Mended Broken Souls (✔️)

Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Tw: Sexual Harassment

"A-Anak..." naluluha at gulat na sambit ni papa.

Anger prevailed the nervousness and melancholy inside me. My eyes were filled with anger when I looked at them. Ganoon pa rin ang reaksiyon nila. Mabigat ang bawat paghinga ko dahil sa rebelasyong nalaman.

"Totoo ba?" malamig at matigas kong tanong.

Nakita ko ang dahan-dahang paglunok ni papa. Nanginginig ang labi nito na parang 'di makasagot. They didn't answer me.

My mother just lowered her gaze like she was ashamed because I already know the reason why she treated me like I'm not her own. Nag-iwas ng tingin si papa, dahilan para mas lalo akong nagalit.

So, silence means yes.

"Totoo ba?!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

They looked menaced after I exploded like a volcano.

"H-Hinaan mo nga ang boses mo, Ashia! W-Wala ka talagang respeto!" Ang inakala kong ina buong buhay ko ay sinuway ako.

It was evident that she was trying to make her voice authoritative, where in fact, she was shivering.

My entire system was still also shivering, the reason why I clenched my fists into tight balls.

"Why would I lower my voice? Ayaw mo bang malaman ng mga kapitbahay natin na hindi n'yo 'ko anak?" Mas lalo kong tinaasan ang boses ko kaya ngayon ay nakitaan ko na ng galit ang mga mata niya.

Lumapit ito sa 'kin at akmang sasampalin niya ako, pero nasalo ko agad ang kamay niya bago pa ito makadapo sa pisngi ko. For the first time in my entire life, I had the courage to stop her from sticking pain in me.

"You have said before that slapping me is your definition of disciplining me, but it's not. It's clearly because of anger."

"Walang hiya ka't wala ka ring utang na loob! Inampon ka na nga! Pinakain, binhisan, inalagaan, pinaaral, tapos ganito ka kung sumagot ngayon?! Ito ba ang ganti mo sa amin?!"

"Lucie!" pigil ni papa.

I released my hold from her hand, and looked at the both of them with eyes that have a transparent fire that can almost scorch their skins.

"I didn't ask to be adopted in the first place! Ma'am, if you're really furious at me since the very beginning, you could have killed me! What took you so long?!"

I fixed my eyes on my illegitimate father. "Pa, kung ganito pala ang ugali ng asawa mo, sana pinabayaan mo na lang ako kung saan mo ako napulot! I didn't ask to be a part of this family! I didn't ask you to support my studies! I didn't ask anything! Bakit sinusumbat ng asawa mo ang lahat ng bagay na hindi ko hiningi? And you know, since I introspected that I am living in this hell because of your wife, I have wished that I could just disappear... If you just didn't shelter me in this house, I could have just die, and perhaps, I will be thankful..." My voice shattered into pieces as my tears begun to cascade.

Natahimik at natigilan siang dalawa na parang walang kahit anong masabi.

It was my cue to continue bursting out everything, "Imagine, Pa, what marriage life you could had experienced without me. 'Laging ako ang puno't dulo ng mga pag-aaway ninyo. You wasted your almost gleeful marriage life with your real child or could have been children all because of me! You wasted everything! And I know, there's a part in you that blames yourself for adopting me! Sana h-hindi n'yo na lang ako hinayaang mabuhay... Kung alam ko lang noong una pa lang, siguro lumayas na ako rito para hanapin kung nasaan ba ang mga walang kwenta kong magulang na hinayaan lang ako... at kung hindi ko man makita, it will just be fine for me to die from hunger and sadness."