Kabanata 45
HALOS hindi magawang huminga nang maayos ni Lucy matapos makaharap ang lalakeng nagpakilalang tatay niya. For years, she suffered in the hands of monsters, thinking she had nobody left she could call family. Then out of the blue, right when things were already crazy as fuck, her real father would show up just to convince her to leave the ranch.
Humugot siya ng malalim na hininga saka niya iniwas ang kanyang tingin. "I'm... I'm sorry but this is just too overwhelming. Kamamatay lang ni Alec at Tatang Abner. I don't think I can deal with this right now."
She stood up from the single-seater couch and was about to leave when the man named Alfred stopped her. Mabilis itong naglakad patungo sa kanyang tabi at hinawakan ang kanyang braso ngunit hindi niya ito nilingon. Nanatili sa kulay abong carpet ang kanyang tingin habang nangangatog ang kanyang mga tuhod. This was too much for her to take already...
"Andrea, kailangan mong mak
Kabanata 46NAYAKAP ni Lucy ang kanyang sarili nang umihip ang malakas na hangin. Madaling araw na ngunit nagising na naman siya ng masamang panaginip. It's already been a couple months since she lost Alec but the pain still lingered in her heart like it was meant to live there forever.She wiped her tears and placed her hand on her tummy. Gumuhit ang malungkot na ngiti sa mga labi ni Lucy habang nakatanaw sa munting buwan ang kanyang luhaang mga mata. "Miss na miss na kita..." Pumiyok ang kanyang tinig at kumawala ang kanyang mga hikbi. "I still can't believe that I'm gonna raise our baby without you."Humugot siya ng malalim na hininga at humawak sa handrail. Kailangan niyang maging matatag para sa anak. She cannot be depressed or she would lose the baby. Iyon ang bilin ng doktor na sumuri sa kanya noong isang araw. Nawala na sa kanya si Alec. Hindi na niya kakayanin pa kapag pati ang bunga ng kanilang pagmamahalan ay mawawala rin."Tumawag nga pa
Kabanata 47GUSTONG manghina ni Lucy nang makaalis si Vince. Halos ilang menuto lamang, nakatanggap siya ng tawag mula kay Saharah, sinasabing kinansela ng lahat ng kliyente ang deals dahil sa presidente. She knew this would happen but it still pained her. Now she's starting to worry whether she would still be able to keep her words or she'd end up in the streets with her baby someday."Don't worry, Lucy." She heard Saharah let out a sigh. "May isa pang paraan."She wiped her tears and straightened her back. "A--Ano?""We can stage Lucy Sta. Maria's death. We just need to find someone who has motives to do it. Someone besides the De Veras of course."She blinked and thought about her abuser. Kumuyom ang kanyang kamao nang maisip si Joel. If they can frame him up, they will be hitting two birds with one stone. Ngunit para magawa iyon, kailangan nila ng isang detalyadong plano.Nakarinig ng katok si Lucy sa pinto. Sandali niyang
Kabanata 48MATAMIS ang ngiting isinalubong ni Andrea kay Seige nang matapos ang exhibit. It was her debut in the Philippines as an artist after spending three years in Italy. Kung hindi lamang dahil kay Seige na naging doktor niya noong nagpa-plastic surgery siya at sa tiyuhin ni Saharah na si Sancho Lankova, mahihirapan siyang magbagong buhay bilang si Andrea Solana.Seige smiled ear to ear as he walked towards her with a bouquet of fresh sunflowers. Naka-apat na pulagadang takong na siya ngunit halos hindi man lamang siya umabot sa balikat ng binata. Palibhasa ay isang European na may dugong Koryano si Seige kaya natural na matangkad sa taas na six two. Minsan itong nadestino sa Pilipinas para sa church missions pero sa angking kagwapuhan ay madalas mapagkamalang modelo o artista.Dalawang taon ang nilagi nito sa bansa kaya kahit baluktot minsan ay walang hirap itong nakikipag-usap sa wikang Filipino. After serving his mission, Seige left his ch
Kabanata 49HALOS tumalon si Andrea palabas ng sasakyan nang tuluyan silang huminto sa harap ng mansyon. It's been three years. God, it's been three years but the feeling of setting her foot again in the same place where she first felt what true love is still lingered in her heart.Namula ang kanyang mga mata dala ng labis na saya dahil sa wakas ay nabawi niya na rin ang mansyon sa tulong nina Armani at Khalid Ducani. Si Khalid ang bumili ng lupain noon, ngunit kalahati lamang ang ibinenta ni Hailey at inalok sa hindi pa nila na-trace na tao ang kalahati. The information about the owner of the other half of the ranch was too confidential that up until now, wala pa rin silang clue kung kanino na ito nakapangalan."Friend!" Mangiyak-ngiyak na tawag ni Caren sa kanya habang patakbo patungo sa kanilang direksyon, ngunit nang makita nitong bumaba ng sasakyan si Seige bitbit ang anak niyang si Alea, hindi alam ni Andrea kung mapapailing ba o sisita
Kabanata 50PATULOY sa panonood si Alec sa babaeng nakikipaglaro sa baboy na may suot na tutu skirt. Ni hindi niya magawang alisin ang tingin dito kahit pa alam niyang hindi naman tama ang ginagawa niya. He couldn't help it. There's something about her that made him want to get on his feet and introduce himself. She has this powerful effect on him that he felt like his heart and soul knew her very well.But his mind doesn't...Napabuntong hininga siya. Ang bilin sa kanya ay huwag na huwag magpapakita kahit kanino habang naroroon ngunit iba talaga ang hatak sa kanya ng babae kaya naman nang makita niyang papalapit na ito sa maliit na bakod na naghihiwalay sa dalawang lupain, nilunok na niya nang tuluyan ang kanyang pag-aalinlangan.Alec got up and went towards the wooden fence. Lumusot siya sa may siwang at lumapit sa babae na sakto namang umikot. He accidentally caught her by her waist, and the moment he felt her body pressed against h
Kabanata 51HINDI alam ni Alec kung bakit mabilis niyang pinaniwalaan ang sinabi ni Andrea. There's a part of him that's telling him that it's true. That she's President Vince's side chick. Iyon ba ang iniiyakan noon ng Mama Hailey niya?Napakuyom ang mga kamao ni Alec at ang mga mata niya ay tumalim ang tingin kay Andrea. "Is that why your daughter's eyes looked like President Vince's? Is she a De Vera?"Napansin niya ang pagkunot ng noo nito. Sandali itong umiwas ng tingin na tila nag-isip, ngunit mayamaya ay muling bumaling sa kanya ng nakataasang kilay. "Alea is a De Vera. She got most of her features from her Dad." Ngumisi ito. "If you want to have my painting, madali lang. Let's see if you can seduce me. Hindi ba ay ayaw mo rin namang nasasaktan ang nanay-nanayan mo?"Gumalaw ang kanyang panga. "Alam mong imoral ang ginagawa mo. You are a fine woman. I don't see any reason for you to stick around a married man."Dumaan ang pait
Kabanata 52IT WAS LIKE A DREAM. Hindi alam ni Andrea kung nasa loob ba siya ng isang panaginip o tuluyan nang tumama ang epekto ng alak sa kanyang sistema para makita niya si Alec sa kanyang harapan, dahan-dahang inaalis ang bawat butones ng kanyang button-down dress habang nakaigting ang panga.She could see his eyes in fire right now, as if he's getting burned by the lust and passion they are sharing. Ni hindi pa rin maproseso ng kanyang isip kung papaano sila nakarating sa orihinal nitong silid. He was the one leading her earlier up the stairs as if he knew the house like the back of his palm. Nang tanungin niya kung paano nitong nalaman ang dapat puntahan, ang tanging tugon nito ay "instincts" lamang ang dahilan.She didn't ask anymore. O baka mas mabuting sabihing nawalan na siya ng pagkakataong magtanong dahil pagkasara pa lamang ng pinto ay lumapat na ang kanyang likod sa pader. He held her by her wrists on top of her head as he kissed her
Kabanata 53NAKAINOM na siya at lahat, hindi pa rin dinadalaw ng antok si Alec. Kanina pa siya nakahiga sa kama, ngunit ang mga mata niya, nakatitig lamang sa puting kisame ng silid. Paano ba naman kasi ay sa tuwing pipikit ang kanyang mga mata, ang mukha ni Andrea palagi ang nakikita niya.He could still feel her soft skin, smell her sweet scent, hear her sensual moans. Lintik naman. Was he this horny that he wanted to get up and tresspass in his neighbor's house just to have her again?Napahilamos siya ng kanyang palad sa kanyang mukha. Who could blame him? Andrea is very attractive woman. Hindi lamang sa taglay nitong ganda. There was something else about that woman that made him want to stay in her room earlier and never leave her side anymore. She has this power over him, and if one day she would realize it, Alec knew he'd willingly go on his knees and worship her."Tangina naman, oo."He couldn't believe himsel