THE next day, Jasia didn't attend their rehearsal.

"Tell them I'm sick," saad niya sa sekretarya matapos makuha ang DNA maternity result at ang pinabili niya.

Sinilid niya ito sa kaniyang purse bago lumabas ng kaniyang tahanan. Kaagad niyang pinaharurot ang sasakyan papunta sa bahay ni Xibel.

Nang makarating, inayos niya muna ang ribbon sa nakatali niyang buhok bago tuluyang lumabas. Huminga siya nang malalim sa harap ng nakasarang pinto.

"Xibel, buksan mo 'to!" Mariing nakakuyom ang mga kamao niyang kinatok ang pinto. "Open the door and let's talk!"

Ginamit na niya ang braso upang buong puwersa na makalikha ng tunog pati ang kaniyang heels ay sinipa na rin ang pinto. Kahit na masakit ay hindi pa rin siya tumigil. Hindi siya aalis dito hangga't hindi niya nasasabi sa lalaki ang totoo.

"Ayaw mo talaga lumabas?" Napabuntonghininga siya at bumalik sa loob ng kotse. Kinuha niya ang pinabili kay May kanina.

Isang baseball bat.

"Open the door, Xibel!" Hindi siya nagdalawang-isip na ihampas ang kahoy na bat sa pinto. Isang malakas na kalabog ang nilikha nito. Inulit niya pa ito nang inulit hanggang sa nagmukha na siyang lasing na naninira ng tahanan.

"Buksan mo 'to! Hindi ako titigil kahit masira ko pa 'tong pinto mo!" Hinawakan ng kaniyang dalawang palad ang grip. Itinaas niya ito ng parang espada sa ere upang bumwelo. Nagpakawala muna siya ng isang hininga bago sumigaw at buong puwersa na inihampas sa pinto.

Ngunit bago pa nito mapuruhan ang pinto, bigla itong bumukas at isang kamay ang pumigil sa bat. Napanganga siya nang bumungad sa kaniya ang nakakunot-noong si Xibel.

"Have you gone insane?" Inagaw nito ang bat.

Napangiti naman siya. "Buti naman at lumabas ka."

"If you're trying to get Imris from me, you're just playing in vain. I will not give her back to you." Pinagkrus nito ang mga kamay. Tumalikod na ito at naglakad paalis.

Pero hindi nito sinara ang pinto kaya dali-dali siyang sumunod. "Hindi ko siya kukunin. May sasabihin ako sa 'yo. I admit I have a fault for leaving Imris in that orphanage pero--"

"But what?" He turned to look at her. "What reason will make your action acceptable? Kakayanin ba niyang tanggalin lahat ng sinapit ni Imris?"

Sinalubong niya rin ang tingin nito. "Hindi pero gusto kong bumawi. I promise I won't leave her again."

"Empty words." Muli siya nitong tinalikuran at umupo sa sofa. "You should've done that long ago, or you shouldn't have become a mother."

"Because I'm not her mother!" Napakamot siya sa kaniyang pisngi.

"Now, you're denying it?"

"I am not--"

"Spare me with your lies. I'm done talking to you. Haven't I told you to never show yourself to me ever again? You're really hard-headed." Tumayo ito at naglakad papunta sa kusina.

Sinundan niya naman kaagad ito.

"Stop following me!"

"I'm not her mother!" Hindi niya ito tinigilan at bumuntot pa rin sa lalaki ngunit sinigurado pa rin niyang may espasyo sa pagitan nila.

"Get away, woman!"

Umakyat na sila papunta sa third floor at hanggang sa makarating sa balcony, doon lang tumigil si Xibel. Napahilot ito sa tuktok ng ilong bago siya nilingon.

"I don't want to see your face today, Jasia. I am gravely mad at you. Just stay away." His voice was weak--though it had always been low--this time, he sounded tired.

"I know, but Xibel, hindi nga ako ang ina ni Imris. Imris is my niece," marahan niyang saad dito.

Kumunot naman ang noo nito. "Huh?"

"Imris is Isabella's daughter."

Napalitan ng gulat ang nalilito nitong ekspresyon. Lumakas ang hangin dahilan para matangay ang buhok nito. Ngayon lang napansin ni Jasia na tuluyan nang nawala ang mga ugat nito sa mukha. Nais niya mang purihin ang kumikinang nitong balat, subalit hindi ito ang tamang pagkakataon.

"I had their DNA tested." Kinuha niya ang papeles na hawak at pinakita ni Xibel. "The result says it's positive."

He stared at the paper with a confused look. He might have not fully understand what was the purpose of it, but at least, she finally told him the truth.

"Isabella, my m-maker?" He stuttered.

"Yes. Isabella had a daughter when she was sixteen."

Napasapo si Xibel sa kaniyang noo. Napaupo ito sa wooden chair habang pinapasok pa sa isipan ang narinig. He must have been shocked. "Imris is h-her daughter? H-how? I can't seem to understand. How could she have a daughter?"

Naglakad siya papalapit sa railing at sumandal. Huminga muna siya nang malalim. "She was taken for granted by her ex-boyfriend."

Napakuyom ang kaniyang mga kamao habang dumadaan sa kaniyang isipan ang mga salitang binitiwan ni Isabella kahapon. Gusto niya sanang huwag nang sabihin pa ito kay Xibel subalit kailangan niya ang tulong nito. Alam niyang saka lang siya tutulungan ng lalaki kapag nagawa na nitong maunawaan ang buong sitwasyon.

May tiwala siyang makikinig sa kaniya si Xibel.

"Tell me." He glanced at her. "Tell me every single thing he did to her."

At hindi nga siya nabigo. Pinakinggan siya nito.

Nanginginig ang mga kamao nito matapos niyang sabihin ang kawalangyaang ginawa ni Drake. "Disgusting man!"

"I just found that out too. No wonder Isabella hated the child so much that she wanted Imris dead." Napayuko siya. "But no matter how she tried to abort her, the kid always clings to her. Kaya we decided to cover her birth. Pinalabas naming patay na ang bata matapos niyang manganak."

"You took Imris?"

Tumango siya. "Pero hindi rin siya nagtagal sa akin dahil iniwan ko siya sa coastal orphanage. I couldn't raise her because I'm afraid of the public's opinion. Natatakot ako na baka 'pag nalaman nilang may bata akong inaalagaan, baka mawala ang career kong matagal ko ring pinangarap."

"So you have chosen your dream." Xibel let out a sigh before leaning against the chair. "I can see clearly how you are so passionate about ballet. I understand that. But that doesn't mean I will just let it slide. I am still angry at you. You took her under your care but you left her."

"Alam ko at pinagsisisihan ko 'yon. That time, I just couldn't fight the public. Kakausbong lang ng pangalan ko at natatakot akong mawala sa akin lahat ng iyon. Nakasasalay ang pangarap ko sa mga opinyon nila." Napayakap siya sa sariling braso. "You see, Xibel, if I am liked by the public, I will get my name out there. Pero kung wala ako sa gusto nila, tataob ang pangalan ko."

"But--"

"But that was before. At least that is how I see it before. After that incident in the Portal Shoe Anniversary, doon ko napagtanto na I don't want to live my dream like a puppet. I've reached the company because I've worked hard. And I will continue to do that, despite not getting the public's approval. After the hate they have thrown me, I realized they will just believe whatever makes them feel better. They really don't care about me." Sinalubong niya ang tingin nito. "So please, let me make it up to you. Hayaan mo akong makabawi kay Imris at pati na rin kay Isabella. Help me, Xibel."

Xibel remained silent and stared at her. For some reason, she felt like he was studying her; intruding the deeps of her mind and finding out if she was really telling the truth. Sumapit ang ilang sandali bago ito umiwas.

"I want to help Isabella too. I don't think I could leave this dimension without doing anything to that disgusting man." He gritted his teeth. "This world is as rotted as mine."

She could say that. It was rotten and disgusting. The people made this world disgusting.

"What do you want me to do, Jasia?" Xibel added. "Do you want me to kill him? Say it."

It looked like a good idea. She couldn't deny she like the sound of them dying, however, she didn't want to end their agony quick. She wanted them to suffer.

"No.  I don't want him to die yet. I want to make him feel the shame he did to my cousin. Gusto ko siyang ipahiya sa publiko at ipakita lahat ng mga nakakasuklam niyang ginawa." Napakuyom ang kaniyang mga kamao. "Pero bago 'yon. I need evidence."

"How should we do it?"

She looked at him. "I need your follower."

----

Winty's note: No update tomorrow until Thursday. Will resume updating this on Friday. We're nearing the final arc, so let me ready my draft muna. While writing this story last year, I was actually stuck on the final arc, since there is a "disagreement" with my thought and Xibel's. I do discussion with my characters, you see > . < and I haven't moved since then. I publish this story incomplete to reread it all over again in hopes that I could see a path, and I did. With that being said, let me leave you a question to ponder until I get back: Is Xibel really a villain?