Arctic Heart [#Wattys2018 Winner]

Chapter 29

"You forgot to give me and your mom a good night kiss," nagtatampo niyang sabi at saka umupo sa aking kama. "May problema ka ba, anak? Nag-away ba kayong dalawa ni Jace?"

If only that's the only problem, then there's nothing to fear. Kung sana ay magkagalit na lang talaga kami ni Jace dahil mas mabilis iyong maaayos, ngunit hindi.

"Hindi po..." sagot ko naman.

"Kung ganoon ay ano ang problema?" nag-aalalang tanong ni daddy. "You're my daughter, Za. I know when you're not feeling okay. I know when something's bothering you. Hindi ko man alam kung ano ang dahilan pero alam kong hindi ka maayos. Kahit pati ang mommy mo ay naramdaman 'yon."

Inabot naman ni daddy ang aking kamay at muli akong napatingin sa kanya ng maayos.

"Aren't you happy?" he asked me and smiled like I shouldn't be feeling this sadness in me. "Your mother finally accepted Jace. Isn't that what you wanted to happen?"

Parang baril na kinalabit ni daddy ay agad akong pumutok.

Hindi sa ganoong rason ko gusto tanggapin ni mommy si Jace. Jace didn't need to sacrifice anything just for him to be accepted by my mother. I wanted my mother to see Jace's potential. Gusto kong makita niya na kahit hindi siya ang tagapagmana ng kompanya nila ay mayroon na siyang nagawang pangalan sa industriya. Gusto kong makita niya kung ano ang nakita ko kay Jace.

"Dad, do you know the reason why mom suddenly wants Jace for me like a miracle?" I asked him and I can't help but to sound sarcastic. "Jace is giving up everything he worked hard for just to swtich up and handle his family's company! He will do that because that's what mommy wants, but I don't want that!"

Napatahimik naman si daddy. His hand slowly withdrew from holding my hand. Muling kumalabog ang aking puso.

"Dad..." I almost cried. "Dad, alam mo?"

He heaved and exhaled before he nodded.

New set of tears made their way out and rolled down on my cheeks. They all knew about it... I was the only one who didn't.

Did they think that I will be enthusiastically surprised tomorrow night if they will announce about it during the party? Did they think that I would just gladly accept the changes? Did they think that it was okay with me? Did they think that that's what I wanted to happen? Did they even think of how I would feel?

I never thought that surprises can break your heart this bad. I thought it was made to make someone feel loved or special. I guess it wasn't made just for that reason.

"I was the one who told Jace everything, anak..." Dad admitted what he had done. "He asked me about it and told me that he was very willing to help. Sinabi ko sa kanya ang lahat. I also knew about his plan of taking over their company. I was against it at first because I know his passion, but when he told me that it was all for you... I let him do it."

So, he really did it for me...

"Zarina, he doesn't want to lose you just because your mother didn't want you both together. Kaya niya 'yon ginawa," sabi ni daddy. "Nakikita kong napagdesisyunan mo na ang binabalak mong gawin kung ano man 'yon. I just hope that you can talk to him first before anything. He genuinely loves you, Za... Hindi siya magsa-sakripisyo kung hindi."

Before, his love that he had for me was still vague, but because of the constant assurance he gave me and sacrifice he did for me, it made me realize that he really does love me more than I could ever asked for.

Akala ko noon ay hinding-hindi niya masusuklian ang pagmamahal na ibinibigay ko sa kanya pero nagawa niya itong suklian at sobra-sobra pa. I was contented with just tiny snowflakes of him raining on me before, but he gave me an his entire winter kingdom to let me rule his arctic heart. He made me his queen.