บททั้งหมดของ I love you, Sister: บทที่ 151 - บทที่ 160

-Beatrice-The moment Vaughn said that he would withdraw the case he filed against me, lihim akong napangiti. Alam kong bibigay siya. Sa sobrang bait niya at lambot ng puso niya, alam kong ibibigay niya ang gusto kong mangyari dahil kilalang-kilala ko siya.I could still remember the days back in college. I belonged to a different circle of friends then. Nasa mga middle-class lang kami at hindi kasing-yaman ng pamilya Avery. Pero ang alam ng lahat, sobrang yaman namin because of the way I carried myself, the way I acted in school, as if luxury and privilege were second nature to me.Nalaman ni daddy kung sino ang mga friends ko, and he immediately asked me to stay away from them. “Ang mga Avery ang kaibiganin mo, huwag ang kung sino-sino lang!”And I did what he told me to do. Nagpapansin ako kay Vaughn. Kapag makakasalubong ko siya, I would purposely drop my books para tulungan niya ako. I observed him and followed him for a week, at nalaman ko kung ano ang mga routine niya sa school

-Beatrice-That night, I went to his bar secretly and watched the security footage in his private room. I saw Vaughn walk into Room 571, but before he entered, a woman had gone inside first.“Nagkamali siya ng pinasukang room.” nakangising sabi ni Paul.“What?” kunot ang noong tanong ko dito. “What do you mean?”“Look at this.” he clicked another window, and on the screen, room 577 showed. Harvey and Josh were standing in the doorway. May kausap silang babae na nakasuot ng napakaiksing damit. She looked like a slut!Inabutan nila ito ng pera at pagkatapos ay umalis na. Malalaki ang mga matang tumingin ako kay Paul. What did that mean?“Iyon ang babaeng dapat ay ireregalo nila kay Vaughn.” Paul said slowly, his eyes narrowing at the screen. “But he walked into the wrong room.” His lips curved into a faint, knowing smile. “Maybe he was drunk, or maybe something else led him there. Baka destiny talaga niya ang babaeng nasa room 571.” He shrugged his shoulders, then clicked the mouse, and

-Vaughn-I smiled when the little girl smiled back at me, and I knew from that moment that she wasn’t my daughter. Pero magaan ang loob ko sa kanya, just like when I met Justin the very first time.Hariette was the spitting image of her mother. There was no doubt about it. Her long brown hair, her big beautiful eyes, and her small pouty lips. She looks like a doll. So impossibly cute.At sa sandaling iyon, labis akong nahabag sa ginawa ng kanyang sariling ina sa kanya. Her selfish, cruel mother. I want to hug Hariette. To comfort her. To tell her that everything would be all right. That the world would someday be kind to her, even if her own mother had left her in the orphanage.Hinatid namin siya sa orphanage, at yumakap siya sa akin bago kami umalis. Beatrice wanted to hug her too, pero umiling ang bata. “I’m sorry, but I don’t like you.” the little girl said, and I saw the pain cross in Beatrice’s eyes.Habang pauwi sa bahay, I received an email coming from Norman. Attached was th

-Vaughn-Kinabukasan pagkagising ko, naglakad ako gamit ang cane patungo sa banyo para maligo. Kailangan kong maghanda at pumasok sa office ng maaga. Marami akong kailangang asikasuhin, lalo na ngayong wala na si daddy.It’s only six in the morning. Makakaligo pa ako ng medyo maha-haba. I lingered in the bathtub, letting the warm water lap gently against my skin. Steam curled upward, fogging the edges of the mirror, while the soft scent of soap clung to the air. Sumandal ako sa malamig na porselana at ipinikit ang aking mga mata, pilit inaalala ang mga masasayang araw namin ni Bianca.Oh Bianca, I miss you so much.Nagmulat ako ng mga mata nang marinig kong nagvibrate ang phone ko sa ibabaw ng counter. I saw another message coming from Norman.“Sir, nag-email sa akin ang lady police na in-charge sa station six. Nasa akin na ang annulment paper mo. I’ll send it right away to Attorney Pineda.” napapangiti ako habang binabasa ang message niya, and again, I deleted it.Kahapon sa police

-Bianca-“Baby, blow your candles na!” everyone cheered, our voices blending into the birthday song as hands clapped in rhythm. Justin smiled, his little face glowing under the soft flicker of the candles. Ngunit ako lang yata ang nakapansin na hindi umaabot sa kanyang mga mata ang ngiting iyon. Alam kong ipinapakita niya lang na masaya siya sa harap namin, but deep inside him, he was in pain. His heart longed for the one person who wasn’t there, the one person he wished to celebrate this special day with. His daddy Vaughn.Pumikit muna siya bago nag-wish. Parang alam ko na agad kung ano ang gusto niyang hilingin sa mismong araw ng birthday niya.“Yehey!” after blowing his six candles, nagpalakpakan ang lahat.“Thank you, Mommy!” Justin beamed, his little arms wrapping around me in a tight, loving hug, as if he never wanted to let go. For a moment, the world seemed to stop, and it was just the two of us. My heart swelling with love, while his warmth reminded me why every sacrifice w