KABANATA 63
Vladimir's Point Of View
"Let me go! Damn it!" Why are they doing this to me?
Pilit akong kumakawala sa mahigpit na pagkakahawak sa akin ng mga tauhan ni lolo. Pinipigilan nila akong makalapit kay Ayumi.
"We need to go home, right now!" Matigas na turan ni lolo tyaka sapilitan na akong hinatak ng mga tauhan niya.
"No! Mom, Dad! Why are you not doing anything!?" I keep on shouting and I really don't care what others might say.
But my mom and dad just stood there as well as my siblings and then after a couple of minutes ay mabilis na silang sumakay sa kani-kanilang mga sasakyan pagkadating ng aming driver while I was stuck with my lolo in his own car. This is insane!
"What do you want?" Matabang kong tanong matapos kong sumuko sa pagpupumiglas at wala nang nagawa lalo pa nang magsimula na sa pag andar ang sasakyan ni lolo.
"The first family clan is back, you need to hurry and marry Leo's daughter," simple niyang saad na para bang inuutusan lang akong kumanta o sumayaw.
"Are you still not done with that fvcking engagement? Like what I have said, Ayumi is the only one for me----
"She's not Ayumi anymore! She's Nisakiru and she's from the first family, can't you understand that!?" Agad niyang pagpuputol sa dapat na sasabihin ko.
"I don't fvcking care! She's still Ayumi and she's mine!" Napapalakas na din ang boses ko.
"You don't understand, I'm just doing this for you and for our family. You need to stay away from her." Mariin pa niyang saad na siyang mas lalong ikinairita ko.
"Paano kong maiintindihan kung hindi mo naman pinapaintindi, ni wala kang sinasabi kung ano ba talagang binabalak mo. Damn it lolo! Just fvcking tell me so I can understand!" Saan ba talaga nanggagaling ang mga desisyon niyang to?
"The third family is the real traitor, they pretended to be us during that incident before. That Leo has an evil plan, mayroon siyang hawak na ebidensiyang magtuturo sa pamilya natin bilang salarin sa nangyari noon. He keeps on blackmailing me na kapag hindi mo pinakasalan ang anak niya ay ilalabas niya ang lahat ng ebidensiyang hawak niya at iyon ang ikababagsak natin." Naikuyom ko ang aking kamao dahil sa narinig.
"This is not fair lolo, we are not the culprit! Bakit tayo ang kailangang magsakripisyo at bakit ako? No! Hindi ako papayag sa gusto niyo. We can just prove na hindi tayo ang may kasalanan----
"But how!? We've been gathering evidences for how many years now but that issue is still hunting us." T-That's true but we can't just give up now.
"I know for sure that the first family were also blaming us and Ayumi is a member of them, no! She's not just a mere member but the real heiress, and for them you are a threat to their princess." Dagdag pa ni lolo na siyang ikinatahimik ko.
But... I love her for real. I love Ayumi more than my life, can't they accept that?
"I love her lolo.... I-I love her so much." I can't contain myself anymore. Mabilis na nag unahan sa pagtulo ang mga luha ko. This is so painful for me.
"I know and I'm sorry," my lolo then hug me. This is the first time he did that and I can feel his sincerity.
I remained silent after that talk until we reached our mansion. Pagkarating sa bahay ay walang lingon-lingon akong dumiretso papunta sa sarili kong kwarto kahit pa narinig kong tinatawag ako nila mom sa may sala para siguro kausapin but I'm not in the mood right now, I need to think. Alam kong hindi pa huli ang lahat, hindi ako pwedeng basta nalang sumuko.
Nilock ko agad ang pinto pagkapasok ko sa kwarto tyaka malalim na nag isip. I need to think of a way on how will I gain the first family's trust.
Nagpabalik-balik ako sa paglalakad hanggang sa may mahagip ang aking paningin. It was that pendant, the crest of the first family na siyang naiwan ni Ayumi sa opisina ko noon. So it was actually hers and not Lucas' oh wait--- I just remembered something. If Ayumi is the real heiress and present during that incident then that 'necklace' is the real necklace I was looking for.
"That necklace is the key!" Wala sa sariling sambit ko tyaka mabilis na kinuha ang cellphone para idial ang number ni Ayumi.
It keeps on ringing pero hindi niya sinasagot. Argh! And then I decided to go out para isalaysay sa pamilya ko ang magandang balitang dala ko.
"Everyone! Ayumi is the key!" Agad na anunsiyo ko sa lahat pagkarating sa may sala kung nasaan nakaipon ang buo naming angkan.
"What do you mean by that?" Nakakunot ang noong tanong ni Lolo at bakas din sa mga mukha ng iba pa ang curiosity dahil sa sinabi ko.
"Where is Lola?" I asked first dahil di siya mahagip ng aking paningin.
"I'm here, why?" Si lola na mismo ang sumagot na mukhang galing pa sa kusina.
"Lola, do you still have that necklace? I mean, iyong kalahati ng kwintas na sinabi niyong isinuot niyo sa niligtas niyong sanggol during that incident?" I remember lola telling me that story.
"That necklace is the only thing that was left by my mother before our own clan vanished so yes, I still have the other half but why?" My grandmother asked curiously.
"Lola, that baby is Ayumi. Ang tagapagmana ng mga Manrique ang batang niligtas niyo noon and she still have the same necklace, I saw it." Mabilis at walang preno kong paglalaghad ng aking napagtanto.
Halatang nagulat ang lahat sa sinabi ko maliban kay lolo na nananatiling hindi kumbinsido.
"But how can you be so sure? Alam naman nating lahat na nagkalat na ang replica ng kwintas na iyon," Lolo has a point.
"Pero lolo we also both know that Ayumi is a survivor of that incident and according to lola, the baby that she saved has the same age as mine, I am just a year older than her lolo." There's a big possibility that my assumption is right.
"Actually there's a way to prove that the necklace she have is the real one." Bigla ay sambit ni lola.
"How/paano?" Halos sabay-sabay naming agad na tanong kay Lola.
"It's a puzle necklace and there is no way that a replica will fit the one that I have, only the real one will open," may ngiti sa labing sambit ni lola.
"The real one will open?" Curiosity hits me upon hearing her last words.
"Yes, the back portion of that heart shaped necklace has markings that will fit the one that I have. Kapag napag-isa ang dalawang kwintas ay pareho itong magbubukas on the bulky side, sa loob ng pendant nakaukit ang apelyido ng clan namin. The other one have 'Del' and the other half has 'Galiego' in it so Vlad, if you are going confirm whether the necklace that Ayumi has is the real one then you need to meet her." Mahaba at seryosong salaysay ni lola.
"But the first family will never let that happen," mabilis na tutol naman ni dad.
"I know dad, that's why I have a plan." Saad ko tyaka wala sa sariling napangisi at tyaka mabilis na nagdial sa aking cellphone.
Isang ring palang ay may sumagot na sa kabilang linya.
"Get ready everyone, we are going to kidnap my wife." Saad ko sa kausap na walang iba kundi ang tres at ang squad.
"Noted boss!" Sabay-sabay na sambit ng nasa kabilang linya.
"That was an insane plan Vladimir!" Agad na reklamo ni mommy.
"I have no choice mom, that's the only way," parang wala lang na sambit ko.
"I'm in," pagkuwan ay saad ni kuya Kirb na katulad ko ay nakangisi na din.
"Cool, and by the way I also need you Krizele. I need you to distract his brother Ice," bigla namang nagningning ang mga mata ni Krizele dahil sa sinabi ko.
"Game!" Excited na saad pa niya.
Kanya-kanya nalang din sa pagtampal ng noo at pag iling ang mga matatandang kasama namin. Alam kong hindi sila sang ayon sa naisip kong plano pero wala na din naman kaming ibang choice. We badly need to prove that our family is present during that incident to help and not to begin war.
Just you wait my wife, I will definitely prove that my love for you is true and that our family is innocent.
To be continued.....
©Mikireyaki(Mamikay)
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