Blackmailed

Chapter 2

I did not want Kaius Sia. And I knew that I never would. But, I was done having things taken away from me and I wanted to return the favor — big time.

"WHAT?!" Zari screeched pushing to her feet.

How does your own medicine taste like, Zari? I quietly asked hiding a smile.

"What do you mean you want him?!" my stepsister screamed.

"Iha, calm down..." Benilda said as she tried to pull her daughter to sit back down.

"No, Mommy! Did you hear what that woman said?! Ang sabi n'ya ay aagawin n'ya si Kaius sa akin!"

"Iha, Kaius' family is watching..." Benilda tried to warn her daughter.

"Then I am sure they heard what this trash said, too!" Zari furiously announced before she turned to me. "Hoy, babae! Hindi mo ba narinig?! Ikakasal na kami, you bitch!" my stepsister furiously added ignoring the shocked faces of our audience. "Hindi mo s'ya maaagaw sa akin! Hindi ako papayag!"

I had to admit that I did not expect such a violent reaction from Zari. Of course, I had wanted to earn her ire but I wasn't expecting a total meltdown.

"Everyone should calm down," the grey-haired woman started to say. "Hindi naman kailangang magsigawan—"

"No!" Zari barked. "We can't cancel the wedding! We will not cancel the wedding! My wedding is going to push through as scheduled!"

"We have not scheduled anything yet," Kaius' mother plainly said. "And, please, avoid raising your voice at my mother."

Zari immediately backpedaled. "I'm sorry po, Tita," she said in a calmer tone. "Nadala lang po ako ng emosyon ko. But, we have already scheduled the wedding, Tita Cassandra," she feelingly added. "Napag-usapan na namin ni Kaius ang lahat. Kali just needs to sign her shares over to me and—"

"Zari, Anak..." my father sounded defeated. "Anak, tama na..."

I hated the painful twitch inside my chest hearing Dad say my stepsister's name so lovingly.

"Let's go home first, Anak, okay—"

"No, Daddy!" Zari said shaking her head. "We need to finalize everything now! You said that you'd give the company to me!"

"I know, I know, Anak..." my father said with a placating smile. "Oo naman, gagawin ko 'yun. You trust Daddy, right?"

Zari tearfully regarded my father. "You promise?"

"Of course," Dad said. "May hiningi ka na ba na hindi ko ibinigay?"

And it just dawned on me, what if Zari was truly my father's daughter? I knew for a fact that he was having an affair even before my mother died. I knew because I heard the househelps talk about it.

What if anak nila ni Benilda si Zari? What if she's truly a Yujuico?

I tried to swallow the bile that rose to my throat as I watched my father and Zariya.

But they don't look alike...still...he wouldn't treat her that way kung hindi n'ya anak si Zari. He has always favored her, I thought to myself tucking my pain away. That would explain a lot...

I felt the pull of someone's gaze and I turned my head to find Kaius Sia's eyes on me again; his expression was unreadable.

Does he know that Zari is Dad's daughter? Do the Sias know? Is that why they wanted Kaius to marry her because they knew that Zari is rightfully my father's heir?

I started to hyperventilate at the thought.

Calm down, Kali...calm down. You lost your father's affection years ago. What difference would it make kung totoo n'yang anak ang inaakala mong stepsister mo? Wala, Kali. Wala. Mas mahal naman talaga n'ya si Zari kaysa sa'yo—