Chapter Twenty Three

Hindi ko alam kung nababaliw na ba ako pero tuwing umaalis si Mishka sa unit ni Mike ay lagi ko siyang sinusundan. Am I out of my mind? Hindi. I just want to confirm kung siya nga ba talaga 'yon.

I opened my phone and I saw five missed calls from Zach. I scrolled down a bit to see if Anglo tried to call me, but there's none.

I decided to dial Zach's number and it took five seconds before he answered.

"Savitri? God, babe, how are you? Why are you not replying to my messages? I'm so worried about you."

Hindi ko alam ang sasabihin ko kaya nanatili lang akong hindi nagsasalita. I wouldn't deny it but I miss his voice. Siguro ay hindi ko pa makakalimutan si Zach sa ngayon pero alam kong hindi ko na siya mahal... or I'm just being indenial dahil alam kong may iba siyang babae.

"Babe, are you there? I missed you so much. Can you please answer me? Can we at least-"

"Hi, Zachy! Don't worry I'm fine." As much as possible, I tried my best to hide the pain in my voice.

"Where are you? Bakit ka biglang umalis sa condo? Are we okay?"

Natulala ako dahil sa sinabi niya.

We're not okay, Zach. We will never be okay from now on.

Tumango ako kahit na alam kong hindi niya iyon makikita, "I-I'm with Mike so don't worry about me. And yes, we're okay, Zach. We're okay."

"I know that I'm not being a good fiancé these past few days and I'm sorry for that. Pupuntahan kita, Savy. Just wait for me okay? I just need to handle something. Wait for me please, I love you."

Hindi na ako nagkaroon ng pagkakataong sagutin ang sinabi niya dahil biglang namatay ang tawag. I tried calling his number but it keeps on saying that the line was busy.

I just shrugged my shoulders. Should I wait for him? Should I wait for his explanation? Sa sinabi niya ay parang may gusto siyang iparating. Na may gusto lang siyang tapusin at kapag tapos na 'yon ay babalik na sa normal ang lahat.

But it's not that easy.

There's Anglo.

Hindi na siya mawawala sa buhay ko. Mishka was right when she told me yesterday that I'm the worst. I'm dealing with Anglo while my relationship with Zach isn't okay.

"Huh? I thought we're going to meet tomorrow? Ba't napaaga?"

Sumilip ako ng bahagya ng marinig ko ang boses ni Mishka. She's talking to someone and I don't know who it is. Nagtago ako sa likod ng pader ng kwarto ni Mike nang makitang kong haharap siya sa gawi ko.

"Sino? Sylvaine? Okay, pupunta ako."

Nang maramdaman kong tapos na siyang makipagusap ay tsaka lang ako lumabas ng kwarto ni Mike. She looked surprised when she saw me pero kalaunan ay ngumiti rin, "Kanina ka pa riyan? Akala ko kasama mo si Mike."

Umiling ako atsaka lumapit sa kaniya, "Sino kausap mo?"

Hindi kaya 'yon si Zach?

"Si Ellie, may hawak ng Ister Company. Gusto niyang hawakan ko 'yung isang rookie nila. Kung mahahawakan ko 'yon, siya unang pasisikatin ko."

She's smiling while holding her phone kaya hindi ko mapigilang ikunot ang noo ko. Totoo kaya ang sinasabi niya? She's my friend and if she's Zach's mistress, hindi ako mag-aatubiling putulin ang koneksiyon naming dalawa.

"So, aalis ka?"

"Yup," She looked at me, "Wanna come?"

I shook my head. I have other plans today. Uuwi ako sa amin and I'm going to talk to my parents about Tito Noel's condition. I want them to help Anglo's family. Malaki ang naging epekto nang pagtira ko kila Anglo pansamantala. I learned a lot of things.

I also learned how to love Anglo.

Nagpaalam na sa akin si Mishka na aalis na siya dahil importante raw ang lakad niya. I didn't bother to follow her since paalis na rin naman ako papunta sa amin. I'm planning to bring Mike with me pero nang nalaman kong hinahanap niya si Queny ay hindi ko na siya inabala pa.

Ano kayang nangyari kay Queny? Mishka's here and I don't know if she will stay for a while or uuwi agad sa India. Hindi pa sila nagkikitang dalawa but I know that they knew each other because of me.

Hiniram ko ang isang sasakyan ni Mike at nag-drive papunta sa amin. Habang papalapit na ang sasakyan ko sa bahay namin ay kitang-kita ko ang mga nakahilerang sasakyan sa labas palang ng gate. Kumunot ang noo ko.

Anong meron?

Lumagpas ako nang kaunti sa bahay namin and I saw a lot of reporters outside of our gate. Ang iba naming guards ay tinutulak na sila palayo upang 'di makapasok sa malaking gate namin.

"Sir Viraj, what can you say about the person who stole a lot of money from your company?"

"Kilala niyo na po ba kung sino ang gumawa nito?"

"Ma'am Emma, where's your daughter? Hindi namin siya nakita nong interview niyo last week."

I put on my shades bago ibinaba ang windshield ng sasakyan. Reporters are a all busy kaya walang kahit na sino ang nakapansin na nasa likod lang nila ako.

Hindi pa rin pala tapos ang problemang 'yon. Matagal akong nawala pero hindi ko alam na tatagal ang problema nila tungkol sa taong nagnakaw sa kompanya namin. If that's true, hindi 'yon kawalan sa amin that's why I don't know why it's still not finish.

"We're working on that and we already have a suspect," I looked at my Mom when she answered the reporter, "About Savitri, she's fine. My daughter is just resting."

Pagkatapos non ay tumalikod na sila at pilit isinasara ng guards namin ang gate. May follow up questions pa ang ilang reporters na hindi na pinansin ng mga magulang ko.

I smiled. It warms my heart when she called me her daughter.

Nang mapansin kong nagsisimulang ng umalis ang mga reporters, mabilis akong lumabas ng kotse. I removed my shades and I smiled when I saw the entire facade of our house.

I'm home.

I walked towards our gate. I sighed before walking to the aisle. Some of our guards pointed me their guns pero nang makilala ako ay nanlaki ang mga mata nila, "Ma'am Savitri!"

Umayos sila ng tayo kaya napangiti ako. I slightly bowed my head before entering our door. Nadako sa akin ang atensiyon ng mga maids namin at halata sa mukha nila ang gulat nang makita ako, "Madam!"

"Savitri..."

I looked around and I saw Aling Lorna behind me. I smiled at her and I walked towards her to give her a hug. Ginantihan naman ako nito ng yakap at sinamahan akong pumunta sa kwarto ko. There, I saw Bruno laying on my carpet. When he finally noticed, he immediately run towards me.

"Aww, I miss you, Bruno." I patted his head before looking at Aling Lorna.

"Nasaan po sila Mom?"

"Sa office, Hija."

Tumango lang ako rito at naglakad papunta sa opisina nila rito sa Mansiyon. Madalang lang akong makapunta roon dahil puro trabaho lang ang pinag-uusapan nila tuwing pumupunta ako. Mike's the one who's handling 'Erity', I think ito yung kompanyang ninakawan ng malaking halaga.

I knocked twice and when I heard my Mom's voice, I slowly opened the door.

"Aling Lorna, can you please—"

"Namaste."

Sabay na lumingon sa akin ang magulang ko at kita ko ang kunot sa noo ni Dad nang makita niya ako. Mom stood up and walked towards me that's why I closed my eyes waiting for her to slap me. Lumapas ang ilang segundo na wala akong nararamdaman kaya minabuti kong buksan ang mata ko. I saw my Mom covering her mouth while tears keep on falling from her eyes, "S-Savitri..."

She extended her hand and I reluctantly hugged her. I couldn't stop myself from getting emotional because this is the first time I felt my Mom is worried about me.

"Where have you been, Savitri? I was so damn worried about you."

I looked at my Dad and I saw the longing from his eyes, "I-I'm sorry po, I just need to take a break from everything."

Dad just smiled at me and he joined us in hugging. Hindi ko alam na ang paglayas ko ay makakabuti pala para gumanda ang pakikitungo sa akin ng mga magulang ko. This is what I want to feel before and I'm so happy that they're appreciating my existence now.

"We're sorry too, baby. God knows how much we miss you when you left," I nodded to my Mom. She told me everything that happened since I left. Mike's the one who handled our company when I left since they're finding me everywhere. Doon din nagsimula ang pagnanakaw ng isang tauhan nila.

"I heard earlier, sino ang supect niyo?"

Nagkatinginan silang dalawa bago bumaling ng tingin sa akin, "How are you and Zach? Are you still in contact with him?"

My forehead creased when my Mom asked me that. Bakit nadamay si Zach? Siya ba ang tinutukoy nilang suspect? But he's in Bluere Company!

"He called me earlier. Why? Is he the suspect?"

Mom held my hand and nodded, "Someone saw him left the stockroom where we usually kept the important document as well as the password of the vault in your Dad's office. Hindi namin alam kung ano ang ginawa niya roon but one thing is for sure, he's the one who stole big money in our company. Your fiancé stole a big money from us."

Isa lang ang nasa utak ko nang sabihin iyon ni Mom sa akin.

Zach can't do that.

"Can we at least try to talk to him—"

"No, Savy! We'll immediately arrest him once we see him. Kung hindi siya ang nagnakaw, bakit siya nagtatago sa amin?"

Yumuko ako dahil alam ko namang hindi nila pakikinggan kung ano man ang sasabihin ko. I'm contented that we're okay for now pero hindi ko hahayaang masira na naman ang magandang pag-uusap namin ngayon dahil lang kay Zach; Knowing that he cheated on me too.

"Dad, Mom..." I raised my head and I saw that they're waiting for what I'm going to say, "Do you know someone named Noel Del Rosario?"

Dad looked at me intently, "He's my trusted friend and he stole materials from us—"

"N-No, Dad. I talked to him and he told me that he's not the one who stole materials from us," hinawakan ko ang kamay ni Dad at tinitigan siya sa mata. This is it. I'll finally do what Anglo told me to do, "When I left, sa kanila ako tumuloy. They fed me and they let me stay in their house like a family member. Kahit na tayo ang may dahilan kung bakit hindi na nakakalakad si Tito Noel, hindi nila ako tinaboy para makaganti sa inyo."

I felt my tears fall so I quickly wiped it with my hand. I remembered how Tita Miriam welcomed me into their home.

How Anglo kidnapped me...

"They want me to tell you that you're wrong to accused Tito Noel from stealing our materials. Dad, nakita ko kung paano nalulungkot si Tita Miriam na makitang hindi makalakad si Tito Noel. Hindi rin makahanap nang maayos na trabaho si... A-Anglo." I even stutter while saying his name.

"Noel can't walk? But why? We just fired him," hindi ako nakapagsalita dahil sa sinabi ni Mom. Tito Noel told me that my parents ordered their men to beat him up, "Who's Anglo, Savitri?"

Nag-angat ako ng tingin dahil sa naging tanong ni Mom.

Hindi niya kilala si Anglo?

But Anglo told me that my parents were the one who helped him to finish highschool.

"A-Anglo Del Rosario po. He's the son of Tito Noel."

"Si Shaun?"

Hindi ako nagpahalatang nagulat sa sinabi ni Dad. Anong ibig sabihin ni Dad?

Who's Shaun?

"Si Anglo po ang anak nila—"

"Ah, yes. I remember it already. He's Shaun. Shaun Anglo. We're the one who named him Shaun."

It's been two days since I came back here in our house. At hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko pa rin nakakalimutan ang napag-usapan namin ng magulang ko. Nakalimutan ko na rin ang balak kong pagsunod kay Mishka tuwing umaalis siya dahil laman lang ng utak ko ay si Anglo.

Why he didn't tell me that he has a first name?

I shook my head. Hindi ko siya dapat iniisip ngayon. Nasabi ko na sa magulang ko ang dapat kong sabihin tungkol sa pamilya nila kaya dapat ay kalimutan ko na siya pero hindi ko magawa.

His face when I left him continuously popping in my head.

I hurt him. Ang pangako ko kay Tita Miriam na hindi ko siya sasaktan ay hindi ko nagawa. I'm such a coward for letting Bella manipulate me.

Should I visit him?

Should I apologize to him?

Stupid me! Bakit ko ba tinatanong ang sarili ko kung dapat ba akong humingi ng tawad sa kaniya gayong sinaktan ko siya intentionally.

My parents are planning to visit Lily at the hospital since I told them about her condition. They're planning to apologize to Tito Noel for causing him a trouble. They also said that they will find those people who beaten up Tito Noel. I was happy when my Mom told me that they will help Tito Noel's family to start a business. Hindi raw sapat ang sorry dahil kasalanan nila kung bakit hindi makalakad ito.

I've already decided.

Sasama ako.