Chapter 17
Revelation

"What the hell are you doing here?" I gritted those words through my teeth.

Anger immediately boiled inside me as soon as I got a glimpse of her innocent face. Parang wala siyang ginawang kasalanan.

"I-I'm sorry, Xy..." she apologized as a tear escaped from her eye.

"Sorry?" I sarcastically said. "Mababalik ba ng sorry mo ang kaligayahan ko? Mababalik ba ng putanginang sorry mo ang buhay ng anak ko?"

I can't tend to look at her. Tuwing tinitignan ko siya ay naaalala ko ang anak kong nawala nang dahil sa kaniya. Lahat ng sakit at galit na naramdaman ko ay naramdaman ko ulit nang makita ko siya. Hindi ko masikmurang makita siya.

"H-Hindi ko sinasadya, Xy. I didn't know..." nagsusumamo nitong sabi at akmang hahawakan ako nang tabigin ko ang kamay niya. "Hindi ko alam na buntis ka. Hindi ko alam. I'm sorry, Xy, please... Please hear me out. Hindi ko ginustong mawala ang anak niyong dalawa ni Brendt. I'm also broken because I just lost my niece or my nephew."

Huminga ako ng malalim at nagsituluan na ang mga luha ko. "Alam mo ba kung gaano kasakit?" pumiyok ako. "Ang sakit-sakit, Tiffany. Sobrang sakit." mariin kong sabi habang dinuduro ang dibdib ko.

She bit her lower trying to control herself but I can still hear her sobbing.

"Alam mo yung feeling na gusto mo nang mamatay din dahil sa sobrang sakit?" tanong ko sa kaniya. "Ganoon ang naramdaman ko. I almost wanted to give up my life too. I wanted to end my life too just to be with my lost unborn child."

Umiling naman siya at muling bumuhos ang kaniyang luha. "I'm really sorry, Xy. I mean it! I'm here to ask for your forgiveness though I know it'll be hard for you to give it." nagmamakaawa niyang sabi at hinawakan ako sa aking braso.

Agad ko naman siyang tinulak at dahil sa panghihina niya ay agad siyang napaupo sa sahig.

"Xylia!" rinig kong boses ni Daddy at agad aning napalingon sa kaniya.

I saw him running towards Tiffany to help her stand up. He is even with his new wife, Madeline, who looks so concerned for her daughter.

"Ayos ka lang ba ha, Tiffany?" marahan na tanong ni Madeline sa anak nang matulungan itong makatayo ni Daddy.

Tiffany slowly nodded, saying that she's just fine.

Nilingon naman ako ni Daddy at kitang-kita ko ang galit sa kaniyang mga mata na dumirekta sa akin.

I can't believe it. Is that raging anger for me? For his real daughter who just lost her child?

"What do you think you're doing, Xy?" galit na tanong ni Daddy. "Nagkakasakitan na kayong magkapatid!"

"Kapatid? Kailan ko pa siya naging kapatid?" I sarcastically asked and smirked when I remembered something. "Oh, I almost forgot! You've already passed the petition to change her surname to the court, right? Shall I change my surname instead? Ayoko kasi siyang maging kapatid. Ako na ang mag-aadjust—"

I wasn't able to finish what I'm going to said when I felt a big slap from Madeline.

"Mads..." marahan na tawag ni Daddy sa kaniya habang pinipigilan ang isa pang pagsugod sa akin.

How many times did his fucking new family hurt me physically? I even lost my child because of them. But still, he is on their side.

Nakipagsukatan siya ng tingin sa akin at hindi naman ako nagpatalo sa kaniya. Kung sumisiklab pa lamang ang galit niya, ang akin ay nag-aalab na.

"Sumusobra ka na!" nanggagalaiting sigaw nito sa akin. "Look what you have done to my daughter! Sinasaktan mo na siya!"

"Look what I've done to her?" tumaas ang kilay ko. "Alam niyo ba kung anong ginawa niya sa'kin?" sigaw ko at kitang-kita pa ang nanghahamon na mata ni Madeline.

"My daughter never hurt anyone." mariin na sabi ni Madeline.

"Ah talaga?" sarkastikong pagbitaw ko ng salita. "Kasi nawala ang anak ko nang dahil sa kaniya." I stated at parehas silang napatigil sa sinabi ko.

Nakita kong napayuko naman si Tiffany at mas lumakas ang hikbi.

They didn't know... Hindi nila alam ang nangyari sa akin. Tiffany didn't even tell them what she had done. How come they didn't know? Doon ako sa bahay nila nakunan!

"Alam niyo ba kung gaanong kasakit mawalan ng anak?" I cried at agad lumapit si Daddy sa akin.

"What are you talking about, Xy?" naguguluhang tanong nito. "Anak..." marahang sabi ni daddy habang hinuhuli ang tingin kong hindi nawawala kay Madeline.

"Ang sakit-sakit..." I broke down at agad akong dinaluhan ni daddy. "I already lost my mom at ngayon, namatay ang baby ko." iyak ko.

Nilipat ko ang tingin ko kay Tiffany na ngayo'y umiiyak rin habang nakatingin sa akin.

"My baby died because of you!" sigaw ko sa kaniya.

Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko. Kahit si Daddy ay walang nagawa nang sumugod ako patungo kay Tiffany. Sinampal ko siya upang maiparamdam ko kahit katiting lamang ng sakit na naramdaman ko. Uulit pa sana ako nang agad na akong harangan ni Daddy at siya ang sumalo ng lahat ng hampas ko.

"Xylia!" rinig kong umalingawngaw na boses ni Brendt na siyang nagpahinto sa akin.

Ramdam ko kaagad ang pagpulupot ng mga braso nito sa akin. Ramdam na ramdam ko kaagad ang init na hatid niya nang yakapin ako upang mailayo kila Tiffany.

I saw Daddy and Madeline confused look when they saw Brendt. If they weren't aware of my pregnancy, of course they also don't know who's the father of my lost child.

"B-Brendt..." rinig kong sambit ni Tiffany sa pangalan ni Brendt at ramdam ko rin ang takot dito.

"What's happening here?" mariing tanong ni Brendt at itinabi ako sa kaniya.

Nakita ko naman ang pag-iling ni Madeline. "The question is why are you here?" naguguluhang tanong ni Madeline. "Pinapunta ka ba dito ni Tiffany?"

I saw Brendt's jaw clenched.

"No." tipid na sagot ni Brendt. "Hindi niya ako kailangang papuntahin dito. I came here because I want to."

"Then what brings you here—" hindi na pinatapos ni Brendt si Madeline at agad na itong sumagot.

"I'm Xylia's..." napahinto si Brendt na mukhang hindi alam ang kung anong dapat niyang ipakilala sa sarili niya. "I'm her boyfriend."

Napaawang ang aking bibig. I know we're not yet officially together but hearing those words from him made me feel that we are.

"It can't be!" agad na pagtanggi ni Madeline sa katotohanan. "N-Nililigawan mo si Tiffany. You're courting my daughter."

"Wala po akong sinasabing nililigawan ko siya." Brendt explained his side. "She's asking me to come to your house and I gladly accepted her invitation as a friend. I have no other intentions. And since you're Xylia's family, it's only right to give respect to all of you."

"I can't believe this." hindi makapaniwalang sabi ni Madeline at umiling-iling.

"But right now..." bigla muling nagsalita si Brendt at lahat ng atensyon ay nasa kaniya lang muli.

Nakadirekta ang matatalim na tingin ni Brendt kay Tiffany.

"I don't think that I can be her friend anymore." he proclaimed and Tiffany immediately protested.

"No! No..." she objected and tried to come closer. "Brendt, look... I'm very sorry. I didn't mean too. Hindi ko alam na buntis siya. I don't have any idea. If I have known, I wouldn't do that. Brendt, please..." hinawakan niya ang braso ni Brendt at agad na lumipat doon ang tingin ko.

"Don't touch what's mine." mariing sabi ko habang nakatitig sa kamay niya na unti-unti niya namang tinanggal at saka huminga ng malalim. "Know your place." dagdag ko bago nag-angat ng tingin sa kaniya.

Tumikhim naman si Daddy na dahilan kung bakit ako napatingin sa kaniya.

"We will go now." tipid niyang sabi.

"But, hon—" aangal sana muli si Madeline nang lingunin ito ni daddy.

"I said we will go." Dad said it clearer before her turned his back on us and Madeline immediately followed him.

Si Tiffany naman ay nakatingin parin kay Brendt. Brendt's looking at her too but his gaze drifted to me. Agad na lumambot ang tingin ni Brendt sa akin.

He hugged me again and kissed my forehead.

I heard a sob from Tiffany before she finally left.

"It's fine now... I'm here already." He whispered.

Tumango naman ako bago siya hinarap ng nakangiti. I let out a deep sigh. Never knew that having an argument with them can make me weary.

Iginaya na ako papaok ni Brendt sa aking unit. Dire-diretso ang lakad ko patungo sa sofa at ibinagsak ang katawan ko doon.

I turned to look at Brendt who's still standing by the door. His mouth is slightly opened as his eyes wandered around the whole flat.

"W-What's this?" he asked, uttering his words.

I just smiled at him. "It doesn't matter." sabi ko nalang. "It's already ruined anyway."

Huminga ito ng malalim at naglakad patungo sa akin. "Say it, baby." marahang sabi nito at lumuhod sa aking harapan.

Hindi ko alam kung para saan ang takot at pangamba niyang nakikita ko sa kaniyang mga mata.

"I want to hear you say what you have to say." sabi niya at hinawakan ang dalawang kamay ko.

"I just wanted to ask you if you can officially be my boyfriend... That's all." dire-diretso kong sabi at binawi sa kaniya ang kamay ko sabay iwas ng tingin dahil sa kahihiyan.

I heard him chuckled and sighed. "I thought it's about the 50 days' end." he stated at nanglaki ang mga mata ko sa sinabi niya.

Muli naman akong napalingon sa kaniya.

"I thought you're already going to end everything between us." sabi niya. "Kaya natatakot akong tanungin ka tungkol sa estado natin ay nang dahil doon. I don't want you to leave me when you already succeeded the dare and deal."

"A-Alam mo ang tungkol doon?" nauutal at gulat na tanong ko.

He just casually nodded and sat beside me. Sinundan ko ng tingin ang bawat kilos niya.

"It was the night I went to a club to meet my long time friend." panimula nito. "We exhanged stories and had a little drink, not enough to make me drunk. Hindi rin naman ako mahilig sa alcohol. I don't like going to bars or clubs."

Nakatulala lang ako sa kaniya habang inaalala rin ang mga nangyari noon kung saan kami nagkakilala.

"I was about to go to the comfort room when I passed by your table. I heard you and your friend talking about a dare that's somehow like a deal." he continued. "I was about to completely ignore it but it sounds fun playing and getting along with your games. I mean, you also did that dare for fun too, right?"

I gulped down my nervousness. I can't believe that he already knew it from the start!

"Naisip ko rin na, hindi mo naman ako kilala at hindi rin kita kilala. We don't even know each other that's why I dont give a shit." pagpapatuloy nito sa kwento niya. "I gave all my infos that's needed for your tasks. And you know what's amazing?" he asked and turned his head to smile at me.

I absentmindedly shook my head. I don't know. I don't know what to say. I don't know how what to react.

"It was the moment when I looked at my new employee, and saw that it was you." tumingin siya sa akin, mata sa mata. "I found Cinderella again. I was thinking if it's just purely a coincidence but, I found you. My Cinderella."

Nabalot kaming dalawa ng katahimikan. Ang tanging tunog lang ay ang galing sa aking iPod touch na mahinang tumutugtog.

Halos mapatalon naman kami nang biglang bumukas ang pintuan ng aking unit. Napakunot ang noo ko nang makitang iniluwa nito si Daddy na diretso agad ang tingin kay Brendt.

He's still here? I thought he already went home with Tiffany and Madeline.

"Brendt, do you love my daughter?" walang pag-aalinlangan niyang tanong kay Brendt.

"Daddy..." I warned him using my stern voice but it didn't bother him.

Nagulat naman ako nang tumayo si Brendt at taas-noong sinagot ang tanong ni Daddy. "Yes." He said without any hesitation. "I love your daughter."

"How about you, anak?" sabay lingon sa akin ni Daddy. "Do you really love him?"

"Daddy, ano ba 'to?" kumunot ang noo ko sa pagtatanong niya sa aming dalawa ni Brendt.

Masiyado akong naguguluhan sa kung ano ang gusto niyang mangyari.

"Just answer it, Xy." he said.

"Of course, I do love him." I sincerely answered.

Bumuntong hininga naman si Daddy bago tumango-tango.

"Then let's plan your damn wedding with him." Daddy stated with finality and my jaw dropped.