Desiring Her

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 5

"WHAT DID YOU FIND OUT?" Cadmus asked his private investigator. "Who's Berry? Sino siya bago ko siya nakita sa hospital? I want to know every single detail."

Tumango ang private investigator saka may inilagay na larawan sa ibabaw ng mesa niya, sa harapan niya.

It was a picture of Berry in her expensive looking High School uniform and she looked like Cherry so much. Pero alam niyang hindi iyon ang asawa niya. His wife didn't go to a Private High School because her mother can't afford it.

Pinakatitigan niya ang larawan ni Berry na mag-isang nakaupo sa Bench at nakatingin sa kawalan. She wasn't smiling in the photograph. She looked sad actually. Her eyes have that glint of sadness in them.

Something might have happened to her for her to be like that now. Something happened that scarred her or maybe something already happened before this picture was taken. Maybe she was just good at hiding it and now, she was in the edge, in a brink of losing herself.

Cadmus sighed. "Who is Berry? What happened to her?"

His private investigator immediately answered. "Her name is Berry Lacsamana, only daughter of the Owner of Lacsamana Group of Companies."

Umawang ang labi niya. "The Lacsamana Group of Companies?"

Tumango ang kausap. "Yes. That one. Mr. Henry Lacsamana and his daughter, Berry, went to the U.S. after her mother left them. Berry was just four years old at that time."

Hindi pala siya lumaki dito sa bansa. Then, why was she here? Last time he heard, the Lacsamana Group of Companies was about to elect a new Chairman. Is that why she was here?

"What else?" He asked, curious.

"She was top of her class. But she didn't show up in her graduation. No reason was given. Lahat ng nakausap ko na mga ka-klase niya noon ay iisa lang ang sinasabi nila tungkol kay Ms. Lacsamana. They said that she kept it to herself. Ayaw niya ng kausap, ayaw niyang may lumalapit sa kanya lalo na kapag lalaki at wala siyang kaibigan, or rather, ayaw niyang makipagkaibigan. She was a loner. No one really knew about her that much."

"Family?"

"An orphan."

So, she was alone in this world. "No relatives?"

Umiling ang kausap. "Her father died when she was a Senior."

"Cause of death?"

"Drunk driving."

The hell? "So, sino ang nag-alaga sa kanya? She was a minor."

"Kinupkop siya ng auntie niya sa ama na dito nakatira sa Pilipinas. She was brought here and went to College here," sagot nito. "But her aunt died when she was in second year college. Drunk driving also."

Every family member she had was dead? "And?"

"Then her uncle from her mother side took her in. Malapit na siyang mag eighteen ng panahon na 'yon."

"Nearly an adult."

"Yes. Pero walang nakakaalam kung anong nangyari sa kanya habang doon siya nakatira sa uncle niya." Napailing ito. "That was the time when she dropped out of College. Something might have happened back then, pero walang may alam. All I know was that her uncle and his son was using her inheritance money since she was living in their house."

Nagsalubong ang kilay niya. "Are you sure that no one knows? Kinausap mo na ba ang uncle niya? Ang anak ng uncle niya?"

His private investigator shook his head. "The son went to the U.S. after his father's death. Car crash. Two years ago. That's when Berry resurfaced again after not being seen for more than seven years."