The Only Escape (Isla Julieta Series #4)

Chapter 43

CHAPTER 43

Papa asked the rest of the board to leave the room. I know he wanted to talk to me but my son is also here so I held Vio's hand as we walked to leave as well.

"Olesia, tenemos que hablar. (Olesia, we need to talk.)" Papa said in a cold tone.

"Mi hijo está aquí y no quiero que lo escuche, señor. (My son is here and I don't want him to hear it, sir.)"

Binuhat ko si Vio at lumabas na ng kwarto kahit na tinatawag pa ako ni papa. Jorge and Nikolas followed me out and I put Vio down on the sofa.

"Vio, what did... what did M-Mr. Bustamante tell you?"

Tumabi sa amin si Nikolas at Jorge, ang yaya naman niya ay mukhang naalerto dahil namumugto ang mga mata ng anak ko.

"M-Mommy..." he sobbed and hugged me, buried his face in my neck.

"Mijo..." I caressed his back.

"H-He said... his name is... Valerio Antonio, too," sumisinghot-singhot na sabi niya.

I felt tears trickling down my cheeks and I pulled away from Vio's hug. Pinunasan ko ang pisngi niya at nginitian siya bago tumango.

"Is that it, love?"

"H-He told me to take care and to take care of you. He said, he'll be back soon."

Tumango-tango ulit ako, hinihintay kung may iba pang sinabi si Valerio sa anak namin.

"M-Mommy, is he... my... my daddy?"

Ngumiti ako, "He is, mijo. I got your name from him."

"B-But... I thought he's... dead?"

"I thought so, too. But he's here now... he was faithful to his promise to me, to us... that he'll fight death to be with us much longer."

Mas lalo siyang humikbi pero bakas pa rin ang tuwa sa mga mata at ngiti niya. Niyakap niya ulit ako. "I have a daddy! I have a daddy!" Paulit-ulit niyang sambit hanggang sa humihina 'yon at tanging ang hikbi na lang niya ang naririnig.

Binuhat ko ulit siya at sinenyasan ang yaya na aalis na kami.

"Jorge, follow us to our house," I glanced at him.

He nodded once with a relieved smile on his face.

"Olesia—"

"Gusto mong bumawi, 'di ba? Ngayon mo gawin 'yon. Sumunod ka rin sa bahay." Pagputol ko sa sasabihin ni Nikolas.

Habang nasa sasakyan, umiiyak pa rin si Vio habang pinapainom siya ng yaya niya ng tubig para hindi siya ma-dehydrate.

Nang makarating na kami sa bahay, nakatulog na si Vio kakaiyak. Si Jorge na ang bumuhat sa kanya at nang makaabot kami sa kwarto niya ay maingat niyang inihiga sa kama. I took Vio's shoes off and asked his nanny to watch over him.

Sumunod naman si Jorge at Nikolas sa akin palabas ng kwarto ni Vio.

"Jorge, I need you to watch papa's moves. He thought Valerio was dead, too, and he might attack him any time. Especially now that he probably has an idea that he's Vio's father."

Tumango nang tipid si Jorge. Bumaling naman ako kay Nikolas na nakahalukipkip.

"Niko, alamin mo kung may sapat bang bantay si Valerio."

"Olesia, we can't separate even if he's alive. Mas magagalit ang papa mo—"

"That's for another discussion, Nikolas. And Jorge, can you give me an update about Valerio's whereabouts? Jom said that he has a flight to catch."