To Trust the Dawn

Epilogue (Part Three)

A/N: Ang bigat-bigat isulat ng chapter na 'to. Kaya siguro sumakit ang ulo ko for two days at na-delay ang update, parang pinigilan akong isulat ang part na 'to. I really cried a river, and genuinely grieved with Ivan. Warning ko na agad that the whole chapter is really AGONIZING, walang pahinga sa sakit at paghihirap. My boy really suffered a lot.

Epilogue (Part Three)

Tw: self-harm, suicide, mention of rape, and abuse. Readers discretion is advised.

My knees were trembling when I made my way towards the mansion. Para akong biglang nawala sa katinuan habang kuyom-kuyom ang mga nanginginig na kamao—mga kamaong may bakas pa ng dugo nang hawakan ko ang walang malay na si Aurora kanina.

My eyes were blazing in rage while finding the people responsible for tarnishing Aurora's image to me. They were just here earlier... including those cousins that she grew up with. I just discovered recently that they were just adopted by Ma'am Stella, and they turned out to be the daughters of Bernard Castillo, half-sisters of Leigh. At malakas na ang kutob ko ngayong may kinalaman din sila sa paninira kay Aurora.

They planned it all! Bakit ngayon ko lang naisip lahat?! Leigh loathed her since high school, and her half-sisters since childhood! And Joyce... God, they're friends! How could she betray her friend like that?! Kaya ako naniwala sa lahat sa kabila ng pagdududa dahil siya mismo na malapit kay Aurora ang nagsabi sa 'kin at siya rin ang nagbigay sa video na 'yon!

Ang naabutan ko sa unang palapag ng mansion ay mga kasambahay lang na parang natakot sa aking presensiya dahil binagsak ko ang main door nang malakas.

"Where's Leigh?" nagpipigil sa galit kong tanong sa isang kasambahay.

She cleared her throat as if hesitating to respond.

And because of so much rage, I wasn't able to control myself from shouting, "Where the fuck is Leigh?!"

Gulantang itong napapikit sa gulat sa pagsigaw ko, pero wala na akong pakialam. "N-Nasa second floor po sa balkonahe... a-apat sila ro'n..."

Tinalikuran ko na siya agad at mabigat ang mga yabag na nagtungo sa second floor. I heard mixed loud voices, at may narinig din akong isang umiiyak. I clenched my fists again upon hearing their voices. Nagtungo agad ako sa balkonahe, at agad silang nakita roon. I halted upon seeing their current situations. Joyce was staring blankly on the floor and crying. Sila Leigh, Sanya, at Allysah nama'y nagsisigawan.

"I didn't expect that to happen! Why are you blaming me?!" sigaw ni Leigh sa dalawang kapatid.

"Dahil ikaw ang pasimuno ng lahat kung bakit kailangang umabot sa gano'n!" Allysah shouted back.

Nakita ko namang napahilamos sa mukha si Sanya na parang hindi mapakali.

"Wow! You're acting now as if the two of you aren't part of the plan?!" Nanlilisik ang mga mata ni Leigh sa kapatid. Her voice was still firm, but I noticed the slight crack as if she's just pretending.

Uminit lalo ang ulo ko sa naririnig kaya agad na akong nagpakita.

"Your plan, huh?!" I shouted, throwing daggers at Leigh.

Para namang sinilaban sa gulat ang tatlo sa bigla kong pagsulpot. Leigh's eyes widened while slowly stepping back, fear was evident on her face. Her sisters were lowering their gazes, afraid of meeting my blazing eyes. While I noticed Joyce who was sitting in the corner stopped crying with vivid fear in her eyes.

"So it was the four of you who plotted the plan of ruining Aurora's image in my eyes?" Kasing-lamig na ng yelo ang boses ko. Dahan-dahan akong naglalakad papalapit sa kanila, samantalang sila nama'y dahan-dahan ding umaatras. "How did you all do it? With this question, I mean, detail by detail... on how you created the flawless and realistic set of evidence and testimony that you showed me."