LOGINSERENA'S POV Two days had passed in the blink of an eye. Wala pa rin kaming naririnig tungkol kay Mang Nardo. I want that evidence so badly, para matapos na ang lahat. Ang gusto ko lang ay makalaya si Papa ayon sa tunay na batas at hindi lang sa kapangyarihan ni Sebastian. I want to prove that my father has changed. Hindi man siya perpekto, but I know that throughout the years, he's always been there for me. Siya na ang naging sandigan ko. Sila ni Mama at ng mga anak ko ang naging dahilan kung bakit patuloy akong lumalaban kahit ilang beses na akong nadapa. Kapag tapos na ang kaso ni Papa, I will proceed as planned. Magpapakalayo ako, ibibigay ko sa kaniya ang lahat ng mga bagay na ibinigay sa akin ni Sebastian at ng pamilya niya. Pero ayon sa kontrata, bibigyan niya ako ng twenty million o higit pa para makapagsimula. Iyon ang gagamitin ko para pumunta sa ibang bansa at iwan ang bansang ito. Kakalimutan ko si Sebastian at lahat ng alaala na meron ako rito. I'll bring my parents
SERENA'S POVHindi ko alam kung bakit ako kaagad naawa kay Mr. Nardo. Marahil ang pagmamahal niya bilang isang ama ang nangibabaw sa paraan ng pagtingin ko sa kaniya. Malaki para sa akin ang pagmamahal ng isang magulang dahil doon ako nanggaling. Lahat ginagawa ko para sa mga anak ko, kahit pa ang sarili kong dignidad ang kailangang itaya.Ngayon, hindi ko alam kung gusto ko bang pagsisihan na napunta ako sa tabi ni Sebastian. Dahil mas lumalalim pa ang pagmamahal ko sa kaniya. And that's what makes me even more scared day by day.Ang mahalin ang isang tao na hindi naman isusukli ang pag-ibig.But if he will love me, hindi pa rin puwede.Galing ako sa ibabang mundo at ang taas ng antas niya. Magkaiba ang mundong ginagalawan namin. I thought liking him was impossible, but now I'm here, worrying because I'm slowly falling in love with him.At iyon ang pinakanakakatakot sa lahat.Hindi ko alam kung kailan nagsimula. Siguro sa mga maliliit na bagay. Sa paraan ng pag-aalala niya sa akin ka
SERENA'S POV His entire body was shaking again. The fear in his eyes had returned, stronger than before. "Patawad, Ma'am Serena pero hindi ko kaya. At alam ko naman na ipapakulong mo lang ako pero hindi mo ako papatayin. Kaya pakiusap, para lang sa mga anak ko..." "You can join forces with us. We can protect you," Sabi pa ni Raven. "Just answer my wife, and we will do the rest," Sebastian noted. Mr. Nardo hesitated for a while. He looked at me first, then at Sebastian, as if weighing the consequences of every possible answer. His fingers curled into fists against his knees. For several seconds, he said nothing. I could see the battle happening inside him. One side wanted to protect his children from the people who had threatened him. The other wanted to keep the secret that could cost him his life. Finally, he lowered his gaze. "Pero Ma'am at Sir, hindi ko kilala. Naka-itim na lalaki at naka-maskara siya nung lumapit siya sa'kin." "But do you have some clues?" T
SERENA'S POVKitang-kita sa mga mata ni Mr. Nardo ang takot. His body began to shiver, his lips were dry, and his eyes darted everywhere, desperately avoiding eye contact.Isang sakim na tao ang nakaharap namin. He was acting like he had gotten away with everything, as if what he had done meant nothing to him. Pero ngayong nakaharap na niya kami, halatang-halata ang bigat ng ginawa niya sa kaniyang mukha."My father treated you right, is this how you repay him?!" I said. "Nakapagnakaw nga si Papa sa kompanya na ito, but he already paid it, at ikaw ang saksi doon! Ang hindi ko lang matanggap ay ang mga kasalanan na ipinataw ninyo sa kaniya. Paano kayo nakakatulog gabi-gabi?! Hindi ba kayo pinapatay ng konsensya ninyo?!"His sweat lingered on his skin, tiny droplets forming along his forehead before slowly trailing down the side of his face. I could almost feel the pressure weighing heavily on his shoulders, as though every word I had thrown at him had become another stone tied around h
SERENA'S POVMagkatabi kaming naglakad ni Sebastian papunta sa opisina niya. Habang papalapit kami sa main office, napapansin kong unti-unting nagiging tahimik ang paligid.The moment we entered the main office floor, several employees immediately straightened their postures.Some of them stopped what they were doing.Others quickly lowered their heads as we passed."Good morning, Mr. Lancaster.""Good morning, Sir."I could feel their eyes following us, but no one dared to stare for too long.Sebastian didn't even slow down.He simply continued walking with his usual intimidating presence, his expression unreadable. There was something about the way the employees reacted to him that made it obvious how much authority he carried inside this company.I walked beside him, keeping my posture firm despite the attention.Pumasok kami sa opisina ni Sebastian. Malaki ang opisina niya, may malaking bintana na nagbibigay ng tanawin sa mga matataas na gusali sa labas. Lahat elegante at sopistik
SERENA'S POVAng ulo ko ay puno na ng pagtataka. Kung maaaring si Eric ang nagpadala nito, bakit niya naman sasabihin na kukunin niya ako sa impyerno? But, actually, parang ang layo naman kay Eric na magpadala ng ganoon, especially after what I did to his family and his girlfriend. I ruined their reputation, and maybe now they are living in some dump, struggling to find food just to survive.I don't pity them.Kasi diyan ako galing.I knew what it felt like to stare at an empty table and wonder where the next meal would come from. I knew what it felt like to lose everything overnight and have no one to blame but the people who had once promised they would never leave you behind.What happened to me back then, I didn't deserve any of it.I was betrayed, humiliated, and left to deal with the consequences of someone else's greed. So if Eric and his family were now experiencing even a fraction of the life they had forced upon me, I couldn't bring myself to feel sorry for them."Serena?" I
SERENA'S POVNagising ako at nakita ang sarili kong nakahiga sa isang kama sa clinic. Nakaupo si Mama sa gilid, magkasalikop ang mga kamay sa kandungan habang nakatitig sa sahig."Ma, anong nangyari?" tanong ko habang hinahawakan ang ulo ko. Hindi na gaanong umiikot ang paningin ko. "Ma?"Nag-angat
SERENA'S POVMakalipas ang dalawang oras na paglalakad ay nakarating na ako sa labas ng bahay namin. Nanginginig ang katawan ko sa lamig dahil basang-basa ako sa ulan.I pressed my purse against my chest, silently praying that everything would be alright.Ngunit nang makita ko ang tanawin sa harap
SERENA'S POV"Ahh!!!"I screamed my lungs out nang makita ko ang sarili kong hubad at nakahiga sa isang malaking kama. Ang mas malala pa, may katabi akong hindi kilalang lalaki na nakahubad at nakatalikod habang natutulog.I covered my mouth as my eyes widened in shock. Lumingon-lingon ako sa palig
SERENA'S POVKinabukasan, nagising ako sa malambot at malawak na kama ng hotel suite. Ang mamahaling puting kumot ay nakabalot pa rin sa aming tatlo habang ang mahinang sikat ng araw ay dahan-dahang sumisilip mula sa malalawak na bintana. Ang ginintuang liwanag nito ay tila marahang humahaplos sa m







