Chapter Two: Pride and Dignity

PRESENT DAY

[Ivana's]

I opened my eyes when I felt someone's finger running through my hair. Lumingon ako para tignan kung sino iyon pero agad naman akong nagsisi noong nakita ko kung sino yung nasa tabi ko.

"Gene," I called his name with all the hatred inside me. I even glared at him but it seems like he doesn't care. "You're awake," he told me with his fingers still running through my hair. I pushed his filthy hands away from my hair because I'm so disgusted with his touch. He raped me so, he doesn't have the right to touch me ever again.

"That's rude," he commented. "I think raping me is the worst," I disgustingly told him. "You deserve it anyway." Dumilim yung mukha niya noong narinig niya yung sinabi ko. Totoo naman iyon hindi ba? Raping me is worse than being rude tapos sasabihin niya na deserve ko iyon?! Wala siyang puso! Bumangon ako sa higaan tapos matapang ko siyang hinarap. Pinalaki akong may galang sa kapwa pero sa sitwasyong ito ay tuluyan na akong nawalan ng GMRC!

"I don't deserve it or any of this kidnapping shit! I deserve better that this! I deserve someone better than you!" galit na galit kong sigaw sa kanya. "What did you say?! I'm the best and you deserve to be with someone like me!" Malakas niyang hinila yung magkabilang paa ko palapit sa kanya. Natakot ako dahil sa madilim niyang awra na puno ng galit at handang saktan ako kapag may mali akong sasabihin. "Please stay away from me," takot na pakiusap ko sa kanya.

"So, where's your bravery now, luv? You were so brave a minute ago, right?" he teased me with his devilish grin. "Iwan mo na lang ako dito. Gusto kong magpahinga," pakiusap ko ulit. "Nope, I won't leave yet. Let's talk about MY RULES now that you gain your consciousness after three fvcking days. I'm losing my patience, luv," iritado niyang sabi sa akin. What?! Nawalan ako ng malay ng tatlong araw? Akala ko natulog lang ako kagabi tapos nagising ako ngayong umaga? Hindi ko alam na tatlong araw na pala ang lumipas.

"Tatlong araw akong walang malay?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko sa kanya. "Believe it or not but you were acting like Sleeping Beauty for three nights and two days. I should have kissed you to wake you up but nah, fairy tales doesn't exist," sabi niya habang nilalaro yung baril sa kamay niya. Bakit may hawak siyang baril? Babarilin niya ba ako kapag hindi ako pumayag sa gusto niya? Is he going to kill me? "Don't worry luv, I won't use my gun on you," sabi niya bago tinago ang baril sa kanyang likod.

"A-ano ang pag-uusapan n-natin?" utal na tanong ko sa kanya. "Oh please! Why are you stuttering? You're a confident one, aren't you?" Kinuha niya yung bote ng bourbon sa kanyang tabi tapos basta na lang niyang ininom iyon. "Just tell me kung ano yung pag-uusapan natin para matapos na. I want to be alone in my room," mahinang sambit ko.

"This is my room luv. This is OUR room to be specific," he corrected me. "I will never sleep with you," matigas na sumbat ko ngunit tumawa lamang siya ng malakas. "Oh luv, you have no idea!" natatawang sagot niya. "What do you mean?" I asked him. Ano na naman bang kademonyohan ang ginawa niya sa akin?

"Don't you know that we've been sleeping for three nights? Oh right, you were unconscious so you wouldn't know that I've been kissing and massaging your luscious breast," patay malisya niyang sabi sa akin. Nanlaki naman ang mga mata ko dahil sa narinig ko. "Walang hiya ka! You're so shameless! Kulang pa ba ang ginawa mo sa akin?! Is raping me not enough for you para halayin mo ako habang wala akong malay?! Wala ka ng pinagkaiba sa kampon ni satanas!" I was about to slap him hard but he grabbed my hands before he pinned me on my bed, his bed rather. He's on top of me right now kaya hindi na ako makagalaw para itulak siya palayo sa akin.

"I thought woman with a class doesn't talk like that?" he smirked before he started running his fingers through my exposed leg. How dare him! Nandidiri na ako sa sarili ko dahil sa ginagawa niya sa akin. Ano na lang ang sasabihin nila sa akin? Rape victim? Isa na akong kahihiyan ngayon, I'm no longer the pride of our family.

"Please, stop it," umiiyak na pakiusap ko. Hindi nagtagal ay bigla na lang siyang lumayo sa akin at bumalik na sa posisyon niya kanina. "Get up and fix yourself," utos niya sa akin kaya agad naman akong sumunod. Takot ako na baka kung ano na naman ang gagawin niya sa akin kapag hindi ko siya sinunod.

"Good. Now listen to me, luv." He crossed his leg as he drank from the bottle of bourbon. "Sabihin mo na kung ano ang pag-uusapan natin. Gusto ko ng magpahinga," walang modong sabi ko. I think being rude isn't bad when talking to someone like him. He's the worst so why bother talking with him in a nice way?

"Let's discuss about MY RULES," sabi niya bago itinabi yung bote sa bedside table. "Just talk para matapos na. Kanina mo pa 'yan sinabi," iritadong sambit ko. "Easy luv," mapang-asar na sumbat niya. Napapikit na lang ako dahil sa sobrang inis. Halatado naman na iniinis lang niya ako.

"Kung wala kang matinong sasabihin then please leave," galit na sabi ko sa kanya ngunit agad naman akong kinabahan noong nakita ko na biglang dumilim yung mukha niya. "You don't have the slightest right to tell me what to do. This is my house and I own everything in here including you!" he howled like and angry wolf. Napayuko na lang ako dahil sa takot kahit gusto kong isampal sa mukha niya na hindi niya ako pagmamay-ari.

"Cat got your tongue luv?" he told me before he lifted my chin to meet his intimidating gaze. His eyes are captivating and nice but it doesn't change the fact that he's a rapist. "Do you want me to go easy on you?" he asked me. Sino ba ang aayaw sa sinabi niyang iyon? Syempre oo ang sagot ko doon dahil baka hindi ko na kayanin ang masamang trato niya sa akin. "Y-yeah," nauutal na sagot ko. Binitawan niya yung panga ko tapos umupo ulit siya couch na nasa tabi lamang ng kama.

"Listen, if you don't want me to punish you then you have to obey everything that I tell you. Stay here and DON'T try to escape because it's pointless. My men are guarding the whole place and you will just get caught if you'll try to escape. You're not stupid so, you should know what you need to do," mahabang giit niya. Gusto niyang sundin ko ang lahat ng sasabihin niya? Why does it look like he's treating me as his slave? "Bakit parang ginagawa mo akong slave?" Hindi ako pwedeng maging sunud-sunuran sa mga gusto niya. I have my own will kaya hindi ako papayag sa gusto niya.

"You got it right luv. You're my slave and my woman," nakangising sagot niya. Hindi lang pala siya kampon ni satanas dahil siya mismo si satanas! "I'm your woman? I think you're dreaming," mataray ko siyang sinagot.

"I was, but not anymore. Being my woman means giving yourself to me when I need it. You don't have the right to say no because I own your body and soul," sabi niya sa akin gamit ang tono niyang nakakakilabot. "Paano kung hindi ako papayag sa gusto mo? You're going to kill me?" panghahamon ko sa kanya. "O baka naman bababuyin mo na naman ako?" mapait na sambit ko.

 "I heard your older brother is in London. He's on his way to his pad right now and trust me when I say I own the building that he's currently staying." Ano ang gagawin niya kay kuya?! Hindi niya pwedeng galawing ang kuya ko! "Anong gagawin mo sa kapatid ko?!" galit na bulyaw ko sa kanya pero tumawa lamang siya bago nag salita. "You were asking what will happen when you don't agree with my rules, right? I can send someone to hit your brother's car and make it looks like an accident," walang emosyon niyang sabi.

Dahil sa sobrang galit ko ay kinuha ko yung unan tapos bigla ko na lang na hinagis sa kanya pero nakailag ang gago. "Naniniwala ako na darating din ang karma mo! Hindi man ngayon pero alam kong babalik din sa'yo ang mga ginagawa mo sa akin ngayon! Karma is a bitch, just so you know!" I exclaimed. Walang katulad ang kasamaan niya! Nakakaya niyang idamay ang ibang tao na wala namang kinalaman sa kanya.

"I don't believe in karma, luv. Karma is for the weak ones," he asserted. Tumingin siya sa akin ng seryoso bago niya sinabi ang mga katagang tumulak sa akin upang pumayag sa gusto niya. "Say no and I'll ruin your family's company. You wouldn't want to see it crumbling down aren't you?" Tumayo na siya mula sa pagkaka-upo at naglakad palabas. Naiwan akong nakatulala at hindi alam ang gagawin.

Our company is the most important legacy to us, the Masons. My great grandfather put all of his days building the company so, I won't let him ruin everything that my family have. Hindi niya pwedeng basta na lang sirain yung pinaghirapan ng ninuno ko dahil dugo't pawis ni lolo iyon!

He can do whatever he wants with me but not to my family's treasure. I can trade my pride and dignity.