Under the City Lights (It Girl Series #1)

16

"Jolo never believed in love, not after Aiana left him. But bigla bigla nalang nag iba, after he saw you. Because you, Fiona Alyssa, look exactly like his ex-fiance, Aiana"

Nanlamig ako sa pwesto ko. Hinigpitan ko ang pag hawak sa cellphone ko. "Who are you?" diniinan ko ang pag sabi sa mga katagang iyon pero tinawanan niya lamang ako.

"Oh my, are you perhaps... mad? Hmm? Fiona Alyssa Smith?" she continued laughing kinocontrol ko nalamang ang aking sarili na hindi umiyak.

"Why would I be? Hindi nga kita kilala. Are you scared that I might sue you?" I tried acting tough but deep inside, my heart is slowly shattering in to pieces. Instead of telling me her name, she chuckled like a devil.

"Oh I'm not your enemy here, Fiona. Kakampi mo nga ako. I am just saving you from your 'boyfriend'" she scoffed. "Bakit ka ba nagpapaka tanga. Alama kong ilang beses mo na din nahahalata. They kept mentioning Aiana's name whenever they see you"

Natigilan ako. Alam ko. Ilang beses ko na narinig iyon. Nagbingi bingihan lang ako. Ang mga mata nila na tilang gulat na gulat habang naka tingin sa akin. Like I am some kind of walking corpse. Pero nag bulag bulagan ako.

"Meet me tomorrow. Starbucks. 4pm. I will explain everything to you" she ended the call.. Nanginginig ang buong katawan ko. Should I tell Jolo about this?

Agad ko tinago ang phone ko nang makita ko siyang palapit sa akin. He smiled at me "You good to go?" I nodded.

Naging mabilis ang biyahe dahil my mind was elsewhere. Nakatingin lamang ako sa bintana buong biyahe. Nang makarating kami sa bahay ng mga magulang niya agad kami sinalubong ng kanyang ina.

Tita Rose hugged me. She told us to wait while she was preparing our dinner. I saw how their maids look at me. Those eyes. Kahit hindi na sila magsalita parang alam ko na. I was checking their family photo when someone went near me.

"M-maam Aiana? Ikaw ba talaga yan? Buhay ka maam?" I gritted my teeth. That name again. Alam ko my eyes are full of hatred right now, but I still managed to smile.

"Hindi po ako si Aiana. Fiona po ang pangalan ko manang" she looked shocked "N-naku! Pag pasensyahan ninyo po ako maam. Hindi ko po sinasadya" mukhang iiyak na siya any moment from now kaya inalo ko kaagad siya.

"Ayos lang ho iyon manang. Pero manang, pwede ko ho ba malamang kung sino po si Aiana?" I asked calmly. Mukhang natauhan si manang kaya bigla siya napa ayos ng tayo

"W-wala ho iyon maam. Ano. Mag lilinis na po muna ako" agad agad na umalis si manang at dumeretso sa kusina. I sighed. Looks like wala ako makukuhanan ng impormasyon dito.

Kilala din ng mga kasambahay nila si Aiana. Who is she? Kapatid ba ni Jolo? Pero sabi nung tumawag sa akin, ex fiance daw. Naguguluhan na ako. I got back to my senses when Jolo called me para kumain na daw.

As soon as I smelled the food, I felt like vomiting. "I cooked this myself, babe. Kare kare. You should taste this. Masarap yan" he looked excited. As much as gusto ko itong tikan nasusuka ako sa amoy niya.

"C-can I eat the fish fillet instead?" I whispered. He looked at me with confusion. "Ayaw mo man lang ba tikman?" narinig ata ng mommy niya ang pinag uusapan namin kasi napatigil ito sa pag kain. I mentaly sighed and asked him to put some kare kare on my plate.

Malaki ang ngiti niya habang nilalagyan ng kare kare ang plato ko. Sinubo ko ito pero ayaw talaga pumasok sa lalamunan ko kaya I excused myself at agad ako nag punta nang banyo.

I keep on vomiting inside the bathroom. Hindi ko alam kung bakit. Baka siguro busog lang ako kasi madami naman ang nakain ko sa mcdo kanina. Also maybe because I am stressed as well?

I was about to open the door when I heard his mother speaking. "Qué estás pensando, Jolo?"

"I wanted her to try my cooking mama. Yun lang naman" he defended. I was getting curios kaya sumilip ako sa pinto his mother looked mad "Bakit mo pinilit?" hindi siya nakasagot. Nakita ko kung paano niya niyuko ang ulo niya na parang he is admiting his fault.

"Jolo, anak. Please. Give up. Aiana is gone hijo. Wag mo naman gawin kay Fiona ito anak. You are making her Aiana. You know she is not Aiana. I know how much you loved Aiana hijo. Pero please. Ako na mismo ang nagmamakaawa sayo. Wag mo na idamay si Fiona"

My heart broke when I saw him crying

"I missed her so much mama" he hugged his mother. Napatakip ako ng bibig ko "Bakit pa siya namatay? Sana.. sana sinama niya nalang ako mama"

I broke down the floor, crying

My heart shattered into millions of pieces upon seeing how the man I love so much, is crying for someone. Someone he loves dearly, but sadly, that person is not me.

And that person will never be me.

All this time.

I was just a substitute

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