Lips That Lie

CHAPTER 48

The Sandovals have a good reason to hate and to get rid of her from their lives. She fooled them and took away their money. She helped her mother play with all of them using her sister's face whom she knew was dead. At ngayon, nalaman pang kinakanlong siya ng mga Enriquez at nasa tahanan ng mga ito sa halip na ipa-dakip at sampahan ng kaso katulad ng kanyang ina.

It was an insult. Like adding salt to the wound. Karissa and Alfonso couldn't understand. She had a hunch then but it completely slipped from her mind. Hindi na niya inisip dahil wala namang interes na sa pakikipag-relasyon kay Antonio at hindi na rin inisip pa ang posibilidad ng pakikipag-balikan dito. Until Karissa pointed it out and she remembered again.

Taglay niya ang mukha ni Celine. Magpakilala man siya bilang si 'Calla' sa mga ito, wala na ang bakas ng kanyang dating anyo. Whenever she looked in the mirror, she couldn't no longer recognize the woman staring back at her.

The real Calla is dead.

She gained suitors and admirers when she had Celine's face. The Enriquezes cared because she looked like Celine. Antonio forgave her easily, protected her, loved her, and was attracted to her only because she possesses Celine's beauty.

Ni hindi niya iyon mapa-sinungalingan sa kanyang sarili. Paano gayong buong-buhay niya puros pangungutya, paghihirap, at kawalang-pagtanggap ang dinanas niya noong hindi pa nawawala ang balat sa kanyang mukha? Paano kung maging mismo ang kanyang ina ay iniwan siya sa pangangalaga ng iba pagka-silang na pagka-silang sa kanya dahil sa kanyang hitsura? Parang tutang basta na lamang iniwan sa kalye. Rose never really cared if she died. Iyon ang madalas na sabihin sa kanya noon ng mga taong kumukutya sa kanya. The only reason why she was alive now is because her nanay Dominga fought for it.

People couldn't even look past her image and consider her for jobs she's more than qualified for. Ni ayaw kumain sa karinderya niya dahil sa pandidiri sa kanya. Hindi nga ba kaya kinakailangan niyang kumapit sa patalim? She didn't have any choice because the world is so cruel to somebody like her. She needed to do things against her will because her situation forced her to do so.

She's ugly.

She's unwanted.

She's worth nothing.

Until she had Celine's face and her life completely changed. She saw a new world that she didn't know existed before. All because she now possessed a beauty that is unmatched by most.

Kaya paanong hindi niya paniniwalaan ang mga sinabi ni Karissa? Her mother said it to her too. Everyone made her feel this way. Every word they said echoed in her mind. Every disgusted look is branded in her soul. How can she forget? How can she not believe it?

Kaya hindi niya magawang magalit kay Karissa. May punto ang lahat. Masyado nga lang siyang nagsaya at nawili nitong nakaraan kaya sa panandaliang panahon ay nakalimot siya. Katulad lang noon. She never learned. And now the universe wanted her to remember.

Kaya naman hindi na rin siya nanlaban. Tapos na rin naman ang papel niya sa mga Enriquez. She has no use for them. She has given her statement and every little detail that she knew. Kung may kinakailangan pa sa kanya o hinala man ang mga ito ng koneksiyon niya kay Rose Sandoval, she knew they could easily track her and force the information out of her.

Hindi naman siya magtatago. Lumalayo lang siya para sa ikakatahimik na rin ni Karissa. Alam niyang hindi ito titigil hangga't hindi siya nawawala sa poder ng mga Enriquez. She's afraid of what she's capable of doing just to get rid of her. She's afraid that Merry and her family will get involved again. Natuto na siya sa karanasan kay Fernan kaya imbis na magmatigas, susundin na lamang niya ang gustong mangyari ni Karissa at tahimik na aalis.