"Kuya, mauna na pala akong umuwi," wika ng kamukha ni Jimena habang nakatingin na kay Raphael.
I couldn't take my eyes off at her. I keep on analyzing her. From her appearance, the way she acts and to the way she talks.
"Pero malapit na rin naman kaming umuwi ni Victorina. Mas maganda na magsabay na tayo," Raphael said. Nakita kong nagbuntong-hininga na lang ang kamukha ni Jimena at umupo sa tabi ng kuya niya raw.
I sat on my seat and gave Raphael my sweet smile.
"Victorina, siya pala 'yong binabanggit ko sa'yong kapatid ko, si Luisana."
Napunta ang tingin ko sa babaeng katabi ni Raphael. Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay.
She really looks like her.
"My name is Maja Victorina, Luisana," I said giving emphasis to the name Luisana as I presented my hand to her.
Tinanggap niya naman ito na agad niyang binitawan.
Raphael's phone rung kaya minabuti niyang umalis muna at naiwan kami nang sinasabi niyang kapatid.
I scanned her face throughly. There's no doubt na kamukhang-kamukha niya talaga si Jimena. Pero kung siya si Jimena, paano siya naging kapatid ni Raphael?
That's odd.
"Are you done staring at me, Maja Victorina?" she asked me with an eyebrow raised dahilan upang mapailing na lang ako.
I'm sure of it. This girl is definitely Jimena.
Her aura, her apperance, even the way she speaks is indeed the Jimena way.
"I'm sorry. Naiilang ka ba, Jimena?"
Nakita ko ang bakas nang pagkabigla niya sa tinawag ko sa kanya but she immediately masked it off.
What a very great pretender?!
"Hindi Jimena ang pangalan ko. At isa pa, why are you calling me such name?" aniya na parang hindi big deal 'yon.
"Hindi ba? Sorry... My bad." I paused and stared at her directly. "Imposible nga naman na maging ikaw si Jimena. That girl is back in San Diego, happily married with my brother."
I tilted my head. "Come to think of it. Nakakapagtaka na bigla na lang siyang papayag sa kasal gayo'ng halos isumpa niya na ang kasunduang 'yon dati. Strange right, Luisana?" I asked in a slow manner.
"What are you insinuating? Na hindi ang babaeng dapat pakasalan ng kuya mo ang kasama niya ngayon?"
"Siya nga ba talaga 'yon? Nang umalis ako sa San Diego, I met a very kind and sweet lady. That wasn't the Jimena I knew." I paused again. "I'm sure. Ikaw ang may pakana ng lahat ng 'to, Jimena," I said with a gritted teeth.
"Hindi ko kilala kung sino ang babaeng sinasabi mo?"
"Quit acting already. Huli ka na. Sa tingin mo ay mapapaikot mo ang lahat sa palad mo. Well, honestly your wrong. Si Raphael, he'll know that you are just hiding at someone's clothing."
"Wala kang ebidensya."
I chuckled mockingly "Kailangan pa ba 'yan? Hindi pa ba sapat na ibang-iba na ang Luisanang nakasama niya." I paused. "He's smart, sigurado akong alam niya kung kailan siya pinapaikot lang."
"Don't you dare—"
"Why? Scared now?" nangiinis kong tanong sa kanya hanggang sa naramdaman ko na lang ang palm niya sa cheek ko.
"Luisana! What are you doing?" madiing tanong ni Raphael nang makalapit na sa amin. Pinagtitinginan na rin kami ng mga tao dahil sa lakas nang pagkakasampal sa akin ni Jimena.
Instead of lashing out, I just remain calm on a situation like this. I'm not going to ruin my reputation just because of a woman like her.
"I'm sorry, Victorina," Raphael said while looking at me apologetically.
I smiled at him. "It's ok. Bantayan mo na lang nang mabuti ang kapatid mo dahil baka hindi lang sampal ang maibigay niya sa akin," I said and I saw confusion in his eyes.
"Ano bang nangyari?" Raphael asked me. Handa na sana akong magsalita nang maunahan ako ni Jimena.
Takot din naman palang mabuking ang bruha!
"Kuya, let's go home. Ayoko na rito."
Tiningnan siya ni Raphael at pagkatapos ay tumingin muli sa akin kaya naman tinanguan ko na lang siya while giving him a small smile.
I don't know na aabot sa ganito ang kayang gawin ni Jimena para lang hindi maikasal kay kuya Franco.
Poor kuya Franco for loving a devil like her. She doesn't deserve to be love. She doesn't deserve to be happy after everything she had done to hurt my brother.
Hindi pa ba sapat na binitag niya ang kapatid ko sa pagmamahal na kahit kailan ay hindi niya kayang suklian? She even deceived him and the people around her. Now, nakuha niya pang magpanggap to be Raphael's sister.
Is this how cruel she can be just to escape from my brother who didn't do anything but to love her wholeheartedly?
I despised that woman. I despised her for deceiving us, for deceiving the persons I care so much.
Gusto ko nang sabihin sa kanya ang nalalaman ko but I know that it must be said in personal. Isa pa, Raphael also need to know na hindi naman 'yon ang kapatid niya but honestly, how?
Tama si Jimena, wala akong sapat na evidence para i-prove ang claim ko. Maari ngang Raphael has doubts sa mga galaw ng kapatid niya but it is not an assurance na maniniwala siya sa akin especially that we don't know each other for a long time for him to give his trust to me.
My thoughts are disturbed nang tumunog ang telephone rito sa office kaya agad ko naman itong sinagot.
"Ma'am, may gusto raw pong kumausap sa'yo pero wala siyang appointment na ipina-sched. Luisana Santos daw po ang pangalan niya."
Napataas ang kilay ko nang marinig ko ang pangalan. I can even hear her annoyed voice in the background.
"Ok. Let her," I said before I hung up.
Now, what is she doing here?
Will she asks for forgiveness for everything she had done? Or will she beg for me to keep my mouth shut?
I guess the latter one is her agenda for going here. It's not her nature to ask for forgiveness. That's how conceited she is.
Minutes later ay pumasok na si Jimena.
"What can I do for you?" I asked in a bored tone.
"Layuan mo ang kuya ko!" she said with conviction in her voice. Nagpakawala na lang ako nang mahina at mabagal na tawa.
"Jimena, masyado mo naman kinarir ang pagiging little sister ni Raphael."
"Hindi ako nakikipagbiruan sa'yo Victorina!"
I looked at her with an innocent look.
"¿Por qué? Takot ka ba na malaman niya na hindi naman talaga ikaw si Luisana?"
(Why?)
"Huwag kang mag-alala, kung ayaw mong sabihin ko kay Raphael ang totoo ay uuwi na lang ako ng San Diego at ipapangalandakan doon na ang babaeng pinakasalan ng kapatid ko ay hindi naman pala ang tunay na Jimena. Sigurado ako ay uuwi siya kanila Raphael pagnangyari 'yon. And you? What is your role here?" dagdag ko pa. I even saw her eyes rage in so much anger and her hands balled into a tight fist
"Don't you dare do that!"
"Try me, then. Parang hindi mo naman ako kilala Jimena," nanghahamon kong sipi.
Magsasalita pa sana siya ng parehas kami napalingon sa pamilyar na boses. "Jimena? Sino si Jimena?" he asked at me then his gaze turned to Jimena and his face is shock for seeing his sister in my office. "What are you doing here, Luisana?"
Silence and tension filled the entire office. No one dares to utter a word or make a single noise.
Nang walang makuhang sagot si Raphael kay Jimena ay ibinalik niya ang atensyon sa akin.
This must be the perfect timing para sabihin ko na sa kanya ang totoo.
"Raphael, may napapansin ka bang kakaiba kay Luisana these past few months?" tanong ko sa kanya habang diretso nakatingin sa kanyang misteryosong mga mata.
"I have. Bakit mo natanong?" he said.
"Sandali nga, magkakilala ba kayo?"
I chose not to answer his questions.
"That girl is the girl promised to my brother," I said without breaking my gaze with his and I can see confusion in his eyes.
"Victorina, please," nakapikit na ang mata ni Jimenang nagmamakaawa sa aking huwag ko nang ituloy ang mga sasabihin.
Well, sorry but I needed to unveil this pretension of yours.
"She does not love him kaya handa siyang gawin ang lahat huwag lang makasal kay kuya. She can even fool everyone else and use an innocent person para lang makawala. That's how desperate she is."
He shook his head. "I'm sorry Victorina but I don't understand," he said.
"That girl is not your sister, Raphael." I paused. "Ang kapatid mo na si Luisana ay nasa San Diego pretending to be the lady named Jimena."
By that moment, I saw red in his eyes. Iyon ang unang pagkakataon na nakita kong magalit si Raphael and he looks scary as hell.
Matapos ang nangyari kahapon ay napagpasyahan kong bumalik na muna ngayon sa San Diego. Kailangan nilang malaman ang natuklasan ko.
I felt nothing but pure anger. How can they manipulate everything to their desire? Especially si Jimena. Kahit noon pa naman ay alam kong sarili niya lang ang iniisip niya pero hindi ko lubos maisip na nakaya niyang gawin 'to.
When I arrived at the frontage of our mansion ay agad akong bumaba ng kotse para pumasok pero biglang may kamay ang humawak sa braso ko.
"Hindi mo sasabihin ang nalalaman mo!" Jimena said with full of anger.
"And who do you think you are para utusan ako? They will know who she is, whether you like it or not, kaya pwede ba. Bitiwan mo ko!" galit ko ring saad at marahas na tinanggal ang kamay niya sa arm ko.
"I said you won't say a thing," she said nang hawakan niyang muli ang braso ko.
"Ano ba, Jimena?! Bitawan mo nga ako!"
"Para ano, ha? Magsusumbong ka."
"Dapat naman talaga nilang malaman ang gina—" I was cut-off nang dahil sa boses na narinig namin dahilan upang mapatingin kami kay papá na seryoso ring nakatingin sa amin.
This is the perfect time. I needed to tell them the truth now before this woman can make an act to conceal their plan.
"Hindi totoong si Jimena ang babaeng 'yan, papá. Because the real Jimena is here, right beside me. They fooled us," saad ko dahilan upang tuluyan na akong mabitawan ni Jimena.
"Kaya pala nakakapagtaka kung bakit bigla na lang nagbago si Jimena, 'yon pala ay hindi naman talaga siya iyon. No one can ever change that easily," pagpapatuloy ko pa habang umiiling.
Papá and mamá both looked at Luisana na nandirito rin pala. I also hates her for pretending just to help her twin sister.
"Jimena, ano ito?" mamá asked her with a confused voice.
"P-pasensya na po," ani Luisana bago tuluyang tumakbo palayo sa amin.
Papá's attention was shifted back to Jimena and me. "Kayong dalawa, pumasok kayo rito, hora mismo."
Nauna na akong pumasok sa gate habang ramdam ko naman na sumunod si Jimena. Once we arrived at the living room ay agad nang nagsimula ang walang katapusang katanungan ng aking magulang.
After kong masagot iyon at maikwento ang mga nalalaman ay nagtungo na ako sa aking room.
This day was such a long and tiring day pero ang akala kong matiwasay na pagpapahinga ko ay naudlot dahil ibinalita sa amin ni Lorna na nagwawala si kuya nang malaman niyang umalis na lang bigla si Luisana.
I didn't get it. Bakit ganito ang reaksyon niya? He must be angry and mad, cursing her to death pero kabaliktaran doon ang nasaksihan ko. He looks broken and devastated.
Ganito ba talaga kapag nasaktan ang isang tao nang dahil sa pag-ibig? If yes, then I don't like falling in love then.