{CHAPTER TWENTY - SIX: SISTERS IN VAIN}

Ivy's POV

So this is the feeling of dying. You felt so hopeless na tila bang hindi mo na maabutan ang kasunod na umaga. Na tila hindi mo na matutuloy yung mala-fairytale mong buhay. Yung mamamatay ka na kaagad bago mo pa makilala yung prince charming mo.

Bakit ngayon ko nararamdaman ang sakit? Or more like, bakit nararamdaman ko na naman yung sakit? Na parang walang tao na handang tumulong sayo sa oras ng kagipitan.

Am I that bad? Sobrang sama ko ba para mangyari sakin lahat ng toh? Did I even deserve this?!

Siguro oo. Siguro nilamon ako ng galit kaya may nasasaktan na akong tao kahit hindi ko alam. This is so bullshit. Nakakatangina. A whole lot of shits and fucks!

This is a game over for me.

Shit.

"Wake up."

I heard that voice again. The voice of the one who saved me from the falling mall. Who saved me from death.

Alexander.

"Wake up."

But how can I wake up? I didn't even know kung patay na ba talaga ako! I can only see darkness. Nothingness. And that damn voice is telling me to wake up. I can't feel my arms, my feet...my whole body. It feels like I was numb. I can't even feel a single pain.

What happened to me?

Ano bang nangyari? I cant remember a thing. Hindi ko rin alam kung nasaan na ba ako. Siguro nga patay na. Baka nasa ilalim na ako ng lupa and after few weeks, kinakain na ako ng uod. Ang saya noh? This is how my fairytale works.

A fairytale that turned to a nightmare.

I felt hands on my waist as it touched my wound. May nararamdaman akong kamay na tila may nilalagay na tela sa sugat ko so it wont bleed anymore.

Wait, my waist? Wound? How come---

"Shh...just dont move. It will be alright."

I tried moving my fingers. Gosh!! I can already feel my body! I opened my eyes and I found my sister in front of me, giving first aid to my wound. I can now feel the pain as I tried my best to stop myself from shouting. Ghil removed the bullet from me as she cleaned my wound. She even gave it a first aid.

"I'm sorry..." she started.

"I should have been a good sister to you. Sorry for destroying your life. I just want to show you something in that night. I told you to hide pero swear to God, binalikan kita. I went back to your place pero hindi na kita nakita. Our parents were about to kill me. Muntik na nila akong patayin knowing that I put your life into danger. Nasira na ang buhay ng Salvador after my mistake. I'm sorry..."

"Our mother lost her mind. Hiniwalayan sya ni Papa if you just knew. Nawalan na ng kinabukasan ang pamilya natin because of me. I tried to find you. I tried...but I didn't succeed. I was in the edge of killing myself. Nawawalan na ako ng pag-asa but here comes Jade, my highschool friend way back then at inencourage nya ako na ayusin ang kumpanya natin. Na ayusin ang pamilya natin kaya after graduating, ako na ang nagmanage ng kumpanya. Ako ang nagpakahirap, ako ang kumayod...pero ikaw parin ang bukangbibig ni Mama!"

She is crying while healing my wound. Why is she saying this to me? Para kaawaan ko sya, para mapatawad ko sya? Bakit...sya lang ba ang naghirap?! Nangulila ako sa tunay kong mga magulang ng halos labin-dalawang taon and dont expect na madaling mapatawad ang mga taong bumaliwala sakin!

"But you leave me...you damn leave me!" 

I was crying. Yes, umiiyak ako. Bakit? Hindi ko rin alam. I was once Gianna, but I turned myself from Ivy dahil sobra na akong nasasaktan, but...nasasaktan parin ako ngayon!

"I'm sorry. I should have killed myself noon pa lang. Alam kong galit ka, at walang kapatawaran lahat ng kasalanan ko sayo but still, before I die tonight...I want to say sorry."

I can't help but to cry. Dapat masaya ako di'ba? Mamamatay na sya---I mean, kami mamaya. Mawawala na ang existence ni Ghil sa mundo pero bakit parang may masakit parin? Bakit parang may parte parin sa puso ko na gusto ko syang patawarin?

After all, she's my sister.

Kadugo ko. Kapatid ko. Ate ko.

Napayuko na lang ako. I was so speechless. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang susunod na sasabihin. It felt like I was lost my words. Parang hindi isang Ivy ang nasa harapan ni Ghil ngayon. Parang Gianna ulit na takot na takot na maiwan mag-isa.

I was so hopeless.

"It feels like nagkakaayos na kayong magkapatid huh?"

The door opened before us at natigil kami sa pag-iyak at napalitan ng takot. Ng kaba. Iniluwa ng pinto ang tatlong lalaking naka-tuxedo pero yung isa ay may maskara.

"W-who are you?! Let us go!"

Ghil was strong enough to dodge at the man with a mask pero mabilis syang naharangan nung kasama nitong bodyguard. I just can't help but to watch Ghil kung paano sya magpapalag at sampalin noong nakamaskara.

"No! Itigil nyo na yan!" 

All I can do is to shout. Masyadong maraming dugo ang nawala sakin kanina and the wound is still fresh. I cant just possibly attack them or else katapusan ko na talaga.

Ibinalibag nung dalawang bodyguard si Ghil sa di-kalayuan.

I'm betting that this man with a mask is Din and David's boss. If I could just kick that damn mask of his face!

"Why dont just free us alive? Ano bang kasalanan namin sayo, you fucking whore?!"

The man gave out a mocking laugh. 

"Why are you so serious? I just want to play with you! At gusto kong pagbayaran nyo lahat ng ginawa nyo saking panloloko!" Then lumapit sya kay Ghil at hinawakan sa leeg. "Especially you."

"Let me...g-go!" 

It was Ghil talking. All I can say is to let her go! Tangina, mapapatay nya talaga ang kapatid ko with hus bare hands when an idea popped up in my mind.

"Wait! You're voice seems so familiar with me."

"Familiar huh, Gianna? Of course because I'm..."

The man slowly took off his mask and I was just so shock. The man standing in front of me, the man behind this kidnapping, the man behind the explosion and the death threats...is no other than,

"Dad?!"

...my father.