Chapter 01

Artia's POV

No! I don't want to have a new father. I don't want to have a stepfather. Si Dad lang ang ama ko. He's my one and only father. Wala akong magiging ibang ama kundi siya lang. He's a great father to me. At hindi ako papayag na magpapakasal sa iba si Mama. Kahit pa mag-away kami dahil dito. 

I let her have a boyfriend, I let her enjoy her life like a teenager, but I don't think I will let her replace Dad, and have her new husband. Pwedi siyang magboyfriend pero hindi siya pweding magpakasal. 

"What the f*ck are you saying, Ma?!" I shouted. 

"Watch your words, Artia!" She shouted furiously. Napairap ako.

"You're planning to get married?!" Galit kong tanong. Mahigpit ang hawak ko sa manibela dahil sa nararamdamang galit. 

"Matagal na namin napag-usapan ang tungkol sa balak naming magpakasal-" 

I cut her off. 

"Matagal?! Pero bakit ngayon mo lang sinasabi sa akin ito, Ma?!" 

Matagal na nilang napag-usapan? Tapos ngayon niya lang sinabi sa akin ang tungkol sa pagpapakasal nila? I don't even know that she currently have a boyfriend! I don't even know who that guy is! And now she's telling me that they are planning to get married at pag-uusapan namin iyon bukas kasama ang anak ng magiging asawa niya?! 

F*ck it! 

I am her one and only daughter. Ako lang ang anak niya at hindi niya pa ako sinabihan sa plano niya? I thought she's just having fun, finding some company to fulfill her loneliness. Tapos ngayon magpapakasal siya? 

I don't want to have a new father! My Dad is enough kahit patay na siya! Atsaka hindi ko alam kung ilang buwan niya palang kakilala iyon. Baka pineperahan lang siya ng lalaking iyon! Baka lokohin niya si mama or even have a dark plan to us or to our business. 

"Matagal ko ng gustong i-open sayo ito, pero hindi ako makahanap ng magandang tyempo para sabihin sayo ang tungkol dito." 

Napahilot ako sa sentido ko. 

"And you think this is the right time?" Sarcastic kong sabi sabay chineck ang oras. It's eleven pm. "You should have talked to me sooner."

"Well, kaninang umaga dapat kita kakausapin but I forgot to call you dahil sa dami ng papeles na inasikaso ko." 

"Mama, you don't get my point!" I am so frustrated right now. 

"What I'm saying is you should have talked to me about this nang maisip mo palang na magpapakasal ka sa kanya!" 

I heard her heave a sigh.

"Are you at home? Bakit nakakarinig ako ng busina ng sasakyan?" She asked concern.

"Pauwi palang ako." Tinatamad kong sabi. 

"Anong oras na wala kapa sa bahay-" 

"Stop scolding me, Ma. Ikaw dapat ang pinapagalitan ko!" naiinis kong sabi. 

"Go home. We'll talk tomorrow. I'll text you the address, doon nalang tayo magkita." she said with finality. 

"Ma!" Magrereklamo pa sana ako pero pinatay na niya ang linya. Hinampas ko ang manibela sa inis. 

I will ruin our dinner tomorrow. Para hindi matuloy ang kasal. I will never say yes. Hinding hindi ako papayag. 

"I'll secure your place, Dad. You are the only man who deserve to be my father and be Mama's husband." I said through gritted teeth. And drive fast home. 

***

She immediately texted me the address as soon as I went home. She wants me to go there and have lunch with her man, punyeta! 

I have no choice but to go there. I also want to check the man and siempre kailangan nandoon ako para tumutol! I will not let them continue the wedding! Over my dead sexy gorgeous body! 

Alas dyes na nang magising ako. Puno ng text at missed call galing kay mama ang phone ko. Atat na atat, akala niya yata hindi ako pupunta.

You're wrong, Ma. I'll be there, to ruin everything. *evil laugh*

Naligo ako't nagbihis. I wore a black sleeve less fitted dress and put on a dark makeup. Sinadya kong magmukhang kaakit-akit, wait- I always do. 

I read my mothers text again to check the location. 

"Sub division?" Mahinang basa ko. 

"Baka mahirapan ako maghanap sa mismong bahay ha? Baka magkakapareho ang desinyo ng mga bahay." Natawa ako sa naisip ko. Oo na't mapanghusga. I really have the feeling na lolokohin ng si mama para sa pera namin. And I will not let that happen. 

"Where are you?" Inis na bungad sa akin ni mama sa kabilang telepono. 

"Labas ng gate." Tamad kong sabi. Nakapatong ang siko sa may bintana at hinihintay na totally magbukas ang malaking gate sa sub division na ito. 

I pouted my lower lip when I saw the insides. The road is wide, the trees are healthy looking. May taga linis dito malamang. The two houses I can see from here looks big. Mukhang mayaman naman ang mga nakatira dito. 

"Which house?" I asked to my mom. 

"The one at the end. Just go straight." 

Aniya. 

"K!" Walang gana kong sagot. 

Hindi ko na pinansin ang ilang guard na nasa may tabi. Yes, I'm rude. I admit it. Advance ko na. Mas lalala pa ako mamaya. 

"The one at the end?" I utter. Inip na inip na ako. Hindi naman mainit ang panahon pero naiinip na ako. Para namang walang dulo itong sub division na ito. The houses are big and fully furnished. They don't have the same designs like what I was expecting. 

I expected that I will be seeing same colored and designed houses line up from the gate till the end. Hindi naman pala. 

"May dulo ba ito?!" I utter pissed. 

Mas binilisan ko ang pagpapatakbo sa sasakyan para makarating na sa dulo kung may dulo man. Nabawasan ng bahagya ang inis nang sa tingin ko ay nasa dulong bahay na ako. I immediately stopped my car and stared at the house in front of me. 

"It's nice." Labag sa loob kong sabi. I didn't expect it to be this big and pretty. Sa labas pa lang, I'm already satisfied with its design. But this will never gonna be my second home. 

Hindi ko kakailanganin tumira dito dahil hindi ko hahayaang matuloy ang binabalak nilang kasal. 

I picked up my purse and fix my self, ready to go out. 

They are more richer than I thought they could be. Or hiniram lang nila muna sandali ang bahay na ito para hindi namin sila pag-iisipan na huhuthutan nila kami ng pera soon? 

Nice move, but busted. 

"Someone's gonna look for a deed of sale contract." I said while getting out of the car. 

"And that's me." Maarte kong sabi at itinuro pa ang sarili bago lumapit sa bahay. 

"Artia!" My mom shouted excitedly as soon as she saw me entering the living room of this big mansion. Yes, big mansion. We used to live before in this kind of mansion but when Dad died, we moved out. Why live on a mansion, when it's empty and you're lonely? It only makes the loneliness worse. 

I set aside that thought. Ayokong isipin ang mga bagay na hindi ko dapat muna isipin. I need to think of idea how to stop this marriage. Ang tanda na kasi ni mama gusto pa mag-asawa ulit.

I understand that she might be doing this to not feel and be lonely. Pero kailangan ba talaga ng kasal? Why can't she just do boyfriends like what she's doing before?!

Bakit kailangan niyang palitan si Dad? Huwag niyang sabihin balak niya pa akong bigyan ng kapatid? Mas lalo akong na bother sa ideyang iyon. But nah! She's old now to conceive a child. Hindi nga ako nabigyan ng kapatid noon, ngayon pa kaya? 

"Ma." I said toneless. Bored than ever. 

Mom went to me for a hug. Sa paligid ako nagmamasid. Naghahanap ng ibang tao maliban sa mga maids na nakikita ko. There's no man around here. 

Asan ang Conrad na 'yan at ang anak niya? 

I let mom hug me for a while. I admit, I missed her. Nagpapanggap lang ako nagsusungit sa kanya. But the truth is, I wanna stay at home with her. Live with her again, in one house. I miss having a mother who's always there for me. 

Nalipat ang tingin ko sa may hagdan nang makakita ng lalaking naglalakad pababa. Rinig din ang kalantog ng sapatos niya. Mom noticed that and let go of me. Kaagad na nakalingon sa bandang hagdanan. 

A man looking in his fifties, wearing a dark blue suit and his hair styled cleanly, like how a mid-aged rich businessman would look like. In short mukhang mayaman pero baka nangangailangan at sabik pa sa yaman ito. Soon manggagantso. 

"He's your boyfriend?" I asked straight, talking to ma, referring to the man. He heard me, and I got his attention. Muntik na ako mapairap. 

That welcoming, polite and sweet kind of smile. I don't like sugar daddy's! Hindi ko naman sinasabi na inaakit niya ako. He's trying to make me like him. Make me think he's kind, sweet, like a deserving soon to be my father kind of type. 

No one else is gonna be my Dad other than my real Dad.