Chapter 54

Rescue

My brother's footsteps haltered. My embrace tightened against him as the cold wind blew, and my white veil danced with my mudded wedding dress.

Silence overwhelmed us, it sent chills all over my body.

I prayed silently, hoping that my brother would get what I really wanted. We need to leave as soon as possible! I don't want to hear anything from him.

"Let's go... please..."

I heard him sigh, and he continued to walk. We reached the car. Lonzo's behind the wheels, Kaden sat beside him and my brother joined me at the back.

We drove home silently.

I had expected a scandalous welcome by the time that we finally arrived, but another silence hung our mansion. No presence of any family clamped with allegations, no questions or even faces of disappointment.

I sighed.

Should I be thankful for this? Namulat ako sa pamilyang ito na kaunting problema lang ay alam na ng buong lahi, and a scandalous wedding event without any wakeup call or a damn alarm was new to me.

Binuhat ko na ang mabigat kong gown. I hurried my steps to upstairs until I heard my brother's weak voice.

"I'm sorry... for being the evil queen..." I smiled bitterly.

I almost forgot; it was all started with an evil queen and her vicious plan to get snow white's heart.

Kung hindi niya ako sinulsulang lapitan si Wayto noon, mangyayari ba ang lahat ng ito? Would I see myself running away from my own wedding? Would I see myself looking terrible with my beautiful white gown?

Kung hindi ko nakilala si Wayto, kung hindi ko pinili ang istorya na may mansanas na nakalalason, masasaktan ba ako ng ganito? Makikita ko ba ang sarili ko sa mabigat na sitwasyong katulad nito?

Would I see myself in front of the mirror with eyes full of rage and vengeance?

I used to love the story of Snow White. The Prince's lips would heal everything, a kiss that would end the pain, bring happiness and wedding bells.

Pero nang sandaling magdaop ang mga labi namin ni Wayto matapos ang tatlong taon, I didn't feel the happiness, a cure from pain or even heard a lovely music of wedding bells.

This was when I realized that I was not the princess of the story. I was the huntsman...but I fell in love. Instead of killing him, we both ran and wandered deep in the forest. Until I finally noticed that I was the only one running.

He stopped and didn't fight with me, until I numbly realized that I was lost alone in the forest, without any source of light, no moon or fire to guide my track, just the plain darkness.

A very good fairy tale indeed!

"I failed as the huntsman, this maybe the consequence." I said.

Nagpatuloy na ako sa aking kwarto at hinayaan ang sariling malunod sa malambot na kama kasama ang aking mga luha.

Tapos na...

After the scandalous wedding, hindi na ako nagulat na halos usap-usapan na ito. Hindi lang sa minsang pakikinig ko sa usapan ng mga katulong at sa iba't-ibang tauhan ng mga Olbes, maging sa social media.

Kung anong masasamang salita ang ibinato sa akin ng mga tao noon nang idiin ako sa kasalanang hindi ko ginawa, ganito rin ang pagpapahiyang nararanasan ni Wayto at ng buong pamilya niya.

He was a fool that he let the same woman make fun of him. Hindi na raw ito natuto sa ginawa ko noon at isa na raw itong malaking katangahan. Nakabasa rin ako ng maraming comment ng iba't-ibang babae, they were all willing to volunteer for him. Sila na raw ang magpapakasal sa kanya at hindi siya gagawing tanga.

Buong akala ko ay ako na naman ang magmumukhang masama, pero marami rin sa mga netizen ang pumanig sa akin. Mostly were members of woman support group at sinasabing may kwento sa likuran nito.

They even pointed out that I was smart enough to boycott the wedding, dahil posible raw na kabilang ako sa mga babaeng naabuso, na itinatago ko na lang ito para umiwas sa gulo. They concluded that I'd reached my limit on my wedding day and ran away to protect myself.

Kumunot ang noo ko nang may mga screenshot pa sila ng ilang pictures ni Wayto sa ibang bansa, and the places were familiar! Madalas ako sa mga lugar na ito!

What was he doing---

Hindi ko na nagawang pagmasdan pa ang screenshot at binasa ko ang mga comment ng mga tsismosang mga taga Enamel. Sinabi rito na hindi talaga natapos ang relasyon namin, that we continued this foolish love for the past three years sa likod na kanilang mga mata para matigil na ang usapan sa pagitan ng aming mga pamilya.

Nag-init ang ulo ko sa nabasa ko. Kung totoo man na nagpatuloy ang relasyon namin, bakit kailangan alam nila? Fuckers!

The perks of having a well-known name.

They concluded that Wayto's been insisting this relationship, base na rin sa paraan ng paghahabol at paulit-ulit na pagtanggap nito ng mga panloloko raw mula sa akin. He was called as the Arellano's mad possessive, that he trapped me with this wedding by setting me up on bed with numbers of witnesses.

Napailing ako sa nababasa ko. I didn't expect the sudden turn of events!

Nagpatuloy ako sa pagbabasa hanggang sa mapatulala ako sa huling comment na nabasa ko.

He's crazy that's why the bride ran away from him. I pity Arellano! But hey, he's still crazy, sino ba ang gustong magpakasal sa baliw?

I now witnessed the power of social media. Just for the few pictures, ang dami na nilang kwento, ang dami na nilang konklusyon! How could they easily drop the words like a bomb if they only witnessed the glimpse of the situation?

For fuck sake! Ilang pictures lang sa ibang bansa. I was not even part of those pictures! Pero kung magbabasa ka na sa comment box, makagagawa na sila ng nobela!

Napahilamos ako sa sarili ko. I felt so frustrated, not because Wayto's being dragged down but because of this cruel reality.

Nagka-internet lang ang mga tao kung makaasta, ang tali-talino na nila. Together with the internet and social media, thousands of reliable investigators were born. Na kaya nilang ipaliwanag ang lahat gamit ang isang litrato lang...

I shouted with frustration. Itinapon ko ang hawak kong telepono at halos sabunutan ko ang sarili ko.

Sino pa ba ang niloloko ko? Ang sarili ko? Dapat masaya na ako! Reading my success! Women from Enamel were taking my sides, Wayto's in deep pain right now. People were judging him, calling him names and making fun of him.

I should laugh right now, celebrate!

Napasigaw muli ako.

"I was a trusted informant of this secret agency before... but I was too in love with this beautiful girl... that I chose to cover up her grandfather's mess... to keep her away from heartbreak and disappointment... but everything turned complicated."

Informant?

Secret agency?

In love with a beautiful girl...

Grandfather's mess...

To keep her away from heartbreak and disappointment...

Everything turned complicated...

Pilit ko man hindi inaamin sa sarili ko, ang mga salitang ito ang kagabi pang bumubulabog sa akin.

Ilang beses kong hinampas ang noo ko. "Stop! Please stop... ayokong marinig..."

I was in the middle of my own debate when my mother entered my room. She immediately ran towards me and embraced me tightly. Muli akong humagulhol ng pag-iyak.

"I should be happy... nakabawi na ako, Mama... hindi na ako talunan, nasaktan ko na rin siya gaya ng pananakit niya sa akin. B-But... I'm hurting... ang sakit sakit..." I sobbed in her arms.

"Dahil mahal mo ang taong 'yon..." nakagat ko ang labi ko sa sinabi ni Mama. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang dapat kong mararamdam nang marinig ito mula sa kanya, she's one of those who disapproved my relationship with Wayto, how could she easily tell me these words?

She was too opposed before that it was very unbelievable to hear the words from her. Ayokong magtanong, ayokong may malaman, but what made them twist their minds?

"But I can't love him... loving him is another betrayal..." I would stick with my grandfather's side.

Hinaplos ni Mama ang buhok ko. "I'm sorry..." bulong niya sa akin.

"I'm sorry, anak..."

"How to be happy, Mama? Kapag nasasaktan ka, anong ginagawa mo? Can you tell me... para naman mabawasan 'to." Ilang beses kong tinapik ang kumikirot kong dibdib.

"I tried to sleep a lot... pero Mama... sa tuwing gumigising ako, umuulit na naman. Humahapdi pa rin, lumalala... tell me how to be happy, I-I accomplished my plan well..."

"You can't really find the how, hija... kung hindi paraan... kundi tao..." mas lalo akong humagulhol sa sinabi niya.

Dahil kahit ilang beses kong itanggi... alam kong tama ang sinabi niya. It was not how... but who...

"We promised him and to your grandfather that the explanation would be from coming him..." nanghihinang sabi ni Mama. May bakas ng pag-aalinlangan ang bawat bitaw ng kanyang salita.

Nagtataka kong sinalubong ang mga mata ko. She looked conflicted, but when she witnessed a batch of tears from my eyes.

Her heart as a mother overwhelmed her. She wiped my tears away, and forced a smile on her lips.

"But I couldn't let you stay like this... if you can't hear him out, allow me... at least a part of it. Kung hindi mo pa kayang marinig ang boses ng batang Arellano, pakinggan moa ko bilang ina... I hate it when I'm seeing my daughter in pain. Autumn, anak... mas double ang nararamdaman ni Mama..." my hands started to tremble.

"Even you, mom?" nag-aakusang tanong ko sa kanya. "You let me suffer for three years?" I thought she's innocent, na kaunti lang ang nalalaman niya kumpara sa iba.

But it turned out that my mother was well aware of everything! At hinayaan niya akong mahirapan sa loob ng tatlong taon!

Kaya ko na ba itong pakinggan? Handan a ba akong paniwalaan ang mga malalaman ko? How could I accept it? May mababago ba sa sandaling magkaroon na ako ng alam tungkol sa mga nangyari noon?

Hinawakan ni Mama ang kamay ko. I flinched; I saw pain in her eyes. She shouldn't expect me to welcome her words willingly, na ginawa niyang ipagkait sa akin sa loob ng tatlong taon.

Huminga siya ng malalim at pumikit ng ilang segundo para palakasin ang sarili sa anumang kanyang sasabihin.

"Few days after you grandfather's burial, White Arellano bravely faced us in this mansion with no weapons or even security guards, kahit alam niyang halos lahat ng Olbes na isinumpa siya ay naririto. He stood firmly in front of us, kahit ilang nguso ng baril ang kaharap niya. He was almost killed-" nasapo ko ang aking bibig.

Para siyang pumasok sa isang lugar na iisa lang ang magiging resulta, kamatayan.

"I never supported violence, at ayoko nang bumaha muli ng dugo sa mansion na ito, dugo man ng Olbes, Arellano o kahit sinong tao na may galit sa atin. I stood in between not to save him but to stop the river of blood."

Kumirot ang dibdib ko. Why do I have this urge to thank my mother? Bakit sa kabila ng galit ko, ramdam ko ang paghinga ko ng maluwag na parang saksi ako ng mismong pangyayari.

"Halos sigawan ako ng buong pamilya natin sa ginawa ko. But I stood firmly in front of him. Pilit man akong pwersahin ng Papa mo na umalis, nagmatigas ako. I thought I'd make them stop, but it turned worst."

"Why would our family give him a fast death? Some of our relatives suggested to torture him and get his head be delivered to his residence." Gusto kong masuka sa mga naririnig ko.

Nagpatuloy sa pagluha ang mga mata ko. "Our family was too blinded with anger and revenge. Na halos hindi mo na sila makilala dahil sa galit nilang unti-unti na silang nilalamon."

Hindi na ako makapagsalita at hinayaan kong magpatuloy si Mama.

"When I tried to look at him, White Arellano was full of confliction, gusto nitong magsalita pero nagsisimula na rin siyang makaramdam ng takot. Hindi maaawa sa kanya ang buong pamilya natin."

"There was no way that our family would listen to his words. Buong akala ko ay katapusan na niya, but a van suddenly made its appearance revealing one of the most known powerful names not just in Enamel but in also other provinces or even... to our whole country." Nagsimula na akong mahirapang huminga sa mga naririnig ko.

"Don Ferell and Don Almero with their men protecting White Arellano... Dalawang kilalang Don ang humarang sa harap niya mula sa pamilya natin."