CHAPTER 7

● Yazmin

"EVRON, I'll get going now," paalam ko.

Tumango siya habang nakatingin lang sa pinggan niya. Mas mauna siyang nagising sa akin at naghanda siya ng agahan. But I need to be early on my first day of work that's why I didn't bother eating breakfast.

For the past two days, all I did was get familiarized with the general overview of Kortez Corporation and its components. Just then, our driver drove me to work.

"Good morning, Miss Kortez..." bati ng sekretarya ni Daddy.

Ngumiti ako. "Good morning, Tess."

"Architect is inside the office po. I'm given orders that you can go in immediately."

"Thanks,"

Diretso ang aking lakad sa opisina ni Daddy, pagdating sa pintuan ay itinulak ito.

Because Dad remarried I seldom went here for two main reasons: I don't want to mingle with Dad stepdaughter and second, I don't want to meet his second wife.

Pero ngayon na nandito ako magtatrabaho, nilagay ko na sa isip ko na magiging madalas ang pagtatagpo namin. I mentally prepared myself for another stressing encounters.

Ngumiti ako kay Daddy nang nakapasok sa silid. "Good morning, Dad."

"Oh, good morning, hija," he smiled. "You look beautiful,"

"Got my genes from Mom," I mumbled so he wouldn't hear it.

Tumayo siya. "Come on, dadalhin kita sa opisina mo na pinahanda ko."

Giniya niya ako patungo sa lobby at malapad na hallway.

"How are you and Evron? He's not stressing you?" tanong niya bigla.

‘The living creature that's stressing me is your little side family, Dad,’ ‘yun ang gustong lumabas sa bibig ko, pero hindi ko iyon sinabi. Umiling nalang ako sa aking ama.

He chuckled. "Elias should be grateful that his dumb-good-for-nothing son got married to a fine woman."

"Dad, 'wag kayong magsalita ng ganyan," pambabara ko.

Tumingin siya sa akin at humalakhak na tila biro ang lahat. "You're defending your so-called husband, hija."

"Of course. Evron is not a dummy. He is just childish but he understands people well and values my feelings too," giit ko.

Sa mukha niya pa lang, halatang hindi niya inaasahan ang mga sinasabi ko. He looked at me in disbelief. He shook his head and mockingly chuckled.

"Wag kang magpapadala sa hitsura no'n, hija. That man--"

"He's got a name. Dad!" medyo tumaas ang boses ko sa pagkairita.

Naniningkit ang tingin niya sa akin at sarkastikong natatawa.

"Right. Don't get swayed by his looks, hija. They are rich, they can find another woman to wed that--Evron. I'll have our lawyer prepare your divorce papers. Dump him after a year before he dumps you."

"It's not your decisions anymore, Dad," sita ko. "I moved out of your house. Decisions about my life will be decided by me."

Huminto siya sa paglalakad. May bahid ng irita sa mukha niya ngunit mas naiirita ako sa mga sinasabi niya. Kahit kailan, hindi talaga magbabago ang tao.

"Do you like that man, Yazmin?" he squinted. "He is a useless bastard! I wouldn't let you marry him if he was penniless."

I scoffed. "I married him because I want to, Dad. And again, his name is Evron. He is not useless!"

"Look at you--"

"Don't tell me I deserve better. You are lucky Elias Montemayor kept his word and cooperated with you. Don't forget that I am already a Montemayor too, Dad. I can try and tell them to stop supporting you because you're busy degrading his son," I coldly said.

Umawang ang kanyang labi. He knows I am serious and every word of mine is true. He shook his head in disbelief and continue walking. Sumunod ako sa kanya. Tahimik siya ng higit sampung minuto.

"I regretted marry you off..." mahina niyang sabi.

My fist clenched. "Maybe you shouldn't, Dad. After all, you benefited a lot with my marriage."

"Yazmin..."

"Let's stop talking about that," pigil ko.

Ayaw ko nang pag-usapan iyon baka kung ano pa ang masasabi ko sa kanya. He is my Dad and more than I admit, I get hurt when I see him hurt when my words are too much. May mga panahon talagang hindi ko mapigilan ang sasabihin sa kanya.

Tumango naman siya at nagpapatuloy nalang kami sa paglalakad.

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●To be continue