KABANATA 02

YNA POV

The cold wind outside the building hit my face hard, pero hindi ko na maramdaman ang lamig. Wala na akong nararamdaman kundi ang matinding kirot na tila unti-unti na akong pinapatay mula sa loob. I stood there in the middle of the sidewalk, people rushing past me like I was just another piece of furniture, invisible and worthless.

My legs felt like jelly, parang anumang oras ay bibigay na lang ang mga ito at babagsak ako sa semento. But I forced myself to stand. Pinilit kong humakbang kahit ang bawat galaw ay parang paglalakad sa matatalim na salamin. I looked back at the towering glass building—Empire Global Corporation. Ito ang lugar kung saan nagsimula ang lahat ng pangarap namin. Ito ang lugar kung saan ako ngayon ay tinapon na parang basura.

Lucas’ words kept echoing in my mind, paulit-ulit, walang tigil, tila nagpapatawa sa kahinaan ko.

“You are nothing but a thief to me now.”

“Get out and never show your face again.”

“Your love is poison.”

Napahawak ako sa bibig ko para pigilan ang malakas na hikbi na gustong kumawala. Ang luha ay tuloy-tuloy lang sa pagbagsak, dumadaloy sa aking pisngi, nalalasahan ko ang alat at ang pait ng lahat ng ito. Three years. Tatlong taon na ibinigay ko sa kanya—ang oras ko, ang panahon ko, ang buong puso at kaluluwa ko. Lahat-lahat ay inalay ko sa kanya. At ito lang ang kapalit? Pagtataksil? Paninisi? Kawalan ng tiwala?

"Ma'am, are you alright?" A concerned voice broke through my thoughts.

I looked up, blurry vision making it hard to see clearly. Isang babae, empleyado rin siguro ng kumpanya dahil sa suot niyang ID lace, nakatingin sa akin nang may awa sa kanyang mga mata.

I tried to speak, tried to answer, pero parang may nakabara sa lalamunan ko. I just shook my head weakly and turned away, walking aimlessly down the busy street. I didn't know where to go. Wala akong mapuntahan. Ang bahay na tinirhan namin nang mahabang panahon—ang bahay na punong-puno ng alaala ng aming pagmamahalan—ay hindi ko na pwedeng balikan. I had no right to step foot there anymore. That was his house. His property. Everything belonged to him now.

And me? I was left with nothing but a broken heart and a name tarnished by lies.

I walked until my feet ached, hanggang sa makarating ako sa isang maliit na parke kung saan madalas kaming dumaan noon kapag magkasama kami. I sat on the same wooden bench where he once told me he couldn't imagine his life without me. I touched the rough surface, parang nararamdaman ko pa rin ang init ng katawan niya noong magkatabi kaming nakaupo dito.

"Do you remember this place, Lucas?" I whispered to the wind, hoping somehow he could hear me, kahit alam kong imposible na. "Dito mo sinabi sa akin na ikaw ang magtatanggol sa akin kahit laban sa buong mundo. Dito ka nangako na hindi ka maniniwala sa sinuman kundi sa akin. Paano mo nagawang kalimutan ang lahat ng 'yon sa isang iglap?"

My phone buzzed inside my bag, and my heart leaped with hope. Baka siya 'yon. Baka nakonsensya siya. Baka napagtanto niyang mali siya at gusto na niyang makinig sa akin. Mabilis kong hinugot ang telepono, nanginginig ang mga kamay ko habang tinitingnan ang pangalan sa screen.

But my heart sank instantly. It wasn't him. It was my lawyer, Attorney Reyes.

With trembling fingers, I answered the call. "Hello..." My voice sounded hoarse, weak, barely recognizable even to my own ears.

"Ms. Yna," Attorney Reyes started, his tone serious and grave. "I received formal documents just minutes ago. Lucas—Mr. Monteverde—has officially filed a case against you. It’s a criminal complaint for qualified theft and e****a. He is pushing for maximum penalty, Yna. He wants you behind bars for a very long time."

Parang binuhusan ako ng malamig na tubig mula ulo hanggang paa. The world around me seemed to spin faster, everything blurring into one chaotic mess. "He... he is really doing it? He really wants to send me to prison?"

"I’m afraid so," the lawyer replied gently, but the words hit me like bullets. "He is using every resource he has to ensure this case wins. He told me personally... he said he will not stop until you pay. He sounded... very determined, Yna. There is no mercy in him right now."

"Pero hindi ko ginawa 'yon, Attorney!" I cried out, desperate. "Tell him! Please tell him I didn't touch a single centavo! Alam niyo naman na hindi ko kaya gawin 'yon! Why is he doing this? Bakit siya nagpapakasakit at pinapakasakit din ako nang ganito kung mahal niya pa ako kahit konti?"

"Yna..." His voice softened, full of pity. "He doesn't love you anymore. Whatever feelings he had for you... it’s gone. Replaced by anger and hatred. He believes you destroyed everything he built. And when Lucas Monteverde hates someone... he destroys them completely. You need to prepare yourself. This will be a long, hard battle. And he holds all the cards."

I ended the call, hindi na ako nakarinig ng iba pa. Ibinaon ko ang mukha sa mga palad ko at humagulgol nang malakas. Wala akong pakialam kung may mga taong nakakakita sa akin. Wala na akong pakialam sa kahit ano. Ang lalaking minahal ko ng higit sa buhay ko ay hindi lang basta tumalikod—gusto niya akong wasakin. Gusto niyang makita akong nagdurusa, makita akong nahihirapan, makita akong nakakulong na parang hayop.

“I will make sure you regret the day you ever met me.”

Totoo ang sinabi niya. He wasn't just saying it out of anger. He meant every single word.

Hours passed by, at nanatili pa rin ako doon sa parke. Ang gabi ay unti-unti nang bumabalot sa siyudad, ang mga ilaw ay nagsisimula nang magliwanag sa paligid, pero sa puso ko ay madilim na madilim. Wala akong pera, wala akong matutuluyan, wala akong kakampi. Lahat ng kaibigan ko ay mga kaibigan din niya. Lahat ng kakilala ko ay mga taong kilala siya. Alam kong sa sandaling kumalat ang balitang ito, lahat sila ay maniniwala sa kanya. Lahat sila ay huhusgahan ako.

At sila ay mananahimik lang habang ako ay nilalamon ng kadiliman.

Suddenly, a black luxury car stopped right in front of the bench I was sitting on. Kilalang-kilala ko ang sasakyang ito. Ito ang paborito niyang kotse. Ang sasakyang madalas akong isinasakay niya kapag dinadala niya ako sa mga magagandang lugar.

The window rolled down, at nakita ko ang mukha ng lalaking gumawa ng buhay ko sa paraiso at ngayon ay ginagawa itong impyerno.

Lucas.

He looked at me—disheveled, crying, weak, miserable. And his eyes held no trace of the man who used to kiss my forehead every night. His face was cold, hard, and unforgiving.

"Get in," he commanded sharply.

I stared at him, blinking back fresh tears. "Why? What do you want from me now? Hindi pa ba sapat ang lahat ng ginawa mo? Are you here to humiliate me some more?"

"I said get in, Yna," he repeated, his voice stern and dangerous. "I still have things that belong to you. I had my staff pack everything from the house. I’m not keeping anything that reminds me of you. And certainly nothing of yours stays with me."

Tumayo ako nang dahan-dahan, ang tuhod ko ay nanginginig. I walked towards the car, my heart pounding painfully against my ribs. Binuksan ko ang pinto at sumakay sa likod, hindi ako naglakas-loob na umupo sa tabi niya sa harap. The air inside the car smelled like him—expensive cologne, cigar, and that distinct scent that used to make me feel safe and loved. Ngayon, ang amoy na 'yon ay nakakasakal.

He didn't look at me as the car started moving. Nakatingin lang siya sa daan sa harap, ang kanyang mukha ay parang bato.

"You have some nerve," he suddenly spoke, breaking the heavy silence. "Sitting there looking like a victim, crying as if you are the one who got hurt. Do you know how foolish you made me look in front of my board members? In front of everyone?"

"Lucas, please... can we not do this again?" I whispered, my voice trembling. "You already accused me. You already filed a case against me. Isn't that enough? Just believe me once... for the sake of what we had. I did not steal your money. I never betrayed you."

He turned his head sharply towards me, his eyes blazing with fury. "Stop lying! Just stop! I have proof, Yna! Your signature, your bank account details, the transaction history—everything points to you! Anong gusto mong gawin ko? Magbulag-bulagan? Hayaan lang ang lahat dahil minahal kita? Well, love is not enough when you are a thief!"

"It was forged! Don't you understand? Someone is setting me up! Someone wants to destroy us—"

"Us?" He scoffed, a cruel smirk forming on his lips. "There is no 'us' anymore. There never will be again. You killed whatever existed between us the moment you decided to take what is mine. You used me. You used my name, my status, my love... and when you had enough, you stole from me. That is who you really are, isn't it? A gold digger."

Ang mga salitang 'yon ay parang kutsilyong tumarak nang malalim sa puso ko. "A gold digger?" I repeated, tears falling faster now. "Lucas... when I met you, you were just starting out. You had nothing but dreams and debts. I stayed with you when you had no money. I shared my food with you when you couldn't afford to eat. I worked two jobs just so we could pay rent. I gave you everything when you had nothing! And now that you are rich and powerful... you call me a gold digger?!"

"Maybe you were just playing the long game," he said coldly, no hint of emotion in his voice. "Maybe you were waiting for the right time to strike. And you did. You struck hard."

"I hate you," I choked out, looking straight into his eyes. For the first time, I let the anger I felt show. "I hate you so much! I gave you my whole life! I trusted you more than I trusted myself! And you treat me like trash, like dirt, like I am the worst person alive! But mark my words, Lucas Monteverde... kahit ipakulong mo ako, kahit wasakin mo ang pangalan ko... hindi ako titigil hangga't hindi ko pinatutunayang inosente ako! At kapag nalaman mo ang katotohanan... kapag nalaman mong mali ka... hinding-hindi ko mapapatawad ang sarili ko dahil nagmahal ako ng halimaw na katulad mo!"

He flinched slightly, parang tinamaan siya sa sinabi ko, pero agad ding bumalik ang lamig sa kanyang mga mata. "Save your threats. You won't prove anything. Guilty people always say they are innocent."

The car stopped abruptly in front of a cheap, run-down transient house—malayo sa marangyang buhay na nakasanayan ko. The driver stepped out and took out several boxes from the trunk. My things. My whole life packed into cardboard boxes.

Lucas opened the door and stepped out, then turned to face me one last time. He looked at me from head to toe, his gaze filled with absolute disgust and finality.

"This is where you belong," he said lowly. "Not in my world. Not anywhere near me. I don't ever want to see your face again. Consider us strangers. Worse than strangers. You are my enemy now."

"Lucas..." I called his name one last time, my voice breaking completely. "Please... kahit ito na lang ang hiling ko... just ask questions. Investigate deeper. Don't let me rot in prison for something I didn't do. Please..."

He leaned closer, his face inches from mine, and whispered words that broke me beyond repair.

"Rot. Rot in prison or rot in the streets, I don't care. You mean nothing to me anymore. You are dead to me."

He pushed me out of the car, closing the door sharply. In a second, the car sped away, leaving me standing in the dark, surrounded by my boxes, alone and crying.

Tiningnan ko ang papalayong sasakyan hanggang sa maglaho ito sa dilim. I fell to my knees on the rough pavement, my tears soaking the ground beneath me.

He was gone. The man I loved more than life itself was gone, replaced by a stranger who hated me with every fiber of his being. He believed the worst of me. He didn't listen. He didn't care. And now, he left me to face the world alone, with nothing but lies, accusations, and a heart that would never heal.

But as I knelt there in the darkness, amidst the pain and tears, a spark of determination ignited deep inside my broken soul.

He wanted me to break. He wanted me to disappear. He wanted me to suffer.

But I promised myself... I would prove him wrong. Kahit gaano pa katagal, kahit gaano pa kahirap... I will clear my name. And when that day comes... he will realize the mistake he made. And maybe, just maybe, the pain he caused me will be nothing compared to the regret he will feel for losing the only person who ever loved him truly.

But right now... all I could do was cry. Cry for the love that died. Cry for the man I lost. Cry for the life that was stolen from me.

And the silence of the night was the only thing that answered my pain.