Only Ever After

Kabanata 39

Kabanata 39

My father? Isa siyang mafia boss? I lingered in my thoughts the entire trip. Nang lumapag ang eroplano ay in-escort-an ako ng mga tauhan ni Papa, the thought that we will finally meet again after long years gave me hope.

Buhay si papa. Pero bigla kong naisip ang sinabi ni Castro, hinahanap nila ako ng halos isang dekada? E hindi naman kami lumipat ng bahay noong namatay si papa, or maybe Castro is just exaggerating.

Sumakay ako sa likod ng isang itim na kotse, si Castro naman ay umupo sa tabi ng driver, pinaharurot nila ang kotse habang may mga nakasunod din sa aming likuran, tinignan ko ang paligid at napagtantong nasa katabing syudad lang kami ng La Mayor, ang Fiora City.

Tumigil ang kotse sa harap ng isang matayog na tarangkahan, bumusina ang kotse at may isang lalaking armado ang lumabas, sinuri niya ang loob ng kotse bago at sumenyas sa mga kasama sa loob, bumukas ang tarangkahan at pumasok na ang kotse.

Tinignan ko ang paligid, mapuno, mula sa malayo ay tanaw ko na ang mahaba at malaking mansion, mas malaki pa ito kesa sa mansion ni Liham, the thought of him gave me a longing, I wanna see him.

I miss him.

Tumigil ang kotse sa harap ng mansion, pinagbuksan naman ako ni Castro, lumabas na ako. "Follow me, Young Mistress."

Naglakad na kami, kahit saang dako ka tumingin ay may mga armadong tauhan, yuyuko sila kapag makita nila ako, pumasok na kami sa mansion na pumuputok ng kayamanan, tumungo kami sa harap ng pa-curve na grand staircase, "asan si Old Master?" Tanong ni Castro sa isang tauhan.

"Boss, nasa kwarto, hinihintay na niya ang kanyang anak."

Tumingin sa akin si Castro, as if signing me to follow him to where my papa is, humugot ako ng malalim na hininga, alam kong nanlalamig na ang palad ko, how can I face him?

No, how can I change his mind? I know Liham and him are enemies, why can't they just be friends?

Sumunod ako kay Castro, malalim ang iniisip. Sa ngayon ay hindi ko muna inisip si Liham, I shook all thoughts of him away, for now, I want to savor my moment with papa after how many years I've thought he is dead.

Tumigil si Castro sa harap ng isang itim at matayog na pinto, he knocked the door. "Old Master, your daughter is here."

"Let her in, stay outside." Utos ng isang boses ng matanda, tumingin muli sa akin si Castro at saka niya ako pinagbuksan, pumasok na ako sa kwarto, madilim kaya hindi ko gaanong makita ang paligid.

Sinara ni Castro ang pinto, "papa?" My voice was soft, there was silence afterwards.

"My daughter." The voice cracked, biglang nagsilabasan ang mga luha ko sa aking mata, I cannot be mistaken. This was the voice of my papa, marami mang nagbago ngunit pamilyar pa rin ang tinig niya. "I am sorry I couldn't attend the funeral of your mother."

"Ako rin papa, hindi rin ako nakapunta." I sobbed, "I thought you were dead." I mumbled, hindi ko siya makita ngunit ramdam ko ang tingin niya sa akin, I want to see papa, but the place is too dark. As if he doesn't want me to see him.

"I am sorry, but I thought it was better if I was dead for you, because my job is not a joke, I decided not to attach myself with you and your mother for your safety, but I heard that Liham got you." Biglang nagalit ang boses ni papa.

It made me cower in fear, "pa, mabait si Liham."

"He is brainwashing you, my daughter." Sagot ni papa, "do you wanna see what he did to me? That bastard."

"What do you mean, pa?" Bigla akong kinabahan.

"Open the lights, to your right."

Sinunod ko ang utos ni papa, nakita ko ang switch ng ilaw at binuksan ko ito, biglang naging maliwanag ang paligid, my eyes adjusted for a brief second by the sudden light. After a few seconds, I saw my father.

Nakaupo siya sa isang wheelchair, baldado, may malaking peklat mula sa noo niya pababa sa pisngi ng kanang bahagi ng mukha niya, may eyepatch siyang suot, my eyes went to his familiar blue-green eye, my heart broke at the sight.

Kahit na ganito ang itsura ni papa, kahit na maraming nagbago sa kanya, siya pa rin ito.

"He did this to me."

Hindi ako makapaniwala, paano nangyari ito? There must be a reason.

"Do you wanna know the story?"

Tumango ako nang wala sa sarili.

"The Salazar Mafia set me up, they were the ones who planned the death of his father through the assassins Delevigne, exactly the day his mom gave birth and died. Pinagmukha ng mga Salazar na ako ang nagbayad sa mga assassins upang patayin ang kanyang papa, almost killing him too."

I suddenly remembered Guardian, he was the son of the two assassins who killed Liham's father, tila nalinawan ako kaya tumango ako.

"Paano ka nila s-in-et up?"

"Maraming traydor sa mafia house ni Liham, he is too easy on his men and too trustworthy, that is why, so of course it is easy to set me up, ang kailangan lang para mai-set up ako ay ang taong lubos niyang pinagkatiwalaan."

I gasped, "who?"

"Think, Yomi. Sino pa nga ba ang pinagkakatiwalaan ni Liham nang lubos?"

Lessana.

Umiling ako, it cannot be her. Masyadong mabait si Lessana para gawin ito sa kanya, she even risked her life for me.

"I know you know the answer, you are just denying it." Umiling si papa, "it is her sister, Lessana. Siya ang may gawa nito."

"Pero paano niya magagawa ito? Bata pa si Lessy noon."

"What do you think can a mere child do? Do you have any idea that she is a prodigy? A hacker, even! She is the youngest hacker who can infiltrate any system without sweat! She hacked the files of the investigation and replaced the primary suspect for the death of their father, making me the main and only suspect. She was young but she was dangerous, that is why I disappeared after Liham did this to me, barely surviving, because I feared she might target you and use you against me through Liham."

I gasped, hindi ko maipaliwanag ang mararamdaman ko. Totoo ba ito? No, this is a lie. Lessy can never do that.

"Pa, baka nagkakamali ka lang. Mabait si Lessy..."

"She even brainwashed you?!" Tinaasan ako ni papa ng boses, his breathing became heavy, he closed his eyes and tried to relax, "you are one gullible daughter of mine, why do you think the Salazar Mafia was easily wiped?"

Bigla kong naisip ang mga nangyari kanina, how easy they killed the mafia.

How Isigro went insane upon seeing Lessy.

"Because that enemy mafia of her brother is being controlled by Lessana herself."

I gasped.

That means Liham is in danger.

No, hindi maaari, hindi tama, hindi si Lessy ang may pakana nito. I closed my eyes, my heart telling it it is not her, my head telling me she is.

Saan ako makikinig? Sa puso o isip?! I opened my eyes and looked straight to my father's face, looking for any signs that he is lying, but I saw none.