Dad ordered the demolition of Matahom. Isang maliit na komunidad sa tagong probinsya ng Palawan, may mga pamilyang doon naninirahan at tahimik na nabubuhay. He had ordered the demolition dahil apektado ang maliit na bahaging iyon ng isla sa gagawing expansion ng hotel. The De Salvo Group bought Matahom, ngunit hindi gustong umalis ng mga tagaroon. Ipinaglalaban na lupa nila iyon, sa kanila. Doon na tumanda at nagkabuhay ang mga ito kaya hindi nakapagtataka kung ipapaglaban nila ang kanilang karapatang manatili.
How could my father do this? How could he justify destroying people's homes and lives just to make way for another luxury development? The thought of families being uprooted, their homes demolished, and their memories erased for the sake of profit made my stomach churn.
The realization was breaking me from the inside out.
Who was my father, really? The man who had raised me, who I had looked up to, now seemed like a stranger—a monster. He ordered the killing of those people, including Hans's dad. Walang tigil na iyon lamang ang tumatakbo sa aking isipan simula nang marinig ko iyon, each repetition more painful than the last. How could someone so close to me be capable of such cruelty?
I left Minnie at the pizzeria without a word. There was nothing I could say that would make the truth any lighter. Iniwan ko siya doon sa kagustuhang harapin ang aking ama. Lahat ng tanong na gumugulo sa aking isipan ay ito lang ang makakasagot.
Alam kong nasa resort ito ngayon kaya doon ako pumunta. I called another cousin for help, si Zach, dahil hindi bastang makakapasok ang tricycle sa resort. Kailangan pang magpasundo gamit ang ilang van na naroon. I was just thankful I had memorized the numbers of most of them, lalo iyong mga talagang malalapit sa akin.
"I'm sorry, hindi lang ako sanay sa ayos mo." Sabi ni Zach bago ibaling muli ang tingin sa daan habang nagmamaneho. Panay kasi ang sulyap niya sa maiksi kong buhok. "I heard about what happened between you and Uncle Vince, Caice. I hope you're okay."
Hindi ako nagsalita dahil natatakot akong baka kung ano ang masabi ko na hindi dapat. Hindi ngayon na gulong-gulo ang aking isipan at pakiramdam ko'y sasabog ako anumang oras.
Nang hindi ko siya imikan ay hindi na rin naman na muling nagsalita pa si Zach. Marahil ay naramdaman rin niya ang bigat na aking dinadala sa sandaling ito. Hindi pa naipaparadang maayos ni Zach ang sasakyan sa driveway ng hotel ay binuksan ko na ang pinto sa tabi ko at tumalon na akong pababa.
"Hintayin mo lang ako dito, Zach. Please?" Pakiusap ko sa kaniya na siyang tinanguan niya naman. "Thank you,"
Baka kasi mamaya ay wala akong masakyan paalis dito. Kailangan ko pa ang tulong niya pero hindi ko na siya kailangan pang samahan ako sa taas.
I knew my father would be here, overseeing the final preparations for the expansion. This was his kingdom, a monument to his power and ambition. As I walked through the grand lobby, the opulence felt suffocating. Bigla ay parang gusto kong masuka.
"Miss De Salvo, good afternoon," greeted the receptionist, her smile practiced and polite. "How may I assist you today?"
I had no time for pleasantries. Hindi ko ito pinansin at nagtuluy-tuloy lang ako sa pribadong elevator sa pinakadulo ng lobby. I punched in his code, bumukas iyon at pumasok ako sa loob. The ride up was agonizingly slow. I could feel my heart pounding, each beat echoing the anger I felt. When the elevator doors finally opened, I stepped out into the quiet hallway, the plush carpet muffling my footsteps as I approached the executive suite.
I paused outside the door, taking one last deep breath to steady myself. Then, with a resolve I didn't know I possessed, I pushed it open and walked inside.
