جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 50

ReginaTumahimik ang buong bulwagan ng korte nang tumayo ang hukom upang basahin ang pinal na desisyon. I held my breath, clenching my fists inside the pockets of my blazer as every second stretched into a painful eternity."The court finds the accused, Jake Fianza, guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crime charged."The judge's voice echoed through the courtroom, and the heavy strike of the gavel sealed the verdict. The moment the word guilty left the judge's lips, a collective gasp and a wave of tears swept through the benches behind me. Napaiyak ang ina ng biktima habang mahigpit niyang niyakap ang aking baywang, sobbing uncontrollably against my shoulder. Her tears were warm, a physical manifestation of months of agony, sleepless nights, and a desperate fight against a corrupt system that tried so hard to bury the truth."Salamat, Attorney... Maraming salamat sa pagtatanggol sa anak ko," bulong niya sa gitna ng kanyang paghagulgolI wrapped my arms around her, patting her ba

Regina Ang umagang iyon ay nagsimula sa pamilyar na bigat sa aking dibdib. I woke up feeling completely hollow, the lingering sting of last night’s humiliation still fresh in my mind. Hindi sumipot si Tyler sa dinner date namin—isang tagpong parang eksena sa isang pelikula, maliban sa katotohanang ako ang biktima at walang direktor na sumigaw ng “cut” para tapusin ang pagdurusa ko. Looking back, it’s a good thing na wala ang parents ko kagabi pati na ang kambal kong si Martin. Kung nandito sila, panibagong paliwanag na naman. Panibagong mga nag-aalalang tingin na sa totoo lang ay mas nagpaparamdam sa akin ng kahinaan. Nagmukha na nga akong kahiya-hiya sa harap ng mga kasambahay habang naghihintay sa sala wearing my best dress, only to end up going to bed with an untouched dinner and a bruised ego. I highly value my dignity, and ayaw ko na pati sa harap ng pamilya ko ay magmukha na naman akong katatawanan. I’ve always been the strong, independent daughter, the sharp law

Regina Tinitigan ko ang kumikinang na ginto sa loob ng pahabang kahon habang dahan-dahan itong iniaangat ni Tyler. My heart hammered against my chest. The weight of the heavy gold chain felt so solid, so real, and when the light caught the heart-shaped pendant, the engraved letters "TR" practically gleamed. Tyler and Regina. Bago pa man ako makapagsalita, Tyler reached into his own shirt and pulled out a matching necklace already resting against his chest. It was the exact same thick gold chain, complete with the same heart pendant holding our initials. "See? Matching necklace for the two of us, Reg. A reminder that you always hold my heart, no matter where I am or what I’m doing," he murmured Dahan-dahan niyang pinalibot ang mga bisig niya sa likod ko para isuot sa akin ang kwintas. I lifted my hair, feeling the cool metal touch my collarbone, followed immediately by the warmth of his fingertips brushing against my skin. Nang mai-lock niya ang clasp, ang dulo ng pendant ay

May we invite our beautiful couple, Tyler and Regina, to the center stage for a special dance?" The voice of the emcee boomed through the loudspeakers, slicing through the heavy, suffocating tension that had been building inside me. I stood up from my seat at the main VIP table, smoothing down the front of my navy-blue Barong Tagalog. I offered a polite, confident smile to the crowd, but my eyes were strictly fixed on Regina. She was walking back toward the center from her family's table. Even from a distance, I could see the stiffness in her shoulders, the mechanical smile on her face, and the shadow of doubt clouding her beautiful eyes. As I reached her, I extended my hand. Her hand was freezing. Dahan-dahan ko siyang hinila papunta sa gitna ng covered court habang ang mga spotlight ay unti-unting nakatutok sa aming dalawa. The music shifted into a soft, romantic instrumental ballad. The soft strings of the violin filled the massive pavilion, creating an instantly romantic atmos

ReginaMatapos ang nakakapagod na gabing iyon sa party, Tyler and I decided that I should stay at his condominium unit, the one located near the provincial capitol. It was a strategic choice, especially since a surprising development happened right before the event ended. Personal na hiniling ng Mommy ni Tyler na sa tahanan ng mga Legazpi ako mag-almusal kinabukasan dahil hindi daw kami nagkaroon ng pagkakataong makapag-usap nang maayos.To be completely honest, I was perplexed by the sudden invitation. Hindi ko alam kung bakit biglang naisipan ito ng Mommy ni Tyler, considering her freezing treatment of me throughout the party. Did she have a change of heart, or was there an underlying motive behind this sudden hospitality? But nonetheless, pumayag pa rin ako. I didn't want to give her any reason to think that I was being disrespectful or that I was turning down her peace offering. Siguro, oras na rin talaga para naman gumawa ako ng hakbang upang maging malapit sa pamilya ni Tyler