No matter how hard the past is, you can always begin again - Buddha

CRUEL BASTARD

CHAPTER TWELVE | HUSTLE BONES

MARCUS

"Akin 'to? Dito ako titira?"

Walang tigil ang pag-ikot ng paningin ko sa paligid ng bahay na pinagdalhan sa akin ni Fedor Rozovsky. Talaga naman kasing nakakalula ang hitsura nito. Mansiyon ang tingin ko dito. Tatlong sasakyan ang nakaparada sa garahe. Dalawang palapag ang bahay. Ang ganda-ganda ng hitsura. Literal na magiging hitsurang bahay ng daga ang mga bahay sa Bayag-Bayag. Ang hitsura ng bahay na ito ay katulad ng mga napapanood ko sa TV at nakikita ko sa mga magazines.

"You don't like this house? Your father has other properties that you can choose." Sagot ni Fedor Rozovsky.

"Hindi. Gusto ko 'to. Ang ganda dito. Pero sigurado kayo na akin na 'to?" Hindi pa rin talaga ako makapaniwala.

Nakangiting tumango siya pero mayamaya ay napaseryoso din ng mukha.

"For you and your brother. But... he doesn't like this kind of life so, it's just yours."

Natigilan ako sa sinabi ng lalaki. Napahinga ako ng malalim nang maalala ko si Kuya MVP. Muli akong tumingin sa paligid. Bakit ba kasi ayaw ng ganitong buhay ni Kuya? Maayos. Buhay-mayaman. Isang pitik ng daliri makukuha na namin ang gusto namin. Hindi na namin kailangan pang magdildil ng asin para makakain. Hindi na niya kailangang magnakaw. Ako? Hindi ko na kailangang patulan pa si Elica para lang magkapera. Ganitong buhay ang gusto ko. Ganitong buhay ang matagal ko nang pangarap.

"You can do whatever you want, Arcus. Someone can help you to start things and understand the new life that you have." Sabi pa ni Fedor Rozovsky.

Napatingin ako sa pinto nang may pumasok na may edad na lalaki doon at isang magandang babae. Nakangiti agad sa akin ang mga ito lalo na ang babae na talagang tingin ko ay tuwang-tuwa nang makita ako.

"Arcus this is Attorney Fidel Lagdameo and his lovely daughter Veronica Lagdameo." Pakilala ni Fedor sa akin sa mga ito.

Agad na naglahad ng kamay ang abogadong ipinakilala sa akin na inabot ko naman.

"Nice meeting you, Marcus. Fedor told me about you. Where is your brother?" Kunwa ay tumitingin pa sa paligid ang abogado na hitsurang may hinahanap.

Napatikhim si Fedor. "It's only him, Fidel" Alam kong makahulugan ang tingin ni Fedor sa abogado at tingin ko ay naintindihan naman nito ang ibig sabihin ng kausap.

"That's fine. I have here the will that Viktor left for his children. We can discuss about it so Marcus here would know what he can have now." Lumakad ang abogado at tila alam na alam nito ang bahay na ito. Ito pa nga ang nagbukas ng pinto at naunang pumasok kasama ang anak. Nakasunod lang ako at si Fedor Rozovsky.

Pinaupo kami at ako ay nanatiling umiikot ang tingin. Ang ganda naman dito. Ang daming mga libro. Ang daming mga mamahaling gamit.

"This is your father's library." Sabi ni Fedor. Siguro ay nakita ang pagtingin ko sa paligid. "This could be your office too once you become the new owner and CEO of the companies your father has."

"C-Companies?" Paniniguro ko. Maraming kumpanya?

"Yeah. Companies. Your father owns lots of companies that you need to take care of," sabad ng abogado at binuksan nito ang bag tapos ay kinuha ang patong-patong na mga folders at inilagay sa mesa tapos ay iniabot sa akin.

Binuklat ko ang mga iyon pero hindi ko maintindihan. Puro mga kung ano-ano ang naroon kaya mabilis ko ding isinara at ibinalik iyon sa abogado.

"Hindi ko 'yan maintindihan." Nagpapasaklolong tumingin ako kay Fedor Rozovsky.

Natawa ang mga ito. "Don't worry, Arcus. That's why I brought my daughter here. Veronica is going to help you in everything. From learning these things to changing yourself." Sagot ng abogado.

"Pero ayaw kong baguhin ang sarili ko." Katwiran ko.

"You need to have a total makeover if you are going to be the new face of your father's companies. People need to respect you." Nakangiting sabi sa akin ng babae.

Napatingin ako dito at hindi niya inaalis ang magandang ngiti sa akin. Siguro ay napansin ng babae na hindi ako ngumingiti pabalik sa kanya kaya kumaway siya sa harap ko.

"You can call me Roni para hindi masyadong formal. I work with clients just like you. Helping people to become who they really are. It's just like I'll be your personal assistant but on a higher level," nakangiti pa ring sabi niya. "Since I know that this new life you are having right now will be so overwhelming for you."

"And trust me, Marcus everything will be smooth if you work with her. Sanay na sanay siya sa ganyang trabaho," sabi pa ng tatay nito.

Tumingin ako kay Fedor at tumango lang din ito. "They worked with your father for years, Arcus. Your father knows Fidel like a brother."

"Anyway, I want you to know these things first. Your father left a huge amount of money for you and your brother. Plus, properties and companies that you need to manage. But since I know this is all new to you, me and my daughter will be your guide for this until you can do it on your own." Paliwanag ng abogado.

"T-teka, ang alam ko kasi anak kami sa labas ng Kuya ko. May ibang pamilya ang tatay namin. Naanakan si Nanay tapos iniwan kami. Iyon ang alam kong kuwento." Papalit-palit ang tingin ko sa kanila.

Ngumiti ng mapakla si Fedor. "Actually, that is not the real story. Yes, your father had another family. With Mariana." Napapailing pa si Fedor. "Their marriage was just for convenience. Their marriage was for a show. To make the families stronger but your father really loved your mother."

Hindi ako kumikibo at nanatiling nakikinig lang. Tingin ko ay alam na ng ibang mga kasama namin sa silid na ito ang kuwentong iyon.

"Mariana and Viktor tried to fixed their marriage. They had kids but Viktor really loved your mother, Pilar. He annulled his marriage with Mariana just to be with your mother. They got married and ready to become a real family when the..." hindi naituloy ni Fedor ang sasabihin

"Anong nangyari?" Takang tanong ko.

Napahinga siya ng malalim. "He was about to get your mother including you and your brother but he was ambushed and left for dead."

"Ambushed? Pinatay?" Paniniguro ko.

Tumango si Fedor. "We never know who did it but even before Viktor died, he already knew that something might happen to him and told us the truth. He already prepared everything for you and your mother in case he dies. Unfortunately, your mother..." napapailing na sabi niya.

"Namatay sa kakahintay sa kanya." ako na ang nagtapos sa sinasabi ni Fedor.

"I cannot blame your brother if he hates your father and our family so much. He thought Viktor and the Rozovsky clan abandoned you but we don't do that to family. You and MVP are real Rozovskys. Understand that you are precious and if the wrong people know who you really are, they are going to use you." Paliwanag pa niya. "We reached out for MVP so many times but he doesn't want us. You on the other, has the potential to continue the legacy of you father. Then later on, you can talk to you brother so he could help you."

Natawa ako ng mapakla. "Sa tingin mo ba kakausapin pa ako ng Kuya ko matapos ang nangyari?" Napalunok at napailing-iling. "Parang gusto ko na umuwi. Gusto ko na lang bumalik kay Kuya. Ayoko na dito." Biglang-bigla ay na-miss ko ang kuya ko at nakonsiyensiya ako sa nagawa kong pagtalikod sa kanya.

"Arcus."

Napatingin ako sa babae na tumawag sa pangalan ko at ngiting-ngiti sa akin. "You listen to your Uncle Fedor. Do you really want to go back to that slum?" Nakaangat na ang kilay na babae. "You know, before I take a client like you, I investigate first. I know what kind of life you had with your brother. I already went to your old place," bahagya pang ngumiwi ang mukha ng babaeng sabi ay Roni ang itawag ko sa kanya. Hitsurang nandiri. "That is not a place for someone like you. I heard about what happened in the house of a certain Lagring?" Tumaray ang mukha ng babae. "You are a wanted person there. That woman filed a case against you. She said that you hurt her daughter. Physical assault. And her daughter testified about it. I saw the medical report, the daughter... I think the name was Laurel?" tonong naniniguro pa ito at hitsurang nag-iisip. "Yeah, that's her name. Laurel. She and her mother Lagring went to the barangay and the police station to file a case against you."

Napalunok ako at pakiramdam ko may bumarang kung ano sa lalamunan ko.

"H-Hindi iyon gagawin ni Laurel. Alam ni Laurel na hindi ko sinasadya na masaktan ko siya. Gusto ko lang makipag-usap." Para akong maiiyak nang maalala ko na naman ang mga sinabi ni Laurel sa akin.

"She did, Arcus. You don't know what people can do for money." Nakangiti nang maasim si Roni. "I met her and she is really going to press charges that's why I had to do something. I called dad and told him to fix everything. We paid. For fifty thousand, her mother agreed for a settlement."

Nagtagis ang bagang ko. 'Tangina. Fifty thousand? Fifty thousand lang? Putangina, ganoon sila mukhang pera?

"Think about it, Arcus. The new life that you are going to have if you let us to help you. Look around you. This house is just one of your properties. I can bring you to other places that you own. I can give you a tour to those companies that you are going to manage. You will meet people. Not ordinary but big names in the society. You will become them." Tumayo pa si Roni at lumapit na sa akin tapos ay hinawakan ako sa balikat. "If you embrace who you are, you won't need to chase women who doesn't like you back." Tumawa ng nakakaloko si Roni. "Women will be the ones to chase you. Will beg for your attention. You just need to choose whom you like. Everyone will bow at you. Your words will become power. Your money will be your tool to get whatever you want. And just dropping the surname Rozovsky, everyone one will look up at you. You will be God."

Tumingin ako kay Roni at nakangiti siya sa akin at nakatitig sa mga mata ko. Tila ako hinihipnotismo na pakinggan ang mga sinasabi niya.

"Roni is right, Arcus. Just accept this new life that you have. If your brother doesn't like it yet, let him be." Segunda ng abogado.

Tumingin ako kay Fedor at tumatango siya. "Embrace who you are, Arcus. This is your new life."

"A-ano ang gagawin ko?" Napapalunok ako sa tindi ng kaba na nararamdaman ko.

Kumumpas sa hangin si Roni. "First, you need to forget the slum where you came from. You need to focus yourself who you are right now. We need to add Rozovsky on your name. You need to have new ID's. You need to have your own bank account, credit cards. You want to stay here in this place? Fine. Or we could get a condo near to any of the companies you wanted to handle personally. You need to have bodyguards."

"Gusto kong mag-aral." Iyon ang isinagot ko sa mga sinasabi niya.

Hindi sila nakasagot lahat at si Fedor ang nakita kong napakaganda ng ngiti sa akin.

"That is the best thing that I heard, Arcus. I like that. Education is very important. Roni could help you with that." Tumingin pa si Fedor sa babae.

"Of course." Nakangiting sabi ng babae. "We can get private tutors to help you. I can make arrangements to big universities where you can enroll. You don't need to go to formal schooling. Then I suggest you take crash courses about management in the US. That will be a great add on to your portfolio. Trust me, Arcus. People will think less of you because everyone thinks that you are a bastard and have nothing especially your father's ex-wife. You need to show them that you are capable of managing everything that your father left. I can help you with all that. I'll be with you all the time. All the way until you become a change man." Mayabang na sabi ng babae.

Hindi ko maintindihan ang lakas ng kabog ng dibdib ko. Lahat ng nasa harap ko ay panay ang tango sa akin.

Napabuga ako ng hangin. "Kailan ako mag-uumpisa?"

Sabay-sabay na ngumiti ang mga taong nakapaligid sa akin.