Always You

49

Anton’s POV

“Sir, nasa labas po si attorney.”

I glanced at the clock at the wall. The lawyer’s a bit early today, but I didn’t mind, anyway. I wanted him to be early para matapos na ang ipagagawa ko sa kanya.

Halos dalawang oras din nagtagal ang pag-uusap namin. I just have to make sure that I’ll leave everything at their rightful places. Gusto ko kasing maayos ang lahat para wala nang problema.

“Thank you, Mr. Wong”, the lawyer offered a handshake na malugod ko na man tinanggap.

Sinabihan ko ang isa sa mga katulong na alalayan ang abogado palabas ng bahay.

Bumalik na ako sa aking upuan at ipinikit ang mga mata. Sa wakas, matatapos na rin ang lahat.

I looked at my phone and stared at it. Nagdadalawang-isip pa ako kung tatawagan ko ba siya. In the end, I decided to call her.

I grabbed the phone and called her. I just hope she will answer it again this time.

“Mina.” I acknowledged her as soon as she answered it.

“Anton. Why did you call?”, she asked.

Parang nawala ang tinik sa puso ko nang marinig ang boses niya. She seemed to be very calm nowadays. Naaalala ko noon, walang pag-uusap namin na hindi kami nagsisigawan.

“I’ve made some changes in my will. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Anton, you can do whatever you want. It’s your will”, she said calmly. “Is that why you called?”

“Andrea’s in the hospital right now.”

“What?! W-wait?! Why! Anong nang-“

I told her that our daughter is okay and there's nothing to worry about. Ang kinababahala ko lang ay kung malalaman niya ang dahilan bakit nasa ospital ang anak namin. It will really open the scars of our past. It will again hurt her.

“Please let her go back here with us, Anton. Ever since bumalik siya diyan, lagi na lang nagkakagulo.”

“She’s grown-up, Mina. Let her decide by herself. It won't help if we will be restraining her again."

I've hurt my daughter in so many ways. Ngayon pa lang ako bumabawi. Hinayaan kong gawin ang gusto niya- I even didn't do anything when I found out about her relationship with Zeke. Natatakot akong maulit ang nakaraan, ang kamuhian ako ng anak ko at tuluyang umalis sila sa buhay ko. When Andrea and Iggy went to Japan and lived with their mom, para akong nawalan ng buhay. I felt empty. But because of my pride and selfishness, hinayaan ko silang umalis.

I need to tell Mina about Andrea and Zeke, but I couldn't find the right words how to. I couldn't tell her that our girl is pregnant. Papaano ko ba sasabihin na ang ama ng dinadala ng anak namin ay anak ni Stella, ang babaeng naging kalaguyo ko. It's complicated. I know that she won't really forgive me this time.

I started to panic when Mina wanted to cut off our conversation to call Andrea. Wala na akong nagawa, I immediately told her that our daughter is pregnant.

Then, there was silence. Alam kong nagulat at nabigla siya sa sinabi ko.

"None of these would happen to our daughter kung hindi niyo siya pinilit tanggapin ang posisyon sa kumpanya. Look at this!"

She was hysterical about it.

"Mina, please."

"Paano mo nakayanan na mangyari ito sa anak mo?! You let her being trapped by that man! At sa anak pa ni Stella? How could you do that to your own daughter, Anton?!"