Naalimpungatan si Leila na kumakalam ang sikmura. It's still dark outside and it's only four o'clock in the morning when she sees the wall clock, but she's already hungry. She looked at the person next to her who was sleeping soundly with his arms wrapped around her body. She carefully removed his hand and slowly got up so she wouldn't wake him.She breathed a sigh of relief when she successfully got out of bed without Stefano waking up. She wore a black silk robe that was a pair of her nighties.Bumaba siya mula sa ikalawang palapag kung saan ang silid nila ni Stefano at tinungo ang kusina. Malapit na siya nang makarinig siya ng mga boses na nagkukuwentuhan. Mukhang gising na ata ang kanilang mga kasambahay."Hesus Maria santisimaan!" hiyaw ng isang kasambahay na siyang nakaharap sa puwesto niya kung nasaan ang pintuan. Natapon pa ang kape nito sa sobrang pagkagulat.Iilang ilaw pa lang ang nabuksan kaya may parteng madilim lalo na sa kanyang kinatatayuan. Agad naman napalingon sa ka
Gustong sapakin ni Leila si Patty. Pinakaba siya nito sa sobrang takot. Iniisip niya na baka kung ano na ang nangyari. Patty is the owner of the number that called her, which she said she bought it from NAIA. She was surprised when Patty introduced herself while laughing and said that she was at the hotel in BGC.Buong akala niya ay gabi pa ito dadating dahil iyon ang sinabi nito sa kanya at balak pa nga sana nilang sunduin ito ni Stefano.Kinabukasan niyon, doon pa nila pinuntahan ni Stefano sa hotel nito. Stefano invites her friend to stay at his house but Patty refuses because she doesn't want to be a nuisance. Nasapak nga niya dahil sa pinagsasabi nito.Kahit kailan hindi magiging istorbo ito sa kanila. She treats her like her family. Patty knows that but knowing her, she always wants to be independent. That's why she learned that from her. They didn't force her and respected her decision.Saturday came and she woke up early. She was thankful that Stefano didn't wake up when she r
Last night was the happiest thing that ever happened to Stefano and Leila, but it wasn't what Leila expected to happen to her either. Even though that happened to her, the mother of the man she loved succeeded in her plan that she did not expect that she had prepared something like that.Kahit nahihilo at nanlalabo ang kanyang paningin nang oras na 'yun, ramdam naman niya sa boses at hiyawan ng lahat ang kasiyahan sa nalaman ng mga ito. Ngunit para sa kanya, mas nangibabaw ang sobra-sobrang kasiyahan na naramdaman ng lalaking mahal niya nang sandaling iyon base na rin sa pag-iyak nito, pagyakap ng mahigpit sa kanya, at pagpugpog ng halik sa kanyang tiyan matapos sumigaw nito na tatay na ito.After everyone found out about her pregnancy, Stefano didn't let her finish the party. He took her inside his room at his parents' house so she could rest.Leila woke up to the noise heard from the open glass door of the room's terrace. She turned to her side, but was surprised to see that she was
It was still early, but Stefano was already busy with the papers in front of him. It was only seven in the morning when he said goodbye to Leila who was still sound asleep when he left their house. They had to leave on Friday for Paris so before that he would finish the paper works he had to finish.Kinuha niya ang kanyang cellphone at tinawagan si Manang. Nakailang ring pa iyon bago nito sinagot."Hello, Stefano?""Manang, has Leila woke up?" Patuloy siya sa pagbabasa ng dukomento na nasa kanyang harapan saka pinirmahan nang makitang maayos na iyon."Hindi pa, hijo." Stefano looked at his wristwatch, it was nine o'clock in the morning."Manang, pakigising nga siya para sa'kin. Pupunta pa 'yan sa bahay ng kapatid niya mamayang alas-dyes." Sinabihan na niya ito kagabi na ipapahatid lang o ipapakuha kay Oscar ang mga papeles na kailangan nito, pero tumanggi ito dahil gusto raw makita ang abuela nito."Okay, sige. Sandali lang." Narinig niya ang paghabilin nito sa isang kasambahay sa gin
"Bitiwan niyo kami!" sigaw ng dalaga nang hatakin ito ng isang kasama ni Randall, nagpupumiglas."Nakikiusap ako, ako na lang. Huwag niyo ng idamay ang anak ko sa kung anuman ang kasalanan ko sa inyo," umiiyak na pakiusap ng ginang habang nakapiring ang mga mata. Hawak ito ni Randall habang papalapit sa puting van kung nasaan ang boss ng mga ito."Trabaho lang, misis. Hindi basta-basta ang ginawa ng asawa mo sa kaibigan ko, kaya pasensiyahan na lang tayo," nakangising tugon ni Randall.Pagkalapit ng mga ito sa van ay bumukas 'yun at lumabas roon ang naghihintay na si Stefano. Stefano clenched his jaw as he looked at the two women in front of him. He angrily removed the cloth covering the eyes of the two women. He wants them to see how much he hates them. Ang pamilyang ito ang sumira sa nararapat na pamilya sana ng babaeng mahal niya. "I... I know you," the young woman stuttered.Stefano smirked at her. It should be. She should know him because he is her half sister's husband. "Who
Death is the most painful thing that can happen to a person. And that was the most painful thing that happened to Stefano and Leila."I'm sorry, Mr. Altagracia, we did everything to save your child from your wife's womb," the doctor told him. His mother who was behind him gasped and cried.Stefano was shocked and unable to process what the doctor told him. Even after the doctor left, he still stood there and couldn't move."Ang apo natin..." dinig ni Stefano mula sa kanyang inang umiiyak."No... no," he said shaking his head. Not their child. "No!" galit niyang sigaw na umalingaw-ngaw sa buong hallway ng emergency room."Stefano!" his parents called him."Where are you going?" Randall followed him. His fists were clenched as he headed to a place. The people he passed in the hospital hallway looked at him. Batid niya ang takot at pagilid ng mga ito upang makadaan siya."Stefano—" si David.Sinuntok niya ang kaibigan nang hawakan siya nito sa balikat para sana pigilan."Fuck!" Napahawak
Spain. Year 2012"Lola!" masayang hiyaw ni Leila sabay kaway rito. Her grandmother was standing on the second floor of the terrace.Her grandmother's face immediately brightened when she saw her and waved back."Gracias, Mang Matias!" baling niya sa matandang tauhan ng kanyang lolo at lola na siyang naghatid sa kanya pauwi mula sa plantasyon ng ubasan.Kinuha niya rito ang katamtamang laki ng basket na may lamang mga berdeng ubas. Ito ang gusto niya sa lahat ng variety ng ubas na mayroon ang kanyang lolo't lola dahil sa matamis iyon."Walang anuman, Senyorita Leila. Maiwan ko na po kayo dito," yukong saad ni Mang Matias sa kanya saka siya tinalikuran.Halos lahat ng tauhan ng kanyang lolo at lola magmula sa mga negosyo at sa kasamabahay ay purong mga pinoy. Ang kanyang lolo mismo ang may gusto na kumuha ng mga pinoy na tauhan dahil sa purong pinoy din ito at upang makatulong din daw ito sa mga kababayan nito. Her grandfather did not regret it because he saw how hardworking and dedicate
Tatlong araw na ang lumipas matapos ipaalam ng kanyang ama sa kanyang lola ang pagkawala ng kanyang kapatid. Tatlong araw na rin pinapahanap ng kanyang lolo kung nasaan ito. The last news they received from the person her grandfather had ordered to trace her sister's last transaction was that she had flown to Dubai. And their abuelo does not stop to find her and return her to her husband.Nagpaalam si Leila sa kanyang abuela na pupunta ng sentro para bumili ng ibang gagamitin niya sa pinaplanong bagong ipipinta. The other color of her acrylic paint was run out and even the other brush that she always used was worn out so she had to buy a new one. Hindi na siya nakapagpaalam sa kanyang abuelo dahil maagang umalis ito papuntang planta kung nasaan ang paggawaan at imbakan ng mga na aning ubas upang gawing alak.Sakay ang kotse na iniregalo sa kanya ng kanyang abuelo noong nakapagtapos siya ng kolehiyo ay minaneho niya ito't tinahak ang sementadong daan pababa ng sentro. Her grandparents'