Hindi ako agad nakapagsalita sa gulat. He just smiled.
"J-Joth?! W-what are you doing here? Why are you driving this car?"
But those questions were answered when a memory flashed through my head. The company he was talking about is the one Ismael owned? He is the company driver for LMC?
Ngumiti lang siya at nagpatuloy lang sa pagmamaneho. Tama. He needs to focus on the road, but what about me? How can I focus, kung masyado akong nagugulat sa mga nangyayari? Why is he here? And the fact that he's smiling at me—that's so unusual!
"Later. We'll talk later, ate Jothea. Sir Mondalla said to take you to Safira safely and early."
A straight smile formed on my li
I opened the door to see the surprised faces of my coworkers. Hindi ko alam kung gulat dahil sa bigla kong pagbukas ng pinto o gulat dahil sa narinig nila. I exhaled as I flashed a playful smile. Nang makita nila iyon ay nagtatalon na rin sila at niyakap ako. Nakangiti lang si Mill at si Miss Ayu. They both mouthed congratulations.At dahil nga sa nalaman nilang balita tungkol sa akin, they asked me to treat them to food to celebrate my engagement. Wala sa plano kong gamitin ang black card na ibinigay sa akin ni Ismael kanina ngunit ngayon, mukhang magagamit ko na talaga. Baka maubos ang savings ko kung gamitin ko 'yong akin. Ismael really is a lifesaver. Nakalkula niya bang mangyayari ito, kaya binigyan niya ako ng black card?"So, how did he propose?" tanong ni Mill habang kumakain ng pesto. Napanganga ako. Hindi ko inasaha
But I realized that after a problem is solved, there is another problem to solve. It is inevitable. What matters now is that I have someone to face all of those problems and trials, and everything will be light. Hindi na magiging mabigat sa akin dahil may katulong na ako at kasama. Gwapo pa at mayaman. Ano pang poproblemahin ko?"Tama, hindi mo dapat tanggihan ang grasya," sabat ni Erl na siyang nagpaputol sa pagpapantasya ko. Natawa na lang kaming lahat dahil sa komento niya.But a smile vanished from my face when I felt something eerie in my stomach. I felt nauseated. Naduwal ako, causing them to look on synchronously."Hey, are you okay?" "Jothea, ayos ka lang?" sabay-sabay nilang tanong, pero hindi ko na nasagot dahil nagmadali ako sa pagpunta sa faucet. Rinig na rin
"I'm here, baby. What happened?"Bakas ang pag-alala niya sa boses niya.I pouted, suppressing my tears. "S-sorry for taking up some of your time, Ismael. Can I just go there instead? I have something to tell you."I am biting my nails while waiting for his answer."No need to say sorry, baby. Why? Is there something wrong? Why is your voice like this?""It was just—" Tuluyan na akong napaluha at dahil sa ginawa ko, mas lalo ko lang siyang napag-alala. Bakit ba kasi ganito niya ako tanungin? He's pushing the buttons of my vulnerability."Don't move. I'll go there."Ism
"Makipagkita ka sa akin kung ayaw mong ikalat ko 'to."Napapikit ako. This will definitely destroy Ismael more than me. This shouldn't be seen by him.I tried to call her, but the line wasn't connecting. The next thing I received was an address. At hindi ako nagdalawang-isip na puntahan 'yon. I immediately went out of the company and took a cab to go to the location Roxsielle sent me.Naalala kong muli ang pag-uusap namin nila Ismael at Sav noon sa Europe. Of course, she would have a copy of it because she's related to Raviel, or, should I say, she's the half-sister of that guy. For sure, she has been conspiring with him since the very beginning. Because if not, why would she contact me again? Ano na naman ang kailangan niya? What does she want from me this time
"What are you talking about?" lakas-loob kong tanong sakaniya, kahit na ang mga paa ko'y hindi makakilos o makatakbo man lang palayo. "Mabubuti ang pamilya ng Mondalla! Mabubuti sila sa akin!""To you, yes, because they will benefit from you, but to us? Do you know what his grandfather did to us? That professor's grandfather produced an arson in the city of Laranez in 2008 which killed my parents. Pinasunog niya ang mga bahay namin para lumikha ng problema para matulungan...para magpabango sa mga tao."City of Laranez?That's where we lived before.Hold on.Arson in 2008?Namutla akong lalo nang maalala ko ang sunog na nalikha ko sa bayan ng Laranez noon. Iyon ba ang tinutukoy niya? I was
"And it irritates me." Ipinagpatuloy niya ang pagbuhos ng gas sa paligid. Nagtangka akong humakbang palayo ngunit binantaan niya akong bubuhusan ng gas kapag umalis ako."Subukan mong umalis, pasisiklabin ko 'tong lahat."I was brave enough to accept that this was my end since I deserved it all, but when I suddenly remembered the thing inside my belly now, I started to become more scared. What if this baby is Ismael's and I couldn't protect it? Would that mean I failed to become a mother? At magiging tatlo na ang buhay na tinapos ko dito sa mundo?"I am pregnant, Raviel; hayaan mo muna akong maipanganak ito bago mo ako gantihan, please," pakiusap ko na mas lalong nagpabugnot sa kaniya."Ginagago mo ba ako?" Ibinagsa
At dahil sa tunog na iyon, alam ko na kung sinong tumatawag. Nakangising ipinakita sa akin ni Raviel ang screen ng phone ko. It was Ismael.Napapikit ako at napakagat sa labi habang pinipigilan ang paghikbi. "Please, Raviel, don't do this. Leave him alone..." But he remained deaf to my request. Tumayo siya at akmang babangon na ako nang apakan niyang muli ang tiyan ko. Napangiwi akong lalo sa sakit."What a ringtone," he bantered as he answered the call and put it on a speaker."Baby, where are you? I'm here at Safira. Where did you go? Hindi ka raw nagpaalam sa kanila."My tears intensified upon hearing him as I put my hands on my lips, biting my skin, attempting to calm the hiccups caused by crying.
ISMAEL'S P.O.V."Nine x minus seven i, greater than three, multiply by three x minus seven u." [The equation described is: 9x - 7i > 3 (3x-7u) ]Who on earth would give an activity in the middle of this terrifying situation? I let out a sigh. I hope Jothea will be distracted for a while and buy time for me.I immediately went out of Safira and called Mr. Tory. The unglorified tears were attempting to bug out of my eyes. What I learned stirs me inside."Mr. Tory, the plan B," I immediately ordered when he answered the call."Acknowledged," he spoke. As far as I was concerned, I was rejecting that plan, but clearly now I have no choice but to execute it. Numerous times, I have kept my silence and done my actions in secrecy because I don't want our family's name to be involved, but here we are now, with no choice.I was about to enter the car when someone called my name. It was Joth, rushed to appear in front of me while catching his breath. "Sir, we have a situation here. I saw Roxsiell