Anatomy of an Heiress

Chapter 06

Kalalabas ko lang ng klase nang maka-receive ako ng text mula kay Tita Maan. She is my mother's only sister. 

Aside from Ms. Viviene, Tita Maan is very close to me too. Although before, hindi sila nagkakaintindihan ni Mama. They would talk from time to time but there will always be a distance between them and until now, I never knew why. 

She told me to go home early because she'll be visiting. I also wanted to catch up with her too. I rode a cab on the way home and when I arrived, she was talking to our maid. When I caught her attention, she stopped talking to the maid and opened her arms to hug me. 

I walked towards her direction and enveloped her into a hug. It was tight, like it was so heavy for her to see me. I still kept my smile and faced her. "Kamusta, Tita? Napadaan ka," I smiled and held unto my tote bag. 

"Kailangan kita makausap. Kung maaari sana ay hindi rito. Uuwi na rin ba si Papa mo?" She answered and I felt my breathing got heavier. I gulped and still answered her with a smile. I looked at my watch to check the time of my father's usual arrival time at the house. 

"Maaga pa naman po, hindi pa po iyon uuwi. Pero there is a café nearby, Tita. If you really want to talk privately." 

"Maigi pa at doon na tayo mag-usap," she said and looked at me. She looked tense but she still kept her herself together. We drove to the café using her car. When we got inside, we ordered coffee and sat down. Our table is far from the glass windows, she really made sure that no one we knew would see us together. 

"How are you, hija?" She asked me, looking into my eyes, like she was reading every emotion flashing through it. "I-I'm okay. I'm getting through college." I smiled and looked down. Looking back at her eyes made me feel like I was looking at my mom's. They looked almost the same. 

"You can always tell me everything, okay?" She mentioned after a while and held my hands on top of the table. I tried to smile, I know there is something going on. 

"You are of legal age, right?" She asked me again. I nodded and diverted my attention at the envelope that she presented in front of me. I looked at her with asking eyes and she answered me, telling me to open it. 

I sighed heavily and opened it. When I got the paper out, I saw a legal document. 

I read it very slowly, I saw my name and my mother's. Even the company's name. I looked at Tita Maan, trying to put all the words I just read together. It was all so hard to process. I felt numb. 

I sighed heavily and had the courage to ask Tita everything about what I just read. "Hindi ko po maintindihan? Is this really requested by my mother?" 

"Yes, all the shares that your mother had is yours. She entitled the inheritance to you." Nakaawang ang labi ko habang sinasabi sa akin ni Tita ang mga salitang matagal ko nang hinihiling marinig. 

I fought the urge to cry.

"What does this all mean? After I study, will I be able to manage the company?" I asked again. "No, according to the document, you need to finish a master's degree for healthcare administration first. By that time, you can lead the company." She explained. 

I was still processing everything she said when she spoke again, "your mother is still taking care of you kahit wala na s'ya sa tabi natin." She smiled and held my hands again. I looked up, still fighting the urge to cry. 

"Why would Papa manage the business? When it could be you all a long?" I asked once more. "Your mother and I didn't have the best relationship before and I know you know that. You were still a minor then and the closest person that your mother trusted in the company is your father and that's what the board decided." She explained.