24Napasulyap ako sa kanya. Nakapamulsa ito habang nakatingin din sa Kuya niya."Nice to see you again. Ang tagal ng 5 years," sambit niya bago ako sulyapan rason kaya napabuntong hininga na lang ako."Nandito ka para kunin ako at ibalik sa pamilya ko hindi ba?" Tanong ko nang magsimula na kaming maglakad patungo sa bahay."Can i ask you something?" Tanong nito bigla."Ano naman iyon?" Tanong ko habang hinahawakan ang palapulsuan ko kung saan nakahawak kanina si Yrony ng mahigpit.Napasulyap siya roon at napailing ng saglit bago na magsalita paa."Usipin mo na nagtatanong ako bilang kaibigan, iyon ay kung tinuturing mo akong kaibigan," sambit niya.Hindi ako nagsalita. "Just ask me what you want to ask," sambit ko dahil masyado siyang seryoso."Forget that I'm Kuya Yrony's brother, and I want you to answer me truthfully." His voice became serious, as did his expression.I stopped and glanced at him. I'm trying to find something in his expression, but he's not looking at me. He was jus
25Affeya's POVI couldn't help but worry when I heard that from him. Si Zally. Denver and I talked earlier, but he didn't say anything about this! Kung nalaman ko lang agad ay pati ang pagligo ag hindi ko na ginawa, I'll just use the time to convince Yrony to let go of me.I immediately looked at Yrony. If I have to kneel, I will, as long as he lets me go to Zally. I'm always by their side, so I know they're not used to not having me by their side."Yrony—" Unang tawag ko sa kanya, pero natigilan ako nang umayos siya ng pagkakatayo at agad tumalikod. He didn't say a word. Tumalikod lang ito at umalis na hindi man lang pinapakinggan ang sasabihin ko.I was confused about his sudden action. Nataranta ako. Ano iyon? Bakit wala siyang sinasabi? Will he be stubborn and imprison me in this place even after hearing that? My daughter needs me! His daughter needs me! Napapikit ako sa huling naisip ko.I was about to follow him, but Denver said something that made me stop."You are free. Let's
26Huh? Ano raw? Napakurap kurap ako. Prepare for what? It's like he had a big rerevelation. Napailing na lang ako. Mga kalokohan niya talaga. Instead of thinking about it, I immediately got into the car.My emotions swelled with excitement because I would see them again. Outside the hospital, I immediately spotted Ivo; he was already waiting for me. Denver seems to have told him kaya nandito na siya at naghihintay na.He straightened up when he saw me getting out of the car."Thank you, Manong!" Agad naman na pagpapasalamat ko sa driver na naghatid sa amin."Hows Zally? Si Rony?" Tanong ko agad sa kanya, but he is just giving me that judgement look.Okay. Walang halong pag-aalala sa kanya kaya siguro ay hindi talaga ganoong kalala si Zally. Mas lalo akong nakahinga ng maluwag dahil doon."Ivo?" Taka kong tanong."May sinat pa siya hanggang ngayon. I think she is just missing you. Kapag nakita ka non, siguradong bubuti na ng maayos ang pakiramdaman niya," he said, but he is still star
27I'm here again. I'm back to where I belong. What happened on that island should be forgotten. I'm here, and I'm married. My daughter and son have a father, and it's Ivo. I shouldn't be thinking about anything but only my life here in Manila and with my family.Pero paano kung magkita kami bigla rito? Maliit lang ang mundong ginagalawan namin. We have a mutual friend, and he is also one of the investors in our company. Anong sasabihin ko sa kanya kapag nagkita kami? I bit my lower lip. Wala naman dapat akong sabihin sa kanya! Come on, Affeya! Think about something! Don't fvcking think about him!"Mom!" Napakurap-kurap ako nang kalabitin ako ni Zally. She is now innocently staring at me."Oh. Sorry. What is it?" Tanong ko dahil hindi ko alam kung may sinasabi ba siya o wala.Hindi nagsalita si Zally kaya napasulyap ako kay Ivo. Binabalatan nito ang orange, pero ang tingin ay nasa akin. I saw him looking at me with a disappointed look. Anong ginawa ko?"Pinapaabot niya ang tubig, but
28It's been three days since I got back from that island, and yesterday I started my job as CEO of the company. That was delayed due to that kidnapping, but here I am, doing my job as Avarez.Ivo took care of the company when I was away, and he did some of the things I needed to work on. That's why, even though I was gone for almost a month, I didn't have any problems when I came back."Ma'am, heto po ang mga kailangan niyong permahan na nasabi kanina sa meeting," sambit ng secretary ko pagkapasok niya pa lang sa opisina ko."Give it to me. Salamat," sambit ko sa kanya.He came over to give it to me. I took it and read it one by one. I almost got a headache after reading for several hours. There is a lot to sign, and that just means that I also have to read and study a lot.I really hate business, but I can't do anything dahil ako lang naman ang nag-iisang maasahan ni lolo. Speaking of lolo, we are still not okay because of everything that happened, pero hindi ko naman maaalis ang ka
29Anong sabi niya? Kung siya ang asawa ko hindi siya papayag na pumunta siya rito ng kami lang ng kaibigan ko? At ano naman sa kanya kung mag suot ako ng ganitong damit?! Hindi naman dahil ganito na magsuot ay nag iimbita na ako ng lalake!Ayos nga lang kay Ivo tapos siya iyong maraming sinasabi! Sino ba siya sa akala niya? He is just my ex!Ang sarap sarap niyang bulyaw bulyawan hanggang sa mawalan siya ng pandinig!Nakakainis siya! Bakit ba niya ako pinapakealaman? Pinapakealaman ko ba siya gayong may babae siyang kabulungan at halos isuksok na ang kamay sa loob pantalon niya? Hindi ko siya pinapakealaman kaya dapat lang hindi niya ako rin ako pakealaman!"Dami niyang sinasabi, kala mo naman makikinig ako! Huh! Akala mo kung sinong matino! Siya naman iyong manloloko at cheater!" Hindi ko na maiwasang ibulala iyon, napatingin pa sa akin ang isang lalake sa biglaan kong pagsasalita, alanganin tuloy akong ngumiti sa kanya bago mabilis na naglakad palayo.I looked around, trying to fin
30"I don't have evidence right now that your husband is a big asshole and a fvcking cheater, but I will find it and I will show you na ang asawa mong kinakampihan mo ay isang gago," Yrony said seriously, but I could no longer focus on what he said dahil masyado na akong ukopado sa nakita ko sa likod niya. Masyado na akong kinakabahan para isipin ang mga sinabi niya."Shit!" Mahinang mura ko dahil halos hindi ko na talaga alam ang gagawin ko.Napansin ni Yrony ang pagkataranta ko kaya sinubukan kong mag relax at itago ang kaba na nararamdaman ko ngayon. Hinawakan ko ang sling bag ko, nandoon ang phone ko. Should I call him? Pero paano naman? May peste sa harap ko kaya paano ko tatawagan si Ivo ngayon at sabihin na nandito rin siya.Kumunot ang noo niya, pero mula sa pagkunot ng noo, he became serious, and his jaw tightened. He looked down at my bag, which I was holding firmly."What? Is he calling you already? If he isn't calling you, why don't you call him right now? Ask him where h
31"May sasakyan ba kayong pumunta rito?" He asked me without looking at me. I didn't answer his question because what he asked didn't register in my mind. My mind is too busy right now to think about what Mr. Diego said. Masyado ng ukopado ang isip ko sa kakaisip ko sa narinig ko.After a few moments of thinking, I stopped and pulled my hand all the way to stop him from walking. Nagawa kong hilahin ang kamay ko at mabitawan niya iyon.Galing sa pagkatulala ay tinignan ko siya. Tumigil nga siya sa paglalakad at tinignan ako, pero pagkatingin niya sa akin ay agad naman siyang nag-iwas ng tingin.He whispered something that I didn't hear."Tell me what he said, Yrony. What did he mean about that?" Mahinang tanong ko dahil talagang kahit anong tanong ko sa isip ko, hindi ko makuha ang sagot."Anong pinakulong?" Naguguluhan kong tanong sa kanya."Kung wala kayong sariling sasakyan na pumunta rito, ihahatid ko na lang kayo. Tatawagan ko—""I don't fvcking need you. Kaya kong umuwi mag-isa
WakasYrony's POVMabilis ang paghawak ko kay Zay nang muntik na siyang matumba pagkatapos niyang sagutin ang tawag mula sa Doctor ng Lolo niya.“S-Si lolo. Yrony, si L-Lolo,” nanghihinang sambit niya habang sabay sabay na tumulo ang luha sa mga mata niya.She tried to hold me tight, pero talagang nanghihina siya. It's been an hour since our simple wedding was held. I was so happy that, finally, I can already really call her mine without thinking anything. She is really mine. She is already Delazardo; at last, for many years, she can still be ended up as Delazardo, but now, how can I be happy when she is in too much pain right now?I pulled her closer to hug her tight. Wala akong magawa para pawiin ang sakit na nararamdaman niya ngayon pagkatapos niyang marinig ang balitang iyon.Don Alvarez. Napapikit ako ng mariin.“I-I know that I don't have any r-right to ask a favour to y-you after what I did to you, but please, can y-you please make my granddaughter happy? I-I want to see her hap
94It was so fast, or maybe that's just what I think? After we finished eating, we immediately went to the building where the Delazardos' company is located. Gagamitin namin ang Chopper nila papunta sa ibang bansa.Sa mismong kompanya ng pamilya nila, and I can't help but reminisce about the time when I first came here and let my life change into the life that I didn't expect that I would become.Subrang tagal na non, pero nananatili pa rin iyon sa isip ko.They are really serious. Akala ko ay makakausap ko pa sila at sasabihin na huwag silang padalos dalos, pero they are both serious.“You own this?” Napasulyap ako kay Rony nang casual niyang tinanong ang ama niya.We are already on the chopper. Gulat na gulat pa nga sila Tita and I am sure na pagbalik namin, kalat na panigurado ang tungkol sa kambal. Ipagsigawan ba naman ni Yrony ang salitang mga anak sa harap ng mga empleyado niya, kaya paniguradong malalaman ma ng mga nakakakilala sa amin.“You also want to own something like this?
93Affeya/Azaylie's POVIsang malakas na kalabog ang nagpagising sa akin at halos umawang ang labi ko nang makitang nasa baba na si Yrony habang nakahawak sa likod niya at nakangiwi.“Rony!” Hindi makapaniwalang sambit ko nang makita ang ayos ni Rony. Sa pwesto niya ngayon ay mukhang tinadyakan niya si Yrony kaya siya nahulog mula sa kama.Zally was just staring at Yrony while Rony was so angry. Parehas na silang gising.“Leave!” Bulyaw nito sa ama niya habang nakaturo sa pinto. “Son—” Yrony tried to talk to him, pero agad ulit siyang binulyawan ni Rony.“Don't call me that!”“Rony!” Saway ko ulit. He looked at me."If you don't want to leave, then I am going to be the one who leaves!" My lips parted at what he said.Before I could stop him, he was already out.Zally immediately followed his older brother, so Yrony and I were left behind. Napahilot ako sa sintido ko.“Sorry. Kakausapin ko sila ngayon—”“I-It's fine,” sambit ni Yrony kaya tinignan ko siya. Kumunot ang noo ko at napasi
92I stared at my son, my daughter and my Fiance.Fiance.I kissed Zay's hand that I have been holding until now, even though he is fast asleep next to our children. It's already 5 a.m. in the morning. I can hardly sleep. I can't sleep because I'm scared to wake up, and suddenly all of those become dreams. I don't want to go to sleep. I just want to sit here and stare at them.Napapikit ako ng mariin at agad na pinunasan ang luha ko nang agad na tumulo iyon galing sa mata ko.I'm crying. I am fvcking crying because of the happiness that I feel right now. She said she loved me. She said that there's nothing between her and Ivo. Wala naman akong pakealam kung may namagitan sa kanina, yes, it's hurt, but even if there's something on them, if she said that she loves me, wala na akong pakealam sa iba.This is the scenario that I've been dreaming of all these years, which I thought would never happen. I'm very tired. I was already told that word after all the desperate things I did. I was a
91I tried to remain cool while texting my team to investigate and to start finding Zally. Fvck! I shouldn't be overacting. It's normal to worry, but fvck! What I am feeling right now was not normal. If only I could have stood up and led the investigation right now, I would have done sa subrang pag-aalala ko ngayon kay Zally.Hindi ko naman anak ang kinidnap, pero halos pagpawisan na ako sa pag-aalala nang marinig kong nawawala si Zally at may kumidnap. I just arrived, and that's when the news came to me right away. It's their birthday. It wasn't in my plan to go here and see how happy they are while I was away watching them, but the courage to see Zay and give Zally and her brother my gift was the reason why I still go here.Ang kaso, wala akong lakas para bitbitin iyon kaya iniwan ko kuna sa kotse ko. I am planning to talk Zay, but I don't know how.Napasulyap ako sa batang nakamaskara. That must be Zally's brother. Hindi ko pa siya nakikita kahit isang beses. All I always see was
90Yrony's POV“Don't worry. I don't want your Papa Ninong to be my father. I have my own father, so I don't need yours,” Zay's daughter said in her serious voice.Sa subrang seryoso niya sa pagsabi non ay para akong dinudurog. I tried to calm myself.I don't know the exact reason why I felt a tightness in my chest when I heard that from Zay's daughter.She's right. She doesn't need me because she has her own father, but my chest tightened when I heard that. Maybe because I know that I love their mommy very much, and loving their mom was also wanting me to make them my own. Pero sabagay. Zay also have Ivo, kaya hindi niya panigurado ako kailangan."I didn't raise you like that, Vanie! Where did you get those words? Where did you learn to talk like that!” panenermon ni Venus sa anak niya habang papasok sa bahay.But Vanie didn't seem to hear anything. She just keeps going up the stairs. Pagod akong naupo sa isa sa sofa ng bahay nila at inihilamos ang palad sa mukha.“Vanie! I'm talking
89“Huh?” Gulat na tanong ko at talagang napanganga na ako sa harap niya. Muli ulit siyang lumapit sa akin at halos umawang ang labi ko nang maramdaman ko ang pagdausdos ng isang bagay sa daliri ko.“I said let's married right now. May kilala akong mayor at pwede ko siyang tawagan ngayon,” bulong nito pagkatapos niyang mailagay ang singsing sa kamay ko.Nahigit ko ang paghinga ko habang nakatingin sa daliri ko.I don't know what I am gonna say. Saan galing iyong singsing? Bakit may singsing? I bit my lower lips nang mag init ang mata ko. I felt his face on my neck, and he started kissing me there.Hindi ko maiwasang isipin kung nasa likod pa ba namin sila Janica o ano, pero wala na akong pakealam doon. I look at the ring he gave me right now. Pakiramdam ko nananaginip ako. Hindi kami nag uusap kanina, then aaway kami, tapos… tapos… may singsing.“I want us to marry, immediately,” he whispered again.Kinagat ko ang labi ko at sinubukan ang lahat para matigil ang pagtulo ng luha ko. I
88“Yrony!” Tawag ko sa kanya habang mabilis siyang naglalakad papunta sa parking lot.“Teka, Yrony!” Tawag ko pa. I wipe the tears on my eyes while chasing him. Gusto kong palakasin ang loob ko ngayon dahil alam kung iyon ang kailangan ko.Galit siya at nasampal ko siya. He said na nakakapagod na ako. Parang pinagpipirapiraso ako habang iniisip nga na titigil na siya at susuko na. Hindi pwede. Hindi siya pwedeng sumuko ngayong handa na ako. I know that I have no right to say that sa sobrang dami na niyang hirap dahil sa akin, pero ayokong tumigil siya.Hindi niya ako pinansin kahit na alam kung naririnig niya ang pagtawag ko sa kanya. Patuloy lang siya sa paglalakad paalis.Nang malapitan na niya ang kotse ay pinatunog na niya ito. He didn't even look at me kahit na naabutan ko na siya. He seriously opne the door at agad na pumasok. He is about to close the door, pero agad kong hinawakan ang pinto, rason kaya agad na naipit ang kamay ko nang isara niya ang pinto.Napamura siya at bin
87I am happy to see Anna like this. She always there when I needed her and I was really thankful that she was here. She was a best sister to me kahit na hindi naman kami magkadugo.“Kakausapin ko naman siya—” But she cut me.“Kailan? Ngayon na! Lumabas ka rito! Huwag kang babalik hanggang sa hindi kayo makapag usap. Kung nakapag usap na kayo at hindi pa rin maayos ang kung ano kayo, saka ka na maupo diyan!” Biglang bulyaw niya ulit sa akin.Bumuntong hininga ako. Inabot ko ang sinasabi ni Ivo na hard liquor at nilagyan ang baso ko. I think I need this to tell Yrony everything I want to say.Kyle and Anna let me drink that and just watch me, na para bang alam nila na kailangan ko ang alak na iyon para magkaroon ng lakas ng loob.Tumayo ako pagkatapos non, pero ilang sandali pa ay nakarinig kami ng pamilyar na sigaw mula sa ibaba. Kyle immediately stand up para pumunta sa balcony para tignan kung anong ingay iyon. Pagbalik niya ay sunod sunod ang naging mura niya habang nagmamadaling t