“What now, Isabelle Ledesma? Cat got your tongue?” sarkastikong turan ni Laura Del Valle nang manatili siyang tahimik pagkaraan ng ilang sandali.Why wouldn’t she? She never had any clue at all that the mother and daughter would do such kind of atrocity on the very day of her wedding!Laura gave out a low and dangerous laugh. She looked very different from the woman she met a couple of weeks ago. Ang Laura na nakilala niya mabait, maasikaso at maayos kausap. Kaya naman hindi na siya nagtataka na naging malapit si Miranda dito mula nang humiwalay ito kay Richard. Odd as it seemed, Miranda found a friend in Laura, or so Miranda had related. Dahil bukod sa mabuti raw itong kaibigan, Laura was also the one who introduced her a good annulment lawyer. And because of that she and Zyrone never treated Laura Del Valle differently despite of what Grace did three years ago. She and Zyrone treated Laura as good family friend for the past weeks that they were preparing for their wedding. She e
Malakas sa tenga ni Zyrone ang pagtiktak ng orasan na nakasabit sa dingding. Bawat kumpas ng kamay ng orasan, sumasabay din ang pagkabog ng kanyang dibdib.He was standing on the other side of the interrogation room, the one that has a one way mirror. And he watched as Stephen Del Valle anxiously sat on the lone chair in the other room—waiting for the police investigator.Nang sabihin ng Mommy niya kanina na tungkol kay Belle ang ipupunta nila sa presinto, hindi niya inaasahan na si Stephen Del Valle ang makikita niya roon . He would’ve left as soon as he arrived, for he thougt he was just wasting his time. That it was just one of his father’s ploy to make him submit to whatever his demands would be. But when his father gave him a quick overview of what was happening, he made sure that he will choke the truth out of Stephen’s throat if that would make him talk about Belle’s location.Umingit pabukas ang pinto at pumasok doon ang isang pulis na mabilis na umupo sa harap ni Stephen. He
“Call Laura now,” mariing utos ni Paul kay Stephen. Zyrone watched as the pathetic coward called his crazy wife using the bastard’s own phone.Nasa police car sila ni Paul kung saan nakalulan si Stephen. He was on the passerger’s seat while Paul was with Stephen at the back of the car. The car was parked behind the bushes just a few hundred meters away from the Laura’s old family house in Bulacan. Si Stephen ang mismong nagdala sa kanila roon matapos ang interrogation.Wala sa sarili niyang hinayon ng tingin ang bubungan ng bahay kung saan dinala nina Laura at Grace si Belle.The old house was sitting alone in the middle of an abandoned property. Ikinukubli iyon ng makakapal na ligaw na mga damo at halaman na nakapaligid doon. Malayo rin iyon sa mainroad at wala ring halos katabing bahay. One wouldn’t really think that a house is there if one really doesn’t know the place. Making it a perfect hide-out for any atrocity.He huffed as he restrained his emotions.He’s not supposed to be
Belle was staring blankly at the white wall of the ER’s waiting room where she had been seating for the past half an hour Maingay ang paligid subalit mas malakas ang pagkabog ng kanyang didbib. Maayos siyang nakaupo roon subalit magulo ang isip niya. But despite of the chaos going on inside her, she sat there still. She felt numb.Her heart was crushed with worry and fear for Zyrone. She wanted to pray—to beg God to save the life of the only man she had loved, but words deserted her. Her mind was filled with haze and her gut was in knots since she arrived there at the hospital—with Zyrone’s bloodied body in her arms.She closed her eyes and draw in a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself. But her hands instantly trembled as the picture of Zyrone’s wounded body entered her mind.Agad siyang napamulat at muling humugot ng hininga. There was no escape for her. No. Not even for a brief moment.She felt like she’s drowning. Drowning in fear, worry and uncertainty.How did that suppose
Mabigat ang bawat paghakbang ni Belle papalapit sa ICU unit ng ospital. Nagtatalo ang isip niya kung tutuloy ba siya o hindi dahil hindi niya alam kung anong madaratnan niya sa loob ng ICU suite. Her grandfather had reassured her over and over habang nasa loob sila ng lift na stable si Zyrone for now. But then again she knew death like the back of her hand-- it comes when one least expects it, leaving grief and many tomorrows filled with uncertainty.That happened with her mom. That happened with Grandma Eve. At kahit na anong gawin niyang pagpapatatag sa sarili niya ngayon, she just can’t help but feel weak.But she has to see Zyrone. Kahit na puno ng takot at kaba ang d*bdib niya, she needs to see him. She wants to be there with him, go through that critical 48-hours with her by him side. And so she continued to walk that long hallway going to the ICU unit. She’s doing it afraid because there was just not other way.Nasa labas pa lang sila ng ICU unit subalit tanaw na niya agad sin
Umingit ang pinto ng private suite sa Angelicum Hospital kung nasaan si Zyrone. Agad namang napabaling si Belle sa direksyon niyon. Awtomatikong dumiretso ang upo niya sa sofa nang mapagsino ang nasa pinto. It was Richard.“Hi,” matipid nitong bati sa kanya bago tuluyang pumasok sa silid. Tahimik niyang tinanguan ang matandang lalaki at sinubukang umakto ng normal.But with Richard around, she knew she could never act normal. Heck! She didn’t have any pleasant memories with him, paano siya aakto nang normal?It has been almost a week now since the incident happened. Nakasampa na rin ang mga kaso laban sa mga Del Valle. At nai-transfer na rin nila si Zyrone sa Maynila—sa Angelicum Hospital and Medical Center. But still the same, her Zyrone is not yet awake. And though the doctors said that he is stable, no good news would count for her until he opens his eyes.Kaya naman, sa bawat araw na dumaraan, patuloy siya sa pakiusap sa Diyos na sana, bigyan pa siya ng pagkakataon kay Zyrone—pagk
Ten days. Ten lonely days.It has been that long since Zyrone was shot and yet… he is still unconscious. Doctors kept reassuring her though that he is stable and that they are confident that he will make a hundred percent recovery. But still, her worry will only stop when her husband will finally open his eyes and envelope her in his familiar warmth.Husband.She smiled bitterly. Tatlong araw na mula nang malaman niya kay Richard na hindi pinirmahan ni Zyrone ang divorce papers nila. And honestly, she doesn’t know what to feel about it. She’s happy that she’s still married to him and yet… the guilt that’s overtaking her was too much.She had spent three years hating Zyrone for the many things she thought he did but actually didn’t. She had deliberately hurt him several times but he stayed quiet and patient—telling her how much he loved her still despite of everything. She used to wonder where was his confidence was coming from. Ngayon alam na niya kung bakit.He really stayed true t
“Why are you here?” bungad agad ni Laura kay Belle, hindi pa man ito nakakalapit sa mesa na malapit sa kanila ni Marco. Bumaling si Laura sa kasama nitong pulis. “Ayoko silang kausapin. Ibalik mo na ‘ko sa loob,” utos nito.Subalit imbes na tumalima, tinulak lang ng pulis si Laura. The crazy bitch was forced to step forward until she was just a few steps away from her. The policewoman never left. She just stood behind Laura, alert.Laura looked at her with all the hate she could muster from the world. Like all she did for the past decades of her life was to live and breathe to hate. Well, that’s what Laura really did with her life—wasted life.Laura was wearing plain clothes. Her hair was in a messy bun and dark circles were visible under her eyes. Kumakalansing din ang mga posas na nakakabit sa mga kamay at binti nito. Malayong-malayo ang hitsura nito ngayon sa glamurosang Laura na nakilala niya.“Oh please, save your pity line to yourself.” The old lady rolled her eyes in annoyanc