Kanina pa pinagmamasdan ni Charlie ang bintana ng beach house. Mabigat ang dibdib niya habang hinihintay ang pagsikat ng araw.She had been awake for some time now but she cannot move—not when Gael was still fast asleep beside her and one of his arm was circled on her waist.She closed her eyes and tried to memorize the feel of his warmth against her skin, the way he breathed and the way his heart beats against his chest.She will take all of that too… as a memory.Their tomorrow has ended last night. And today, they must part ways.She bit lower lip when a wave of hurt rose from her chest. She had dreamed of spending the rest of her days with Gael when they got married in haste five years ago… but there she is, saying goodbye to Gael for one last time.She felt Gael stirred, his hand tightening around her waist. He gently grazed his lips of her shoulder and said, “Goodmorning.”She smiled through her unshed tears. It was morning now indeed.“It stopped raining,” bulong niya.Muling h
Charlie stood between silent chaos and fire for a while. She just stared at her Dad and Grandpa and feeling Gael’s presence behind her. She didn't know what to do. She willed her mind to think, to do something… anything! But her logic faltered and so she just chose to surrender to the uncomfortable silence.Maya-maya pa, tumunog ang cellphone ni Jacob. “Yes, Sir. She’s with Gael, indeed.”Whom was he talking to? Was it Gray? Or Sir Eric?And indeed? Were they just checking if she’s there or not? For some random chance was someone close to her knew that she’s with Gael?Pero sino naman? She was careful when she left Manila yesterday. Wala siyamg pinagsabihin ni isa. Lalo tuloy siyang naguluhan dahil marami na namang tanong na wala na namang kasagutan. Subalit mabilis din na nawala ang mga iyon sa isip niya nang magsalita ang Daddy niya.“Charlie, let’s go home,” anito, ang mga mata nakatutok sa kanya. Her father’s face was void of any emotion but she can hear the disappointment in h
Her father’s brows furrowed further, the confusion in his eyes grew. Sensing her father will never say another word, nagpatuloy siya sa pagsasalita. “It's okay, Dad. I could never think of you as a murderer. And even involve T’yo Berting just to get back at Gael. I knew you will not go that far. I know you were just trying to take me back but I was stubborn and… “ Muli siyang humikbi, napuno ng pagsisisi ang dibdib. “You should’ve told me as soon as Gael came back, Charlie. Kahit na hindi sa akin agad. Kahit na sa Mommy mo man lang o sa Uncle Joshua mo,” pukaw ng Daddy niya sa kanya, maya-maya.“I-I got scared, Dad. I’m sorry. You almost died on me and…” She shook her head. The memory still scares her beyond her wits. Nagpapaalala sa mga kasalanan niya na dapat niyang pagbayaran. Muli siyang napahikbi.Walang nang sinayang pa na oras ang Daddy niya. Mabilis siya nitong kinabig payakap at doon siya sa dibdib nito tuluyang humagulgol.“I-I was so afraid of you dying, Dad. I-I woul
“Will you not say anything, Gael?” pukaw ng lolo ni Gael sa kanya nang manatili siyang tahimik pagkalipas ng ilang sandali dahil sa sinabi nitong balita. “Aren’t you happy that I’ve bought you the perfect weapon to exact your revenge against the Sandejas family?”He gritted his teeth, fury slowly overcoming him. Kung noon siguro 'yon ginawa ng lolo niya, noong hindi pa siya bumabalik sa Maynila, he might have consider it. But not right now. Not when he was not the same man who's only after revenge when he left Germany almost two months ago.He is far from elated right now. Truth be told, he is pissed! He wanted to yell and curse at his grandfather. Tell him how he fcked up everything that he planned for him and Charlize. Tell him how wrong he is in doing things he didn’t even ask for him to do. And how close he is from severing ties with him right now for wanting the downfall of the very woman he had learned to loved twice in his damned lifetime!Last night, for the first time in five
Ang malakas na pagtunog ng cellphone ni Charlie ang nagpagising sa kanya bandang alas-dos ng hapon. She opened her eyes and looked at her son who was still sleeping beside her. She gave a faint smile and gently caressed Levi's cherub cheeks. Her son stirred a little, subalit muli ring bumalik sa pagtulog. Patamad niyang inabot ang kanyang cellphone sa bedside drawer. She huffed when Maria's name registered on her phone's screen. "Yes, Maria--" "M-Ma'am, nasaan po kayo? M-may problema po kasi dito sa cruise line. A-ano po kasi..." Her brows furrowed. Hindi niya kasi masyadong maintindihan ang sinasabi ng sekretarya, there were too many noises on the background. Maingat na siyang tumayo mula sa kama at naglakad patungo sa bathroom. "Can you repeat that, Maria? I didn't hear you the first time," sabi niya. Subalit hindi sumagot si Maria. Ilang sandali pa, she heard a crushing sound on the phone, followed by Maria's scream. "Maria, what's happennig? Maria are you still there?" na
"Are you okay?" nag-aalalang tanong ni Gray kay Gael habang nakatutok ang mga mata niya sa mga dokumento na binabasa niya. He was staring at the reports about himself, Alaric and Lena. He had been doing that for almost half an hour now, reading the damn thing over and over na parang magbabago pa ang nakasulat doon kapag ginawa niya 'yon. Reading a report about himself for the first time felt weird. But reading a new report about him made him feel livid. Why wouldn't he, when those reports about himself for five years were extremely incomplete compared to the one he's reading now. Lahat ng mga tanong niya noon tungkol sa sarili niya na hindi nasagot ng naunang report na binigay sa kanya, nakapaloob lahat sa bagong report na kabibigay lang ni Gray sa kanya. All those random flashes of memories he had been seeing for a while now, the sudden jolts of muscle reflex and energy he felt whenever he faced things related to his former hobby or job, and the intense pain he felt whenever Ch
Gael opened his eyes only to close it again when he was met by a bright glaring light coming from the ceiling of room he was in. He feels light and heavy at the same time which doesn't really make any sense! Where was he anyway? What happened to him? Few moments more and he heard rushing footsteps toward him. "S-Sir, are you okay?" said the familiar voice. When he pried his eyes open again, he saw the familiar face of his assistant Hugo. "Let me call the doctor," sabi pa nito bago nagmamadaling lumabas ng silid. And just like that, the events of the day replayed in his mind like a movie that never ends. Ang muli nilang pagkikita nina Sir Joseph at Sir Aaron, ang resulta ng pinagawa niyang imbesigasyon kay Gray, and pagsugod niya sa SSL Cruise upang daluhan si Charlie at... Agad siyang napabalikwas ng bangon sa hospital bed nang maalala ang huling eksenang naaalala niya bago siya nawalan ng malay kanina. Charlie was unconscious and bleeding! Awtomatikong tinambol ng kaba ang kan
"Mommy, are you going home tonight?" tanong ni Levi kay Charlie habang marahang hinahaplos ng anak ang kanyang pisngi. She forced a smile and kissed the back of her son's other hand. "I'm not sure, sweetheart." Levi's lower lip quivered. "But I want to sleep beside you tonight, Mommy," anang anak lalong lumabi. Guilt instantly filled her chest. Kababalik lang ng anak sa bansa at ngayon lang sila nagkita matapos ang ilang buwan subalit ni hindi agad sila makakapag-bonding na mag-ina dahil na-ospital naman siya. Kung sana ay hindi siya nagpadalus-dalus kanina, wala siguro siya sa sitwasyon ngayon. But what's done is done. And she must face the consequences of her hasty decisions. She reached for Levi's face, ang gently carressed the cherub cheeks of her son. Habang tumatagal lalong nagiging kamukha ni Gael ang anak nila. Funny how she hates Gael and loves their son, who looks just like him, so much.Well, they are two different persons, pagdadahilan ni Charlie sa kanyang isip. G