CHAPTER S E V E N

ELLA'S POV

"Aelari no!"

Sumandal ako sa kinauupuan at hindi ko pinansin si Auntie Vivian. Tatlong lalaki sila Papa sa pamilya. My father was the oldest and Uncle Johan was the second, habang ang pangatlo ay si Uncle James. To say that they love money is an understatement. Lalo na ang asawa ni Uncle Johan na siyang nagsalita.

"Get them out of here. Unless ayaw mong makipag-negotiate sa akin," I said to Alderidge.

Sunod-sunod na umaling si Uncle James, "She's not well, Rex. S-She's-"

"James!" sikmat ni Uncle Johan.

Hindi ko sila pinansin at direkta lang akong nakatingin kay Alderidge. Hindi naman ako natatakot. Madali lang naman mabasa ang mga taong katulad niya. We grew up with people like them. Mayayaman na ang gusto lang ay yumaman pa.

My father is different. My father just love his work and his family. At dahil sa mga taong katulad ni Alderidge... nawala lahat ng iyon kay Aelari. Not even the happy memories because with those comes the painful ones.

She remember some but not all of them. Not the important ones. She stayed in the dark because that's the only way for her to have a little bit of a normal life.

"Get out."

"Rex-"

"Get out!"

Hindi ko man lang sila tinignan nang wala silang nagawa kundi lumabas. They couldn't handle Alderidge. Kahit alam kong may duda na sila sa mga nangyari noon they didn't say anything and they didn't try to investigate more. Sarili nilang kapatid ang namatay pero parang isa pa sila sa mga tumulong para matabunan ang lahat.

"You'll give us everything?" Alderidge asked.

"Yes."

"Ganoon na lang? After all the grief you gave us?"

"You're not the one to talk Alderidge but for your curiosity's sake, wala naman akong pakielam talaga. Hindi ba sinabi ko na sa'yo noon? I just want Aelari safe. That's all." At least during that time.

"Why Bryson?"

"Dahil ayaw niya ng kompanya. He'll suffer too. Katulad kung paanong nagdudusa ang isa mo pang anak."

I smiled at that. There's nothing more fulfilling than the fact that his legitimate heir doesn't have the ability to take the company. I heard him and his son talking during my parent's funeral. I was in control that time for a long time since the accident. Nasa dating bahay kami noon. Bahay kung saan lumaki si Aelari at ang kapatid niya. We were young then and I couldn't do a lot. I heard and I was prepared. I manage to get so help so someone could take us out of that room.

We survived and during our parent's 9th year death anniversary nagkaroon ng pagsasalo. Nakatira na kami noon sa bahay nila Uncle Johan. Brandon approached Aelari and that's when I took control. Kung saan kasalukuyan niyang sinansabi kay Aelari kung paanong hindi magtatagal ay mawawala lahat sa amin.

So I pushed him on the stairs.

"You're crazy."

I shrug, "Maybe."

Sandaling nakatingin lang siya sa akin at pagkaraan ay may kinausap siya sa intercom. It didn't took long dahil sandali lang ay pumasok sa loob ang babae na malamang ay sekretarya niya at may ibinigay sa kaniya na mga dokumento.

He signed them and pushed it towards me.

Tumingin ako kay Bryson na nananatili pa rin na nakatayo, "Sign this."

"No."

"Bryson," Lumingon siya sa akin at direkta ko siyang tinignan sa mga mata. "Sign this for Aelari."

I can see the struggle in his eyes. I know he don't want any of this. But Aelari trusted him... she likes him. He showed her something different and I wish that difference is good. Dahil kung mali ako ay lalo lang gugulo ang lahat. If we're wrong then it's over for us.

His jaw tensed but he walked towards me. Kinuha niya ang papel at binasa iyon sandali bago pumirma.

"You keep talking about yourself in third person."

I looked at Alderidge, "Because I'm not talking about myself. Hindi ba sinabi ko na?" Kinuha ko kay Bryson ang papel nang matapos siya at ako naman ang pumirma sa ilan sa mga iyon. Some of the documents are for the transfer from Alderidge to Bryson while some are from mine to his. "My name is Ella not Aelari."

Nang matapos akong pumirma ay nakita kong akmang tatayo siya pero umiling ako. Hinila ko palapit sa akin ang mga dokumento.

"You have cancer," I said as a statement.

"Wala kang kinalaman doon."

"Apparently not. Naunahan ako ng tadhana kase mukhang siya na ang papatay sa'yo. That's good for me at least I won't need to do anything."

"You have the nerve to prance here and threaten me?"

"I'm not threatening you. You're dying anyway, so bakit pahihirapan ang sarili ko?" Nangalumbaba ako at tinitigan ko siya. "Wala kang balak ibigay ang kompanya sa iba mong mga kamag-anak kasi gahaman din sila katulad mo. You hate them. Hindi mo mabigay kay Brandon kasi naka-comatose siya. So that left you with your son with the mistress."

"You-"

"A good woman who's lucky enough to get away from a vile person like you and she managed to raise a child that is far too good to be called yours." Itinulak ko ang isang swivel chair papunta kay Bryson. "Sit. Mahaba 'to. Kailangan mong malaman lahat para alam mo kung paano mo poprotektahan si Aelari."

"You're Aelari!" Alderidge spat.

"I'm Ella. Four letters lang. Pakitandaan please?"

Nang makita kong umupo si Bryson ay hinarap ko sa kaniya ang kinauupuan ko. "Aelari's parents and brother died on a car accident. You were there."

"I remember," he whispered.

"So alam mong hindi car accident lang 'yon. You heard the police. Someone shot them in the head at kung hindi kayo huminto ng Mama mo baka pati kami ni Aelari wala na."

"Yes."

"Your father is the man behind that." I watched how something crossed Bryson's eyes. Something close to anger but the good thing is... the anger is not directed to me.

"Lies!"

Nilingon ko ang nanggagalaiti na si Alderidge, "I heard you and Brandon you know? Aelari didn't lie. Hindi niya alam. Wala siyang naaalala sa naging pag kidnap sa kaniya. Kaya nga hinayaan niyo siyang mabuhay ng matagal di ba? Idagdag pa na nasa poder siya ng pamilya niya na nagdagdag ng seguridad para sa kanila. It wouldn't be easy. Not like the first time that you tried to kill us."

"You've been kidnapped before what you did to Brandon."

"What happened to Brandon was during the 9th anniversary kung saan inulit niya sa harapan ko mismo kung paanong hindi magtatagal ang pangalan ng Benveniste sa lugar na ito."

"What-"

"I heard you and Brandon talking. We were eight years old and you planned to kill us like you did to our parents and to our brother. You didn't even let us grieve long because you were talking about it during the funeral." Nang magtangka siyang magsalita ay tumayo ako. "You killed them! You killed them that day and that's when Aelari had me! You broke Aelari. You ruined her life and you took everything away from her!"

Sandaling rumehistro ang pagkagulat sa mga mata niya na nasundan ng pagkalito. But after awhile his eyes cleared and the wickedness he always carry returned in his eyes, "You're really crazy aren't you? Who would have thought? Dapat matagal na akong walang problema." Animo nagwagi na sa laban na sumandal siya sa kinauupuan. "You're still a child. Hindi mo alam kung paano tumatakbo ang mundo. What you know is useless if you don't have proof."

Over the years all I have is just proof that they're using money of B & A Tech. Sa paraan na hindi dapat. They're pocketing the money. But he's right. I don't have proof when it comes to the accident and what they did to us. Hindi niya na kailangan malaman 'yon. "I do have one but it doesn't matter right now. Ang mahalaga ay na kay Bryson na lahat ng karapatan sa lugar na ito."

"And you think you won? He's an Alderidge."

"I'm not an Alderidge."

I turned to Bryson and I saw that I was right. He should be feared. I'm just not the one that should be scared of him.

His anger is different. Mine is an explosion but his is calm. Like a poison that will kill instantly or an ocean with strong and huge whirlpool. Hindi mo makikita agad pero kapag nakapaloob ka na at kaharap mo na ang kamatayan, saka mo siya makikilala.

"Bryson, son-"

"I am not your son. I am a Castellan and I am only my mother's son."

I clapped my hands together and I mockingly scrunched my face at Alderidge, "Aww. This is like Romeo and Juliet don't you think? Pero imbis na kami iyong magbabad sa mga bagay na ikaw lang ang gumawa, happily ever after kami."

Gulat na nilingon ng matandang Alderidge si Bryson. "A-Anong ibig niyang sabihin?"

"Don't talk to him anymore. He hates you."

"Anong ibig niyang sabihin?!"

I smiled in glee at his obvious distress. Halos maglabasan na lang mga ugat sa leeg niya. I waved my hand at Bryson, "Ako ang sasagot." Hinarap ko si Alderidge at matamis ko siyang nginitian. "Bryson have a few options. He could manage the company and Aelari wouldn't mind because she likes him, or they will get married and this place will be Benveniste & Castellan handled by both of them together, or third Bryson will give everything back to Aelari."

"She like me?"

I really like this man for you, Aelari. He knows his priorities. "I think so. 'Wag mo na lang sabihin sa kaniya na sinabi ko. She'll probably locked me away forever and ever. I love going out, you know? I love people. Aelari couldn't stand it but I do."

"She's not sick?"

"Technically, we are, but we're not going to combust because someone touch us. Ayaw ni Aelari na hinahawakan siya dahil iyon ang trigger niya. Kapag hinawakan siya, lumalabas ako. Me on the other hand don't mind when I'm surrounded by people."

"You don't want me to touch you earlier."

"Because I have a theory. I think, you're keeping her together and you can't do that now when I still have something to do."

"Bryson can't give it back!" Alderidge shouted.

I shush him and continued talking to Bryson. Something glinted on his eyes... as if despite the situation, he's finding something amusing to this. Lalo na at tahasan naming hindi pinapansin ang ama niya. "Can you please tell her that? I'm not a monster you know? That's so old school. Porke may DID kailangan pang horror movie?"

"You bashed two people's heads awhile ago. They were still bleeding when we left."

"Iba 'yon. They will live, unfortunately. Hindi namamatay agad ang masasamang damo." Bumuntong-hininga ako at humalukipkip. "So? Pwedeng pakisabi kay Aelari? Kahit minsan lang. I won't put her in danger and you should know that too. I only come out without her approval when she needs protection. You also need to tell her all about the things you heard today. I don't want that pero kung may isang taong makakapagsabi sa kaniya ng katotohanan ay ikaw iyon. I think she can finally know all these without breaking more."

"You care about her."

I rolled my eyes at him, "Of course I do. I can eat my favorite mint chocolate chip when I'm in control because of her.We're living in the same body. I'm existing because of her."

"And she's alive because of you."

It's the first time someone said that to me. No one acknowledge that, not even Aelari. I couldn't hate her for it. Hindi niya naman alam. I know that she woke up one day and everything is falling apart because of what I did.

Siya ang sinisisi dahil kay Brandon. Natatakot ang mismong pamilya niya sa kaniya dahil sa ginawa ko. They thought she's crazy and psychotic. She locked herself inside her own palace because that is what people expected of her. To be responsible and keep everyone safe. Iyong hayaan ang mga tao na makatulog ng mahimbing kasi alam nilang nakakulong si Aelari.

That house... our house was built to keep me inside. Aelari tried so hard to keep me locked in. To keep everyone safe while she's left there alone and scared.

"Aelari didn't know this but I woke up last year. It was a brief visit. But I couldn't go out because that place is a fortress to keep me in. Everything has a combination that I don't know how to open. I was angry, I admit, but I also understand her. Hindi niya gustong may masaktan pa kahit na deserve naman nila. What happened to those men will haunt her, Bryson. She always blame herself for the things I do to protect her. Dahil iyon ang laging pinapakita at sinasabi sa kaniya ng pamilya niya. That she's not in her right mind and that something is wrong with her. We're not normal but we're not crazy. I hope that you'll remember that. I hope that you won't look at her the same way that they did."

"She's not crazy."

"No."

"You're not too."

Okay. I really like this man for you, Aelari. No hard feelings kahit may dugo ni Alderidge. Mukha namang kung papipiliin, idedrain niya ang mga dugong iyon basta mawala lang ang trace ng biological father niya.

"I'm not. I'm just her extra baggage." Inusog ko palapit sa kaniya ang mga dokumento na kinuha niya naman at inilagay sa loob ng suot niya na suit. "This would have gone differently without you, you know that right? I've been planning about this for so long but I never thought of how to end it until today. Kaya sana hindi mo ako biguin. Sana hindi ka katulad ng ama mo."

"He's not my father and I am not him."

Tinanguhan ko siya at tumayo ako. Binalingan ko si Alderidge na sapo ang dibdib niya habang galit na galit na nakatingin sa amin. He pressed the intercom and shouted, "Bring the men here! Now!"

I sighed and moved towards him. Umatras siya pero lalo lang akong lumapit. "Don't die from a heart attack please. Cancer is better. For you at least. Kung pwede nga lang gumaling lahat ng taong may cancer at ibigay sa iyo. I want you to suffer more so don't die easily."

"Hindi ka makakalabas sa lugar na ito."

"It's a free country. Kung gusto kong lumabas, lalabas ako. Ngayon na nga lang pipigilan mo pa."

Sinenyasan ko si Bryson na lumapit at kahit mukhang ayaw niyang mas malanghap pa ang hangin na nilalanghap ng ama niya ay sumunod pa rin siya sa nais ko. He trust me for some reason. "Don't get too close and don't touch me."

Four men burst inside the room and I felt Bryson tensed behind me. Balewalang mas lumapit ako kay Alderidge at kasabay no'n ay inilabas ko ang nasa bulsa ko.

I saw Alderidge's face lost its color when he came face to face with a barrel of a gun.

"Move to the side of the room or the one who's paying you won't be able to do that anymore," I said to the men.

Sa gilid ng mga mata ko ay nakita ko kung paanong sinunod nila ang sinabi ko. I grabbed Alderidge from the collar and then I pointed the gun on his head. Itinulak ko siya bahagya para magsimula na siyang maglakad.

"Kapag hindi kami nakalabas sa lugar na ito ng ligtas alam niyo na ang mangyayari sa boss niyo."

I pushed Alderidge again but it's not easy. I'm smaller than him. Nilingon ko si Bryson at nakita kong nanlaki ang mga mata niya nang basta ko na lang iabot sa kaniya ang baril. Kinuha niya iyon gamit ng injured niyang kamay. Itinulak ko sa kaniya ang sarili niya ama na kaagad niya namang hinawakan din sa likod ng kuwelyo.

"Hindi bagay sa akin mang hostage. Masyado akong maliit."

His lips twitched but he nodded. "Hold me."

"I can't do that."

"Then hold the end of my shirt."

I exasperatedly sigh and did what he asked me to. Nang matiyak niyang nakakapit na ako sa kaniya ay inanggulo niya kami para ako ang nakakubli sa mga lalaki.

We walked slowly out of the room and I saw my family waiting. Kita ko rin kung paanong halos mawalan sila ng malay nang makita ang ginagawa namin. Well what can I say? I'm the black sheep of the family. O Diablo. Like my Auntie Aurora called me when she was talking to his husband before nd she was convincing him to take me to an albularyo.

Nakangiting sinaluduhan ko sila na para bang ordinaryong araw lang ito at normal lang ang mga nangyayari.

"Are we letting this man go or not?" Bryson asked.

"Hmm, I haven't thought about that."

"Nang hostage ka na walang plano?"

"Ikaw ang nang ho-hostage, hindi ako." Nang bahagya siyang lumingon sa akin ay nginisihan ko siya. "Don't worry. Hindi ka ipapakulong ng biological father mo. How could he do that, right? Lalo na ikaw ang witness ko. Sarili niyang anak. Baka ako pa."

"He'll probably will put me behind bars too."

"Ang yaman mo na ngayon. Kunin mo ang pinakamagaling na abogado. Isa pa, it's not like Alderidge will do something stupid as that. Kung ayaw niya na ako naman ang may gawin laban sa kaniya."

"Y-You're crazy," the man we're talking about said.

"I'm not crazy but you are. No sane person will kill his business partner and their young son. No man in his right mind will try to kill a girl that already lost so much."

Nakita kong humigpit ang pagkakahawak ni Bryson sa kuwelyo ng ama. I heard him choke a bit and I couldn't help but smile at that.

Paatras kaming pumasok ng elevator at sumarado iyon habang nakatingin lang sa amin ang mga kamag-anak ko at ang apat na lalaki na hindi alam ang gagawin.

Bumitaw ako kay Bryson at inilahad ko ang kamay ko sa kaniya, "Give me the gun again."

"Why?"

"Your hand."

Sandaling nag-alangan siya pero pagkaraan ay ibinaba niya ang baril sa nakalahad kong kamay. He was careful not to touch me and that made his points in my head raise another notch.

"Bryson you don't need to do this. You have the world now. That's all I want for you." Alderidge said to him.

"Hindi ko kailangan ng mundo. Ang kailangan ko ay katahimikan."

"You're my son."

"I told you, I am not. Pinabayaan mo kami ni Mama. You didn't visit her when she was sick, wala ka man lang kahit isang bulaklak na binigay noong mamatay siya. At ngayon dahil kailangan mo ko, guguluhin mo ang buhay ko?"

"Bryson-"

"If your son is fine, you wouldn't need me. You won't even acknowledge my existence. Kilala mo ko kasi kailangan mo ko."

"You have my blood."

"Your blood doesn't mean anything to me when you're a monster who would kill people for his own greed. A monster who would kill a child."

"I can explain-"

"If I could, kung hindi ako makukulong at maiiwan ko ang kapatid ko, I will happily pull the trigger. I would do it for me to at least give Aelari and Ella the payment for the debt that you owe them. "

Aelari and Ella.

Bumukas ang pintuan at tumabi ako kay Bryson. Kumapit ako sa damit niya pero sa pagkakataon na ito ay ako na ang may hawak ng baril.

May mga naghihintay na sa amin sa baba. But as expected, there's no police. Alderidge hates police more than anything. Ganoon ang mga taong may dapat itago. He won't do something stupid.

Not now.

Tinawid namin ang distansiya pabalik sa sasakyan. Bryson opened the door with his other hand. "Get in, Ella."

"I'm driving."

"Please, just get inside."

Malakas na bumuntong-hininga ako at pumasok ako sa loob ng sasakyan. Nakita kong itinulak niya si Alderidge dahilan para mapasadlak ang matanda sa semento habang si Bryson naman ay mabilis na umikot para pumasok sa sasakyan. It didn't took long before we were speeding away from there.

"I could drive."

"Maaaksidente pa tayo kapag ikaw ang nagmaneho."

Napasinghap ako, "Grabe. Hindi naman!"

"You don't have a license but I have one in my pocket."

Humalukipkip ako at sumandal sa upuan. May point naman siya.

Sandaling katahimikan ang namayani sa amin. I looked down at my lap and I saw the gun and before I can help it, a giggle escaped my lips. Mukhang hindi naman ako nag-iisa dahil rinig ko rin kung paanong tumikhim si Bryson na parang itinatago ang sariling tawa.

"I can't believe we did that," he said.

"The hostage?"

"And everything."

"Same goes for me. I planned things for years and we fixed everything in a day."

Bahagya niya akong tinapunan ng tingin, "Do you believe that? Na tapos na ang lahat dito?"

"I want Aelari safe pero alam nating pareho na hindi sa kompanya natatapos ang lahat. And I think... I think he need to pay for his crimes. The right way. Para hindi lang si Aelari ang matahimik kundi... kundi pati na sina Mama, Papa, at Kuya Stephen."

"You remember them?"

"I do. More than Aelari. I have the memories."

"All of them."

I nodded, "All of them."

"It hurts to remember."

Umiling ako, "I don't know why but it doesn't. I am angry but I'm not in pain. Minsan napapaisip ako kung si Aelari ba ang may dala ng sakit at ako ang may dala ng dahilan sa likod niyon. That I carry the memories and she carries the pain."

Muling namayani ang katahimikan sa amin. I can't blame him. It's a lot to take in. Alam kong alam niyang masama ang ama niya pero alam ko rin na hindi sa ganitong paraan. That he could do something to this extent.

Binuksan ko ang bintana at iniitsa ko roon ang baril.

"Where did you get that anyway?"

"Sa security guard kanina." Nilingon ko siya at ngumisi ako. "It's not even loaded."

Bahagyang nanlaki ang mga mata niya pero hindi niya ako nilingon dahil tutok ang mga mata niya sa pagmamaneho. Nabigyan ako ng pagkakataon para pagmasdan siya.

Not everyone could handle this kind of crazy. Hindi lang sa kundisyon namin ni Aelari kundi maging sa lahat-lahat. Buti nga hindi pa siya sumisigaw at tumatakbo palayo sa amin. He's different. Perceptive, gentle, strong, and he cares.

I know that integration for our case would be hard. Hindi lahat ng DID nagagawang magawa ang integration, which is the process of two or more alters combining until they're no longer a different identity. Most alter won't even like to think about it. But I'm not most alter. I want Aelari to be happy.

So even though it might be impossible for us, I hope Bryson would be there for her. When she can't be strong she won't need me to do that for her anymore.

She might thought I'm the demon inside her... but I'm the kind who don't want to destroy her. I just want to be free because I know I need to do something to keep her safe. Kailangan niya pa ako. Pero kung dadating ang araw na hindi niya na ako kailangan, even without integration, I won't need to come out. I won't need to take the switch.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when the car stopped. Lumingon siya sa akin pero bumaba na ako ng sasakyan. May mga pulis sa tapat ng bahay niya at nandoon din ang kapatid niya na pula ang mga mata sa pag-iyak.

"So... do you want to test my theory?"

Bryson looked at me with a question in his eyes, "Theory?"

Ngumiti ako at lumapit ako sa kaniya, "Tell Aelari about all this. Don't protect her from the truth. Matagal ko ng ginawa 'yon. Sa pagkakataon na 'to kailangan niya ng katotohanan." Nang tumango siya ay inangat ko ang kamay ko sa direksyon niya, "You can tell her about this too. So she could be at ease that someone can keep me away."

"What-"

Idinampi ko sa pisngi niya ang kamay ko at lumawak ang ngiti ko nang maramdaman ko ang bigat na tila may humihila sa akin.

I'm right.

Aelari will be fine now.

____________________End of Chapter 7.