“Ano ba bitawan niyo nga ako!” I shouted, “Hindi ba kayo napapagod kaka-kidnap sakin? Kasi ako oo!” frustration evident on my voice.
“Ano pa bang kailangan niyo!?" sigaw ko ulit sa mga lalaking hawak-hawak ako sa kamay habang iginigiya papasok sa isang lumang building. Hindi nila pinansin ang pagpupumiglas ko at patuloy lang sa paglalakad.
I recall the moment when I was walking down the street, enveloped in sadness, and suddenly, a white van abducted me, bringing me to this place. I'm unsure who is responsible for this, but I suspect it might be one of her schemes. Siya na naman yata ang may gawa nito just for me to be part of her twisted world.
Nakarating kami sa pangatlong palapag gamit ang hagdan na halos ika-himatay ko dahil sa pagod na naramdaman. Nagsimulang sumakit ang dibdib ko at pikit pigil akong naglalakad para indahin ang sakit because even if I shouted, walang tutulong sakin at hahayaan lang ako. We entered a room illuminated by a faint yellow light, devoid of any windows. The space was grimy, with debris scattered all around. The room was tainted with red stains, sending a shiver down my spine as I realized what they were. My gaze swept across the area, landing on a bed draped in surgical sheets and a nearby table laden with surgical instruments.
"No! Wait!" I cried out, my eyes widening with fear, enveloped in a sense of dread. "Huwag!"
I was forcefully pushed into the room by a man, and I entered, kneeling, knowing that this might be my final moments on Earth.
Hindi ako nagkakamali, maybe this is her way to get rid of me at kunin ang puso ng ina niya. The bed, the table, it all makes sense. Guilt gnawed at me once more, prompting me to rise and retreat to a corner. I sat down, burying my head in my lap, tears streaming down my face once again.
Why is this world so merciless to me?
"Pagpahingahin niyo naman ako." I whispered.
A sense of weightlessness consumed me, my heart pounding with fear as I anticipated what was to come.
Will she show mercy to me? If I kneel before her, will she forgive me?
Is this her method of seeking the justice she craves?
Does she truly love me?
Bumukas nang malakas ang pintuan na ikinagulat ko. Then three men reappeared, two of them were strong, while the other was bound and blindfolded. It was evident that he had been beaten and harmed. What shocked me the most was that this man looked familiar.
"Fuck you all! Fuck you!" he shouted as the two men forced him into the room, making him kneel down.
Mabilis akong lumapit dito kahit kinakabahan man.
I approached him, removing the cover from his eyes.
"Sir Montejo!?" I asked in astonishment.
I couldn't be mistaken, it was indeed Sir Gab in front of me, his face marred with bruises, his mouth bloodied, and his body covered in wounds.
“Freyja!?" gulat na tanong nito sakin. Dahil sa pagkabigla ay napatayo ito habang nakaharap sakin. He seemed so scared.
"Sir Mon—
"Arghh!" galit na sigaw nito. I took a step back thinking he will hurt me.
Tumingin ito sakin, his jaw clinched, hands tied on his back.
“Did you saw Crixel? Did she warned you?" he whispered.
Gulat ako sa sinabi niya, I shook my head and I saw his frustrated face when he averted his gaze.
“Was too late..." he uttered. Sinipa niya ang pader at napaupo nalang sa gilid.
I was utterly bewildered by his sudden outburst and behavior. Perhaps his anger flared up upon seeing me here? What did he know? His abrupt words and actions left me utterly perplexed.
I found myself at a loss for words or actions, as he remained silent, merely sitting there. I retreated to the corner where I had been earlier, discreetly observing him, trying to decipher the thoughts swirling in his mind.
Kasama ba siya sa plano ni Rhea? Sabay niya ba kaming papatayin?
Dumaan ang ilang minuto na nakatunganga lang kaming dalawa. Isang malakas na pagbukas ng pintuan na naman ang narinig namin at mabilis na pumasok ang apat na lalaki para hawakan kaming dalawa.
Nakita kong nagpupumiglas pa rin si Sir Montejo pero bakit nga ba siya andito? Anong kinalaman niya sa lahat?
Out of nowhere, the clicking sound of heels reverberated in the room, making me gasp. My eyes widened in shock as I saw a woman clad in a striking red dress, her lipstick heavily applied and eyebrows thick.
"Th-thalia...?" I stammered, my voice faltering as I faced the woman before me.
She scrutinized me from head to toe, her lips curving into a sinister smirk. "Hey, long time no see," she said, her smile sending shivers down my spine.
Nathalia? Sir Gab? They're siblings....
“Nathalia pakawalan mo si Freyja!" galit na sigaw ni Sir Gab sa kanya habang nagpupumiglas ito sa dalawang lalaking nakahawak sa kanya.
Bumaling ang tingin ni Thalia dito pati na rin ako kahit kinakain na ako ng kaba.
"Shut up,” Thalia spoke as she faces him.
“Oh fuck you!” Sir Gab countered.
“Really?” sagot ni Thalia.
Sir Montejo spits blood from his mouth,“Enough of this.”
"You've truly disappointed Dad multiple times. First, by not following his path, second, by being a letdown," Thalia remarked, her fingers tracing her brother's face, while I observed the scene unfold. "Lastly, because you're gay," she concluded, and Sir Montejo attempted to grab her, but he was restrained by the two men holding him.
"My life, my rules. Don't you dare judge me, especially considering your own preferences for girls," Sir Gab retorted defiantly.
Upon hearing his words, Thalia shifted her gaze to me, our eyes locking, and she approached me slowly. As she drew nearer, she reached out to touch my face, her expression twisted with malice, leaving me feeling repulsed.
"Don't lay a hand on me," I warned her, but she paid no heed.
Her smirk was evident. "This girl, you mean?" she asked her brother, her fingers grazing my face.
A moment of silence ensued, and my vision blurred when an impact struck my face—a powerful slap that left my head spinning.
"Don't harm her, Nathalia! Don't you dare harm her! Don't you dare hurt my student, you wretched woman!!" sigaw ni Sir Gab.
Halos mawalan ako ng malay at napaupo dahil sa lakas ng sampal ni Thalia sakin making me abruptly sit. Nagsimulang sumakit ang dibdib ko making me more dizzy at wala ng lakas para magpumiglas pa.
"Huwag mo siyang saktan! Tangina! Walang kasalanan si Freyja dito, Nathalia!!" Sir Gab's voice resonated in the room again.
Tumawa si Thalia, "Siya lang ba or kasali din si Loha—
“Don't touch him.” That was a firm, strong tone from Sir Gab that made me look at him.
Lohan?
“Fucking gay!" my vision blurred out at hawak hawak pa rin ako ng dalawang lalaki pero nasa dibdib ko na ang kamay ko, nakita kong pinagsisipa ni Thalia si Sir Gab at walang magawa ang lalaki kundi saluhin lahat ng iyon.
"Argh! Ahh!" pagsisigaw ni Sir Gab sa ginagawa ni Thalia sa kanya. Napaiyak ako sa sakit ng dibdib ko, nagsisimula na naman kung kelan nasa delikadong sitwasyon ako.
Dalawang kamay ang humawak sa collar ko at binitawan ako ng dalawang lalaki, kinaladkad ako ni Thalia patungo sa kama at walang ano-ano'y tinanggal ang butones ng sleeve ko dahilan para lumuwa ang dibdib ko. Nakahiga akong naghahabol ng hininga at mas nawalan pa ako ng hangin nang umupo sa paanan ko si Thalia ready to harass my body.
“Wag..." I weakly said, devoid of air. Nawawalan na ako ng malay dahil sa sakit ng dibdib ko.
As I stared into her eyes, she appeared like a monstrous creature, prepared to unleash her desires upon me. In that moment, I was powerless, my heart beating slowly, breath fading, and my body devoid of strength. I couldn't summon the energy to resist or protect myself.
Thalia began to pepper my body with kisses, but her actions were abruptly halted when Sir Gab's voice reverberated through the room. I felt a sudden force, and I realized he had pushed Thalia away, shielding me from her advances.
"Don't lay a finger on her!! I won't allow you to harm my student, Nathalia! I swear I will stop you!" he yelled, his voice filled with determination.
Mabilis at maingat akong inalalayan ni Sir Gab, catching me with her bulk arms.
"You're fine...you'll be fine..." he assured.
Pinagsusuntok niya pala ang mga lalaki kaya walang pumigil sa kanya sa pagtulak kay Thalia. He slowly placed me on the floor, still catching my breath and my hand on my chest.
“How dare you!" it was Thalia's voice. Nang tumingin ako dito ay may hawak na itong baril na nakatutok sakin.
Sabay kaming napatingin sa babaeng may hawak na baril sa harap namin.
"Nathalia, please don't..." pagmamakaawa ni Sir Gab sa kanya, "Wala siyang kasalanan dito Nathalia huwag mo siyang saktan maawa ka," he added while covering my body. "A-ako. . . ako nalang saktan mo, please don't hurt anyone, anyone who's innocent, I'm begging you.." he pleaded again.
"Do I look like someone who should pity you?" tawa ni Thalia.
"We both know na sumusunod lang tayo kay dad, I know you're following him too.." he said, "I know you since we were kids because you're my sister but I failed as your older brother and you grow up hating the world, the people around us..Nathalia, I'm sorry I couldn't save you from him, as your brother at least just this time...spare her a lifetime to live." He begged again, kneeling down to his sister.
"Hindi mo ako madadaan diyan. Yes, you failed to guide me, you failed. You can't blame me for hating the world because I grow up with the world hating me." Thalia replied, still gun pointing now at her brother.
"No matter what you'll say, you're still my sister whom I loved the most. You're my sister who I used to play with, tie her hair, played with her dolls. We used to do everything together back then..." his voice quivered, it was a plead with cries. "No matter what you do to me, hate me, hurt me, it doesn't change the fact that you're my sister and I'm your brother, alam kong diyan sa puso mo, may natitira pang katiting para sa kapatid mo, sakin...Nathalia..”
"Kahit ako nalang, huwag mo siyang saktan. Don't hurt him, don't hurt her, don't hurt my students. They're just like us, like you." Tumulo ang luha ko habang nakikinig sa kanya. Hindi ko mapigilan, there's so much emotion from it. Kahit nahihirapan na akong huminga ay nakaramdam ako ng lungkot.
“You betrayed us,” sagot ni Thalia, “And you betrayed me kuya.”
“I never betrayed you. I'm sorry, I never ever betrayed my sister...” his voice cracked.
"I held you responsible for your absence, for the way you left me behind. Kuya, you couldn't have known how much I suffered without you by my side," Thalia's voice expressed, carrying a touch of sadness.
Sir Gab scoffed, taking a deep breath. "I didn't have a choice when I left you. I've never wished for anything more desperately than for your safety. I remember begging the universe to protect you and somehow hear my pleas. I'm sorry, Nathalia," he choked, his voice filled with deep regret.
May pinagdaanan silang dalawa. Sir Gab's words was enough, it was enough para ibaba ni Thalia ang baril niya at mabilis na umalis kasama ang mga lalaki sa kwarto. Naiwan kaming dalawa ni Sir Gab habang nakaluhod ito.
"S-sir..." I weakly uttered, gaining his attention. I saw how he wipe his tears before facing me again.
"Masakit ba?" he asked, I slowly nodded while caressing my chest. The pain gets heavier.
He carefully shifted his body and lifted me gently in his arms. Rising, he carried me back to the bed, setting me down with utmost care.
"Relax...help will arrive soon. Just hold on a little longer, okay?" he reassured, his hand tenderly brushing my forehead.
His touch felt as comforting as a gentle gesture from a caring sibling. In that moment, my anger towards him melted away. I used to resent him, suspecting he had a relationship with the woman I loved. But now, witnessing his actions, I felt overwhelming guilt for my previous thoughts.
Dahan-dahan nawala ang sakit kasi nakahiga na ako sa malambot na kama. I shifted my eyes on him at nakatunganga lang siya.
"Sir Montejo, totoo ba ʼyon?" I inquired. Tumingin naman ito sakin saka ngumisi, the same look he gave me when I escorted Rhea to the clinic.
"What, are you surprise?" he asked.
I nodded, "Who wouldn't be?" I retorted, "Sinong mag-aakalang ang isang kagaya mo ay nagkakagusto sa lalaki." I added.
"It's only him.." he replied, "He's the only one."
"Lohan?" I asked.
He nodded and brushed his hair with his fingers, "Dion, yeah."
"How?"
"My father devised a plan for me to divert attention from his deceit because he knew someone was after him. He manipulated me, essentially using me as bait. He instructed me to fake my like with Rhea, and when I became a professor at SU, I met Dion, and that's when I fell in love with him," he explained.
"Did you ever have a soft spot for my wife?" I asked teasingly.
"Wife?" he replied, his tone sassy, "I don't recall any marriage between the two of you, hahaha," he laughed, "But no, not even a little. I didn't like her."
"That's reassuring," I replied, "although it doesn't change the fact that you toyed with my emotions."
"I wanted to make you envious of me and provoke Dion to feel jealous of Rhea, so he would grow closer to me, and I succeeded," he admitted.
"Unbelievable, Sir Montejo." I exclaimed softly.
"I was deep into my mission when my feelings for Dion intensified, leading me to betray my father. I revealed my secrets to Dion, and my affection for him grew even stronger because he accepted me despite everything," he confessed. "I shared my plan with Crixel, who has feelings for you. I told her everything, and that's why she's assisting you, Rhea, and Dion," he said, focusing his gaze on me. "Crixel mentioned knowing you from her childhood."
"How is that possible?"
"I'm not sure," he shrugged.
"Tell me more."
"I've saved your father on numerous occasions..."
His words hit me like a bolt of lightning, and I sat up abruptly on the bed. "What do you mean?" I asked, my eyes wide with shock.
"He occasionally visits our secret hideout and ask for the formula."
"Formula?"
"For your heart." Sabay tingin ulit nito sakin.
"Sir?"
"If there's anyone to blame, it's my father. He killed Rhea's mother to sell her heart. Yes, your father paid a hefty sum just to save you from dying. However, the heart has a lifespan of only 5 years, and it weakens once that period is up. To sustain the heart, a specific formula is needed," he explained, his eyes locked onto mine.
"So, my father requested it?" I inquired.
"Yes, and it has been 5 years since then," he paused. "There are three types of formulas available for you, one that lasts only for weeks, another for 5 years, and the last one is for a lifetime. I saw him multiple times hurting your father, punching him, kicking him but Mr. Mercedez's determination is just like an iron wall that can't be broken by anything.”
Natandaan ko ʼyong dalang case ni Dad that time, though I was still puzzled by it.
"Ninakawan ko si Dad ng formula and I managed to get one from him, I thought it was a 5YH pero I was wrong when your dad came back to me, begging for another formula again and I tried to help him.”
That's why may pasa si dad. Or did I missed it?
“Your father came back again and that's how I got caught. You see, that's why I'm here. My father installed a CCTV and saw me stealing hahaha," he laughed, “I got caught, my plan, all of it.”
He has still time to laugh at this moment.
“Nag-gamitan lang pala kayo...” I said.
“Yes,” tugon niya, “I don't have any bad intentions to you and Rhea, all of you. I already buried my mission and ready to leave everything just to live together with him...I and Dion...”
“So it was you and Lohan.” I stated. Napatingin siya ulit sakin, eyebrows furrowed.
“Nakita ko kayo sa Cosmo,” I continued. That was the time when I woke up from Rhea's side at lumabas para pumunta sa room namin nila Sav.
He smiled, “Yeah, we were having our time.”
“I began suspecting you nung mga oras na ʼyon, Sir.” I replied.
“Crixel caught you at that moment, right? She told me after breakfast.”
Kaya pala parang nag-uusap sila by just their eyes at that time. How genius.
“You told Ma'am Vivien about the information about me?” I asked him.
“No. She did it all by herself.” Mabilis na sagot nito, “Sinabihan ko lang siyang may plano ang dad ko and the grand scheme he's doing, but the rest it was her plan. There was time na nagkikita kami secretly just to share my information and her plan to get the formula for you, naabutan kami ng madaling araw approximately 3am to 4am saka siya umuuwi.” He concluded.
Memories flooded back when I recalled the sight of Ma'am Vivien leaving our house in the evening and her image as I found her sleeping on our sofa.
Why...how long will it take for her to stop caring about me?
Ma'am Vivien...
“She's willing to risk anything for you.” Sir Montejo said, tumayo siya at inayos ang suot niya. “Maybe an hour, they'll get here. I hope they will get here early as possible, I have a tracking device on me and hope that Dion is tracing us.” Kinakabahan niyang sabi.
“May mangyayari ba?” I asked, scared.
His eyes fixed on me, as if weighing his words carefully, his lips forming a firm line. "Stay strong, no matter what comes our way. Remember, they will come to our aid...trust Crixel, trust Rhea. I know they are collaborating with Dion to find us. You're brave, Freyja. Keep that bravery alive until we escape from here," he urged, his voice tinged with fear and nerves, his gaze locked onto mine.
A sense of dread washed over me again, his words hinted at a looming danger for both of us. My heart ached, my breathing grew erratic, and my body felt fragile.
I will endure this. It wasn't her plan, it wasn't Rhea's plan—I had been mistaken.
“Please, Rhea, save me...” I whispered.
Agad kaming natigilan ng bumukas ulit ang pintuan, iniluwa roon ang isang babaeng may suot na lab gown. Bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko nang makilala ko na naman iyon.
“Jaiza...?” I mentally said. I scanned her face at hindi ako nagkakamaling tukuyin kung sino ito. She's Charlotte's sister.
She was dressed in a lab coat, her hands gloved, fear visible on her face. Something felt off, behind her stood a man in a red suit, the same old man I had seen during the fake wedding announcement that evening.
"Dad??" Sir Gab's voice trembled with fear.
"Don't call me your Dad. I'm not your father!" the old man shouted at him, instructing his men to grip Sir Gab's arms.
The room echoed with Sir Gab's anguished cries as the men punched and attacked him. Napapikit ako sa sakit na nang-gagaling sa puso ko. Lumapit sakin ang matandang lalaki, his creepy smile bore on me.
“Kill her instantly.” He instructed. Nakita kong nanlumo ang mukha ni Miss Jaiza, halatang ayaw niyang gawin.
In the grip of impending danger, my heart tightened with fear, each beat resonating the dread that consumed me. Vulnerability engulfed me, and every breath felt heavy with the weight of an inevitable end. The world around me blurred into a whirlwind of terror, and the air turned thick with the taste of impending doom.
The man glanced at me once more, gasping for air. With great effort, I managed to utter a plea, "Let me live..."
"Your heart is from me, and I intend to reclaim it. I have no concern for you, my priority is my money," he replied coldly. The pain in my heart wasn't just physical, it was a deep, agonizing ache, a poignant realization of the precious life slipping away. Memories flickered in my mind, moments of joy and love, now overshadowed by the looming darkness. Each heartbeat reverberated with the desperate urge to survive, yet the knowledge of my impending fate left me paralyzed, drowning in a sense of helplessness.
“M..i..ss..Jaiz..a..” I breathed heavily, “B-befo..re...you ki..ll me...tell them..I love the..m..” my heart raced, knowing life was about to slip away from me. In a matter of moments, I'd be gone. Tears welled in my eyes, and my breath grew shallow. It felt like my pulse was fading away...
"Jael," her voice echoed in my ears like a heavenly melody, remembering our time together, akin to an angel's song. A smile graced my lips, tears streaming down my face. I knew this was my final moment on earth. All I wished for was to see her face one last time before I departed, to hear her voice again before my last breath.
"Please, Elie, hold on a little longer," a soft voice whispered, Jaiza's gentle tones reaching my ears.
"Pour the chemical on her face!" the old man commanded once more.
"Dad! No! No! Dad!" even as life slowly slipped away from me, I heard Sir Gab's desperate cries. Suddenly, there was a muffled sound, and Sir Gab's breathing grew heavy, as if he were fighting someone.
Miss Jaiza remained still, biding her time. Then, a gunshot reverberated, and I felt the impact of a bullet hitting me. A body shielded mine, its weight pressing down as my heart ceased its beats. Liquid poured into my eyes, causing a momentary sting, and then I heard another distant gunshot.
My eyes, my heart, everything was fading. In those final moments, the world seemed painfully vivid and surreal, starkly different from the life I once knew. Fear of the unknown clawed at my senses, and all I longed for was a chance to escape, to keep on living. But fate, relentless and unforgiving, had other plans, drowning me in a flood of heart-wrenching sorrow and the unbearable agony of a life about to end.
"Jael!!!" I caught a glimpse of the woman's voice, and a smile played on my lips upon hearing her familiar tone.
I yearned to look into her eyes, seeking solace in her comforting presence, but the world plunged into an abyss of silence and obscurity. The warmth of her touch, her whispered words of love, transformed into faint echoes and fleeting memories slipping through my fingers.
“No! No! Stay with me! Jael! Stay with me! Baby, noooo! Stay with me! Please! Please! Stay with me, baby!!”
As my awareness dimmed, an immense serenity enveloped me. Pain, fear, all dissolved into quiet acceptance. I became a mere spectator in my own departure, detached from the realm of the living. An unsettling calm settled in, a surrender to the inevitable, as my essence slipped away into the vast unknown, leaving behind the tumult of the world I had once known.