CHAPTER 4

Chapter 4 

“SO, you’re dating Atty. Alvarez?” Napaigtad si Elizabeth nang biglang may magsalita pagkalabas niya ng kanyang opisina. It’s already eleven in the evening when she decided to finish her paperworks. 

Kunot ang nuong tinitigan niya ang lalaking nasa harapan niya. “At bakit ka nandito?” She asked as she put her phone on her shoulder bag. 

“Because I want to talk with you,” simpleng sagot nito kaya hindi niya mapigilang irapan ito. Palagi nalang kasi iyon lumalabas sa bibig ng lalaki. Wala na bang bago? 

“I told you, we have nothing to talk about. We’re done,” sabi niya at tinalikuran ito. She then entered the elevator and at the same time, Alaister entered before the elevator closed. 

Muling napairap si Elizabeth nang tumabi ito sa kanya. His presence is enough to mess with her senses. Kaya itinikom niya nalang ang kanyang bibig at pilit pinapakalma ang sarili para maiwasang magkabangayan sila ng lalaki. 

“So... are you dating Atty. Alvarez?” Pagbasag nito sa panandaliang katahimikan. 

She blew out a loud breath. “That’s a personal question, Mr. Romano. ‘Tsaka ano naman sa’yo kung kami nga, labas ka na dun.” 

“It’s just yes or no, Eli, you don’t need to be so arrogant.”

 

She scoffed and looked at him with disbelief. “Did you just call me arrogant?” pagak siyang natawa. “Okay then, talk.” 

“Why did you left me?” 

Here we go again. Boring na aniya sa kanyang isipan kasabay ang pagkrus ng magkabila niyang braso sa harapan niya. 

“I already told you—“ 

“I want the truth, Eli.” 

She took a deep breath before speaking. “Because I realized that we were not really for each other. You see, Alaister, you’re so mysterious, skeptical, and unpredictable. I don’t even know your real name, you hid many things too well. Ni hindi ko nga alam kung nagpapanggap ka lang o pinaglalaruan mo ako. You’re too hard to read, too hard to trust. Kaya patawarin mo ako kung iniwan kita bigla, I just sort some things of.” Kalmado ang boses na sabi niya. But that was just half of the reason why she left him. 

She cannot tell him the main reason. Kasi kung tutuusin, kaya niyang manatili sa tabi nito kahit misteryoso at marami itong tinatagong sekreto. Kaya niyang baliwalain lahat ng iyon. But him, being the son of that demon who killed and violated her mother, hindi niya mapapalagpas iyon. 

Nakita niyang tumango-tango ang lalaki at mapanglumbabang yumuko. Akala niya ay tatahimik na ito pero hindi pa pala. 

“Kung ipapakilala ko ba sayo ang totoong ako… t-tatanggapin mo pa ba ako sa buhay mo? Papapasukin mo ba ulit ako sa puso mo?” Basag ang boses na tanong nito and something inside her want to comfort him. Hearing his voice break while pleading with full of pain, parang may kamay na pumiga sa puso niya. 

“I… I can’t—“ the elevator opens. Thank God. She said in her mind. “I have to go.” With that, she hurriedly went out from the elevator and walked away from the building without looking back. 

KINAUMAGAHAN ay napabalikwas ng bangon si Elizabeth nang marinig na sumigaw ang kanyang anak. Mabilis na tinakbo ni Elizabeth ang pinanggalingan ng ingay. Nang makarating siya sa sala ay nakita niya ang anak niya na may dalang katana, and beside her son is Greg who’s holding a dussack. 

Nakapameywang na tiningnan niya ang dalawang tao na nagfefencing sa sala. She looked at them flatly. 

“Hey, can you two stop what you’re doing?” Aniya sa mga ito pero parang nakikipag-usap lang siya sa hangin at wala siyang tugon na natanggap. Mukhang abala ang mga ito sa ginagawa nila that they didn’t feel her presence. 

Napabuntong-hininga nalang si Elizabeth at naglakad patungong kusina. Dahil sa sobrang magkasundo ang dalawa ay sa bahay na nila natutulog si Greg. Minsan ay napagkakamalan na ngang mag-ama ang dalawa. Napailing nalang si Elizabeth at naghanda ng almusal nila. 

THEY HAD an amazing breakfast, thanks to her cooking skills. Leaving her son with Greg means Greg will teach something extraordinary to her son that normal kids won’t do. Though, si Greg lang naman ang kaisa-isang taong pinagkakatiwalaan niya sa lahat ng bagay kaya wala siyang problema kapag nagtatrabaho siya. 

She was busy the whole day in her company, reading and signing the documents. Kung hindi pa kumalam ang tiyan niya ay hindi niya mapapansing madilim na pala sa labas. She stretched her arms and picked her purse and phone before exiting the building. Nang makalabas siya ay nakita niya ang lalaking kayang sumira ng araw niya. 

“What are you doing here again?” Sikmat niya dito nang makalapit siya dito. 

Alaister gave her a smug smirk. “Chill, I’m not here to pester nor open up our past. I’m here to be on good terms with you… and maybe, we can be friends?” 

Nagsalubong ang magkabilang kilay ni Elizabeth sa tinuran nito. She’s trying to read him. If he’s telling his real intentions. Pero wala, hindi niya mabasa ang laman ng isipan ng lalaki. He’s too mysterious but she can’t see that this person in front of her will harm her. 

“Okay? But that doesn’t mean you have to be this close to me, Alaister.” Aniya kasabay ang bahagyang pagkalukot ng mukha nang makitang isang pulgada nalang ang pagitan ng katawan nila sa isa’t-isa. 

Alaister chuckled and stepped back. “Can I invite you to a simple dinner?” Biglang sabi nito kaya kaagad siyang naghinala. “Don’t worry, it’s just a friendly dinner date. Hindi naman kita aahasin o ipapahamak. You know me, Eli, I won’t harm you.” 

Napabuntong-hininga nalang si Elizabeth at dahan-dahang tumango. Alaister won’t hurt her, physically. Kaya nang igiya siya nito papasok sa sasakyan nito ay sumunod siya. Pinagbuksan siya nito ng pinto at kaagad siyang pumasok sa loob. Sumunod naman si Alaister at pinaandar ang sasakyan. Tahimik lang sila habang umaandar ang sasakyan hanggang sa basagin ni Alaister ang katahimikang lumukob sa kanila. 

“Sorry, Eli.” 

Nilingon niya ito at pinangunutan ng noo. “What?” She asked, trying to clarify if she heard it right. 

“For everything.” He added, his eyes focused on the road. Elizabeth can see an emotion she’s afraid to name in his eyes. Iniwas ni Elizabeth ang tingin sa lalaki at tipid na ngumiti. 

I already forgive you, Alaister. It’s not your fault. 

“Wala namang magbabago kung papatawarin kita o hindi e. What’s going on between us has already ended and it happened for a reason. You, saying sorry and showing up to me will just bring back bitter memories for the both of us.” Walang halong inis o panunumbat na sabi ni Elizabeth. Just facts. It won’t change a thing. Nangyari na ang dapat mangyari. All she can do is to stay away from him as much as possible. She doesn't want to get involved with him anymore. 

She heard Alaister sighed. “I know but please accept my apology. Alam kong marami akong pagkukulang sa’yo but I hope after this—”

“I hope our path will never cross again,” putol niya sa sasabihin pa nito na nagpatigil kay Alaister. Nasa gilid na sila ng kalsada, nakahinto. Marahan niyang nilingon ang lalaki at ningitian. 

She gently caressed his cheek and said, “Please set yourself free, Alaister. Don’t try living in the past and changing what’s destined to happen.” She took the opportunity to open the door and get out of his car. While Alaister was left there, unmoving and gazing blankly. 

SA BAHAY ni Greg dumiretso si Eli dahil andoon ang anak niya. Hindi niya mabilang kung ilang besea na siyang napabuntong-hininga. She took a cab cuz she left her car in her company. She have to clear her mind. Focus on her goal. Ayaw na niya ng gulo pero simula nang dumating sila sa Pilipinas ay palaging gumugulo sa kanyang isipan si Alaister. 

She knew that the moment she stepped foot in the land of the Philippines, she already accepted the favor her father was asking. But she’s not ready to bring harm to anyone, especially to the father of her son. Hindi sa mahal pa niya ito kung hindi ay nagmamalasakit lang din siya dito. She knew she wronged him. Ang kasalanan ng ama niya ay hindi niya kasalanan, alam niya ‘yon. She shouldn’t have blamed Alaister for his father’s sins. She was just scared. 

Her face automatically lit up when her son welcomed her with a wide smile. Para bang nawala lahat ng pinapasan niya at gumaan kaagad ang pakiramdam niya. 

“Hi baby,” malambing niyang bati sa anak sabay yakap dito. Hinalikan niya sa noo ang anak at sinapo ang magkabilang pisngi at tinitigan.

“Do I look like my father, mommy?” Inosente nitong tanong na nagpangiti sa kanya. 

“You resemble your father’s appearance, one look from him and he will know you’re his.” Nakangiting sagot niya sa anak. Looking at her son’s eyes, she suddenly remembers her brother. “Though you have the same eye color of my brother, Ala.”

Her son has purple eyes with a hint of red, just like her brother who’s gone for long. She shook her head as the memories of her brother started to alter her mind. “Anyways, where’s your Papa Greg? Why are you alone here?” 

Ala innocently pointed above the stairs. “Papa Greg is in his library, talking to someone. He said I should stay here and behave.” Her son pouted and she chuckled at his cuteness. 

“We’ll come home tonight, prepare your things muna. Kakausapin ko muna papa Greg mo.” Aniya sa manihanon na tono bago tumungo sa taas para kausapin si Greg. 

When she got there, she knocked on the door three times. “Greg, are you there?” She called out his name and when she didn’t receive a response, she entered the library silently. 

Hinanap niya si Greg nang bigla niyang narinig ang tinig nito. 

“Sir, I’m working on the case right now. Just give me more time, I’m still gathering some evidence.” She heard him said in frustration. What case? What evidence? Hindi niya alam na may kaso palang hinahawakan si Greg, akala niya free ang schedule nito.

“Hey,” tawag niya sa binata ang kitang-kita niya ang pagkataranta nito at dali-daling pinatay at ibinulsa ang telepono nito. Biglang napataas ang kilay ni Eli sa ginawa ni Greg. 

“What is it?” tanong niya dito. Greg tried to smile but failed, making her frown. Kilala na niya si Greg, with him acting like that, alam niyang may tinatago ito. 

“Eli… andito ka na pala, what brought you here?” Nahahalata niya ang kaba sa ilalim ng boses nito kaya pinanliitan niya ito ng mata. 

Lumapit si Greg sa kanya kaya tinitigan niya ang mga mata nito, pilit niyang binabasa ang nasa isipan nito. “Are you investigating my father?”