Chapter 3 CONTINUATION

Grace POV:

Nang magising ako kinabukasan, masakit ang ulo ko. I saw a man I didn't know leaving my room. I panicked. "Who are you?!"

He just laughed and ran away. Then I saw it. On my side table the promise ring I gave back to Kalix was there, but beside it was a note from Hailey: "He saw you, Grace. It's over."

Doon ko narealize. Kalix came home. And he saw a lie.

Nang makita ko ang promise ring sa lamesa, parang sinaksak ang puso ko ng paulit-ulit. My head was spinning. Hindi ko maalala ang nangyari kagabi, pero ang note ni Hailey ay sapat na para gumuho ang mundo ko.

He saw you, Grace. It’s over.

"No... No, Kalix!" I screamed. Kahit nanghihina, tumayo ako. I didn't care if I was messy or if my head hurt. I needed to find him. I needed to tell him na set-up lang ang lahat. Na wala akong ginawang masama.

Tumakbo ako palabas ng kwarto, pababa ng hagdan. Halos madapa ako, pero wala akong pakialam.

"Kalix! Kalix!" sigaw ko habang binubuksan ang gate ng mansyon.

Hingal na hingal akong nakarating sa kalsada, umaasang makikita ko pa ang sasakyan niya. Pero wala. The road was empty. Ang tanging narinig ko lang ay ang malakas na pagtawa ni Hailey mula sa balcony.

"He’s gone, Grace." Hailey shouted, her voice full of joy. "Nakaalis na siya. He’s going back to Italy, and this time, he’s never coming back for a trash like you. He hates you now."

"Hayop ka, Hailey! Ano'ng ginawa mo?!" sigaw ko habang umiiyak sa gitna ng ulan.

Hindi pa ako nakakabawi sa sakit nang biglang lumabas si Papa mula sa pinto. His face was red with anger. Hawak niya ang mga litratong kinuha ni Hailey the pictures of me and that stranger on my bed.

"Papa, listen to me! It's a lie! Sinet-up nila ako!" pagmamakaawa ko, lumuhod ako sa harap niya at niyayakap ang mga binti niya.

Pero isang malakas na sipa ang natanggap ko. "Huwag mo akong tawaging Papa! You are a disgrace to this family! Ang dumi-dumi mo!"

"Gabriel, darling, calm down." malambing na sabi ni Teresa, acting like she was concerned. "Maybe she’s just lonely that's why nagawa niya iyon. Pero hindi ko akalain na gagawa siya ng ganitong kahalayan sa loob mismo ng bahay natin."

"Dad, I saw it with my own eyes." dagdag pa ni Hailey, pretending to cry. "It was so disgusting."

Doon na nag desisyon si Papa. "Kaladkarin niyo yan sa basement! Don't give her food! Hindi siya lalabas hangga't hindi ko sinasabi!"

Kinaladkad ako ng mga guard. I was screaming, crying, and begging for mercy. Pero wala akong nakitang awa sa mga mata ni Papa puro pandidiri lang. I was locked in the cold, dark basement. The only light was the small window near the ceiling.

1 week na akong nakakulong. I was starving and thirsty. My body was weak, but my heart was even weaker. I just wanted to die.

Then, the basement door opened. It was Hailey. She was holding a tray of food, but instead of giving it to me, she threw it on the floor.

"Oops, my hand slipped," she giggled. She sat on a wooden chair and looked at me with those wicked eyes. "You look pathetic, Grace."

"Bakit mo to ginagawa sa akin, Hailey? I didn't do anything para Gawin mo ito..."

Hailey spat. "And since you're going to die soon anyway, let me tell you a secret. You were right. It was all a lie. I paid that guy to sleep beside you. I drugged your juice. And those messages from Kalix the picture and videos I made them all."

My blood boiled. "You... you monster! Mapapatawad ako ni Papa kapag nalaman niya 'to!"

Hailey laughed so hard it echoed in the basement. "Papa? You mean Don Gabriel? Oh, Grace. Your dear Papa is currently in a coma."

Nanigas ang buong katawan ko. "What?! Anong ginawa niyo sa kanya?!"

"Hindi lang ako, Grace. It was a team effort. My mother, Teresa, and my real father, Marcus yes, the one you think is just our driver? He’s my real dad. We’ve been planning this for years." she said while laughing.

Lumapit siya sa akin at hinawakan ang buhok ko nang madiin. "We poisoned your father tea slowly, every single day. And when you committed that scandal. He had a stroke. He’s brain dead now, Grace. At sa mata ng lahat, ikaw ang dahilan." And your mother it's not accident someone did it which is my genius mom. Excellent right?"

I tried to bite her hand, but she slapped me.

"And now that you know the truth, ikaw naman ang isusunod namin." Hailey whispered, her eyes turning deadly. "We can't have the rightful heir alive, can we? We need to make it look like you committed suicide because of the guilt."

Doon ko narealize. All this time, I was living with murderers. They took my mother, they took my father, they took the man I love, and now they wanted my life.

"Bakit hindi niyo na lang ako patayin ngayon?" hamon ko sa kanya, kahit nanghihina.

"Patience, Grace. Gabi ang paborito naming oras para sa mga ganitong trabaho" Hailey said, standing up. "Enjoy your last few hours. Because later, we're going for a little trip to the bridge."

Nang isara niya ang pinto, nanatili akong nakahiga sa malamig na semento. I looked at the promise ring on my finger.

Kalix... bakit naniwala ka agad sa kanila? Bakit hindi mo ako hinintay?

I closed my eyes. The girl who was kind and honest was starting to die inside. If I survived this, I promised myself i would never be Grace again. I would be their worst nightmare.

Nang sumapit ang hatinggabi, kinaladkad ako nina Marcus at Teresa palabas ng basement. They put me in a car and drove to the abandoned bridge.

The rain was pouring hard, just like the day of my mother's funeral.

"I'm sorry it has to end this way, Grace," Teresa said, but she was smiling. "But you're just a stain on our perfect life."

Marcus pointed the gun at me.

"Wait," Hailey said. She took a knife and stepped toward me. "I want her to remember my face."

In isang iglap, kinalos niya ang dibdib ko. I felt the sharp blade cut through my chest, directly through my chest. I screamed in agony, the blood mixing with the rain.

"Now, you can jump." Hailey pushed me.

Bang!!

Kasabay ng putok ng baril sa balikat ko, nahulog ako sa tulay.

As I hit the water, the cold didn't hurt as much as the betrayal. I was sinking, deeper and deeper. I saw the lights of their car drive away.