HINDI PA NGA ako nakakapagtipa ng sagot, tumunog na ang cellphone ko sa tawag."What are you doing?"I sighed and turned off the lights. "Checking my messages. Why?""Messages from who?"My heart slightly jumped. Iniisip ko pa kung kasali ba ito sa plano nila ni Fiona? He already has the position. The only thing he should do now is to rat my father's plans out and stop talking to me but there isn't a sign he would."From... people.""From your ex?""Puwede ba, Damon. He's blocked here and I am not stupid. I don't want to be associated with him again. If I'll do that, marrying you was for nothing.""Then messages from who, Ysa?""From people. Hello? I'm pretty and I have a social life despite the last months that I was isolated. Siyempre may mag me-message sa akin.""So you're not sleeping yet, huh? You're still entertaining the messages?""Nope, since someone is hogging my phone activity right now.""Bakit mo pa re-reply-an ang mga mag me-message sa'yo. You're exhausted and you're pro
HINDI AKO MAPAKALI sa mga sumunod na araw. Kahit sa iilang meeting at iilang projects na h-in-andle ko, bumagabag sa isipan ko ang nalaman.I don't want to see Papa, too. Tuwing nagkakasalubong kami sa lobby, pilit akong umiiwas.There is something about what I've learned that made me a bit distant to him. Alam kong hindi ko pa naman nakukumpirma iyon. I don't know if Fiona is even my halfsister and a part of me doesn't believe it but it's hard to take it off my head now, after all of that.I've been looking forward for this day because I will meet the investigator. Sa isang malapit na hotel restaurant sa office kami magmi-meet at dahil sa kaba ko, medyo maaga akong dumating.I was about to enter the area when from afar, I saw Lavender Soledad. Nakatayo siya at palapit sa isang lamesa. Wearing her all black suit and slacks, her her up in a high ponytail, she then stopped on a table. I gritted my teeth. Didiretso na sana ako papasok nang natanaw ko kung sino ang kikitain niya. In fron
PAGKATAPOS naming pag-usapan ang iba pang detalye at ang constant meetings namin, agad na rin naman kaming natapos. Hindi naman ganoon ka hectic iyong meeting kaya hindi ko alam kung bakit matindi ang pagod ko.Maybe it was emotional stress but I was really so tired. Nasa kama na agad ako pagkatapos kong maligo at magbihis ng pambahay. It's still seven in the evening. I hung around my mother's phone number for a while. Siguro sa pag-aalala. Siguro gusto ko ring malaman niya ang alam ko. Pero alam kong hindi dapat ako nagpapadalos dalos, kahit ano pa man ang nararamdaman ko.A tear fell as I remember what I saw a while ago. Sa itsura ni Papa at base na rin sa pagkikita nila ni Fiona noon, mukha namang hindi niya ito kilala. Kung totoo nga iyon, siguro hindi niya nga alarm. Bakit kaya sila nagkita kanina? Ano ang sinabi ni Fiona? At unang pagkikita ba nila 'to na sila lang dalawa? Mukhang seryoso pa ang pinag-usapan nila.Pumikit ako nang na-dial ang numero ni Mama. Wala akong sasabihin
I FELT the worst every after my meetings with Mr. Vera. Madalas kaming mag meet, Ialo na sa unang isang linggo dahil madali raw makuha ang mga impormasyon at pareparehong importante iyon.I looked at a picture of my father when he was younger, and Ashley Ortega, my mother's half sister."So Miss Ashley is already abroad for years now..." si Mr. Vera.Tumango ako. Alam ko iyon. She had a mental illness. Alam kong ipinasok siya sa isang mental institution to cope up with it. She got better years after I was born. Kaunti lang ang alaala ko sa kanya dahil bukod sa mukhang isang beses ko lang siyang na-meet, agad din siyang umalis ng bansa nang naka recover.The next photograph is of Ashley Ortega and a child in her checkered powder blue jumper."This is La Fiona Suarez" si Mr. Vera at nagpakita pa ng ibang pictures ni Fiona na parehong itsura at suot sa batang nakahawak kamay ni Ashley Ortega."This photo was taken at Sunrise Children's Home and Orphanage."I swallowed hard and looked at
WHILE DRIVING, I thought of many bitter things. I thought of my father giving Fiona a sportscar. Ano ang gagawin ko kung malaman ni Mr. Vera na galing nga kay Papa iyon?What was that for, anyway? Pantapal sa ilang taong wala siya sa buhay ni Fiona? He'll give her grand gifts?Knowing my father, and how he spoils me rotten, I don't think the sportscar is the last thing he'll give her.What am I thinking about? Stupid, Ysa. If she was his daughter, then he must shower her with those gifts. She deserves it. She even deserved to be spoiled more than you, Ysa. Kasi ilang taon siyang naghirap ng wala si Papa. Pambawi na lang sa lahat ng taong iyon.I don't know why but even when it was reasonable, even when it was what he should do, it hurt me so much. I feel like everything would never be the same again.Is he proud that even without our family name and riches, she built her own name and became a lawyer? I swallowed hard and realized that I lived a lavish life, as a Montero's princess. An
"So, ilang beses ka nang nakapunta sa Carlzon Morata Rome?" I asked casually, trying not to sound like I'm dishing something else."More or less ten times, Ysa. You want to visit?""Nah. Nagustuhan ko nga lang ang interiors ng lobby kaya napaisip ako. lyon kasi ang kokopyahin ko for the next project. Hmm. All the times you visit, you were alone?""Yeah. And for work."I sighed and realized that he won't tell me anything. Iniisip kong imposible na hayaan niya si Fiona na bumisita sa Italy na mag-isa, at sa hotel pa na pinagtatrabahuhan niya. For sure there are things that he can't tell me. And this is one of it.Parang lason na kumalat ang pait sa sikmura ko nang natanto iyon. Even if he's physically attracted with me, he would never reveal his secret. It's more important to him. He's helping La Fiona Suarez so why will he drop her that way?"Talaga, kahit kailan... wala kang kasamang pumunta roon?"He paused for a while before he answered. "Yes, Ysa. Is there a problem?""l was just c
THE NEXT WEEK CAME. Imbes na sa restaurant kami magkita ni CJ Vera, minabuti kong sa isang tahimik na bar na lang. Bukod sa madilim at hindi kami mabilis makita ng kahit Sino, imposible pang makita namin si Papa o kahit si Fiona doon.Restaurants slightly made me uncomfortable. Sa ilang beses ko silang nahuli tuwing pumupunta sa restaurant, pakiramdam ko tuwing nasa isang restaurant ako, makikita ko sila."The sportscar is a new one under the name of your father,"Tinitigan ko ang nilapag ni Mr. Vera na mga dokumento."Makes sense. He can't buy one and name it to someone else. I-alo na kung tinatago niya kay Mama. My mom looks at all our finances," I said. I can't find any paternity test under their name anywhere so they haven't done the DNA testing yet."Namimilog ang mga mata kong nag-angat ng tingin kay Mr. Vera."Anywhere? All labs?""Yes. I do cases like these all the time so I have the connection to each laboratory that does the DNA testing. These are also very private files, b
THESE PAST few months, I've learned that decisions made due to impulsiveness in the past were usually mistakes. Kaya nga iniiwasan kong magdesisyon agad-agad. Pero inaamin ko na hindi ako perpekto, at hindi ko kayang panatilihin palagi ang pagbabago na gusto ko para sa sarili ko.My anger got into my head, especially after the next words she said."Really? Or is that part of your delusions now?" I smiled insultingly, gustong gustong maka panakit din dahil sa tindi ng galit.She smirked too. "You wish.""My father is an honorable man. He's have his fair share of mistakes in the past, but I am sure you're not one of them," I said mercilessly.Napawi ang ngisi niya sa sinabi ko. She looked pissed and I have nothing but pleasure when I saw her fail to control her real emotions."Kaya kung ano man 'yang paninira na pinaplano n'yo ni Damon, para sa pamilya ko o sa kompanya, hindi kayo magtatagumpay. You reek of desperation and it's what's going to make you fail..."I said and tried to walk