4. Deaf ears.

Malaki ang subdivision na kinaroroonan ng bahay ni Nate. Pero hindi naman siya nahirapang makapasok dahil mukhang naibilin na sa security ang pagdating niya. Actually pinababa na siya sa gate dahil may susundo raw sa kanya.

Bawat minutong naghihintay siya ay parang binibiyak ang puso niya. Natatakot siya para kay Elisha. Kasama nito ang lalaking nagtangkang patayin ito while she was yet a fetus. Anong dahilan ng biglang pagiging interesado nitong maging ama sa bata? And he was even so sure that she was his daughter!

"Ms. Hannah Rodriguez?" a black car pulled over in front of her. Bumaba ang driver no'n nang tumango siya. "Mr Sarmiento is expecting you," dagdag nito na ipinagbukas siya ng pintuan ng sasakyan.

She murmured a 'thank you' bago sumakay sa magandang kotse ni Nate Sarmiento.

Sasakyan at driver pa lang ang nakikita niya pero nagsusumigaw na ang mga iyon ng karangyaan. Hindi mukhang driver ang sumundo sa kanya. Siguro mas appropriate na isa itong security personnel. Matangkad ito at naka-suit and tie pa. May hitsura at medyo nakakatakot ang dating.

She sighed. He wasn't even Nate yet pero kinakabahan na siya. She's meeting a powerful man in a few minutes. Olive's description of him being a dangerous man is enough to send chills on her skin.

'This is for you Eli. Mommy's coming…' she thought

Not long and they were entering a tall gate that automatically opened at their arrival. She resisted the urge to gawk nang tumambad sa harapan niya ang three-story mansion ni Nate Sarmiento. She was in awe and lost for words to describe his place.

Lalo siyang kinabahan. Never in her life did she have the chance na makasalamuha ang mga taong totoong kabilang sa high society. So this meeting with Nate Sarmiento that she was about to experience will surely go to her list of unforgettable ones... ‘Wag naman sanang unforgettable in the sense na ilalayo na kasi nito nang tuluyan si Eli sa kanya at ngayon nito iyon sasabihin.

She was ushered inside the mansion. Bawat bagay roon ay naghuhumiyaw ng kayamanan that she literally wouldn't want to touch anything, ni madikit man lang. Mula sa matataas na kisame na sinasabitan ng mga bonggang chandelier hanggang sa grandiyosong hagdan papanhik sa itaas, pakiramdam ni Hannah ay nakapasok siya sa isang palasyo at nakatakdang makipagharap sa may-aring Prinsipe.

Unfortunately, ang Prinsipeng haharapin niya ay ang ama ni Elisha na balak ilayo ang anak niya sa kanya.

They walked past the mansion to the garden at the back. Naroon daw at kanina pa naghihintay si Nate.

She shrugged. Hindi naman siya na-late kaya walang karapatan ang mga ito na iparamdam sa kanya na nahuli siya sa usapang oras. Sa katunayan ay maaga pa siya ng ten minutes.

Napalunok si Hannah nang makita ang taong pakay. Nate Sarmiento was swimming in the large rectangular shaped swimming pool.

"He'll be done in a minute. Just wait for him here," sabi ng kasama niya na tulad ng nagdrive kanina ay napaka-pormal din.

"Yes. Thank you." Ipinaghila siya nito ng upuan sa may two-seater garden table pero tumanggi siyang maupo.

Hihintayin niya si Nate nang nakatayo siya. He better know na hindi siya natutuwa sa ginawa nito.

She watched him with forced boredom. Wala siyang pake kahit napakagaling nitong lumangoy. Wala siyang pake kahit tumambad sa harapan niya ang perpekto at sexy nitong katawan nang umahon ito. He was wearing swimming trunks and he didn't bother to get his robe when he approached her.

'So?' She thought and engaged herself in a staring contest with Nate Sarmiento. Gwapo ito. No doubt about it. Hindi ito artista pero mas gwapo ito kumpara sa mga ginawang puhunan ang mukha sa entertainment industry. In fact, sikat na negosyante si Nate. Hindi lang sa pisikal nitong katangian kundi sa mala-halimaw nitong abilidad sa pagnenegosyo. He was ruthless. Isang bagay marahil kung bakit sa edad na trenta ay malayo na ang narating nito sa hotel industry.

But whatever... She wasn't in the mood to appreciate how he looks despite the small smile that slowly tugged in the corner of his mouth as he drew closer to her.

"So, you're Hannah," he started, still not letting go of her gaze. "I must say you're a lot prettier than your photos. And oh, nice voice over the phone, sweetheart."

"Where is Elisha?" She ignored everything that he just said despite knowing that her face slightly turned pink. Pinigilan niya ring mapalunok dahil ayos ng kaharap.

"You mean my daughter?"

"She's not your daughter."

Tiningnan lang siya ni Nate like he's sizing her up. Tapos naupo ito sa upuan at tiningnan siya mula ulo hanggang paa at pataas ulit. Then he smirked. Hannah felt her knees shaking being subjected to Nate's scrutinizing eyes.

"Have a seat, Hannah," sa wakas ay sabi nito gesturing her to take the seat across him pero hindi niya ito pinansin. Kailangan niyang maging matapang sa harapan ng binata. "Alright, suit yourself but I won't tell you where she is."

"Please, Mr. Sarmiento." Napilitan siyang umupo, okay, forget about appearing brave... "Elisha might be scared right now, please, return her to me and forget any of these things happened."

"That's funny, Ms. Rodriguez," he answered after giving out a sarcastic laugh. "Maybe I'll tell you the same. To start off, I am Elisha's father and you--  who are you? Her nanny?"

Gumuhit ang sakit sa puso niya. Nanny? Matapos niyang maging ama at ina kay Elisha ng apat na taon, yaya lang ang tingin nito sa kanya?

"You were never his father," pigil magalit na sabi niya. "You don't have any right to claim her now when you never wanted her in the first place." Her fists curled into a ball on her side.

"Let's get down to business, Hannah." His lips pulled to a thin line, seryoso na ito and Hannah braced herself for war.

"Right. What's that deal you mentioned a while back?"

"Good memory."

"That's why I'm here, right?"

"Where's Olive?" walang paliguy-ligoy na tanong nito. "Tell me where Olive is and I'll let you see Elisha!"

"Let me see Elisha? You will return her to me!" hindi makapaniwalang sabi niya.

"I never said that. Like I said, I am his father. If there's someone who's got the right to keep her custody, that would be me. So, where's Olive? Where's my daughter's mother?" he demanded.

"I don't know," she answered, half lie and half a matter of fact. She knew that she went to London pero hindi naman niya alam kung saan eksakto. Besides, telling him would mean her betraying Olive. She felt tears moistened her eyes, Nate definitely knew everything about Olive and Elisha already. Wala na siyang magagawa para pasinungalingan pa ang alam nitong katotohanan. But she wouldn't give up on Elisha.

"One more chance, Hannah. Where is Olive?" tuluyan nang naglaho ang Nate na kaharap niya kanina, he was slowly turning into a monster. Pakiramdam ni Hannah ay may naririnig siyang warning bells na magpahinuhod na lang sa gusto ni Nate at hindi siya mapapahamak.

"I told you, I don't know!"

"B*ll sh*t!" he yelled at totoong nagulat siya, he was growing impatient, she could see. "She went to you after she ran away so I'm sure she told you where she's going!"

"I don't know--" she looked at him wide eyed when he leaned over the table and grabbed her arm tightly like he planned to dig a hole on her skin. "If I know, I will tell you- you're hurting me!" tinangka niyang bawiin ang braso pero lalong humigpit ang pagkakahawak nito. Pinigilan niyang mapapikit sa sakit. Hindi nito dapat makita na mahina siya.

"Tell me where she went or I'll break your arm!" nag-aapoy ang mga mata nito. "I need to know where that woman went!"

"She doesn't love you anymore, Mr. Sarmiento. So save yourself the trouble of looking for her because she's now happy with Josh!" matapang na sagot niya even when she's wincing in pain.

"D*mn it! You do not have the right to tell me what to do!" marahas siya nitong binitawan causing her to fall hard from her chair. He was angry, so angry that he didn't care of anybody else. Kahit mukha siyang napilayan sa pagkakabagsak niya ay wala itong pakialam. "Get out of here!" sigaw pa nito.

"Where's Elisha? Give me my daughter! Please!" akma niya pa itong susugurin nang makatayo siyang muli pero maagap siyang napigilan ng mga security personnel nito na parang automatic nagsilapit nang marinig ang pagtataboy ni Nate sa kanya. "Nate Sarmiento!"sigaw niya habang kinakaladkad na siya palabras. "Elisha needs me!"

He didn't listen to her at nag-dive na ulit sa swimming pool.

"Elisha!!!! Elisha!!!"

She was thrown out of the house. And no matter how she begged to let them see her daughter, her pleadings fell on deaf ears. Hinatid pa rin siya sa gate ng subdivision at maging ang driver ng kotse ay ayaw siyang kausapin maliban sa sinabi nitong 'sorry' but he couldn't help her.

Pagdating sa harap, ibinilin pa na ‘wag na ‘wag na siya ulit papasukin sa loob. Hannah felt like a criminal. Ipinamukha ni Nate sa kanya na wala siyang halaga at wala na siyang magagawa pa para makuha ulit ang anak niya.

How could he be so cruel? Babalewalain ba nito ang apat na taon na binuhay niya at pinalaki ang batang inaangkin nitong anak? Kahit man lang sana masilip niya kung okay lang ba si Elisha... She needed to see her daughter for her peace of mind.

Kung akala ni Nate ay madali siya nitong mapapasuko, puwes, nagkakamali ito. He'll know the lengths a mother would do for her child!

'Wait for me, Elisha... I'll see you again. I promise!' tinuyo niya ang mga luha at pilit nilakasan ang loob. Kailangan niyang mag-isip ng paraan. Hindi siya pwedeng sumuko.

At ang una niyang dapat gawin ay kilalanin ang kalaban niya. Maybe it's high time to know more about Nate Sarmiento... Kung noon ay wala siyang pakialam dito, mukhang ngayon ay kailangan niyang malaman kung saan niya ito pwedeng puntahan ulit.