Chapter 7

Ang byahe pabalik sa mansyon mula sa villa ay ang pinakatahimik na sandali ng buhay ko. Hawak ni Riguel ang manibela nang napakahigpit na tila ba madudurog ang balat nito. Sa backseat, mahimbing na natutulog si Lily, pagod mula sa takot at gulo ng nagdaang mga oras. Pero ako? Ang isip ko ay tila isang bagyo.

*Bella.* Ang kapatid ko sa labas. Ang babaeng buong buhay ay itinuring akong karibal. Bakit siya nandito? At paano niya nalaman ang tungkol sa kwintas?

"Riguel, makinig ka sa akin," panimula ko, ang boses ko ay nanginginig. "Hindi ko alam kung anong ginagawa ni Bella dito, pero kilala ko siya.

She’s manipulative. Gagawin niya ang lahat para makuha ang gusto niya."

Hindi lumingon si Riguel. Ang kanyang panga ay nananatiling matigas. "Sabi ng security, may dala siyang ebidensya, Sofia. Isang kwintas na kaparehong-kapareho ng sa iyo. At isang litrato nating dalawa noong bata pa tayo."

"Pero ako ang kasama mo noon! Ako ang binigyan mo ng kwintas!"

"Alam ko ang nararamdaman ko, Sofia. Pero kailangan nating harapin ito. My past is not something I take lightly."

Pagdating namin sa mansyon, bumungad sa amin ang isang pamilyar na pulang sports car na nakaparada sa tapat ng fountain. My heart hammered against my ribs. Bumaba kami ng sasakyan, at doon, sa grand staircase ng mansyon, nakatayo ang isang babaeng tila ba galing sa isang fashion magazine.

Bella Hatheaway.

Naka-suot siya ng isang mamahaling pulang dress, ang kanyang buhok ay perpektong naka-blowdry, at may hawak siyang baso ng champagne na tila ba siya ang may-ari ng bahay.

"Sofia! Long time no see, sis!" ang boses ni Bella ay matamis, pero puno ng lason.

"Anong ginagawa mo rito, Bella?" hinarap ko siya, pilit na pinatatatag ang aking tayo sa gitna ng pagod.

"I’m just here to claim what is mine, darling. Akala ko ba ay asawa ka lang sa papel? Why are you acting like you own the place?" Binaling ni Bella ang kanyang tingin kay Riguel, at biglang nagbago ang kanyang ekspresyon—naging malambot, naging mapang-akit. "Riguel... finally. It’s been so long."

Lumapit si Bella kay Riguel at hinawakan ang braso nito. I saw Riguel flinch, but he didn't pull away immediately. He was staring at something hanging from Bella’s neckk.

Isang kwintas. Isang **Sun and Moon necklace**.

"Nasaan mo nakuha 'yan?" tanong ni Riguel, ang boses niya ay mababa at puno ng babala.

"Ito?" hinawakan ni Bella ang pendant. "Ito 'yung binigay mo sa akin noong bata tayo, Riguel. Noong gabing nagtatago tayo sa garden nina Papa habang may party sa loob. Don't you remember? You told me I was your sun and you were my moon."

Napakapit ako sa sarili kong kwintas sa ilalim ng damit ko. *Those were my memories! My words!*

"Sinungaling ka, Bella!" sigaw ko. "Ibinigay mo sa akin ang kwintas na 'yan bago ako umalis ng Maynila, Sofia! Sabi mo ay itatago mo muna dahil baka mawala ko sa probinsya! Pinagkatiwalaan kita!"

Tumawa si Bella, isang nakakangilong tunog.

"Riguel, nakikita mo ba? My sister is obsessed. She wants your wealth so bad that she’s stealing my identity. Siya ang kumuha ng kwintas ko, at ang suot niya ngayon ay peke lang!"

"Riguel, huwag kang maniwala sa kanya," pakiusap ko, humarap ako sa kanya. "You saw me. You felt it at the lake today. You know it’s me."

Riguel looked at me, his eyes clouded with confusion and a deep, old pain. "Sofia, she has the photo. The original Polaroid we took in the garden."

Inilabas ni Bella ang isang lumang litrato. Doon, nakita ko ang isang batang lalake (Riguel) at isang batang babae na nakatalikod. The girl had the same hair color as both of us. But on the back of the photo, in faded ink, it said: *To my Bella.*

Nanghina ang mga tuhod ko. *To my Bella?* Paanong nangyari 'yun? Riguel never called me Bella. He called me...

"My little star," bulong ni Riguel, tila nababasa ang isip ko.

"Exactly!" singit ni Bella. "Bella means beautiful, like a star. You always said that."

Dahil sa gulo ng sitwasyon at dahil gabi na, walang choice si Riguel kundi patuluyin si Bella sa mansyon. I felt like I was losing my mind. This was my house! My life! Pero sa isang iglap, naging estranghero ako.

"Riguel, kailangan nating mag-usap," sabi ko nang kaming dalawa na lang sa hallway.

"Not tonight, Sofia. My head is spinning. I saw that photo, and I saw the name. Bakit may pangalan niya doon?"

"Hindi ko alam! Baka pinalitan niya! Baka... baka binura niya ang pangalan ko!"

Riguel looked at me, and for the first time since we kissed at the lake, there was a wall between us.

"The contract is still in place, Sofia. But until I find out who is telling the truth, I need space. Magpahinga ka na."

Umalis siya, iniwan akong mag-isa sa dilim.

Pumasok ako sa kwarto ni Lily, doon ko na lang gustong matulog. Pero laking gulat ko nang makita si Bella na nakaupo sa kama ni Lily, pinagmamasdan ang bata habang natutulog.

"Get out of here, Bella," bulong ko, ang galit ko ay tila bulkan na malapit nang sumabog.

"You really found a good catch, Sofia. A billionaire with a tragic past and a big house. Pero sayang, hindi ka marunong magtago ng alas," tumayo si Bella at lumapit sa akin.

"Paanong napunta sa iyo ang litratong 'yun? At bakit may pangalan mo?"

"Simple lang, sis. Noong bata tayo, ninakaw ko ang diary mo. I saw the photo, and I saw how much you cherished that boy. So, I used a little bit of chemistry to erase your name and put mine. At ang kwintas? Pinalitan ko ang sa iyo ng high-quality replica bago ka umalis. You’re wearing the fake one, Sofia. And Riguel Scott only wants the real thing."

"I will tell him. Isusumbong kita!"

"Go ahead. Pero sino ang papaniwalaan niya? Ang babaeng may 'real' necklace at photo na may pangalan niya, o ang asawang nabaon sa utang ang pamilya at kailangang-kailangan ng pera niya?" Bella smirked, leaning in close. "Stay out of my way, or I’ll make sure Papa goes to jail for the rest of his life for fraud. I have the papers, Sofia."

Napatigil ako. *Papa.* Bella had more than just the necklace; she had leverage.

The next three days were a living hell. Bella acted like the lady of the house. She would sit next to Riguel at breakfast, touching his hand, laughing at his stories. Riguel looked torn—he would look at me with longing, then look at Bella with a sense of "duty" to his childhood promise.

Pero may isang hindi nabilang si Bella. Si Lily.

Lily hated Bella. Tuwing lalapit si Bella, sisipain siya ni Lily o kaya ay itatapon ang pagkain nito.

Isang gabi, habang naglalakad ako sa hardin para magpahangin, nakita ko si Riguel na nakaupo sa bench—ang paborito naming tambayan.

"Sofia," tawag niya.

Lumapit ako pero hindi tumabi sa kanya. "Are you happy now, Riguel? You have your 'Bella'."

"She doesn't feel like you, Sofia. When I touch her hand, it’s cold. When I look into her eyes, I don't see the little girl who saved me from the dark. Pero ang ebidensya..."

"The heart doesn't need evidence, Riguel. It needs truth."

Kinuha ko ang Sun and Moon necklace ko at hinubad ito. Inilagay ko ito sa kamay niya. "If you think this is fake, then throw it away. But remember this: ang batang nakilala mo noon, hindi siya marunong mag-makeup, hindi siya marunong magsinungaling, at ang tanging gusto niya ay makita kang muling ngumiti. That’s me, Riguel. Not her."

Tumalikod ako, pero mabilis siyang tumayo at hinila ako sa baywang. The excitement and the heat between us were still there, more intense than ever because of the jealousy and the pain.

"I want to believe you so bad, Sofia," bulong niya, ang kanyang mga labi ay malapit na sa leeg ko.

"Then believe me. Riguel, look at the necklace under the ultraviolet light in your office. The real one has a hidden inscription that can only be seen under UV.

It’s a serial number from the jeweler. Look at both."

Binitawan niya ako, ang kanyang mga mata ay nanlaki. "Hidden inscription?"

"Yes. My father told me about it when he first bought it for you to give to me. If Bella’s is real, it will have the number 1992. If mine is real, it will have it."

Riguel didn't waste a second. Hinila niya ako patungo sa opisina niya. Eksaktong nakita namin si Bella na nandoon, tila may hinahanap sa mga drawer ni Riguel.

"Riguel! Darling, I was just looking for a pen—"

"Give me your necklace, Bella," malamig na sabi ni Riguel.

"What? Bakit? It’s mine!"

"Give it to me. Now."

Nanginginig na hinubad ni Bella ang kwintas.

Inilagay iyon ni Riguel sa ilalim ng UV lamp sa kanyang desk. Tahimik ang buong kwarto.

Nothing. Walang lumabas na numero.

Pagkatapos, kinuha ni Riguel ang kwintas ko. Inilagay niya ito sa ilalim ng ilaw.

And there it was. Glowing in a faint purple light: **1992**.

"You b*tch," Riguel growled, hinarap niya si Bella.

"You tried to play me. You tried to use my brother’s memory and my childhood promise to get to my money."

"Riguel, wait! I can explain! Sofia stole it from me and switched it!" Bella was crying now, but it was the cry of a trapped rat.

"Get out," Riguel’s voice was like a death sentence.

"And Sofia was right. The heart doesn't need evidence. I knew it was her the moment she stepped into this house. I was just too much of a coward to trust my own feelings."

Riguel called the security. "Escort Ms. Bella Hatheaway out of this province. If she ever comes back, have her arrested for trespassing and attempted fraud."

Nang makalabas si Bella, naiwan kaming dalawa ni Riguel. The air was thick with relief, but also with a new, raw intensity.

"I’m sorry, Sofia. Patawarin mo ako kung nag-duda ako," lumapit siya sa akin, his eyes full of regret and love.

"It’s okay, Riguel. At least now, we know."

Hinila niya ako sa isang mahigpit na yakap. "I’m burning that contract tomorrow. No more ninety days. No more paper wife. You are staying here as my real wife, Sofia Scott. Forever."

But just as he was about to kiss me, may narinig kaming malakas na pagsabog mula sa labas.

Isang sunog. The old barn—the one where the luxury cars were hidden—was in flames. At sa gitna ng apoy, nakita ko si Charlotte. She was holding a torch, a crazed look on her face.

"If I can't have this estate, no one will!" sigaw niya.

And worst of all, nakita ko si Lily. She was trapped on the second floor of the burning barn.

"LILY!" sigaw namin ni Riguel.

The excitement of our reunion was replaced by a deadly race against time.