CHAPTER 26

"Are you sure about this? You don't need to force yourself if you don't want to."

Ngumiti ako ng bahagya. "I just want to talk to him."

Kahit napipilitan ay sinamahan niya ako sa loob ng selda. Napatianod ako sa kaniya hanggang sa marating namin ang kulungan ng ama ko.

It was one of the safest cell and tge most secure. Since they know that dad was one of the most influential general.

Pumasok ako sa isang silid at hinintay silang dalhin si daddy sa 'kin. I just waited for a minute when they arrived. Dad were staring at me while walking towards the chair.

"I thought you'll never want to talk to me again, guess I had a wrong guess."

I didn't speak until he sat in front of me.

"What do you need?"

My mood instantly changed as soon as I saw his face. This isn't how I imagine when I saw him, I am expecting myself to be calm and be cool with it. But how can I?

"I just want to ask you what really happened after I got shot at your fucking business partner son's penthouse."

His smile faded as soon as he heard that. I wasn't expecting him to react like that.

"Well. . . I think we shouldn't talk about the. Past is past, it won't change anything."

I gritted my teeth for him to notice my irritation, "Or course, it will. It will change my life, my life that you destroyed." mariin kong ani.

I saw his devilish smirk again. "Oh, was I? As far as I remember, you agreed to the idea of having sex with that man. Isn't that your fault?"

My body froze for a minute. I didn't agreed to have sex with him, I agreed to meet him. That's it. Hindi ko naman naisip na gagawin niya 'yon. And that's a bad decision, I should've known that every man who was obsessed with you have a bad intentions.

I was too innocent back then, hindi ako namulat sa mga bagay na usaping marahas. Masyado akong naniniwala na mabuti ang intensyon ng ibang tao. Na hindi nila ibig gawin ang mga masasama bagay.

"I wasn't. I didn't."

"Oh yes, you did."

I started to tremble when I remember what happened years ago, I put my hands over the table and crossed my legs to act cool even though my heart beats 180 mph.

"I did not, I thought he wants us to talk. That's all."

Nilapit niya ang mukha niya sa akin at nilagay ang kamay niya sa ibabaw ng mesa. "You're smart, Aizhalie. You know what will happen if you go there yet you still insisted."

Mas lumakas pa ang panginginig ko nang marinig 'yon mula sa kaniya. "I-it's not my fault that I insist to go there, I wanted that marriage, and if I want something I'll get it by hook or by crook."

"You chose the wrong man to marry, he's not good for you. Look at you now, it's his fault why you're here."

"No it's not, it's your fault." sabi ko na may diin. "If it wasn't because of you, I was still there happy and contented with what I have."

"No you are not, you'll never get happy in this world. The world is cruel, Aizhalie Zhail. It's not a game for you to play and have fun, you'll suffer for the rest of your life. That's your fate."

Nagtaas-baba ang dibdib ko sa mga narinig, "Aren't you happy? What's with the smile when you're with mom? While you're with your friends? While you're with me? What was it? Was it all fake? Are you just pretending to be contented became you're extremely chaos inside? Is that it?" sunod-sunod na pagsabi ko.

"Yes it is."

My eyes started to blur. I wasn't expecting him to be like that. He's caring, loving, and kind. Paanong humantong ang lahat sa ganito?

"I was pretending, everytime. I'm not in a chaos, Zhail. I'm in peace, you're the one that's broke."

Napailing ako ng ilang beses at pinunasan ang luhang tumulo sa pisngi ko. "You're crazy,"

"Well maybe I am, if that's what you think, then I am."

Tumingin ako sa pader ng silid na iyon at napatitig na lang. Isang mahabang katahimikan ang namayani sa aming dalawa. Hindi ko alam kung papaano siya kausapin ng masinsinan, kung paano ako magtanong nang hindi naiiyak. Hindi ko alam kung kakayanin ko pa ba dahil kahit baliktarin ko man ang mundo, siya parin ang gumawa sa 'kin.

A brief time of talk isn't enough, I know. But I can't stand everything, my mind still can't process everything that is happening right now.

"I just want to know what you did after that day, that's it. I won't ask for anything after you told me that." sabi ko sa mahinang tinig habang nakayuko.

Nakiramdam ako ng ilang minuto, maya-maya pa'y nagsalita na rin siya. "You survived, the bullet inside your head was taken but your memory was lost. I was afraid that you'll do something stupid if your memory will came back so I sabotage your medicines. I did everything to hide you, I let you study abroad so your friends won't find it suspicious."

He took a deep breath and release it. "They're smart, so I ordered my men to take a girl that is willing to have a surgery and can sacrifice her life and that's how they thought that the corpse was you. And the years went by and you know what already happened since you've gained your consciousness."

I've heard enough, that explains everything. Even though I already have an idea for what he did, I still asked him. I did every calculations I can make and predict everything and I was right, I just want to clear everything before I decided to go and leave everything even though it's not the right thing to do.

I stood up and looked at him straight to his eyes. The eyes that looks exactly like me, the features that I get from him. The last time, I'll see and visit him.

"That's all what I wanted to hear, if you expect me to help you with this case, well you're wrong. You need to learn that life isn't about pain and suffering, it's also about fun, longing, angry, and other emotions that we felt everyday. This isn't the end of your life, do whatever you want inside the cell. You'll learn a lot inside, I swear that."

Naglakad ako papuntang pintuan at binuksan 'yon pero hindi ako lumabas. "And once more, this is the last time I'll see your face. Good luck and have fun being with your new criminal friends." I said and left.

That's kind of refreshing for me.

Next, Leviste Celerio.