Nasa tapat na sila ng Villa Castro, Clara's family home.
Pababa na siya ng sasakyan ng magsalita si Alejandro. "I'm sorry if anything that I did or said offended you. But talk to me when you're okay again," he said.
Hindi niya ito pinansin. Basta lamang siya bumaba ng sasakyan nang biglang lumabas sa double doors na main entrance ng villa ang Mama niya. Humahangos ito na parang nagmamadali.
"Clara, oh God, good you're here!" gulong-gulong wika nito pagkakita sa kanya.
"What's wrong, Ma?" she asked. She took note of her worried face. Nakaayos rin ito na parang papaalis ng bahay.
"Alejandro, Clara, something bad happened to Winnie," anunsyo nito.
"What??" gulat na tanong ni Alejandro na ngayon ay nakababa na rin pala ng sasakyan.
"Nangangabayo sila kanina ni Tyler at bigla na lang, for some reason, ibinato siya ng kabayo at nahulog siya. It was a bad fall kaya ini-rush kagad siya ng Papa mo sa ospital sa bayan. Narito at susunod nga ako ngayon. Hindi ko pa alam ang totoong kalagayan niya. But she was unconscious and her head was bleeding from the accident. So if you're free, baka maaari mo akong samahan, hijo."
"Yes, of course, Tita. Hop on! Saang ospital?" Alejandro was quick to move at pinasakay na ang Mama niya sa sasakyan.
But she was unsure of what to do. May ginawa ba si Tyler na hindi dapat? May kinalaman ba ang nangyari na 'to sa pinagusapan nila ni Tyler kagabi? Kinukutuban siya ng masama.
"Are you coming, Clara?" tanong ni Alejandro sa kanya ngayon, holding out the passenger door still open for her.
She didn't know what to say pero sumakay na lang para malaman kung anong nangyari. Deep down inside, she was praying hard na wala siyang kinalaman o si Tyler sa nangyari sa pinsan niya.
****
"What happened?" pabulong na sigaw niya kay Tyler ng ma-corner niya ito sa isang sulok ng palapag na iyon ng ospital.
Winnie was in the ICU and is undergoing a brain surgery because she had a hemorrhage from her fall. Nauna kasing bumagsak ang ulo nito ng itapon siya ng kabayong sinasakyan.
"I didn't know she couldn't ride horses. She said she wanted to try," sagot ni Tyler na kinakabahan ngayon sa kondisyon ng dalaga. "So... I gave her the reigns and went down the horse."
"What?" gulat na gulat na sigaw niya rito.
"Clara, I'm sorry. I didn't mean this to happen. I didn't want this to happen! Believe me. I just brought her out to help her take photos. Magkasama kaming dalawa sa kabayo. I thought she knew how to ride. Pero naisip ko rin... a little accident won't hurt to make her realize that this life isn't for her... to drive her out of the villa and your family's hacienda."
"Are you crazy?" Ito na nga ba ang kinakatakutan niya.
"Clara, this is exactly what you wanted," pagpapaalala nito sa kanya.
"No! I didn't tell you to endanger my cousin's life," giit niya.
"I know. I know! I'm sorry. But I just did what I thought would help you get rid of her. Just like you said na ayaw mo na makita siya dito sa hacienda ninyo," pag-uulit ni Tyler.
She groaned in frustration. This isn't what she planned.
"You were behind this?" a voice from behind them asked.
Sabay na nilingon nina Tyler at Clara ang baritonong boses na ito.
"Clara, you were behind this?" Alejandro asked again. Kitang-kita sa mukha nito ang hilakbot sa narinig.
"A-Alejandro...," was all she could say.
"I never knew you would stoop this low, Clara. I've always thought of you as a spoiled brat. Pero kahit kailan hindi ko alam na kaya mo 'tong gawin. At sa pinsan mo pa talaga. What made you hate Winnie so much?"
"Alejandro, I didn't want this to happen! It was a misunderstanding. Believe me," pagtatanggol ni Clara sa sarili.
"And you?" pagbaling ni Alejandro kay Tyler. "You're a good-for-nothing bastard. I think the best thing to do is for you to get out of here as fast as possible dahil kapag nakita ko pa ulit ang pagmumukha mo, ipapakulong kita sa ginawa mo."
Tyler was clearly ashamed of himself. He didn't even bother defending himself. Instead, he just walked out and left them both in that quiet corner.
"Alejandro, believe me. Hindi ko ginusto ang nangyari," pagmamakaawa niya sa binata. "Please, huwag mo akong isumbong kina Papa. Please, Alejandro."
"Really, Clara? At iyan pa ngayon ang nasa isip mo. First of all, I am not a child like you na parang bata kapag naagawan ng laruan. Second, hindi kita isusumbong just because nagmamakaawa ngayon. I am doing this para hindi na dumadag pa sa sakit ng ulo ng mga magulang mo."
She was dumbfounded at what he said. It hurts. So bad.
"I didn't know na ganito na pala ngayon ang moralidad mo matapos mong tumira at makapag-aral sa Maynila. I never knew you would stoop this low, Clara. Winnie is so much of a bigger person than you will ever be."
At sinampal niya si Alejandro. She didn't know why. Anger? Jealousy? Frustration? A tear escaped pero mabilis niya ring pinalis iyon.
"Don't you dare insult me like that again. Kung mas gusto mo si Winnie kaysa sakin, then by all means, go to her!" Iyon lamang at tinalikuran na niya si Alejandro.
She didn't know why pero masakit na malaman na mas pinipili nito si Winnie kaysa sa kanya. They just met a few days ago. Hindi pa nila kilala masyado si Winnie but why is Alejandro acting so protective of her?
"Clara!" tawag ni Alejandro sa likuran niya.
But she didn't stop walking.
"So you're walking out now? Why? Are you going back to the city? To escape your own sins?"
Hindi niya ulit ito nilingon. She kept walking just as far from him as possible.
"Saan ka pupunta?" paghabol sa kanya ni Alejandro at hinila ang kanang braso niya.
"Far from you," she responded in anger.
"I bet you wouldn't even know how to commute going back to your house," sumbat nito sa kanya.
True enough, she didn't know how. Pero bahala na! "You don't have to care about me from now on. I know Winnie's undergoing surgery so you can just wait here all you want. I'm leaving."
Huminga ng malalim si Alejandro, obviously composing himself. "Nag-aagaw buhay ang pinsan mo... and you're choosing to leave."
"I don't wanna stay in a place where I'm not wanted. Besides, I barely know Winnie. And what happened to her is not my fault," giit pa rin niya. "So I would rather leave."
"You're staying," seryosong wika ni Alejandro.
"What makes you think I'm gonna listen to you?"
"You're staying here hanggang matapos ang operation. I'll take you home so you will stay here with me until I decide it's time to leave," he firmly said and locked his hands around her right wrist.
"Who do you think you are?" sigaw ni Clara sa binata.
Pero hindi na nagsalita pa si Alejandro at hinila siya pabalik sa operating room ng pinsan. With his strength, she had no other choice but to follow dahil napakahigpit ng hawak nito sa kanya.
Her parents were in the chapel kung kaya't silang dalawa lamang ang naiwang bantay sa labas ng operating room.
Alam niya sa sarili niya na kasalanan niya ang nangyari. That's why she wanted to escape. But Alejandro was firm to show her the consequences of her actions.
She saw her cousin, unconscious habang napapalibutan ng mga doctor at nurses.
It was a sight to behold and she felt more than sorry for what she's done.
Alejandro's right.
Winnie might be a better person than her after all.
*****
A/N: A sweet chapter before your good night's sleep. Thanks sa pagsubaybay sa istoryang ito na sinimulan ko pa noong 2022. I promise to finish this story this year para sa lahat ng mga fans ng Alejandro-Clara love team. Hehehe!
For now, just wanna show a sneak peak of Hacienda Castro.