Chapter 3 Pursued

<Sabrina>

“Your mom is right. It’s not good that you’re under our responsibility while you’re married to Kioz. hija, his reputation as a man was ruined because of you.”

I stomped my feet in annoyance.

“If you married me to Jaedon I wouldn’t be like this!” Paninisi ko sa kanya.

“I hate you and Mom!” Sabi ko bago mag walk out.

My parents don’t love me.

Nagtungo ako sa kwarto ko para doon umiyak.

Alam naman na mahal ko si Jaedon hindi man lang nila ginwan ng paraan para maikasal ako sa m*****g na lalaking iyon.

Napadaan ako sa isang kwarto at may narinig ako na nagsasalita kaya huminto ako.

“If my daughter isn’t married at the age of twenty-four I have plans to sell her to a multi-millionaire. But she’s married.”

Kumuyom ang kamay ko sa narinig ko.

“I don’t have another daughter,” my mom replied and sighed.

“If I know that she gets pregnant at a young age I already sold her to the red market,” she continued.

“My child is kinda stubborn but she’s kind. At wala na siyang magagawa kapag binenta ko na siya,” she stated.

Sa inis ko ay nilagpasan ko ang kwarto na iyon at pumasok sa kwarto ko. I slam the door at alam ko na narinig niya iyon.

What kind of mother she is? Ibebenta ang sariling anak para sa sariling kagustuhan.

I feel scared for my life. Baka bigla na lang akong pasukin ng mga kindapper sa kwarto ko at ibenta sa red market.

It’s pass lunch at hindi pa rin ako kumakain. Nakakulong lang ako sa kwarto ko. Kumatok si Kikay para ayain ako na kumain pero hindi ko siya sinagot.

No one cares for me kahit hindi ako kumain magdamag.

Only Kikay is my family.

My mom doesn’t want to give Kikay to me kasi alam niya na kalokohan ang gagawin ni Kikay.

My mom is the antagonist of my life.

Nakatingin lang ako sa labas ng bintana habang namamaga ang mga mata ko.

I received a call from Kioz but I didn’t answer his call. Maybe he is having a lunch break.

Wala ako sa mood na makipag-usap sa lahat. Gusto ko na lang mag stay sa kwarto ko.

I look at my phone when it rang again. Nakatingin lang ako sa screen ng cellphone ko hanggang sa mamatay ang tawag.

Sunod na narinig ko ay ang katok sa pinto.

“Sabrina! It’s lunch time! Bakit hindi ka lumalabas sa kwarto mo?!” Sigaw ni mom mula sa labas.

“Sabrina! Bingi ka ba?!” Muling sigaw niya and she tried to open the door.

Sumandal ako sa headboard ng kama.

“Kikay, kunin mo iyung susi ng kwarto,” dinig ko na utos ni mom.

Wala na akong magagawa kapag nabuksan na nila ang kwarto ko.

Minuto lang ang lumipas at bumukas ang kwarto ko.

“Why aren’t you going to your room? Do you have plans to starve to death, huh!” Mom scolded me.

I’m just looking at her.

“I don’t want to eat,” I said with no energy.

I want to see Jaedon.

“Kioz delivered food for you. You must eat lunch. The maid will cook soup for you,” my mom said while still standing at the door.

“I will eat later.”

“Hindi mahaba ang pasensya ko, Sabrina Grace,” warning ni mom.

“Go out! I eat later, don’t you understand!” I shouted annoyed.

The daily scene at this house. My mom and I are always fighting and arguing.

“Kumain ka! Aren’t you thinking the baby in your womb?! Ginusto mong mabuntis kaya kumain ka! Kung gusto mo ng mamatay huwag mong idamay ang bata!” Galit na sigaw ni mommy sa akin.

“Ma’am, calm down,” Pagpapakalma ni Kikay kay mom.

Sanay na si Kikay sa ganitong scenario, minsan siya ang referee namin.

“Mom, kakain ako later, hindi mo ba gets?”

“Why later? Eat now! Huwag kang sakit sa ulo Sabrina Grace,” she warned again.

“Leave me alone! I eat later! And I don’t die because of starves!” Sigaw ko.

"Ma’am, kumain ka na, ang daminig batang walang pagkain tapos ikaw pinaghihintay mo ang pagkain. Ang swerte mo sa life,” Kikay interrupted kaya sinamaan ko siya ng tingin.

“Ayokong kumain,” pagmamatigas ko.

“Kung hindi ka lang buntis binato ko na sa’yo itong hawak ko na cell phone,” mom warned angirly losing her patience on me.

Humiga ako sa kama at tinalikuran ko siya.

“Bahala ka mamatay diyan sa kwarto mo!” Galit na sigaw ni mom at malakas na sinara ang pinto.

“Huwag mong papakainin iyan!” Dinig ko na sigaw ni mommy.

I close my eyes and cry.

Why did Kioz get me pregnant, not Jaedon? 

What if Jaedon was the one impregnating me? What would be my situation right now? Even if Jaedon doesn’t want me I will stay at his side.

I reached for my phone and texted Liam if Jaedon was in their house.

Jaedon change his house addrss kaya hindi ko alam kung saan siya pupuntahan at hahanapin, iba na din ang nakatira sa condo niya.

Ayaw ko din naman tanungin si Kioz tungkol sa brother niya dahil hindi naman kami ganu’n ka-close.

My phone beep.

“Send fifteen thousand in my bank account and I send you his house address,” I read Liam replied.

This younger brother of Harrington looks like money.

I didn’t reply to him because I was not in the mood to make a joke.

My phone beeped again and I read Liam's message.

“Why are you texting me? Aren’t you on a honeymoon?” 

Bigla na lang bumuhos ang maraming luha sa mata ko.

I’m okay if there’s no honeymoon.

I felt hungry at tiniis ko iyon. Nagmatigas ako na hindi lumabas ng kwarto ko.

Alas singko nang katukin ako ni Kikay.

“Ma’am, nandito po si sir,” katok niya sa pinto.

“Ma’am, tulog ka po ba?” Tanong ni Kikay habang kumakatok sa pinto.

“Dead na yata sir. Joke lang sir! Baka tulog! Nag-iiyak kasi kanina,” sumbong ni Kikay.

Hindi ko na narinig ang sinabi ni Kioz.

Nakatalikod ako sa pinto habang umiiyak.

Narinig ko na bumukas ang pinto.

“Ay sir tulog po. Iinit ko na ang sabaw para makakain na si ma’am.hindi pa kasi siya kumakain simulang umaga. Ikaw bahala diyan sir, ah!” cheerful na paalam ni Kikay at narinig ko ang pagsara ng pinto.

Ilang minuto na akong nakikiramdam sa paligid ko at pakiramdam ko ay ako lang ang mag-isa. Sa curious ay tumingin ako at nabigla ako nang makita ko si Kioz na nakatayo sa pinto at straight ang tingin sa akin.

I heard him curse nang makita niya ang mukha ko.

“Fuck!”

Mabilis siyang nakalapit sa akin and worried visible on his eyes.

“Are you crying?” Tanong niya at dinaluhan niya ako.

He embrace me pero tinulak ko siya. Si Jaedon ag gusto ko na makita at mayakap.

“Don’t touch me!” Pagpupumiglas ko sa hawak niya.

“Stop crying Sabby, it might harm the baby,” matigas na sabi niya sa baritonong boses niya.

My anger burst because of what he said.

“You all concerned about the baby!” I punch my tummy.

“If weren’t because of this baby I wouldn’t get married to you! Edi sana may chance pa kami ni Jaedon!” Sigaw ko sa pagmumukha niya.

Humigpit ang pagkakahawak niya sa braso ko at nandilim ang paningin niya.

“Stop fucking mention that asshole!” Madilim at madiin na sabi niya habang pinapatay niya ako sa masamang tingin.

“Tangina!” He cursed again.

“I don’t care about your problem with Jaedon! Why are you harming my baby, huh? If you're not eating because of your relationship with my brother stop doing it! You’re fucking harming my child!” Galit na sigaw niya.

Natakot ako dahil sa pagsigaw niya sa akin. Lumabas ang mga veins niya sa kanyang kamay at leeg dahil sa leeg.

“What’s your problem, huh, Sabrina!”

Hindi ko siya sinagot at umiyak lang sa harapan niya.

Muli siyang nagmura at napasuklay sa sariling buhok gamit ang kanyang mga daliri.

“Stop crying,” he wipes my tears.

“Let’s eat dinner,” galit na sabi niya.

“I don’t want to eat!” Pagmamatigas ko.

“Leave me alone!” I shouted.

Kioz goes silent while I am crying loudly in front of him.

I look at him and he is calming himself from breathing.

“Why you don’t want to eat?” He asks when he calms himself.

“I don’t want,” I replied lazily.

“Eat dinner with me.”

“I don’t want.”

“You haven’t eat anything since morning, Sabrina,” matigas na sabi niya habang hindi inaalis ang tingin sa akin.

“I’m not hungry,” I said and lay on the bed.

“What do you want?”

I don’t know if he is asking me about food.

“I want Jaedon,” pabulong na sabi ko.

He snatched his phone from the pocket of his pants and called someone.

“Kikay, bring food here,” he said madly while holding the phone tightly.

Nagsusukatan kami ng tingin hanggang sa dumating si Kikay na may dalang isang tray ng pagkain.

Nagutom ako dahil sa amoy.

“Stop with that attitude, Sabby. Eat dinner,” matigas na sabi.

“I don’t want to eat. I’m not hungry, you’re like mommy, forcing me to do the things that I don’t like.”

He closes his eyes deeply and when he opens them he looks at him tiredly.

“Eat your dinner in exchange I will bring my brother to you,” seryosong sabi niya.

Nabuhayan ako sa sinabi niya.

“Really?” I ask. Hope is visible in my voice.

He nodded his head while getting the food. May mga gamot din na nakalagay sa tray.

“Lemme feed you,” sabi niya.

“But Jaedon is mad at me,” problemadong sabi ko sa kanya.

“He is not mad. My brother is mad at me for impregnating you.”

Natigilan ako sa sinabi niya.

“I wish what you said is true. Jaedon couldn’t be mad at you kasi magkapatid kayo. He is mad at me because I stomp off his ego,”

Itinutook niya sa akin ang kutsara na merong laman na soup. I won’t be choosy and eat kasi I am hungry na.

Sinubukan niya ako ulit ng rice pero hindi ko tinaggap iyon.

“I don’t believe you that you’ll Jaedon to me. He doesn’t want to see me and he disappear to our reception,” sabi ko sa kanya na malungkot.

“Everyone followed my command. As for Jaedon, he doesn’t have a choice but to follow me. I am the eldest Sabrina and my siblings follow me,” he said seriously at itinutok muli sa akin ang soon na merong laman na rice at carrots.

Kioz sounds convincing and he is true to his words.

Naubos ko ang pagkain at pina-inom din niya ako ng calcium, milk and vitamins.

“Take care of yourself, you’re carrying our baby,” he said softly.

“Tell me if you get enough rest. We’ll go home.”

I look at him and gives me the glass of water.

“I don’t want to go home. I want to stay here Kioz,” sabi ko sa kanya.

“No, you stay with me. You’re my responsibility Sabby, and who is going to take care of you here?”

Napaisip ako. Hindi naman ako aalagaan ni mom instead mag-aaway lang kami while Kikay is busy sa mga utos ni mom.

“Myself,” unsure na sagot ko sa kanya.

Kioz shook his head in disapproval.

“I’m not convinced. You’re skipping your meals. We’ll go home in a minute,” pinal na sabi niya. 

Tumahimik na lang ako dahil wala akong magagawa a gusto niya. Kioz have power at wala akong laban sa kanya. His brothers respect him and his parents look so high to him.