Until You Say I Do

Kabanata 23: Punishment

Kabanata 23
"PUNISHMENT"

"What did you just do, Cassiopoeia Lucina!" Mommy storm at me after I enter our house.

Agad namang sumunod si Daddy sa kaniya at inabot ang braso niya para pigilan siya sa pagsugod sa akin. Ngunit inagaw muli ni mommy ang braso niya kay Daddy at hinarap ako.

I look at her in confusion. What? What did I do?

Padabog niyang ibinagsak sa lamesa ang mga larawan. Nangunot naman ang noo ko duon. Yumuko ako at pinulot ang isang larawan.

Unti unting nanlaki ang mga mata ko ng makita na mga larawan ko iyon. Mabilis kong tiningnan isa isa ang mga larawan. It's a picture of me with my random suitors, nandun si Andy, Rusell, Nick, at iba pang mga suitors ko, meron din nung sa mga party na kasayaw ko si Akil Lorenzana, at ang latest picture ay yung ngayong gabi lang sa isang resto bar habang kausap ko naman si Paul Costa.

"Ano po ito, mommy? Bakit nandito ang mga pictures ko? Ano 'to? Did you made me followed?" My eyes widened at the realization.

"Galing iyan kay Athena." Mariin na sambit niya.

Daddy sighed and frown at the pictures on the table.

"Athena? Athena Lorenzana?" I asked in confusion.

She pursed her lips, "She spoke with me a while back during our meeting regarding the project your father is working on with the Lorenzana. She looks different compared to our last meet ups. How come, I wonder? Now, it occurs to me that this is because of this..." Turo niya sa mga larawan.

"What, mommy? We should be alarm. She made me followed!" Reklamo ko sa kaniya.

Umiling lang siya sa akin. She look disappointed.

"Athena and I talked. And she told me that she doesn't want you around Argus." she said coldly.

Nangunot ang noo ko sa kaniya. "Ano namang koneksyon nun dito mommy? As if I care."

Nagtiimbagang siya at mas lalo lang naging iritado sa akin.

"Does your reputation not matter to you?"

"Really, My? Reputation? Mas importante pa sa inyo ang reputasyon ko kaysa sa mararamdaman ko? She made me followed! Anong karapatan niya para gawin iyon?" Iritadong sambit ko.

"You were with Argus all the time. Her son!" Pagdidiinan niya. "She probably wanted to know if her son would be in good hands! So it just makes sense that she would want to learn more about you." She pointed out.

"I don't get it, My! It doesn't make sense! Isa pa, bakit parang kaylangan kong magpa-impress sa kanila? What for?" Lito ko siyang tiningnan.

"Hindi ko sinasabing magpa-impress ka. Ang gusto kong sabihin ay huwag mo naman sanang sirain ang magandang reputasyon mo!"

"I don't care about my reputation! Who cares what they say! It doesn't even defined me!"

"You don't think your reputation matters?" She towered over me. "This is what you can get out of having a bad reputation! You will lose credibility in the eyes of the public! People will end up disliking you, along with those who once thought highly of you!"

Nagtiimbagang ako.

"Athena used to liked you for her son." Mariin na sambit niya. "And now, she's disappointed in you. But I cannot blame her. For crying out loud, you were just seen flirting with different boys, including her other son Aquil Lorenzana! You seem to be toying with her son's feelings! If my daughter's fiancée did that? Even I would be furious."