[ Flashback ] “Are you sure you want to remove your hearing aids, my love?” tanong sa akin ni Mommy pagkababa ko ng sasakyan namin. We just arrived at the party’s venue. We are in Cambridge right now. I’m staying here in Massachusetts because I’m studying business at Harvard and am running my own business here in the States, while my parents just decided to visit because of the party their business partner is hosting. Pumasok kami sa Doubletree Suites by Hilton Hotel. Nasa likod ako ng mga magulang habang nasa unahan naman nila ang isa pa nilang business partner from the Philippines. I heard that he’s also a very close friend of my parents. He seems very familiar but I don’t remember when and where exactly I met him. Not that it matters anyway. I just hope that my parents won’t introduce me to anyone. Ang ingay pa lang dito ay nagpapasakit na ng ulo ko. There are a lot of cameras as we walked on the red carpet outside the hotel a while ago. I

“How are you feeling?” Dr. Ricaforte asks me the moment I calm down. “Much better than a while ago,” I answer. He nods at my answer. “You could have just called my number, you know?” he whispers but I hear it. “You were probably busy and Varez just happened to be the one that came in my mind. I was panicking, Zac...” I reason out. “I know. I’m sorry,” aniya. “I just... wanted to at least be the same person again who’d find you in that state. Not that I want you to be in such a state, MJ...” Humalakhak ako nang mahina kaya napaangat ang tingin niya sa akin. He’s trying so hard to explain that I find it a bit funny. “I get what you mean, Zachary,” sabi ko habang tumatawa pa rin nang mahina. “This isn’t a laughing matter, MJ,” seryoso niyang tugon sa akin. Tinikom ko ang bibig ko at pinigilan ang pagtawa. Tumango ako. “I’m sorry,” I say. Umiling siya at muli akong hinigit nang marahan palapit sa kaniya. “I’m sorry I wasn’t

Tulala akong sa living room. Zachary is busy washing the dishes. Kakatapos lang namin kumain. I can’t stop thinking about the twins. Lucian and Lucius’s parents died. Zachary continued telling me that their parents also died from a plane crash. It’s almost the same as my parents’ death. The only difference was that... their bodies were never found. Nag-crash ang plane sa karagatan at never nang nahanap ang katawan ng mga magulang nila. Of course, they don’t know if it’s an actual accident or someone was behind it as well just like in my case. Walang ibang ebidensya na may tao sa likod noon dahil hindi na-retrieve ang katawan ng mga magulang nila. I feel bad for them. I see myself in them. Maybe that’s why they were both so nice to me. They probably heard what happened to my parents and also feel bad for me. I just hope that they are no longer having a hard time because of what happened... unlike me. Because they don’t deserve the pain. I just don’t kn

I remain standing near the door where Dr. Ricaforte went out. He was cold and emotionless. Hindi ako makagalaw dahil sa takot at sakit na nararamdaman ko dala ng kung paano niya na lang ako tignan kanina. It’s as if he really had had enough. Sinubukan ko iyong tanggalin sa isipan ko hanggang sa makarating ako sa meeting place namin ni Klaus. Instead of hurting myself by thinking about Zachary’s anger towards me, I just tried to focus on our plans. Sa ngayon, kailangan ko munang malaman kung ano ang kalagayan ni Manang Cinda. Hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin ako tinatawagan ulit ng stalker na ‘yon. While Klaus is doing his best to keep an eye on Tita Cecil and Aeliares with his men. I also asked him to tell Gil some minor details about their security cameras in their house. That they should replace the cameras or perhaps remove them for now. I just hope that Gil won’t get suspicious about it. But it’s also possible given that he already had his suspicions befor

“I’m sorry for everything I said,” tahimik niyang sambit habang hinahaplos nang marahan ang buhok ko. Nakayakap pa rin ako sa kaniya at hindi siya bumibitaw. Every time I would try to move away from him, he would pull me back in embrace me more and tighter. It’s as if he doesn’t want to let me go. Pero aalis ako. I have decided that I will leave for now. I need to escape for now. I need to prioritize my well-being and my mental health... and staying here... won’t help me achieve that. Staying here only caused me pain. It caused me to lose someone. I need to leave. Nanatili akong tahimik na nakahilig sa dibdib niya dahil ayaw niya akong pakawalan. Mas lalo akong mahihirapan nito umalis. Ayaw kong umasa pero sa mga ginagawa niya, sa ilang mga sinasabi niya... parang ayos lang na umasa ako... I need to remind myself that he’s in love with someone else. “I’m sorry... that Reese insulted your mother...” I shift on my position when he said t