’s following her suddenly disappeared making her breath properly. Mabilis na tinahak ni Eliza ang daan papuntang comfort room para sana pakalmahin ang puso niya. Pero hindi pa man siya nakakapasok sa comfort room ay biglang umikot ang paningin niya at nangatog ang tuhod niya dahilan para mawalan siya ng balanse. After she lose her consciousness, she felt the warmth of arms wrapped around her waist, preventing her to fall on the cold tiles. 

NAGISING si Eliza nang maamoy niya ang amoy ng hospital. Iminulat niya ang kanyang mga mata at kaagad sumalubong sa kanya ang puting kisame. Kaagad siyang napabalikwas ng bangon at nilingon ang presensyang nasa gilid niya. 

There she saw a stranger’s face. Nakasandal ito sa gilid ng pader habang nakatingin sa kanya. Nagsalubong ang magkabilang kilay niya habang nakikipagtitigan sa lalaki. Do I know him? 

“Sino ka? What am I doing here?” She asked, making the man frown. 

Lumapit ito sa kanya at naglahad ng kamay. “Gregorio Estefano Alvarez,” pagpapakilala nito sa sarili pero nanatili ang mga titig niya dito, not accepting his hand. The man named Gregorio rolled his eyes when he didn’t accept his hand. “You fainted in the mall that’s why you’re here, now, can you introduce yourself and shake my hand already?” 

Napaingos nalang si Eliza at tinanggap ang nakalahad nitong kamay. “Eliza Villanueva, can I go now? Wala naman akong sakit eh.” She shook his hand for a second and looked away.

Gregorio shook his head in disagreement. “Nope, we’re still waiting for the test results.” Anito at umupo sa upuang nasa gilid niya. Tiningnan niya ito habang nag-iisip ng paraan kung paano makaalis sa lugar.

“Wala akong pambayad—“

“I’ll pay… let’s just wait for the doctor,” he cuts her off making her shut her mouth.

Minutes later, a female doctor went in and welcome the both of them with a warm smile.

“Hello, how are you?” The doctor asked in a friendly tone. 

“Tss, you’re a doctor… you should answer your question. What’s the use of the tests you have done?” Supladong tanong ni Gregorio sa doctor kaya bahagyang nagulat si Eliza at akmang hihingi ng despensa nang biglang tumawa ang doctor.

“Still grumpy,” the doctor commented and looked at her. “So as far so good, wala ka namang sakit. But I bet you passed out because of something… I think you should use this.” Sabi nito at may iniabot sa kanyang pregnancy test. 

Naguguluhang tiningnan niya ito. “I’m not pregnant, doc—“

“Have your monthly period came?” 

Doon siya napipilan at natulala sa kawalan. They’d been making love with that jerk for numerous times and they didn’t use any protection. Shit!

“I’m suggesting you to use this, for assurance. Besides, wala namang mawawala kung susubukan mo.” The doctor said, trying to lighten up the dead air around. “If it’s negative, okay. If it’s positive… well, Greg is a responsible man even though he’s an asshole sometimes."

Hindi pinansin ni Eliza ang sinabi ng doctor at wala sa sariling kinuha ang pregnancy test. She went inside the comfort room and use it. She followed all the instructions and closed her eyes as she cover the pregnancy test. Unti-unti niyang inalis ang kamay niyang nakatakip sa pregnancy test at dahan-dahang iminulat ang mga mata.

T-Two lines. Nanginginig ang kamay niya habang nakatingin sa pregnancy test na hawak. She sobbed silently and think of possible outcomes. May buhay na nabuo sa loob ng sinampupunan niya. Anong gagawin niya? Zacchaeus Alaister Silvestri can’t know about this. Hindi pwedeng malaman ng taong iyon na dinadala niya ang anak nito. Hindi pwedeng madamay ang inosenteng buhay sa sinampupunan niya. 

Walang buhay na lumabas si Eliza sa comfort room at ibingay ang pt sa doctor. Hindi na niya pinakinggan ang mga sinabi ng doctor sa kanya at parang lantang gulay na lumabas sa hospital. Gregorio offered to drive her home and she was too weak and spacing out to even utter a word. Nang maihatid siya nito ay kaagad siyang pumasok sa loob ng apartment niya, ni hindi man lang siya nakapagpasalamat dito. 

Nakatungo lang siya habang malalim na nag-iisip. Wala na siyang ibang maisip na paraan para maprotektahan at magtago sa mag-amang iyon. She has to protect not just herself but to the life developing inside her. All she has in her mind is to fly away from this country and hide her child. Mas magiging delikado ang buhay nila kung mananatili siya sa Pilipinas. 

She picked up her phone and called the only person she has in her mind that can definitely help her. 

In just four rings, he finally answered the call.

“Privet?” Hello. The man said in much authority in his voice.

Malakas siyang napahagulhol nang marinig ang boses ng ama niya. It’s been so many years since she last heard her father’s name. So many years that it make her heart aches because of regrets. 

“Papá, I need your help.”