CHAPTER 36

Sam or Elle's POV

Pagdating namin sa farm ay sinalubong kami ni Lola Flora

"Mabuti naman nandito na kayo. Kumain na ba kayo?" nakangiting sabi nito

"Opo, Lola Flora. Kumain na kami bago pumunta dito" sagot ko

"Mabuti naman, oh sya hahayaan ko na muna kayong mag-ikot na dalawa. Ikaw Kris, alagaan mo yang nobya mo, hindi pa tuluyang magaling yan. Kapag may nangyari kay Elle, humanda ka sakin" pananakot ni Lola Flora sa apo nya

"Opo Grandma, hindi ko hahayaang may mangyari sa mahal ko" sabi nito at hinapit ang bewang ko sa kanya

"Sige na, ako ay mag-aasikaso na ng mga order" sabi ni Lola Flora kaya naman pumasok na kami sa farm at dumeretso sa favorite spot namin, ang lake.

Pagdating namin doon ay naupo na kami sa bench at tumitig sa lawa habang nakasandal ang ulo ko sa balikat nya. Hawak naman nya ang kamay ko at minamasahe ito

"Love?" tawag ko sa kanya

"What if…" I want to ask him what if malaman nyang Mom nya ang may kagagawan ng pagkamatay ng magulang namin ni Sammy at Kuya Lay, anong gagawin nya? But I can't ask him. I want to continue to speak but I don't want him to despise his own mother by her crime. I want to take revenge, but I love him.

"Hmmm? What if what?" tanong nito ng hindi ko na ipagpatuloy ang sasabihin ko

"Nothing" sagot ko at bumuntong hininga

"What is it? Something's bothering you?" nag-aalalang tanong nito at iniharap ang katawan ko sa kanya

"Let me tell you a story" sabi ko at sumandal ulit sa balikat nya

"Your parents, my Dad, Mikka's Mom, Shaine Hart and Aki Mirabelles were once bestfriends before in College. Dad and Annika had relationship but broke up for some reasons. Annika and your Mom were the closest to each other. Then my Mom came back from abroad and decided to continue her studies in the same university. They became close to each other in instant as my Mom and Shaine Hart are step sibling. Annika was left behind as she doesn't like my Mom because she became close to my Dad. Annika was mad, and your Mom was the only one who's there for her. When they graduated, my grandfather from Mom's side announced the fixed marriage between my Dad and Shaine Hart. However, before their engagement party, my Mom helped Shaine Hart to escape and she runaway together with Aki Mirabelles. Both of them loved each other and Mom ended up attending the engagement party and replaced her sister. That's how my Mom and Dad ended up to each other and married. They like each other but after marriage they learned to love each other more. Annika became angrier because of this, as she was still in love with my Dad. She drugged my Dad at his party before the wedding day. Something happened between them, but nothing was formed. Mikka was not my real stepsister. Annika was raped after few months of my parents' wedding, and she became pregnant. Mikka's father was unknown. Annika did not abort Mikka, as she planned to use the child to get my Dad. As you know I was kidnapped when I'm just a baby and my Mom died after that. It's all because of Annika. She was behind all of those. She did not approached Dad after the tragedies because it will be suspicious. She appeared after 8 years, and she came with Mikka. She told my father that Mikka is his daughter. She even paid the person who did the DNA Test to make it positive" mahabang kwento ko sa kanya

Nang tumingala ako para tingnan ang reaksyon nya ay halatang gulat ito sa mga nalaman nya

"How… how did you know all of that?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong nito

"When I met Mikka, I started to investigate her. The first one I found out was her real identity and I became suspicious for what happened to the family of Charles, and I investigated it deeper until Mikka hired someone to kidnap me. When I found out that I was the baby I have been investigating, I also found out about what really happened to me and how Annika murdered my Mom"

"Is this what you've been hiding from me all these times? Is that the reason why you left? Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I don't want you to involve in my problems, but I didn't know that you're already involve even before"

"What do you mean?" nagtatakang tanong nito

"Your Mom… she knew everything… she knew what Annika did to me and my Mom… she supported her… she knew all of Annika's plan, that's why she's forcing you to marry Mikka… Annika was blackmailing her" mahinang sabi ko

"Mom…" bulong nito "Is that the reason why you left me? Do you want to leave me because of Mom?" tanong nito at nang tingnan ko ang mata nya ay halo halong emosyon ang nakikita ko dito pero ang nangingibabaw ay sakit at takot.

Ngumiti ako sa kanya ng tipid bago magsalita

"I want to take revenge..." I stopped for a while and I felt his body froze "Before, I wanted to take revenge to the whole family of whoever the mastermind and who helped out the mastermind, but I can't because I love you. I was in dilemma for the whole week when I was in Amsterdam. I was really furious, first, they separated me from my family and even planned to kill me, then they killed my Mom. Then they killed my unborn baby. I was really not in my right mind, all I think is to take revenge but as days passed, I still can't think of any plans because I don't want to hurt you. I can't afford to hurt you because I love you, Aiden" di ko na napigilan ang luha ko habang sinasabi ang mga katagang iyon

Niyakap nya ako ng mahigpit at hinayaan lang akong umiyak sa bisig nya

"I will help you. You'll get the revenge you wanted. They will get the punishment they deserve. I will support you no matter" sabinito habang hinahagod ang likod ko

"But… she's your mother... How can I… get revenge in your mother?" umiiyak kong tanong

"Don't worry about me, she did bad deeds. She must accept the consequences of her actions" sagot nya na mas lalong nagpaiyak sakin.

How can he choose me over his own mother? I don't want him to loathe his mother more. What will be his reaction if he finds that his mother did more crimes before? How he will be able to forgive his mother? I hate her, I loathed her so much, but I don't want her own son and family to hate her that much and will not be able to forgive her.

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After ng mahabang pag-uusap namin at sa mga plano ko upang pagbayarin ang mag-inang Annika at Mika ay bumalik na kami sa rest house ng Sunflora. Naabutan naman namin si Lola Flora na naghahanda ng pagkain sa dining area.

"Andyan na pala kayo, tamang tama ang pagbalik nyo. Malapit na akong matapos sa paghahanda ng tanghalian natin" nakangiting sabi nito ng makita nya kaming papasok.

"Mukhang ang dami nyo naman pong hinanda, Lola Flora" sabi ko

"Hayaan nyo na, minsan ka na lang mapasyal dito dahil inagaw ka ng apo ko sakin" pagbibiro nito kaya naman natawa ako

"Hindi ba't Grandma ikaw ang unang inaasar ako kay Elle kahit hindi ko pa ito kilala, tapos ngayon ako pa nang-agaw haha" natatawang sabi sabi ni Aiden

"Hindi ko naman alam na talagang magugustuhan mo agad si Elle ng makita mo ito, pero I'm really happy na nagkatuluyan kayo. Kasal na lang ang kulang, at kung hindi lang sana…" biglang nalungkot na sabi nito kaya naman nagsalita ako

"Let's eat. Gutom na ako ulit. Mukhang masarap luto ni Lola Flora, namiss ko to" masayang sabi ko at naupo na kaya naman sumunod na sila sakin at ngumiti ng malungkot sakin

"Hay nako, Aiden at Lola Flora, stop looking at me like that, I'm really fine. Everything happens for a reason. Come let's eat" nakangiti kong sabi at kumuha na ng pagkain

I don't want to show them na hanggang ngayon ay masakit pa rin sakin ang mga nangyari. Pilit kong pinapakitang ok na ako at malakas ako pero sa loob ko ay mahina ako pero pilit kong nilalaban ang sakit.

Pagkatapos naming kumain ay bumalik na rin kami sa mansion ni Lola Flora dahil kailangan na naming umalis.

Ang kotse ko ay una ng dinala kanina sa Lee Condominium, sa penthouse ni Aiden. Nakabalik na rin ang nagdrive ng kotse ko. Ngayon ay sa kotse kami ni Aiden sasakay pabalik sa Makati. Dederetso kami kay Tita Kristel para bisitahin ito sa kulungan, at pagkatapos ay pupunta na kami sa bahay ni Dad.

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"Are you sure you want to see my Mom?" tanong ni Aiden habang nagmamaneho, nasa byahe na kami

"Hmmm, I'm sure. I really want to talk to her; I have something to tell her" sabi ko habang nakatingin sa labas ng bintana at hindi ko na sya narinig na nagsalita pa.

Maya maya lang ay dinalaw ako ng antok kaya naman umidlip muna ako.

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Nagising ako sa tapik ni Aiden sa pisnge ko at pagdilat ko ay nasal abas na kami ng presinto, kaya naman nag-ayos ako ng sarili ko bago kami bumaba ng sasakyan.

Walang umiimik sa aming dalawa. Hinawakan nya ang kamay ko habang papasok kami sa loob ng presinto. Pumasok kami sa isang pribadong kwarto at doon hinintay si Tita Kristel. Ilang saglit lang ay bumukas ang pinto at lumitaw dito si Tita Kristel na suot ang kulang orange na damit at naka posas ang kamay. Tumayo naman kaming dalawa ni Aiden sa pagkakaupo namin.

Pagkakita samin ni Tita Kristel ay binigyan nya ako ng masamang tingin.

"Mom" tawag ni Aiden sa kanya

"May gana ka pang tawagin akong Mom pagkatapos mo akong ipakulong?! At bakit nandito ang babaeng yan?!" galit na sigaw ni Tita Kristel sa amin habang dinuduro ako ng nakaposas nyang kamay

"Don't worry, Tita, hindi kami magtatagal dito" ngumiti ako ng mapakla sa kanya

I thought pinagsisihan nya ang ginawa nya sakin at sa apo nya tulad ng sabi ni Aiden pero wala man lang akong nakitang pagsisisi sa mata nya at paghingi ng tawad sa akin

"Bilisan mo! Dahil ayaw kong makita ang pagmumukha mo!" galit na sabi pa rin nito habang masamang nakatingin sa akin

"Mom! She's talking to you nicely after what you've to her and to our unborn child! Apo mo yun, Mom! Pero wala man lang ako nakitang pagsisisi sayo o paghingi ng tawad kay Elle! Akala ko totoo ang paghingi mo ng tawad ng gabing yun pero hindi pala!" galit na sabi ni Aiden kay Tita Kristel. Natahimik naman ito dahil sa sinabi ni Aiden pero masama pa rin itong nakatingin sa akin

"Looks like you really hate me, Tita Kristel. Though I don't know what I've done wrong to you, in fact you're the one who did something to me. We won't stay here anymore. Ang gusto ko lang naman ay makita kang maayos dahil sa kabila ng mga ginawa mo sakin at sa pamilya ko, ina ka pa rin ng taong mahal ko. Pero don't worry Tita, you won't be alone here now. Sooner or later, you will have your companion, so you will not get bored here. That's all, we will leave now, please stay healthy. Hope you you'll regret everything you did in the past soon" malungkot kong sabi at ngumiti ng tipid sa kanya tsaka lumabas ng kwarto. Paglabas ko ay tumulo naman ang luha ko dahil sa pagpipigil ng galit ko at sakit ng makita ko si Tita Kristel. Parang bumalik lahat ng mga pangyayari.

Nakakailang hakbang pa lang ako palayo sa kwartong iyong ay naramdaman ko ang bisig ni Aiden mula sa likod ko

"Sshhh, kaya ayaw ko sanang pumayag na dalhin ka dito eh. I know na pinipilit mo lang ang sarili mong maging okay sa harap namin pero nawalan din ako ng anak, Elle. Alam ko yung sakit na nararamdaman mo" nag-aalalang sabi nito sakin habang nakayakap mula sa likod ko

No, hindi mo alam yung sakit na nararamdaman ko. Hindi mo alam ang pakiramdam ng lumaking walang magulang. Ang mamatayan ng mga taong nagmamahal sa akin, nang mga taong nagpalaki at nag-alaga sakin. Ang mawalan ng pamilya. Hinding hindi moa ko maiintindihan, Aiden. Gustong gusto ko sirain ang pamilya nyo pero hindi ko magawa dahil mahal kita. Nasasaktan ako kasi tinalikuran ko ang magulang ko, ang pangako kong ipaghihiganti ko sila.

Gustong gusto ko sabihin sa kanya ang mga katagang yan pero hindi ko magawa at umiyak na lang.

Ilang minuto lang ay tumahan na ako at tumayo ng deretso habang pinupunasan ang mga luha ko

"Let's go, I'm fine now. I have something else to do, any minute, it will arrive in Dad's house" cold kong sabi at naglakad na. Hindi naman na kumibo si Aiden at sumunod na lang sa akin

It's time para maningil…