"Why are you doing this? Paano kung totoo nga na sinunog ko ang kakahuyan at napatay ang iyong pinsan?" he smirked.
I rolled my eyes. He's jailed because my clan is desperate to cover-up the mess we did. Alam ni Dad na magkakagulo ang buong Ferrarin kung nalaman nilang si Ayeselle ang nasa likod ng pagsunog ng kakahuyan. That's why they put him instead why we're trying to find Abrielle.
I don't have a proper evidence but I know she's the one behind that fire. It wasn't an arson attack. It wasn't Drystan.
It was the harsh truth about our clan and I've witnessed it. We're powerful, merciless and cruel.
"Hindi niyo ba matanggap na nasa pamilya niyo lang ang may gawa?" he said playfully.
Seryoso kong natitigan si Drystan. He clicked his tongue and muffle some chuckles to taunt me. The danger he radiates is powerful and intense.
Binasa ko ang labi at natawa ng bahagya. I mirrored his smirk in a taunting way.
"I saw her too, Drystan," I said nonchalantly while looking at the policeman behind him.
He looked at me sharply. Nagtatagal ang kanyang paninitig. Ibinalik ko ang titig sa kanyang mga mata.
"Now tell me why you're in the woods..." deritso ko.
"Your fucking sister set me up," he fired angrily.
Arkaine? She did what?
"Set you up?" naguguluhan kong tanong.
Paano siya maseset-up ni Arkaine kung wala kaming alam na masusunog ang kakahuyan? Unless...
"I got played," tila sampal ang pagkakabitaw ng salita ni Drystan lalo na't nanatili ang ngisi sa kanyang labi ngunit para bang kabaliktaran ang pinapahiwatig niya roon.
"You mean the player got played?" I chuckled meaningfully.
Binasa niya ang labi. "Damn her."
Which means... he doesn't know?
Mariin akong pumikit at hindi alam kung ano ang iisipin. Bukod doon, gusto rin ng aming parents na iuwi kami sa Manila. Iyon ang desisyon ni Mommy ganoon din ni Dad. Everyone thinks that we're too traumatized to stay in the mansion that's why they sent us back in Manila.
Everything feels like a nightmare. I am trying to cope up with the situation through thinking that Abrielle's out there hiding. Ngunit paano nga naman kung hindi?
"I already told your father about your therapy sessions, hija..." my mother said early in the morning after spacing out.
I can deal with it mentally but Mom's so pushy about it. Nalaman ko rin na ganoon din pala ang ginawa kay Ayeselle.
Ang alam ko, patuloy pa rin ang paghahanap kay Abrielle. They don't want to give us a proper detail about it ngunit lagi nila kaming sinasabihan ni Ayeselle na ihanda ang sarili sa mga posibilidad na maaaring wala na nga siya.
Nagpatuloy ang pag-aaral namin ni Ayeselle ngunit nauna rin akong grumaduate at naiwan siya sa Senior High. It was almost Abrielle's eighteenth birthday and I'm still wondering what really happened on that night. Anong ginagawa niya roon?
"They found Abrielle," ang balita ni Mommy pagkauwi ko sa school ang bumungad sa akin.
My body froze. Hindi ako agad nakapagtanong kung anong klaseng balita iyon lalo na't sa reaksyon ni Mommy, parang hindi iyon maganda.
"She's alive, darling!" she shouted dramatically.
Nahugot ko ang hininga pabalik habang si Mommy ay nagmamadali nang kunin ang kanyang mga gamit lalo na't pupunta kami sa CARAGA.
Nagpasya akong sumama kay Mommy. Hindi ko alam kung pupunta ba si Dad lalo na't busy sa kumpanya. Kami ni Mommy ang mauuna roon at sigurado akong nandoon din si Ayeselle mamaya.
"And oh, she was kidnapped by your grandma's gardener! Can you believe it? Nasa mansyon lang pala ang suspek! At mukhang kasabwat noong nagsunog ng kakahuyan! They even found out that they are friends!" Mommy ranted while she's scooping her dog and putting her shades on.
"Gardener?" taka kong tanong habang nauuna siyang pumapasok sa nakahandang kotse.
"Yup. Gardener, hija. Hindi mo ba 'yan alam? Hardinero! Tagalinis ng hardin!" giit niya habang pumapasok na rin.
Lumilipad pa ang isip ko habang si Mommy ay patuloy na nagsasalita.
"Alam ko naman na gusto kayong parusahan kaya kayo ipinatapon sa province. But look at what happened! Walang silbi ang Donya kahit kasama niyo roon!"
Mommy hated grandma because Donya doesn't like her. She once called my Mom as a gold digger who's only after my father's wealth. Na hindi naman itatanggi ni Mommy lalo na't sabi niya, goal niya iyon simula noong bata pa. To marry a rich guy and live luxuriously.
"Dapat nag UK ka nalang din, Ashtraia! Gusto ko na sanang doon tayo tumira total nandoon naman si Arkaine. Kaso ayaw pumayag ng Daddy mo. Hindi ba mas gusto mo sa UK, Sushi?" biglang nagbago ang tono ng pananalita niya nang kausapin ang aso niyang nasa kanyang kandungan.
I sighed and rested my head against the backseat of the car. Pumikit ako at inisip kung anong panibagong gulo ang aahon ngayong nandito na si Abrielle.
Chapter 21
Start from the beginning
