Served On Ruler's Plate

Epilogue

My blood is rushing cold as I run towards my car. As I received the call, I couldn't compose myself. At habang nagda-drive, I am already thinking of the possibilities kung anong mangyayari. Picturing bloody Amaya makes me suffocate.

No... No... She can't be in critical condition.

Tumakbo ako papasok sa ospital. Wala na akong paki kung i-tow man nila ang kotse ko. I want to check on my wife. I want to see if she's fine pero dito ako sa Emergency Room napadpad. Nandoon ang foreman at ibang empleyado.

"What happened?" I tried to compose myself. Fuck!

"Sir!" Mukhang hindi nila inasahan na makakarating agad ako.

"How's my wife?" Mas lumapit pa ako sa kanila. I know no one is to blame. It's an accident.

"Nakalas po iyong turnilyo sa isang GI, ser, kaya ganon at sinabayan pa ng malakas na hangin." The foreman explained.

"Is... Is she buried?" Thinking na napatungan siya ng GI at iba pang kung ano ano sa site makes me want to get angry. No... No one is to blame.

"Hindi, ser. Iyong kaliwang paa ni Mam ang napiruhan."

I inhaled sharply. Hindi na ako nagsalita pa. Umupo ako sa upuan na pinakamalapit sa pintuan. Tumitig ako roon.

I don't know what would happen to me if Amaya would leave me. I barely survived the first, at ayaw ko nang maranasan ang mga naranasan ko.

Thinking of her being away from me makes me want to cancel my trip but I need to prove that I don't need my father's wealth or my father for me to be successful. He just made my mom pregnant. Of course, my mom chased him pero pera lang ang ibinigay niya. I really loathe him. I hate him. I promise myself, I will never be a father like him. If I were a parent, I would give my all to my children and to my wife. I am not an asshole as my father.

For days of trying to reach Amaya, biglang nawala. I cannot call her. She deactivated her accounts on social media. Fuck! May nangyari ba? Did I mess up something? Shit!

Lahat ng kaba at takot ko.ay naging totoo nang umuwi ako. Seeing her letter, her wedding ring, my CENOMAR on top of our bed makes me feel like someone just punched me on my gut.

I tried calling all the people I know pero hindi alam until I think of Laiza. Kaming dalawa at mga magulang lang namin ang nakakaalam. Shit! I was even happy that our divorce was granted a week after my marriage with Amaya but shit!

We talked. She expalined everything. I am in rage. Putangina!

For weeks, I searched for her but I can't still find her. My mother's  company na pinaghirapan niya gamit ang pera ng tatay ko ay halos maghingalo na.

"Pull yourself together, Ruler." It was my elder brother, Lourd. Half-brother.  He's inside my office, say, visiting me?

Hindi ako sumagot. Tumitig lang ako sa mga papel na nagpile up sa desk ko. I even saw our picture near my computer monitor.

Hindi ko alam kung makakayanan ko ba ang pangungulila ko sa kaniya. Her pictures and our pictures are not enough. I badly want to explain things to her.

Lumipas pa ang linggo hanggang sa naging buwan. I feel like a lifeless human. I worked my ass hard. I let my name known. I hired skilled investigators but to no avail. I can't still find her. I have money, but why can't I even get a glimpse of her?

Gabing-gabi. Kahit umuulan, pununta ako sa tatay ko. Lourd has been offer his father's help but I refuse. Now, I know he's more powerful than I am.

"P-please... Please, help me..." I am begging, crying, kneeling like my life depends on it. I need help. I know, I need it.