Kabanata 4

Kabanata 4

After Papa drifted back to sleep, the room fell into a heavy silence. I stayed beside him, holding his hand even after his grip loosened. My tears had dried, but the weight in my chest remained, pressing harder with every second.

“Anak…” Mama’s soft voice broke the silence.

I looked up at her. She was sitting on the other side of the bed, her eyes swollen from crying, her hands clasped tightly on her lap. She looked tired, older than the last time I saw her, as though the years had doubled in her absence from my life.

“May kailangan akong sabihin sa’yo.”

I straightened slowly, already sensing where this was going. “About the company?”

Mama nodded, her lips trembling before she spoke. “Totoo ang sinabi ng Papa mo. Hindi na maganda ang kalagayan ng Rosales Group. Matagal na naming pinipilit itago… pero hindi na namin kayang itago pa.”

My stomach clenched. I thought I was ready for this, but hearing it aloud made the reality so much heavier. “Ano pong nangyari?”

She took a deep breath, her fingers twisting the handkerchief she held. “Maraming utang ang kumpanya, anak. Simula noong nagkaroon ng malalaking proyekto na hindi natapos dahil sa mga delays, nalugi tayo. May mga investors na umatras, may mga kontratang hindi natupad. Unti-unti kaming naipit sa utang. At ngayon…” her voice broke, “ngayon nasa bingit na tayo ng pagkalugi.”

I felt my throat tighten. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner? Bakit hindi niyo ako sinabihan?”

Mama’s eyes watered again. “Ayaw ka ng Papa mong madamay. Lagi niyang sinasabi, ‘Kaya ko pa.’ Pero anak… hindi na niya kaya. Lalo na ngayon, sa lagay niya.”

I leaned back against the chair, pressing my palms to my face. My mind raced. For years, I had fought so hard to separate myself from this…. this very legacy, this very responsibility. And yet, here it was, pulling me back like a tide I couldn’t fight against.

“So… what happens now?” My voice was small, uncertain.

Mama reached across the bed, gently taking my free hand. Her touch was warm but trembling. “We need you, anak. Kailangan ng kumpanya ng bagong lider. Kailangan ng pangalan ng Rosales. Ikaw na lang ang natitira.”

I shook my head, tears stinging my eyes again. “Ma… fashion ang buhay ko. Spain is my home now. Hindi ko alam ang tungkol sa construction, sa negosyo ni Papa. Hindi ko alam kung kaya ko.”

Her grip tightened. “Hindi mo kailangang kaya agad. Ang kailangan lang ngayon ay lumaban ka para sa kumpanya. Para sa pamilya natin. Para sa Papa mo.”

Her words struck deep, pulling at the fragile walls I had built around myself. I stared at Papa, sleeping peacefully despite the machines around him, and I felt that familiar tug of duty I had tried so hard to escape.

I hated it. I hated that no matter how far I ran, it always led back here.

But most of all… I hated that a part of me couldn’t turn away.

I sat in silence, staring at Papa’s frail form on the bed. My mind was spinning, trying to grasp everything Mama had just said. Debts. Failed projects. Investors pulling out. The Rosales Group, the empire my father built with his blood and sweat, was collapsing right before my eyes.

“Pero anak…” Mama’s voice lowered, almost as if afraid the walls could hear. She leaned closer, her fingers clutching mine tightly. “…hindi lang basta utang ang problema ng kumpanya.”

I frowned, my heartbeat quickening. “Anong ibig mong sabihin, Ma?”

She glanced at Papa, then back at me, her eyes sharp with both fear and anger. “May mga taong pinaglalaruan ang kumpanya natin. Mga taong pinagkatiwalaan ng Papa mo.”

My chest tightened. “Are you saying… may nanggagantso?”

Mama’s lips pressed together as she nodded slowly. “Oo. May mga kontratang pinipirmahan nang hindi sinasabi sa amin. May mga perang nawawala, lumalabas sa ibang account. At ang masakit, mga tao mismo sa loob ng kumpanya ang gumagawa nito. Mga taong halos itinuring na naming pamilya.”

I felt my fists clench on my lap. Betrayal always cut the deepest when it came from those closest.

“Bakit hindi pa po ninyo sinasabi kay Papa?”

“Sinabi ko na,” Mama whispered, her voice breaking. “Pero ayaw niyang maniwala. Laging sinasabi, ‘Matagal ko nang kasama ang mga iyan, hindi nila ako ipagkakanulo.’ Hanggang sa huli, nagtitiwala pa rin siya.”

I shut my eyes tight, inhaling sharply. I could almost picture Papa, stubborn as always, refusing to believe anyone he trusted could do him wrong.

“Anak,” Mama continued, squeezing my hand tighter, “baka ito na ang dahilan kung bakit gusto niyang umuwi ka. Hindi lang dahil sa utang. Kundi dahil alam niyang ikaw na lang ang makakakita ng katotohanan. Ikaw ang pwedeng tumingin nang walang bias. Walang takot.”

Her words made my stomach churn. For years, I had fought to keep myself away from all this. And now, they wanted me to step right into the fire.

I bit my lip, looking again at Papa’s face looked pale, fragile, but still the same man who built this legacy. The same man who called me home.

“I don’t know if I can do this, Ma…” my voice cracked, my defenses slowly crumbling.

Mama held my hand to her chest, her tears falling freely. “Hindi ka nag-iisa, anak. Nandito ako. Pero kailangan ka ng kumpanya… at higit sa lahat, kailangan ka ng Papa mo.”

The words hung in the air, heavy and unrelenting.

And in that moment, I realized, whether I wanted to or not, my battle had just begun.

Napapikit ako habang pinakikiramdaman ang tibok ng puso ko, mabilis, mabigat, at puno ng kaba. For years, I had been running away from this exact life. Yet here I was, standing at the edge of a choice I could no longer avoid.

Pagmulat ng mata ko, mahigpit kong hinawakan ang kamay ni Mama. “Ma… I’ll do it. Ako na ang hahawak muna sa kumpanya habang hindi kaya ni Papa. Hindi ko man alam lahat, pero matututo ako. I won’t let anyone tear down what he built.”

Biglang tumulo ang mga luha sa mata ni Mama. Hinila niya ako at niyakap nang mahigpit, para bang matagal na niyang hinihintay ang mga salitang iyon.

“Salamat, anak…” she whispered shakily against my shoulder. “Alam kong mahirap ito para sa’yo, pero alam ko rin… ikaw lang ang makakapagligtas sa kumpanya. Ikaw ang magiging lakas ng Papa mo.”

Naramdaman ko ang bigat ng yakap niya, hindi lang bilang ina, kundi bilang isang babaeng matagal nang nagtataglay ng lahat ng bigat nang mag-isa.

Pagbitaw niya, marahan siyang ngumiti kahit punong-puno ng pagod ang kanyang mukha. “Simula bukas, pupunta tayo sa opisina. Ipapakilala kita officially sa board bilang acting head. Hindi madali ang tatanggapin nila, anak. Marami kang haharapin. Pero naniniwala ako sa’yo.”

Napalunok ako, ramdam ang tensyon na paparating. The board? The executives? The same people Mama suspects of betrayal? A wave of nervousness swept over me, but I forced myself to nod.

“Kung ganun, kailangan kong makita lahat ng financial records tonight. Hindi ako papasok nang walang alam.”

Nakita ko ang gulat at sabay na pag-angat ng kilay ni Mama. Then slowly, she smiled with pride. “Mukhang hindi ka na bata, Thaliya.”

Lumapit ako ulit kay Papa. I brushed a strand of hair away from his forehead, gently touching his hand. “Don’t worry, Pa. Hindi ko alam kung anong magiging resulta… pero I’ll fight for this. For you. For us.”

And for the first time in years, I felt the invisible wall between me and my father slowly crumble.

This wasn’t just about duty anymore. It was about proving, to him, to myself…….that I was more than the daughter who walked away.

This was the beginning of my battle.