Untying the Rope (Mujer Fuerte Series #1)

Chapter 14 : PEACE

I have nowhere else to go.

Hindi ko alam kung anong uunahin ko. Ang magluksa sa nawala kong ina, ang mag-isip kung saan ako pupunta, o ang hanapin muli ang sarili ko.

Dahil sa pagkakataon na ito... alam kong nawala na ako nang tuluyan.

I took a deep breath and let all the things I'm going through sink into my mind.

I lost my mother. She's dead after I got my freedom from that hell. I wonder if I didn't leave... would she still be alive?

Is my freedom still worth it if I lost the only important person in my life?

If only I knew, that it would cost my mother's precious life in exchange of my most wanted freedom... I would've probably just rot in that hell.

"Mommy.... Why did you leave me? Why did you ask me to fight for myself when you didn't do it for your own life?" Para akong tangang kinakausap ang sarili ko.

Nakasubsob ang ulo ko sa manibela. Hindi ko alam kung nasaang lugar na ako. Basta ang alam ko lang... malayo na ako sa impyernong pinang-galingan ko.

It's almost two in the morning. I haven't got a chance to sleep.

Labanan mo ang antok, pagod, at kalungkutan, Nina.

Kailangan mong lumaban. Kailangan mong tibayan ang loob mo. Kailangan mong maging mas matapang.

Dahil hindi na lang ang dignidad at puri mo ang dapat mong ipaglaban ngayon. Kasali na rin ang hustisya para sa pagkamatay ng Mommy mo.

I drove as far away from that hell as possible. Sumisilip na ang liwanag na dala ng araw at nasa daan pa rin ako.

I drove up North because I wanted to hide behind the mountains. Wherein there are only few people. Wherein there are only slight chances of me being around other people.

I can't risk my freedom knowing that my father is really eager to keep me locked in that tormenting hell.

My beloved mother died so that I could live freely. I should be cautious.

I only stopped driving when I knew that I am already safe.

Maliit na bayan, kaunting mamamayan, tahimik at malayo sa sibilisasyon.

No one would knew I came from a very wealthy family.

Doon sa bayan ng San Isidro, roon ako nagsimula ng panibago at tahimik na buhay.

Nakabili ako ng maliit na bahay para sa aking sarili. My mother let me leave that hell with my pockets fully loaded.

She made sure that I'll get to live a comfortable life after escaping from our beautiful, yet, ugly mansion.

Ibinenta ko ang sasakyan ni Mommy pero bago iyon, pinalitan ko muna ng plate number. Baka maging dahilan pa iyon ng pagkakatunton sa akin ni Daddy. I sold it in a very cheap price.

I really just want to get rid of that car because it is too flashy in this small place. Magiging sanhi pa ng ingay iyon para sa akin.

Ang bahay na nabili ko ay tamang tama lang para sa akin. May isang maliit na kwarto, may maliit na living room, may cr, may kusina. Wala akong kapitbahay maliban sa dalawang matandang mag-asawa na nakatira sa kabilang bakod.

Because of the trauma my father caused me, I always kept myself locked inside my small but peaceful house.

Ang nag-iisang pintuan ko ay may walong iba't ibang lock. Ang mga bintana ko ay may mga bakal din kung saan pati pusa, malabong makapasok.

I always make sure that whenever I'll buy groceries, those supplies will last me until the end of the month. Ayaw kong lumabas nang lumabas ng bahay ko.

Less exposure, less chances I'll get find.

Itinago ko rin ang aking pangalan. Hindi naman din araw-araw ay kailangan kong ipagbigay alam ang pangalan ko, pero may mga pagkakataon talaga na kailangan iyon ng mga tao.

After a year living alone and peacefully, with only twelve times of getting exposed from the beauty of the sunlight, I decided to find myself a job.

At seventeen, I worked in a small canteen near my house. I used my second name, Kendra, and my mother's maiden surname, during my application. Since then, people started calling me Kendra.

I am not Nina Arce anymore. And I am beyond grateful for it.

I am now living as Kendra Perez.

I got used to living alone and lowkey. I am aloof to my co-workers which made them a bit annoyed with me and that's okay. I have no plans in gaining friends anyway. I just want to earn money because I am planning to enroll myself again to school.

My mother wanted me to finish my studies and even though she left me with a huge number of money, I can't just rely my needs on that. That money won't last me forever. And I got a promise to fulfill.

I got a promise to fulfill for my mother, and for myself.

A promise to seek the rightful justice that my mother and I deserved.