Anna seemed to enjoy the show. She knew I'd give her the show that she wants after I ruined the supposed graduation party that my family prepared, malamang she already promised that she'd make me meet the Juarez whatever the odds are.

And here I am, feeding her with what she wants.

Ugh.

"So, you're going to pursue medicine, Brandi?" Tita Franchesca asked. I politely nodded and smiled. I don't even know why her sons are absolute screwed up a-holes samantalang siya mabait naman kahit pa paano! Seriously, do guys like them always have to act like spoiled a-holes who drive luxury cars around The Fort at 2 am in the morning?

Hay nako.

I tried to eat my pasta quietly... but I couldn't handle Fallon's stares.

Why... Why can't he give me a peace of mind? Kahit saglit lang. Kahit ngayon lang.

"Why don't you accompany Fallon sa SBA? Catch up like the good ol' days. I'm pretty sure my son missed his ex-fiance." I didn't bother looking at Fallon just to know if he's grinning, because I knew for a fact that he's enjoying it.

What do they think of me?

A joke? A comedian that they'd listen to and laugh after telling her script for tonight's act?

Why can't they let me fight for myself, o kahit man lang makinig sa'kin? I cried... even begged in front of them just for me to escape this misery, pero ano'ng ginawa nila?

They locked me up for two years. Gave Fallon his freedom, while here I am, still suffering from the nightmares I harbored four years ago because of this ill-minded, misogynistic son of Franchesca Katarina Juarez.

Just for them to keep both of their names clean.

While Anna and Tita Franchesca were both talking about their newly bought bags and jewelries, I politely used that chance to excuse myself. Ali was busy reading The Lovely Bones, and I wasn't even surprised although he's not really the type of guy who'd read novels—he's probably wanting to reenact Mr. Harvey's greatest sin.

Because I'm telling you... you haven't seen the worst of them yet.

I hugged myself as soon as I got outside of the restaurant. I wanted to cry, pero pakiramdam ko, ubos na lahat ng luha sa katawan ko. I've been crying over injustices for four years already, but still... they weren't enough yet. It's as if I'm just mindlessly crying over something that I want, but will never even have.

Like a little girl who can't buy that pretty doll she saw past a toy shop.

I was mindlessly walking around the garden nang may biglang humablot sa braso ko dahilan para mapaharap ako nang kaunti sa kan'ya.

I clenched my fist.

"Fallon... please. Bitiwan mo ako."

Fallon chuckled and tightened his grip on my arm, "You told them," he uttered. "Why did you tell them? I told you not to stupidly tell anybody what happened, and that was supposed to be between us only—pero bakit pagkarating ko ng US nalaman ko na lang na sinabi mo na sa papa mo!?"

Tears started to drop from my eyes... one by one until I lost track of them anymore, "I...I—" I couldn't speak... hindi ko rin naman alam kung ano'ng sasabihin ko. I wanted to fight. I wanted to shout at him.

But I couldn't.

I felt so weak.

More when I felt that familiar slap on my face. But maybe not the same slap I felt four years ago... it was harsher. Even more painful.

"You think you're going to ruin me, Brandi?" he asked, still tightening his grip on my arm. "Four years... and still nothing has happened. You think you're that high and mighty?"

I tried to slap him but he caught my hand.

He smirked.

God... why do you have to punish me this much?

"Ano pa ba'ng gusto mo, Fallon!? They locked me up for two years just because they didn't want anyone to find out about what happened. Kasalanan ko pa ba'ng lahat when all you've done is enjoy your life outside this country, while here I am suffering!?" I shouted—at least that's what it felt, but it wasn't enough for others to hear.

Maybe just enough for him to understand the pain that he's still causing me.

We were outside anyway. And nobody even cared.

Until now... nobody cared.

Fallon smirked.

"I'll ruin your life first Brandi before you ruin mine," he whispered to my ears, sending chills all over my body. And then he chuckled, "Oh, it's already ruined anyway. And here you are, stuck with me... maybe even for the rest of your life and you can never do anything about it." Then he left me... alone and scared.

Just like that.

I counted 'til a hundred and fifty before I was able to convince myself to stand up and go straight to the comfort room. Just like what I expected myself to look like—I did really look like shit. My left cheek was still burning after Fallon slapped me.

Did it hurt?

Yes.

But it wasn't painful enough compared to what he did to me four years ago.

Napapikit na lang ako nang mariin para pakalmahin ang sarili ko bago ko inilabas 'yung mini press powder sa purse ko... I never used press powder when I'm out pero lagi ko na lang nilalagay—who knew it'd come handy today just because of Fallon.

God, I can even hear Zachary shouting at me already for not taking a stand.

I was busy retouching my make-up just to cover the reddish marks on my cheek nang may biglang pumasok. My cheek wasn't completely covered yet kaya sinubukan kong itago.

But who am I kidding? Tita Franchesca saw it already, anyway.

"What happened?" she asked, worry was evident all over her face—I couldn't even figure out if she was faking it... until it all vanished with just one single smirk. "Were you expecting me to tell that to you?"

I was stunned. It was my first time seeing her so... fierce and heartless. Pakiramdam ko nga ay bigla pang sumakit ang ulo ko dahil sa ginagawa ni Tita Franchesca.

She scoffed, "Did Fallon slap you?"

I paused for a minute.

I wanted to say yes so bad...

"Come on, dear. It's not as if I'd hate my son if he slapped the Vice President's most precious granddaughter," she said and smiled. It was sweet, but it was also deadly at the same time. "I know what happened. We all knew what happened... but, guess what? Nobody saw it. We will all pretend na hindi naman 'yun nakita. Kasi gano'n ka naman, 'di ba? You keep on pretending... over and over again. And we'll use that as an advantage, Brandi."

Napakuyom ako ng kamao ko habang nakatingin lang sa kan'ya.

Ngumiti lang siya ulit, "You know what happened when you told them what Fallon did. I desperately fixed all loose ends just to save our asses from this mess you made," she uttered. "Anyway, Brandi... you can't pull us down. You can't pull my sons down, and I will do everything to protect Ali and Fallon. So, you might as well do everything to keep us on your sides or your family will fall."

Tears started to fall down from my eyes.

Stupid... stupid tears.

Tita Franchesca wiped them off my cheeks and got the press powder from my right hand. Siya na rin ang nag-ayos sa'kin bago kami lumabas ng comfort room. "There's no room for imperfections in this life we all have, Brandi. If you don't want yours to be seen, then do me a favor and shut your mouth."

Maybe this is what the earth has been trying to tell me. Na hindi lahat ng mabait, mabait lang. Lalo na kung nasa mundo ka ng politika—and Tita Franchesca is exactly that kind of person.

Who am I even kidding for making myself believe na mabait siya? She entered Politics—a very dirty world.

And she knew what Fallon did to me.

If she was indeed kind... she should've taken the responsibility for her son's crime... but in the end—Fallon was free, and it was I whom they locked up inside the mansion so that I'd shut up.

Ah... my family and everything they do just to keep the namesake clean—they're just... cruel. Na parang wala akong pakiramdam, na parang hindi ako nahihirapan just because they knew I'd obey them in every aspect of my life.

All because I still believe that maybe one day, they'd realize how morbid they became just to protect them and hurt me in every possible way.

But, really... alam ko namang niloloko ko lang ang sarili ko.

Trying to fix them... I only succeeded in breaking myself.

"Act like nothing happened," she whispered. "If you don't want to meet your family's end."

What... what do you hide under your sleeves, Juarez?

***

I went home with a heavy heart. I wasn't even able to get a proper sleep just because I spent half of my sleeping time crying and exhausting myself just so I'd get a good night sleep... still, it didn't work.

"Good morning, Brandi," nakangiting bati ni manang habang naghahanda ng almusal. Ngumiti na lang ako nang bahagya at naupo na lang sa harapan ng lamesa. Napansin ko pa tuloy na nanlumo si manang habang nakatingin sa akin.

Ah, maybe it's because of the small bruise on the left side of my cheek. I smiled, "Nauntog po ako kagabi sa may vanity. Antok na antok na po kasi ako, e."

Manang sighed upon hearing my explanation, I know that of all people, she's one of the least people who'd believe my lame reasons.

"Kukuha lang ako ng ice pack. Kumain ka muna." I nodded. "Ang tanga naman no'ng vanity mirror, Brandi." I chuckled as I indulge myself on my breakfast. After eating, manang came back with an ice pack, iniabot naman niya sa'kin iyon at umupo sa may harapan ko.

"Si Fallon, 'no?" Ngumiti lang ako, I didn't want to confirm her hunch, pero sigurado naman ako na alam ni manang na si Fallon talaga ang may gawa sa'kin nito, and for the nth time—manang sighed. "Wala na namang ginawa si Anna?"

I chuckled, "Manang talaga, o."

"O, totoo naman, mesa-demonyita 'yung babaeng 'yun. Sa totoo nga lang, mas gusto ko pa rin talaga si Lucy... 'yung mama mo, para kay sir Andy."

I smiled.

Maybe dad did love my mom.

After manang and I talked for quite some time, I decided na pumunta na lang sa malapit na café sa Forbes to ease my stress away. Ilang buwan na lang din ang binibilang ko before I enter Medschool. At some point, pakiramdam ko sobrang bad decision no'ng ginawa ko—Fallon's back and it just made me feel scared and uncomfortable with my life even more, what more kapag pumasok na'ko sa Medschool?

Jeez. I think I'm just slowly killing myself even if I try to continue.

When I got there wala masiyadong tao which made me feel quite safe and relaxed, I got to order my favorite go-to drink peacefully at naupo na lang sa gilid ng glass window.

But still... just when I thought I'd have a peaceful day, he appeared.

I immediately left my table. Hindi ko alam kung nakita niya na ako kaya dumiretso kaagad ako sa women's comfort room. My body was shaking just upon seeing him order his americano with a smiling face, maybe even trying to flirt the owner of the café.

God... does he not have the basic human decency?

Napapikit na lang ako habang nakaharap sa salamin. I sighed upon opening my eyes and turned on the faucet para basain ang mukha ko. Maybe I'm just drowsy? Baka naman namamalikmata ako?

"Shit," I whispered. Kaunti na lang, mababaliw na ako.

But as I was about to calm down, someone entered the comfort room and pinned me against the wall.

"F-Fallon... please lang," I whispered—I was beyond proud of myself that I could still whisper as tears fall from my eyes non-stop.

Fallon smirked, "Didn't you miss me, Brandi?" he whispered against my neck, sending chills all over my body.

It scares me... it scares me more than anything.

"Why can't you just marry me, Brandi!? Ano ba'ng kulang sa'kin? I can give you everything that you want just tell me that you love me!" he shouted right in front of my face. Sinubukan kong kumawala pero lalo niya lang hinigpitan ang pagkakahawak sa mga kamay ko.

Once again... I feel like I'm a prisoner of his dungeon.

But then, the next thing I knew before he was even able to kiss me... Fallon was already lying down on the floor—and Uno was in front of me, holding my hand tightly.

He clenched his jaw.

"Stay away from my girl."