CHAPTER 1

THE MOMENT SHE opened her eyes, she squinted them as the light from the open window filled her sight. She tried moving, but her body remained immobile. Only her eyes can move freely and she immediately frantically looked around, observing her surroundings as she tried to move her body, but to no avail.

She tried wiggling her toes or her legs, but nothing. She can't feel anything. She tried to move everything, but nothing happened.

What happened?

A familiar fear consumed her. Instinctively, she immediately seek pain. Anything that can wake her up from this nightmare. But nothing. Her fear intensified and she was sweating bullets. She felt like it's about to swallow her whole when the door of the room opened.

Awtomatikong tumingin doon ang mga mata niya, nagdarasal na sana hindi iyon ang ama niya. Her nightmares has always been vivid. So vivid that it rendered her weak when she woke up.

Her pulse immediately quickened when she saw a man, a stranger, in a white coat with two women in white uniform behind him. Her mind was shrinking away, it was sending a warning through out her body, but she couldn't move.

She wanted to leap out from the bed, to get away from these strangers, but nothing. She couldn't move.

"Hello, Mrs. Valcarcel," anang lalaki sa kanya habang ang dalawang babaeng kasama nito ay sinusuri siya at ang mga makinaryang nakakabit sa katawan niya.

"I am your private doctor, Dr. Jacobe. You'd been in a coma state for three weeks now." He smiled, but it made her fear him even more. "I know, you're afraid, but you don't have to worry. You're safe here. For the meantime, hindi mo pa maigagalaw ang katawan mo. But give it days. It's nice to see that you're finally awake." He smiled at her, but his smile did not erase the panic in her system. "We've already called your husband and informed him about your health improvement. He's on his way from Japan."

Pilit niyang ipinipilig ang ulo at ibinubuka ang labi para magsalita pero naninigas ang bibig niya at walang lumalabas na salita dahil siguro sa nakabaong plastik na tubo sa bibig niya. Tanging daing at ungol lang ang tunog na kaya niyang gawin na mas lalong nagpapalala sa takot niya.

It seems the doctor saw how uncomfortable she was with the tube in her mouth, so, he carefully and slowly pulled it out.

Nang mawala ang tubo sa bibig niya, humugot siya ng isang malalim at mahabang hininga saka namamaos ang boses na pilit na nagsalita kahit nananakit ang lalamunan niya.

"Na—u—h-haw," namamalat ang boses niya. "U-u-h-haw a-k-ko."

Kaagad na inutusan ng doktor ang isa sa mga babae nitong kasama na kumuha ng tubig saka nilagyan nito ng straw ang baso bago iyon inilapit sa kanya at pinainom siya.

Uhaw na uhaw siya kaya madali niyang naubos ang tubig.

"More?" the doctor asked.

Mahirap man, pinilit niyang tumango.

The doctor smiled. "Go ahead, Justina," anang doctor sa babaeng walang emosyong nakatitig lang sa kanya. "Go get some water for Mrs. Valcarcel."

Her brows slowly furrowed. She was confused. Why does he keep calling her Mrs. Valcarcel? Sino si Mrs. Valcarcel? Ano ba ang nangyayari?

"N-na—saan a—k-ko?" namamalat at nanginginig ang boses na tanong niya sa doktor na inilapat ang stethoscope sa dibdib niya kung nasaan ang puso niya na mas lalong nagpalala sa takot na nararamdaman niya. "A-an—n-nong nang—y-yari s-sa—ki—n?"

Masuyo siyang nginitian ng . "Huwag kang ma-alala, Mrs. Valcarcel, you're in a safe place."

"Si—no s-si M-Mrs. V-Valc-car—c-cel?" naguguluhan niyang tanong.

Nagtatakang napatitig sa kanya ang doktor. "It's you."

Namilog ang mata niya, bakas ang kaguluhan sa mukha niya habang pilit siyang umiiling. "H-hin—di a-ako ya—n—" pilit niyang inangat ang nanginginig na kamay at hinawakan niya ang IV sa braso saka hinila iyon. "H-hindi a-ko y-yan—" pilit niyang tinatanggal ang mga nakakabit sa kanya. "H-hindi a-ako... h-hindi a—ako yan..."

Bumagsak ang kamay niya sa kama, unti-unti siyang nawawalan ng lakas na pinagtaka niya. Unti-unti nang bumabalik ang lakas niya, bakit nanghihina na naman siya?

Nang mapatingin siya sa doktor, nakita niyang may hinugot itong syringe na nakabaon sa braso niya.

"A-ano y—an?"

"It'll calm you down," anang doktor.

Her sight got blurry and her strength faded away slowly, until she became unconscious of everything.

"WHAT HAPPENED?" Kaagad na tanong ni Cadmus sa doktor nang makapasok siya sa kwarto. Kararating lang niya galing Japan. "You said she's making progress. Bakit tulog pa siya?"

"She was awake, Mr. Valcarcel." Bumaling ito sa asawa niya. "Then, she started panicking. Pinagtatanggal niya ang mga nakakabit sa katawan niya, so I sedated her."

His eyes landed on his unwanted wife. "Did she say anything?"

May pag-aalangan si Dr. Jacobe bago sumagot. "S-sabi niya hindi daw siya si Mrs. Valcarcel."

Cadmus sighed, annoyed. "Wala akong pakialam kung anong sabihin niya. Wala ng bago do'n. She's a lying conniving bitch after all. She's good at that. Just keep her alive." Nagtagis ang bagang niya. "Marami siyang dapat na ipaliwanag sa 'kin."

Tumango ang doktor saka umalis siya ng kwarto at dumiretso sa mini-bar ng bahay niya.

Nasa kalagitnaan siya ng pagsasalin ng alak sa baso nang pumasok ang sekretarya niya.

"Cadmus, I cancelled your meeting and moved it tomorrow, 10AM."

He grunted and drank the whiskey straight from the bottle. "Thank you, Nadia."

Lumapit sa kanya si Nadia saka hinaplos ang balikat niya pababa sa braso niya. "Is there anything you want, Cadmus?" Mababa ang boses nito at nang-aakit. "Is there anything that you want me to do for you?"

Inalis niya ang kamay nitong nasa braso saka malamig niyang tinitigan ang babae. "Don't touch me, Nadia. That's what you can do for me."

Uminom ulit siya ng whiskey sa bote saka ibinalik iyon sa lalagyan at umalis ng mini-bar. Nagtungo siya sa master's bedroom na nasa ikatlong palapag ng bahay.

Nang makapasok do'n, kaagad niyang inalis ang necktie at hinubad ang damit.

Unconsciously, his eyes landed on his study table. Gumalaw ang panga niya at kumuyom nang mahigpit ang kamao nang makita ang papeles na nasa ibabaw ng mesa.

I won't give in to your antics, wife.

Nagtatagis ang baga niya nang nagpalit siya ng damit saka umalis ng kwarto at bumaba sa ikalawang palapag.

He was planning to go to his private office, but his feet started walking towards his wife's room. Bukas ang pinto ng kwarto kaya malaya niyang napagmasdan ang mala-anghel na mukha ng asawa mula sa pintuan.

She was a real beauty, but very deadly.

He shook his head. A devil in disguise, that's what she is. He was deceived once, not happening again. Hinding-hindi niya ito hahayaang paikutin na naman siya.

He was not the man to be played with. It's always the other way around. No one played and deceived Cadmus Valcarcel and gets away with it.

Akmang aalis na siya ng tumuon ang tingin niya sa pulsuhan ng asawa.

The cut on her wrist was healed. But it made him wonder. Why did she want to kill herself? Isang mapagmataas na babae ang asawa niya. Matapang at magaling magmanipula. Kaya bakit nito tatapusin ang sariling buhay kung lahat ay naaayon sa plano nito na pahirapan siya?

Napailing na lang siya ng wala siyang maisip na sagot.

It's a good thing that she was still alive. He will make sure that she will regret playing him like a fool.

Cadmus turned around and was about to leave when he heard a fast beeping sound. Nang umikot siya paharap sa kamang kinahihigaan ng asawa, nakita niya ang pagmulat ng mga mata nito.

A cold heartless smile stretch on his lips. Time to pay for every trouble you have caused me.

EVERY PART OF HER BODY aches. Hindi pa rin niya maigalaw ang katawan katulad kanina nang magising siya, nanghihina pa rin siya at nararamdaman niya ang pagpintig ng sakit ng sentido niya.

But something has changed. She cannot move her toes unlike earlier.

What happened earlier?

She opened her eyes and the white walls greeted her sight, the smell of antiseptic seeped her nose and a continuous beeping filled her ears.

Nagpasalamat siya ng sa wakas ay naigagalaw na niya ang kanyang leeg. Luminga-linga siya, sinusuri ang buong paligid. Pinag-aaralan kung nasaan siya at kung paano siya makakaalis dito.

She was still in the same room from earlier, but now she was more attentive and observant. She was still hooked into some medical equipments, but now she can finally move her legs just not enough to walk.

And her surrounding screamed the word hospital on her face.

This explained everything. Her last memory. She must have been in a car accident...no, an ambulance accident.

And after all that, she was still alive.

She wanted to die, why can't just God let her? Gusto ba nitong mahirapan pa siya? Is that it? Hindi pa ba sapat ang pinagdaanan niya para hayaan siyang manahimik.

She just wanted to die. But here she was, alive and breathing again!

She stilled when a man with square tightened jaw blocked her vision of the door. He stood beside her bed, his back, straight and his stance, authorative and commanding. His presence screams danger and callousness. His forehead furrowed, lips tightening and and his eyes are like the sharp edge of a knife, ready to cut her up.

He looked like an animal ready to attack his prey. Me.

Fear automatically crept into her. His presence, this man's aura, it was frightening. He reminded her those men who had hurt her. She was terrified of him.

"Finally," he spoke with coldness in his voice that made her shiver, frightening her even more. "My infamous wife is awake."

She couldn't speak, and could not reply. Her lips just trembled while waiting him to hurt her.

But he didn't. He just stared at her with disgust.

"Quit playing like a victim." His voice was harsh and angry, "–because you're not."

Hindi siya makapagsalita. Nanatili lang ang mga mata niyang nakatingin sa baba, natatakot siyang tumingin sa mga mata nito dahil baka maging dahilan iyon ng pagdapo ng kamao nito sa katawan niya.

"Ano ba talaga ang pina-plano mo?" Galit at matalim ang boses ng lalaki. "Sa tingin mo hahayaan lang kitang paikutin ako? Huh! What do you take me for? A fool?!"

Napaigtad siya nang lumakas ang boses ng lalaki. Gusto niyang bumukas ang lupa at lamunin siya para makatakas siya sa nakakatakot nitong presensiya pero nanatili siyang nakahiga sa kama.

She can't do anything, but to lay there in the bed. Defenceless and scared.

"Quit playing around, Cherry. You, disgusting slut!"

Slut. Ilang beses na ba niyang narinig iyon na kakabit ang pangalan niya? That word meant nothing to her now.

"Talk, damn it!"

She remained silent, her eyes trained on her feet. Hindi siya nagsalita o gumalaw. Hinahanda niya ang sarili sa pag-atake ng lalaki pero naroon pa rin ang takot sa dibdib niya.

Would he slap her? Punch her? Kick her maybe? Kung ano man 'yon, nasisiguro niyang naranasan na niya iyon at natatakot siyang maramdaman ulit ang sakit na naranasan na niya.

He tsked. Angry. "Sa tingin mo madadaan mo ako sa drama mo? Huh! You want to play?! Let's play then! How about I do this, huh?" He grabbed her wrist and pulled the IV. "And this?" Pinangtatanggal nito ang lahat na nakakonekta sa katawan niya. "Do you think I won't let you die? Binuhay lang kita kasi pagbabayarin kita."

Her body trembled in fear. Pilit siyang tumatalikod sa lalaki para hindi siya masyadong mapuruhan kung bubugbugin siya nito habang nanginginig ang buong katawan niya sa takot.

Sa tuwing sumasayad ang kamay nito sa katawan niya ay napapaigtad siya at mas lalong kinakain ng takot ang kabuonan niya.

"—But now that you won't even talk, don't test my patience woman. I'm not a very patient man. I will make you regret everything that you did to me. Every trouble you have caused, every headache you gave me and every damn things that you lied to me—"

"D-do—n't h-hurt m-me," she managed to say in trembling voice as she shrink away from him. "P-please—d-on't," she begged him. "D-don't h-hurt me. P-please. P-please."

Napatigil ang lalaki sa ginagawa saka galit na itinapon sa sahig ang mga hawak nitong nakakonekta sa kanya pagkatapos ay nagmamadaling umalis ng kwarto.

Siya naman ay ikinuyom ang kamao na nanginginig at nakahinga ng maluwang nang makaalis ang lalaki. Pero kaagad din siyang nakaramdam ng kaba nang pumasok ang doktor at ang dalawang babae nitong kasama.

Dr. Jacobe immediately went to her side and tried to calm her down, but her fear just intensified.

"D-don't touch me! D-don't touch me!" Nagwawala niyang sigaw habang pilit siyang pinipigilan ng dalawang babae.

She kept on fighting them using her strength. She was panicking. She was losing her breath in fear and the next thing she knew, she was dozing off and she was in oblivion.

CECELIB | C.C.