69The whole area was almost filled with sobs from my crying. I don't know where to put the joy I feel right now. He proposed! He wants me to become his Mrs. Villaranza! Damn! I never imagined myself to be happy like this! The joy overflowed in my heart, and the only thing I could do was cry because of the overwhelming joy I felt.Maddix and I were surprised when the door opened. Tita's lips twitched when she looked at me. I quickly wiped the tears from my eyes because maybe she thought Maddix was making me cry; he is, pero baka isipin niya na umiiyak ako kasi sinasaktan ako ni Maddix or what, but before we could speak and explain to her, Tita immediately approached Maddix at pinaghahampas sa katawan."Hindi kita pinalaking namimilit ng babae!" Galit na ani ni Tita kay Maddix."Mom, ouch! I'm not!" "And why are you even here? I told you to stay on your room! Pasaway ka! Ang sabi ko ay hindi kayo magtatabi, pero nandito ka at nakalusot! Parehas talaga kayo ng ama mo!" Nataranda ako
"Para akong nananaginip sa subrang saya ko ngayon. Hindi ko akalain na magagawa ko itong sabihin, pero kung panaginip nga 'to, ayoko na munang gumising," sambit ko sa kanya. Kinagat nito ang labi at sinulyapan ako gamit ang mapungay na tingin."You don't know how much I'm happier right now, Aliyah. Sa subrang saya ko ay gusto ko nang ideretso ang kotse sa ibang lugar at magpakasal na agad-agad."Napatitig pa rin ako sa kanya at muling namuo ng luha ang mata ko. He saw that kaya napasinghab siya."Baby," malumanay niyang tawag sa'kin."Maddix," pabalik na tawag ko sa kanya at hinayaan na ang luha sa mata ko. Namungay ang mata niyang sumulyap sa'kin."Thank you for everything. Thank you fo trusting me again and thank you for loving me."Muli kong narinig ang singhab niya. Tinagilid niya ang kotse at tinigil iyon saka ako hinarap. Inabot niya ang pisngi ko at pinunasan iyon."You don't need to say thank you, baby. I trust you and love you because that's what my heart wants. Don't say th
71"Don't worry about me," I said that to Maddix.He needs to go abroad for some business meeting. Akala ko nga ay nakasakay na ito, pero nagawa pa niya akong tawagan."Why don't you want to come to me? I told you that I could talk to Mrs. Fajardo.""I have work, Maddix Villaranza. Nakakahiya rin kay Mrs. Fajardo. Saka hindi ako papayagan ni Mama, iisipin non na itatanan mo ako at hindi na ibabalik sa kanya," natatawa kung sambit.Narinig ko ang singhab niya. From the other line, I heard the announcement of his flight, so I couldn't help but sigh."2 days lang naman, Maddix. Don't acting like it's 2 years," natatawa ako nanamang sambit sa kanya at tuluyang sumandal na sa swivel chair ko. May kumatok at sumangaw agad ang ulo ni Ricy. Sinenyasan ko siya pumasok, pero ang cellphone ko ay nananatili sa tenga ko dahil hindi pa niya binababa iyon. "Sige na. Ina-announce na ang flight mo. Just call me via video call pagkarating mo," I said.Narinig ko ang malalim na buntong hininga niya at
72I couldn't sleep because of the fear I felt that night. Takot na takot ako na biglang bumalik ulit si Tito Alfredo. I want to call Maddix, but I'm afraid of Tito Alfredo's threat. The way he looked at me last night was so scary, as if if I didn't really follow what he wanted me to do, he would do something I wouldn't like.Ang sabi nito ay si mama ang pupuntahan niya kapag hindi ko siya sinunod. Napapikit ako at agad na tinwagan si Mama noong gabing iyon. I was so scared, and I can't even think straight.Kailangan niya ng pera, iyon lang naman siguro hindi ba? Nawala lahat sa kanya noong nakulong siya kaya paniguradong naghihirap siya ngayon at isa sa kailangan niya para magsimula ulit ay ang pera, pero nasaan ang anak niya? Asan si Kael? Napapikit ako at medyo hinawakan ang ulo dahil masakit pa ang ulo sa pagsabunot niya sa'kin. Pera lang ang gusto niya ngayon. Siguro naman hindi na niya ako guguluhin pagkatapos ko siyang bigyan ng pera. Isang milyon.Inasekaso ko agad kinabukasa
73I don't know how long I slept, but I woke up when I smelled some smoke. I closed my eyes and sat down. I tried to stand up, but I couldn't because I realized that my feet were tied, as were my hands. Nasa likod ko ang dalawang kamay ko at parehong nakatali iyon. I bit my lower lip and started crying because I already didn't know what to do."Tito!" Hinanap ko sa paligid si Tito kahit na alam kpng paniguradong wala na siya.How can he do this? Ang sama-sama niya. He is really planning to burn me alive! At ang tanga mo, Aliyah! No! Aliyah, do something! Don't fucking just cry! I don't want to die like this. "Maddix," umiiyak na sambit ko habang sinasambit ang pangalan niya na alam kong malabong mapuntahan niya ako at iligtas. He is out of the country! It's just me! I needed to get out of here!I tried to remove the rope from my wrist while my tears continued to fall. but the tie is too tight. I also continued to cough as the fire and smoke grew bigger.I tried several times to remo
74"Your baby is safe, Aliyah. Now, rest," Tito said that rason kaya nakahinga ako ng malalim. Napahawak ako sa dibdib ko at parang may tinik na nabunot sa lalamunan ko, pero uung luha ko ay ayaw pa rin tumigil."Safe na siya, pero mahina ang kapit niya. If you really don't want to lose a child again, huwag kang pasaway, Liyah. Rest and don't think anything other than the baby in your tummy," said Tito Peter gently but firmly.Napapikit ako dahil alam kong tama siya. Napahawak ako sa tiyan ko. Muntik ko nanamang napahamak ang anak ko."Rest, please," bulong ni mama sa'kin ng punong-puno ng pag-aalala.After that, they leave me alone, pero sinabi ni Tito na maraming tauhan si Maddix sa labas na nakabantay sa'kin dahil hindi pa nahahanap si Tito Alfredo.Hindi ko maisawasang isipin ang nangyare. Si Maddix. Pinag-alala ko nanaman. Yung namamaga sa kamay niya, dahil ba iyon sa pagpasok niya sa bahay para iligtas ako? Naramdaman ko ang hapdi ng balat ko at alam ko na may paso ako, pero ala
75I know that it's good for me to cry, but I couldn't stop it when I was already alone at home. Days have passed; Maddix comes here, but we don't talk. He never tried to talk to me, kahit na nasa harap naman na niya ako. Mama is the one he often asks about me; even though he could ask me, he doesn't do that.He even brought me some fruits, but he is really so distant and cold.Now he is here. Gabi na at ayaw kong matulog kasi baka kapag umakyat ako ay aalis nanaman siya. I want to be with him kahit na hindi kami mag-usap. I just want to see him here and smell his scent. I miss him.Napahikab ako at napansin niya iyon."Matulog ka na," sambit nito, pero mabilis akong umiling ng pa-ulit-ulit sa kanya.Maybe because I'm pregnant. I always get sleepy. Palagi akong pagod kahit na wala naman ako halos ginagawa. I yawned again and immediately closed my mouth when I saw his gaze on me. I smiled at him, pero napasimangot ako nang seryoso pa rin ang titig niya sa'kin. We are watching TV, and h
76 The employees greeted him when they saw him, pero ni isa sa kanila ay hindi niya pinansin, ni hindi niya tinapunan ng tingin. He is just serious while walking. He also walks ahead of me, while I just stare at his back. I've calmed down and stopped crying, but I feel like I'm going to cry again. I felt that his anger toward me caused him to fall out of love. I can't blame him if that's what happened. I feel that he already thinks that I don't deserve to be loved by him. Years ago, he protected my future, and now I almost lost our child again because I was so careless. Nang makarating kami sa labas ay pumarada ang kotse niya sa harap niya. Malungkot akong napatitig doon. May lumabas na nakaputimg lalake at binigay kay Maddix ang susi. Maddix opened the door for me, pero hindi ako lumapit roon. Napatitig ako roon bago siya tignan. I tried to smile habang umiiling. "K-Kung may gagawin ka pa, pababalikin ko na lang si Bella," sambit ko, pero nang mas luwagan niya ang pinto ay napapi