THE MACHIAVELLIAN [COMPLETED]

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

[A/N]: Helloo, nandito na ako ulit! So, like what I've said before, 49 & 50 will be Aquila's POV pero sa Epilogue is hindi pa sure kung kanino dapat ang gamitin ko. Moreover, this chapter will contain some scenarios (flashbacks din) na hindi pinakita sa POV ni Vren kaya huwag sana kayong ma-confuse. Expect some typographical errors as well!

Above all, have fun and enjoy reading, love! 🩵

Trigger warning: Mention of suicide and depiction of violence ahead. Read at your own risk.

One: Aquila Arellano

When a child is born, a celebration for a new beginning should be called for. At least, that's what most families are doing... but not our family.

When we were born, there was no joy. Our heartbeats that should serve as a testament of boundless potential of life were replaced by our Dad's endless dreams. There was no trace of any familial bond that transcends words. What connects our family isn't solace coming from a gentle embrace, only results, goals, and his dreams that must be achieved. 

In simple terms, there was no love at all.

This kind of life caused our Mom to leave. I can still remember how she aggressively packed her things and how we all begged her to stay. Surprisingly, it was a painful memory but everything was still vivid for me. 

"Mom? You're leaving?" the seven year old me asked, still trying to compose myself even if I'm panicking inside. 

Huminto ito sa ginagawang pag-impake ng mga gamit niya kaya akala ko'y napigilan ko ito pero hindi. Saglit niya akong tinitigan bago hinawakan ang mukha ko gamit ang dalawang kamay nito at ngumiti. Then, she began apologizing. From there I already knew the result of this scenario. 

"Mom!" sigaw ko habang hinahabol ang sasakyan na palabas ng gate namin ngayon. Nakaangat ang kamay at pilit inaabot ang papalayong sasakyan na para bang may pag-asa akong pigilan ang pag-alis ng Mommy namin. 

"Dad, si M-Mommy..." pagsusumbong ko sa sariling ama. 

Malamig na tinitigan ako nito na para bang isang malaking biro ang reaksiyon ko sa pag-alis ng Mommy namin. Na para bang ang pigilan ang sarili naming ina sa pag-alis ay hindi magandang ideya at pag-aaksaya lang sa panahon. Isa sa mga bagay na ikinagulat ng batang tulad ko. 

"Sit down, Aquila." Hawak ang isang basong naglalaman ng alak na madalas nitong inumin ay  itinuro niya ang sofa kung saan tahimik na nakaupo ang tatlo ko pang kapatid. 

Umiiyak na  sumunod naman ako sa utos nito at tumabi kay Crimsonite. "Your mother left us for another man. Begging her to stay with us won't help. She abandoned us because that man's powerful over me." 

Umupo si Dad sa harap naming apat at malambing na hinaplos ang buhok namin habang nakangiti. Amoy alak man ito'y hindi naman mababakas na wala siya sa katinuan ngayon pero may kung ano sa mga mata ni Dad na hindi ko mahinuha noong mga panahong 'yon. 

"B-Babalikan naman niya tayo hindi ba, Dad?" tanong ko rito na sinagot niya gamit ang isang pagtango. 

"Of course, honey. She'll comeback to us. Daddy just needs to be powerful enough so Mommy would go back to us. You will help me, right?" nakangiti nitong tanong. 

The four of us looked at each other before giving our Dad some innocent nods. Dad smiled in front of us, giving us the hug we never got from him ever since we were born. There, the pain of losing our Mom was quickly replaced by the tiniest happiness brought by Dad's hug without knowing that it was the first and will also be the last time.