The Evil Sister Who Meets Her Prince (Villain Series #1)

Chapter 41

41

"Si Antonia."

My whole body froze with the mention of her name. Suddenly, I felt numb. Wala akong maramdaman at parang tumigil ang paligid ko. My knees turned weak kaya napaupo ako.

"Sit here first," Karus said when he went to me. Dinaluhan rin ako ni Ninang.

Hindi ko alam kung anong iisipin. I can't even process what she just said.

"Naiah.." she uttered. "Gaya ng sinabi ko ay ayokong magbintang ng kahit sino pero... kung motibo ang pag-uusapan, wala akong ibang maisip kung hindi si Antonia lang," she said as she caressed my back.

Alam kong nag-aalala na rin siya sa akin.

"H-How... does she get involved here?" I confusingly asked. Hindi ko na alam kung ano ang paniniwalaan. Nitong nakaraan ay si Timothy Reyes lang tapos ngayon ay may panibagong pangalan na naman na damay?

Why does seeking for the truth need to be this hard? I just want justice for my mother.

"The three of us, Jorelie, Antonia, and I were friends way back high school. But everything just changed when Antonia broke apart from us. Hindi ko alam kung nakikita ba ni Jorelie iyon noon pero ako, kita ko iyong inggit kay Antonia sa tuwing mas nakalalamang sa kanya si Jorelie. Kaya mas naisip ko na ayos na rin siguro na humiwalay siya dahil matatawag pa bang pagkakaibigan iyong kung may lihim kang sama ng loob sa kaibigan mo, hindi ba?"

"I-I once saw a class picture. Magkatabi pa si Mommy at Tita Antonia," I said, remembering that little talk I had with Tita Antonia where I showed her the picture.

Mas lalo lang akong nanghihina nang maalala na nagtataka pa ako noon kung bakit iniiwasan niya ang usapan na iyon. Ito ba iyon? Is this the reason why?

Parang ayokong isipin.

"Pagkatapos noon ay halos makipagkumpitensya na si Antonia kay Jorelie. Pero hindi naman kasalanan ni Jorelie kung sadyang magaling at matalino siya. I know that Antonia has her own capabilities too but I just can't understand why she had to compete. Nakikipagpataasan."

"But all of that were too shallow. Para gawin iyon kay Mommy? Masyadong mababaw," I said, not wanting to accept the possibility of Tita Antonia being the one at fault.

"I know but the bad relationship they already had just got worse when your dad, Enrique came. And this is one more thing. Hindi rin naman kasalanan ni Jorelie na siya ang mahal. You can't force someone to love. A thing that Antonia doesn't understand," she explained.

"But Dad already married her," I uttered.

"Kaya nga kahit na ganoon ay masaya ako para kay Antonia dahil sa huli ay pinakasalan siya ni Enrique. But with what you are trying to tell me right now, I don't know anymore."

"Pero parang masyado pa ring mababaw iyon para gumawa ka ng ganoon kasama?" Hindi pa rin makapaniwalang saad ko.

"We don't know anything, Naiah. Hindi natin alam kung gaano kalaki ang epekto noon kay Antonia. Idagdag mo pa na naghirap ang pamilya nila dahil sa naluging negosyo. Your family's company and the company of the Castillo's were once great competitors but your family is the one who reigns in the end. With all of these? I think it all added up to the igniting wrath she had for you mother."

Para akong binuhusan ng malamig na tubig dahil sa mga naririnig.

"But what about Timothy? I'm sure na may kinalaman siya rito," I said with certainty.

"I just know that Timothy was Antonia's ex," she said, which sounds like a revelation in my ears. Napatingin ako kay Karus na kapwa gulat gaya ko.

The things I found out were like a heavy burden on me now. But I'm willing to shoulder it all just to link all the puzzle pieces that we've got. Even though it feels so heavy, I still feel safe. Kung dati na nag-uumpisa pa lang kami sa pag-iimbestiga ay halos masuka ako sa kaba sa tuwing may nalalaman, ngayon ay nagagawa kong kumalma kahit paano.