Sleeping With My Enemy (Completed)

Chapter 16

"I wanted to hear it, tell me how much you love me." pamimilit ko.

"I love you Alex..ikaw lang..I will love you till my last breath." she whispered on the other line. A warm feeling engulfed my heart as I listened to her words.

I smiled.

"And I love you even more baby..even in death, I will follow you."

***

"Alex."

Napahinto ako sa pag akyat ng hagdanan ng marinig ko ang boses ni Papa na tinatawag ako. I turned to him. He's sitting in the mini bar, at the farthest corner of the living room at may hawak ng baso na may lamang alak.

I approached him wearily. "It's late para uminom pa kayo ng alak, dapat nagpapahinga na kayo."

"Si Cassandra ba ang kausap mo?"

"Why?" I asked back, cautious.

I know my father is unhappy about Cass and I, his face mask with disapproval everytime he sees me talking or texting Cass. And to wait for me to asked me about Cass, when it's already past midnight, alam kong hindi ko magugustuhan ang pag uusapan namin.

Humugot ito ng malalim na hininga, his face pensive. "Bata ka pa nuon ng mamatay ang Lolo mo pero may muwang ka na sa mga nangyayri sa paligid mo. Your grandfather, the late Senator Ledesma, was a known statesman. Hinahangaan. Nirerespeto. That it was already planned that he will run for presidency kung hindi lang siya namatay sa ambush ng mga kalaban niya sa pulitika."

Inubos nito ang alak sa baso na hawak niya at nagsalin uli. "You want some, son?" alok niya sa akin.

I shook my head.

My father doesn't have to remind me about my grandfather story, I grew up idolizing the man. When he died, I didn't only lose my grandfather.

I lost my hero.

"Ni sa kalahati hindi ko nakuha ang karisma ni Papa sa mga masa." pagpatuloy nito pagkalipas ng ilang saglit. " I won my position because of my father's legacy and I worked hard para masuklian ko ang tiwala na binigay sa akin ng mga tao. Pero iba ka Alex, you got your grandfather's charisma and more. People are drawn to you. Hindi mo lang mapapantayan ang Lolo mo, mas malalagpasan mo pa ang nakamtan niya. And I know, you wanted to follow on his footsteps."

He looked at me grimly. "And a wife is a necessity for a politician. Sa mga mata ng tao, siya ang katuwang mo sa pagsisilbi sa kanila, not your secretary, not your chief of staff. You need a woman that has moral and came from a good family background, not someone that can ruin your ambition, and especially not from family that will taint our name. You should end your relationship to her habang maaga pa."

Napatiim ako.

I should have left. I should have not listen to him.

Dahil masakit para sa akin na paulit ulit na marinig kay Papa na hindi nababagay si Cass para sa akin, para sa pamilya namin.

"Did you marry Mom because she passed your qualification? what if she came short? hindi mo siya pakakasalan, ganun ba yun?"

"Huwag mong isali ang Mama mo sa usapan natin dito!" pasigaw na utos sa akin ni Papa.

"Sinabi ko na sa'yo nuon pa Papa! mahal ko si Cassandra at nasa inyo kung tatanggapin niyo siya o hindi dahil hindi ko hinihingi ang permiso niyo. I don't give a damn about your approval! especially if it's about Cass!!" nagpupuyos ako sa galit na agad akong tumalikod, hindi ko ito nilingon kahit sumisigaw na tinatawag ang pangalan ko.

Pabagsak akong humiga sa kama pagkapasok ko ng kuwarto.

Alam kong hindi pa ito ang katapusan ng pagtatalo namin ni Papa tungkol kay Cassandra. He does not realize that the more he forbids me, the more I'm dying to prove to him that I'm right, and he's wrong for judging Cass that easily.