ANASTACIA was watching her husband. May kung ano rito na nagpapakaba sa kaniya. Tila ba may malalim na iniisip ang kaniyang asawa ngunit nang tinanong naman niya ito ay ngumiti ito at sinabing walang problema. Galing ito sa labas kanina at amoy sigarilyo nang bumalik. May mali talaga.
Pangalawanga araw ng lamay ng kaniyang ama at narito ulit si Mike. Alam ni Anastacia na dinadamayan siya ng kaibigan pero alam niya rin na pilit nitong inaagaw ang atensyon niya tuwing lalapit sa kaniya ang asawa.Muling tinitigan ni Anastacia si Alessandro. Hindi na siya nito inalok muli ng kape. Tinanggihan niya ito dahil hindi ito maganda para sa pagbubuntis niya ngunit mukhang mali ang pagkakaintindi ng kaniyang asawa.Just when Anastacia decided to approach her husband, Mike approached her first. Kunot ang noo nito at mukhang hindi maganda ang mood.“Ana, pwede ba tayong mag-usap?” Tanong ni Mike sa seryosong tono.Saglit niyangAGAD na sinundan ni Alessandro ang asawa dahil sa pag-aalala. Naabutan niya itong nakaupo sa paboritong upuan ng ama sa loob ng bahay. Malungkot ang mga mata nito at halatang pagod at puyat. Dahan-dahang naglakad palapit si Alessandro upang kausapin ang asawa. Alam niyang galit ito at nasasaktan dahil sa kung anong dahilan pero hindi niya kayang patagalin ang galit nito.“Bambina…”“Alessandro, I know what you have been doing for the past few days…”Natigilan si Alessandro at napatitig sa mukha ng asawa. Her beautiful face looked so sad and it hurt him.
ALESSANDRO gritted his teeth as his eyes darkened in anger after seeing his twin brother outside the house. Leonardo was looking straight into his eyes while Carla was blocking his way.“Bambina, my brother is outside. I’ll just talk to him,” Alessandro whispered to his wife.Agad na tumingin si Anastacia sa asawa saka sumulyap sa bintana. Doon ay nakita niyang nakatayo nga ang kapatid ni Alessandro na si Leonardo. Blanko ang ekspresyon ng mukha ng binata at may bakas ng sarkasmo at galit sa mga mata nito.“Is there a problem, Alessandro?”Alessandro stared at her for a while and shook his head, “It’s nothing. I’ll handle this.”Hindi kumbinsido si Anastacia ngunit tumango na lamang siya sa asawa. Mamaya niya nalang ito tatanungin pagkatapos ng pag-uusap ng magkapatid.Marahang hinaplos ni Alessandro ang pisngi ni Anastacia saka ito masuyong hinalikan sa mga labi bago tumayo at naglakad palabas.“Carla…” Alessandro called his wife’s best friend. Agad namang lumingon si Carla at tumang
ANASTACIA’S hands were shaking while holding the thick pile of money in her hands. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang dapat niyang maramdaman nang iabot sa kaniya ni Carla ang lilibuhing pera at sinabing dala ito ni Alessandro. Ayaw niyang maniwala sa ideyang pilit sumisiksik sa isipan niya. Gusto niyang maniwala na galing kay Leonardo ang perang ibinigay ng kaniyang asawa pero pilit na bumabalik sa isipan niya ang sinabi ni Mike.Malaki ang tiwala niya kay Alessandro pero sa oras ng kagipitan, hindi na mag-iisip ng matino ang isang tao. Tulad nalang ng ginawa niyang pagpapakasal kay Alessandro kapalit ng malaking halaga para maipagamot lamang ang kaniyang ama.Alessandro never did anything that harmed her or hurt her at natatakot siya na sa unang pagkakataon ay magkakasala sa kaniya ang kaniyang asawa.“A-Alessandro, where did you get this money?” Hindi naitago ni Anastacia ang nginig sa boses nang magtanong sa asawa.Alessandro remained silent, staring into her eyes. He wants to tell her
ANASTACIA kept on ignoring Alessandro. She’s trying so hard to understand his decision but she couldn’t help but get mad at him. Gusto niyang kalimutan nalang ang lahat pero hindi niya magawa. Paulit-ulit na umuukilkil sa isipan ni Anastacia na bukod sa kaniya ay may ibang nakasiping sa kama ang asawa habang kasal sila. He didn’t mean to hurt her. It was not his intention pero sa nangyari ay sobrang nasaktan si Anastacia. Hindi man sinadya ay nagawang magtaksil nito sa kaniya. Her father was the reason. She was partly the reason at hindi niya matanggap na sisirain ni Alessandro ang sarili dahil lamang sa kaniya.He’s living a wealthy life before they met. He was rich. He wasn’t used to working so hard day and night. He has his own cook. He has his own maid. He was ruling his own kingdom but now…he lost everything. All for her.Marahil ay dahil sa ipinagbubuntis niya kaya patuloy siyang nagiging emosyonal pero totoong sinisisi niya ang sarili. Alessandro won’t leave his luxury life if n
ALESSANDRO and Mike were walking towards the gate together. Sabay silang aalis matapos magpaalam kay Anastacia. Si Alessandro ay babalik na sa trabaho habang ganoon rin si Mike.“Just a moment,” Alessandro stopped Mike even before he called for a tricycle.Mike faced him with a blank face. Obviously they don't like each other. Alessandro knows that Mike likes his wife so much and Mike doesn’t want Anastacia for him. He wants her for himself and he’s still not giving up on it.“Do you really think I didn’t know about what you have been doing? Visiting my wife behind my back and trying so hard to steal her away from me?” Alessandro asked with cold eyes and icy tone.Mike laughed mockingly, “I know that you know. It’s just that I don’t care. I will take her away from you because obviously, you can’t give her a better life. You’re almost like a peasant. How can you give her the life she deserves?”Alessandro gritted his teeth. He was a leader of a syndicate and he’s ashamed of that past.
ALESSANDRO couldn’t calm himself down. He’s at work, but he kept on thinking about what Leonardo told him in his text message. The triad is now moving as his organization has been infiltrated by the authorities. An undercover cop made his way through the gates of hell and infiltrated his organization. Now his properties were at stake and even his wife was in danger. She’s married to him…legally and if he doesn't leave now, his wife would be questioned by the authorities and will end up being an accomplice to his crimes. He can’t let that happen, but leaving his wife is not an option for him either.“Hoy! Magtrabaho ka nga! ‘Wag kang patamad-tamad! Hindi porket pabor sa’yo ang may ari ay magpapakaboss ka na riyan.” A coworker interrupted Alessandro. He clenched his jaws. He’s pissed with this particular coworker of his but since he’s changing, he chose to let him get away everytime he acted like this on him.“Alessandro, is there something wrong?” A female worker, kind and concerned, a
SITTING while handcuffed inside the interrogation room, Alessandro’s eyes were lifeless and blank. Anastacia’s last words kept on ringing inside his head. He expected her to get angry but he didn’t expect that she would kick him out of her life. It hurts. So damn much. He feels like dying wide-eyed. But what can he do? The only way to save his wife and child was to take the risk and bargain with the people who are on the right path. Justice will keep his wife and child safe. He’s willing to take the risk even if facing justice means losing everything he worked hard on.Nothing is more important than his family. He started valuing family after he lived with Anastacia and her father and friend. He treasures that little family, so he would do everything to save them.And now, here he is. Cuffed and desperate. He called the police and got himself arrested. All because he doesn’t have a choice anymore. Without his organization, he’s no match against the triad.
“MAMA, tingnan mo kulay. Maganda!”Tinitigan ko ang batang lalaki na malaki ang ngisi sa akin. Yakap niya ang isang kuting na madungis at kulay orange. Ang mga dilaw nitong mata ay nakatingin sa akin na tila ba nagpapa-awa.Umismid ako. “Aki, pang anim na pusa mo na ‘yan!”Nagpapadyak sa lupa ang siyam na taong batang lalaki. “E mama, wala pa akong orange!”“Anong wala? Mayroon na!”“Wala, mama! Three colors kasi ‘yon. Wala pa akong orange lang.”Sinimangutan ko ang bata. Namimitas ako ng malunggay sa bakuran nang dumating ito galing eskwelahan na madungis ang damit na puti at yakap ang kuting na maputik ang mga paa.Diyos ko! Pahihirapan na naman akong maglaba ng batang ito.“Akim!”Umiling siya. “Last na ‘to, mama. Promise!”Nanliit ang mga mata ko habang tinitingnan ang nakataas niyang kanang kamay na tila namamanata.“Napakatigas ng ulo mo!”Ngumisi siya. “Thank you, mama!”Hinabol ko siya ng tingin nang pumasok siya sa loob ng bahay. Napabuntong-hininga nalang ako at tiningnan an