Chapter 4

Hindi ako nakatulog nang maayos pagkatapos ng komprontasyon namin ni Riguel. Ang bawat salita niya—ang pag-amin niya ng guilt tungkol sa kapatid niya—ay paulit-ulit na tumatakbo sa isip ko. Pero mas nanaig ang galit ko para kay Lily. I couldn’t just sit around and wait for Riguel to "talk" to Charlotte. I knew women like Charlotte; they don't listen to talk. They only understand power.

Alas-siyete pa lang ng umaga, bumangon na ako.

I wore a simple white linen shirt and jeans, tied my hair up in a practical ponytail, and marched straight to the kitchen.

Doon, naabutan ko si Charlotte na nagtitimpla ng kape, habang si Lily ay nakaupo sa isang maliit na bangko sa sulok, kinakain ang isang pirasong tuyong tinapayy.

"Charlotte," tawag ko. My voice was calm but cold as steel.

Nilingon niya ako, isang mapanuyang ngiti ang agad na sumilay sa kanyang labi. "Good morning, Madam. Ang aga niyo yata para sa isang 'city princess.' Gusto niyo ba ng kape?"

"I want Lily’s things moved to the guest room next to mine. Now," diretsong sabi ko.

Napatigil si Charlotte. Ibinaba niya ang kutsarang hawak niya at humarap sa akin nang buong-buo. "Excuse me? Master Riguel said—"

"Master Riguel said he would talk to you, right? Well, I’m his wife, and I’m telling you to move her.

Ngayon din. That attic is no longer her room."

Lalong lumapad ang ngisi ni Charlotte, pero ang mga mata niya ay puno ng poot. "Madam, baka nakakalimutan niyo kung bakit kayo nandito. You are a contract wife. You are here to pay a debt.

Wala kayong karapatang pakialaman ang patakaran sa loob ng bahay na ito."

"Subukan mo ako, Charlotte," lumapit ako sa kanya, hindi kumukurap. "I may be here for a contract, but as long as my name is Sofia Scott, I am the mistress of this house. And if you don't follow my order, I will make sure Riguel finds out exactly what’s in those 'medication' bottles you’ve been hiding."

Nakita ko ang panandaliang pagkagulat sa mga mata niya. Bingo. Tinuon ko ang pansin ko kay Lily, na nakatingin sa amin nang may halong takot at pagtataka.

"Lily, come with me," yaya ko sa kanya.

Hindi gumalaw ang bata, nakatingin muna siya kay Charlotte na tila humihingi ng permiso. I felt another pang of anger. Charlotte gave a stiff, jerky nod, her jaw clenched so tight I thought it would snap.

Dinala ko si Lily sa bagong kwarto niya. It was a beautiful room with a large window overlooking the garden. Malinis ang hangin dito, hindi tulad sa attic. Habang tinutulungan ko siyang mag-ayos, napansin ko ang panginginig ng mga kamay niya.

"It’s okay, Lily. This is your room now. Walang mananakit sa iyo dito," bulong ko.

Kinuha ko ang drawing materials na hiningi ko sa driver kanina bago siya umalis para sa errands.

Inilapag ko iyon sa lamesa. Agad na kuminang any mga mata ni Lily. Kinuha niya ang isang kulay asul na krayola at nagsimulang gumuhit.

Pinanood ko siya. She was so focused, so quiet.

Pero sa likod ng katahimikang iyon, alam kong may malaking kwento siyang gustong isigaw.

Tanghalian na nang muli kaming magkita ni Riguel.

Kakababa lang niya galing sa bukid, pawisan ang kanyang t-shirt at may bakas ng putik ang kanyang bota. He looked rugged, raw, and incredibly masculine. Pero bago pa man ako makapagsalita, hinarap niya ako sa gitna ng sala.

"Sofia, what the hell are you doing?" he barked.

Galit siya.

"I’m making this house livable, Riguel," sagot ko, pilit na hindi nagpapakita ng takot.

"I told you I would handle Charlotte! Bakit kailangang ilipat si Lily sa tabi ng kwarto mo? You’re making things complicated. Charlotte has been complaining about your 'interference' all morning."

"Interference? Riguel, she was starving the child! She was keeping her in a place where even a dog shouldn't sleep!" lumapit ako sa kanya, ramdam ko ang init na nanggagaling sa katawan niya. "If you’re so worried about Charlotte’s feelings, maybe you should ask yourself why you trust a maid more than your own eyes."

"Charlotte has been with this family since before my brother died! She knows this house!"

"She knows how to manipulate your guilt, Riguel!" sigaw ko back. "She knows that as long as you’re drowning in your own shame, you won’t look closely at what she’s doing to Lily. She’s using your brother’s death as a weapon against you!"

Biglang tumahimik ang paligid. Ang tanging naririnig ko lang ay ang mabigat na paghinga ni Riguel. He looked like he wanted to break something—or me. He stepped closer, his shadow engulfing me completely.

"You think you’re so smart, don't you? You think a few days in this house makes you an expert on my life?" his voice was a low, dangerous growl.

"I don't need to be an expert to see a child in pain," hinarap ko ang kanyang mga mata. "Look at me, Riguel. Are you really going to let that woman run your life just because you’re afraid to face the past?"

For a second, the ice in his eyes flickered. May nakita akong sakit, isang matandang sugat na tila muling bumukas. Pero bago pa siya makasagot, narinig namin ang isang basag na tunog mula sa itaas.

Isang matinis na kalampag, kasunod ang mahinang ungol.

"Lily!" sabay naming sigaw.

Tumakbo kami paakyat ng hagdan. Pumasok kami sa bagong kwarto ni Lily at doon, nakita namin si Charlotte na nakatayo sa gitna ng silid.

May basag na vase sa sahig, at si Lily ay nakasubsob sa sulok, hawak ang kanyang braso na may bakas ng pulang likido.

"What happened here?!" sigaw ni Riguel.

"Master, lilitaw na ang totoo! Sinubukan ko lang siyang tulungan mag-ayos, pero bigla siyang nagwala! She’s unstable, Master! Sabi ko naman sa inyo, ang batang ito ay magdadala lang ng gulo dito sa main wing!" Charlotte was fake-crying, her voice trembling with artificial fear.

Tiningnan ko si Lily. She wasn't throwing a tantrum.

She was shaking. Her eyes were fixed on a small bottle in Charlotte’s pocket—the same bottle I saw earlier.

"Liar!" I pointed at Charlotte. "I saw you! You were threatening her!"

"Sofia, stop it!" Riguel intervened, his head turning from me to Charlotte. "Charlotte, go to the kitchen. I’ll handle this."

"But Master—"

"Go!"

Nang makaalis si Charlotte, lumapit si Riguel kay Lily. Subukan niyang hawakan ang bata pero agad itong umiwas. Lily looked at Riguel not as an uncle, but as a stranger. A stranger who allowed her to be hurt.

I saw the heartbreak in Riguel’s face. It was quick, but it was there.

"Sofia, gamutin mo ang braso niya," maikling sabi ni Riguel bago siya mabilis na lumabas ng kwarto.

Habang nililinis ko ang sugat ni Lily, hindi ako makapagsalita. The tension in the house was reaching a breaking point. I knew Charlotte was planning something big. Hindi siya papayag na basta-basta ko lang mababago ang status quo.

"Lily, I'm sorry," bulong ko habang nilalagyan ng bandage ang maliit niyang braso. "I won't let her touch you again. I promise."

Lily looked at me. Dahan-dahan, kinuha niya ang drawing pad niya at may iginuhit. This time, it wasn't a dark figure. It was two women. Isang babaeng may mahabang buhok at isang maliit na bata. We were holding hands under a big, yellow sun.

Napangiti ako, pero may halong lungkot. I am only here for ninety days. Ano ang mangyayari kay Lily pag-alis ko? Who will protect her when the contract is over?

Sa gabing iyon, hindi ako sa kwarto ko natulog. I stayed by Lily’s side, watching her sleep. The house was quiet, but it was a heavy, suffocating silence.

Alas-dose na nang makarinig ako ng kumatok sa pinto. It was faint. Binuksan ko ito at laking gulat ko nang makita si Riguel. He wasn't wearing his usual cold mask. He looked exhausted.

"Is she okay?" he whispered, looking at the sleeping child.

"Physically, yes. Mentally? She’s a long way from being okay, Riguel," sagot ko.

Pumasok siya sa kwarto at tumayo sa paanan ng kama. He looked so out of place in a child’s room, so large and powerful.

"My brother... he was the golden boy. Everything I’m not. When he died in that accident, I was the one driving. Lily survived, but she stopped speaking that day. I can't look at her without seeing his face in the moment the car flipped."

I stood up and walked toward him. "Riguel, it wasn't your fault. And even if it was, Lily is the only part of him left. Protecting her is the only way you can truly honor his memory. Not by hiding her in an attic."

Riguel looked at me, and for the first time, I didn't see the cold billionaire. I saw a man who was lost in his own grief. He reached out, his hand hovering near my face before he pulled back.

"You’re a dangerous woman, Sofia Hatheaway. You make me want to feel things I’ve buried a long time ago."

"Maybe it's time to dig them up, Riguel."

He didn't answer. He just turned and left the room.

But I knew something had changed. The wall between us had a crack.

Pero habang tinitingnan ko ang dilim sa hallway, alam kong hindi lang si Riguel ang kailangan kong harapin. Charlotte was still out there, and I knew she wouldn't stop until she had me out of this house.

I clutched my necklace. The Sun and the Moon.*

Tomorrow is another day of battle. And I have to be ready.