“Nasabi na sa akin ni Ms. Sandejas kung ano ang nangyari sa ‘yo, Gael,” umpisang pahayag ni Sir Eric kay Gael nang sila na lang dalawa.Inipon niya ang lahat ng lakas niya upang makaupo siya sa kama. “Mrs. Estrada,” sagot niya pagkatapos.Nangunot-noo ang boss niya. “What?”“Charlie is Mrs. Estrada now, Sir. I married her,” seryosong pahayag niya.Bumagsak ang balikat ni Sir Eric, sandaling sinapo ang ulo bago umiling-iling.“Kailan pa?” tanong nito nang muling mag-angat ng tingin.“Two weeks ago. Mula nang umalis kami nang Maynila. Tinulungan kami nina Gray at Judge Almazan,” paliwanag niya sa mababang tinig.Sir Eric huffed, muling umiling. He knew his boss will have this big talk with his son and his uncle, the judge. “Anyway, nasabi sa akin ni Ms. San—ng asawa mo na may mga humahabol sa inyo kaya ka nabaril. Do you have any idea about the identities of these men?”He blinked a few times, battling with himself if he’d tell his boss on not. “Sir Aaron threatened Charlie that he’d hu
Charlie can't help but smile while she's checking on her new ink on her ring finger. Actually, it's the only tattoo she has and probably she will ever going to have in this lifetime. Getting inked is painful. Nang sabihin ni Gael na matching tattoo na lang ang ipapakit nila sa nawala niyang wedding ring, muntik na siyang mag-walk out sa shop ng local tattoo artist na pinuntahan nila. But Gael held her hand the whole time. And now that she's seen the the final output, she's more than glad that her husband talked her into it. Palagi. Always. That's the word they had tattooed on both of their ring fingers. When all of the chaos they’re facing are over, she promised herself that she will be a good wife to Gael-- loving and taking good care of the home they would build together. She will be a good mother. She'd allow her children to make choices for themselves. A thing she felt she was not able to do freely growing up. Agad na bumigat ang dibdib niya nang maalala ang mga magulang
"Saan daw po nagpunta? Wala pong sinabi kung kailan ang balik?" narinig ni Charlie na tanong ni Gael sa katulong ni Dr. Andres. Naroon sila sa bahay ng doktor upang sana magpa-check up. Subalit mukhang wala roon ang doktor. She's was having an upset stomach for 2 days now in a row. At sobrang nag-aalala na ang asawa niya sa kanya kaya naman pumayag na siya sa hiling nito na magpa-check up. At base sa narinig niyang usapan ni Gael at ng katulong, baka kailangan nilang humanap ng doktor na maaring tumingin sa kanya. Maya-maya pa, bumalik na sa kotse si Gael. Umayos naman ang pagkakaupo niya sa passenger's seat. The car is older than that of Gael's car kaya hindi siya masyadong kumportable sa upuan niya. Sir Eric exchanged Gael's car with that old one as part of their precautionary measures while they settle there. "Kailangan daw nating pumunta sa susunod na bayan para magpacheck-up sa doktor na kakilala ni Dr. Andres sabi ng katulong," ani ni Gael nang makaupo na ito sa driver's
“Where are we?” paos ang tinig na tanong ni Charlie kay Gael. She just woke up from sleep and she can almost see the sky filling itself with different kinds of colors—ready to welcome the rising sun. She stretched her back a little as she roamed her eyes outside of the moving car. Her brows instantly furrowed as she was seeing familiar buildings and landmarks around. It seemed like they were back in the city. Napakurap siya? Are they really back in the Metro? Awtomatikong kumabog ang dibdib niya sa naisip, tarantang bumaling sa asawa. “G-Gael, are we back in Manila?” naguguluhang tanong niya. Gael glanced over at her and gave her a small smile. Subalit imbes na sagutin ang tanong niya, “Nakatulog ka nang maayos? Are you feeling better?” anito. Naguguluhan man, wala sa sarili siyang tumango, kumurap-kurap. She was going to ask him again when they passed by SGU’s majestic main gate. Lalong kumabog ang d*bdib niya. She felt numb for a while. They can’t be back in the city. Lalo si
Ilang sandali pa, natanaw na niya ang dulo ng daan ng tinatahak nila. It was a clearing on the edge of the mountain. A chopper was seating in the middle of it. “Gael, kanino ‘yong chopper?” tanong niya ulit. But like the first question, he didn’t answer. Maya-maya pa, itinigil ni Gael ang sasakyan ilang metro mula sa chopper. Walang imik itong bumaba ng sasakyan bago siya pinagbuksan ng pinto. She’s still confused and full of questions but she did climb out of the car anyway. Gael quickly cupped her face as soon as she was able to stand. His beautiful gray eyes were filled with sadness. “G-Gael…” “I am doing this because I love you. So much. I am doing this for you, Charlize,” he declared in a hurried voice. Her brows furrowed. “I-I don’t understand, Gael. What are you—“ Her next words remained lodged inside her throat when she saw familiar faces coming out of the chopper. Una niyang nakita si Axel, kasunod nito si Jacob. Then her father’s assistant, Diego. Agad siyang pinan
Tahimik si Charlie habang nakaupo siya sa sala ng penthouse ng pamilya niya sa SSL. Doon siya dinala ng mga bodyguards niya at ni Deigo matapos siyang iwan ni Gael. Gael.Hurt raked her chest once again when she remembered her husband. She gripped on her ring finger, the one with the ink on it. Her lips quivered as she recalled every moment she had shared with him for the past 6 weeks. Every kiss. Every fiery night. Every promise. She remembered it all.But now that she was seating in their home—alone, she cannot help but think if any of it were true that Gael was able to give her up just like that.He left her. He left just like that!Tuluyan nang tumulo ang luha niya at niyuko ang kanyang mga kamay.Palagi.She never knew how that word could hurt so much until now.Maiksi lang pala ang pangako ng palagi kay Gael. Hindi nagtatagal. Nang-iiwan. Lumilimot.Few moments more and the front door opened. Iniluwa niyon ang humahangos na bulto ng Mommy at Daddy niya.“Charlie!” mangiyak-ngiy
“How are you?” malumanay na tanong ng Daddy niya kay Charlie. Bahagya nang humupa ang bigat at galit na nasa mga mata nito kanina, subalit mababaanag pa rin doon ang bigat ng emosyon. Naroon silang mag-ama sa mini-library ng kanilang penthouse. Kanina pa sila nakaupong dalawa sa magkabilang dulo ng mahabang sofa, tila hindi magkadugo at tila walang balak magkibuan.Gabi na at ilang oras na rin ang lumipas mula nang makauwi si Charlie sa kanila subalit ngayon lang sila nagkaroon ng pagkakataon na mag-usap ng Daddy niya. Not that her father did not insist talking to her earlier habang nagpapahinga siya. But her mother was not having any of her father’s reasons. Ipinagpilitan ng kanyang Mommy na kailangan niya ng pahinga. At sobrang ipinagpapasalamat niya na kahit paano, naiintidihan siya ng Mommy niya. Now that she had collected a little of herself, she had decided to talk to her father. She knew this talk is inevitable. So the sooner she’s done with it, the better.“I’m fine, D-Dad,”
Panay ang hikbi ni Charlie habang nakaupo siya sa waiting area ng Angelicum Hospital. Doon nila dinala ng Mommy niya ang Daddy niya nang makita nila ito kanina sa sahig at pinangangapusan ng hininga.The past half an hour had been a blur. She can only recall the moment Axel and Diego carried her father to the car and the minute she and her mother stepped inside the hospital. All of the moments before, after and in between all of those, she cannot remember.How could she when her heart was heavy with guilt?Muli siyang humikbi at yumuko, mahigpit na pinagsalikop ang mga kamay. Hindi kakayanin ng kunsensiya niya kung sakaling may nangyaring masama sa Daddy niya.Why was she always the cause of all troubles? Was that her punishment for being disobedient? For standing up for herself? For wanting to live her life?Her lips quivered as bitter tears streamed from her eyes. Regrets drowning her once again.Few moments more and she heard rushing footsteps from the hospital’s entrance. She saw