Chapter 40

I was having a briefing with the team. Archibald's number was great—I was more concerned with Maven's number. He's not performing well because as expected, he's been very vocal about his plans for the country. I didn't even have to do that much—his promises alone were enough to drive most mayors and congressmen away. I mean, I couldn't exactly blame them. Maven's been promising a transparency bill. Of course the corrupt politicians would get scared. They have a lot to hide. At this point, I didn't even have to do anything because those people would ensure that Maven would not win.

"So, why are you so bothered?" Aspen asked.

I looked at him, my forehead creased. It was Sunday. We're having brunch. We've decided that we should continue the tradition. It's just brunch, anyway. But still, it didn't feel the same without Abuela. May her soul have little respite from the burning pits of hell.

"Because," I said.

"Because what?"

"This isn't supposed to be too easy."

Aspen shrugged. "Maybe you're just used to always fighting to get what you want," he said. "This is how winning feels, Nadia. Take it all in."

Perhaps.

Perhaps I was just overthinking this... but I refused to believe that it could be this easy. I mean, I knew that at the end of the race, kami pa rin ang mananalo. But I was supposed to fight like hell for this. I was supposed to put everything on the line to win.

This didn't feel right.

At all.

"She's gonna do something," I said.

"And you're prepared," Aspen replied.

I gave him a small nod. I was prepared. Of course I was. I had years studying her. I attended brunch against my will. I engaged in small talks even though all she did was give me backhanded compliments.

Abuela raised me—of course I knew what I had to do. I just wished I didn't have to do that.

"So, everything's gonna be alright," Aspen told me. "Abuela might have been a pain in the ass, but if there's one thing I admire about her—she's all about family. Abby's not family. Abuela won't let her get ahead."

Aspen gave me a small pat on the head—like how he did when we were younger.

"I know that even in the depths of hell, she's looking out for us. Don't you worry," he continued. God, we, two, are really alike sometimes.

Maven and Abby and their little spawns arrived thereafter. I exchanged pleasantries with them. The kids were well-behaved. Jeremiah looked so much like Maven. It's such a shame that Juliette looks a lot like Abby. Hope she doesn't grow her little horns soon.

"Why don't you ever bring Atticus around?" Abby asked me. I looked at her. She looked so relaxed. I knew it. I knew she's planning something.

"I don't want him around you," I simply replied.

Abby gave me her usual polite smile. "Around me? Why me?"

"I think we both know why," I said.

She gave me a small nod. "I see."

I wanted to ask her what she was planning, but I didn't want to give her the satisfaction of knowing that I was losing sleep over her. God, how I long for the day when I don't have to worry about her.

"But she's with Archibald, yes?"

"Yes."

"Now, I'm confused."

Agad na kumunot ang noo ko. She knew that I was about to ask her a question, that was why she quickly left me to go talk to Maven. What was she talking about? I knew Abby. I knew her well enough to know that she just would not randomly say things like that.

Quickly, I excused myself.

Mabilis akong umuwi. Naabutan ko si Archibald at Atticus na nasa may garden area. They were having brunch, as well. I saw how Atticus' face lightened up upon seeing me.

"Mommy!" he said.

I gave him a forced smile. "Hey," I replied. I looked at Archibald. "Can we talk?"

"About what?" he asked.

I looked at Atticus' nanny and signaled her to take the child away. I took the empty seat that Atticus left. Archibald was watching my every move.

"What did you do?" I asked him.

Kumunot ang noo niya. "What?"

"What did you do, Gallego?" I asked once again.

Confusion was written all over his face. "Nothing," he replied. "Nothing you didn't ask me to," he continued. "Sinusunod ko lang lahat ng sinasabi mo. Kailangan mo ako sa Mindanao? Nandon agad ako. Kailangan mo akong magbigay ng statement? Kakabisaduhin ko agad. All I do is what you ask me to."

No.

I wasn't convinced.

I knew that there was something with the way Abby spoke to me earlier.

"What is this about?" he asked.

"We're so close," I told him.

"I know," he replied. "Your plan's working. I saw the numbers."

He's right—the numbers never lie... but then again, they're just numbers. The voters' mind are fickle. It would only take one news to change the game entirely.

And it didn't even have to be true—it only has to look true.

What was Abby planning on doing? I knew she wouldn't say anything about Atticus. Because as much as I didn't want to do it, I would go after Juliette and make sure that that kid will need a lot of therapy in the future.

I didn't do anything to Rosie—

"Tell me," I told Archibald.

"What?"

I vaguely remember him saying something to me before... him acting strangely when Rosie died... but I knew that he wasn't there when she died.

Because there was a meeting.

That Abuela told me he needed to attend to secure some funding.

"What did you do?" I asked him.

"Nothing," he said.

"What did you do to Rosie, Gallego?"

I wished I didn't see how the colors drained from his face.

I wished I didn't know him completely to know when he's lying and when he's not.

"What did you do?" I asked again.

We were so close.

We're almost there.

I didn't need him to mess it all up.

"I didn't know that she'll do it."

"Did you go to Abuela?" I asked him.

"Yes," he said, almost inaudibly. "But I didn't know that she'll do it."

"Well, what the hell did you think she'll do?!" I shouted at him. If I wanted Rosie dead, I would've done it myself! But I didn't because I knew that those kind of secrets? They never stay hidden. They always find a way to come to the surface, one way or another.

"I just asked for her help," he replied. "To fix the mess that I made," he continued. "Because you said that that's what she does—make the problem go away."

I heard something breaking.

Something shattering.

For all the years that I'd known him, I always told myself that he's just misunderstood. I had always tried to justify all the mistakes that he did in my head.

He's just Archie.

He's not from my world.

He's imperfect and that's fine.

Even when he cheated on me, when he got someone pregnant, somehow, in my head, I managed to make excuses for him. I told myself that he fucked up, but for some reason, I drove him to do that. I told myself that he's an idiot, but I was the one who told him that he could get a mistress.

Somehow, in some way, in my head, I managed to make it my fault.

Because he's Archie.

He's not like me.

But now?

I see all the flaws.

I see all the mistakes.

He's Archie.

He's just like me.

And I don't know if I like him being like me.

* * *

I left the house.

I needed to think.

I knew that Abby would use this against me—not now, but when the election's right around the corner. I knew that she knew that when it comes to things like this, timing is everything. I knew that if she leaked this right now, I would be on defense.

Filipinos are forgiving to a fault—but Abby knew that as well. She used that to her advantage as well. We're almost playing the game using the same playbook.

"Let's have a 20 minute break," I said to everyone on the campaign team. "Cheryl," I called bago pa man siya makalabas. She's the only one who's been here long enough to know about Rosie.

God, it's like déjà vu.

Once again, we're here.

"We have a problem," I told her.

"A big one?"

"Very," I replied.

"Will it affect the results?"

If it were any other problem, I would not be this worried.

But Abby knew what she's doing.

Throwing this problem out in the open would result to the opening of all the other problems. It's the ripple effect. She knew it. She knew that she held all the power at this point. All she needed was the perfect timing.

"Yes."

Because it's one thing for Archibald to get someone pregnant. It's a mistake. It's a forgivable mistake. We could get away with it.

But to plan the murder of the mother of your child?

That's the kind of mistake that makes you lose the presidential election—makes you lose the respect of everyone around you. Because who can do that?

"Change of plans," I told her as I gave her the instruction for what I needed her to do.

I didn't want to have to come to this... but Archie left me with no other choice.

* * *

I had met with all the people I had to meet with.

I talked to Senator Velasquez and told him about my plans. He said that it's a great plan and that he'd help me with it. I did ask him why, out of curiosity. He said that he's at the end of his life. He'd take it to his grave. In return, I have to make sure that his son will be well protected.

The election's in a week.

Any day now, Abby will pull the trigger.

I knew because if I were her, I would do it around this time. Enough time to get the news spread across the country. Enough time to let people speculate—to add fuel to the fire and paint him in the worst way possible.

"Nadia," Archibald called my name.

"Yes?" I replied. "Do you have any question about the topics?"

We're in the backstage for the first presidential debate. There were three presidential debates. I knew that Maven would talk about his progressive views as expected. Archibald would say the things that I told him about.

It would have been perfect.

But none of that matters anymore.

"Hindi ba natin paguusapan iyong—"

"No," I said. "Let's focus on the election."

I still go home, but I never really had a conversation about that with him anymore. I heard enough. I just let him spend time with his son when he's free and do campaigns as scheduled.

I was part of the audience. I listened to all the questions and answer. Cheryl was beside me, monitoring the response online. As expected, the people on twitter was eating up Maven's answers. It's a different world on Facebook. They're more on Archibald's side. They like how simplistic his approach were. He's not a smarty-pants like Maven. He's more empathetic and relatable—at least at the moment.

When the debate ended, I walked towards Archibald. I helped him remove his microphone. He was staring at me and I was letting him because I knew that the cameras were still rolling.

"Nadia," he called my name.

"What?"

"I know you probably won't believe me, but I'll say it anyway," he said while I was holding on to his collar and looking in his eyes. Bahagyang kumunot ang noo ko. "In my own fucked up way, I really do love you."

My lips parted a little.

"Oh."

"We'll be fine," he continued.

I felt like my whole chest was numb.

It was like he knew.

We said goodbye to the crew of the show. Nauna na sila Maven makaalis kasabay nung ibang mga candidates. Archibald stayed because he was on Facetime with Atticus. Nauna na ako lumabas. I stayed in the car. He was looking at the window of the car like he could see me even though the window was heavily tinted.

He kept on walking.

And walking.

Until we heard some shots fired. 

**

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