Lumakad na kami papunta sa kwarto ni tito dad—daddy huminga na lang ako."Dad..." tawag ko sa kanya dahilan para lumingon sila sa amin.Nakatingin silang lahat at parang hinihintay nila akong lumapit kay daddy. Lumapit naman ako kahit kabado sa unang pagkakataon na lalapit ako sa kanya hindi para maging stepdaughter niya kundi, dahil ako ang first child niya na hindi nakilala.Bumuhos na ang luha naming dalawa at niyakap ko siya nang mahigpit."Daddy..I miss you so much..." aniko at umiyak ako nang umiyak hinawakan niya ang pisngi ko at nalingunan kong umiiyak siya na may ngiti sa labi niya."My..first child...Odelia, I'm sorry for everything hindi ko kayo na-protektahan ng mommy mo..." utal niyang wika sa akin umiling ako sa kanya.Pino-protektahan niya kami nang hindi namamalayan. Hindi ako bulag sa ginagawa niya mula nang gahasain si mommy ni tito Thomas, at muntik mamatay si mommy noon nandoon siya."Pinotektahan mo na kami noon pa, dad mula sa paggahasa kay mommy at iba pa—you we
Tahimik lang kaming lahat at nandoon ang buong kamag-anak namin sa Swellden's family at Li's family. "Ate, sobrang bait nila ang aga sila kinuha." wika ng kapatid ko sa tabi ko. Narinig namin kanina na-iimbestigahan ni daddy ang nangyari kina tita Jia at tito Chie duda si lolo at lola sa pagkamatay nila. Maingat si tito Chie at alam 'yon nina daddy, lolo, lola pati nina kuya Jong at ate Kecha. "Ang hinala nila, ate may kinalaman ang member ng gangster world sa pagkamatay at si mommy ang isa sa suspect nila saka, may gahaman na kasosyo daw sa business natin pinag-hihinalaan din nila..." sabat ng kapatid ko na si Mencius lumingon kaming lahat sa kanya magkakasama kaming magkakapatid. "Ni shi zenme faxian de?" wika naming magkakapatid sa kanya tumingin pa sa amin ang mga kamag-anak namin na katabi namin. (How did you find out?) Lumayo lang sila sa amin nang tawagin ng mga elders na kasama namin at nang kamag-anak pa namin na nandoon. "Narinig ko," wika ng kapatid namin. May pagk
The past I remembered the day of Odelia's birthday, the next day she left with her family. "Tay!" she called me from afar she walked ahead of me. Naglalakad siya ng nakaharap sa akin sinaway ko pa siya dahil baka, madapa siya. She smiled at me, how did we become couple? I just looked at her beautiful face and smile that attracts people and I smiled too. That day, I will never forget in my life, I am sure of that. I met her when I became part of the school council because I was smart, our teacher put me there. By the time I returned to school I should have graduated from high school a long time ago. I stopped studying because my family business went bankrupt and we lost money my parents were deceived by their trusted business partner. Because of that, our relatives stopped coming to us and stayed away from us, they didn't help us knowing that our family's business would go bankrupt. Even when my daddy asks for help from those who are his relatives, they reject him and do
"Mommy, ano ang sakit ni ate Elle, bakit ganun ang itsura niya?" pagtatanong ng anak ko sa akin nasa loob kami ng training room at nag-eensayo sila."Sakit sa dugo, himala na kapag naka-survive ka." sambit ko na lang."Sana gumaling na si ate Elle," nasambit ng anak ko tahimik naman si Mencius sa tabi ko."Oo nga, mommy, sasama pa ba sa akin si ate Odelia?" tanong nito sa akin bumaling ang tingin ko sa anak ko."Sasama pa rin ako, Michelle tatapusin ko ang pag-aaral ko dun eh." sambit naman ng anak ko sa kapatid niya."Pagkatapos ng ilang araw babalik na tayo sa London," sambit ng anak ko sa kapatid niya."Sige," sagot naman ng kapatid niya napatayo kami nang makarinig ng katok sa pintuan.Binuksan ko ito at bumungad sa amin ang katulong."Tamen yijing zai nalile," bungad ng katulong nila sa aking paglabas sa kwarto.(They are already there.)"Hao ba, women yao chuqule." sambit ko.(All right, we're going out.)Tinawag ko na ang mga anak ko para bumaba dahil bumalik na ang biyenan ko
I hugged her tightly because of what she said."Do you like me? Really?" I exclaimed.We both stared at each other afterward. She didn't answer right away and I was afraid that she was just playing with me.She just stared and said that even if our friends tease us, she doesn't care. Iniisip ko siya at sa magkaiba naming edad namin tapos, iba pa ang iisipin ng mga nakakakilala sa amin kapag nalaman ang namamagitan sa amin."I'm going to date you, Odelia, I also want your parents to know this, I don't want us to be hiding something from them." I said to her that I moved away from her a little.I saw that she didn't want her parents to know about my courtship. She shook her head and I saw that she looked away."Can't I courting because you're still underage?" I mentioned."Mommy didn't say anything like that, I just don't want to let them know about your courtship first, can I introduce you to them as a friend?" she asked.Why didn't she let me know? Is she hiding something that I shoul
Nang magpakasal kami ni Ysa walang pumunta na malapit kong kaibigan kahit imbitado sila sa pag-titipon. Ang nandoon lang ang "pamilya" ko sa father side at mother side na itinakwil kami noong naghihirap kami ng magulang ko.""Best Wishes to you and your wife." they greeted after the wedding we are now inside the palace which has changed a lot in the past decade."Thank you, aunt." Ysa answered she was wearing a modern royal gown while I was wearing a modern prince attire suit.I did not speak and I was sad that one of my friends did not come. My old friends before we struggled in life were there with their families."Tyler!" they called.Nakita ko sila at tinignan naman ako ng kamag-anak ko ayoko makipag-halubilo sa mga taong peke ang pinapakita. Even though I didn't want to go to them, I just came closer instead of standing next to my wife.""I will approach them," I just said goodbye.My wife called me, I just ignored it, I could feel the eyes of the guests there."There's absolutel
When I transferred to the school where Tyler was studying. I discovered that he had stopped studying at a senior high school like me. I don't know what happened in his life when my mommy took me away from them.I found out that Tyler's parents died and he is probably alone, which is why he stopped studying. Their relatives did not help them since their family business went bankrupt. One of Tyler's daddy's business partners stole a lot of money causing the business to go bankrupt.A beautiful girl named Odelia is always with him often and they are together on the school council. Pina-imbestigahan ko ang palaging kasama ni Tyler na si Odelia Swellden. The Swellden family is well-known in the business industry and they are well off in life."Maybe that's why they met?" I just said that from afar I can see them on the other side even though there is ambiguity."What are you whispering? Do you know Tyler Collins and Odelia Swellden?" my classmate said who approached me.It noticed me looki
One month and one week before, my children and I returned to the Philippines. We went straight immediately in the province to where our house was, "really"."Welcome back!" sigaw ng mga anak ko maliban sa lalaki kong anak.Kaagad ko siya tinapik sa balikat ng mapansin kong huminto siya."Son?" aniko."Dito na ba talaga ako titira?" aniya."Ayaw mo ba?" tanong ko sa kanya ng lingunin ko siya."Naninibago lang ako, dad hindi ko sila nakasama sa iisang bahay oo malapit kami sa isa't-isa kaso iba..." aniya umiling na lang ako sa kanya at hinatak ko siya natawa pa ako sa itsura niya."Iba ang makakasama mo, Mencius? Nag-aalangan ka pa rin ba kami lang 'to!" sabat ng panganay ko sa kapatid niya natawa na lang kami nang mag-asaran silang dalawa.Masaya ako na kumpleto na kami ngayon may kulang lang...Wala na ang ilaw ng tahanan namin...Iniwan niya kami ng maaga pero, alam ko kasama na niya ang ate at kuya ko sa langit.Nakatingin lang ako sa kanila naghaharutan na parang paslit ang mga ana
When Odelia left, my friends were surprised by what she did to her two nephew and niece."She pinched the ear and slapped her niece and nephew, this is that how she disciplines a child?" "He's so ruthless! He didn't even think twice, dear, is he your friend?"I overheard my friend's spouse talking about what they saw Odelia do."Are you okay, Ash and Aisha? Your aunt is really harsh on both of you."They approached someone named Aisha and Ash, I recognized one of them and knew that they weren't hurt badly compared to what I saw when they fought Ysa's bodyguard before.I saw that someone named Ash blocked someone named Aisha and seemed to be hiding her behind him."My sibling and I are fine, it's not that severe even though our ears and cheeks are turning red, that's how Ate Odelia disciplines us, we're used to it..my uncle is even stricter than her." wika nangangalang Ash sa mga nagtatanong sa kanila gusto ko sana kausapin si Odelia at sundan siya."Why did you both do those tricks?
Nakipagkita ako sa mga dati kong kaibigan sa isang resort kasama ko ang mga tauhan ng pamilya namin. Kaya ko naman ang sarili ko kaya lang hindi ko pa naibabalik sa dati ang dating ako kasama ko naman ang dalawang pamangkin ko ngayon."Hi, Odelia..." wika nila sa amin iniwan na kaagad kami ng tauhan namin.Nasa cottage silang lahat nang maabutan namin sila. Kumakain sila nang makita namin sila at inalok pa ang mga pamangkin ko na kumain nagtanong pa sila sa akin kung nakaka-intindi sila."They also understand that they are just like that when they don't know the person," aniko sa mga kaibigan ko kasama nila ang kanilang pamilya.Pinakilala naman ako ng kaibigan ko sa kanilang pamilya at ang iba may ugaling mapag-mataas sa sarili. Hindi ko na lang pinansin sanay na ako sa ganitong asta ng mga tao sa amin."Si Odelia, she was our former classmate in high school and is also the sister of Princess Michelle and Prince Mencius Li." pakilala ng mga kaibigan ko sa mga pamilya nila 'yong ibang
Huminga na lang ako nang malalim bago tumayo ulit sa harapan ng mga matatandang businessman at businesswoman na kasosyo namin sa negosyo."I want us all to come to an agreement for the good of the business my grandparents built, I just don't want to betray me and my family because of greed for money...our family is well-known in the underground world and organizations." aniko na lang sa kanilang lahat.Iniba ko kaagad ang tono ng boses ko sa harapan nila."I'm more serious when you do that, the return is not good, I'm kind and friendly, but, when you do something bad to me and my family, the return is the opposite." pahayag ko sa kanila at sumabat ang mga relatives ko."So, we tell you all that we are not joking when we say this, do you remember when someone wanted to ambush my aunt Jeah and uncle Jeo? What happened to the perpetrator and mastermind? The family on each side of our family did something in return." nasambit ng auntie at uncle ko sa mga kasama namin tahimik ang mga ka-ed
Makalipas ng ilang buwan, ako na ang palaging nagpupunta sa mga business meeting na ginaganap sa iba't-ibang lugar dito sa America. Bumalik na rin sa pag-aaral ang mga pamangkin ko at bumalik naman sa China, London at Pilipinas ang mga kapatid ko para asikasuhin ang business namin at family nila. Dumadalaw na lang sa amin madalas ang pinsan ko mula nang ma-coma ako ng matagal kasama si uncle Kennie. Nagka-sundo ang dalawang mag-tito mula nang mangyari sa akin ng hindi maganda.Ewan ko ba sa kanila nakaraan na 'yon at may sarili na silang buhay ngayon na-apakan kasi ni uncle Kennie ang pride at ego ng pinsan ko nung panahon na 'yon. Sumeryoso lang ang mukha ko ng kausapin ako ng mga shareholders ng kumpanya namin iba't-ibang lahi ang kasama ko ngayon."Ms. Swellden, we must do something about the weapons we acquire and so on because immigration is blocking our imported products." anila sa akin tumingin ako sa mga uncles, aunties ko na kasama sa meeting.Legal ang products namin at lah
Na-diagnose ng doctor sa kambal kong pamangkin na may anxiety, bipolar, depression at trauma silang pinag-dadaanan kaya mula noon mas bantay-sarado sila ng pinsan namin at nang kapatid namin. Ang elders, council at mga kamag-anak namin ang nagbigay ng payo na ilayo namin ang pamangkin ko. Humingi rin kami ng advice kay kuya KJ na mas matanda sa amin. Napag-desisyunan naming magkakapatid na dalhin sa America ang isa sa kambal maiiwan naman ang kakambal nito sa Pilipinas para ma-alagaan siya ng pinsan, at ang kapatid ko. Sa nakalipas na buwan, hindi na kami nabigla nang namaalam na si daddy sa amin masakit man para sa aming magkakapatid wala na kaming magagawa. Sa akin na binigay ang pamana ng pag-riritwal sa namamatay sa angkan namin may basbas na ito ng angkan namin. Nabago na ang naka-upo sa trono ng bawat organisasyon at underground world. Si Kech, ang bagong king ng underground world at organisasyon ng angkan namin na dapat isa sa first cousin nito sa grandfather side pero,
Nalaman ko na maraming nag-bantay kay Odelia at sa pamilya niya ako mismo ang tumingin ng sabihin sa akin ng bodyguard nasa isang park sila. I saw it with my own eyes because I went there and saw that she was with her siblings. I could see that her face was not yet healed from an accident and she had been in a coma for several months. "How long have they been here?" I asked the one I had ordered to watch Odelia from a distance. The royal guard next to me looked at me and the bodyguard I had ordered looked at me. "They were here a while ago before I contacted you, princess, it took an hour because their faces were serious and their bodyguard and other people were watching over them." the bodyguard answered me. Tumingin naman ako sa babaeng dahilan kung bakit hindi ako kayang mahalin ng ex-husband ko. Gusto ko malaman ang nangyaring aksidente sa kanya at sa mga kapatid niya kasama ang pamangkin nito. Hindi lang ako makakuha ng ebidensiya itinago talaga ang lahat sa media, reporte
I can't accept that even though Odelia hasn't been here for the past year, he still can't love me. He left the palace and even though I didn't want to get a divorce, I couldn't do anything because daddy was the one who talked to me."Dad, I don't want to get a divorce from him." I said."You need to let him go, Ysa, because as long as he's here, he won't love you even more." my father said."Dad, you know he didn't love me?" I asked.He looked at me, we were inside the spacious library room where he was also reading his favorite books."I've known for a long time and I can feel it in him that he can't love you." my father said.I didn't say anything when daddy said that he knew. He came closer to me and I couldn't help but burst into tears in front of him."Ysa, you love him, don't you?" he just exclaimed and nodded immediately, I don't need to hide it from him."I love him so much, dad, I love him so much to let him go like this." I just answered my dad, I was just standing next to h
May hinaharap pa rin ang pamilya ko at sana maayos na dahil nagkaka-sakit na si daddy nang dahil sa stress. "Sana maayos na ang lahat, ate nagkakasakit na si daddy at ang kamag-anak natin dahil sa pang-gigipit sa ating pamilya wala naman tayong ginagawa masama at alam 'yon ng gobyerno wala nga sa pamilya natin pumasok sa pulitiko eh businessman at businesswoman lang ang pamiya na malapit sa mga pulitiko dahil humihingi sila ng tulong sa atin tapos, tayo pa ang ginigipit ngayon." nasambit na lang ng kapatid ko na si Odessa hindi pa siya umaalis kasama ng kapatid namin na si Mencius nag-worried sila para kay daddy. Tumingin lang ako sa kapatid ko nasa loob kami ngayon ng mansyon kararating lang namin sa kumpanya namin. Nag-meeting ang lahat nang shareholders ng pamilya namin sa business kasama na kaming magkakapatid doon, pinsan, at sina tito Kennie at iba pa naming kamag-anak nandoon. Alam naman nila ang nangyayari at may mga open minded na kasosyo sa pamiya namin ang iba naman nagi
Hinawakan namin si daddy nang tumayo ito may tungkod na itong hawak mula ng magkasakit ito nahirapan na siya maglakad matikas man siyang tignan hindi na siya malakas katulad ng dati. "Daddy, pwede kang hindi uma-attend sa kasal ni ate Jinchi alam naman niya ang kalagayan mo." aniko bigla palipat-lipat ang tingin ni daddy sa amin ng kapatid ko. "Ayoko, gusto kong dumalo sa kasal ng unang pamangkin ko, anak na isang beses lang mangyayari sa buhay nila kung pwede lang ako mabuhay hanggang sa ikasal kayong magkakapatid nandoon ako para mapanood ang masayang araw para sa inyo kaso, hindi natin hawak ang buhay natin." sambit ni daddy natahimik kaming tatlo sa sinabi ni daddy. Nakita ko na parang nag-alala ang kapatid ko sa sinabi ni daddy iba ang impact sa akin ng sinabi ni daddy ewan ko kung bakit. "Bie zheme shuo, Baba, ta bu hui ba ni cong women shenbian duo zou, jiu xiang ta cengjing ba jia yi, qian shu, Mama, shenzhi women de Yeye Nainai duo zou yiyang, women hui zuo dao de, dan