Hannah woke up to the feeling of a hand stroking her hair.
What??? Who??? How???She was alone in the townhouse! Who could possibly be with her?"Hannah," it was Nate's voice, Hannah froze. Just last night, she dreamed of him. In fact it's still so vivid, she could actually remember every detail of her dream. So hearing Nate's voice when she was already fully awake though not still opening her eyes, made her heart skip a beat. "Hannah" she heard him chuckling. "I know you're already awake. Come on, open your eyes or I'll kiss you."Sukat sa sinabi nito ay agad siyang nagmulat, only to find Nate's face directly above her face. His amused gaze stared back at her surprised wide eyes."N-nate?!" She stammered at nagmamadaling bumangon, totally forgetting na halos magkadikit pala ang mukha nila. So she ended up head butting Nate Sarmiento."Ouch!" Exaggerated na sinapo ng binata ang noo nito."I-I'm sorry!" Agad niya iDumiretso na sila sa bahay. Nate held a meeting with the whole security team of his house. Kung bakit, hindi niya alam. After an hour, nagpaalam ito na makikipag-conference meeting sa mga staff nito via video call. She told him okay at nagpasyang mag-bake na lang ng chocolate chip cookies para sa asawa niya't anak. They were like crazy with the cookie. Mag-ama nga ang mga ito. Hannah smiled to herself. Hindi mapipigilan ng problemang dumating ang kasiyahan niya sa bagong estado niya sa buhay. Nate loves her at kahit hindi sila makapag-honeymoon ngayon, okay lang. She knew Nate, babawi ito. That's for sure. She was preparing the ingredients when her phone rang. It was Olive. "Hannah," bungad nito nang sagutin niya ang tawag. "Hello Liv," alanganin niyang bati. "Eli's with me. I'm wondering if you can come and get her? I have an appointment in two hours. I cannot drive her back. I need to fix myself pa." "
"Olive," Hannah tried to calm Olive down. "Let's talk. Not like this. Please, natatakot na si Eli…" "No... We will talk like this. Eli has to know what a slut you are, Hannah!" Gigil na itinutok nito sa tagiliran ni Elisha ang kutsilyo habang pigil nito ang bata sa buhok nito. "How you ruined our family!" Eli wasn't complaining kahit nakadungaw na sa mga mata nito ang pinipigilan nitong mga luha. She was a brave kid! Hindi niya alam kung dapat ba niyang ikatuwa iyon na tahimik lang ito o hindi. "Don't hurt her, I beg you." Siya pa ang naunang maiyak kaysa sa bata. "She's your daughter, Liv! Your own flesh and blood!" She couldn't contain seeing Eli so scared like that but she couldn't do anything. One wrong move and Olive could hurt Eli. "I know... " bahagya nitong inilayo ang kutsilyo "I'm not going to hurt Eli. I need her so Nate would come back to me. But– " bitin nitong itinabi sa leeg ni Eli ang hawak nito. "If you're not going to coopera
"Eli," marahang nilapitan ni Nate ang anak na nakatulala habang naka-indian sit sa gitna ng kama nito. "Time to see your doctor, anak."Pakiramdam niya kinurot ang puso niya when Eli didn't even look at him. His little girl was drowned into her thoughts again."Elisha, Dr. Railey is already waiting for you." Tinabihan niya ang bata at kinabig ito para halikan sa ulo."I don't need a doctor, daddy," mahinang usal ng bata. "I'm not sick.""He will just talk to you, anak." Dr. Railey was Eli's psychiatrist. For a week now, nakakailang session na si Elisha and yet parang wala pa ring improvement. Madalas pa rin itong tulala at bigla na lang umiiyak at sumisigaw. "Hey, do you like to visit mommy?"Upon hearing the word mommy, Elisha nodded almost eagerly. Gano'n naman lagi. Kapag nahihirapan siyang kausapin ito, Hannah would always do the trick. Kapag nababanggit ito sa bata, Elisha would start responding like her normal self."Yes daddy! I miss mommy so much!""
“Inaabangan ngayong darating na Linggo ang pinag-uusapang Wedding of the Year sa pagitan ng aktres na si Olive Concepcion at ng sikat na business personality at Hotelier na si Nate Sarmiento. Ito ay gaganapin sa NS Hotel mismo na pagmamay-ari ni Nate. Para sa karagdagang chika, narito ang ulat ni Ynez Solis…”“Mommy, I’m sleepy na.”Mula sa balitang pinapanood ay nabaling ang atensyon ni Hannah sa anak na naglalaro sa tabi niya.Naghihikab na ito at halos nakapikit na. Ang magaganda nitong mga mata ay mas lalo pang pumungay.Napangiti si Hannah bago binuhat si Elisha. "Okay, let's get you to bed, my love…"Maingat niya itong inilapag sa kama na nasa nag-iisang silid ng maliit niyang apartment. Kinumutan niya ito at hinalikan sa noo."Good night, mommy. I love you…""I love you
"Mommy." Lumapit sa kanya si Elisha but her eyes were fixed on Olive.Napatingin siya kay Olive. Her friend was surprised, stunned even. Then she smiled at Elisha with tears in her eyes when she realized who the little girl was."Hi," Olive said."Elisha," sabi niya. But it was more to remind Olive of her daughter's name. "I'm sorry, baby." Binuhat niya ito at iniupo sa kandungan niya, directly facing Olive."Ang laki na niya," ani Olive na umiiyak."Go ahead, Liv. You can hug her." She smiled kahit sa puso niya ayaw niya sa tagpong iyon. What if Olive changes her mind tapos kunin na nito si Elisha? Makakaya niya ba iyon?"Hi, Elisha!" Olive didn't move. "I'm Tita Olive."Hindi malaman ni Hannah kung matutuwa siya sa pakilala nitong Tita Olive. At least she spared her the trouble of telling the young fellow about her real mother at the mo
"Bye, Eli. Behave, okay?" Hinatid niya sa pre-school nito si Elisha. "Remember, kay ate Yoly ka lang sasama pauwi, okay?" Tukoy niya sa nag-aalaga sa anak habang nasa trabaho siya."Yes, mommy... I love you.""I love you too." She kissed her bago umalis.Monday kaya kailangan niyang makarating agad sa opisina. Well, being a college undergrad, assistant pa rin siya hanggang ngayon. She was just lucky na may tumanggap pa rin sa kanya despite her having no college diploma.Executive assistant siya for almost ten years na. That long service already earned her the status of being the little boss. Paano kasi, siya lang naman ang nakatagal sa amo nilang ipinaglihi sa sama ng loob.Pagdating niya sa opisina ay nagpulasan ang mga empleyado pabalik sa mga pwesto ng mga ito mula sa kaninang kumpol-kumpol habang nagtsitsismisan."Good morning, Hannah!" Bati ni Mia. Ito ang pinaka-clos
Malaki ang subdivision na kinaroroonan ng bahay ni Nate. Pero hindi naman siya nahirapang makapasok dahil mukhang naibilin na sa security ang pagdating niya. Actually pinababa na siya sa gate dahil may susundo raw sa kanya.Bawat minutong naghihintay siya ay parang binibiyak ang puso niya. Natatakot siya para kay Elisha. Kasama nito ang lalaking nagtangkang patayin ito while she was yet a fetus. Anong dahilan ng biglang pagiging interesado nitong maging ama sa bata? And he was even so sure that she was his daughter!"Ms. Hannah Rodriguez?" a black car pulled over in front of her. Bumaba ang driver no'n nang tumango siya. "Mr Sarmiento is expecting you," dagdag nito na ipinagbukas siya ng pintuan ng sasakyan.She murmured a 'thank you' bago sumakay sa magandang kotse ni Nate
"Good morning. I'm Hannah Rodriguez. May I know the office of Nate Sarmiento, please?" nasa lobby siya ng NS Hotel na pagmamay-ari ni Nate."Do you have an appointment with the GM?" Tinapunan siya ng magandang receptionist ng isang nanghuhusgang tingin."W-wala. But he'll see me---" hindi na niya natapos ang sasabihin nang mag-dial na sa telepono ang kausap.It was already the third day na nasa poder ni Nate si Elisha. Pangatlong araw na niyang ‘di nakikita ang anak. Pangatlong araw na rin na iniisa-isa niya ang bawat NS Hotel sa pagbabakasali na baka doon nag-oopisina ang may-ari na si Nate. Ang kinaroroonan niya ngayon ang huling branch sa Maynila. After nito, kailangan na niyang lumabas sa mga probinsya.Pe