Clara Samonte's Pov

Nakatingala ako sa kisame ng opisina ni Mr. R habang hinihintay siyang makabalik. Hawak ko ang aking resignation letter at namumuo ang aking mga luha. Wala akong plano na umalis hangga't hindi pa tapos ang aking huling misyon pero wala na akong magagawa nung malaman ko ang isang 'di inaasahang surpresa.

I took a peek at the door upon hearing it creak and eventually open. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I immediately stood up from my seat when I saw Mr. R make an entrance, looking extremely frustrated. He must have been stressed after he received my call earlier.

"Sabihin mo sa 'kin, Clara. Bakit kailangan kita hayaang umalis?" Mr. R asked straight on my face as he sat on his vanity chair.

Lumapit ako sa kanyang lamesa habang taimtim na nakatingin sa kanyang mga mata. Nanginginig ang aking mga tuhod at hindi ko alam kung paano ko ito sisimulang sabihin. Napakalaki nang natulong niya sa akin kaya't hindi ko siya masisisi kung gusto niyang pagbayaran ko iyon lahat.

"I'm... pregnant, M-Mr. R." my voice broke.

He slammed the table, which made me quiver. "What?! Don't tell me it's the Mafia's fault?"

"No! H-he's not, Mr. R. It's a o-one-night-stand with some... stranger." I lied.

Napatakip siya ng kanyang mukha matapos ko iyong sabihin. Wala sa aking kagustuhan ang magsinungaling pero mas makabubuti na iyon. Mas maigi na ako lang ang nakakaalam kung sino ang tunay na ama ng aking anak. Kung kailangan kong lumayo para hindi ako matunton ay gagawin ko nang walang pag-aalinlangan.

"One-night-stand, huh? Really, Clara? Do you think I will believe that?" Mr. R smirked.
 

I keep my poker face on to let him know that I'm spitting the facts. "Mr. R, you know how much I hate dealing with those guys, right? Especially that Roscoe Villamor. He's the last guy I want to be associated with."

That's another lie. Being with Roscoe is the greatest thing I've done in my life. He would probably marry me right away if he knew I was pregnant with his child, but that's the last thing I would allow to happen. Especially now that I finally recognized his true color. What he has done in the past isn't something a human can do.

I curse him to death!
 

"Relax, Clara. I believe you now. You don't have to cry. You know, I'm soft for girls who are crying in front of me, and besides, crying doesn't suit your manly haircut." He teased me.

I chuckled while wiping my tears away. "Alam ko nang mas pogi ako sa 'yo, Mr. R, wag ka na pong mainggit. Pumapayag ka na po bang umalis ako kasama ng inaanak niyo?"

His lips parted. "Inaanak? Di ko akalaing magkakaroon ako ng unang inaanak sa mismong agent ko pa. Well, I guess wala na akong choice kundi ang hayaan ka kasama ng inaanak ko."

I didn't hesitate to drag my feet close to his chair to give him a hug. Since I started working at the Dark Room Agency, he treated me as his own daughter. He would always put health as the top priority over his agents' success in every mission. I may have saved the world from my past life by meeting a kind-hearted person like him.

"A-anak? Ikaw na ba iyan?" Mom's eyes watered upon seeing me as I entered our mansion.

Tumakbo ako at yumakap sa kanya. "Mom, I missed you... so much."

Kinulong niya ako sa kanyang braso at marahang hinaplos ang aking likod nung magsimula akong humagulgol. Dalawang taon ang lumipas simula ng magtrabaho ako bilang secret agent at mula noon ay hindi na ako muling nakatawag sa kanya. Matagal nang pumanaw si Daddy kaya tanging mga katulong at ilang gwardya lamang ang kasama niya dito kapag umaalis ako.

She cupped my face and surveyed it. "Akala ko'y nabuhay muli ang iyong kambal dahil sa gupit mo, anak. Akala ko'y tinakwil mo na ako dahil matanda na ako at uugod-ugod."

"Mommy, bakit mo naman po nasabi iyan? Maaari na tayong mag-shopping ulit at pumunta ng iba't-ibang bansa dahil hindi na ako aalis pang muli." I assured her.

Her brows lifted in surprise. "Really, anak? Gusto ko 'yan! Marami akong gustong bilhin dahil matagal na rin akong hindi nakakalabas."

"C-Clara? Naku, ikaw nga, hija!" Kaagad na ibinaba ni Nanay Rita ang hawak niyang mangkok sa lamesa bago lumapit at bigyan din ako nang mahigpit na yakap.

I rubbed her back when she became emotional. "Na-miss ko po kayo, Nanay Rita. Maraming salamat po sa hindi niyo pag-iwan kay Mommy nung mawala ako."

Nung pumanaw ang aking kakambal na si Callum ay siya ring araw na namasukan bilang katulong si Nanay Rita. Hindi ko maiwasang magtaka noon kung bakit nais niya sa amin manatili sapagkat baon din kami sa utang nung namatay ang aking ama, at walang ibang katuwang si Mommy kundi ang kanyang sarili.

Matapos naming kumain ng tanghalian ay dumiretso ako sa silid na Callum. I felt relieved upon seeing that the interior hadn't changed at all. As I moved my feet towards his side table, my vision darkened and tears welled up in my eyes. Using my trembling hand, I picked up his old picture and hugged it tightly.

Nangangatog ang aking buong katawan habang inaalala kung paano siya namatay ng hindi man lang nakakamit ang hustisya. Nasa ikalawang taon kami sa kolehiyo nung siya'y pumanaw. Napakabuti ng aking kakambal at wala akong natatandaan na may naka-away ito simula pagkabata. Handa itong tumulong sa nangangailangan ng walang hinihinging kapalit o kahit anong halaga.

I pulled out the bullet from my pants pocket and glared at it, gritting my teeth. "I didn't expect that this last mission would lead me to the demon that I've been looking for so many years."

Napadaing ako nang humilab ang aking tiyan dahilan para mahulog ang bala at gumulong iyon sa sahig. I was caressing my flat tummy as I turned my head on my back and saw my mom with the bullet in her hand. Her face looks flushed as she silently stares at my stomach.

"C-Clara, you're pregnant, aren't you? A-and w-why do you have the bullet that killed your twin brother? " Her voice quivered, tears fell from her eyes.

Hearing my mom whimper makes my heart crumble into dust. I nibbled my lower lip before I bowed my head and gently nodded. My shoulders shrugged when she embraced me in her arms. Growing up, I've never been a good daughter to her, and it's my twin brother who can only make her smile way back then.

"I'm sorry for being a failure, mom." I said between my sobs.

Hinawakan niya ang aking braso at tiningnan ako nang diretso sa mata. "Tell me, Clara. Who's the father of your child?"

Umiling ako. "I'm sorry, mom but I can't."

She wiped my tears then held my face. "That's not going to matter. If the great father of your child doesn't want this blessing, then mom will help you take care of the baby. I can't believe I'll be a grandma now, Clara."

I kissed her cheek. "Thank you, mom. You don't know how much you made me happy."

Gustuhin ko mang sabihin sa kanya kung sino ang ama ng dinadala ko ay hindi ko iyon magagawa. Paano ko nga ba maaamin na ang walang awang pumaslang sa aking kapatid ay siya ring ama ng aking anak?

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Terrolicious