79I immediately came to my senses when a light from a car focused on where we were. Sinubukan kong itago ang buong katawan ko sa katawan ni Yrony, and I know that he noticed what I did because I heard his irritated whispered."Kinakahiya mo ba akong kasama?" Iritang tanong na niya na hindi ko naman na sinagot.Baliw ba siya? Hindi ba niya naiisip ang sitwasyon namin? I'm a married woman tapos nandito kami sa gilid at madilim na lugar na 'to? Ayos lang sana kung nag uusap lang kami, but he is kissing me! I was afraid that they may see me like this and that someone saw us doing that thing, but it looks like that car just passed by and it wasn't one of our acquaintances, so I breathed a sigh of relief.He should know how dangerous what we are doing is if someone sees us! Paano kung isa sa mga engineer? Maliit ang mundo namin, and if Daddy knows this, malaking gulo iyon.I immediately pushed him after I gained strength. I noticed that he let me push him. Nagpatulak siya, pero nanatili s
80After hearing that, ni maligo ay hindi ko na nagawa sa pagmamadaling pumunta sa office at malaman kung ano ba talaga ang nangyayare. Agad akong nagpalit at binilin ang kambal kay Anna. What the hell was really happening right now? Bakit may pag pull-out na nangyayare.Kung maraming nagsialisang investors at nag pull out ng mga shares, isa lang ang paghahantungan ng kompanya. Everything that lolo builds will end up being nothing, and I won't let that happen.Kahit na hindi buong puso ang kagustuhan kong hawakan ang kompanyang ito, alam ko na subrang importante ng kompanyang ito kay lolo. Kahit na hindi kami maayos sa lahat ng nangyare at ginawa niya, I know that this will upset lolo, and I don't want that. Kahit balikbaliktarin ko naman, lolo ko pa rin siya.“Ma'am, hinihintay ka ni Sir Ivo kasama si—” Hindi niya natuloy ang sasabihin nang agad agad akong pumasok sa opisina ko. I already want to ask Ivo about this.I saw Ivo talking to Daddy, who was now sitting in my swivel chair.
81All the seats were full when we entered. Nahanap agad ng mata ko si daddy. Daddy was seriously talking to one of the big investors we have, and the thought of him convincing him to leave also makes me nervous."Don't make them see that you are nervous," bulong ni Ivo kaya tumango ako at sinubukang umakto ng normal.Nang makita ako ng lahat ay agad agaran silang umayos sa pagkakaupo. Subra subra na ang kabang nararamdaman ko. I know that I am not really good in business, may alam ako, pero kaunti lang, kaya hindi ko maiwasang matakot at kabahan sa mangyayare.Pakiramdam ko subrang useless ko bilang tumatayong CEO ng kompanya. Ni hindi ko alam ang sasabihin ko.I even saw Yrony sitting in one of the chairs, pati na rin si Janica. Oo nga pala, the Delazardo was also one of the investors and stockholders of the company. Kung nandito sila at alam na ng ilang mga nandito na hindi talaga kami kasal ni Ivo, malaki ang posibilidad na alam na rin nila iyon."Ivo, sit beside me," Daddy said
82“Leaving me after what I did? Really? Ganyan ka ba magpasalamat sa ginawa ko? Malapit na akong maghirap sa desisyon kong iyon alam mo ba iyon?” He continued to say that as soon as I came out of the door of the comfort room. Ni hindi ko pa nga iyon naisasara ang pinto.He is already sitting on the sofa here in my office. “U-uh,” utal na simula ko dahil napako na ang paa ko sa kinatatayuan.Pakiramdam ko napakalaki kong tanga ngayon dahil simpleng salamat hindi ko masabi sa kanya. Bumalik ako rito sa office, para makapag isip ng tama. Inisip ko na baka mas makakapag isip ako ng tama kapag mag isa ako, pero lahat ng naisip ko kanina hindi ko masabi. Gusto kong magpasalamat sa kanya ngayon, pero parang kulang iyon.Hindi ko lubos akalain na gagawin niya iyon. Nawalan na rin ako kanina ng pag asa na maisasalba ko pa ang kompanya, but he did something na baliw lang ang gagawa. He's right. Iyong ginawa niya ay pwedeng pwede na siyang maghirap. I don't know how rich he is right now, but
83"Yehey!! We're going to Tita Anna's condo!” Zally said, and she immediately became happy nang sabihin kong maligo na sila dahil pupunta kami sa condo ng Tita Anna nila.They don't know what happened. They don't know that Ivo and I are not really married. Hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala sa nalaman ko.I never thought that my lolo could do that for me. I want to talk to him to hear it from him and ask him why, but for now, pero sa ngayon ay ang pinakagusto ko lang munang gawin ay makitang maging maayos ang relasyon ni Yrony sa kambal.That's my goal right now. Ngayong alam na pareho ng kambal na si Yrony ang ama nila, I want to make a way for them. I am the reason they became like this, so I should be the one to make a way for the twins to accept Yrony as their father.Napasulyap ako sa phone ni Ivo na iniwan niya sa lamesa. Nasa kwarto siya ngayon, sa may banyo. Naliligo na siya dahil sabay sabay na kami sa pagpunta roon sa condo ni Anna. Her phone is ringing. Lumap
84Pinakilala ni Anna ang mga katrabaho niya aa amin. There are three. Ilang sandali ay nagsimula na kaming kumain.“What do you want, Son?” Tanong ni Ivo kay Rony make me look at Yrony. Yrony was staring at the plate that Ivo's holding, na para bang gusto niyang kunin iyon para siya na ang gumawa non.Naghanda ng malaking lamesa si Anna at mukhang sinadya pa niyang bilhin iyon. Sa subrang haba ng lamesa ay sa sala namin iyon nilagay at nagkasya naman kaming lahat.“I want spaghetti, daddy,” Rony said to Ivo nang tanungin siya nito kung ano ang gusto niya.“I also want spaghetti,” sambit naman ni Zally kaya tumango ako at inabot ang spaghetti para lagyan ang pinggan niya.“Acting cool tapos maglagay ng pagkain sa pinggan niya, hindi pa niya magawa,” napanguso ako nang marinig iyon galing kay Vanie.Napasulyap ako sa kanya and I saw her looking at Rony. Nakataas ang kilay nito kay Rony na para bang iniinis niya ito. At ngayon ng ay nakatingin na rin si Rony sa kanya at talagang nainis
85We are already on the balcony. May maliit na balcony rito si condo ni Anna na may maliit din na round table at tatlong upuan. Nakikita ang ilang mga kalapit na building at bahay. Hindi kasing taas ng condo ni Ivo, pero hindi maipagkakaila na maganda ang view rito sa condo niya.I hugged myself when the wind blew hard. Venus sits in one of the chairs and also looks at the view in front of us. I also did what she did; I sat on a chair and looked around again.“Pasensya ka na sa anak ko. Namana lang niya ang kasungitan sa ama niya kaya ganoon. Sa subrang sungit niya, hindi ko na rin alam ang gagawin sa kanya,” She said it and then laughed like it was so funny.“Sorry rin,” sambit ko at pakiramdam ko iyong sorry na iyon ay dahil sa… Yrony kissed me. Magpapakasal sila kaya malaking kasalanan iyon sa kanya.“Why are you saying sorry?” Kumunot ang noo niya at tinaasan ako ng kilay.“I-I will do everything para umiwas kay Yrony. Para lang naman sa mga bata ang—” She cut me.“What the hell
86Nadatnan namin si Yrony na nakasandal ang buong katawan sa sofa, gaya ng posisyon niya kaninang nadatnan namin noong pagdating namin dito sa condo ni Anna. He look so tired. Ang sabi ni Anna ay nakatulog siya kanina, pero ginising siya ni Rony at pinaalis.Halos malukot ang buong mukha ko nang maalala iyon. I can't believe that Rony really did that.I really need to talk to Rony about that. Maraming iba't ibang alak ang nakalagay sa lamesa. Anna said that most of the alcohol was brought by Kyle. To this day, I still can't believe that Kyle is the man Anna said she met before. I always think that the world is too big, but right now, everything that happened to us is really making me think that the world is too small.I sat next to Ivo because that was the only vacant seat. There is another vacant seat next to Kyle, but I know that Anna will sit there.“Ano gusto mo, Affeya?” Tanong ni Anna nang makitang hindi ko pa nilalagyan ang baso ko. Marami na akong natikmang alak, pero ang mg
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