Chapter 1

"Bumalik na sa atin ang pera Clay"tumawa ng malakas si Yica at pinakita ang balance namin sa bangko.Ngumisi ako sa kanya ng walang laman at binalikan ng tingin ang bahay at lote na nakuha namin.

"Tara na.Sinabi na ni Claire na nasa bahay na iyong pera"inalis ko ang mainit na damit na suot ko bago ang plastic para dagdagan ang korte ng aking mukha.Inalis ko rin ang gloves ko sa kamay at ang contact lense.Mathilda who's driving the car threw me a black bag.

"Iyan lang ang nasa lalagyanan no'ng babae"binuklat ko ang laman at mas lalong napangiti sa nakita bago dinukot sa aking coat ang ilan ko pang nakuha habang nililibot namin ang buong bahay nila kanina.

"Hanep ka.Bakit pati naman koleksyon niya kinuha mo?Baka hindi na sila makaahon niyan?"nasa boses din ni Yica ang saya sa nakuha namin.

"Nakaw rin naman nila 'to Yica kaya okay lang 'yan" umiling siya bago natawa.

"Sigurado akong umiiyak na ang mag-asawang 'yon doon"nagkibit-balikat na lang ako at tuluyan ng ibinalik ang sarili sa dati kong ayos bago pa kami nagpunta.They could cry all they want basta sa akin na ang lahat ng ito.Hindi din naman nalimas lahat ng yaman nila and for sure they can easily gain it back gano'n kagulang ang mga matatandang iyon.

"Teka si Alex ba ang kukuha no'n?"tumango ako sa hindi natitigil na si Yica,ang siyang computer freak sa aming lima.She was still busy typing something at her laptop.

"Hanep!Ang galing naman.Kaya lang minsan hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit parang sa kapatid mo palpak ka e"umirap ako na siyang kinatawa ni Mathilda na nakita ang reaksyon ko.

"You really know how to turn down her mood"papuri pa niya sa katabi.Maybe the bitterness was shown in my face and so i just watch the streets getting busy.We'll be vacant 'till i don't know.Sa ngayon kailangan muna naming mag-lie low dahil naging sunod-sunod ang lakad namin,i will have enough time to get a headache.Before we really go home ,idinaan namin ang mga nakuha namin sa isa sa mga safe house namin malapit sa lungsod and near the forest.

The fast moving of the car made the view and the ride short-lived.We we're already entering the gate through the mansion when i notice how tired i am but still feel like i don't wanna go home yet.Mabilis na nawala sa paningin ko ang dalawa pagkaparada sa sasakyan dahil sa narinig na balita kanina.I saw Claire at the vicinity smiling and waving at us.Ako na lang din ang nanguha ng nakuha namin kanina,i sighed upon entering the mansion that looks so cold and unappealing in my eyes.I didn't know that it is my house not until i found some familiar things i took.Nadatnan k na sila sa ikalawang palapag ng bahay,malapit sa balkonahe kung saan madalas kaming  magpalipas ng oras.

"Malaki din ang kinita natin sa mga dyamante na nakuha natin sa isla.Bakit parang napaparami na nag lakad natin ngayon?"may laman ang ibinigay sa akin ni Yica.I put the diamonds on the table and walk through the table where the money is.This has been sitting somewhere safe for almost two months to make sure we'll be safe too.

Sinenyasan ko si Yica na hatiin ang pera para sa aming apat na kaagad naman niyang ginawa.Claire distributed cans of drinks while Yica is getting busy with the money.Tohgether with Mathilda,we munch the food prepared by our presenter and eye,Claire.When the money is already divided ,the two immediately leave and so i was left with Yica at the balcony.

"Balita tungkol kay Isabel?"i blink back my stare at the gate as if it will move open by that person who gave me a headache just a week ago.

"She's fine"was all i can say as per the report.

"I think Isabel is really serious about finding her mom.Bakit mo ba kasi siya hindi sinasabihan tungkol doon"umismid ako dahil sa narinig ko.

"What's there to tell her Yica?"i get that she's so curious about her parents that up until now she doesn't wanna give up?Will telling her that her mom was nothing but a heavy drinker ,who sleeps in every men she will meet and abandon a child just because she just wanted to have the fun ,maybe that will make her give up.

"It's a dead end"mariin kong sinabi na para bang si Isabel ang kausap ko.Its a dead end because her mom is already gone i told her that but as i can see ,she didn't believe me.

Pumasok na ako sa loob and reach for the remote to turn on the lights anything to fill the silence of the house.It's been 17 years,i was 8 and she's just 5 how can she trace it at her own?Yica sit beside me holding her own drink.

"Will you let her do what she wants?She was never alone before,Clay"Yica pointed out.Mas lalong nagiging mapait ang lasa ng alak na hawak ko.

"That's what she wants.I can let her for awhile"because i think that it will be just useless to not let her do it herself.Tama naman siyang malaki na siya,kaya siguro tama lang na malaman niya sa sarili niya na walang patutunguhan ang ginagawa niya.We both fell in silence and let the words freely roam around.

"Konektado kay Isabel ang dahilan kung bakit tayo napadalas ngayon,hindi ba?"Yica really need to confirm it even in my head.I don't really need to know who my mother is , she's probably as worse as Isabel's mother so I'm not really curious.

"Hindi ka ba kagaya niya na gusto din na makilala ang magulang?"pakiramdam ko may nanulay na kuryente sa utak ko na mas lalong nagpasakit ng ulo ko.Isabel is my one and only family and i only want the best for her.I can give her the luxury life that she wants and she ever wanted me to give up what we're doing,i can.Now i don't know why she's so into finding that person—for me it was useless.

Finding someone who left you is a waste of time.There's no excuse leaving a child on the street.She's clearly just a girl who got pregnant and all.A real mom is responsible for her child ,she will never try to hurt her,and because it is her own flesh and blood and so she'll love it more than she loves herself.I never tried to reach for any news if there ever was about my own family.Nang malaman ko ang tungkol sa pamilya dapat ni Isabel ,pinatay na noon ang interes kong hanapin pa sila.

Yica left after using the gym for awhile.Nang magsawa ako  na katitigan ang bawat sulok ng bahay dumeretso na lang ako sa sarili kong kwarto para maligo.Nawalan na rin ako ng ganang kumain kaya naman napagpasyahan na lang din na mahiga at pasakitin na lang ulit ang ulo sa pag-iintindi sa nag-iisa kong kapatid.I have laid the most beautiful plan in my mind for her future but she can still do what she wants.Hindi ko siya pinayagan na mangialam sa gawain namin kaya naman alam kong ibang-iba siya kumpara sa akin.She can have a life with a lot more difference than mine in the future ,brighter and happier—afterall she deserves all the best.

"I don't think you will need a mom for that"i muttered.Especially with a mom like that.

~I don't have anything to do that morning kaya naman minabuti kong ayusin at ubusin ang oras ko sa pag-aayos ng garden.Yica told me that Isabel has been doing good so I've been doing well after hearing that.Halos buong maghapon kong ginawa 'yon ng hindi tinitignan ang cellphone ko dahil isa lang naman ang gagawin ko kapag hawak ko 'yon.Magtatanong lang din ako ng magtatanong.

"It's been just a week"i sternly replied to myself.Gusto ko na lang din minsan na sabunutan ang sarili ko dahil maya't-maya akong napapatigil sa ginagawa ko.Hindi ko na alam kung bakit hindi ako mapakali.

It was already five when i was forced to stop because i feel like y heart didn't sit still all the while i am trying to busy myself.Holding the pot i wanted to take inside the house someone abruptly enters the gate.Nakilala ko ang kotse ni Yica na pabarang-barang na lang na ipinarada sa harap ang sasakyan niya.

Natabunan ang buong paligid ng usok pero hindi natabunan ang mabilis niyang pagpunta sa harap ko.She looks like she just wake up because she's still in her pajamas and her hair was in a mess.It was like a lit to my heart that immediately reacted to how urgent she look like.Without a thought she showed a brown envelope.

"Tignan mo'to!"ng makitang may hawak pa ako ay siya na mismo ang nag-alis no'n sa loob at nagpakita sa akin.My heart raced upon seeing that familiar name on it.Nabasag ang pasong hawak ko habang nalukot naman ang papel sa biglaang pagkuha ko no'n sa kanya.

WHAT.THE.FUCK.IS.THIS?!!

The familia side profile of the guy and Isabel.The picture seems like they were just having a date but this one ,particularly to this guy—.

"Bakit?! Papa'no niya nakilala si Alex?!!"i exclaimed with a great disturbance.There's no way this is happening.I picture the guy with that even and soft features except for his eyes that look cunning.His words that means anything and his power that can send anyone in danger.

"Nakita sila ni Claire na magkausap kanina, Clay"naitapon ko ang papel sabay takbo sa loob ng bahay.I opened my laptop and Yica do the same.

"Shit!Shit!Shit!"hindi na nakabukas ang gps ni Isabel kaya naman hindi ko na rin siya ma-track.

"She said na maraming bodyguard na kasama si Alex.This was just an a hour ago"

"Shiit!!!"not that Alex!!F*ck that!

"How come he knew her?!I never introduce them to each other?!"just what the fuck is this?!Nakita ko ang pag-iling ni Yica.

"I can't find him.For sure, to be able to talk to her ,he made a bait"

"What?!!"God!God!

"It's about her mom"

"Sino naman itong mga 'to?!"the code headed to a restricted site na nagpakita ng mga hindi kilalang tao pero halatang hindi mapagkakatiwalaan.Habang tumatagal na hindi ko nakikita ang mga pamilyar dapat na mukha na nakikita ko ngayon mas lalo akong hindi nagiging komportable.

"You should've just told her everything!Ngayon kailangan niya pang manghingi ng opinyon sa iba?!"

"I told her there's was no way around it.There is nothing left to do but to nod her head dahil dead end ang lahat!"i frustratingly mobbed my own laptop and refresh only to see the result has been the same.This isn't good.That person is not someone you can just have a talk unless you wanted to have a dangerous deal.

"Hindi naman siya nakikisama sa atin kaya papaanong?!"naihilamos ko ang kamay ko sa'king mukha habang tinitignan ang footage na kuha ng gabing iyon.I quickly grab my phone and about to call Claire when suddenly she's already at he doorstep.

"I thought she was fine!"i exclaimed at her.Itinaas niya ang kanyang dalawang kamay at may iniitsang envelope sa akin.Muntik ko ng mapunit iyon dahil hindi ito ang inaasahan kong makita kung hindi ko lang nakita nag pamilyar na sign na nakita ko rin kanina sa mga papel.

"I just found out that it wasn't the first time they talked"Claire added.I feel like my insides burned to death with what i heard and think of the times they've had the time to do that without me knowing.

"What?!!"

One of the pot made outside the country banged into pieces onto the marbled floor.Isabel is always out because she's studying.Alex didn't know this place , he doesn't even know about the safe houses ,Yica and I is the only people who faces him if we want him to buy something because he's a dealer.Napupuno na ng pangamba ang katawan ko dahil hindi ko alam kung anong pinag-usapan nila.

"Claire and Yica can you please help me trace Isabel"i need to find my sister.I need her to be here,maybe they just talk there's still a possibility about that kaya sisiguraduhin ko munang nasa tabi ko ang kapatid ko.Huminga ako at kinalma ang sarili.

"Clay?"

I just needed to secure my sister tsaka ko na tutuklasin kung papano niya nalaman ang tungkol kay Isabel.

"Clay?"

"What?!"unconsciously ,i threw daggers at Yica who called me.She showed me a white invitation with gold linings.

"This comes from Alex"i gritted my teeth with what i heard and get it from her hold.

'I have to set a date for us because i think we have a lot in common Miss Clayton.See you on Sunday @ ********'

Nanigas na ang panga ko dahil sa mga nababasa ko.My heart is bombing my chest i almost throw up.I heard Yica cursed and get her laptop again.

'Be there ,i suggest.Anyway ,your sister is so sweet'