Chapter VII

Secretary

"I'd like to talk to Anthony first. Please leave us, Millicent."

Pero wala rin akong nagawa sa utos ni Don Antonio.

Huling beses ko na tiningnan si Anthony bago ako umalis na rin muna...

But I was really worried for him. After Don Antonio talk to him ay kakausapin ko rin si Don Antonio. I know that he's sensitive when it came to Damian. Pero kailangan niya rin magdahandahan kay Anthony dahil hindi rin basta ang mga pinagdaanan ng isang apo niya...

I hope we can just solve this right away.

ANT

"What happened, Anthony? Did you hear things about your cousin Damian?"

"Is it true na pinagtakpan mo lang ang mga krimen niya?" seryoso kong tanong.

And his eyes widened a fraction. "How could you say that and accuse your own younger cousin? Kung ano man ang nalaman mo tungkol kay Damian ay walang katotohanan lahat ng 'yon."

I saw him gritting his teeth a bit.

Pero wala akong pakialam kung magalit man siya sa akin at kahit palayasin pa niya ako rito sa mansyon ng mga Delgado...

I can't stand na hindi napaparusahan ang isang tao na nanakit lalo na ng isang walang kalabanlaban na babae...

I gritted my teeth, too. My jaw clenched. Yes, I was also a murderer, but I only murdered those men who abused women...

And I'm not here to justify any of my actions, but I just can't tolerate what I learned about Damian. When there were women who died because of him—or he probably drove them to their deaths, and worst could be that he was the one who killed them...

"Are you sure about that?" I questioned him.

He sighed. "Listen here, Anthony. Hindi kita dinala rito para husgahan ang pinsan mo... I only want you three to have a good relationship with each other lalo na at kayong tatlo na lang ang maiiwan ko sa huli..." aniya na muli pang nagbuntong-hininga.

"Anthony... as you're older than Damian, I want you to be the one who's more understanding and to instead look after your cousin, can you do that? Huwag mo na sanang pag-isipan pa ng masama ang pinsan mo. Bata pa lang siya ay marami nang napagdaanan si Damian... And as his family we should support him."

Nanatili lang ang tingin ko kay lolo. Hindi ako tumango o umiling sa sinabi niya...

And after the talk that we had about Damian, I heard that Millie also went and talked to him. And she mainly explained for my side.

Inabangan ko siyang matapos kausapin si lolo at nandoon lang ako naghintay sa labas ng opisina ni lolo rito sa mansyon.

The door opened and Millie went out. Natigilan din siya nang makita niya akong nakatayo roon at hinintay ko siya. "What are you doing here? Dinner will be ready in a while. Nagpahanda na ako kanina habang magkausap pa kayo ni Don Antonio..." She said.

"What did you say to lolo?" I asked her instead.

Bahagya naman siyang nagbuntong-hininga. "I just told him what happened, that Damian also said words that are not right to you..."

Umiling naman ako. "It's fine. What he said was true, anyway... I came from prison..." I said.

At nanatili rin ang tingin ko kay Millie. Nakatingin din siya sa akin at umiling siya. "There's a reason why it all happened to you, and as well as to Damian, Ant... Pareho lang kayong naging biktima rin ng mga nakaraan ninyong naging karanasan..." she told me.

Bahagya naman akong umiling sa kaniya matapos ng sinabi niya. And I just looked away...

"Tara na sa dining room? Susunod na rin doon sina Don Antonio at Damian... Ant, I hope you can fix it with your cousin. You're family after all..."

Bumaling muli ako kay Millie at unti-unti na lang akong tumango sa kaniya...

At sa dinner naman ay unti-unti rin gumaan agad sa pagitan namin ni Damian...

I was still so serious at first, pero si Damian din siguro ang klase ng tao na hindi rin naman nagtatanim ng sama ng loob... Because after that he was just again smiling at me like a kid...

"Mukhang okay na kayo ni Damian..." Millie talked to me after dinner and she smiled.

Bumaling ako sa kaniya at tipid na rin napangiti.

Damian started talking to me first over dinner. At hindi ko rin naman magawa siyang ignorahin na lang. I'm not that rude, too.

"Ganoon lang talaga si Damian... But I told you that he's nice..." Millie said.

Unti-unti na lang din akong tumango sa sinabi niya.

At pagkatapos ay nagpaalam na rin kami sa isa't isa na aakyat na sa mga kwarto namin to retire for the night...

Pinag-isipan ko na rin nang mabuti ang sunod kong mga magiging hakbang. And now that I'm a Delgado I think I can indeed do the things that I couldn't before...

But I was still doubting if there's still another chance for me... But after I've talked to Millie as well and I also learned about her past, doon ay parang naliwanagan din ako...

"I was an orphan... And when my parents both died early due to an accident, I thought I had lost all my hope. But Donya Maria Delgado, she's your grandmother and she was very kind. They adopted me with Don Antonio. Pinalaki nila ako at pinag-aral, at tinuring din na parang isang tunay na miyembro ng kanilang pamilya. They gave me hope and a home. She gave me a name and she also became my reason to continue on living, even when she's not here with us anymore..." This was what Millie told me nang isang beses ay mapag-usapan lang din namin ang tungkol sa kaniya...

Tiningnan niya ako. "You just have to have a reason again to continue on living, Ant... She told me this when I said that I don't anymore have a reason to plan for anything...

Napatingin na rin ako sa kaniya at nakatingin kami sa mga mata ng isa't isa.

"It can be your family, Don Antonio and your two other cousins... Or it can be just yourself, Ant. Gumawa ka ulit ng mga bagay para sa sarili mo, at para sa ikabubuti mo..." she told me while looking at me in the eyes.

"Hindi lahat ay nabibigyan pa ng isa pang pagkakataon, Ant... Kaya masuwerte ka pa rin... Our life itself is already a blessing. It's a blessing that you're here alive and still breathing. And there's always a reason why you're still here..."

I remained looking at her after all the things she said to me...

Kaya naman ngayon ay unang araw ko na sa pagtatrabaho sa kompanya ng mga Delgado matapos kong kausapin si lolo na gusto kong magsimulang magtrabaho. And so that I could also start earning my own money from my hard work...

"Everyone, this is Mr. Anthony Wayne Delgado. He's Don Antonio Delgado's second grandson, and he will be our new boss. The new CEO." Millie introduced me in the company and its employees.

I looked at her. I was still a bit hesitant at first but lolo promised that Millie would be there to guide me with my new work. Maraming mga negosyo ang mga Delgado at isa lang ito. And it's also one of the smaller companies na pwede ko raw pagsimulan i-manage. Habang si Kaden naman ang may hawak sa marami at iba't iba pang mga businesses ng Delgado. That's why he's so busy that after being married for five years already ay hindi pa rin sila nagkakaroon ng anak ng kaniyang asawa...

I just heard about it because lolo was also pressuring them and he already wants a great grandchild from them...

Medyo naawa na rin tuloy ako sa asawa ni Kaden na si Ayla dahil parang siya pa tuloy ang masyadong napepressure...

And the employees clapped their hands with the smile on their faces as they welcomed me, and especially the female employees who were smiling widely at me. Napangiti na lang din ako sa kanila and they seemed friendly and nice employees.

"Today is just your first day. Pero huwag kang mag-aalala dahil stable naman ang company na 'to kahit maliit lang. I know that you can do this, Ant. You also used to work in the same company before, right? And you were the best employee at that time," Millie gave me an encouraging smile when she looked at me.

Napangiti na rin ako sa kaniya. We're now here in my office here at the company's building.

And from now on she will work as my secretary. And she will always be by my side from now on, too...

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