Chapter 31Kiss Nagsimula ang ball sa pagpapakilala ng mga stakeholders na umattend ng party. Naroon syempre ang President ng Claveria University na si Primitivo Claveria. Katabi niya ay ang anak na si Amadeus Claveria na siyang dahilan ng pagtili ng mga babae sa likod namin ni Wesley. Nagsimula na ang auction. Hindi lang dresses at designer bags ang nasa linya ng iaauction kundi may mga painting at maging mga kotse. "We are very proud to represent our next collection, a Galaxy inspired gown designed by our very own Fine Arts students from FA-IA... bidding starts at 120,000." Mostly, designers bid for higher price. Sa huli ay nakuha iyon ni Tita Elaine. "For our last collection, we represent to your our Home Away From Home painting who became Claveria University's trademark. This artwork is painted by our very own brilliant painter, Natasha David who happened to be an Alumna of our beloved University. Her artworked was preserved and displayed in our Artsy Museum and became part o
Chapter 32 PlanIT'S Sunday morning. A profound silence prevailed in our spacious dining room. The only sounds that filled the air are the tickling of the silver wall clock that is placed on where the sun emerge in the morning and the clattering of spoon and fork. Tito Reugene is the one who broke the silence. "Mama, is there any other way to get the land back to us?"Tumikhim si Grandma at pinunasan ang bibig gamit ang table napkin bago magsalita. "Nasa kanila na ang titulo ng lupa. Ilinipat sa pangalan nila ang titulo, so technically speaking, sila na ang nagmamay-ari ng lupa. The only way to get the land is to buy it."Tumaas ang kilay ni Tito Reugene at disgustong tumawa. "Kuya Winston really gave that land to them? What a scatterbrained! That land is an asset! Malapit sa highway. Pwedeng patayuan ng commercial buildings. Indeed a potential business hub. He didn't even consider its future growth potential!"I bit my lower lip nang marinig ang sinabi ni Tito Reugene tungkol kay P
Chapter 33Leave Tinambangan kami ng puting van. Agad akong hinila ni Papa nang tumigil ang motor. Pinagbubugbog siya ng mga tauhan ni Tito at ni Papa. Nang makita iyon ay napikit nalang ako.Awang awa ako sakanya habang nakahandusay siya sa lupa at walang balak na lumaban. Ano nga naman ang laban niya? Marami sila, at mag-isa lang siya. "You will leave Del Cielo or I will sue you?" Hinila ako ni Papa at itinago sa likod niya. Hindi ko matignan si Raeden. Gusto kong bawiin lahat ng sinabi ko pero wala nang atrasan ito. Ang tanging hinihintay ko nalang ay ang pag-alma niya at pagtanggi sa paratang pero nanatili siyang walang imik, tila inaako ang lahat kahit wala namang totoo sa paratang sakanya. "Bakit hindi pa ipakulong, Kuya? Hahayaan pa nating makabiktima 'yan ng iba?" I want to shut his mouth but I just can't. Sa ngayon, pagkasuklam ang tangi kong nararamdaman para sakanya. Siya ang nagsimula ng lahat ng ito. Dito kami dinala ng kasakiman niya. Huling sulyap at buong puso k
I grabbed the blanket and threw it out of the window. I looked at how high I was from the second floor of our mansion. Tulog na ang mga tao sa Bahay at tanging mga security guard nalang ang gising, pero iyon ay sa ibang mga pagkakataon."Susunduin kita."I sighed heavily as I rolled the comforter around the turnip foot of the bed and secured the tie tightly. I opened the sliding window and positioned myself on the jamb.I had set things up beforehand. I hacked the security cameras all around the mansion so that no one would see me sneaking out. I had no fear going down the ground floor with just the use of the comforters tied to make an improvised ladder."Let's elope."I can hear Wesley's voice over and over again playing in my head.. I don't know what madness gotten into me why I am doing such thing. But I am aiming something. Fear and inhibition should not let me down.When I almost reached the floor I heard a loud tearing. It was too late to realize I had fallen.Masakit pa ang puw
Chapter 1Broke"I'm sorry to say this but your only resort is ibenta 'yung share mo sa company."Napasapo ako sa noo habang iniisip ang sitwasyon.We're broke! My brother is in the hospital at may mga utang ni Papa sa kaibigan niya na kailangan kong bayaran! "We have our Ancestral house sa Laguna. It cost 15 million pesos. But I don't think it's a good idea na ibenta 'yun lalo na't yun lang ang naiwan samin ni Mama.""I'm telling you, Aria... I'm willing to help you. Just tell me kung ilan ang kailangan mo-"I eyed him, "And how many times do I have to tell you na ayokong magkautang sa'yo o sa kahit na sino sa inyo? Ayokong bayaran ang utang ng isa pang utang.""Then do not consider it a debt. Isipin mo na lang, tulong ko na 'yon sa inyo."Somehow, I want to take his offer, but the consequence horrifies me. Ayokong magkaro'n ng utang na loob sa kanya at sa huli'y sarili ko ang ipambabayad. I know that he has a motive. Hindi naman siya mag-ooffer ng malaking halaga kung walang kapali
Chapter 2ForecloseKumalat sa sahig ang iba't ibang dokumento mula sa drawer. Hinalungkat ko iyon upang hanapin ang medical records ni Dustine kung meron man, para malaman ko kung ano ang dating sakit niya. Sumasakit ang ulo ko sa sunod-sunod na problema. I already lost my mom and dad. I don't want to lose my brother anymore.Naubos ang pasensya ko sa kawalan ng pag-asang makahanap ng medical records ni Dustine. Kung totoo ngang ayaw nilang malaman ko kung ano ang sakit ni Dustine noon, malamang ay itinapon na nila ang lahat ng maaaring maging ebidensya. Walang lakas na bumagsak ang katawan ko sa kama. Hinilamos ko ang mga palad sa mukha at tumungo. Sa dami ng iniisip ay sumasakit na ang ulo ko. Nang imulat ang mata ay sumambulat sa akin ang katotohanang marami pala akong hindi nalalaman. At ngayon, sabay-sabay ko pa yatang matutuklasan.Nanginginig ang kamay kong pinulot ang isang notice na kapansin pansin ang nakasulat na:YOU MAY LOSE LEGAL RIGHTS IF YOU DO NOT TAKE PROMPT ACTIO
Chapter 3CallMuli ay kaharap ko si Heinn matapos ang mahabang panahon ng pag-iisip. Today, I made an appointment with him to discuss something."Glad you're taking my offer," salubong niya sa akin kanina."Heinn, I'm not here for that. I have a more important matter to be discussed with you."Kumunot ang noo niya at nagpamulsa. "Oh, so you're humbly declining my offer?"I shook my head. "Let's not talk about it. Iba ang ipinunta ko rito." Umupo ako at isinandal ang likod sa backrest ng sofa. "I need a copy of the mortgage contract my father has signed a year ago. I want to trace what real estate he conveyed as security on his loan. Can you get that for me?"Hinilot niya ang sentido at dismayadong tumingin sa'kin. "I saw this coming."Napaayos ako ng upo. I looked at him with so much confusion. "What?""I already knew about that thing. My father already talked to him about it. He even convinced him to seek for closing forms. He had three business days to cancel the loan after loanin
Chapter 4OfferThe best way to escape burden is suicide. I felt my whole world shaken. The detriment it caused me is something that I would never escape from. I'm stuck amidst of the sea, that my only resort is to let myself get drown."Aria, iyong mismong bahay na tinitirhan n'yo ng kapatid mo ang nakaindicate sa mortgage agreement. Pwedeng bawian kayo ng bahay o ipagbili ang bahay n'yo without your consent kapag hindi kayo makapagbayad. You may lose legal rights once you did not pay the morgtage on or before the redemption period."My mind was pre-occupied. I cannot process what Heinn has been saying over the phone. Ewan ko kung ayoko lang talagang marinig ang mga impormasyong iyon, or am I just too stunned seeing Raeden closely?"Don't you think it's rude to stare?"Dagli kong pinatay ang phone ko at binalingan ang lalaki sa harap ko.Those obscure eyes affected my whole system. It made me shiver. Hindi ako makapaniwala na nasa harap ko na siya makalipas ang ilang taon. I swallow