A lone tear drops on her cheeks while she closes her eyes.
Bigla siyang nahihilo at wari ba gusto niyang panatilihing nakapikit lang ang kanyang mga mata. Tama nga ang sinabi ni Nix, iiwasan dapat niya ang mga bagay na maaaring makapagpasakit ng ulo niya. She can't force herself, because it might lead yo some complications.Pero gusto niyang maalala na ang mga iyon, ayaw niyang kumikilos na para bang kulang lagi ang galaw niya. May kung anong gusto niyang mapunan.
Bumuntong hininga siya ng gumaan ang pakiramdam saka dahan-dahan na dumilat.
Tumingin siya sa sketch pad niya saka pilit kinikilala ang mukhang iginuhit niya.
'It was him' referring to Kairo.
Agad siyang napapaisip kung sino ang lalaking iyon na pumasok sa kwarto niya at dismayadong tumingin sa kanya ng tanungin niya ito sa pangalan.
'Is there something going on between us?' tanong niya sa isip habang nakatingin sa ginuhit niya.
"Dasha!"
Paulit-ulit na bumabalik sa pandinig niya ang katagang iyon. Pamilyar na tono ng boses, dahan-dahan siyang tumingin sa likuran niya at natanaw ang lalaking iyon.
'Kairo!'
Ipinikit niya ang kanyang mga mata saka huminga ng malalim. That name suddenly came out of her mind.
"Why are you here? You're supposed to be in your room!"
Hindi niya alam kung matutuwa ba siya o maiilang sa tinuran nito. Something inside her feel something weird na hindi niya maipaliwanag.
"I-I feel better here. The scenery is great!"
Lumapit ito sa kanya saka umupo sa tabi ng inuupuan niya.
"I know we've met before. They won't tell me and I may not know the reason but I feel something isn't right. I—I was so—"
"Don't exhaust yourself on thinking about it. I'll wait til' you're fine. Just don't let me go away from you. It's too much to bear for me."
Dasha felt like that isn't what he wanted to say. Pakiramdam niya may malalim itong inisip kaya humarap siya rito habang nakakunot noo. Saka siya agad na tumingin siya sa iginuhit niya at napagkompirang magkahawig ang iginuhit niya sa mukha ni Kairo. Agad niyang inilayo ang sketch pad saka umayos ng upo at tumingin sa matatayog na mga gusali sa paligid.
"This place is a good spot for unwinding indeed." usal nito saka siya tumango. "Do you want to hear a story? " tanong nito sa kanya saka siya dahan-dahan na tumango.
Well, stories makes the ambiance perfect.
At kitang-kita niya rin sa mukha nito ang mga mabibigat na dalahin. He had to let it out, maybe sharing it to her isn't bad.
'What if I'm part of it?'
Malakas na buntong hininga ang pinakawalan ni Kairo bago tumingin kay Dasha.
"Do you believe in destiny?"
Di siya makapaniwalang tumingin rito, saka napapantastikuhan tumitig kay Kairo.
Sabagay, minsan talaga di mapagkakatiwalaan ang tadhana. It's quite too painful if the destiny works but ends in vain.
Hindi pa man nakapagpatuloy si Kairo sa pagsasalita ng dumating si Damien at lumapit sa kanila.
"Don't do it this way!" usal nito kay Kairo saka nagtatakang tumingin si Dasha sa dalawa.
"You have to go back to your room. It's too windy here. You're still not okay." Wika ni Damien saka siya inakay patayo.
"Let's go back?"
Tumingin siya kay Kairo saka naglalakad paalis sa lugar na iyon. Damien looks so frustrated kaya di niya maiwasang magtaka.
"Sa kwarto tayo mag-usap!" wika nito ng tiningnan niya ito habang papasok sa elevator.
"HE'S KYRIE'S FATHER!"
Agad siyang napalingon kay Damien ng makaupo siya sa hospital bed ng sinabi ni Damien ang katagang iyon.
Pilit niyang inaalala ang tungkol sa bagay na iyon pero hindi niya maaalala. Sumasakit lang ang ulo niya kapag pilit niyang inaalala iyon.
"How come? I mean what happen to me? I raised Kyrie in London by myself. Five years ago I was kicked out in the company and flew with France to London. How come he's the father? I don't understand!"
Litong-lito na siya at gusto niya ng kasagutan. "It was complicated, and as long as you can't remember what happen you better stay away from him. Your anger might destroy everything."
"Dam, what's going on?"
Lumapit si Damien sa kanya saka bumuntong hininga. "I don't know the whole details but I know both of you didn't expect this to happen. You know yourself better than we do. You have to take care of yourself and get well soon. You're the only one who can answer that. Just don't bear too much grudge to someone."
Tumingin si Dasha sa lawarang ginuhit niya. She was trying to remember Kairo, do they have a very complicated past? Are they married? Pero bakit kahit isa wala siyang maalala.
Damien bid goodbye and leave her alone.
"You'll be fine soon. Don't overthink too much."
She was left alone in the room a moment after. She took her phone out of the drawer beside her bed. A smile formed on her lips when she saw the wallpaper of her picture with Kairo smiling and opened the message icon.
Nahanap niya ang conversation na hinahanap niya saka niya iyon binasa. She started to read it from the very start. Sumasakit naman ang ulo niya kapag binabasa niya ang mga iyon. Pilit inaalala at sinasagot ang mga katanungan sa isip niya. But she found herself clueless, not even a single thing about him popped out of her brain.
"YOU'RE HEALING, you can rest for a day before we can sign for your discharge."
wika ng doctor saka siya tumango.
"Thank you!" wika niya saka ngumiti sa Doctor.
"Your husband seems so stressed lately. You're lucky to have a husband like him. He never leaves you even a single day."
Kumunot ang noo niya saka tumingin sa doctor. "Sino ho? Wala pa po akong asawa."
"That guy from before, the one who's talking to Doctor Damien? A tall and handsome guy? He'd been standing and sitting outside your room for days. I thought he's your husband. By the way, I'll take my leave, I still have patients to attend to."
Tumango siya sa doctor. Nang makaalis ang doctor tumayo siya at lumabas ng kwarto. Walang tao roon kaya bumuntong hininga siya at bumalik sa loob.
Dasha felt someone carrying her out of the bar's comfort room. She wanted to protest but she can't move her body.
They brought her inside a room. Agad siyang napasinghap ng matanaw si Kairo habang nakatingin sa kanya. He was looking at her fiercely, kinakabahan siyang tumingin rito habang palapit ito ng palapit sa kanya.
She wanted to ask him if what is he doing but she can't open her mouth. He dragged her all the way and throw her to the bed.
Her tears was flowing on her cheeks pero hindi naawa si Kairo sa kanya at palapit ito ng palapit sa kanya. Pumaibabaw ito sa kanya habang hinahalikan siya.
Is he going to rape her?
Napasinghap si Dasha ng magising siya ng may humawak sa balikat niya at ginigising siya.
"Dasha? Are you okay?"
Agad niyang tinanggal ang kamay nito mula sa pagkakahawak sa kanya saka siya umiling at umiwas ng tingin rito.
Napaluha siya habang unti-unting bumabalik sa alaala niya ang lahat.
Kairo was left bothered and confuse of what she's doing. While she looked at him in disgust and full of hatred.
Naaalala na niya, he's the one who molested her five years ago. Siya ang taong kinamumuhian niya. How can she fall in love to someone like him. Akala niya iba ang pagkakakilala niya rito. He's different from other people, he is different. He's a rapist, tinago nito sa kanya lahat, yun ba ang dahilan kung bakit ito lumapit sa kanya? Yun ba ang dahilan kung bakit iba ang pakikitungo nito sa kanya? Alam ba nito lahat-lahat sa simula pa lang?
"I need some time alone." mahinang usal niya habang umiiwas ng tingin rito. Hindi naman ito nagsalita at tumayo saka lumabas sa kwarto niya.
She looked at the door where he exited saka tumulo ang luha niya.
Hindi siya nakabalik sa pagtulog kahit ala-una palang ng madaling araw. That was her last day at the hospital. Wari ba gusto na niyang makaalis doon. She missed Kyrie, her son. Mag- isang linggo din niya itong hindi nakita, she keeps on telling her son that she's doing a business trip abroad. He believes her and not knowing she's lying to him.
Ngayong alam na niya kung sino ang ama nito. Para bang takot na takot siyang malaman nito iyon. Alam niyang nagkamabutihan ang anak niya at si Kairo pero namumutawi sa isip niya ang galit para rito. Nandidiri siya sa sarili niya kung bakit minahal niya ito. May kung ano sa puso niya na nagagalit at kinamumuhian ito.
Damien came early and helped her packed all her belongings. It was his day off kaya sinamahan siya nito. Inayos pa nito lahat ng mga gamit at mga gamot niya bago sila nagtungo sa nurse station. Damien took care of everything habang pinapahintay siya sa lobby ng hospital.
"Dasha!"
Tiningnan niya si Kairo na kakarating lang at nakatingin sa kanya. Natanaw naman niya si Damien kaya hindi niya pinansin si Kairo at nilagpasan lang saka lumapit kay Damien. Hindi na siya lumingon pa rito at nagtuloy-tuloy sa paglalakad palabas sa hospital patungo sa sasakyan ni Damien.
"Naaalala mo na ba?"
Tanong ni Damien habang nasa biyahe. Tumango siya bilang tugon saka ito umiling.
"Did he tell you everything?"
"I didn't ask him and I don't want to ask him!"
"There's always a reason behind all those lies Dasha."
"Reason? Damien, he lied to me. He knows all along that it was me whom he'd slept with. Yet, he uses my innocence to cover it and never bother to tell me. I fall for a man who molested and destroy my dignity as a woman. He's the reason why I lost all what my Mom left for me. He took everything from me."
"Dasha he's a victim too. You know it's your stepsister who did it. Maybe he was framed too or mistaken. There's always a reason for everything. The past can be brought back if there's something unclear about it."
Mapakla siyang ngumiti saka tumingin kay Damien. "I don't want to entangled myself from the past. I already said that. I don't want to have a connection with him anymore. I had enough of tortures and misfortunes in this life. And I don't want Kyrie to be involve with this. If I have to leave and stay away from here, I'll do it. As long as I can get rid of everything about it."
Damien stayed silent while driving. She almost cried herself out in frustrations thinking about all those things. Nang makarating sila sa mansion ay agad sumalubong si Mr. Wilsons at ang anak niya sa kanya.
"Mommy!"
Niyakap niya ang anak saka humalik rito. Pinigilan niya ang sarili na maging emotional dahil alam niyang magtatanong ang anak niya. He's too innocent to be involved with it.
"You look tired!" malungkot na tanong nito.
"I am!" mahinang sagot niya. "I've been very busy this past few weeks and I hadn't rest well because I was too excited to see you."
"Let's get inside. So you can rest!"
Tumango siya kay Mr. Wilsons saka humawak sa anak at sabay silang naglakad papasok sa mansion.
Mr. Wilsons asked her to his office, kaya ng matapos niyang makausap at makita ang anak ay agad siyang pumasok sa opisina ni Mr. Wilsons.
"Damien told me about it. You better talk to Kairo, you told me you won't let the past imprisoned yourself. But not all things from the passed can be forgotten. You're just confused and wanted an answer for all the unanswered questions on your mind. Just don't let yourself live in hatred."
"I tried to think that way, but I can't see myself being with him. Seeing him makes me feel disgusted of myself. He lied and after all that we've been through he never told me anything about it. I looked like a fool."
"He's Kyrie's father, your son needs a father. You cannot change the fact that his blood runs through your son's veins. If you hate him, what about Kyrie? He had Kyrie's resemblance, you will always remember him everytime you looked at your son. Aren't you sick about it?"
Hindi siya nakasagot sa sinabi nito. She tried but failed to answer all those questions.
"I don't want to see you this way. Lifeless and in that state it made me worried about you. There's nothing wrong with talking to him. Closure is the most important, to feel at ease if you can't accept him to be part of your life. Talk to him instead, ask him so that you don't have to be confused. Whether he did it purposely or not, you have to go and tell him what you feel so that you can let out all that frustrations."
She was too occupied to answer that, but he's right. But how? She can't bear to see him. Ang kausapin pa kaya ito.
"DID YOU FIX IT?"
Gavin asked him when he arrived at the company. Umiling lang siya rito saka pumasok sa elevator. That was the day they're having a meeting with the shareholders of the Art Gallery.
"She knows already?"
"I think so, she suddenly shut herself even talking to me she won't dare."
"Things will be fine soon!"
"Nasa loob na sila lahat!" anunsyo ng empleyado nila saka sila tumango. Sabay-sabay silang pumasok sa loob saka dumiretso ng upo at tumingin sa mga naroon. Dismayado ang mukha ng mga ito at ang iba ay nahihiyang tumingin sa kanya kaya kumunot ang noo niya.
"I'm sorry for my inactivity this past few days. I have some business to attend to." pagpaumanhin niya saka tumingin sa agenda ng meeting nila
"Well, if everything is settled. We better leave!" wika ng isa.
Tiningnan niya si Gavin saka ito ngumiti sa kanya at kinindatan siya.
"What's going on?" tanong niya kay Gavin.
"D. Kyrie signed a contract with the Xie Jie Art Gallery as one of the artist and shareholder."
Kumunot ang noo niya saka tumingin kay Gavin. Nais niyang maliwanagan kung paano nangyari ang bagay na iyon. D. Kyrie is a famous artist and her artworks are well-known and sold at a high price.
Hindi niya gustong maging parte ito sa problema na kinakaharap ng kompanya.
"When D. Kyrie visited the Xie Jie Art Gallery before, she signed a contract with Mr. Corpus. Mr. Corpus is one of the biggest shareholder of the Gallery little did we know that it was D. Kyrie who originally owned that share. Mr. Corpus's whereabouts are unknown for now but good thing he entrusted it to someone. Just right on time!" wika ni Gavin saka ngumiting tumingin kay Kairo habang nakasandal sa upuan nito.
He had no idea, she'd done it for the Gallery before because of Zeke. Zeke must have known the issue of the Art Gallery all this time. Noon pa kasi ito nagkakaproblema pero ngayon lang naging seryuso.
"I guess, Xie Jie Art Gallery will stay in our name and we'll personally handle it. Any objections?" dagdag ni Gavin saka umiling ang mga naroon. " If there's no objections about this matter. We shall go our separate ways and continue to live on. May no one covet this matter anymore."
Iwinagayway ni Gavin ang kamay niya saka nagsitayuan ang mga naroon at lumabas ng conference room.
"Is this the reason you told me that you'll handle this matter alone?"
"Not so, alam kong mas pinoproblema mo siya and I wanted to find an alternative solution to it. But yesterday someone came and handed the contract. I felt relieved, I didn't bother to tell you since I know you're quite problematic."
Bumuntong hininga siya saka tumingin sa labas ng glass wall. How he wished that everything could be easily solved like this. Hindi niya naisip na kaya nandoon ang mga paintings ni Dasha dahil isa rin pala itong shareholder sa pangalan ni Zeke. Akala niya binili lang ito ng mga magulang niya. Hindi rin sinabi ni Dasha sa kanya noon ang tungkol rito.
"You better fix your problem and don't have to worry about the company. Things are good and I can handle everything in the company. Dasha is a kind woman and she'll listen to you."
"I hope so!"
"Wanna celebrate?"
"Pass, I'm not in the mood!"
"Sure you do. Wine can temporarily send all those thoughts away. Let's go!"
Umiling siya saka tumayo.
"Hey?" Sigaw ni Gavin at sumunod sa kanya."Wag ka masyadong magtatamlay sa buhay. May solusyon lahat, baka nasa shock state pa siya. Need pa niyang i absorb lahat ng mga nangyari. Let me tell you, baka bukas makakausap mo na siya."
"You don't have work to do?"
"I do, but you're the President. This success needs a celebration."
Wala siyang magawa kung di ang sumunod rito. "I know a place, you've never been there before surely. So I'll let you experience the real fun tonight."
"Nasa mood ka yata?"
"Of course, I just accomplished two things today. We need to celebrate."
"What's the other one?"
"You'll find out!" wika ni Gavin saka naunang sumakay sa sasakyan nito saka sinenyasan siyang sumukay. Umiling lang siya saka binuksan ang pintuan at sumakay.
"Brace yourself because we're about to leave in zero second."
"DEXTER IS missing!"
"What?" gulat na sambit ni Mr. Wilsons ng magsalita si Darren mula sa kabilang linya. Nasa ibang bansa kasi ito para sa business trip. And they know it's important since he called at this hour.
"How did this happen?"
"We already contacted the company to ask help to find him. He was found yesterday at El Ruiz Hotel , just this morning no one knows where he is"
Napahilot sa sintido si Mr. Wilsons saka bumuntong hininga. "Call anyone or hire someone to find him. Find your brother ASAP!"
"Okay, I'll call for an update again."
Nang mawala sa kabilang linya si Darren saka ito humarap kay Dasha.
"Call Zeke, we need his help."
"He's gone too. He might have left the country for work. We'll just wait for Darren's update."
Tumango ang ama-amahan saka niya ito nilapitan at pinapakalma. "He'll be fine. You know Dexter, he may be soft but he's responsible. He'll come home hindi na rin naman siya bata."
Alam niya kung bakit sobrang nag-alala si Mr. Wilsons kay Dexter because he had the most painful past of all the adopted sons. Dexter may look cool and strong on the outside but he's the weakest.
Sabi nga ni Darren hindi problema ni Mr.
Wilsons ang business dahil sobrang successful nito. Problema nito ang mga anak-anakan na mga pasaway. One of it is Darren. Sa lahat ng ampon niya si Darren and makulit, si Damien naman ang matalino at masipag si Dexter naman ang matalino rin pero seryuso sa buhay. He'll take things too serious. He's too dedicated with his life kaya di na nakapagtataka kung mabubudol o mauuto siya sa labas.
Nakatanggap siya bigla ng tawag mula kay Gavin kaya sinagot niya ito habang nakakunot ang noo niya.
"Miss Pretty. Your brother seems like wasted right now."
"Dexter?" agad na tanong niya saka tumingin si Mr. Wilsons sa kanya.
"I'll send the address." sagot nito saka binaba ang tawag.
"I'll go!" Wika ni Mr. Wilsons saka siya tumayo.
"It's better if I go there alone. I know the place. " wika niya rito saka kinuha ang susi ng sasakyan.
"Call me if anything happens."
Tumango siya rito saka lumabas ng mansion. Agad sumakay sa kanyang sasakyan saka minaneho ito patungo sa address na sinabi ni Gavin.
Isa itong private bar at hindi masyadong matao. Nakita niya ang sasakyan ni Gavin kaya siya bumaba at diretsong pumasok sa bar.
Hindi familiar si Dexter sa lugar kaya nag-aalala sila para rito. Wala pang isang buwan ng tumuntong siya sa bansa.
Hinanap ng mata niya si Dexter ngunit hindi niya ito mahagilap. May humawak naman sa kanyang kamay mula sa likod at hinila siya paharap rito kaya napasubsob siya sa dibdib nito. Agad din niya itong tinulak ng maamoy niya ang pamilyar na pabango ni Kairo.
Dismayado namang tumingin si Kairo sa kanya dahil sa naging reaksiyon niya. Umingay naman ang sa likuran nila saka niya napagtanto na kaya siya hinila nito ay dahil may dumaan na mga lasing at kung hindi siya hinila nito malamang mababangga siya ng mga ito.
"T-Thanks!" naiusal niya saka umiwas ng tingin rito.
"He's inside!" malumanay na wika nito saka tumalikod. Sumunod naman siya rito, nang makapasok sila sa isang private room natanaw niya si Gavin na umiinom habang nakahiga sa sofa si Dexter. Lasing na lasing. Nilapitan niya ito saka tiningnan.
"He's wasted when we saw him outside kaya kinarga namin papasok rito." wika ni Gavin saka niya pinaupo si Dexter. Nangangamoy alak na nga ito e.
"Dex?" tawag niya rito. Pilit niyang ginigising ito ngunit sadyang mahimbing ang tulog nito at di siya maririnig lalo pa at maingay ang paligid dahil sa musika.
Dahil abala siya kay Dexter hindi niya napapansin ang tingin ni Kairo sa kanya. He was looking at her intently, he's jealous seeing how Dasha cared for that guy.
"Ehemmm!" tikhim ni Gavin saka siya lumingon rito. "I'll get some water for him!" wika nito saka tumayo at lumabas ng kwarto. Umiwas naman siya ng tingin kay Kairo na nakatingin sa kanya. Pakiramdam niya tuloy matutunaw siya kapag hindi ito titigil sa kakatitig sa kanya.
"D-Dasha!"
She turned around immediately and looked at Dexter calling her name.
"Dex?"
"H-Have y-you t-talked a-already?"
Kumunot ang noo niya na tumingin rito. "What do you mean?" mahinang tanong niya.
Tinuro nito si Kairo saka niya naintindihan ang sinasabi nito. Umiling siya rito. "Let's go home, Dad's worried about you."
"He'll understand. I'll leave you alone so that you can talk with him."
"Let's go home!" Pagpupumilit niya rito.
"Talk to him, I meant this to happen so that you can talk with him. I don't want to see you struggling. Talk to him, we won't go home if you won't fix it within this day."
Ngayon niya lang naintindihan lahat. Mr. Wilsons have been convincing her as well as the Wilsons boys but she always declined. Pinaplano malamang nila ito para sa kanya, pero hindi naman siya handa para roon.
They might have used Dexter in their plan because they know I will easily believe it. Dexter did a lot of effort on doing it.
Tumayo ito saka naglakad palabas, tumingin pa ito kay Kairo saka tumango.
Umupo siya ng maayos saka hindi umimik. Hindi niya maatim na tingnan si Kairo. She's too scared to talk to him.
Lumapit ito sa kanya saka siya binigyan ng wine glass na may lamang lemon juice dahil sa amoy nito.
"I don't know they did this. I just found out about it a while ago. By the way thank you for helping the company."
Mapakla siyang ngumiti rito saka uminom sa binigay nito na juice.
She don't know what he was talking about but she felt damn nervous.
Ngumiti si Kairo sa kanya saka umayos ng upo. That was a smile that she missed about him.
Why the heck did he smile?