Mag-log inKAIA CLEMENTE POINT OF VIEWTahimik lang ang loob ng sasakyan habang binabaybay namin ni Dylan ang daan papunta sa mansion ng mga Fontanilla. Nanatiling nakatitig ang mga mata ko sa labas ng bintana. Ilang beses na rin akong bumuntong hininga bago ko naramdaman ang marahang pagpisil ni Dylan sa kamay ko. Hindi ko na kailangan pang lumingon. Alam kong napansin na naman niya ang pag-aalala ko.“You're thinking too much again."Napangiti ako nang bahagya. "Obvious ba?""Hindi." Saglit siyang sumulyap sa akin bago muling ibinalik ang tingin sa kalsada. "Pero kilala kita."Napabuntong-hininga na lang ako. That was the problem with being married to Dylan. He knew me too well. Alam niy
DYLAN FONTANILLA POINT OF VIEWMy brows furrowed while looking towards Kaia. May hindi pa siya sinasabi sa amin? She cleared her throat before speaking again.“Paige… isn’t Tres’ biological daughter.”The confession settled over the room like a heavy weight. Danielle frowned first. “... What?” Hindi makapaniwalang tanong niya.My wife slowly nodded her head. “Her real mother was the real Thalia. She and Tres grew up together on the island,” panimula niya. Kaia looked down for a brief moment before continuing. “Years ago, Thalia left the island to work in the city. But while she was there…” Her voice almost broke. “... she was violated by her boss.”No one spoke. “When she found out she was pregnant, she immediately went back home. She wanted to keep the baby but she never told anyone who the father was. Tres was her boyfriend but he accepted her. He treated Paige as his own.”My chest
DYLAN FONTANILLA POINT OF VIEWIt had been a while since the dining room felt this alive.Everyone was already seated at the dining table. Dad was at the head of the table, quietly reading something on his phone while sipping his tea. Mom, on the other hand, was making sure the maids had prepared enough food for everyone. Lance was busy scrolling through his phone, while Maurice, Danielle, and Iverson were already making enough noise for the entire house. Mas maliit ang bahay ko kumpara sa family house namin kaya naman mas dinig na dinig ang ingay ng tatlo. “I’m telling you, kapag nagkaroon ng zombie apolypse, ikaw ang unang mamamatay dahil sa kabobohan mo,” Danielle teased Iverson.Maurice burst into laughter. “He actually would.”“I would not! I will investigate,” giit naman ni Iverson. “You’d become the investigation,” biro pa ni Danielle.Napailing ako habang nakikinig sa kanila. Some things never really changed. D
KAIA CLEMENTE POINT OF VIEWIlang araw ang lumipas pero pakiramdam ko ay parang tumigil na ang oras. Everything happened so fast that I barely had the chance to process any of it. Hindi na naging mahaba pa ang kamay ni Tres. Dahil sa nangyari at sa posibilidad na kumalat pa sa media ang balita, agad ding inayos ang lahat. Ayaw na rin ni Dylan na mas lumaki pa ang gulo kaya siya na ang nag-ayos ng lahat. The Fontanillas arranged everything. Narinig kong pati ang mga malalapit na kaibigan ni Tres sa isla ay dinala rito ni Dylan para makapagbigay ng huling respeto kay Tres. They wanted to talk to me to apologize pero wala akong hinarap kahit sino sa kanila, kahit na si Clara na itinuring kong tunay na kaibigan. Dylan told me he thanked her, because without Clara, hindi naman ako makakabalik sa Maynila. I wanted to talk to them but I just… I couldn’t. Hindi ko pa kaya. Pagkatapos noon ay tahimik na ring hinatid si Tres
KAIA CLEMENTE POINT OF VIEWNatahimik kaming lahat nang marinig ang paglapit nina Dad at Tita Aurora sa gawi namin. Naunang pumasok si Dad. Halata sa mukha niya ang pagod kaya’t nag-iwas ako kaagad ng tingin. Kasunod niya si Tita Aurora. Pakiramdam ko ay may kung anong sumabog sa loob ng dibdib ko. Tumayo ako at lumayo kay Dylan. “Kaia…” animoy nag-aalalang sambit ni Dylan nang lumayo ako sa kaniya. Napansin kong huminto si Dad nang saglit na magtagpo ang mga mata namin. May kung anong ekspresyon sa mata niya na para bang inaasahan niyang siya ang lalapitan ko. Siguro, akala niya siya ang sisisihin ko sa lahat ng nangyari. Pero mali siya. Hindi ko man lang siya nilingon. Diretso akong naglakad papunta kay Tita Aurora. “How are y—”Pak!Umalingangaw ang malakas na sampal sa buong lobby. Napasinghap ang lahat dahil sa ginawa ko. Napaling ang mukha ni Tita Aurora sa lakas ng pagka
KAIA CLEMENTE POINT OF VIEWNanatili akong nakaupo sa gilid ng operating room habang nanginginig ang kamay na nakatingin sa suot ko. My clothes were painted red… Tres’ blood. Ilang minuto ko na iyong tinititigan pero pakiramdam ko ay ilang oras na ang lumipas. The entire hospital lobby smelled like antiseptic and cold air. Mas lalo nitong dinadagdagan ang kabang nararamdaman ko.The nurses hurried from one hallway to another and stretchers rolled across the polished floor every few minutes. Everyone was moving. Everyone had somewhere to go. Pero ako…Pakiramdam ko ay naiwan akong nakatigil sa oras. “Kaia, why don’t you come with me? Magpalit ka muna ng damit,” malumanay na sambit sa akin ni Maurice. She held my hand and squeezed it as if she’s trying her best to comfort me. Nag-angat ako ng tingin sa kaniya. Siya ang naiwan kasama ko dahil saglit na umalis sina Dylan kasama ang tatay niya at si Iverson. They were cooperating w
“Anong klaseng mukha ‘yan, Kuya Dylan? Habag na habag?”Mas lalong napasimangot si Dylan matapos marinig ang sinabi ng pinsan. Iverson sat beside him and offered him a glass of wine. Wala siya sa sariling napailing bago tinanggap iyon.“Anong kailangan mo?” he asked as he took a sip.Iverson let ou
2 TBHW 41“I talked to Dylan’s mother.”Tila pumintig ang tainga ko nang marinig ang sinabi ni Sir Aziel. Ibinaba ko sa lapag si Rory at hinayaan itong maglaro bago tuluyang tumingin sa bagong dating na si Sir Aziel. “Ang nanay ni Dylan?”Tumango siya. “Nakasalubong ko
“Lieutenant, hinahanap ka kanina noong anak ni Senator.”Dylan was pulled out of his own reverie upon hearing his co-worker’s voice. Nag-angat siya ng tingin dito at taka itong tiningnan. “Nasaan? Bakit daw?” he asked curiously.Mula nang mahawakan niya ang kaso ng senador na si Senator Clemente, k
“So, kailan ang kasal?”Dylan stopped laughing upon hearing his mother’s question. Marahan siyang nag-angat ng tingin nang mapagtantong kanina pa pala nakatingin ang ina sa kaniya. A small smile crept on his lips before he snaked his arm around his girlfriend’s waist. “We’re just waiting for the ri







