Winty's note: Hello, everyone! I'm sorry nawala na naman me. Last week lang me nakalabas ng hospital huhu. Will finish this this week since dalawang chapter na lang ang natitira. Thank you so much for waiting!

A WEEK had passed and Jasia's feet had been healed thanks to Xibel's coriar. It didn't even leave a scar or a trace of an injury. However, the trace of what happened that day remained as she found out that Isabella have known the truth about Imris.

Kasalukuyang nasa loob siya ng kuwarto kasama ang pinsan, habang si Imris naman ay nakaupo sa kama at papalit-palit ang tingin sa kanilang dalawa, nagtataka kung bakit niya pinatawag ito.

"Isabella," tawag niya rito na tahimik lang na nakaupo sa tabi ni Imris. Dahan-dahan siyang umupo sa kama. "Galit ka ba? I'm really sorry for keeping the truth about Imris."

Isabella hugged her knees and didn't spare her a glance. "I understand. Siguro natakot ka na baka kamuhian ko ang bata. Kung iisipin ko ang sitwasyon dati, mukhang ganoon nga ang gagawin ko sa kaniya kaya mukhang tama lang siguro ang ginawa mo."

Hindi siya nakasagot agad. Iyon nga ang rason kung bakit nilayo niya si Imris, dahil ayaw niyang maalala pa ni Isabella ang nakaraan. Subalit, may isa pa siyang bagay na iniinda. Hindi niya nagawang panindigan ang desisyong iyon.

Binitiwan niya rin si Imris.

"Actually, Isabella, hindi sa akin lumaki si Imris." Nilingon niya ang batang tahimik lang na nagtataka sa usapan nila. Inabot niya ang pisngi nito. "I'm sorry, Imris. I left you in that orphanage."

"Kay Mama Lisa?" takang tanong nito.

Alam niyang hindi na naalala pa ni Imris iyon dahil siya pa lang ay isang sanggol kaya tumango na lang siya. If it wasn't for her selfish decision, Imris might have not endured all of those pain. And she wanted to make up for it.

"Pinamigay mo siya?" tanong din ni Isabella, ngunit sa pagkakataong ito ay nakatitig na ito sa kaniya.

"My plan was to raise her, pero inunahan ako ng takot. I'm afraid that I'll lose my career because of her kaya iniwan ko siya." She sighed. "Pero kalaunan, kinain ako ng konsensya. Hinanap ko siya at hindi ko inaasahang makikita ko siya rito."

"I see. No wonder hindi rin kita natunugang may inaalagang bata," mahinang saad ni Isabella habang pinaglalaruan ang sariling daliri. "To be honest, hindi ko rin alam ang sasabihin ko. I also have a lot of things to apologize for." She looked at Imris.

"D-do you hate her?" Jasia asked.

Tumigil ng isang minuto bago nakasagot si Isabella. Naluluha ang mga mata nitong umiling. "I can't hate her. She didn't do anything to me."

When Isabella let those words go, a flush of relief patted her heart. She badly wanted to introduce Imris to her but was held back because of this very reason. She hoped for them not to end worse, and now, her heart was happy to hear that Isabella have gone forward too.

"Mama." Napunta ang tingin niya kay Imris nang bigla nitong hawakan ang kaniyang braso. Lumapit ito sa kaniya at saka bumulong. "Why is Ate crying? Are you my real mama?"

Ngumiti naman siya bago umiling. "No, Imris." Tinuro niya si Isabella. "She is your real mother."

Napabitiw naman si Imris sa kaniya at napatitig sa umiiyak na si Isabella. "You're my mama?"

Dahan-dahan namang tumango si Isabella habang pinapahid ang sariling mga luha.

Kaagad na napatakip si Imris sa kaniyang bibig. Rinig niya ang pagsinghap nito habang binalik ang tingin sa kaniya, saka kay Isabella, at sa kaniya na naman ulit. Ilang saglit ay bigla itong napatalon, bakas sa mukha nito ang tawa.

"So I have two mama now?!" Tinuro siya nito. "Mama Jasia and Mama Isabella! Yey!"

Natawa na lang siya sa naging reaksyon nito at ganoon din si Isabella. After all that they had done, the kid still accepted them with optimism. Thus, she swore to never repeat the same thing she did.

This time around, she would treat Imris well.

She was about to pull them into a hug when she heard a noise of broken glass outside. Nagtaka rin si Imris at Isabella.

"Ako na." Pinigilan niya ang dalawang bumaba at siya ang lumabas ng kuwarto. Gusto niya ring iwan muna ang dalawa.

Pagkalabas niya ay kaagaad siyang bumaba sa hagdanan. Nagtungo siya sa kusina at naabutan si Xibel na dinadampot ang nabasag na baso.

"Baka magkasugat ka," pigil niya rito nang makalapit.

Napalingon naman ito sa kaniyang gawi. No'ng nakaraang araw pa niya namalayang wala na ni kahit kaunting ugat man lang ang natitira sa mukha nito. Tuluyan na ring nilisan ng mga patay na bulaklak ang pisngi ng lalaki. Nagagawa na niyang tingnan nang maayos ang mga mata nitong ipininta sa asul at ginto.

And if she could describe, she couldn't. Jasia had no idea how to word out the beauty of the being looking at her.

"It is fine. I do not get wounds easily." Naupo ito matapos na mailigpit ang nabasag na baso.

"Ano bang nangyari? Nalaglag mo?" Hinila niya rin ang isang upuan at umupo katabi nito ngunit may espasyo pa rin sa pagitan nila.

Tinaas ni Xibel ang kamay. Napakunot ang kaniyang noo pero kaagad ding naintindihan ang ipinapahiwatig nito nang bigla na lamang mawala saglit ang mga daliri.

"W-what's happening with you?"

"I am glitching." He looked at his own hands. "I might go home today, Jasia."

"Anong ibig mong sabihin?" Napalunok siya. Kahit alam na niya mismo kung ano ang pinapahiwatig nito, hinihiling niya pa rin na sana mali ang iniisip niya.

"To where I came from." He leaned against the chair.

Natahimik naman siya saglit bago nakasagot. Hindi niya gusto ang mga salitang lumabas sa bibig nito. "Ah. So ito pala iyong nabanggit ni Nevar no'ng nakaraan."

"He was Rasheed with just the face of your ex-lover," Xibel corrected. "If only the system didn't interfer, I would have take that fool to the afterlife."

"Will he keep using Nevar's face? And where is Nevar? Did he really kill him?" sunod-sunod na tanong niya. No'ng araw na iyon, sinubukan nilang hanapin ang katawan nito subalit wala silang nakita. Pati na rin ang mga bakas ni Drake ay wala.

"He has many faces. Rasheed can only copy them after killing them. I am also not sure of what he is thinking." Xibel glanced at him. "But you do not have to worry. He will not be back. I can assure you of that. He does not go back to people who have already served his purpose."

"How about Drake? Naikuwento sa akin ni Isabella na siya raw ang . . . pumatay rito," mahina niyang sabi habang naalala ang mga salita ni Isabella no'ng nakaraan.

"Isabella didn't kill him. I finished him."

For a moment, she sighed in relief. It did bother her of the thought that her cousin had killed a person. Although she also does have an impulse sometimes with the bloodlust to kill someone, she couldn't really do it. It was all inside her rage.

"How is Imris and Isabella?" pag-iiba nito bago pa siya makasagot.

"I think it ended good. I left them in the room to talk."

"I see. That is assuring to hear."

"But Xibel . . ." She met his gaze. Ayaw niya mang sabihin ito subalit hindi niya mapigilan ang sarili. "Paano na si Imris kung aalis ka? Hahanapin ka n'on. Anong gagawin namin kung w-wala ka rito?"

"Ah, that." Xibel let out a small smile before looking down. "You do not have to worry about that as well."

"What do you mean?"

"Imris will not remember me. As soon as I leave, she will forget me." Muli siyang tiningnan nito. "And so you are, too."

"What?" Kaagad na nagtagpi ang kaniyang kilay. Hindi siya makapaniwala sa sinabi nito. Bukod pa roon, bakit ngayon lang sinabi ito ni Xibel sa kaniya? Sa inis ay hindi niya namalayang tumaas na pala ang kaniyang boses. "Hindi naman ako makakapayag doon! Ayaw kitang kalimutan, Xibel!"

"It's not for you to decide, Jasia. Even I cannot go against the system." He cleared his throat before continuing. The left side of his face had started to glitched as well, making her panic. "If only I have the choice, I would not leave yet. I want to stay a little longer."

Napakagat siya sa kaniyang labi upang pigilan ang sariling umiyak sa harapan ng lalaki. Hindi niya mawari kung bakit pinipiga sa sakit ang puso niya sa mga salita nito. Have she been this attached to the man?

Ni hindi niya man lang namalayan na si Xibel na palagi ang iniisip niya.

"Jasia, I hope you and Isabella will make Imris happy. Do not leave her again."

"I won't. I promise." Kahit anong pigil niya ay tuluyan na ngang dumaan ang luha sa mga mata niya.

"Do not cry now. I haven't left." Xibel sighed.

"But you will leave." Tuluyan na siyang napahikbi. Tinakpan niya ang sariling mukha at doon humagulgol. Hindi niya matanggap na aalis na ito ngayong araw. Isa pang kinabibigat ng kaniyang puso ay kung bakit ngayon niya lang naintindihan ang nararamdaman para sa lalaki.

Now she lost her chance to be with him.

"Please, do not cry, Jasia. I can't console you." His voice low and in shambles. The want to reach out to her was put down because of his inability to stay close to women.

"You don't have to." Jasia wiped her own tears. "Xibel, I want to tell you something."

If she couldn't be with him, then at least she should tell him what she feels.

"Xibel, I—"

"I know." Xibel cut her off, making her pause in surprise.

"What do you mean?"

"I know about what you feel, so you don't have to say it." Sinalubong nito ang kaniyang mga titig. His eyebrows were curved in a manner of apology. "Let those remain unspoken by you."

The look in his eyes were pleading as though telling her not to  ask more of his words. Somehow her heart already got what he was trying to convey, yet, she still chose to ask. "Bakit?"

"I cannot reciprocate your love. I was made to love one woman only, and loathe her, and hate her while loving her still." Bumagsak ang mga balikat nito. Napunta ang tingin sa sariling mga kamay. "And my past is disgusting. I will never get over it. I am sorry, Jasia."

Jasia cleared her throat to lessen the throbbing pain inside her chest. She saw it coming. It was just a little foolish of her to hope that he would say otherwise. Muntik na niyang makalimutan na si Celestialiana nga lang pala ang nilalaman ng puso nito.

"Then at least let me say this."

Napaangat naman ang tingin nito.

"You're beautiful, Xibel." 

Napaatas ang dalawang kilay nito ngunit kaagad ding napalitan ng maliit na tawa. Sumilay ang malawak nitong ngiti dahilan para tuluyan siyang mapatitig sa maamo nitong mukha. Hindi naman masilaw ang kusina ngunit bakit parang kumikinang ang nakalulunod nitong mga mata?

Hindi na siya makakurap, pinipigilan ang sariling may makaligtaang parte ng ekspresyon nito. Pakiramdam niya'y naging kabilang siya sa mga taong naninirahan sa Fort Galron. Ganito ba ang nararamdaman nila sa tuwing nakikita si Xibel?

Indeed, he wasn't from humankind. He was the best thing she had seen. And it broke her heart to think she would forget this man.

His hair in the color of bisque swayed as he moved his head in a tilt. The back of his hand covered his lips as his cheeks started to flush in pink.

It was too late to cover them though. She had already seen his smile.

"Thank you, Jasia. I will keep them."

Ngumiti rin siya pabalik. At least she had seen him smile. At least she had seen both of what he looked like in the book.

These were all enough, and she wouldn't ask for more.

She was about to say something when her phone rang in her pocket. Kinuha niya iyon upang basahin ang mensahe. It was her secretary telling her to go to the company for an emergency meeting.

Napahinga naman siya nang malalim dahil ayaw niyang umalis. Baka pagbalik niya ay hindi na niya maabutan si Xibel.

"Is it about ballet?" tanong nito.

Tumango naman siya.

"Then you should go." Tumayo naman si Xibel. "I'll just be in the room with Isabella and Imris."

"Huwag ka munang umalis hanggang sa makabalik ako, ha?" Tumayo na rin siya. Hinintay niya itong sumagot pero isang tango lang ang tugon nito.

Naglakad na siya palabas ng kusina at ganoon din si Xibel. Pinagbuksan siya nito ng pinto at hinatid sa labas.

She went towards her car. Before she could enter, she turned to look at Xibel who was standing by the door.

"Huwag ka munang umalis, ha?" pag-uulit niya.

Xibel nodded again. "Take care, Jasia."

She stood there, staring at him for a few seconds before going inside the car. She started the engine and left Xibel's house with a heavy breath.

Jasia could tell that he lied.