Chapter 45: After
LARA's POV
"What were you thinking young lady? Your older brother could have killed you too!" said my dad furiously.
"I know he won't." walang modo kong sagot.
"Eunice, dad is right. Paano kung..."
"Stop Ian! I mean Kuya Ian. Can you just congratulate me for a job well done? I just did that so I can save my friend's life and I don't want to have an assassin half brother! Can't you get it?"
"I'm sorry Eunice." said my new half brother with a very cold voice. Yun bang parang bass ang boses na lalaking lalaki.
"Not a problem kuya." and I smiled.
My new half brother's name is Cedric Lans Aneracion. He carried our last name dahil pinanagutan siya ni dad noon. He also received threats from Lillian but he was a hard-headed one so he lost his mother.
Simula nang ipinananak ako, Lillian promised to stay away. It was just triggered dahil Kuya Cedric seek revenge. Kaya pala biglang naging magulo ang peaceful kong mundo. Simula sa proposal ni dad, sa arranged marriage, sa pagkidnap sa akin hanggang sa umabot sa ganito.
Kinabukasan, Kevin signed our proposal and that was the time when Mr. Terez called for an emergency meeting. I don't know what happened dahil daddy ordered me to stay in my room at pinabantay pa si Kuya Cedric sa labas.
Mr. Terez was hospitalized daw dahil hindi niya nakayanan ang daloy ng meeting.
This time, sila na ang gumawa ng treats for Lillian. I don't know the details but I'm sure, safe na kami ni mommy. I'm sure our family would be together again. I'm sure pwede nang maging kami ulit ni Tristan. Pwede nga ba?
"Sis, would you mind if I'll ask you to take a walk with me?" tanong ni Kuya Cedric.
"Sure Kuya." sabi ko and I grabbed my white jacket.
Naglakad-lakad kami sa garden ng hotel. At first, napakaawkward dahil first time kong makasama siya but when he started to talk, it wasn't that awkward after all. He was sorry for what had happened but I didn't put the blame on him.
"Things happened for a reason, kuya."
We talked about many things. It's just a simple getting-to-know-each-other thingy. Bumabawi daw siya dahil for all those years, he wasn't able to protect me just like older brothers do. Sabi niya, kung walang Lillian sa buhay namin, the two of us should have grow up together. The two of us should have been closer than today. Hindi niya sinali si Ian dahil later part na daw na discover ang tungkol sa kanya. Pero who knows? Baka daw kung naiba ang pangyayari, the three of us could have been together during childhood.
Napaisip naman ako sa sinabi niya. Hindi sana ako nagiisang anak. It should be better to have two big bros who always got your back. On the other hand, hindi na ako nangarap na maiba ang mga pangyayari. I'm just glad I have them now. Our past defines who we are kaya hindi ko pinagsisisihan yun.
..
Nagising ako and this is the first day of my new peaceful life. Yun bang parang nakahinga ka ng maluwag. I just felt like I just got my peaceful life back.
Daddy, Ian, Kuya Cedric and I went to the hotel's restaurant for breakfast. I felt like I'm much protected when I'm with them. I felt like I'm secured and confident kapag kasama ko sila. Ibang iba talaga kapag may mga kuya ka. Ibang iba talaga kapag kasama mo na ang daddy mo. They just let me feel na hindi lang pala ako against the world. They have always been there.
"Sis, are you okay?" tanong ni Kuya Cedric.
"Yes Kuya. May na alala lang."
The three of them laughed dahil dalagang dalaga na raw ako. Sheeze! Ngayon pa nila na realize yun? They laughed when Ian told them na nagaalala ako tungkol sa issues ko sa UAR.
