Chapter 1: The Orphan

Simula pa lamang pagkabata ni Gabriela Denise de Alba ay alam na niya ang katotohanang hindi lahat ng gusto niya, ay makukuha niya. 

12 years old pa lamang si Gabby nang siya ay maulila. Maraming taon man ang lumipas ay hindi pa rin niya nakakalimutan ang lahat ng nangyari sa gabing iyon.

" Jake, are you really sure about this?? Gabby just turned 12!! Paano kung may mangyaring hindi maganda sa atin? napakabata pa ng anak natin Jake." Sabi ng kanyang ina habang umiiyak.

It was a rainy night, and the three of them are inside their old blue car, running away from the men who were chasing them.

" I know Claire, but we need to do this. Please calm down okay? baka magising mo ang anak natin. Kailangan natin siyang iligtas. Manganganib siya kasama natin kung hindi natin gagawin to." Her father said after taking a deep breath.

Nagpakawala ng isang malalim na buntong-hininga ang kanyang ina. Her beautiful eyes that were once filled with happiness and contentment are now filled with worry and anxiety.

"I'm sorry Claire. All of these were happening just because of my father. Hindi ko inaasahang gagawin nya ang lahat nang ito ng dahil lang sa ayaw niya sa kung ano mang meron tayo." Narinig niyang sabi ng kanyang ama.

"No Jake, it's not your fault. Don't blame yourself with everything that had happened. It's all because of your selfish father. You have nothing to do with it." Her mommy said trying to comfort her daddy.

That conversation between her parents left her confused. she never understood what they were talking about since she was only a child back then. Only then she realized everything as she grew older. It all happened just because of her grandfather's selfishness.

Gabby's father, Jake de Alba, was a son of a multi-billionaire businessman named Don Antonio de Alba, her grandfather. 

On the other hand, her mother, Claire Legazpi, was just her dad's mere secretary. 

Her grandfather manages their chains of companies abroad, leaving their companies here in the Philippines at the hands of her father. 

Unexpectedly, her father fell in-love with his secretary. But it was a forbidden affair because her father was bound to marry a rich heiress named Victoria del Rosario. 

The secret affair between her parents lasted smoothly without anyone noticing until her mom became pregnant with her. It was then the moment that her dad decided to call off his engagement with Victoria and marry her mom. 

Unfortunately, when her grandfather came to know what was happening, he got furious. He deliberately caused harm to her mother and the unborn child, which is Gabby. Luckily, he never succeeded. 

So when her parents finally had the chance, they fled, bringing with them her dad's savings from all his hard-works while working as the CEO of their company. He had converted all of it in cash, and started a small business in Davao City located in Mindanao.

Pero hindi yata naaayon ang tadhana para sa kanila. After years of hiding, her grandfather's men still managed to locate them. 

So the next thing that her parents did? Yeah, they brought her to the orphanage.

They said it was just for a while. They said they will come back for her. They said they will still be together for a long time. But none of these happened. 

While her grandfather's men where chasing them. Her parent's car met an accident. The car collided with a truck full of steel cables. None of her parents survived. While she waited for them to come back and get her, her parents already left her, making Gabby an orphan.

Until now, she still hold the grudge against her grandfather. If he only approved of her parent's relationship, none of those things would've happened. May mga magulang pa rin sana siya ngayon. 

Gabby still remember what there last words for her before they left her alone in the orphanage.

"Gabby, anak" her mom said while crying. "I hope someday you'll understand why we are doing this." she sniffed.

"Remember when we told you why we named you Gabriella?" she asked.

Gabby nodded. "it's because Gabriella means strong, Gabriella means brave, and I have to be strong and brave because I am Gabriella." Gabby answered though she still don't understand what was happening. 

Her mom nodded again and smiled lovingly at her. "My baby is such a smart kid." She said and held her right hand.

"Gabby anak, kailangan ka muna naming iwan ng daddy mo dito okay? Bad people are after me and daddy. So for you to be safe, you have to be separated from us for the time being okay?" she said and Gabby nodded in agreement.

Lumapit naman sa kanila ang daddy niya at saka humawak rin sa kanyang kabilang kamay.

"Don't worry baby, mommy and I will come back to get you okay? Once everything is already settled, we will come back for you okay?" her Daddy said and she nodded again.

" Here is my diary baby." Sabi ng mommy niya sabay bigay ng diary sa kaniya. 

"This diary is very important to me baby. So I want you to take care of it for me, okay?" 

Gabby nodded again at that.

Then her father talked to the nuns that were watching them intently.

"Sister Jane, please do take care of my baby. kailangan lang talaga namin ng tulong ninyo ngayon." her dad said.

"Wala pong problema doon Mr. de Alba. Sobrang laking tulong na po ang naibibigay ninyo sa orphange. Kaya isang malaking karangalan po ang tumulong sa kahit anong paraan sa inyo. Huwag po kayong mag-alala, aalagaan po namin si Miss Gabby dito." The nun answered her father before they left.

And it was the last time she saw her parents alive. Dahil ng sumunod niyang makita ang mga ito ay nakahandusay na ang dalawa sa malamig na higaan ng morgue. 

Matapos mailibing ang mga magulang niya ay kinausap si Gabby ni sister Jane.

"Gabby, iha, bago kasi umalis ang daddy at mommy mo ay ibinilin nilang gawin namin ito kung sakaling may mangyari mang masama sa kanila." Sabi ni sister Jane saka ibinigay sa kanya ang isang envelope.

Nang buksan ni Gabby ang envelope ay nakita niya ang papel na may nakasulat na birth certificate.

"Ano po ito Sister Jane? Kanino po ito?". Tanong niya sa madre.

"Sa iyo yan anak. Para sa kaligtasan mo. Bago umalis ang mga magulang mo ay ibinilin nilang palitan ang pangalan mo para hindi ka madaling mahanap ng mga nagtatangka sa buhay mo." Sabi ng madre na siyang nagpaluha kay Gabby.

"Do we really need to do that sister? And what's my new name then?". She answered, finally understanding the situation she's in.

"Simula ngayon ay hindi na Gabriela Denise de Alba ang iyong pangalan, tatawagin ka na bilang Tatiana Legazpi. Simula ngayon ay apelyido na nang iyong ina ang gagamitin mo." 

The orphanage became her home for the next years and all the orphans and the nuns living in there became her family.

Lumipas ang panahon at lumaking isang masayahin at mabait na dalaga si Gabby, o Yanah sa kanyang mga kasama sa ampunan. 

Ngunit ang galit para sa kanyang lolo ay naroroon pa rin sa kanyang puso. 

Maganda rin ang dalaga, makikita ang pagiging inosente sa mga makamundong bagay sa kanyang mga kilos at pananalita. Katangiang salungat naman sa kanyang bestfriend na si Scarlet Saavedra.

Scarlet came from a rich family, which owns a large shipping company.

Kasalukuyang naglilinis sa kusina ng ampunan si Yanah ng marinig niya ang mga kasamang volunteers na nagchichismisan sa labas.

"Bhe, alam mo, bibisita raw ulit dito yung pangunahing donor nitong ampunan, si maam Diana?? At bhe, kasama daw yung anak na binata!!! Sobrang gwapo daw bhe!!!" Tili nang isa sa mga volunteer. 

"Ay kilala ko yan bayot, yan ba yung Ashton??? Bayot!! Nakita ko yan dati sa picture sa dyaryo, ang sarap bhe!!!" saka nagtilian na naman ang mga kasama niya. 

Sa puntong iyon ay napagpasyahan na niyang lumapit at makisali sa mga nagkukumpulang volunteer.

"Gwapo, mayaman, at mabait, naku, ang swerte ng magiging asawa niyan, nasa kanya na lahat eh!" dagdag pa ng katabi niyang kasali sa chismisan.

"Kaya lang may nobya na daw yun eh, ang problema nga lang ayaw ni maam Diana, masama daw ugali nun eh".

Naintriga naman si Yanah sa mga narinig galing sa mga kasama. Minsan na rin nyang narinig ang kwentong iyon. 

Noon pa man ay nakikita na niyang pumupunta si Diana Leviste sa bahay ampunan. 

Una pa lamang niyang narinig ang pangalan nito ay naging pamilyar na ito sa kanya. Hanggang sa maalala niya ang diary ng mommy niya, at nakumpirma nga niya dito na si Diana Leviste ay ang pinakamatalik na kaibigan ng kanyang ina.

Nalaman niya mula sa diary na parehong lumaki sa ampunang kinaroroonan niya ang dalawa, ito rin marahil ang dahilan kung bakit nagdodonate ng malaking halaga si Diana sa orphanage.

Simula nang malaman niya ang katayuan ng babae sa buhay ng kanyang ina ay gustong gusto na niya itong makausap. Kaya gusto niyang samantalahin ang pagkakataong ito para ipakilala niya ang sarili rito.

"Pero mga dzay, trending to sa facebook nung nakaraan eh, eh diba artista daw yung nobya ni sir Ashton? Eh natsismis na kasama sa hotel yung leading man niya sa movie dzay, ang daming nakakitang nag check in, may mga picture pa nga! Tapos kinabukasan nun nabalita na hiwalay na daw sila ni sir Ashton!!" Sabi ng isang tsismosa na nakapagpagulat naman sa iba.

Sa puntong iyon ay hindi niya na napigilan na makisali sa usapan. 

" Hoy! alam niyo kayo?? ang tsismosa niyo eh no?! Tigilan niyo na nga yan at marami pa tayong gagawin. May bisita tayo bukas oh." saway niya sa mga kasamang inismiran lamang sya.

" Eto talagang si sister Yanah oh, kahit kelan talaga ang kj." At nagtawanan ang lahat dahil sa tukso nitong sister Yanah bilang napakakonserbatibo ng dalaga.

" Ay naku, ewan ko sa inyo. Marami pa tayong gagawin kaya tama na ang tsismisan." Saka nagtatawanang naghiwahiwalay ang kaninay nagkukumpulan.

Hindi pa niya nakikita ang pinag-uusapang sir Ashton ng kanyang mga kasama. Ngunit gaano man ito kagwapo sa deskripsyon nila ay wala siyang interes rito.