NAPAKUYOM ng kamao si Gabrielle habang nakikinig sa kambal. Bumalik sila sa loob ng apartment at doon nag usap.
"Sorry, Gabby. We really did everything we could to hold on to Phoenix but Bloom Publishing kept on pressuring us."
Bloom publishing is one of the oldest publishing in the industry and it is their biggest competitor.
They are also experts in playing dirty.
"They poached each of our writers and they also paid few of our people just to backstab us kaya biglang nawalan ng malaking pera ang Phoenix. Our investors back out one by one. Tinalikuran kami ng mga taong pinagkakatiwalaan namin. Forgive us Gabby." Kyla was in tears remembering what they had been through.
They were bashed and they were hated by people dahil sinisisi sila sa biglang pagkawala ni Genesis to the point of being thrown by rotten eggs on the road.
Their car being vandalized at hindi nawawalan ng protesta ang labas ng Phoenix. They were pressured to bring back Genesis.
"No, I don't hate you guys. Ang kinagagalit ko ay bakit pati kayo hindi nila tinantanan? If they want Phoenix to close that badly, hinayaan na nila sana kayo."
Bloom Publishing was the main reason kung bakit sila naghihirap. Nang mag close ang Phoenix nawalan sila ng trabaho at kahit saan sila mag apply malaki o maliit man na posisyon, walang tumatanggap sa kanila at alam nilang pakana din iyon ng Bloom.
"Kahit nga pagiging Janitor na posisyon walang tumatanggap sa amin." Napatawa ng pagak si Kurt.
"Sa unang taon na nawala ka, we still survived kahit nawalan kami ng trabaho. We sold our condo and cars though. Yung mga pinagkatiwalaan mo noon, tinalikuran din kami. Wala kaming masagot kung bakit ka nawala."
Gabrielle was the brain of Phoenix Publishing kaya nagkagulo lahat nang nawala siya. Para silang pinutulan ng ulo kaya bumagsak ito.
Ulilang lubos sina Kyle at Kurt, nawalan sila ng magulang noong highschool sila kaya silang dalawa na lang ang nagtutulungan para makaahon sa hirap.
Nakapagtapos ng kolehiyo ang dalawa dahil sa sarili nilang tiyaga at sikap. Nagtatrabaho sila habang nag aaral kaya galit si Gabrielle sa sarili niya dahil siya ang dahilan kung bakit sila naghihirap ulit at galit na galit siya sa ginawa ng Bloom Publishing sa kanila.
"I should be the one asking for forgiveness dahil wala ako when you two needed me the most."
Kyla and Kurt smile. "Nandito ka na at ang mahalaga ligtas ka."
"Don't worry, I am planning to revive Phoenix and Genesis. This time, I will make sure na sila naman ang babagsak." Gabrielle's voice was firm. She could've let them go but what they did to the twins just urged her to destroy them.
She then looked at the twins with a slight smile. "I'll understand if you guys choose not to join me again."
"Phoenix was already part of our life. You have us Gabby and we will join the battle." Kurt smiled.
Ngumiti si Gabrielle bago tumingin kay Kyla. "You can count on us Gab at isa pa gusto kong humalakhak ng malakas pag nakikita kong sila naman ang maghihirap."
Gabrielle chuckled. "We'll be starting from scratch kaya hindi yun magiging ganun kadali but I promise, I'll make them pay for what they've done."
Magsasalita pa sana si Kyla nang may kumatok sa pinto kaya napatayo siya para buksan to.
"Sino sila?" She asked.
"I worked for Miss Gabrielle, Can I talk to her for one moment, Miss?"
"Uhh..." Napatango lang si Kyla bago binuksan ng malaki ang pinto.
Napatayo naman si Gabrielle nang makita ang lalaking pumasok.
"Andrew? Anong ginagawa mo dito? Akala ko may lakad kayo?" Takang tanong ni Gabrielle.
Andrew slightly bowed and handed her a brown envelope.
"Pinapabigay niya, Miss Gabrielle. Nakalimutan mo tong dalhin. Sa tingin ko kailangan mo to."
"What's this?" Gabrielle opened the envelope and gaped her mouth. She then looked at Andrew confused. "How did... " he know?
As if on cue, Gabrielle's cellphone ring. Tumingin muna siya sa kambal before answering. "One second."
She turned around and answered. "Hello?"
"You can let them move in."
Gabrielle smiled and her eyes were full of amazement. "How did you know?"
"I heard it when you asked Andrew to find the documents of your land property so I just prepared everything."
Gabrielle chuckled. "Thank you."
"Anything for you."
When the call ended, she looked back at Andrew.
"It was already renovated, Miss Gabrielle and I already took care of their landlord. Please let me know kung may kailangan ka pa."
Gabrielle smile awkwardly. Andrew is the executive secretary of the country's leading company pero ngayun para siyang naging utusan niya mismo. "Wala na, thanks."
Andrew smiled and bowed before going out.
"Parang pamilyar siya." Bulong ni Kyla at napatingin sa kapatid.
"Baka ex mo." Kurt answered na ikinatawa ni Gabrielle.
"Gago ka talaga Kurt! Hindi noh. Parang nakita ko na siya sa TV o sa isang news. Nasa utak ko pero di ko matandaan."
Gabrielle cleared her throat before giving them the envelope. "Para to sa inyo. Consider it a gift."
Nang buksan ng magkapatid, agad silang napatingin kay Gabrielle.
"Sa amin na to? Bakit mo to binibigay?" Di makapaniwalang tanong ni Kyla habang tingin ng tingin kay Gabrielle at sa titulo ng bahay at lupa.
"Before the accident three years ago, my Mom and I were planning to stay in the country for good. We have a townhouse owned by my Mother pero malayo siya sa Phoenix publishing noon, that is why I bought a house and lot near Phoenix but I never got the chance to move in or stay dahil nga sa nangyari."
At that time, when Gabrielle graduated from College, she moved to stay abroad with her Mom and she'd only send her manuscripts and drafts to Kyla via email.
Minsan lang siya bumibisita sa Phoenix Publishing kapag may importanteng dahilan kaya walang nakakilala sa may ari ng Phoenix dahil si Kurt at Kyla lang ang laging nakikita ng publiko.
"Sa mga susunod na araw ko pa sana yan ibibigay dahil 3 years walang nakatira sa bahay, kaya kailangan ng matinding paglilinis at renovation. But someone did the work for me kaya pwede na kayong lumipat. You guys don't have to pay for the rent anymore."
"3 years? Are you staying with your dad?" Kyla asked.
Gabrielle looked down and smile
fakingly. "Yes, I've been staying with him for a year and a half with my Stepmother but I left home after that."
Kurt creased his eyebrow before asking. "Kung ganun saan ka nakatira ngayun?"
Gabrielle only smiled and decided not to tell them the truth yet. "You guys don't have to worry about me. I am in good hands. With a close family and I guess I'll be staying there for good kaya tanggapin niyo na yung bahay. It would be no use for me. It does not cost that much because the house isn't that huge so I hope you just take it."
Kyla was teary-eyed as she gave Gabrielle a hug. "Salamat Gabby."
Gabrielle stayed for a couple of minutes before she decided to leave.
Nang makalabas siya, Danny her driver was standing beside the car waiting for her.
"Let's go."
Danny did not move. "Sa kabilang kotse po kayo Miss Gabrielle."
"Kabila?" Napalingon siya sa kotseng naka park kasunod lang ng kotseng ginamit niya.
"Isn't that Yveo's car?" Bulong niya sa sarili and she was right when she lowered her head to see who was driving. It was Andrew and Yveo was reading a document in the back seat.
Yveo felt her gaze as he put down the document and meet his wife's eyes.
"Akala ko may lakad kayo?" Gabrielle asked while smiling as she entered the car and sat with her husband.
"Cancelled." Simpleng sagot ng asawa.
"Kanina pa ba kayo naghihintay?"
Yveo gave her a slight smile and answered. "We just got here."
From the driver's seat, napatingin naman si Andrew sa front mirror ng kotse. His eyes were protesting.
"Boss we've been here for more than 30 minutes." Bulong niya sa sarili at napailing bago nagsimulang mag drive.
"Saan tayo pupunta?" Tanong ni Gabrielle.
"We'll be attending a masquerade ball."
Gabrielle blinked her eyes and ceased her eyebrows. "You are taking me with you?"
"Why not? Be my date, Brielle."
Gabrielle's heart skipped a beat, damn why does it sound so hot every time he calls her name?
Gabrielle smile, this will be her first time appearing in Public then. Noon kasi sa mga family gathering lang siya dinadala ni Yveo.
Kapag may mga malaking events na dinadalo ang asawa, he would ask her to go with him but she'd always say no because she doesn't want to. Well aside from that even if she will go, Yveo's family would always find a way to secretly stop her.
According to them, she would just embarrassed Yveo and the whole Leviarez clan if she will appear in public, kaya gumagawa sila ng paraan para hindi siya makasama kay Yveo.
It's either putting something in her food to make her stomach ache, ruining her dress, shoes, or would put peanut powder in her accessories just to trigger the allergies that would make her skin itchy and gives her skin rashes.
It is very childish but they would really stoop to a low-level dirty trick just to stop her.
Hindi niya ito sinabi lahat kay Yveo sa kadahilanang ayaw niya ng gulo besides she was most afraid of Yveo than what his Mother, sister and cousins did to her.
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A/N: Votes and single comments are highly appreciated.