"Mommy, ano pong gagawin mo?" Nagulat ako nang biglang hablutin ni Mommy ang bitbit kong bag at ikinalat sa sahig ang lahat ng aking gamit.
She only stops when I accidentally drop my cellphone. She throws my bag aside and picks my phone up from the floor. I try to grab it back, but she keeps it out of my reach.
"Mommy, give it back to me," I plead. I still need to talk to Yhael.
She shakes her head twice. Ate Grapes rushes to my side as tears start to well in my eyes.
"You are not going to talk to that man, Aphle. From now on, you don't have a cellphone. It's vacation again, so I know you won't need this."
"Mom—"
"Don't interfere in this, Grapes, if you don't want your relationship with Zade to be affected," Mommy snaps.
I turn to Ate and see the pity in her eyes. She wants to speak up, but she’s afraid of what Mommy might do to her relationship with Kuya Zade.
I assured her. "Tama na, Ate. 'Wag mo nang kalabanin si Mommy. Baka mamaya madamay pa kayo ni Kuya Zade."
"You, Aphle. You will break up with that man, whether you like it or not."
"Mom!" Sigaw ni Ate Grapes. "Hindi ka na ba naawa kay Aphle? Buong buhay niya palagi ka na lang ang nag-de-desisyon sa buhay niya. Nasa tamang edad na si Aphle. Let her decide for herself!"
"Ang pag-bo-boyfriend, wala namang masama roon, Mom! Mabait na bata si Yhael. In fact, mas naipaparamdam niya pa nga ang pagmamahal ng pamilya kay Aphle."
"Don't get involved in this, Grapes!" Daddy said to Ate.
"Hindi ayos sa akin ang paghiwalayin niyo kami ni Zade. Pero hindi rin ayos sa akin na ginaganito niyo si Aphle. Mom, Dad, wake up! 'Wag niyo namang ikulong ang anak ninyo—"
"I'm protecting Aphle, Grapes! Don't talk about it because you don't know anything!" Mom screamed.
Tumango si Ate Grapes na may mapait na ngiti sa labi. "You're right, Mom. Wala nga akong alam tungkol sa kung bakit ayaw mo sa lalaking mahal ng anak mo. Buong buhay ko, hindi ko kayo nakilala ni Dad. Ang dami niyong sikreto. Sabihin niyo nga, anak niyo ba talaga kami o mga puppet lang ninyo?"
"Ayokong mangyari kay Aphle ang ginawa ninyo sa akin!"
"Pagkatapos niyo akong i-pressure sa academics, ginawa niyo akong puppet na kailangang sunod nang sunod sa inyo. At para kayong mga magician na sinasaktan ang puppet para mabuo kuno!"
"Pagkatapos niyong pakinabangan si Aphle? Itatapon ninyo na parang sirang laruan? Kapag hindi sumunod sa inyo itatapon ninyo at hindi na ituturing na anak?"
"Sabagay, you're never treat me as your daughter..." Kuya Zade held Ate Grapes' hand. "Si Kuya lang naman ang anak mo. Kasi si Kuya lang ang sunod nang sunod sa mga gusto mo dahil gusto niya iyang pagpopolitiko."
"Mag-isip ka nga, Mom. Ayusin mo 'yang turnilyo mo sa utak dahil lumuluwag na ata kaya tumatanda kang paurong." Huling sinabi ni Ate bago siya padabog na naglakad pataas sa kaniyang kwarto.
Kuya Zade is the only one who apologizes for Ate Grapes’s actions. Mom and Dad ignore him, so he quietly follows Ate upstairs.
"Mom… please. Give me my phone," I say through my tears.
Mommy's expression doesn't soften. Instead, she tightens her grip on my phone—it almost cracks in her hand.
"If you won't break up with that boyfriend of yours, then I will," she says coldly before walking past me and leaving the house.
BINABASA MO ANG
Forbidden Relationship (Forbidden Series #3) (Completed)
RomanceBeing the youngest daughter isn't really easy. That's how Aphle always feels but never expresses to anyone. Aphle Xierinah Poniente, the youngest daughter of the governor in their town. She is intelligent, obedient, innocent, reserved, generous, and...
