Unknown Self Novels & Stories

“Laging may excuse. Laging may board meeting. Laging may pangarap. Ako? Saan ako sa equation mo?” Hindi siya sumagot. Kaya ako na lang ang humiwalay. Buo ang loob ko noong gabing ‘yon. Akala ko… Pero bakit hanggang ngayon, bitbit ko pa rin ang sumbat na ‘yon? Present Tumunog ulit ang phone ko. Isa pang mensahe mula sa parehong unknown sender. Unknown Sender: "Minsan, hindi lang karera ang dahilan kung bakit kayo nasira. Minsan… may pumilit na masira kayo."

Kaagad akong nagtipa ng reply. [Me:] Who are you? Ilang segundo akong naghihintay at tulad ng inaasahan ko ay agad nag-vibrate ang selpon. [Unknown:] Someone who knows more about you than you think. Napangiti ako nang malamig. [Me:] Then you should know better than to threaten me.

The Avern even I could barely recognize. I don’t read them. Today isn’t about being seen. It’s about seeing myself without distortion. Nang sumapit ang ala cinco, I step into Zapherous’s building—not as an employee, not yet—but as a woman who hasn’t decided anything except this: I will never beg to belong again. He meets me in the lobby, dressed casually, less imposing without the theater of power. Still dangerous. Still intentional. “You look different,” he says. “I feel different.”

napatikhim ako, "why don't you tell us about yourself?" I smiled shyly. "I came from a simple family, and I rarely go out as a child so my story might be long and boring for you to hear." "Hmmm... don't be like that." Kumuha ako ng tissue at ipinahid ito sa bibig ko upang alisin ang mantikang nandito. "We'll listen to your long story and we'll decide after if it's boring or not, right Zeke?" Ngumiti si Zeke bago tumingin at tumango sa ama. He's formal now, actually its the both them. Wala munang bardugalan sa pagitan nila ngayon. They're just father and son, normally having a breakfast with a strange woman whom they believe to have come with good intentions.

At para sa akin, sobrang halaga non dahil alam ko na totoo sila sa akin. Wala akong matandaan na naagrabyadong tao. Wala akong maalalang nakaalitan, na-offend, o nasagasaan ang ego dahil lang sa content ko. Kaya hanggang ngayon, hindi ko pa rin maintindihan kung bakit biglang may tangkang kitilin ang buhay ko na para bang may unseen enemy akong hindi ko kilala pero kilalang-kilala ako.

I whispered. Halos hindi ko na nga marinig ang boses ko, dahil parang walang boses na lumabas doon. ‘Yong paraan ng pagkabulong ko, halos hindi na maintindihan. Kaya hindi ako sigurado kung naintindihan ba niya ‘yon, o kung ano. I cleared my throat and shook my head in disagreement. “You don’t even know me.” “Do I need to know who you are before lending you a hand?”

Walang lakas na sabi niya matapos nitong ibalik sa kanya ang susi ng kanyang sasakyan. Go back to the countryside for all I care. Magsama kayo ng Elaina mo! she seethed at the back of her mind. She opened her unit's door. "I don't have a place to crashed in." Her back straightened. Her heart just skipped some beats at that. Hinarap niya ito, deliberately made sure her face stayed neutral. "Your friend Fire Faulton owns this building and Aric Alkaide's penthouse is in this building, too and you're telling me you don't have a place to crash in. Don't tell me hindi mo alam! Niloloko mo ba 'ko?"

Unknown: I’ll be there tomorrow, don’t worry. Huh? Kumunot ang nuo ko. Sino to? I replied to the unknown number: Who’s this? Hindi ko maiwasang kabahan habang inaantay ang sagot nito. Isa lang ang pumasok sa isip ko. Unknown: Elijah Kenzo Ricaford.

Sense of self. Manipis lang ang linya ng loyalty at submission, at hindi ko alam kung kaya kong tawirin ‘yon nang hindi nasisira kung sino ako. Every fiber sa katawan ko sinasabi na lumayo. Refuse. Hold on to independence like a life raft. Pero… ambition doesn’t always respect morals. Dreams don’t always honor principles. At Adrian Blackwood—walang ibang makakagawa ng offer na ganyan. Not family, not friends, not even the world. Not without asking for something in return.

Lumakas na maman ang pagkakahagulhol niya dahil sarili na niya ang sinisisi,nag-alala ko ng husto at hindi alam kung ano ang gagawin para mapatigil na siya sa pag-iiyak. "Huwag mong sisihin ang sarili mo,kasalanan ito ng masamang loob na iyon,kaya huwag kang mag-alala hahanapin ko siya at pagbabayaran niya tong ginawa niya sa mommy mo,tahan na huh!?" Atat na kaming malaman kung ano ang kalagayan ngayon ni Sheena,kanina pa kami rito pero hindi pa lumalabas ang mga doctor,sana okay lang siya.