I was busy sipping on my frappe when I heard a familiar voice on my back.

"Kill the baby, just the baby."

Bahagya akong lumingon sa aking likuran ngunit agad ring napaayos sa pagkakaupo nang makita ang dalawang pamilyar na bulto roon. My grip on the glass tightened when I saw Salvia San Sebastian with Ysmael Rozelli, seating on the table at my back, mukhang kararating lang.

"As you wish. Sasabihan ko ang mga tauhan ko sa gusto mong mangyari." I heard him muttered as he called the waiter.

This old hag! What is she doing with Rozelli? Seeing her with him makes my blood boil. Matapos siyang piliin ni Dad ay ganoon ang gagawin niya?

"Just the baby, Ysmael. Priscilla needs to marry my son."

Nanlamig ang aking kamay at napamaang sa narinig. Wala sa sariling napahilot ako sa aking tiyan. Malaki na ito at hindi na kayang itago.

Hold on tight, son. Just two more months, hold on. I can't lose you.

I heaved a sarcastic, audible breath.

Daddy's too blind to let this woman live in our mansion. Hindi ko alam kung anong nakita ni Daddy sa babaeng 'to at mas pinili pa niyang kampihan kaysa sa mga anak niya. I can understand that he's mad at me because I got pregnant while on the first year in law school. What I can't believe is, he disowned not only me but also Prestin. I can imagine my mother rolling her eyes at my Dad.

I wear my shades as I rose from my seat. Whatever his reason is, the damage has been done. He disowned us, he chose that woman, that's it.

I walked on the different direction to make sure they won't see me. That witch! Balak pang ipapatay ang anak ko.

Diretso ang tinging nagtungo ako sa aking sasakyan. Mabuti na lang ay pera ko ang ginamit kong pambili rito. Dad freeze my accounts, lahat din ng gamit na galing sa kanya ay pinakuha sa kanyang mga tauhan, ganoon din ang kay Prestin. Hindi niya nakuha ang condo at kotse ni Prestin dahil sariling pera rin ang pinangbili roon.

I stopped studying law. We can't afford it. Prestin also wants to stop but I didn't let him. To become a lawyer is our dream. I already dragged him into this mess, hindi ko kakayanin kung hihinto siya ng dahil lang sa huminto ako. Besides, its not advisable to study law while pregnant. The stress brought by it can affect my baby. I can't risk it.

Binuksan ko ang pinto ng aking kotse at akmang papasok na nang may pumigil sa akin. "Auriese." Kasabay noon ang pagpigil nito sa aking braso.

I faced him and almost shot my eyes close when I saw Ryker. "Pinuntahan kita sa inyo, hindi ka na raw doon nakatira. I went at Prestin's condo but he didn't let me talk to you. I missed you, hon. If you don't want to see me, atleast answer my calls-" He stopped when his eyes darted at my tummy. "Y-you're pregnant."

"Yes. So you can stop your bullshits."

"Auriese, l-let's talk first," he said while his eyes' still on my tummy.

"I'm not in the mood to argue." Isinara ko ang pinto ng sasakyan at mataman siyang hinarap. "Its been years Ryke, can't you just move on?"

Mabagal siyang napailing, hindi kumbinsido sa aking sinabi. "No, I know you, Auriese. I know you still love me-"

I shut my eyes closed as I heaved a deep sighed. Tila ba naputol ang lahat ng pasensya na mayroon ako. "'Yun na nga 'di ba? You know me, everything about me! You know how I hate the idea of cheating, yet you did it. You know I don't give second chances, yet you're asking for it. How I hope you know we're already done the moment you cheated!" Isn't he tired? Ilang taon na ba siyang naghahabol? Can't he understand and accept rejection? Besides, it's his fault why we broke up.

I tilted my head and continued. "One thing you didn't know and now you will know. Listen, I still hate you for what you did, Ryke." I licked my lower lip. "Until now, I still feel betrayed but I'm sure of this. I'm sorry, Ryker. I don't love you anymore."

I saw a glint of pain in his eyes. Pinakiramdaman ko ang sarili ngunit wala akong maramdaman. Wala ni katiting na pagmamahal.

"Auriese," he called my name, almost inaudible.

I shook my head. "I'm sorry," I whispered as I opened the door of my car. Agad na akong pumasok doon, takot na muli pa niyang pigilan.

I immediately locked it after I entered. Ryke's still outside, nakatungo ang ulo at mariing nakapikit. He looks defeated but I can't do anything.

My eyes met my tummy. I started caressing it and whispered. "That's true, baby. 'Cause I'll always choose your dad. It'll always be your dad." I chuckled when a face of a familiar man came in my mind. "I'll name you after your dad."

A smile crept in my face when I felt my baby kicked. I started the engine as I maneuvered the car when my phone started ringing.

Agad ko iyong inabot at sinulyapan. I immediately answered it when I saw who's calling.

"Prestin-"

"Where are you?"

I frowned at his tone. "I'm on my way-"

"'Wag ka munang umuwi. The guards informed me about the three suspicious men waiting outside our unit. Find a crowded place, to a mall, perhaps. I'll fetch you."

Fuck, Rozelli and Salvia. Does she think I'll marry Calvin when she killed my son? I'll definitely won't. I only want to marry one man, right now he's still a mess so no, I'll probably won't marry anyone.

The threats worsened as the days passed by. Lalo itong lumala habang papalapit ang pagsilang ko sa aking anak.

"Come on, just let them, Prestin. Lilipas din 'yan, isang buwan na lang naman manganganak na 'ko," sambit ko nang araw na napagdesisyunan naming lumabas.

I caressed my tummy as I heard Prestin gave our orders to the waiter. Nang maiwan kaming dalawa sa table ay muli siyang nagsalita.

"Salvia's determined to kill your son. How can you be so sure that they'll stop after you gave birth? There's no assurance, Auriese," mariin ngunit mahinang sambit niya, nababahala na marinig ito ng aming mga kalapit na lamesa.

Last week, while going out of Prestin's condo, I was almost shot on the side of my stomach. Kung hindi lang ako nahila pabalik ni Prestin ay baka nawala na ang anak ko. I won't forgive them if I lose my son.

"Let's not talk about that, I'll be safe. How's law school?" I asked to divert his attention.

"Still the same-" he stopped as his eyes narrowed at me. "Law school or..." Sinadya niyang bitinin ang sasabihin. I almost rolled my eyes when he wiggled his brows on me and continued. "If you're talking about him... same answer."

I dramatically heaved a deep sighed. "He's still the same," mapait na sambit ko na nakapagpatawa kay Prestin. When will he even change? I know, time will come and he'll change.

Our conversation we're interrupted when the waiter came. "Thank yo-" Napalis ang ngiti sa aking labi nang bumaling ako sa waiter at namukhaan ito. Nagmamadali niyang binaba ang pagkain sa aming table at agad na umalis.

I glanced at the food in front of me as my heart beat raced.

"What's wrong?" Tanong ni Prestin nang makita na ako ay natigilan.

"The waiter's one of the Rozelli's capo." I know. I met him once when I'm still at Cosmos.

I saw his expression darkened. "Let's get out of this place. Sa condo na lang tayo, I'll cook for you."

Wala na kong nagawa nang agad na tumayo si Prestin. He paid for the bill. Inilibot ko ang aking paningin. I bit my lower lip when I met the waiter's eyes. Tila nagtataka sa aking ikinikilos. Of course he didn't know that I know him. They thought I'm just Priscilla Auriese Gallardo, itinakwil ng ama sa pagaakalang hindi ko alam kung sino ang ama ng aking dinadala, but I'm more than that.

Prestin's palm rested on my back to support it as we walked out of the restaurant. Alerto ako ngunit patagong lumilinga sa paligid.

Laking pasalamat ko nang nakarating kami sa kotse ni Prestin na walang bumabaril sa akin.

"Good thing you met that man before, who knows what will happen if you don't," Prestin said as he started the engine of the car.

"I probably lose my son if I didn't. Thanks to Cosmos."

"How's Cosmos anyway?" He glanced at me.

I shrugged. "They aren't looking for me."

Muli siyang sumulyap sa akin, ngayon ay kunot na ang noo. "You sure?"

I bit my lower lip. I'm not sure. Iyon din ang ipinagtataka ko. I'm a capo yet they're not looking for me. Imposible naman na hindi nila alam na wala ako. I know they knew. A week after I vanished, Light called me on my spare phone but I didn't answer. Itinapon ko na rin iyon matapos burahin ang lahat ng detalye roon. Archer and Mirae's a hacker, they can trace my location in a minute, delikado kung itatabi ko pa iyon.

Until now, I can't hear a news that they're looking for a missing capo. Its not that I'm complaining, it's just that, I know a lot of things from Cosmos, imposibleng hindi nila ako hanapin.
Though I doubt if they can find me.

Prestin held my back as we walked towards the elevator. Pagtapat namin doon ay saktong bumukas iyon. Napabuntong hininga ako nang makita kung sino ang bumaba mula roon.

"Auriese," he called my name. Here we go again. Hindi ko na siya pinansin at tuluyang pumasok sa elevator. Ganoon din si Prestin at pati na rin si Ryker. Of course he just won't stop like that.

Hinayaan ko na lang siya at hindi na pinansin nang hindi siya umimik. I was looking at my reflection when he suddenly spoke beside Prestin.

"Are you planning to hide our son?"

Marahas at namimilog ang mga mata akong napalingon sa kanya. What the hell. "What did you say?" And how did he know that my baby's a boy?

"Our son, I said," puno ng kumpyansang sambit niya.

I raised my brow up on him. Nahihiwagaan ko siyang tinignan. I don't know where he got that idea.

"He's not your son, Ryke." Ni hindi ko alam kung paano niya naisip na anak niya ang dinadala ko. Is he imagining things? I mean, what the hell, seriously?

"Whatever you say, Auriese. I'm the father of your son."

Pagod kong binalingan si Prestin na nagkibit balikat lang sa akin. Guess he's also tired of this.

"You're not but-" I exasperatedly sighed. "Yeah, whatever, you won't listen anyway."

Days quickly passed by. Threats became part of my everyday life. Mabuti na lang ay laging nandyan si Prestin, without him I don't know what I'd do. While Ryke, at some point, I'm also thankful to him though. We're now okay, I think. But not when he's insisting that he's the father of my child.

"Come, baby. Your Tito Prestin wants to feel you," I whispered as Prestin caressed my tummy. He pouted when he felt nothing.

The smile on my lips slowly vanished as I started feeling an excruciating pain on my stomach.

"P-Prestin-" I gasped when I saw fluid gushing down my legs. "M-manganganak na 'ko, Prestin!"

Natigilan si Prestin at natulala sa akin. Worry is evident on his face. I saw him opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out of it.

"M-manganganak--" he trailed off. Sa kabila ng sakit na nararamdan ay hindi ko napigilan ang sarili na hindi mapatawa. Our future attorney seems in awe and don't know what to do.

"Manganganak ka na!" Dali dali niya akong binuhat at dinala palabas ng bahay. "God! I'll be an uncle!"

"You know who his father is, right?" I asked when my brother laid me on the stretcher the moment we reached the hospital.

He frowned at me. "You didn't directly tell me but is he?" I let our eyes talk, tila ba alam niya kung sino ang aking iniisip. I nodded afterwards.

"Name him after his dad. And give Ysrael as his second name."

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