Ravished And Vanished [Acquisitive Billionaires Series #5 COMPLETED]

Chapter 34

Warning: This chapter contains PHYSICAL/VERBAL ABUSE TO CHILDREN, HOSTAGE, GUN SHOTS, and KIDNAPPING. If this chapter might trigger you, you can freely skip this part. Thank you.

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"I was hoping he wouldn't agree to the deal. Umasa ako na hindi niya kakainin ang pain sa kaniya ng lalaki. But he said yes. The moment he said yes, I actually said to myself that I don't have a father anymore...My father doesn't love me. His love for me is not great and enough for him to choose me. Lando's men grabbed my small body like it was a small kitten. He harshly dragged me inside their van. Doon tinanggap ko na na iyon na nga ang huling araw ko sa mundo, my life is about to end. My heart is full of anger, disappointment, sadness and even pity. I pity myself because I thought that I am not deserving for my father's great love. I can still imagine how scared the child me. Imagine a kid suffering in that very harsh moment. I thought once we arrived in their place they will end my thirteen years of life. Pero hindi pa pala tapos ang paghihirap ko..." he looks so in deep suffering as he rewind and tell me his dark memories, his dark childhood memory. Hindi ako bumitaw sa aming yakap, iniisip kong ang yakap ko ay maging paraan para maramdaman niyang hindi na siya nag-iisa pa ngayon, na nandirito ako at handa siyang samahan. 

"I thought that they will simply end my life in that abandoned warehouse. But my expectation was wrong. They...they tied me using a thick rope in a post. Sa sobrang kapal ng lubid kahit hindi ako gumalaw ay nasusugatan ang pulso ko. I was silently crying, iyon na lang kasi ang tanging kaya kong gawin. I felt so helpless. I was just thirteen. Ano bang kayang gawin ng isang bata, hindi ba? Akala ko noong una hanggang doon lang ang gagawin sa akin ng mga tao ni Lando. Some of his men...they are hurting my hands using their cigarettes. Nasasaktan ako doon kaya naikakaskas ko ang mga pulsuhan ko sa makapal na lubid. Even now, I can still see my scars. Ganoon ang ginagawa nila sa akin, hindi ko alam pa noon na hinihintay pala nila ang Tatay ko na magpunta sa mismong lokasyon namin." 

"Ang tanging nasa isip ko kasi noon ay wala nang handang tumulong sa akin, na iniwan na ako ng lahat and all I have that time is myself. They...they were laughing like crazy as they mark my skin using their cigarettes, not just my hands but also my feet, sa talampakan. I was just hoping that they would stop and kill me immediately. I don't want to prolong my sufferings anymore. Kapag napapalakas ang iyak ko they are slapping my face, pero hindi ko mapigilang mapaiyak ng malakas dahil yung balat ko parang nasusunog na. Lahat ng alaalang iyon ay nagiging bangungot ko, hindi lang sa pagtulog ko ngunit kahit na gising ako at mulat. Those were haunting me a million times. The world was so cruel to a thirteen-year-old kid. Sobrang dilim na ng paligid, iyon ang pakiramdam ko, na para bang wala nang pag-asa pa na magbibigay liwanag sa madilim na kinaroroonan ko." 

Sa bawat pagsasalita niya, mabibigat din ang kaniyang paghinga na siya ring dahilan para mas maluha ako para sa kaniya. I am crying not because I pity him and his experiences but because I was hurt for him too. Nasasaktan din ako para sa kaniya, at kung binigyan lang ako nang pagkakataong maging isa sa mga taong iniligtas siya noon ay gagawin ko. I would do anything to go back in that time and save him from the traumatizing world that opened his mind in a bad way.

"I'm sorry that you have to experience that..." I whispered and slowly caress his back to at least comfort him while he is rewinding his harsh past and trying his best to share it with me.

"You don't have to feel sorry about my past experience because you're not involved with it, besides you should be thankful to yourself, love." sabi niya sa akin kaya napa-angat ang tingin ko sa kaniya.

"Why? Why would I, Corvus? I judged you so hard without knowing what really happened to you. I concluded things that's why I felt so mad to you. Saang banda ako nararapat magpasalamat sa sarili ko?" tanong ko sa kaniya. I was expecting him to be disappointed at me, but on the other hand, he showed me a genuine smile.

"You should be thankful to yourself my love. Want to know why? The reason why I managed to recover my fears and traumas is you. You are the one who pushed me to do better and be better for my family." sabi niya sa akin at hinalikan ako sa aking noo.

"My Dad's team saved me, but I stayed for almost five days in their warehouse. Hindi nila ako pinapakain doon at tanging tubig lang ang naiinom ko na buhat pa sa pagbubuhos nila ng balde ng tubig. My Dad's team arrived in the fifth day, together with Hydrus' father and their soldiers. My Dad and Hydrus' are both Generals in different areas and teams. They arrived in that place at night. Nagising lang ako noong nangibabaw sa buong lugar ang tunog ng mga baril. I was still tied in that post, but Lando grabbed me so hard na halos mabali na ang mga buto ko. Tinutukan niya ulit ako ng baril sa ulo. I was praying that this moment will be the last and I will be saved. Ni hindi nga ako makatayo ng maayos sa sobrang panghihina, hindi lang namin namalayan ni Lando na patay na pala at nahuli na ang iilan niyang mga tauhan. Tanging siya na lang ang natira. He was shouting and laughing like a crazy bastard. Akala ko tutuluyan na niya ako dahil nakita na niyang talo na siya. Kung talo na siya bakit hindi pa niya ako patayin para magiging patas ang laban hindi ba? But a sniper from the other building shot his head, the sniper was so good at aiming that I didn't even felt the force of the bullet." 

"He was shot three times. I don't know why he was shot numerously, but I was glad that I am finally saved. Tito Ismael approached me, he carried me because I was so weak. Doon na nila ako nailigtas, but I wasn't able to see my Dad. Hindi ko man lang siya nakita na isa sa mga nagligtas sa akin, that's up until now, I am still mad at him. Ang dami kong gustong itanong at isumbat sa kaniya..." sabi niya sa akin, he started to cry so hard.

"I fully understand everything now, Corvus. I'm deeply sorry because I judged you. I judged you terribly. Hinayaan kong pangunahan ako ng nararamdaman ko. Hinayaan kong maniwala na sa kadahilanang hindi handa ay dahil hindi kami ang dahilan na magtutulak sayo para maging handa. That we're not enough reason for you to be ready. I misinterpret your actions and judged you. I let myself judge you without knowing your real story in those five years. I'm so sorry. Nahihiya ako ngayon sayo..."

"Nahihiya akong iharap ang mukha ko sayo...I felt like I am a terrible person. I am a big disappoinment. I am a bad person. I'm so sorry...I don't even think I d-deserve you anymore..." I said and turned my back away. 

Gusto ko na sana umalis ng silid para mas makapag-isip. Gusto kong umalis dahil ikinahihiya ko ang sarili ko. Nahihiya ako kasi isa akong mapaghusgang tao. I am disappointed in myself because my parents raised me well but I turned out in this way. 

"Stop blaming yourself, Martini Michaela. As much as you understands me, so am I. You're hurt too that's why you came up with those ideas. But let me say this...Let me remind you this, can you?" tanong niya at pilit akong hinigit sa kaniyang puwesto kung saan niya ako pinakatitigan atsaka ngumiti nang punong-puno ng sinseridad, purong-puro ang ngiti niya, hindi peke ngunit tunay. 

"You are my therapy..."

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(I worked hard for this. So you better work on your own story.)

@_Sodaaaaa | 2022