Del Rico Progeny #1: Embers Of Devotion

Chapter 38

Embers Of Devotion
Chapter 38
Sorry

Nakakuha ng atensyon ang halos pagsugod ko sa kanila pero hindi ko magawang makaramdam ng panginginig dahil nauunahan na ako ng kaguluhan ng isip.

Lumapit sa akin si Mommy at hinaplos ang aking balikat.

"Calm down, anak. Sa loob tayo mag-usap," masuyong bulong nito.

Tinignan ni Mommy si Daddy at tinanguan ito. My brothers also went beside me and took my hand. They guided me. Raja is smiling widely at me and waving her hand even though I can sense she cried.

"Sama, Daddylo. Sama po si Raja," anito.

Tita Hollis butt in immediately.

"Anak, they're going to talk about something important. Sa amin ka muna."

Mabilis na hinanap ni Raja ang tingin ko.

"Mommy, no. Mommy leave ulit si Raja?" she asked me.

Lumapit ako sa kaniya at umiling. Na kay Tita Hollis na siya ngayon.

"Mommy and... uh... your Dad will talk but we won't leave, hmm? Mommy won't leave like what I promised," I told her.

Narinig ko ang singhap ng ilang Tiyahin ko. Siguro ay nagulat din doon sa narinig. Bumagsak ang tingin ni Raja sa ksaniyang daliri bago dahan-dahan iniangat ang hinliliit.

"Promise po ikaw?" ginalaw niya iyon.

Sa kabila ng magulong isipan, nagawa kong ngumiti dahil sa kinosentehan ng anak ko. I took her pinky promise and nodded.

"I promise."

Naiwan si Raja doon kay Tito Hollis habang sila Kuya, Mommy at Daddy ay iginigiya ako sa loob ng isang guestroom. Nang lingunin ko ang likuran, wala doon si Cloudius.

"Allow us to explain first before we let you speak to him," Kuya Tarian said calmly.

Tinignan ko sila na puno ng katanungan ang aking mga mata. Dad sighed and started.

"Maximus Hijazi is your mother's rapist, Briallen. He was the one who traumatized not just my wife but also your Kuya Tarian. The second encounter, we killed both of Maximillian's son. Ako ang pumatay sa kakambal nito."

"At si Mommy kay Maximus?" usal ko.

Mommy nodded and lowered her head.

"It was an encounter that night. May grupo si Maximus na nadawit doon at nanlaban. Some got arrested, some died. Hindi na ako nakampante mula noon, anak. Pero lumipas ang taon na tahimik, hindi ko kayo pinaghigpitang magkakapatid."

"Not until I saw someone who looked exactly like that man, Allen," Kuya Tarian said. "Kuya Max and I investigated it. About who he is. And he's the son of Maximus from another woman."

"That's when we learned that Maximus has two sons. Ang isa, nasa Hijazi, ang isa walang koneksyon doon. It's Dius," ani Kuya Max.

Nangunot ang noo ko sa pagtawag nila rito pero nabaling na ang tingin ko kay Dad habang si Mommy lumipat na sa tabi ko para yumakap.

"We can't be so sure about that man, anak. He's still a Hijazi. Noong nalaman namin ang pagtatambal ninyo para sa isang proyekto, naalarma na kami. That's when we begged you not to associate yourself with him. He screams danger. Lahat sa kaniya dahil minsan na tayong nasira ng pamilya nila. We ended his father. Wala kaming alam sa background niya bilang isang anak na hindi kinikilalang ama si Maximus. We don't care about that. All I care is for you and your mother to be saved from the Hijazi's wrath."

"Then... why are you fine with him now?" naguguluhang tanong ko.

Natahimik sila doon.

"Umamin na siya, Dad!" Binalingan ko si Kuya. "He posted the video. I know I was wrong because I was the one who filmed that but I gave him my trust. I am in love with him that I trusted he won't ruin me! At kahit noong pinagduduhan niyo na siya, hindi pa rin ako naniwala kasi mahal na mahal ko siya. I told him I was pregnant, Kuya. Yet he still betrayed me!"