CHAINS

Chapter 24

Tulala ako Habang nakatingin kay Asher na nakikipaglaro sa mga pinsan niya. Kids with the same hair color. All blonde and equally good looking kids.

They were laughing and chasing each other. There are 4 kids playing. All boys at magkakalapit ang edad nila.

Normally, natutuwa ako kapag nakikita kong masayang nakikipaglaro si Asher. Pero ngayon, i feel like a dead person.

Di ko namamalayang palagi akong nakatulala.
My mind has been elsewhere for awhile now. Particularly to the person who called me a few weeks ago. I've been curious about what she wants to tell me. Pero the moment i heard her voice, I couldn't stand it. Bigla kong pinatay yung tawag.

Bigla ko din namang pinagsisihan. I wanted to know what made her call me after nila akong pagtulungan ng mga kapatid niya. What changed?is it a scheme? Nangangati yung daliri ko na tawagan siya. But of course, my pride won't let me call her back.

I waited for her to call again pero biglang pumasok si Ashton sa banyo para mag toothbrush. Ginamit niya pa yung toothbrush ko. Akala ko nga, makakatakas ako sa sex ng gabing iyon pero nakalusot padin siya. We had a quickie in the bathroom before going to sleep.

Hindi ko nadin ulit nacheck ang cellphone ko dahil that morning was our flight back here in England. I read her texts when i was already here. Hindi naman gumagana ang sim ng pilipinas dito kaya for sure, kung tumawag man siya ulit, unattended na ako.

And now, curiosity is eating me alive. I have a nagging feeling that i should contact her as soon as possible. Especially with the last text she sent me.

TORI: We are ready to help. Please let us.

"You've finally returned." A woman said from behind which stopped my line of thoughts.
Hindi ko na kailangang lumingon para malaman kung sino iyon.

Penelope. The wife of Ashton's brother, the second oldest.

Hindi ako kumibo at hinayaan siyang umupo sa harap na couch. She looks like a supermodel. Isa siya sa pinakamagandang babae na nakilala ko. Blue eyes, blonde hair. She looks like an angel. I can also see the small swelling of her belly. I guess she's pregnant.

"It's not so bad, you know." She muttered while looking at the kids as well.

"For you, maybe. Your husband isn't as bad as the others." Komento ko.

"I guess. But it's not gonna be hard for you if you just stop fighting."

I snapped and stared at her in disbelief. She knew what I've been through with Ashton. She saw how cruel he was towards me. How he humiliated me in front of this family. She was there when he did it.

"Really, Penelope? Is that why your husband doesn't hurt you physically? Because you are a submissive wife? Because you don't fight back?" I glared at her.

Alam niya lahat ng pinagdaanan ko. She knew that i didn't fight back before. Hinayaan ko si Ashton sa lahat dahil takot ako. But his cruelty never changed kahit di ako lumaban.

"I don't mean it like that, Molly. I'm sorry." She held my hand. "It's just that, I'm scared for your life." She gave me a meaningful look. "Raven is very angry the last time he talked to us. Particularly to you."

May kung anong kilabot ang dumaan sa katawan ko ng marinig ang pangalan ng ama ni Ashton. The head of the family.

He was one of the people I'm scared to look at or to get acquainted with. Kahit na matanda na ay ito pa din ang masusunod sa lahat.

"The reason why Ashton is making sure you get married to him as soon as possible is because Raven has given him an ultimatum. You know what i mean, Molly." Seryosong saad niya na mababanaag ang pag-aalala.