Chapter 2

"Can...can you say it again, mom?" I asked, unbelievingly. "Can you say it again because I don't think I've heard you right? Hindi ko alam na nagaalala pa pala kayo sa akin kasi sa pagkakaalam ko wala na akong magulang! My parents died years ago! Hindi ko alam na may magulang pa pala ako dahil pakiramdam ko may pakialam lang kayo kapag may kailangan kayo sa akin! Tama ba, mom?!" I said, giving all the energy that I think I still have for this night.

Ang gusto ko ay mahiga na sa kama at ipikit ang mga mata ko! Hindi iyong ganito! God knows how badly I want my parents to notice and to care for me but shit! Sa lahat ng wish ko sa bawat pagsapit ng birthday ko, hinihiling ko na sana mapansin nila ako. But I didn't expect that this is gonna happened through my wishes.

Yes, my wish just granted but this is not how I like it. Oo nga't nangyari yung nagiisa kong wish, pero lintik lang, bakit naman ganito?! Bakit sa ganito pang paraan?

Mom was taken aback by what I just said. Hinihingal na nakatingin ako kay mom saka saglit na bumaling kay dad. I don't want to make this conversation or should I say argument with my parents to take long. I have had enough for tonight.

I just want to close my eyes and fall asleep.

Nasapo ko ang noo ko saka tumungo.

"Ganiyan ka na ba namin pinalaki?! Rena, nagiging bastos ka na at hindi ka namin ganiyan pinalaki—"

"Dahil hindi niyo naman talaga ako pinalaki, ma!" I shouted, cutting her off.

"I grew up with Yaya Pillar! She was the one who raised, care for, and treated me like her own daughter for the whole 19 years of my existence! I haven't even heard from you two na kinamusta niyo man lang ako! Whenever there's a meeting or celebration that will be held in school, I always expect you two to be there but hell! I saw one person, only one person, ma! Yaya Pillar! Siya ang laging nakikita ko! I should have think of calling her mom and not you! I should've treated her as my mother and not you but did I?! No! Because right now I'm still expecting from you two that you'll notice me someday!" I shouted, my eyes brimmed.

"And I don't know when will that happen or will that still happen?" I asked, my voice cracked a bit.

I stopped for a moment to breathe because I don't think I can still breathe on the same floor and room with these people in front of me. Tumingala ako at suminghap ng hangin.

Ngayon ko lang napansin na may mga ibang nakakarinig sa amin. I can feel all of our maid's sympathy for me. They are those who witnessed every single day of my life back then whenever I hope for my parents to notice me. They are all there to make me feel that I'm not alone every time my parents dumped and ignored me.

And I felt embarrassed every time I would look at them and see how they pity me.

Nahihiya ako dahil hindi ako nakaranas man lang ng ganoong pagmamahal sa sarili kong mga magulang.

The corner of my eyes burned and heated. I already know what will gonna happen next so I breathe hard and continue talking.

"But you know what, mom, dad? You don't have to worry about me starting this day," I trailed off just to see their reaction. But for fvck sake, I can't find regrets in my mom's eyes nor reaction, and it's freaking-ly ridiculous. I don't think if she even thought of me or can she still remember when I was born? Of course, she has certainly forgotten it. She's too busy to think about the company to even remember my birthday.

What's new?

I look at my father. He quickly look away when our eyes met, probably don't want to see me so he couldn't pity me or so his conscience won't eat him? I don't know and I don't care at all.

"You don't need to worry about me because I don't care about you two anymore..." I said without any hints of regrets. This is how they play? Then hell, I won't let them win in this game.

"...just like you don't care about me. I'll go ahead," sabi ko saka sila nilagpasan. Naramdaman kong tumulo ang isang butil ng luha galing sa mata ko. I ignored it.

Ngunit bago pa man ako tuluyang umalis ay muling nagsalita si mom. I stopped walking midway.

"We don't care about how you feel, Rena. You have your own feelings and thoughts and kids nowadays don't want their parents to meddle with their life. That's what we are just doing and you should be thankful to us," she said calmly like those words couldn't broke someone's heart.

So she's thinking of me as a kid? What a great way to insult someone, ha?

Sumikip ang dibdib ko. Fvck! How can she still say that in front of her own daughter?! Meron pa ba siyang puso? O baka naman naging bato na?

She sighed deeply and I feel her move as she turned to look at my back. I swallowed hard and closed my eyes as I balled my fist angrily. I can't believe this woman. Nakakahiyang ipagmalaking ina ko siya.

Baka nga kahit sa langgam ikahiya ko pa.

I waited for them to say something. I tried to be patient, at least for the last time.

"But the real reason why we waited for you is that for one thing, we want you to do. We are not saying this to expect a 'yes' and we are not expecting you to say 'no' either. Whether you like it or not, you will still do this for the sake of the company."

I clenched my fist. If only it's not illegal to slit someone's throat.

I heave a deep sigh and try hard not to snap at her. I'm not in the mood for any of this bullshit and their presence's starting to irks me. I hate all the words that are coming out of my mom's mouth. I just want to go to my room and shut my door loudly so they would know how furious I am with them.

Gustong gusto kong magwala dahil sa galit na matagal ko ng kinikimkim. I hate my life. I hate my parents for bringing me to this cruel world. I hate everything. I hate myself for being stupid!

Pigil ang sarili na muli akong humarap sa kanila. Kaunti na lang talaga ang pasensya ko para sa kanila kahit magulang ko pa sila.

I smirked, irritated. Behind it is a soul who just wants to disappear. "And why would I do that? What's the catch, mom?"

Sometimes, it's not wrong to do something that people might think is not right. Kung alam mo na napuno ka na, you need to set it free, your frustrations. Hindi masamang ilabas ang nararamdaman lalo na kung alam mong malapit ka nang sumabog.

Mom looks at me, seriously. "You'll get your freedom. You can do everything you wanted to do freely. We'll give half of your share of the company and we both know that at the end of the day the company will be put over your name so you'll be benefited big time," she said.

Buryong nagkibit balikat lamang ako. The hell I care about that company? My freedom is enough.

"And? Spill it, mom. I'm sleepy, I don't have enough fvcking time to spend with you both. I still have classes for tomorrow," I said, getting impatient. I don't want to burst here and snap at them. I'm lacking of energy and I want to save it for tomorrow because we'll be having long examination and my head will probably get drain again.

I saw her gritted her teeth. Para bang nagtitimpi lang din siya sa akin. But boy, I like what I am seeing. Why do I feel like I want them to suffer?

"You need to marry Napollion Fe Veragon's son, Weidal Lazien Fe Veragon, the future heir of Fe Veragon's International Franchise. That way, we can save the image of our losing company, Rena. That's the only way you can help us," she said before leaving. Dad immediately followed her like he's just a servant and not her husband.

I was left tongue-tied.

The f*ck?