Midnight Momento (Astalièr Series I)

MDT 1

Chapter 1

Nabalot ng berdeng tanawin ang aking mata. Ang malakas na simoy ng hangin sa labas ay sinasabayan ng paghampas ng mga dahon sa matatayog na puno. May iilan pang mga nahuhulog na dahon sa kalsada. Ibinaba ko ang bintana ng sasakyan at pumikit habang dinadama ang hangin.

Mabilis ang takbo ng sasakyan dahil walang traffic dito. Nakakapanibago. Walang ingay ng ibang mga sasakyan, wala kang ibang maririnig kundi huni ng ibon at malakas na simoy ng hangin.

Ang lamig nun ay nagbigay ng kapayapaan sa loob ko, parang hinehele at nagpaparamdam ng sandaling kapahingahan. Going here is not that bad at all.

"First time mo dito, Ma'am?" tanong ni Manong.

Nawala ang atensyon ko sa labas at tinignan siya sa harap, ang mata nito ay nasa daan pa rin. "Hindi po, pero matagal na simula nang makabalik ako." sagot ko.

Hindi ako dito lumaki, at hindi rin nadadalas ang bisita namin dito. But I can recall visiting here as a child, with my parents and sisters. But it was a decade ago for me, ngayon na lang ulit nakabalik.

Ang ala-ala ng Astalier ay nabura na sa isipan ko, sa ilang taon na nagdaan I was preoccupied with my busy life. That even a vacation was not part of my list at all. This is the first time, but still, I am not here for vacation.

I treat this as work. Or a threat to my career.

"Marami nang nabago dito Ma'am, asensado na kasi ang mga tao dito. Pero ang buong probinsya ay hindi pa rin naman nagbabago. Ganoon pa rin ang pakiramdam." sagot ni Manong.

Sinundo ako ng tauhan sa hacienda, I didn't expect them to still treat me like one of their bosses but they did. Kaya ko naman maghanap ng masasakyan patungong hacienda galing airport, pero tumawag nga sa akin ni Daddy kanina at sinabing on the way na ang susundo sa akin.

I was also surprised Dad was still in contact with them despite everything that happened. Their loyalty was still in my family, I guess.

Sa ilang dekada ba naman ng pagsisilbi at pagbibigay ng pamilya ko ng trabaho sa kanila, naiintindihan ko ang respetong binibigay nila.

"I have plenty of time to explore these places, titignan ko po ang mga asensadong lugar dito."

"Gaano po ba katagal ang pamamalagi niyo dito?"

"Three months." at least. If I would miraculously and successfully carry out my plan.

"Matagal-tagal rin po, sana mag enjoy kayo!"

I smiled at him in the rear view.

Ibinalik ko ang mga mata sa tanawin. I don't have time to enjoy, I am here to enter a war. For my family, for our workers, and my career. I'll take everything back. From him.

President Monteves

Nanginginig ang mga kamay kong binuksan ang pinto at pumasok ng office ni Daddy. My hands were trembling so bad and my heart was pumping so hard inside my chest, shoulders about to shake I threw my in rage glance at my father.

"My client withdrew! I was about to finish the case, Dad!" naiiyak kong sigaw.

I spent my day and night trying to prepare for court, I am all-in with this case! Alam ng kliyente ko 'yon! I would even eat once a day because all my attention was on winning this case! Tapos kung kailan matatapos na iaatras ng kliyente ang kaso?!

No way!

That woman begged me to take her case, she would even kneeled if she needed to. That's why I accepted it! Imposibleng walang power trip na nangyari! This is the reason I hate working in this firm!