That night changed everything for me. The moment I saw Hans being dragged away and beaten by the bodyguards, something inside me broke. The carefree girl who once believed in defying her father's strict rules and pursuing her own happiness was replaced by someone who had seen the harsh reality of the world she lived in. The sight of Hans, vulnerable and hurt, haunted me every night. Pareho kaming walang laban kay Dad at husto niyang ipinaramdam sa amin iyon.
My mother, true to her word, kept me updated about Hans. Every evening, she would slip into my room and tell me how he was doing. He had spent a week in the hospital, recovering from the injuries inflicted upon him. Knowing he was getting better was a relief, but it also brought a wave of guilt crashing down on me. Hans had been hurt because of me, and I couldn't let that happen again.
The days following the incident were a blur of compliance and careful planning. I no longer rebelled against my father's rules. The fire in me that once fought for freedom had dimmed, replaced by a cold determination to keep Hans safe. I stopped mentioning his name around the house, refusing to risk another violent outburst from my father. Any conversation about Hans was confined to the quiet of my room, whispered between my mother and me.
School became my refuge, a place where I could lose myself in studies and avoid thinking about the suffocating situation at home. The end of the school year was approaching, and I threw myself into my studies, using them as a distraction. My friends noticed the change in me, but they didn't press. They understood, in their own way, that something had shifted, and they respected my need for space. Halos wala na kasi akong kausapin, para na lang akong robot na kontrolado ni Daddy. I never thought I would live like this. Pero dahil ayaw ko nang si Hans na naman ang sumalo ng lahat ay susunod na lang ako. Isa pa, para rin ito sa plano ko.
I missed Hans terribly. The ache of his absence was a constant presence, a dull pain that never quite went away. But I couldn't bear the thought of him getting hurt again. The memory of him lying on the ground, beaten and bloodied, was a powerful deterrent. It wasn't just about my father's wrath; it was about protecting the person I loved most in the world.
I followed my father's instructions to the letter, arriving home immediately after school and staying within the confines of the house. The bodyguards were always there, a constant reminder of my father's control. But I endured it all silently, knowing it was the price I had to pay to keep Hans safe.
"Ako na lang ang pupunta," tahimik kong sabi nang mapag-usapan ang nalalapit na kaarawan ni Uncle Roy isang umaga habang nag-aalmusal kaming tatlo. "Nakakahiya naman kung wala sa atin ang dadalo."
Dad couldn't come, may business deal siyang kailangan na isarado sa Paris at sasamahan siya ni Mommy. Matagal na nila iyong plinano, hindi na puwedeng iurong sa ibang araw dahil iyon lang ang libreng oras ng CEO ng LVMH.
Puno ng pagdududa akong binalingan ni Daddy na siyang nagpa-ikot ng aking mga mata.
"What? Iniisip mong kikitain ko siya doon? Wala na akong balita sa kaniya, Dad. At sa totoo lang, ayaw ko ng makibalita. Hindi ko na gustong maulit pa ang nangyari sa kaniya last time." Mariin kong sabi. "Ang kaarawan ni Uncle Roy ang ipupunta ko doon at hindi kung ano pa."
Lie. I was lying through my teeth, hindi ko gawain iyon pero kailangan. Alam kong nasa rancho si Hans, bumalik sa trabaho niya doon nang magsimula ang bakasyon. Kade told me the last time we spoke. Hindi ko na kinailangan pang ipagmakaawa sa kaniya ang impormasyong iyon, siya na ang nagkusang ipaalam sa akin.
"Hayaan mo nang pumunta si Caice, Vince," pangungumbinsi ni Mommy na siyang ipinagpapasalamat ko. "Tama naman siya, hindi nga naman maganda kung lahat tayo ay wala. Isa pa, lagi naman nakasunod sa kaniya ang mga bodyguard na itinalaga mo. Bukod pa sa Soledad iyon, hindi mapapahamak ang anak mo doon. Pinahigpit pang lalo ni Red ang seguridad ng lahat ng propiedad ng pamilya, hindi ba?"
