HAROLD was taken aback by Brent’s reaction. At this moment, he suddenly prayed that the floor would split open and swallow him whole.
He shivered while giving his answer, “I didn’t mean anything of what I said, sir. I’m so happy to see you bring your entire family here,”
“Should I not bring them, Harold? I just noticed too that some of my employees seemed so intrigued as to why I suddenly appeared in the company with my family. Do we need everyone’s approval before appearing publicly?” These series of questions hit Harold hard.
Hindi niya alam kung paano ipapaliwanag ang sarili niya. Marahil nga naging tahasan lamang ang pagpapahayag niya opinyon na nakasira sa magandang mood ng boss niya.
Mabilis si
BRIELLE’s emotion riled up, and he wasn’t sure to who he felt it. He suddenly felt lonely and alone. It triggered a sudden headache. He felt his surroundings swirling, and before he fell down on the floor, Harold’s arms quickly upheld him.Hindi na niya napansin ang paglapit nito sa kanya dahil okupado ang isip niya sa matinding diskusyon nilang mag-anak. Kumalat sa hallway ang folder na naglalaman ng financial report na tangan ni Harold dahil binitawan niya ito upang saluhin si Brielle bago pa man ito bumagsak sa sahig.Brielle lost consciousness in Harold’s arms.“Sir! Sir Brielle! Tulong! Tulong!” Umalingawngaw ang boses ni Harold sa hallway.Malinaw na narinig ni Shantal ang sigaw nito kaya’t hal
SABAY-SABAY silang tumango mag-anak. Bago pa man tuluyang lumabas si Doctor Zhao nagsalita na si Brent.“Doctor Zhao, thank you!”Doctor Zhao patted Brent’s shoulder when he walked past him. “He needed his wife. You must act quickly!”“I will!” Brent glanced at Harold, “Please send Doctor Zhao back to his office,”“Sige po sir! Doctor Zhao, ihahatid ko na po kayo,” anang boses ni Harold at kinuha niya mula sa kamay nito ang tangan nitong gamit.“Salamat Harold, tara na!”Nang makaalis na si Doctor Zhao agad na lumapit si Shantal sa kama na kinahihigaan ni Brielle. Puno na na
DENISE felt relieved hearing Ivana’s response. She couldn’t deny that Ivana really cared for her brother.“Thank you so much! We will expect you all to come back home soon. I will be the one to pick you up at the airport,”Ivana was stunned when she heard Denise answer, “It seems you are still not okay. You looked so pale and thin. We can come home with our own accord since my children are now grown up,”Umiling si Denise, “Huwag kang mag-alala kaya ko na. Gusto ko rin makita kaagad ang mga pamangkin ko,”Humugot ng malalim na buntong hininga si Ivana, “Sige ikaw ang bahala. Bukas na bukas din bibiyahe na kami pauwi dyan,”“O
Ivana hung her head. She knew nothing at all, as she was overwhelmed with the sad news Denise had told her earlier.“I- I honestly don’t know what exactly happened to him,” She raised her face, and sadness was written on her beautiful face.Upon looking at Ivana, Graciela grew more and more despondent. She quickly pulled her granddaughter into her embrace. “I understand. Please don’t be sad, I’m pretty sure Brielle will be okay soon when he sees you coming back to him. It took such a long time that both of you endured sadness and longing,”Ivana burst into tears. She couldn’t hide her real emotion anymore when she heard her grandma’s words, “I shouldn’t have treated him like this. I regret leaving him alone during those times he&rsqu
Napabuntong hininga na lamang si Brielle. Ayaw na rin niyang kontrahin ang ina dahil sa ganitong asal nito alam niyang ipipilit nito ang gusto na kahit nga ang mismong ama niya ay hindi ito kayang tanggihan.He suddenly misses his wife. His mind flew away and filled with Ivana’s image. It has been three years that they separated, and he still didn’t try to exert any effort to dotes on his wife.Napansin ni Shantal ang blankong ekspresyon ni Brielle at tila malalim ang iniisip nito.“Anak, okay ka lang? Hindi mo ba nagustuhan ang hinandang pagkain ng daddy mo?” bakas sa boses ng ina niya ang pag-aalala.Nang marinig ni Brielle ang sinabi nito, hinila siyang pabalik sa kasalukuyan. Tumingin siya rito at ngumiti ng bahagya.&nb
NAPAPANGITI si Brent ng marinig niya ang sinabi ng kanyang apo. Lumapit siya rito at tumabi sa upuan. Pinisil niya ang matambok nitong pisngi.“Oo na. Ikaw talaga daig mo ang matanda kung manita,”Pilyong ngumiti sa kanya si Andrei, “Nahihilo na kasi ako sa ginagawa mong palakad-lakad. Hindi ka mapakali, darating din sila hintayin nalang natin,”Tumango si Brent, “Excited lang si Daddy Lo kasi ang tagal na hindi ko sila nakita,”Maya-maya pa muling tumayo si Brent at sinipat ang relo, kinse minutos nalang bago mag-alas-kwatro ng hapon. Sa muling pag-angat ng mukha niya matinis na boses ni Brianna ang narinig niyang tumawag sa kanya.“Daddy Lo!!!”&nb
IVANA nodded and the great sadness in her heart suddenly lifted. She could see how Denise had changed after what happened in the past three years. Manaka-nakang tinitingnan sila ni Brent sa front view mirror habang hinihintay ang pag-usad ng sasakyan.Ang dalawang batang katabi niya ay tahimik lamang din at nagkakapalagayang loob.“Ano na ang plano mo sa mga darating na araw?” biglang tanong ni Ivana kay Denise.Bumungtong huminga muna si Denise bago seryosong tumugon, “Kailangan ko ng mag training para papalitan si Dad sa posisyon niya. Mahirap pero kakayanin ko, tumatanda na rin siya at palagay ko kailangan niya na rin e-enjoy ang buhay niya,”Nagulat si Ivana sa naging tugon nito pagkat nag-aalala siya sa kalagayan ni De
TUMIKHIM si Brent para kunin ang atensyon nilang magkapatid. Lumapit siya sa mga ito at inakbayan ang dalawa.“O siya, tama na ang drama ninyong dalawa dahil nagugutom na kami. Pagod din sa biyahe ang pamilya mo Brielle,”Saka lamang kumalas si Brielle kay Denise. Bahagya niyang sinipat ang anak nito na nakatungo at kuyom ang munting mga kamay. Tila may kirot sa puso niya ng makita ang tahimik nitong reaksyon sa likod ng ina.Lumapit naman si Ivana kay Brielle at iniyapos ang mga braso nito sa beywang niya.“Halika na nakaupo na silang lahat, gutom na ang mga bata,” hindi maalis-alis sa maamo nitong mukha ang ngiti.Bumaba ang mukha ni Brielle at muling binigyan ng maalab