Red Strings Entanglement

CHAPTER 52

My footsteps were heavy and fast. Jace was holding my hand as he caught up on my fast walking pace. I wasn't crying, but somehow my heart was heavy like it was bottling up all my emotions.

"Here we are, Miss Smith."

The door was the only thing that was separating me and my father and somehow I cower from it. I don't know what I will see inside. I expected to see him alive and happy, not sick.

They all felt my hesitation. The man pursed his lips as he held the door, waiting for me to step up.

"Do you want to go inside?" Jace whispered. He was trying to be as gentle as possible. He was scared and expecting that I would break like a vase in this very place. "You don't have to do this, Jewel." He said and I shook my head. "No one will blame you."

"I-I c-can't. I-I have to."

He sighed. "Okay."

I step forward, already shaking, and slowly turn the knob. It felt like time was slow and I could hear very clearly my heart beating.

I have to confront my past and this is me doing it with my father. I owe my younger self this. I owe that little daddy's girl to see her father, once more.

"Jewel?"

My breath hitched as I gazed at all the tubes inserted into my father's body. The image horrified me. I have never expected this to be so extreme. W-why did this happen? I was questioning everything in my father's life and how he came to this.

"Is that you, my little g-girl?"

"Y-yes. It is me, p-papa." I said as I walked near him. I grabbed a chair and held his hand. It was cold but familiar.

"W-why are you crying?" He asked as his hand slowly reach out to touch my cheeks and wipe away my tears. Mas lalo ako umiyak dahil naalala ako ganito siya palagi sa akin kapag umiiyak ako. He was always my sole comforter. Alam niya talaga ano ang gagawin pero ngayon. Hindi ko alam. I can't stop crying.

"W-wala po ito. A-allergies lang." I looked away and immediately wiped away my tears.

"I'm sorry." Tears started falling and I immediately wipe it away. Halatang nahihirapan na pero patuloy pa din ako kinakausap.

"Y-you don't have to apologize, papa."

"N-no. I have to. I-I was the reason you d-didn't have the c-complete f-family you always w-wanted."

"N-no, papa. I never blame you." I smiled. "I-I'm okay. I-I understand."

Ang dami kong tanong pero naisipan ko na hindi ito ang tamang panahon. He doesn't deserve to be bombarded with questions.

"Jewel, listen to me."

"You don't need to tell me, papa."

"I want your mind to be clear, so you can tell your mother and your brothers after I passed away."

"P-pa naman oh!"

"T-they deserve to know. Y-you deserve to k-know." He said as he held my hand tighter. I nodded, acknowledging his request, even though it hurt me to see him suffer. "I-It all started when I helped Jace's dad in starting his company. He needed help in his life and needed to get his son. Alam ko ang nararamdaman niya dahil may mga anak din ako. S-So I agreed, I helped him."Kumunot ang noo ko, bakit pati ang pamilya ni Jace ang nadamay dito?"But with a price. I knew the risk. I knew that if I continued helping him, I would be in danger. I would be putting my life on the line. Pero hindi ako natakot. So, I continued..."

He exhaled, deeply. Parang nahirapan ito sabihin."But t-then, nadamay kayo. You m-might n-not remember this, Jewel, b-but you got into a car accident. Aksidente ang iniisip nila, pero alam ko sa sarili ko na iba na ito. It wasn't an accident, it was planned. Sa lolo ni Jace." Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa sinabi niya. "Jace's grandfather, Jasper, has been chasing me all the years in business because he wants to invest in my company. But I turned him down, everytime. I learned that he was corrupt and is into illegal operation. Ayoko ng ganyan na investor. I never wanted dirty money. And when he found out that I immediately trusted his son, he got mad."

"Bakit gusto makipag-invest ang lolo ni Jace sayo, pa?"taka kong tanong. Montezalde Group always scream rich. Dati pa na hindi ko kilala si Jace ay alam kong mayaman na ang mga Montezalde. I often heard my kuyas talking about it, before.

"Because Smith is well-known and famous all over Asia and Europe. It was known as a top-tier company, so there was no question that people wanted to invest in Smith Company and their money would be safe and secured. It was guaranteed." He said and I nodded my head. "A-alam ko na kahit titigil ako sa pagtutulong kaila Montezalde ay hindi pa din ako titigilan ni Jazfer. Our life would be more in danger if he invested in our company, so I did what I had to do."

Mahigpit ang hawak ko sa kanyang kamay. My heart was aching and somehow me holding his hand tightly was a slight punishment for what he did to mama. Mahal ko si papa pero mahal ko higit pa si mama. She was there.

"So you cheated?" My voice was cold as I looked down.

"No. I love your mother, so much. I could never cheat on her. I know your mother would not ever leave me if there was no reason. So I told her, I cheated. I showed her pictures of me kissing another woman which is edited. It broke my heart, but I know that all of you would be safer if I left all of you."

I felt my heart break in a million pieces and tears started falling.

"I-I'm sorry for doing all this, Jewel, b-but I had t-to do it to protect you."

"I know and I understand." I smiled at him even though I was crying and breaking on the inside.

"I-I love you so much and o-our family."

Mas lalo bumuhos ang aking mga luha. I held his hand tighter. He was smiling at me like he was in peace.

"Don't s-say that." I stuttered. "Y-you're saying it like you're leaving us all."

"I live my life a-and I h-have already touched h-heaven by seeing m-my daughter one last t-time." He said. "D-did you get my g-gifts?"

"I-I did and I love them."

"Good. That's good."

"Don't go, p-please," I begged him. "You live a long life."

"No, you will live a long life." He said. "Now, be a good daughter and call my assistant outside. M-may pag-uusapan m-muna kami."

I nodded my head and slowly stood up. I kissed him on the forehead and left him in his room. Pagbukas ko ng pinto ay nakita ko si Jace at ang assistant niya. Jace was about to speak, but I gazed at my father's assistant.

"May sasabihin raw siya sayo."

"O-okay." He then enter the room. I sighed and gazed at Jace. Lalapit na sana siya sa akin ng biglang may tumawag sa pangalan ko. We gaze at the side and saw Kuya James running towards us, still wearing his racing gear.

His eyes widened and ran to me. Mabilis niya ako yinakap ng mahigpit. Humagulgol ako ng iyak at mas lalo ako hinigpitan ang pagyakap sa kanya.

"K-kuya, s-si p-papa." Para akong bata nagsusumbong na kinuhaan ng lollipop.

"I-I know."

He embraced me tighter.