Mending Heart's Affliction [Phoenix Countesses: ETHEREAL MAIDENS SERIES I]

Chapter 4

Perfect daughter

Pagod na pagod ako nang makauwi ako. Ayaw ko na muna sanang umuwi sa mansion dahil iyon naman ang sabi niya, but Dad called me because he wanted to talk. Ang buong akala ko ay tungkol iyon sa pinag-awayan namin noong nakaraang araw. Akala ko nga ay hihingi siya ng tawad.

But I was wrong. Well, when did he ever apologize to me?

Agad na sinalubong ako ni Isabella na parang kanina pa niya ako hinihintay. There was a strange smirk on her lips. It felt like she was judging me by the way she looked at me.

"So, you came," she smirks and looks at me from head to toe. "Such a cunning whore."

Bago pa man ako makapagreact sa sinabi niya ay bigla na lang sumulpot si daddy sa likuran niya kasama si Mama Victoria.

I immediately noticed the sharp gaze from Dad, as if he could harm me at any moment, while Mom Victoria just looked at me coldly. It was her usual expression toward me.

"Dad-"

Hindi ko na natuloy pa ang sasabihin ko nang bigla na lang niya akong batuhin ng kung ano at tumama iyon sa kaliwag mata ko bago nahulog sa sahig.

"How long do you plan to hide that shame from us, Celeste Koa?!" His voice thundered, full of threats and anger.

Still recovering from whatever hit my eye, which, if it was a sharp object, surely left me blinded, agad niya akong sinigawan.

"What-"

"You're pregnant?! How, when you haven't introduced any boyfriend to us? What is this? Did you just get pregnant? Who's the father? Do you even know the father of that... of that child?!" He yelled in such a disgusted tone.

I was taken aback. My whole body went cold. Nang dumako ang tingin ko sa bagay na ibinato niya sa akin kanina na nasa sahig, tuluyan na akong nanghina nang makita ko kung ano iyon. It was my pregnancy test. How did they get it? It was in my condo!

Mabilis kong kinalma ang sarili ko at pinulot ang pregnancy test saka hinarap si dad.

"Dad, please, let me explain first."

"What else do you have to explain to us, huh? Kung paano ka nabuntis ng kung sino-sinong lalaki? Kailan mo pa ako sinusuway, Celeste? Kailan mo pa binababoy ang pangalan ng pamilyang 'to ha?" He yelled at me. He was furious, and I could see his lips trembling with anger.

I felt a knot in my stomach. I couldn't find the right words in my mind. All I knew was that I needed to explain what happened. But how?

"D-dad, it's not like that. It was an accident-"

"What? You accidentally got pregnant by someone?! Hindi ka ba nahihiya sa mga pinagsasabi mo? Wala ka na ba talagang natitirang kahihiyan para sa sarili mo?! What will people say when they find out about this? How will you explain everything, huh?" He continued to shoot those words at me.

I bit my lower lip. God, help me.

"Sigurado akong sa bar niya lang nakilala ang kung sino mang lalaking iyon, Dad. She's been going out with her friends after work quite often lately," Isabella commented as if she knew what was going on.

Lalong nagpuyos sa galit ang puso ko dahil sa sinabi niya, kasabay ng labis na sakit para kay dad.

"What? You go to bars, Celeste? Your Dad clearly told you not to go to those places because someone from the media might see you. Hindi ka ba nakikinig sa amin?" Mama Victoria immediately retorted, causing me to sink further.

"I-I only went there once..." Nanginginig na usal ko.

"But you still went. I was right, wasn't I? Doon mo nakilala ang lalaking nakabuntis sayo. What a shame," Isabella said, looking at me with disgust.

And to my surprise, when I looked at Dad, he had the same look in his eyes. My lips parted, trembling with frustration and pain.

"D-dad, please let me explain first, please. Hindi ko naman plinano ito. Sasabihin ko naman ang lahat sayo, naghahanap lang ako ng tiyempo."

But the expected moment of him listening to me was abruptly cut short by a powerful slap he delivered to me. Halos humiwalay ang ulo ko sa katawan ko dahil sa sobrang lakas non. My whole body went numb, especially the cheek he struck. I couldn't hear anything for a few minutes.

"Hindi mo na talaga ako binibigyan ng kahit konting kahihiyan! Inggrata ka!" He roared.

My entire body trembled. My heart sank completely. Tears started streaming down uncontrollably.

I didn't want to hear this. Please. Sana pala ay nanatiling bingi na lang ako dahil sa sampal niya sa akin.

"I can't believe I'm harboring such a shameless and disrespectful woman in my own house! I thought you were decent, Celeste! Nangako ka sa akin na hindi mo ako bibigyan ng kahit anong problema pero ano to?! You keep burdening me with problems, you ungrateful brat!"

Before I could recover, here it goes again.

Ramdam ko ang lalong paglubog ko habang sinusubukan kong makaahon muli. Ni hindi man lang ako makalaban. I couldn't even stay afloat. As I looked at him, I realized even more that I would never gain his sympathy. That this was how he always saw me.

"Isabella is far better than you! You can't even fulfill the basic duty of being a good daughter! Ipalaglag mo ang batang yan sa lalong madaling panahon!"

Para akong binuhusan ng malamig na tubig nang marinig ko iyon.

"W-what? Dad, no..."

"And what do you want? To keep it? Hinding-hindi ko matatanggap ang batang yan sa pamamahay ko! That child will never carry the Yuchengco name!"

My shoulders kept rising and falling as I tried to hold back tears, so I could convey what I wanted to say to them, to him, properly.

And eventually, I stopped crying. All I could manage were heavy sighs. Para akong nalulunod. Para akong tinatanggalan ng hininga paunti-unti. Why is he doing this to me?

"B-but, Dad, this is your grandchild..."

"I have no grandchild born out of shame, Celeste! The father of that child isn't even your boyfriend! A bastard!"

"Pero, dad, anak ko to! How could you... How could you... Oh, God..." My heart completely surrendered as I saw the firm expression on his face.

"Armando, if she doesn't want to abort the baby, it's better to just kick Celeste out." Mama Victoria suggested.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. Agad na tiningnan ko si daddy na patuloy lang ang pagtitig sa akin nang matalim. No. No. He can't do this to me. I'm his daughter!

"She's carrying the Yuchengco name. What will our patrons say when they find out she got pregnant by just anyone? My god!" She added, looking at me sharply. "You are such a disgrace!"

"D-Dad, you can't do this to me... Please..." I pleaded with him.

But he remained firm as if it was already on his mind. As if he had made his decision before I could even explain to him.

Sa isang iglap, biglang lumamig ang tingin sa akin ni daddy. Wala akong ibang makita sa mga mata niya kundi hatred na para bang hindi niya ako anak.

"Leave my house now, Celeste." He declared coldly.

I was completely defeated. I felt like a cigarette butt being stepped on repeatedly until completely extinguished. No. He can't do this to me.

"From now on, never set foot in this house or the YCC again. You are no longer my daughter. You will never taste the privilege of being a Yuchengco. Umalis ka na at huwag na huwag ka nang babalik pa ulit dito." He ordered me sternly and turned away.

I even reached out my hand to try to reach him, but Isabella tapped it away and gave me a disdainful look before they followed Dad. I overheard him instructing the maids to gather all my belongings and give them to me, which only made me lose all hope.

Oh, what a perfect daughter you are, Celeste Koa.