Until Forever (Published!)

Chapter 16

It's still Christmas guys kaya may update pa rin! 

So enjoy reading!

And enjoy the holiday season with your family and loved ones.

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Nakamasid lamang sa gate ng mansion si Micheal habang hinihintay si Denzil na lumabas mula sa silid ng stepmom. At kitang-kita niya ang mga pangyayari sa labas.

He fumed. He saw how Mia challenged the security that he assigned in front of the gate to make sure that she couldn't get in.

So he was right. She went back. Buti na lamang at maagap siya. Kung wala ang mga sundalong nagbabantay sa gate ay baka nagwala na si Mia at nakapasok na.

He slid his hands in the pockets of his faded maong pants. He was just watching from the floor to ceiling reflective glass windows in the family den. The glass reflects the sky and the green sceneries, and Mia wouldn't see him.

Bumukas ang silid ni Jasmin at napalingon siya. Nakita niyang lumabas si Denzil at lumapit ito sa kanya.

"How's Mama?" kaagad na tanong niya sa kaibigang doktor.

"Mataas pa rin ang blood pressure niya. Mukhang unstable," sagot nito nang makalapit sa kanya.

He drew a sharp breath. Kagabi pa mataas ang BP ni Jasmin. Minsan bumababa pero maya-maya ay tumataas na naman. The two private nurses, including him, hadn't had decent sleep as they monitored her stepmom's condition.

Kaagad na pinapunta niya si Denzil upang suriin ang ina-inahan kinaumagahan. At mahigit isang oras na sa mansion ang kaibigang doktor habang mino-monitor nila ang blood pressure ni Jasmin.

"Pinainom ko na siya ng mas effective na gamot para bumaba ang blood pressure niya. She couldn't stay like this. Her condition is delicate. She might have a stroke should her blood pressure continue to rise."

He cursed under his breath. Kasalanan niya yata ito. He had gambled Jasmin's safety when he allowed Mia to come close to her yesterday.  Oo nga at nag-respond si Jasmin kahapon pero buong gabi namang mataas ang blood pressure nito. At hindi iyon makabubuti sa pasyente.

His jaw tightened as he looked at the gate again. Mia was there, standing under the heat of the sun, glowing like a rose in its full bloom. Her red blouse appeared bloody as it reflected sunlight.

Halos ay kalahating kilometro ang layo ng gate sa mansion pero malinaw pa rin niyang nakikita ang babae. He saw how her eyes blazed as she looked at the mansion. He could clearly see the beautiful details of her face, and the sharp curves of her body that was  fully exhibited in her skinny jeans and body-hugging blouse.

Denzil looked at the glass windows and he saw what he was looking at. "Who is that?" he asked as he looked at the woman who was standing in front of the gate.

"That's Mia," he answered in a bland voice. "The one that I'm telling you about. The impostor claiming to be Mama Jasmin's daughter."

"Really?" Denzil looked fascinated. "So that was her. Mia Catherine Fernan, right?" paglilinaw nito.

He nodded his head. Despite the situation, he just couldn't tear his eyes away from her. At sa isiping anim na mga lalaki ang nakamata rito ngayon, parang gusto na yata niyang paalisin ang mga itinalagang sundalo sa gate ng mansion.

"She's a bombshell, Micheal..." komento ni Denzil na hindi naitago ang paghanga sa boses.

He looked at his friend with hard eyes. He didn't like what he heard. Humahanga ba ito kay Mia? His eyes narrowed at him, his hands curling into a tight fists inside his pockets. A vile liquid suddenly rose from his throat and burned his tongue. Sh*t! Gusto niyang magmura nang malutong!

He knew that Denzil was a good looking doctor. Tall with big and muscled structure uncommon for a typical doctor. And he was a mestizo, with a mixed Filipino and Nordic descent.

When it comes to the looks department, he had never felt insecure of his friend, nor from anyone of his kind. He had his own physical manly attributes to boot. Tall, dark and handsome - he was tagged as such by the people around him, with eyes that could pierce the hardest stone.

But looking at Denzil, as he watched Mia with a keen interest in his eyes, suddenly, he felt a pang animosity between them. He despised the spark of interest in his friend's eyes towards the woman who had totally got his interest from the first time they met.

"Yeah... A bombshell con..." he uttered with deadly sarcasm.

"Hindi ka ba naaawa sa kanya?" si Denzil na nilingon siya. "Mainit sa labas at nakabilad siya sa araw. She might get a sunburn, you know."

He hissed under his breath. "No one told her to stay under the sun. It's her choice. She just isn't allowed to come inside the mansion. Puwede naman siyang umalis. But the guard texted me that she won't go unless she gets to talk to me. Matigas ang ulo. Mas pinili niyang ibilad ang sarili sa init ng araw kesa umalis na lamang."

"Oh?" Denzil looked at Mia with fascination again. "She has a strong spirit, then," he smiled in amusement. "May guts siyang banggain ang isang katulad mo dito mismo sa teritoryo mo?"

Napaismid siya. "Parang ganun na nga. Pero pasasaan ba at magigising din sa katotohanan ang babaeng iyan. Pinaiimbestigahan ko na ang pagkatao niya. A few days from now, I'll get the comprehensive report already. But for now, I needed to drive her away from Mama Jasmin. I already made a mistake yesterday to let her come close and talk to Mama. Tingnan mo ngayon kung ano ang nangyari. She's bad for my stepmother, Denzil." Napatiim-bagang siya sa puntong iyon.

"Well, it's good that you're having her investigated. You need to do that."

"Pinahahanap ko na rin ang babaeng sumulpot dito noon at nagpanggap na anak ni Mama. Baka magkasabwat silang dalawa." He knew that he should have looked for that woman a long time ago after she ran away from them.

Jasmin was so happy when someone popped in their mansion and introduced herself as Mia Catherine Fernan, ang nawawalang anak nito. Kaagad na tinanggap nito ang babae bilang anak. She had showered the woman with love, and riches, too. Nagbuhay prinsesa ito sa kanilang pamamahay. His stepmother would shop her with signature clothes, bags and jewellries. Ilang beses ding nagbakasyon ang mga ito sa Europa at Amerika.

Pero isang araw ay nagkasakit ito ng dengue. Bumaba ang platelet nito na dumating sa puntong kailangan nitong salinan ng dugo. His stepmother was ready to donate her blood when they found out that the Mia who claimed as Jasmin's daughter had incompatible blood type from her.

That was when they started to become suspicious of the woman's real identity. They secretly conducted a DNA test. At napatunayan nila sa resulta na hindi ito tunay na anak ni Jasmin.

His stepmother was devastated. Pero bago pa man nila makompronta ang nagpanggap na babae ay umalis ito at hindi na nagpakita pa.

That was when Jasmin decided to look for her daughter again. At muli itong bumalik ng Iloilo. They had hired help to look for the nurse whom she had left her baby after she gave birth.

The detectives found the nurse. At isang araw ay nagpaalam si Jasmin na pupunta ng Iloilo upang makipagkita kay Gilda. And they didn't expect the tragedy that followed after that.

Malalim na napabuntong-hininga si Micheal sa puntong iyon. Jasmin had been through a lot in life. Hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin nagiging madali ang buhay para rito. She was sick, and someone was back claiming as her daughter.

Hindi niya tuloy maiwasang maalala ang nangyari noon. But this time, he would make sure that he wouldn't allow anyone to take advantage of his stepmom. Lalo na sa kalagayan nito.

Dadaan muna sa butas ng karayom si Mia bago ito makapanggulo sa kanyang pamilya.

Nagngangalit ang mga bagang na muli niyang pinukol ng paningin ang babae sa harapan ng gate ng mansion.

"Sa likod ng mansion ka dumaan mamaya pag alis mo, Denzil," wika niya sa lalaki. "Baka masalisihan tayo at makapasok ang babaeng iyan. Mahirap na."

"Okay..." si Denzil na pangiti-ngiti lang.