2. What a joke!

I carefully increased my pace as I pretended to be unaware of the three men that had been following me since I got off the bus. I cannot risk alerting them or they would run after me. 

Because if they were to chase me again, I might have a hard time losing them.

My right foot still hurts from the injury that I sustained from the chase just a couple of days ago. Luciano was forcing me to pay the money owed to him by my late father.

It was fine for me to pay. That money was used for my mother's medication. Sadly, mom did not survive cancer. Shortly after she died, dad also died. The burden of paying the money he owed Luciano fell on my shoulders. Because who else was going to pay? My sister, Aimee, was just fifteen years old. 

But like I said, it was okay for me to pay. I was only requesting to pay in installments since I don't have a large sum of money with me. But instead of agreeing to my request, Luciano demanded that I pay within a month or else he would take me and my sister to work for him.

Five hundred thousand plus interest of another one hundred thousand in one month? Where did he think I would get that much money in a month? 

As a minimum wage worker in a small firm, I cannot get a loan higher than twenty thousand. So, how would I raise six hundred thousand in one month?

Did Luciano expect me to sell off my organs? Geez, I don't want to risk my life though so it's not an option for me.

So because I knew I cannot raise that large sum of money in thirty days, I began ignoring his calls. That's when the chase started. 

Lucky me, they weren't successful in capturing me yet. My dad was intelligent enough to use a different address when he borrowed money from Luciano. So, until now, the loan shark still didn’t know where we live. Who would’ve thought that he was not good at conducting background investigations before lending off money?

We’ve been like this in the last couple of weeks, playing hide and seek. Chasing games whenever they would spot me outside. As for Aimee, I told her to never leave the house for the time being.

I pretended to fix my hair as I stopped to look at my reflection through the side mirror of a parked vehicle by the roadside. But in reality, I was checking the distance of my chasers. 

I saw them hide behind another car. 

Two of them were fat dudes. I'm sure they couldn't run as fast as I could even with my injured foot. But I couldn't be so sure with the third one as he looked athletic. 

'Twenty meters…' I whispered as I estimated our distance. 

Five meters ahead of me was the alley to my house. It was a small street that led to a large area of informal settlers. 

If I can manage to run there without my chasers getting a hold of me, I can easily lose them inside. Who knows that place better than I do? 

I grew up there. Sixteen years in that heavily populated area made me know every corner, every turn, every shortcut, and the majority of people residing there. Why I’m Miss Congeniality! And oftentimes, I would need them to cover for me whenever I’m being chased. 

Just like today, once I reached the small entryway, I could already choose which house to enter and I’d be gone from the sight of the three men that were following me. And then from there, I can take shortcuts from the back of the houses until I’m safely back in my house at the heart of the slums. 

That was the plan. 

However, when I looked at the men again, I was surprised to find they were no longer three but five! And not more than ten meters away! 

I forgot about my plan and just started running right away. Because I’m slightly limping, I barely managed to reach the entryway. When I made it, I shouted for help to alert my buddies who were busy getting drunk so early in the night. 

They covered for me so I was able to run away further. What I didn’t expect, my chasers came with guns this time. So of course, they got rid of my buddies with just a couple of gunshots in the air. 

But I didn’t give up. I’m Jillian Ignacio, I’m strong. I’m brave. I can escape Luciano’s men again!

Okay, maybe it’s going to be difficult this time. 

I barged into a house that could barely be called a house like most of our dwellings there. It's where my friend, Fina lives. 

“I need to pass through,” I said as soon as I saw Fina on the floor with her current lover, naked and having intercourse. 

“Okay, go quick!” Fina answered without bothering to look at me. They continued with what they were doing as if none saw them. Yuck!

“Thanks!” I immediately found my way to the back. “But why on the floor?”

“Not your business, Jill!” my friend replied in a muffled voice. 

Sometimes, I wonder why I got to be friends with Fina when everything she does disgusts me. Then again, I’m friends with different types of people in this large neighborhood of ours. Weren’t my buddies drunkards? 

Some were gamblers too. But I have learned to respect each one of them. It was their choice and the important thing was, they don’t hurt me and Aimee. 

Besides, I’m not so different from them. Ain’t I the one who was running away from a loan shark? I could be sued for e****a.

Each one of us had our own battles to face every day. We have different struggles but we were all hoping to get through somehow.

“Where did she go?!” I heard the men asking each other. “Check over there! She couldn’t have gone far!”

I carefully hid behind a large drum where another neighbor was taking a bath. It used to be a chemical container but now served as a water container sometimes doubled as a bathtub, cylindrical style.

“Hey, Jillian, wanna join?” Asked Toto, a guy who was about my age and a known playboy here despite lacking the looks, the money, and almost everything a playboy in my standard should have. But again, to each their own. 

“Nah, I’m good. And please lower your voice, buddy,” I tapped his wet back before continuing my house hopping to my house. 

After a few minutes of careful hiding, I was about to reach my house when someone spotted me.

"There she is!" 

Left with no choice, I entered my front door and just locked it quickly behind me. Hoping they didn't see which house I entered. 

I smiled when they seemed to be confused again. 

What a bunch of id*ots!

"Looks like you're into hiding, Jillian…" 

A man's voice startled me from my triumphant smile that I almost jumped. I quickly turned around to find someone sitting uncomfortably on my couch.

I squinted my eyes at my biological father, the rich businessman, Theodore Valencia whom I have not seen in person since I was six years old. 

But of course, I recognized him. Even though I hate him, I still look him up on the internet from time to time along with my sister, Julia and their new family. Don't get me wrong though. I'm doing that not because I missed them or anything of that sort.

I'm doing it to constantly remind myself of the cruel life that this man in front of me made me live for the past sixteen years. 

"Mr. Valencia, what a surprise!" I said sarcastically. 

But I'm indeed surprised. How did this man know where I live? 

"What can I do for you, Sir?" I continued to ask acidly.

When I was little, he wanted Julia to call him dad while I must call him Sir. And yet Julia and I were twins. I did not understand that until my parents, the couple who adopted me, explained everything to me. 

My mother died when she was giving birth to me because she got so exhausted and tired while giving birth to Julia who was born ten minutes ahead of me. It was an unfortunate tragedy, but should I be blamed for that?

Because Theodore blamed me like it was my fault why my mother died. He never treated me as his daughter. While he pampered Julia, I got to live with the servants. 

I never got new toys, dresses or anything and to top it all, I served them. At six, I was my own sister's maid. Funny, right? 

Then Theodore got married again. I was then decided to be thrown away. But a kind couple from the servants who acted as my parents for several years adopted me legally and we were sent away together never to set foot in that mansion again.

A year after that, Aimee was born. I got to have a happy and complete family and lived a normal life. It was difficult but I love them. 

"Why don't you tell me why those guys are after you?" 

"Why are you here?" I asked back. Because I have a feeling that I'm not going to like the reason for this unexpected visit. 

"I'll be honest, Jillian," he stood up and dusted off his expensive suit. "I need you to come with me."

"Are you finally going to acknowledge that I'm your daughter?" I mocked. Not that I'm hoping. I long ago stopped dreaming of being part of their family. And right now, I have no wish whatsoever to have anything to do with the people who abandoned me. 

"I can easily get rid of those men who are running after you if you will come home with me, Jillian." Theodore said instead. 

Ha! Like I need his help! 

"Forget it, Mr. Valencia. I've managed in the last sixteen years without you. Actually, twenty-two years. So thanks, but no thanks. Please leave," I pointed at the door. 

But Theodore didn't move. "Your sister is in a coma."

My sister? Did he mean Julia or my half-sister, Fiona? Whoever was unfortunate to be in a coma, I don't care as long as it was not Aimee. 

I looked around my small house. Where was my sister?

"I only have one sister and it's Aimee," I said, 

"Julia got involved in an accident and is currently not in good shape," he continued as if I did not speak. 

So, it's Julia then. Why didn't I hear of the news?

"It's been a month and there's not yet a sign that she might wake up soon," he added. 

"Well, that's horrible, Mr. Valencia," I said with contempt. "But I'm not a Doctor nor some sort of a faith healer. I cannot help you." I walked towards the door.

"She's getting married."

"That's even more horrible. Her fiance should just wait until she wakes up." I made sure there's not even a drop of concern in my voice.

Because why would I be concerned? I had my share of near death experiences in the past and they didn't give a d*mn.

"No, Jillian. He doesn't know about what happened."

"Then tell him!"

"Cancelling the wedding at this point is not possible. So, we came up with a plan that would not only benefit us but also you. Pretend to be Julia and marry Sake Fortalejo, Jillian." Theodore laid his brilliant plan.

I burst into laughter. What a joke! Did he think for one second that I would agree? Never!

"Forget it!" I opened the door with the intention of asking Theodore out. 

But I was surprised when I saw Aimee being held captive by the men who were chasing me earlier.