Lumabas saglit ng kwarto si Rosa ng bigla siyang harangin ni Andrea.
“Look who's here. The whore,” nakapamaywang pang sambit nito habang tinitignan siya mula ulo hanggang paa, “umalis ka na rito at huwag na huwag kang magpapakita sa pamilya na ito. You are already disgusting more than what you think!” Mahigpit na kinuyom ni Rosa ang kanyang mga kamao at tinignan ng may galit ang mapangasar na mukha ni Andrea. She wanted to kill her right now and just end hers right after. “You want to hit me? Come on!” Andrea rolled her eyes and muttered, “let's see how strong a whore can be, dali!” Hindi na nakapagpigil si Rosa and her right hand just in the air, and slapped her left cheek. Sa sobrang lakas nito ay umalingawngaw ang tunog at napaluha sa sakit ang kanyang kapatid. “Aray! Did you just hit me?!” She shouted with tears forming in her eyes and hurriedly went downstairs. Saktong nandoon ang mom and dad nila at narinig ang malakas na pagkakasampal. As soon as they saw the red cheek kay Andrea, they knew who slapped her that hard. “Mom, dad, she just slapped me! I was just walking papunta sa room ko when suddenly she stopped in front of me then slapped me!” Wala pa ring tigil ang pambabaliktad ng kapatid niya basta huwag lang siyang madamay kahit siya ang pasimuno. Niyakap naman ni Kieshna ang anak niya at hinaplos ang buhok nito, samantalang ang ama nila ay dahan dahang umakyat papunta sa direksyon ni Rosa. Bigla itong tumigil sa harapan ni Rosa at huminga ng malalim. Kitang-kita rito ang nandidilim niyang paningin at inis sa ginawa nito sa isa pa niyang anak. Alam na niya kung ano ang sasabihin ng ama. “Get out of here and forget that you ever had a family,” nagtitimping saad ng ama sabay umalis sa harapan nito. Kumirot na lamang ang puso ni Rosa dahil alam niyang ito na ang desisyon ng kanyang ama. Hindi man siya sinaktan uli ng pisikal ngunit ramdam niyang ayaw na talaga siyang makita nito. Walang ibang nagawa si Rosa kundi mag-impake ng mga gamit niya pati na rin ang mga regalong inihanda niya ng ilang araw. She took her passport with her things and all the gifts then brought it all downstairs. Seeing her father sa sala nila kasama ang kapatid na si Andrea na kaniyang nilalambing, nakaramdam siya ng lungkot at inggit. Hindi man lang tinanong ng kanyang ama ang nangyari sa kanya and ever since dumating sila ng stepmother niya sa buhay nila, naging outsider na siya ng pamilya. Kung hindi lang siguro namatay ang kanyang nanay, siguro hanggang ngayon nararamdaman pa rin yan parti siya ng pamilya at wala ang dalawang sumingit na lang sa buhay nila. See just felt more sadder sa kaniyang ina na hanggang sa pagkamatay nito ay hindi alam na niloloko lang siya ng asawa. This was the time Rosa made her decision, and that was never going back here or contact any of them. Habang naglalakad palabas ng malaking pinto ang kapatid at dala dala ang mga regalo at gamit nito, patagong pinapanood at nakangisi si Andrea. “I have been waiting for this to happen, Rosa. And all I need to do was for you to disappear.” Five years later… Tok tok tok* Someone was knocking on her door habang abala ang babae sa pagdidisenyo. Hindi tumigil ang pagkatok sa kanyang pintuan kaya wala siyang ibang nagawa kundi tumayo habang nananakit ang ulo. As she opened the door with this satisfaction, she looked at the two asian men in suits na nasa harapan niya. “Who exactly are you looking for?” She asked. “Excuse me, are you Miss Rosa Melandez?” Seryosong tanong ng isang lalaki. “Yes, this is she. Who are you and why are you here?” Nakatinginan ang dalawang lalaki sabay tumingin ulit sa kanya, “Well, we are entrusted to find you, Miss Rosa. Your late mother, Miss Rosette Melandez was the saviour of our boss.” Napatigil sa gulat si Rosa and napahinga ng malalim, “who are you referring to? Sino ang boss ninyo?” “Madame X. That is her name,” sagot ng isa. Bigla niyang naalala ang pangalan na ito. She was known for her powerful position and richest person sa buong bansa. The only name people know was Madame X. No one knew up until to this day who she really was. She knew about this dahil naikwento ng kanyang ina na nagbuwis siya ng buhay para iligtas ang first grandson nito. Ngunit kinabahan siya na baka iba ang pakay ng mga ito lalo na’t Madame X was also known for violence. Ang ina ni Rosa ay isa sa kilalang dakilang pulis at ipinagmamalaki niya ang anak niyang si Rosa. In every interview, lagi niyang binabanggit ang anak bilang isa sa mga nagbibigay sa kanya ng inspirasyon at maprotektahan ito sa kapahamakan. “Sorry, but can you please relay my message that I do not have any plans on meeting with them.” Alam niyang gustong bayaran ni Madame X ang favor ngunit wala siyang balak natanggapin ni isa nito. “Mommy, who is that?” Her child showed out of the blue and asked cheerfully. Mabilis na sumagot si Rosa, “wala ito, it's okay,” humarap siya muli sa dalawang lalaki, “I am really sorry but I am not accepting guests.” Pagkatapos ay isinara mabilis ang pinto. +++ In a luxurious village halfway sa taas ng bundok, isang ginang ang nakaupo sa tabi ng bintana. “Ano, may balita na ba?” Tanong ng ginang habang nakatingin sa mga bulaklak sa may bintana. “Yes, Madame X. Yung babaeng hinahanap po ninyo from five years ago ay bumisita sa isang secondhand shop.” “Already found her,” the man on the sofa exclaimed as he just typed a few keys sa keyboard.The room was dimlit, ngunit kitang kita mo ang mukha ng isang lalaki na halos wala kang makitang mali, para bang siya lang ang paborito ng Diyos. His handmade black fitted shirt ang nagiging rason para mas makita ang hulma ng napakaganda niyang katawan. His eyes were just staring at the corner, and anything that he does, even if wala siyang ginagawa, napakapogi pa rin nitong tignan. Biglang narinig niya ang papalapit na yapak papunta sa kwarto niya and a sweet voice from his grandmother ang umalingawngaw sa isip niya. “Just marry Rosa, my dear. I will never accept anyone but her as my granddaughter-in-law. You know me, Trojack. I don't usually likw people especially those who will be part of us.” But, at this point, isang tao lang ang pumapalibot sa isipan ni Trojack, the first and only woman he was possessed while in the dark. Simula ng nangyari ang gabing iyon, hindi na siya nawala sa isipan nito kahit ilang taon na ang nakakalipas. She was the only person who made him crazy de
“Yes! Kung saan pupunta ang mommy ko, I will always follow!” Masayang sigaw ng batang si Brent habang walang tigil sa pagtatalon sa saya. Tuwang tuwa rin namang pinapanood ni Rosa ang anak habang paikot ikot ito habang lumulundag sa harapan niya. All she felt everytime she sees her son was pure happiness and kahit anong problema ang sumusubok sa kaniya, nawawala ito kahit papaano. Ever since he was born almost 4 years ago, he was her main source of motivation and hope. Sobrang cute pa ng batang ito at napakabait, everyone who would meet him would end up loving more because of his personality. People would tell her na tama ang pagpapalaki nito sa kaniya, but deep inside ang nararamdaman niya ay kulang pa rin ang efforts niya lalo na’t walang kinagisnang ibang kadugo o mismong tatay si Brent. It still surprises her that he hasn’t ask about his father, but she knows that it will come any day now. It could be some time that she would least expect it, that’s why nakahanda na siyang sa
They both watched the women and his kid entered the taxi, and drove off the airport. Bigla uli nagring ang cellphone ni Trojack, and as he looked at it, it was amessage from an unknown number. From: Unknown Hi, this is Sheena. Can I call? Before he could even reply sa text na ito, the same number called and he had no choice but to answer it. “Hey, this is Sheena,” she paused, “well, I was wondering if you are busy?” “Why?” Malamig na sagot ni Trojack. “I have two tickets sa cinema for tomorrow, baka gusto mo maging plus one ko.” He paused and he felt something was off, “Yeah, I guess. Sure. Let me know where and what time we will meet.” And he just ended the call like that. He already felt something was really wrong as soon as he saw tha woman with her kid. It wasn’t the feeling he expected to feel ng makita niya si Sheena sa shop, it was odd. Napakagulo ng nararamdaman niya. “I think I need to do more investigation on this.” He whispered. +++ Madame X was on the sofa, drin
“Rosa,” nanghihinang sambit ng nakikilala niyang boses, “Minolestiya ako rito sa club, please, puntahan mo ako rito sa 808,” humihikbing dagdag ni Sheena. Biglang nag-end ang call at walang alinlangang umalis si Rosa na galing sa kaniyang bahay, iniisip ang kapakanan ng kaibigan na si Sheena Cruz. Damang dama niya ang panginginig ng mga kamao niya lalo na nung narinig niya ang panginginig at panghihina sa boses mula sa phone call. Room 808. Rosa looked at the doorknob, then tumingin sa itaas na may nakalagay na room number 808. Nakakaramdam siya ng kaba, ngunit mas iniisip niya si Sheena, and entered the room without saying any word. As soon as she opened the door, wala siyang nakita kundi kadiliman. Bigla na lang may humablot sa kanyang kamay, and closed the door. “Bitiwan mo ako! S-sino ka?!” Sigaw ni Rosa na hindi napigilang manginig sa takot. Hindi niya makita ang katawan miski ang mukha ng taong may hawak sa kaniya, but she is sure enough na malaking lalaki at delikado ang