Ynoa's POV
"What the heck?!" Annie cursed when he saw my brother. Natawa kaming magkapatid. Good bye to long hair. Mas lalo ng nagmukhang de la Vega ang kapatid. Kinausap ko din na kung handa na siya, hindi ko ipagkakait ang pagkakataong makilala niya ang ama. I know how much he long for a family especially a dad. Kita ko ang inggit sa mata niya, sa tuwing nakakakita ng mag-ama.
I decided I will let the chairman make it up to my brother. Not to me. I am out of that, only my brother is involved. If Zeijan wants to meet his own father then I will let him.
I shouldn't be this selfish. It's true that I can provide him everything now. But not a father. I've been fooling myself that I was all he ever needs. Zeijan did nothing but to be a good brother, son, companion to me. Kahit napakabata ay pilit niya akong inintindi at minahal.
It's my turn to make it up to him. Even if I don't want to be involved in their family, I will if Zeijan asks me to. Kung gusto niyang makilala ang ama, papayagan ko.
"I look handsome, I know." natawa ako nang malaglag ang panga ni Annie dahil sa sinambit ng kapatid.
Tumakbo ang kapatid at pumunta sa itaas. Naiwan kami ni Annie dito sa sala.
"Ang gwapo ng kapatid mo!" natawa ako at kinagat ng labi. Dumiretso ako sa kusina at naglabas ng pitchel ng tubig. Bumuntot sa likod ko ang aking kaibigan, hindi pa din tumigil sa kakatalak kung gaano kawapo ng kapatid.
I sighed. "He's growing up too fast, nakakalungkot." sambit ko.
"I agree, he was just so little when I first saw him."
Our converstion was interrupted by a phone call. Nang makitang si Harry ang tumatawag agad kong sinagot.
"Harry!" I chuckled.
"You seem so happy. Something happened?"
"Nothing. I sent you Zeijan's photo. Bagong gupit." I chuckled.
"Hindi ko pa nakikita. Ginusto niya?" pati si Harry ay natawa.
"Ang tagal ko ng hinihikayat noon pero ayaw niya." He added.
"He's so handsome. Mukhang maraming babae ang papaiyak kapag lumaki." I giggled.
"Baka meron ng pinaiyak ngayon?" We both laughed.
"By the way, Annie told me about chairman. Did he visit you?"
I bit my lip. "Yes, but he left." amin ko.
Agad akong nagtaka. Napatingin ako sa kaibigan nakahilig sa lababo. I excuse myself. Agad akong lumayo. "What exactly did she tell you?"
"She just told me the chairman visited you."
"Nothingelse?" paninigurado ko.
"She did not describe the face of the man? She just told you that the chairman came?" I asked.
"Yes. Why?" agad kong ibinaba ang tawag. My jaw dropped. How did she know that it was the chairman? Hindi ko iyon sinabi! At mas lalong hindi si Harry ang nagsabi? Did she know the chairman? Kaya nang makita siya ay nabigla ito?
My head throbbed thinking the answer. Wala akong makukuhang sagot kapag hindi ko siya tatanungin.
Nang bumalik ako sa kusina ay wala na siya doon.
"Annie?" tawag ko.
"I'm here!" galing ang boses sa itaas kaya't doon ako dumiretso.
"What are you doing in my room?"
Nakaupo kasi siya sa kama ko. Inirapan niya lang ako. "Nothing! Ang tagal mo naman kasing kinausap si Harry."
"Ang sabi niya, ibinalita mo daw na pumunta ang chairman dito?"
"Oh that? Yep, I think he needs to know."
"Did you know the chairman?" I asked.
Natigilan siya ng kaunti bago umirap. "Of course. He's a tycoon!"
"Then why did you pretended not to know him?"
"I wasn't sure at first! Since I only saw him on news. But after that, I searched for him. Tapos nang makasigurado, sinabi ko na kay Harry. Is this a big deal?"
Umirap ako. "Akala ko kilala mo ang chairman, personally." nagkibit balikat na lang siya.
"You're still wearing that?" she pointed out my necklace. I bit my lip. It's the engagement ring Roemer gave me, I made it as a pendant of my necklace. I felt uncomfortable wearing it on my finger but I feel incomplete if I don't wear it. Kaya naisipan ko na lang na gawing kwintas.
Agad kong isiniksik iyon sa loob ng damit ko para maitago.
"That's the engagement ring Roemer gave you right? Hindi ka pa nakakamove on?" she teased.
Nawala ang ngiti ko. "How did you know that? I never told you about this."
She laughed like something is so funny. "You said once, noong lasing na lasing ka dahil kay Roemer."
I pouted when I realized I got drunk multiple times trying to forget about him. It happened during my first stay here, I was so desperate to forget him. And there were times I cry thinking everything. Thinking all the what ifs. I blamed myself because if only I had been honest from the start. Then none of this would've happened.
I was a total wreck. So I thank her and Harry and Seth for being so patient and understanding.
Maybe that was the reason why Harry never forced his feelings on me. Dahil alam niya kung sino ang mahal ko. Nakita niya kung paano ako nawasak at umiyak.
Kahit pa sinabi niya na hihintayin niya ako kahit kailan ako maging handa, hindi ko pa din siya binigyan ng pagkakataon. Dahil alam ko sa sarili ko na hindi ko siya kayang mahalin. I only see him as a great friend but not as a lover.
She stoop up and roam around my room. Nang mahagip niya ang kwintas na nasa aparador ko ay agad niya itong kinuha.
"You still have this?" she smiled.
Agad akong nagtaka at tinignan ng tinutukoy. I looked at her with confused look. Its a necklace with a small circle diamond pendant. Seth have me this as a gift last year. Kaya't hindi ko maintindihan ang pinagsasabi ni Annie.
"You already had this when you were in high school? Don't you remember?"
"Let me see." sambit ko at kinuha ang kwintas na hawak niya.
I popped my cheeks. I don't remember what is she saying. I mean may nasambit nanaman ba ako noong lasing ako? Napailing ako at tinitigang mabuti ang kwintas, umaasang may maalala. Pero wala. Seth really gave me this last year. Anong pinagsasabi niyang high school?
Sa iglap ay parang may bumalik sa isip ko.
"Ynoa! May nagpapabigay sayo to." Napatingin ako kay Aenel nang ibigay sa akin ang box.
I opened it, even she is shocked dahil sa laman nito. It's a necklace. Galing sa mamahaling brand ng mga alahas.
"Sinong nagpapabigay nito?" I asked.
Nagkibit balikat lang siya at pumunta sa kanyang upuan. I was in 3rd year high school that time.
The necklace have the same design as what Seth gave me. Kumabog ang dibdib ko at tumingin sa kaibigan. My heart beated wildly as I looked at her.
"How did you know that, Annie?" madiin kong tanong.
Agad siyang natigilan at napatingin sa akin.
"You said while you were dr-"
"Oh! I remember!" I chuckled.
"But it doesn't look like this. It's a heart shaped pendant. I think it was Harry who gave me. " ani ko.
Naningkit ang mata ko nang makita ang paglaglag ng panga niya. "It really looked like this! And I'm sure it wasn't Harry who gave you that!" she screamed.
Bingo. "How did you know that?" I asked.
"S-sinabi mo nang malasing ka." she sttutered.
"I am fucking sure I have never mentioned you about that!" I screamed.
There were conclusion running in my head. At hindi ko iyon nagustuhan.
"Ynoa stop being so sensitive!" She argued. Her lips trembled along with her hands.
"I am not! How did you know that! I never told you anything like this!"
No this can't be happening. My eyes burned in anger. Ikinuyom ko ang kamao at tumingin sa kanya.
"Ynoa, let me explain!"
"Explain what?!" sigaw ko.
Paano niya nalaman ang disenyo ng unang bagay na natanggap ko mula sa stalker ko noon? How did she fucking know the little details?!
Sa isang iglap ay naalala ko ang mga sinabi ni Frederick. That he's not the only who sent me the gifts, the threats, and the fucking notes. Now it fucking makes sense.
If it's not Frederick, then it must me the girl in front of me.
Agad nanginig ang kamay ko dahil sa galit. Lumukob ang kaba, takot ngunit nangibabaw ang galit.
"Fuck you." I cursed.