The Fake Heiress

Chapter 16

Black

"Black and blood don't mix together well."

Life is full of unexpected occurences, sure. I never expected the truth about my identity, nor did I expect the accident, my faked death and everything that is unfolding right before my eyes.

Wearing just a robe and with my hair in a whole mess, I gaped at Zyan's mother in front of me. Muntik ko nang mabitawan ang hawak na isang plato ng hotdogs, bacons and eggs.

Standing in the kitchen with shock all over my face, I felt like an exotic animal under her scrutinizing eyes and I don't have any single idea what to do or say to her.

The first thing that came into my mind is to greet her good morning and then ask her why she's here or if she's looking for her son. That could have been perfect given this is just a normal day and given I hadn't just been declared dead and buried days ago. But this is nowhere near an ordinary day.

Her eyes scanned me up and down twice and a displeased expression displayed on her face. Something tells me, she knew I am here. If Zyan told her, I don't know. But my suspicion was confirmed when she spoke.

"So it is true. That the dead, fake Candelanza heiress is here playing house with my son." She sounded so calm when she said it but her face showed what she truly felt about all of this fiasco.

Kinalma ko ang sarili at marahang binaba ang kanina ko pa hawak na platong may laman ng mga niluto para sa umagahan.

Judging from the way she said it, Zyan did not tell her and she found out from someone else. And I think I have an idea who. Zyan's cousin from the party last night.

I glance back up at her and met her eyes. Hindi maikakaila ng mga mata niya ang pagkakadisgusto niya sa sitwasyong ito.

I cleared my throat, gathering all the courage I have inside me. " Tita—"

"You have no right to call me that." Pinutol niya ako ng walang pag-aalinlangan. Her voice is still calm, yet it's as cold and firm as ice.

"I don't even know who you really are." She added, with an even more displeased tone.

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat. I have never been treated this way by anyone. I was always the one to judge people, to cast them aside, to label them unworthy to be associated with me. But right now, I'm at the end of the blade getting slashed by my once selfish and entitled act. The exact same way that I did to people before.

"I'm sorry. I... " I looked down, feeling so unsure and little of myself. I sighed and looked back up at her. I don't know what to say, where to start or what she wanna know.

Her dominating eyes never left me for even a second and I felt more and more hollow inside.

"I have no single idea about this whole mess. And I don't have the slightest interest to know and listen to your crap. But what I know is that, you, are dragging my son to the pits of hell with you. You have no remorse for possibly ruining him, you have no regard for us, and for the people who once treated you as their daughter. You're hiding here and you're using my son for your own selfish purposes. You have no class. Clearly,   you might have experience the best kind of life but that wasn't able to mold your morals. You have no dignity, for even the slightest bit." She shook her head and pursed her lips firmly in dissapointment.

Every word she said felt like a thousand needles being buried in my chest, reducing me into someone so little, shameful and so unworthy. And I know exactly why it hurt this bad. Because everything she had said is true.

This time, I no longer have the courage to meet her eyes. I kept my eyes lower into the floor and watch as my own tears, every drop of it fall like a mini-waterfall. I don't want her to see me cry but I can't stop myself. The pain in my heart felt like a hand tearing it to pieces.

I didn't see her leave. The only thing I heard was the door closing. She came here so early to slap me with the reality of my situation and what a rotten person I am inside. And it had never felt so painful than this.

I never thought I would want someone's approval of me this much. I never thought I would feel the need to beg someone to let me be with her son. I never thought I would want to be validated by anyone at all. But right now, I wanted nothing but exactly that.

I couldn't take it anymore. The pain, the humiliation, the embarassment and the
insecurity. I want to leave. I should leave. Mabilis kong nakumbinsi ang sarili na talagang dapat ay umalis na ako.

I might have felt the slightest hesitation because I know I wanted to be with him  more than anything else. I am inlove with him.  But as I walked and walked, as the house I've lived with, with him slowly drifted away from my sight, I realize this is the right decision. A decision I should have made earlier than now.

Dala ang isang shoulder bag lamang na ni hindi ko na nga nacheck ang laman, at mask na nakatakip sa kalahati ng mukha ko ay tuloy-tuloy lang ang lakad ko palayo sa lugar na iyon. Palayo sa taong gustong-gusto kong makasama. Palayo sa lalaking sinisigaw ng aking puso.

I didn't notice how far I've walked but when the weight of my decision dawned on me, I realized I need money. Nagugutom na ako dahil hindi man lang ako hinayaang mag-breakfast muna ng mama ni Zyan bago niya ako pinalayas doon.

I scrambled through the shoulder bag I have with me to find some cash but I realize I have none. Gusto kong sapakin ang sarili ko sa sariling kabobohan. At sinong tangang lalayas-layas ang hindi man lang mag-iisip na siguruhing may dalang kahit kunting pera man lang?
Stupid, stupid girl! That's what I am.

Hinalukay ko pa ng hinalukay ang laman ng bag na para bang may naipit na pera doon kung saan. Isang tingin sa wallet ko ay mabagal na dinampot ko iyon. I know I don't have cash in it. Hindi ko na maalala kung kailan iyon nung huli akong magdala ng cash. I always used my cards. Binuksan ko ang wallet and like I expected, all my cards are intact there. Naroon pa rin  naman at hindi nagagalaw. I wondered if I still have money in my accounts.

Matagal kong tiningnan iyon bago muling sinara at binalik sa loob. I continued walking hanggang sa may nadaanan akong iilang fastfood chains. I have never dined in one of those before pero dala ng gutom ay tila ba kay sarap ng chicken joy at spaghetti na na naroon.

Muli kong naalala na wala akong pera. I stared and stared there for minutes til my eyes caught sight of the atm machine next to it. Wala sa sariling naglakad ako patungo roon, kinuha muli ang wallet sa bulsa at kumuha ng isang card mula roon. Kahit nagdadalawang isip, ay pinasok ko iyon sa atm machine. I pressed the buttons  to check the balance and I felt so relieve I could cry nang makitang may laman pa rin pala iyon. I quickly withdrawed some cash from it and put it inside my bag.

I went inside Jollibee and ordered some food there for take-out. Medyo mahaba pa ang linya kaya napilitan akong maghintay. Minsan ay kinakabahan tuwing may nagtatagal ang tingin sa akin, takot na baka mamaya ay may makakilala.

Sa wakas nang naka-order na ay lumabas na ako roon. I cross the road so I could hail a taxi. Naghihintay sa papalit na taxi, I stood there patiently waiting for it to stop in front of me.
Medyo mabagal ang takbo niyon.

My attention was on it when I saw a black car from the other direction speeding up towards me. Napaatras ako sa takot na baka mahagip pa niyon sa gilid ng daan ngunit hindi na ako nakagalaw sa gulat ng huminto iyon sa harap ko. Isang lalaking nakatakip ang buong mukha ang bumaba at sunod na naramdaman ko nalang ay ang pagbaon ng kung ano sa tagiliran ko at ang pagkawala rin niyon agad roon.

Napahawak ako roon, the man immediately went back inside the car and speed away. I didn't feel anything for the first few seconds but when I looked down and saw blood on my hand, and on my stomach flowing, I realized I was stabbed deeply with a knife.

Itim ang jacket na soot ko kaya hindi masyadong mahahalata iyon kung di titigan ng matagal. I looked at my hand, shaking in fear, my knees trembling, my breathing ragged. Mabilis na binalik ko iyon sa parteng nasaksak to try and stop it from bleeding so much.

Hanggang sa umikot na ang paningin ko. The last thing I saw was the taxi stopping in front of me but no one came out of it. I realize it's blocking the sight of me from across. Everything turned black and I succumbed to the darkness...