Chapter 28: A Traitor

It's sucks me going home without hearing my Dad's voice. I missed him even though he's treating me bad. I know that he was now suffering and aching but I had no words enough to say him the words I've wanted to say. Hindi ko maiwasang  malungkot dahil sa sinapit ng buhay ko.

I've been walking for thirty minutes. Hindi ko alam kung kailan tatahan ang aking damdamin. Para kasi akong tinatawag ni Daddy at gusto niyang yakapin ako. Pero I know that I just heard it in my mind. Hindi pa nagawa ni Daddy 'yon.

"L-Levina!" I heard a voice of a man. Lumingon ako at nakita ko kaagad ang mukha ni Sebastian. Wala akong ka-ide-idea kung bakit niya ako sinundan dala ang raider niyang motor.

Pinalis ko ang luhang lumandas sa aking pisngi at ngumiti sa kaniya. "Oh, bakit ka nandito?"

He didn't answer and moved towards me. He smiled at me and tapped the space behind him. "I am here because someone ask me to send you home."

I have trust issue at ayaw kong maniwala sa kaniya. Malay ko kung kasamahan pala siya ng mga Phoenix. Ayaw ko pang mamatay ng maaga, 'no!

He fake a coughed. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang ginagawa niya ngunit bigla niya na lang akong hinila palapit sa kaniya at kinuha ang handbag ko. "Don't worry. You'll be safe with me today. Prince Dale Sandoval is the man who asked me send you home."

I pouted after hearing Prince's name. Grabe ang lalaking 'to, kahit sinong tao lang ang uutusan. Sabagay, may tiwala naman ako sa kaniya. I will be safe according to Prince.

I am riding with Sebastian but my mind is on what happened earlier. This day is so much draining for me. Ang hirap iahon ang sarili mula sa pagkalugmok. I don't know if Dad still remember me as well as my Mom.

Imbis na mag-duty pa ako, umuwi na ako kaagad dahil hinatid din ako ni Sebastian sa bahay. This man for me isn't stranger. Parang kilalang-kilala niya ako pero siya ay pawang nasa isipan ko lang.

"Thanks, Baste!" Kumaway na ako sa kaniya nang paalis na ito. Tanging tunog lamang ng busina ang aking narinig habang sinusundan ko siya ng tingin hanggang sa nawala ito.

Agad akong pumasok sa loob ng bahay at dumiretso sa kuwarto ko. It is not my house but it feels like...home.

I was so tired this day and I felt that my cheeks swollen. Ang sakit ng sampal ni Thalia. She's not my relatives but she has the guts to oust my right to see my Dad. Ang kapal ng mukha niya!

I just laid on my bed, facing the white ceiling when the door suddenly opened.

"Lev, inutusan nga pala kami ni Prince kanina na isama ka sa grocery store. May bibilhin tayo," ani Amor. Himala naman ata at ang bait niya sa akin ngayon. I know that people will change but looking at Amor's face, she seems hiding something to me.

My brows creased, wondering how she get in. "Did...did you asked the guard outside to come in?"

"Oo, ano ka ba! Makapasok ba ako kung hindi niya ako pinagkatiwalaan?" She raised his brows and bursts in laugh. Tinitigan ko lang siya habang iniisip kung nagsasabi siya ng totoo. "What are you doing? Will you stay laying down there? Look at the ref, wala ng pagkain."

I nodded and rose up. "Sige, magbibihis lang ako." Pagod na ako pero tumayo na ako.

Naninibago na ako kay Prince. He was not use to ask me going outside without him. Dapat kung pupunta man ako sa palengke o sa mall, dapat kasama ko siya. Pero alam kong madali lang makuha ang tiwala niya.

Nagsuot na ako ng black baggy jeans paired with white t-shirt with blue neckline. Tinirintas ko ang buhok ko at sumama na kay Amor.

I've been silent while we're inside to Amor's car. She's a policewoman whom Prince trusted. Kaya sinisiguro ko na ligtas ako sa kaniya. I looked outside and I noticed that the sky was gray and expected that if will rain.

I took the phone inside my bag and opened my account. Gusto kong tanungin siya kung pinasama niya ako kay Amor para mamili. I was about to click the message button when I accidentally scroll my newsfeed and found a new post from him.

He posted a new photos with a girl named Athalia. Sounds cool and pretty. Bagay na bagay sila ni Prince sa picture nilang dalawa. Nakaakbay siya sa babae at ang babae naman ay nakahilig sa balikat niya. Bigla na lamang akong nakaramdam ng kirot at parang piniga ang puso ko.

Gusto kong umiyak! Gusto kong makausap siya pero parang ang saya niya kasama ang babaeng 'yon? Are they in a relationship? Ang dikit ng katawan nila. Habang ako, parang nilakumos ang puso dahil sa nakita. Akala ko ako lang? Akala ko ba...si Prince na 'yong para talaga sa akin?

I clicked his profile na may nakaikot pang blue color. May feature siyang bago kasama ang babaeng 'yon. Samantalang ako, hindi niya magawang i-post. Dahil ba isa akong mahirap?

"Levina? W-What happened?" Nauutal na tanong ni Amor sa akin. Hinawakan niya ang balikat ko at bakas sa mukha niya ang pag-aalala. Sinilip niya ang cellphone ko at nakita ang tinitingnan ko. Pati siya ay nagulat pero agad din naman siyang umusog palapit sa akin. "She's Athalia Fernandez, Prince...Partner in a project."

Hindi ko alam kung maniniwala akong partner niya lang 'yon. Ang saya niya ro'n, eh.

"Ayos lang. Medyo sumakit lang kasi ang ulo ko kaya..." I trailed off, "ganito ang reaksyon ko."

"Sure—Oh, here we are!" aniya at binuksan ako ng pinto.

Napansin kong tahimik ang buong paligid. Akala ko ba ay mag-grocery kami? Bakit nandito kami sa madilim na lugar? Tatlo lang kaming nandito ngayon. I was afraid. The dusk will come and this place is kinda odd to me. I wasn't visit this place ever because it was darker than my life.

Huminto kami sa tapat ng lumang building. Inilibot ko ang aking paningin at dahil sa dami ng puno, halos wala nang sikat ng araw.

"Let's go," ani Amor at hinawakan ako sa palapulsuhan.

I brushed her hands but she was strong enough, I failed to do it.

"Come on, Levina!" Hinila niya ako at halos matisod na ako sa dinadaanan naming sobrang sikip at tahimik.

Pinilit kong huminto ngunit sobrang lakas niya. Nahila niya ako at pumasok na nga kami sa lumang building.

"What are we doing here, Amor?" Hindi ko pa nga natapos itanong ang mga tanong ko ay may lumabas na tatlong lalaki. "Who are they? Why did you betrayed me?"

"Because it's the only way that your father paid us. Wala nang ibang paraan pa. You know, your family is a wrecker! Your father killed my father so you deseve it, Levina! You deserve to die!" She shouted at me and her voice echoed. I covered my ears because I can't bear hearing that words from her mouth.

I shook my head while tears rolling down my cheeks. "Dad didn't made it. Hindi siya pumapatay. Alam ko si Daddy at kilala ko siya! He's a gambler but he didn't killed anyone!"

She slapped me. "You lied! Pangalan ng ama mo ang nakita namin sa lugar na ito! Oo, dito niya pinatay ang ama ko, Levina!"

"He didn't kill your father. He's innocent. Hindi dahil pangalan ni Daddy 'yong nakita niyo rito ay ibig sabihin no'n, siya na ang pumatay." I stood still, tears keeps on flowing. "Dad is a sinner, but he didn't kill people." I was just trying to save my Dad. He's not feeling well and I know that if he knows this, he might be dead. Hindi siya mamamatay tao at alam ko 'yon. I know him pretty well. Sinasaktan niya ako pero kung mamamatay siya, bakit ako nanatiling buhay?

"And...when I heard that he has a beautiful yet poor daughter, naisipan kong...sa 'yo na lang ako maghiganti. Total, tao ang pinatay niya, malaming din kung sa hayop ko siya ipaghiganti?" She laughed crazingly.

"You bastard! Papatayin mo man ako, isusumpa kong hindi si Daddy ang pumatay no'n—"

"Are you sure, Levina?" A girl, wearing s red fitted dress with men beside her. "I thought you were just adopted. But when we found out the truth, I am so envy. Your father keeps calling you before I poisoned him."

Halos bumagsak ako sa aking narinig. I know that even Dad is so cruel to me, he has reason. Maybe... Mom also backstabbing me but I know they were trying to save me! I heard Thalia laughing with her men while Amor has money on her hands.

"Twenty-five thousand." Thalia said to Amor. "From...Levina."

Hindi ko magawang sampalin siya dahil hinawakan agad ako ng mga lalaki. Amor framed me! Akala ko nagtatapos na ang pasakit ko, hindi pa pala! God! Why am I so miserable? Do I deserve this? Kahit pa siguro ang langit ay ayaw akong pakinggan.

"You crazy, Thalia! I trusted you! Akala ko ipapagamot mo si Daddy, pero anong ginawa mong impakta ka!" Halos mapaluhod na ako sa iyak. Sobrang hina ko na habang hinarap sila. They were nine while I was alone. I would become a hopeless one in this building. Kay dilim ng langit ang nararamdaman ko ngayon dahil sa aking narinig.

I thought that I can escape the pain. I could the cold air breezes to my body, the night has arrived but I was in this gloomy room, drained and hopeless. Akala ko tapos na ang lahat. Kinuha na ulit ng mundo ang mga taong importante sa akin. My Dad is in critical condition, Prince is with someone while I was there groaning in pain.

"Men, do what your want." Thalia stood beside me and tied me on the chair. I can't move and even my eyes can't see anything. I was covered with darkness. I shut my eyes even I was blindfolded.

Narinig kong umalis na si Thalia at tanging ako at ang tawanan lamang ng kalalakihan ang narinig ko.

"Miss, you're so hot. Prince is really gifted." Tumawa uli sila matapos sambitin 'yon.

I was trying to escape from this place but...no one would dare to help me. Fears hunted me now. Wala na akong ibang nagawa kundi ang humikbi.

I groaned in pain when someone hit me on my head. I felt that the blood shed from my head. My world was spinning and the last words I've heard was...

"I'll save you, Lev. You'll be fine. I'm so Sorry..."