Somebody To Call Mine (Completed)

Epilogue: Forgive and Forget (Part 1)

"You'll follow us when your legally single, Ken. I don't want to be the mistress. Ayokong masira ang reputasyon ng pamilya at mga anak ko. My children deserve nothing but the best and not even you can break that." she uttered with utmost finality.

I am damn afraid of her words.

Her actions are all new to me. She gave me that ultimatum before leaving. She made it clear that everything will work as long as I can secure that goddamn divorce papers.

I swivelled my chair back to my table. I felt tired all of a sudden. Nanghihina na tinanaw ang larawang nakapatong dito. I took the frame and held it in my arms. It was our first and only family picture.  Mandy and I are carrying the twins as we both smiled to the camera.

I traced the curves of her smile and slowly, I felt the bitterness of my life. Masayang-masaya kami sa larawang 'yun. It was taken a couple of months after she gave birth to our twins. Noong mga panahon na wala pang magulong set up ang namamagitan samin.

I know I'm doomed. I know that without them I'll be doomed. But this is for the best-I hope.

I stayed at the office until midnight. Kung hindi pa ko pinasok ni Lorraine, my secretary, ay hindi ko malalamang hating-gabi na.

As I reached my abode, everything started to sink in. My suite feels so empty. I sighed. Dimwit. It's technically empty 'coz your family left you for the States.

What shall I do? I don't think I can last 6 months without them. Isang araw palang ang nakakalipas pero pakiramdam ko'y mababaliw na ko sa pagkabagot at pagkamiss sakanila.

I stood up and took my phone. I just can't take it anymore. I'll probably die even before the day ends. I need to act fast or else I lose myself.

For the next months, I acted upon the divorce proceedings. I'm willing to bleed money just to settle everything. Handa akong ubusin ang lahat ng meron ako makabalik lang ako sa pamilya ko. I don't need this luxurious life. All that I need and long for is to be with my family, nothing more. But Yngrid being herself is being stubborn.

She's demanding more and more and I don't know if my funds are enough. I grabbed a fistful of my hair and let out a frustrated groan. I had a long talk with my lawyer and he delivered a very bad news.

Ayaw pa ring pumayag ni Yngrid sa offer ko. I offered her a good sum of money. It costs everything that I have on one of my Swiss accounts but still, she's demanding 3 million dollars more of everything I laid down. I vowed not to touch the other accounts, 'coz every penny in there is for my kids-for Calen, Caleb and my princess.

I felt a tap on my shoulder. Napatingala ako sa aking harapan. I saw Dad looking at me with two glasses on his hands. He offered one and I willingly accepted it.

"You can use your own trust fund, son." He started and I immediately shook my head.

"You know I can't do that. It's for the kids."

It's his turn to shake his head and chuckled a little more. "I meant your own fund, Ken, not the one for the kids." I shifted my head to his direction.

"What do you mean?" I asked in a confuse manner.

"Eons ago, when everything between us is a little bit rough, I decided to put up a trust fund for you and your sister. A trust fund to secure your future in case worst comes to worst and God take my life...."

I groaned and cut him off. "Come on, Dad. Stop that! You'll live longer. Stop spouting nonsense. Death isn't a joke, so stop it."

Tumawa siya at tinapik muli ang balikat ko. "I'm just telling a story, son. I'm not here to piss you." I shook my head in disapproval. It's been a long time since we patched things up and everything felt lighter since then. Si Mandy at ang mga bata na lang ang kulang, kumpleto na ang buhay ko.

"As I was saying, you have your own trust fund, son. You have your own money to spend. I placed it in under your name but I never got the chance to hand it over."I glanced back at him.

"It's worth a thirty five million dollars, Son. It's all yours. Spend it to have your freedom. Spend it to have your eternal happiness with Mandy."

 

He's looking at me intently.  I can see something in his eyes, something I'm not familiar."Fight for your family, Son. Win them back and have your perfect life. You're a good father and I'm proud of you for being something I'm not." He almost choked up with tears.

Ngayon ko lang narinig mula sakanya ang m ga salitang 'yun. He never mentioned being proud of all my achievements but his remark meant a lot to me. After all, Leonardo Montemayor is my flawed father and I love him for being the imperfect father 'coz without his imperfections, Kenneth Andrew Montemayor, his son and successor, will not be the person he is today.   

"We're both flawed, Dad. But that kind of flaw made us a better person. Imperfections polished us to be the best. Trials tested us so that someday we'll both be the best we can be." I hugged him and tapped his back.

"You're the best father, Dad. I'll never trade you for anyone in this world." He hugged me back as I felt his shoulder shook and my shirt got wet from his tears.

Leonardo Montemayor, a tough business magnate, sobbing and crying for his son. He's perfect because of his imperfections and I love him for that. I smiled and remembered Mandy's words eons ago. "Forgive and forget, baby. It'll help you live."

And indeed, my baby is right.