The Lost Billionaire (MBBC#9)

53.

Melissa

.

"We're nearly there, Melissa. It's going to be over soon."

Napabuntong-hininga ako at napaupo sa tabi ni Carmella. Ngayon ang ika-dalawang buwan ng proseso at pinal na pag-anunsyo ng Judge sa divorce namin ni Frank. 

Madison is not with me at the moment. Dianne and Montreal had him for a month now. The divorce is dragging me down, draining everything around me. 

Hindi lang ang pinansyal na bagay ang pinaglalaban ko, kasama na ang lahat ng karapatan ko noon sa mana.

If money weren't involved from the start, this divorce would have long gone.

"It's disappointing that you signed the agreement, Melissa. Hindi mo sana ginawa, pero nasa sa 'yo and desisyon na iyon."

Carmella was right. Even my lawyer told me the same, but it had opened a choice for me to make the process quickly. 

"I want this done and be over with everything, Carmella. I could no longer wait for another month. It felt like I was going to die."

Totoo naman. Pagod na ako sa lahat at gusto ko ng matapos ito. Kung hindi lang sa huling testamento ng lolo ni Frank, ay wala na sanang problema. Pero dahil sa testamentong iyon ay gulo ang inabot ng lahat.

This is the reason why I ran away from everyone and hid in the Philippines, down the mountains. Somehow, our grandfathers tied us to be one to stop the greed of each clan. But it was impossible. I never liked Frank. He is controlling.

Frank bloodline is a quarter Japanese, and mine too. May paniniwala sila mula sa mga sinaunang ninuno nila. Dapat sana ay kay Papa ito nangyari noon, pero hindi natuloy dahil nabuntis si Mama at ako ang bunga. Kaya walang nagawa ang mga magulang nila Papa noon, kaya ang pinagkasundo ay kaming dalawa ni Frank.

Since then, money has been involved, and greed has become a vengeful part of each side. Frank and I become the victims of all of this mess. 

Nang mamatay si Mama, ang tinuturong dahilan ay ang angkan nila Frank. Mas naging malalim ang galit ng bawat kampo, pero hindi pa natapos ito. Frank's parents made sure that my father's company will go down the drain so that he is left with no choice but to tied me back to Frank. 

It happened too quickly. Ang daming kaso na patong-patong ang naituro sa ama ko. The company went down, and that didn't end there. I even lost my best friend, Tina, the loving, innocent one who was once in love with Frank.

When she died, and right after they saved me from my abductor, I ran away, and I hid. . . But then again, no matter how good I was in hiding, the curse kept chasing me everywhere I went.

At ngayon ay nadadamay na si Madison. Ang inosenteng produkto ng lahat.

"K-Kumusta na si Reeve?" Wala sa sariling tanong ko kay Carmella. Sadya kong pinikit ang mga mata at tumingala sa langit. 

Parusahan na ako nang lahat. Bahala na. Pero hinding-hindi na ako bibitaw sa kanya.

Reeve was patient the whole time. We haven't communicated, but I always asked Carmella about him. 

Nagpapasalamat ako sa lahat, dahil alam ko na nakasuporta siya sa akin ng lihim. 

"He's okay. Don't worry about him. He is doing well in his business. He hasn't called me for six weeks now. That was my rule for him, but somehow I believe he knows what was happening with you, Melissa," Carmella sighed and looked at me. She never smiled.

"Melissa, we need to nail this case so that we can move on. Hindi lang ikaw ang naapektuhan dito, dahil kasama na ako at ang baliw na Reeve na iyon. . .  Alam mo ba kung bakit ayaw ko sa mga Mondragon?" Umayos siya at humarap sa akin. Humalukipkip na siya.