Give In To You (GLS#3)

Kabanata 26

Kabanata 26

Resign

"Did you kill them?"

Hindi ko na mabilang kung pang ilang ulit ko na iyon tinanong. Walang ni isang sumagot sa akin. Lumapit si Maja sa akin para hawakan ako sa balikat pero hinawi ko ang kamay niya. I want my dad to answer me directly! I want the answers with no sugarcoating. I need it!

"The target was Senator Fuentes... It was an accident, Portia. Dapat ay hindi papatay." ani daddy.

Gusto kong magmura ng napakalakas. He did! They did!

"Three years ago, the business was failing. Wala kaming choice but to accept smuggled firearms para makabawi. Nalaman iyon ni Senator Fuentes. We all know he has connections sa AFP. Alam na rin naming maaari na kaming bumagsak pa lalo. Umatras kami sa smuggling. We don't want to go to jail," ani daddy at bumuntong hininga.

"But Fuentes won't stop. He holds personal grudges, hija. We want to give him a warning so hinarangan ng mga tauhan ang isang van para makausap siya. Turns out, he wasn't there. Nauna ring nagpaputok ang mga bodyguards ng mga Fuentes." dagdag ni tito. "You know what happened next..."

"You did kill them!" I accused them.

"Hija-"

"Portia, calm down..."

"You killed them, dad? You're criminals!" sigaw ko.

"Portia, watch your mouth!" sigaw ni Kier.

Napatingin ako sa aking kapatid na nakatayo parin sa gilid ni daddy. I can't believe Kier will also accept dad's ways! Dahil lang ayaw niyang makulong si daddy, tingin niya ayos lang na nakapatay ito. I don't want dad to go to jail too but killing does not justify that!

"You are being used by a Torrealba! They want evidence! And that was an accident. Sen. Fuentes knows that!"

"Accident? Accident lang na napatay mo ang mommy ni Logan?" hindi ko na makilala ang sarili kong boses.

"Yes, Portia! For God's sake we're not that kind of people!" Galit na sigaw ni daddy sa akin.

Umismid ako. Not that kind of people? Then what kind of people are they?

Pinunasan ko ang aking luha. Ngayong maliwanag na na may kinalaman nga ang aking pamilya sa nangyari, hindi ko na magawang sisihin si Logan sa kanyang mga ginawa.

"Now, that Torrealba is using you to get to us. Stay away from him, Portia. Bago ka pa niya masaktan. He will use you for revenge! We are protecting you from him!"

"Protecting me? Are you really? Or are you protecting yourself? Kasi natatakot kang maghiganti si Logan sa inyo?"

"Portia!" sigaw ni Kier sa akin. "Stop it! I don't want you to be with that man too! Not because of what happened but because of his intentions. I know how fragile you are at pinagsasamantalahan niya iyon."

Hindi ako makapagsalita. Nailipat ko ang aking tingin kay Kier na ngayon ay galit na rin. Nagpapakita ang ugat sa kanyang noo at sa kanyang leeg dahil sa pagpapangaral sa akin.

"You think he did not research about you? Alam niya ang buong pagkatao mo. Alam niya na kayo ni Clyde. Alam niya ang lahat ng tungkol sa'yo and he will use it against you."

Umiling ako. I got his point. I got everyone's point. I just can't believe that my family was capable of doing that to anyone. Ang pumatay ng tao ay napakalaking kasalanan.

"Leave him, Portia. I don't know what's in between you two but please, leave... Leave before this even complicates," ani Kier.

I already left, Kier. Hindi niyo na kailangang sabihin sa akin iyan. Hindi ko na kailangan ng payo galing sa kanila. I know what to do.