"I may not know everything but one thing is for sure, you lied and that, it hurts her big time" — Evander Vestager
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EVANDER froze at the moment. They knew each other? When? This somewhat surprised him, really.
Ngunit agad na nanlaki ang kanyang mga mata nang makita ang ginawa ni Illyza. She just slapped him, and oh dude real hard. The marks of her hand is very obvious on his handsome face.
"I almost..." Her voice is shaky of too much anger. "Almost believe that you're different..." She shook her head and pointed him out. "But no..." She poked his chest. "You're worst than I ever imagined." She said emphatically. Her vision is blurry because of the tears she's been holding for a quite while now. "Thank you, thank you for the time you spare with me... Vaughn." She nodded. "You lied, yeah, but still grateful because I enjoyed those moments with you." She glanced at Evander, ngumiti siya ng pilit rito. They are brothers. Kaya pala malaki ang pagkakahawig nila. Muling bumaling ang kanyang mga mata kay Vaughn. "Tell me, everything you showed me... were they all lies?"
Hindi parin makapagsalita si Vaughn. Hindi niya alam pero, nahiya siya sa kanyang ginawa. He just lied to her, and it's a mistake. A big mistake.
Humugot ng hininga si Illyza at tumalikod. She can't take it anymore. Sabay-sabay na nagbagsakan ang kanyang mga luha nang umalis. Pasalamat nalang siya nang hindi sila nakaagaw ng atensyon. Good thing she chose a better spot.
Mabilis naman itong sinundan ni Evander hanggang labas pero hindi na niya ito naabutan nang mabilis itong nakasakay ng taxi. He turned his back to see Vaughn standing a few distance away from him.
"You won't run after her?" Tinuro pa nito ang daan kung saan nagtungo ang taxi na sinakyan ng babae.
"No"
Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Evander sa sagot nito.
"You won't apologize?"
"Why would I?"
"Brah! You deceived her!! She deserves your sorry at least!" Mariing sabi nito.
Vaughn twitched his brows and stood coolly. He inserted both hands in his pocket. He stared back at his brother sarcastically, as if he cares. She's just a nobody.
"She's a friend brah! How could you be this cruel, huh!" Anang Evander nang makitang prente lang nakatayo ang nakakatandang kapatid.
"She's a friend?? She's just an acquaintance Evander." Wala lang nitong sabi.
"Whatever it is, you don't have the right to hurt her! Worst is you deceived her! You pretended to be Vann when you're actually Vaughn! Huh! What else lie have you been done to her?" Nangangalaita nasa galit ang lalaki ngunit parang wala lang pakialam si Vaughn.
Oo, inaamin niyang nasaktan niya ito, but he's not guilty. Call him devil, he don't care. Bato na ang puso niya at wala siyang pakialam. Nakita pa nga niya itong pigil na pigil ang luha kanina but his pride overwhelmed him. He will never ask for forgiveness to someone especially to her, she's still a nobody for him. At saka, malakas ang kompyansa niyang hindi na niya itong makikita pang muli kaya okay lang. But a part of him felt pity for her, she's different from the girls he had met here. She's the first woman who provoke the inner him. Pero kahit gano'n, nangunguna padin ang pride niya.
"You're mad. Why are you acting like this, do you like her?" Vaughn said in a very cold tone.
Tumaas ang sulok ng labi ni Evander at galit na galit na tinignan ang nakakatandang kapatid.
"I like her as a friend,"
"Oh? But your action says otherwise."
Evander cocked his brows and mock over Vaughn. "You got the wrong interpretation of my action."
Tumaas ang sulok ng labi ni Vaughn sa sinabi ng kapatid. Tumango-tango siya.
"You won't punch me? I hurt your friend." He said sarcastically.
Hindi nakatakas sa mga mata ni Vaughn ang pagkuyom ng mga kamay ng kapatid, halatang-halata na galit ito.
"I'm not as narrow-minded as you." Lumapit ito sa kanya at nakipagsukatan ng tingin. "I may not know everything but one thing is for sure, you lied and that, it hurts her big time."
-----
PAGKATAPOS mag-empake ay tuloy-tuloy parin ang luhang umagos sa mga mata ni Illyza. Aalis na siya sa lugar na ito at kahit kailan hinding-hindi na siya babalik pa. Napakamalas na lugar ito para sa kanya. Sa lugar na 'to nawala ang pinakaiingatan niya dahil sa katangahan niya at ngayon, niloko pa siya ng lalaking inakala niyang iba sa lahat ng lalaking nakilala niya... ng lalaking inakala niyang iba din kay Kevin.
Ngumiti siya ng mapait. Niloko siya, at nagpaloko naman siya. Siya na talaga ang dakilang tanga, kung bakit ang dali niyang maniwala? 'Di porket nakapasok siya sa pribadong buhay nito ay hindi na siya lolokohin nito. Hindi pa niya ito lubos na nakikilala ngunit ang dali niyang naniwala tuloy nasaktan siya ng sobra. May mga tao talagang paglalaruan ka, papaikutin at lolokohin pagkatapos. And she's one of them. Malas siya, dahil nakuha nito ang pinakaiingatan niya. Lubos niya itong pinag-ingatan, even if she loves Kevin hindi niya ito isinuko sa lalaki, but to Vaughn? Sobrang bilis niyang binigay. She wanted to be clean, she wanted to be a virgin bride but it won't happen anymore dahil wala na ito.
Napahagulhol siya. Bakit ba sobrang tanga niya? Bakit ba parati nalang ganito ang buhay niya? Panandalian lang siyang sasaya pagkatapos ay babalik na naman sa kalungkutan.
Huminga siya ng malalim at kinalma ang sarili. Naguguluhan siya, inaamin niyang mahal niya si Kevin but why does she felt this kind of pain towards Vaughn? Umiling-iling siya.
She took her phone and turned it on. In-off kasi niya ito kanina dahil tawag ng tawag sa kanya si Evander and it's quite irritating. She received messages from him but she never bothers to read. She deleted everything and block him. Alam niyang walang kasalanan si Evander sa nangyari but she can't help it, magkapatid parin sila ni Vaughn.
Illyza waited for minutes before she got up. She should leave this hotel now and find anew place to stay, probably a motel before she goes back to the Philippines. There's a part of her expecting that he'll run after her and apologize but, she shook the thoughts off, she rather not expect.
-----
IT'S been 3 days after the incident. Vaughn took a deep breath before he stepped on the rung of the ladder going down to the ground of Colorado.
Oh how he missed this place. Dito sa lugar na 'to siya lumaki at namulat. Isang taon na mula no'ng huli niyang tapak dito, at isang taon nadin na hindi niya nakikita ang mga magulang. Kumusta na kaya sila? Tumaas ang sulok ng kanyang labi. His wicked parents.
He shook the thoughts off at sumakay na sa kanyang nakahandang sasakyan. As he drove his way home, bumalik lahat ng ala-ala niya sa lugar. Lalo na nang madaanan niya ang Air Force Academy, sobrang bigat ng nararamdaman niya. Matindi ang pagkakahawak niya sa manibela, gusto niyang pumatay ng tao. Pakiramdam niya nabaliwala lahat ng mga pinaghirapan niya.
Nang makarating siya sa kanila, mariing naglapat ang kanyang mga labi. Bago pa siya pumasok sa napakagarang gate huminto muna siya sa may di kalayuan. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes tightly, minutes from now he'll enter that huge gate and his gonna see the people he cursed to death.
-----
NAKANGITI siya habang nanonood ng Filipino movie na ang bidang babae ay ang pinakapaborito niyang artista nasi Illyza Martin. This movie is her latest movie shoot in Italy. Kahit ilang beses niya itong panoorin ay hindi parin siya nagsasawa.
Illyza is indeed a beautiful woman and is good in acting. Palagi niya itong sinubaybayan, she even bought DVD's of her dahil sobrang idol niya talaga ito.
Huminga siya ng malalim at kinuha ang baso ng juice na nasa center table. Kasalukuyan siyang nasa mansyon ng mga Vestager ngayon nanonood ng pelikula. She's too focus on what she's watching when she heard the housemaids chatting behind. Tumaas ang kilay niya at nilingon ang likod pagkatapos ay tinawag ang dalawa.
"Hey! You two, what makes you both noisy huh?" Mataray niyang sabi.
Yumuko ang dalawa at humingi ng paumanhin. Pinalapit niya ito.
"You both looked uneasy. What is the problem?"
Sasagot na sana ang dalawa nang may narinig silang yabag ng mga paa sa likuran.
Her heart beats erratically. She don't know who's the person behind but her heart reacts on the mere fact of hearing the footsteps. It beats on one person only.
She grinned and got up. Nang lingunin niya ang likod ay tama nga ang hinala ng puso niya.
"Vaughn!" She exclaimed. Tumakbo siya rito at niyakap. There's a sheen of happiness in her eyes. For one year, ngayon niya ulit ito nakita.
Mabilis na umalis ang dalawang katulong naiwan silang dalawa.
"Willa Jenica"
Banggit ni Vaughn sa pangalan ng babae. He was too focus on her hugging his body when his eyes darted on the television. Akala niya guniguni lang niya ito but it's true! Nakita lang naman niya ang mukha ng babaeng niloko niya. Pinakatitigan niya ito dahil baka namamalikmata lang siya pero hindi, totoo talaga.
What is she? Why she's on TV?
"Who is she?" Biglang lumabas sa bibig niya. Ang mga mata niya ang nakapokus sa TV. She does acting? Does that mean she's an actress?
"Ha??" Anang babae at lumayo ito sa kanya.
Nilibot ni Willa Jenica ang mga mata pagkatapos ay bumalik sa lalaki. "Who?"
His eyes is too focus on the television, ni hindi man lang niya magawang lingunin ang babae.
Sinundan ni Willa Jenica ang tinignan ni Vaughn at natawa. Obviously she don't know the things happened between him and the woman in the television. Hinigit niya ang kamay ni Vaughn at pinaupo ito sa sofa, tumabi siya rito.
"She's Illyza Martin, my favorite Filipino actress." Nakangiting anang Willa Jenica.
His brows knitted while looking down at her.
"Illyza Martin? Is that her screen name?"
"Yup! Actually she's, Jasmine Illyza Martin Relova. She's beautiful, right?" Nangangarap na umangat ang ulo ng babae habang malapad ang ngiti. "I wish I could see her. Maybe she's more than a beauty in person."
Indeed.
Agad na bumaluktot ang dila ni Vaughn sa sinabi nito. This woman beside him wishing to see her in person pero siya higit pa sa hiniling nito ang ginawa niya sa babae. Now he finally understood of why her beauty is too catchy for his eyes. He is a man with a high standard, and Illyza just go beyond with it. He had seen Filipino women before Illyza, lalo na itong katabi niya but he can say, Illyza's beauty is way different. Her beauty attracts people. Hindi niya sinabing hindi din nakakaattract ang iba but, there's something in her that makes her unique. At mas lalo niyang naintindihan kung bakit dinumog ito ng mga kababayan sa New York ay dahil artista pala ito. Her name is famous in her country. And he's one hell lucky to deflower one of the famous celebrities in the Philippines. Wait, does she have a boyfriend?
"You know what, I followed her in social media." Nakangiting anang Willa Jenica. Hindi parin umaalis si Vaughn, at hindi niya mabasa ang nasa isip nito pero wala siyang pakialam. Mukhang si Illyza Martin pa ang maglalapit sa kanilang dalawa ngayon. She smirked in her mind, she will use this chance to be closer to him. She took her phone at pinakita sa lalaki. "This is her instagram account, her name's simplyJIMRelova. Actually, she's always active in any of her social media accounts, but just recently she went passive."
Walang sinabi si Vaughn pero lahat ng sinabi ng babae ay nilagay niya lahat sa utak niya.
simplyJIMRelova, huh. He smirked. Scroll ng scroll si Willa Jenica at siya naman ay tingin ng tingin sa pictures na pinapakita nito.
"This!" Pinakita nito ang isang larawan ni Illyza na nakahawak ng mikropono at nakangiti. By the look of it, nasa stage ito, parang nasa concert. "You know what Vaughn, she's not just an actress but also a singer!"
I know. I have heard her sang personally.
"She does singing, also dancing!" Masiglang anang Willa Jenica. Do'n muling lumingon si Vaughn sa katabi.
Dancing? Really? This is quite interesting for him. He wants to hear more, he wants to know more but a voice from above ceased it. Gusto tuloy niyang manuntok.
"Oh! What a lovely couple!" Sigaw ni Leticia habang malapad ang ngiti, ito ang ina ni Vaughn. Nasa tabi naman nito si Frederic na ama niya. Sabay na bumaba ang dalawa.
Mabilis na tumayo si Vaughn at walang emosyon na tumingin sa mga magulang. He can't help but to feel the anger arising from the ground. They are the reason why he chose to gave up his ultimate dream job. Tumaas ang sulok ng labi niya at taas noo niyang tinignan dalawa.
"I quit my job to not marry the woman you chose for me." Diretso niyang sabi. No hi, hello. Everything was out of respect. Lumingon siya sa gawi ni Willa Jenica na ngayon ay nakatayo sa tabi niya. Nakita niya ang pagguhit ng sakit sa mukha nito. "Yes, you heard it right. In order to not marry her, I quit my job. Now I'm totally free." Sabi niya habang nakatingin sa mukha ng babae.
Sobrang nasaktan si Willa Jenica sa sinabi ni Vaughn. He is too much! She doesn't deserve this. Kumuyom ang palad niya sa sinabi nito. She needs to do something for him to marry her. Dapat makasal silang dalawa dahil wala ng ibang lalaki pa ang gusto niyang makasama habang buhay kundi si Vaughn lang.
Vaughn mocked his parents.
His expression is lethal as he set his eyes to his father. "You threatened me, you used my job against your wants. It clearly a plethora. Why can't you accept the fact that I can't marry her?"
Nagpupuyos nasa galit si Vaughn pero hindi niya ito pinahalata. He glanced at his mother, galit itong nakatingin sa kanya. Siguro ay dahil nawala na ang respeto niya sa kanila. But he don't care, they are the reason of this.
"You didn't showed up for a year and now here you are becoming a raving lunatic." Mahinahon na anang Leticia.
Vaughn's corner lip twitched. He almost rolled his eyes.
"Hi, mom"
-----
MULING tinignan ni Illyza ang sarili sa salamin na hawak pagkatapos ay huminga ng malalim. Ngayong araw lilipad siya pabalik ng Pilipinas. Inayos niya ang wig na suot, ang rayban at ang facemask na gamit. Magdidisguise siya pabalik ng bansa para hindi siya makilala.
Tumulo ang isang butil ng luha niya. Naiinis na talaga siya sa sarili, maliit o malaking bagay man iniiyakan niya. She became more emotional and sensitive these days. Natatakot na siya kung anong nangyayari sa sarili niya, sobra na talagang nag-iba pati ang panlasa niya. She also suffered morning sickness and everything is not a good symptoms for her, pakiramdam niya may malala siyang sakit and she needs to see a doctor as soon as possible.
Kinagat niya ang ibabang labi at pinahid ang luha.
Muling huminga ng malalim si Illyza at nilibot ang paningin sa malapad na runway. Bago pa siya pumasok ng eroplano ay tumingin muna siya sa baba.
Ngumiti siya, naging malabo ang paningin niya dahil sa nagbabadyang mga luha.
"Thank you. Thank you for the memories we had... Vaughn Vestager."
To be continued...
✴ever_minah✴