The Billionaire's Children

Kabanata 26

Saturday came and as what I had promised to Justin, magkikita kami ngayong araw. Nagpaalam naman ako kay Gray na may kikitain akong kaibigan at naging tapat naman ako kung sino ito. Baka kasi pagmulan pa ng away, mahirap na. Pero hindi ako makakapayag na pagbawalan nya ako kaya nag-galit galitan ako na umepekto naman dahil pumayag din sya kinalaunan. Takot nya lang na sa sahig matulog.

"Hi!" I greeted when I saw him sitting in the cafe outside the office. Ito yung cafe kung saan una kaming nagkakilala.

"Hi! Have a seat." ipinaghila nya pa ako ng upuan. Well, I must say that he's really a gentleman.

"Let's order first?" I asked after a while and he nodded in agreement.

After we ordered our pastries and drinks, we sat and sipped our coffees first tsaka ako nagtanong, "What is it that you want to tell me?"

"I want to introduce myself to you, Av." he started. "I'm Justin Storm Del Rosario."

"Yeah, I know your name, silly. We even have the same surname. Tell me, taga-saang Del Rosario kayo?" I laughed. Kapag kasi may kapareha kami ng apilyedo, iyon ang parati naming tinatanong dahil taga-Bohol ang mga Del Rosario na pinagmulan ko at alam naman natin na kalat ang mga angkan kaya hindi rin natin masabi.

"My surname came from Bohol." he said as if he's referring to his father as his surname.

"Oh, really?! Baka magka-maganak tayo!" matagal na kasi kaming walang naririnig mula sa pamilya ni papa kaya hindi ko rin alam kung sino ang mga kamag-anak namin.

"We are." he said seriously which made my face glow in joy.

"Hala! Totoo ba yan?!" napalakas yata ang boses ko nang dahil sa tuwa kaya napatingin ang ibang tao sa gawi namin. Nagpaumanhin naman ako sa mga naabala ng napaka-eskandalosa kong bibig bago ulit hinarap si Justin, "Sorry, hindi ko na kasi matandaan kung kailan ako huling nakakilala ng kamag-anak ni papa. Kaya pala ang gaan ng loob ko sayo! Pero matanong ko lang, ka-ano ano kita? Sorry ha? Wala kasi akong idea."

"I'm your brother, Av." he seriously said na nakapagpawala sa ligayang kanina ay nararamdaman ko dahil halata na hindi sya nagbibiro sa sinasabi nya.

"H-how?" 'yon na lang ang lumabas sa bibig ko. Buti na lang din pala ay na sa sulok nya naisipang umupo kanina. Dito, walang makakarinig sa amin.

"My mother and our father used to be lovers," he began.

"W-wait." I said when realization hits me, "You're older than me. Does that mean we are a second family? Pero kasal ang mama at papa!" that realization even made my mind in chaos.

"No, you're not the second family, Av. You are the only family." he said. And continued, "Our father didn't know about my existence back then. My mother didn't want to bother him when she saw that he's happy with his wife, who is your mother, Av." huminto sya at pinagmasdan muna ang reaksyon ko. Nang makita nyang na sinasabi nya na ang atensyon ko ay itinuloy nya ito.

"They broke up before my mother knew that she was pregnant. Even after our father's death, hindi nya alam na may isa pa syang anak bukod sa inyong dalawa ni Ionna. I just want to be known by my family and you are my family, Av. Tatanggapin mo ba ako bilang kapatid mo? I just want to know how it feels to be loved by a family." he smiled bitterly. I was worried about his bitter smile at inaamin ko, it was not just all worry.

"Kaya pala ang gaan gaan ng loob ko sayo." I started. "To be honest, hindi ko alam kung ano ba ang dapat kong sabihin. Ang alam ko lang sa sarili ko ay I would gladly accept you as my brother, open arms." I thought that him being the son of my father with another woman aside from my mother is not an issue here anymore. And besides, I'm old enough to think about the situation.