Chapter 1

Alessia's POV

ANG bughaw na kalangitan, ang berdeng mga kaparangan at ang malamig na simoy na hangin na nagmumula sa karagatan ng Celebes.

Iyon ang araw-araw na bumubungad sa akin tuwing gigising ako, at magtatrabaho sa buong araw. hanggang sa igupo ako ng antok tuwing gabi. Ang likha o obra ng panginoon ay sadyang napakaganda at hanggang sa ngayon ay sadyang misteryoso.

Tatlong taon na ang lumipas mula noon araw na naipanganak ko ang aking anak na si Aiden. Malaki ang naging pagbabago sa buhay ko mula ng sumibol siya at isinilang. Ang akala kong magiging malungkot na buhay ko ay naging nakulay nang dahil sa kanya. He took away my sadness and fill the void in my shattered heart.

Si Aiden, na siyang tatlong taon gulang na ay isang napakatalinong bata. Sa edad na isang taon gulang ay marunong na siyang magsalita kahit nabubulol pa ito. Nakakaintinde na rin siya ng mga salita. Sa edad na dalawang taon ay marunong na siyang magbasa at magsimula na rin magsulat. Alam ko sa sarili ko na naging matalino ako dahil sa masipag akong mag-aral, but I was never like my child when I was young. I was not as bright as him. He's gifted to the point that it's almost unbelievable.

Sa edad na tatlo, tuwid na tuwid na itong magsalita at pati ang ugali nito ay hindi kagaya ng mga kaedad niya. He's too mature, and there is no childishness in him...not unless, when he's facing me. He's soft and smiling when he's with me.

"Scram, Marga." Malamig na utos ng anak ko kay Marga na siyang naging nanny niya. Siya na ang kinuha ni Lolo dahil maalam ito sa mga bata.

Hindi lingid sa aking kaalaman na kakaiba ang ugali ng aking anak. He's too cold and passive towards another. But he's warm and kind when it comes to me. Hindi ko mapigilan na maisip na namana niya ang ugaling ito sa ama niya. Elijah is cold and passive, it's his trademark.

"Y-young master..." Nanginginig naman ang boses ni Marga. Ayaw nitong iwan ang anak ko dahil kung saan-saan ito pumupunta at nauuwi iyon sa away. She was addressing my son that way because she accidentally found out that Aiden's father is the King of Valeria. She even address him as prince but I did not allow it. At dahil natatakot itong tawagin si Aiden sa pangalan niya dahil kalapastanganan daw iyon sa isang dugong bughaw, ay tinatawag niya itong young master kahit hindi naman kailangan.

He has this kind of temper and doesn't want to play with kids of his age. He's always saying that hus classmates are too childish, loud and annoying. Minsan ng nauwi iyon sa away dahil may pumilit na bata na makipaglaro sa kanya ngunit ayaw niya. Nagkagulo noon dahil itinulak ito ni Aiden dahil na rin sa pagkaubos ng pasensya.

Nagalit ang ina ng bata kaya pinatawag ako ng eskuwelahan at kinausap ako ng headmaster. Ipinaliwanag ko ang sitwasyon ni Aiden na hindi siya katulad ng mga normal na bata. He's gifted and was hoping that he will be considered. Natuwa naman ako dahil pumayag ang eskuwelahan. Kaya iba ang curriculum ni Aiden. His lessons are advanced but still joins the regular class. There is one time that I found him reading one of my books which is Quantum Physics. Yung libro ko ay para sa college level iyon at hindi para sa beginner, but he was interested in it. Hindi ko alam kung talagang naintindihan niya iyon, but I guess he did. He even asked me about the black matter which is still mystery until now and can never be solved.

"I don't know why mommy kept you as my nanny. I don't need a nanny and she is enough for me." Himutok naman ni Aiden. I can already imagine his cold glare towards Marga.

Yes. I am aware that he doesn't want a nanny and he's being intentionally rude towards Marga everyday to make her quit. Ayoko naman huminto si Marga dahil walang mag-aalaga dito lalo na at may trabaho na rin ako sa Caracass.

I am now one of the engineers who's developing the town. It all started when Ales Condor asked for my help and they saw my potential and work, so they hired me. Hindi ako sumali sa grupo nila dahil wala akong balak na pumunta sa ibang lugar para sa construction. I cannot leave Caracass, I cannot leave my son.

"Young master, sabihin na natin na hindi mo ako kailangan, ngunit kailangan mo pa rin ako. Sino ang magluluto ng pagkain mo tuwing wala ang mommy mo lalo na at may trabaho siya? Abala din ang Lolo Elias mo sa karagatan, lalo na si Lolo Sicario." Rason naman ni Marga kay Aiden. Sanay na sanay na rin si Marga sa mga pang-aalipusta ni Aiden sa kanya. I can say that Marga really knows how to handle kids with individual differences.

They are always like this everyday. They kept debating on how important is Marga's existence. Nakasanayan ko na at hindi na ako nagingialam pa.

"Whatever..." tugon naman ni Aiden na sumuko na. I know he felt defeated again because he failed to make Marga quit.

Napangiti naman ako dahil natapos na rin ang debate nilang dalawa.

"Mommy... Good Morning, I love you." Bati naman sa akin ni Aiden nang makalabas na ito mula sa kwarto namin. He was beaming at me and he ran towards me and hugged my thigh and looked up, staring at my face. His smile is unceasingly as long as he's with me.

He's wearing a uniform for his preparatory school. It's an Academy in Caracass and they accept preparatory pupils. Ngunit nagrereklamo ito dahil masyado daw pambata ang mga itinuturo sa paaralan. My son was so annoyed when he was asked what is one plus one. He even answered Do you want me to give you the regular math answer or the binary rule? The teacher was dumbfounded with his answer. I was too! How did he learned about binary? That's a Discreet Mathematics! The teacher doesn't even have an idea what's a binary means!

Nakikipagsagutan pa ito sa kanyang guro dahil sa mga itinuturong wala daw kabulohan. He's too advance, but there is nothing that I can do. Wysteria is not like an ordinary country or city that has school or arrangement for gifted child. Kaya walang magawa si Aiden kundi ang magtiis tinatawag nilang advance lesson. For him, their advance lesson is still pathetic.

"Good morning, I love you more, Aiden. You have to be good at school. Just answer all the exercises and assignments, okay?" Paala-ala ko naman sa kanya. I promised him that if he will be a good boy, I will let him read my books that Lolo brought from mortal realm. They are all advanced book when I was in college.

"I will mommy." He beamed wider like he loves it. He never complain anything about his concern. He was acting like he loves everything. Pero kapag iba ang kaharap niya ay doon lumalabas ang mga reklamo niya.

Hindi ko alam, ngunit tila ayaw niyang ipakita sa akin ang tinatawag na negatibong bahagi niya. I find it cute, somehow. Pero ang hindi niya alam, ay alam ko din ang lahat. I am not some stupid mom who's not aware of her scheming son. Thinking he's innocent. Hindi ko lang sinasabi sa kanya. I let him think that I am clueless about his naughtiness.

Aiden is a scheming boy, but in a good way. Naiisip ko pa lang ngayon na kapag lumaki na siya at maging binata—hindi ko mapigilan na malungkot, ngunit tanggap ko na sa sarili ko na hindi na ako magiging bahagi sa buhay niya sa mga pagkakataon na iyon. Ngunit hindi ko maiwasan na isipin na sa paglaki niya, hindi siya magiging simpleng tao.

Aiden will be a difficult man as grown up. I can already imagine his stoic and cold eyes, uninterested with things he doesn't care. Mostly, smart people are uninterested to things that doesn't catches their attention. I wonder if it will be the same.

I want him to be warm, but how can I do that if at this age, he already knows to manipulate the people around him? How can I even teach him, if he only shows his warm side in front of me? I can't believe that even Elijah is not around and will never be part of his childhood, Aiden was still able to grasp his characteristics like Elijah was here all along.

"Miss Condor, aalis na po kami para sa klase ng young master." Paalam naman ni Marga. Dala-dala nito ang bag ni Aiden na may laman ng mga kagamitan sa Academia.

"Sige, mag-ingat kayo." Saad ko na lang at yumuko naman ako para yakapin si Aiden bago ito umalis. "Be good." Huling habilin ko sa kanya at ang iginanti naman ni Aiden sa akin ay halik sa pisnge.

"See you later, mom." Paalam naman sa akin ni Aiden at tsaka umalis na ang dalawa.

Wala ngayon tao sa bahay dahil parehong abala si Papa Elias sa karagatan dahil sa tatlong araw na pag-aani ng mga isda. Si Lolo naman ay may nilakad na hindi ko alam kung kailan babalik.

Kaya kami lang sa bahay ngayon ang nakatira. Mabilis na rin akong nagbihis. Isang karaniwang kasuotan ng Caracass ang isinuot ko. Isang kulay maputlang dilaw na sleeveless, deep v-neck greek dress na hanggang talampakan ang haba.

Hinayaan ko lang na ilugar ang aking mahabang buhok na umabot na puwitan. Inihanda ko naman ang mga kagamitan ko at kinandado ang bahay. Tumingin naman ako sa aking talampakan at nakita ko naman si Sushi na pasensyosong nakatayo at nakatanaw sa daan kung saan patungong bayan.

He wants to join my son. But I did not allow him since kids will try to mess up with him. Ayokong may aksidenteng maganap dahil lang sa kapabayaan ko. Sushi is after all, not an ordinary puppy.

"Don't sulk Sushi. You know why I don't want you to go with Aiden." Saad ko naman kay Sushi para tumigil na ito sa pagmumukmok.

Hindi naman nagsalita si Sushi, or more like he really doesn't talk in his puppy form. I know Sushi understands, he's intelligent and I really don't need to explain myself bit by bit.

Kaya pagkatapos kong ikandado ang pintuan ay naglakad na ako papuntang bayan para magtrabaho. Sushi will be staying with his pack while I am away for work. He will also come home once I am back.

Nilanghap ko ang may kalamigan na hangin. It's been three years since then, and Elijah never appeared in front of me. He totally gave up. Noon una ay nalungkot ako sa katotohanan na iyon, ngunit inisip ko na huwag gawin dahilan iyon.

Hindi na dapat ako magulat o malungkot dahil matagal ko na iyon inasahan. Kaya unti-unti sa sarili ko, pinag-aralan ko kung paano huwag na siyang mahalin. Everyday, I kept reminding myself that there are things who are more important to me now than him. And with that, I learned to unloved him. Feelings is no longer the way it was before. I can now  let him go without regrets...without looking back.

Totoo nga ang sinabi nila na kahit gaano mo kamahal ang isang tao, kung pipiliin mo at pag-aaralan na huwag na itong mahalin, magagawa mo kahit mukhang imposible pa iyon. It took time, but I was able to do it. Siguro ay nakatulong din ang bagay na may mas importante na sa akin ngayon na mas higit pa sa kanya.

For me, Aiden is now my everything...and Elijah, is a a history or a passerby.

I heard a lot of news from him even I am not willing to listen. The Kingdom was in uproar for the past years. There are a lot of killings, like the king turned into a mad man. Right now, he was already labeled as a mad king and his people is already afraid of the king.

Takot naman sila noon pa, ngunit mas dumoble ngayon. There's a lot of noble blood who were killed for unknown reasons. The ever peaceful Valeria, was long gone. The kingdom started it's bloodshed three years ago.

Hindi lang iyan ang pagbabago na napag-alaman ko. I learned that Elijah is now married. Hindi ko alam kung kailan ito ikinasal dahil wala naman akong balitang nasagap tungkol sa preparasyon o ang babaeng pinakasalan nito. This rumor circulated like a virus in the air. The king is already married and there are speculation that the queen of Valeria now is the beautiful girl in the palace. Hindi nga lang ito mapatunayan lalo na at wala naman opisyal na anunsyo. But it was a hundred percent sure that Elijah is now a married man.

Naalala ko ang babaeng kayakap niya ng gabing iyon kung saan nagsimulang maging magulo at masakit ang lahat. Wala akong ibang maisip na pwede niyang pakasalan kundi ang babaeng iyon.

That was my one final blow and I decided to completely throw away all my feelings for him. We gone separate ways with different lives we took. I hope he will be happy.

Nakangiti akong naglakad at may mga nadadaanan na akong mga mamamayan. Dumerecho na ako kung saan ang opisina ng mga builders. Nang makapasok ako doon ay abala ang lahat.

Agad naman na sumalubong sa akin si Ales na mukhang hindi natulog buong gabi dahil sa panlalalim at pangingitim ng ilalim ng mga mata nito.

"Alessia, kailangan mong bisitahin ngayon ang ospital na pinapatayo. Wala kaming alam sa medesina kaya mas mainam na ikaw ang pumunta." Saad ni Ales sa akin na tila humiwalay ang kaluluwa nito. He's too stressed out.

May bagong ospital na ipinatayo sa Caracass. I did not designed it, it was someone else.

"Pero hindi ako ang inhenyero ng proyektong iyon." Tugon ko naman sa kanya. I still need to check the blueprint to study it. Hindi pwedeng basta pupunta na lang ako doon at malalamam kaagad ang lahat.

"Eto." May ibinigay naman siya sa akin na nakarolyong papel na sa palagay ko ay ang blueprint ng ospital. "Medyo madali lang naman, ngunit hindi lang talaga kami pamilyar sa mga ganito. Hindj kami sigurado kung may dapat idagdag o baguhin."

Kumunot naman ang noo ko. "Ales, kailangan lang naman nila na sundin ang nasa blueprint. I don't think I need to go there." Sagot ko sa kanya. It doesn't mean that I have medical skills, I already fit to check it. Medical skills and construction skills are two different things.

Napakamot naman sa ulo si Ales. "Nagreklamo kasi ang isang manggagamot. Hindi namin mapunto kung ano ang mali nang pinuntahan namin dahil ayaw naman makipagkooperasyon yung manggagamot. Kaya napagpasyahan namin na ikaw ang ipadala dahil baka makita mo kung ano ang mali doon." Paliwanag naman niya sa akin.

Napabuntong hininga naman ako. Marami akong natatanggap na mga revision dahil na rin sa request na idagdag o kaya ibawas sa construction. It was fine, since it's only natural for that to happen. It's inevitable that there are changes.

"Sige, pupunta ako after lunch. Pag-aaralan ko muna ang blueprint bago ako pupunta doon." Tugon ko naman kay Ales at agad na lumiwanag ang mukha nito.

"Salamat, sige maiwan na kita at may mga tatapusin pa ako." Paaalam naman sa akin Ales at tumakbo na ito pabalik sa kanyang desk.

Umupo naman ako at binuksan ang nakarolyong papel at nagsimula ng pag-aralan ang blueprint. I have to make it quick since there are still other blueprints that I need to check.

©️charmaineglorymae