CHAPTER ONE

"I'm getting married."

Napahinto si Olivia sa pagsubo ng kanyang pagkain sa biglaang anunsiyo ng kanyang ina. They were having dinner at a posh restaurant in Makati dahil bigla itong nag-aya sa kanya. She knew her mother would give her surprising news, it's just not this one. She wasn't expecting this one.

"I want you to be the first to know," anito habang maingat na hinihiwa ang karne ng steak na ini-order nito.

She silently laughed bitterly. Ilang linggo pa ba simula nang mamatay ang papa niya? It has just been roughly three weeks, pero heto ang ina niya at may plano nang magpakasal sa ibang lalaki. Well, hindi naman talaga ikakagulat iyon. Her parents have been separated since she was still young. Hindi na niya matandaan kung kailan talaga. Basta't isang araw ay nagising nalang siya at nadatnan ang ina niya na nag-alsa-balutan na ng mga gamit nito palabas ng bahay nila.

She lived with her father until the day he died. And she liked it that way. Since the day her mother left her, nawala na rin ang pagmamahal niya para dito. She hated her mother for leaving their family... for leaving her. And for what? For another man. 

Her father may not be the bestest husband in the planet, but she knew that her father loved her mother dearly. Na kahit pa sa huling hininga nito ay hinahanap-hanap pa rin nito ang ina niya. She had asked her father how and why he still loved her mother that way. His answer baffled her. He said it was because he promised to love her mother until the day he dies. She honestly thought it was bullshit. How can you love someone who was unfaithful to you? Worse, how can you love someone who was not in love with you?

"It's happening in a month. And I want you to walk me down the aisle," patuloy nito habang patuloy na nakatuon ang atensiyon nito sa pagkain nito. 

She really hated her mother. Ni hindi man lang ito tumingin sa kanya habang ina-anunsiyo dito ang "special" announcement nito. Hindi ba't dapat ay masaya sana ang ganoong klaseng balita? Walang ka-saya-saya ang balitang hinatid nito sa kanya sa gabing iyon.

"No, thank you," sagot niya dito. Doon lang ito napatingin sa kanya.

"Oh, it was not a request, darling," sabi nito.

"I know. And I'm telling you now, that I'm not interested. So if I were you, maghanap ka nalang ng iba, because never in a thousand years would I walk you down any fucking aisle," sabi niya dito. "Why not try your personal assistant?"

"Olivia - "

"Kung wala ka namang iba pang pakay, aalis na ako." 

She did not wait for her mother to respond. She just stood up and grabbed her bag, and walked out on her mother.

Nang nakapasok na siya sa sasakyan niya, doon lang lumabas ang mga emosyong kanina pa niya pinipigilan. Napahampas siya sa manibela ng sasakyan.

The nerve of her mother. Walang-hiya talaga ito. Her mother is nothing but a conceited and selfish bitch. Hindi nito hiniwalayan ang papa niya legally dahil takot itong mabuhay nang walang pera. At ngayong patay na ang papa niya, dali-dali itong magpapakasal sa iba dahil wala itong nakuhang mana mula sa papa niya. Lucky her, she inherited all of his father's estates. Buti naman at kahit papaano, matino pa ang huwisyo ng papa niya sa usaping pera. 

She wiped the tears off her face. That woman is not worth her tears, she remembered. Itinaga na niya sa bato noon pa na hinding-hindi siya iiyak nang dahil sa babaeng iyon. Ni hindi nga ito umiyak nang iniwan siya nito. So why would she cry because of her?

Ipinaandar na niya ang sasakyan at dali-daling umalis doon. 

__

"Liv, loosen up. Kanina ka pa bad trip diyan. You are here to enjoy." She heard her friend, Anna, said over the loud noise.

Nasa isang bar sila ng kaibigan niya pagkatapos niya itong tawagan.

"Bad trip naman talaga ako," sabi niya dito.

"Eh, ano pa ang rason at dinala mo ako dito? Di ba para mag-enjoy? Bakit ka nagagalit diyan? Akala ko ba, wala kang pakialam sa nanay mo? Bakit parang affected na affected ka?"

"Hindi ako affected!"

"O, bakit galit ka sa akin?"

"Can you believe it? Kamamatay pa lang ni Papa, magpapakasal na siya sa iba?"

"Well, matagal naman na silang hiwalay, di ba?"  

"Oo nga, pero hindi naman siguro masama kahit na sundin niya pa rin ang three month rule, hindi ba? Was it too much to ask?"

"Bakit? Tinanong ka pala niya?" tanong ng kaibigan niya.

"Hindi rin," sagot niya.

"O, iyon naman pala. You know? Why don't you be happy nalang for your mother? At least, di ba? She's out of your hair naman. Lahat ng kayamanan ng dad mo, ipinamana naman niya sa iyo. Walang kahit isang sentimo siyang natanggap. You still have that to be happy about."

"Hindi. Hindi ako makapapayag na magiging masaya siya, habang si Papa ay naging malungkot sa buong buhay niya. Kahit hanggang sa pagkamatay ni Papa, ni hindi siya dinalaw ng babaeng iyon. So, no. She won't be happy for as long as I live," deklarar niya.

"Uy, grabe naman 'to," saway ni Anna. "She's still your mother. You're not here today if not for her."

"I don't care." Napatungga siya sa kanyang baso ng alak, bago binalingan ulit ang kaibigan. "I'll get my father's revenge on her. I'll make sure she gets the misery she gave my father."

Napalingon nalang ang kaibigan niya at hindi na umimik. Alam na nitong dapat itong manahimik dahil alam nitong hindi ito mananalo sa usapan nila. 

Napatingin siya sa cellphone niya at namalayang nag-text pala si Attorney Ramsey, ang abogada ng papa niya. These past few weeks, panay ang meetings niya kasama si Attorney Ramsey, dahil sa mga habilin ng papa niya sa kanya. She will be taking over her dad's company in a few months. Si Attorney Ramsey ang tumutulong sa kanya para mapaghandaan niya ang bagong transisyon na iyon sa buhay niya. 

"Liv, there are some documents I left in your father's office at home for you to read and study. I need your feedback not later than tomorrow evening so I can discuss it with the board of directors as soon as possible," read the text.

Napabuntong-hininga siya. Isa pa ito. This is one of the reasons why she is very stressed this past few days. Alam naman niyang one of the days of her life, she is going to take over her father's company and estates. Hindi lang niya napaghandaan ang sarili na darating iyon sa panahong hindi pa siya ready. She is still twenty seven for goodness' sake. Madami pa sana siyang gustong gawin sa buhay niya sa labas ng kompanya ng papa niya. She wanted to pursue her love for fashion designing. Isang taon nalang sana at ga-graduate na siya sa Fashion Design school niya sa Italy nang biglang tinawagan siya ni Attorney Ramsey at ipinaalam na nagkasakit nang malubha ang papa niya. She didn't have any choice but to come home and tend to her dying father.

"Ano ba iyan? Bakit nakasimangot ka na naman diyan?" tanong ni Anna sa kanya.

"Liv, I need you to call me ASAP. It's about your mother," read another text of Attorney Ramsey.

Napatayo siya bigla. Ano na namang kaguluhan itong ibinibigay ng mama niya?

"I'll be right back," anunsiyo niya kay Anna.

"What? Where are you going?"

"I just have to take a call."

Dali-dali siyang lumabas sa bar bitbit ang cellphone niya. Pagkalabas niya ng bar ay naghanap siya ng medyo tahimik na lugar at idinial ang number ni Attorney Ramsey.

Ilang ring pa lang ay sumagot na ito sa kabilang linya.

"Attorney, anong problema?" bungad niya dito.

"Well, good morning to you, as well, Liv," bati ng abogada sa kanya. Napatingin siya sa relos at nalamang alas dos na pala ng madaling araw.

"I'm sorry to call at this hour, but you did say ASAP in your text," paumanhin niya.

"I know." Narinig niyang napabuntong-hininga ito sa kabilang linya. "Well, apparently, one of your father's property cannot be transferred to your name."

Napakunot ang noo niya. "What? Saang property?"

"Iyong property sa La Union," sagot nito.

"The rest house?"

"Yeah. Your father named it under your mother... the Lot Title, the Tax Declaration. I can't believe we missed out on that detail."

"What? No. Hindi pwedeng hindi ko makuha iyong rest house," pahayag niya.

"I know."

"Hindi pwedeng makuha iyon ng mama ko. Wala siyang pwedeng makuha sa mga properties ni Papa."

Nagbuntong-hininga na naman ito. "I know, Liv. I'll see what I can do. I'll just update you on this matter."

"Attorney, walang kahit ni isang sentimong makukuha ang babaeng iyon sa kayamanan ni Papa, naiintindihan mo? Hindi ako makapapayag. Wala siyang karapatan maging masaya."

"May nangyari na naman ba? You sound more than a little angry," puna ng abogada.

Pinakalma niya ang sarili. "I'll fill you in on the details tomorrow."

"Okay. I'll visit you tomorrow at lunch."

"Thank you, Madeleine."

"Don't get too drunk, Liv."

Binaba na niya ang phone. Naipikit niya ang kanyang mga mata habang hinihilot ang sentido niya.

She can't believe this is all happening simultaneously. Wala talagang magandang naidudulot ang mama niya sa kanya kung hindi sakit ng ulo.

"That was a little harsh, don't you think?"

Napapitlag siya nang makarinig ng boses ng lalaki. She immediately opened her eyes and scanned the place. Roughly a meter away from her was a man leaning against a wall. Nakatingin ito sa kanya na may konting ngiti. She squinted her eyes a little bit, just to make out the face of the man that was hiding in that dark little corner. Nakita niyang nagbuga ito ng usok mula sa sigarilyo nito. Saka nito ipinatay iyon at itinapon sa basura malapit doon.

"Excuse me? Ako ba ang kinakausap mo?"

"May ibang tao pa ba dito?" 

Unti-unti itong lumapit sa kanya. At nang maliwanagan na ang mukha nito, ay naliwanagan na rin siya kung sino ito.

"Andrew? Andrew Villanueva?"

Lumaki ang ngiti nito. "So, kilala mo pa rin pala ako? Akala ko nakalimot ka na."

She sarcastically laughed. "Paano kita makakalimutan? You're the biggest jerk I know."

He laughed. "Oh, says the little miss spoiled brat."

"Ilang taon na ba ang lumipas? 13? 14 years? Hindi ka pa rin nagbago."

"Oh? Paano mo naman nasabi iyon?" Pilyo ang ngiti nito.

"Bastos ka pa rin."

"And why do you say that?"

"Kasi nakikinig ka ng usapan ng iba."

"Hindi ba pwedeng narinig lang kita? Kasi maingay ka? At dahil ako ang nauna dito?"

"Well... hindi kita nakita. If you did hear me, sana umalis ka nalang. Or pretended that you didn't hear me."

Napailing-iling ito. "Ikaw din naman. Hindi ka pa rin nagbago."

Tinaasan niya ito ng kilay. "So?'

"You're still very bratty," komento nito. "And very pretty."

Natigilan siya. Expect Andrew to compliment her in the most inappropriate timing.

"It's good to see you, brat," said Andrew and unexpectedly brushed his lips against her cheek.

Iyon lang at umalis na ito doon at iniwan siyang hindi na nakapalag dahil sa pagkagulat. By the time she had recover from Andrew's mischievous little act, nakapasok na ulit ito sa bar. Wala sa sariling napahawak siya sa pisngi niyang dinampian nito ng halik.

"Bastard."

Inis na ipinahid-pahid niya sa kamay ang pisngi niya. Surprisingly enough, the feeling of his kiss seemed to linger on her cheeks. And she didn't like it.

"Liv!" Nakalabas na pala si Anna at bitbit ang bag niya.

"O, bakit ka lumabas? Hindi ba ang sabi ko, babalik lang ako?"

"You would never guess who I spotted inside the bar!" excited na sabi nito.

Figures. Alam na niya kung saan patungo ang sasabihin ni Anna.

"I saw Andrew Villanueva inside the club! Grabe! Ang gwapo niya pa rin!"

Liv just rolled her eyes. 

"And I see that you are still irritated by him," puna ni Anna nang makita nito ang reaksiyon niya.

"You don't miss a thing," komento niya dito.

"Wait... why don't you like Andrew Villanueva nga? Can you refresh my memory?" tanong ni Anna sa kanya.

Why? It was because 13, or 14, years ago, he also kissed her without her permission. And she started to hate him after that.