Love, Lies and Alibis (Henares Series #1)

Seven

Clingy

"Jela!" I heard panic and warning on Voyd's voice.

"W-what are you talking about?" Unti-unti na akong nilulukob ng takot.

Jela continued to chuckle. "Hindi mo talaga alam? O nagmamaang maangan ka lang? I bet you don't have amnesia at all."

"Jela. Stop it!" 

"It's time to tell that bitch who she really is!"

Dumapo ang tingin ko kay Voyd. Jela is being bitchy ever since I first met her. Kaya gusto kong isipin na ginagawa niya lang ito para lituhin ako.

But seeing his face, contorted with fear and panic. Hindi ko mapigilang maniwala sa pinagsasabi ng babaeng ito.

Malalaki ang hakbang ni Voyd sabay higit sa braso ni Jela.

"Don't you dare call her that or else—"

"Or else what?" Jela spat. Nanlilisik ang matang tiningnan ako.

"Why are you protecting her?! We both know what will happen when she remembers. She will push you away! She will dump you mercilessly like she always do!"

"That will be my fucking problem not yours! So stick your fucking nose out of it!" He growled. Sending shivers down my spine.

Kita ko ang pagngiwi ni Jela nang dumiin pa ang daliri ni Voyd sa kanyang balat. Kita ko ang tensyon sa pagitan nila. At kita ko ang galit at takot kay Voyd.

"Roy!" Tawag ni Voyd at agad iyong lumitaw. Nanatili ang titigan nila ni Jela. "Take her away from here."

Saka lang niya ito binitiwan at nilingon ako sa pagod niyang mga mata.

"You can't keep things like this forever, Voyd!" Hinawakan si Jela ni Roy sa braso at mabilis siyang pumiksi.

Nanlilisik ang mata nang tinuro ako.

"You are not Margolette Lopez. You hear me? She's Voyd first love! And you're nothing but a—"

"Roy! Take her out. Now!"

Mas lalo pang naghisterya si Jela nang hinila na siya ni Roy palabas. At habang naririnig ko iyon lahat ay tumitindi ang panlalamig ko.

Pagkasarado ng pinto ay saka lang nagkaroon ng katahimikan sa silid.

"Hey..." Hinubad niya ang coat ng tuxedo at binalot sa akin. "Margo, look at me..."

Kumirot ang dibdib ko nang tawagin niya ako sa pangalang iyon. He's calling his first love's name. Not me.

All this time I thought...

Rumaragasang luha ang unang reaksiyon ko. Yumuko ako at nanginig. I felt his warm caresses on my arms.

"Babe... Babe, please look at me." Nagsusumamo ang kanyang boses.

Nanghihina kong hinawi ang kanyang kamay. Mabilis din iyong bumalik sa aking siko. I can see rage, frustration and fear in his eyes.

"Sino ba talaga ako, Voyd? Please tell me the truth. No lies. No alibis. Please..." I begged through quivering voice.

Mariing magkahugpong kanyang panga, as if suppressing anger. I can hear his teeth gritting.

"Babe..." He called again.

Pumiksi ako. Umatras ng bahagya ngunit nasukol ng dingding na puno ng mga obra. Mga obra ni Margo. Hindi obra ko... Hindi akin...

Everything I believed in were all lies. Ang hirap ng ganuon. Ang hirap tukuyin kung alin ang totoo. O kung may totoo kaya sa lahat ng iyon. The trust that I'm slowly rebuilding was ruined. Like a sand castle wiped out by clashing waves.

Napahagulgol na ako. Agad ay kinabig niya ako sa kanyang bisig. At kahit ayaw ko ay sumasalungat naman sa akin ang puso.

I fucking want his warmth! I fucking needed this!

"I'm here. Don't be scared..." 

The scariest part of knowing the truth is when you learned that the truth is way different than you thought it would be. When I woke up from a long slumber. Una kong hiniling ang katotohanan. Kung sino ako. Nasaan ako. At bakit ako narito.

I was so frustrated I would go berserk every time. I want to know the truth. I want to know who I really am!

Ngunit ngayong nandito na, nilalahad na ni Voyd sa aking harapan ay wala akong madamang kahit ano. Not even happiness or fulfillment. In fact, mas lalo lang iyong nagpagulo.

"Your real name is Simone Aria Zobel. Heiress of the Zobel chain of hotels." Simula ni Voyd.

Voyd brought me to my room when I finally calmed down from wailing. Sumisinok na lang at bahagyang nanginginig. On my lap was a glass of water.

"You're called Sia by your friends and family."

Sia... That's the name on my nightmares!

"Your father is Demitrios Zobel. And your mom, passed away when you were ten."

"I have a sister, right?"

Natigil si Voyd. Tumiim ang labi sandali ngunit agad ding tumango.

"Stepsister. Her name's Brae."

So it's true. Errol was right all along. I remember what he said to me...

I guess he didn't tell you everything... Errol's voice echoed on my head.

And he was right on that part. Now that I learned something, I ought to know everything for myself.

"You have a brother, too. Half-brother." Dugtong niya.

I have half and step siblings. Now I'm wondering what kind of father I have.

But there's something I want to know first. I want to know if the nightmares I'm having every night are real.

"Totoo bang ako ang nagmamaneho nang naaksidente ako? Why... Why did you hide the truth? Bakit Margo ang ipinangalan mo sa akin!" Suminghap ako ng hangin.

He was about to reach for me but quickly stopped. Pinaghalong takot at frustration ang sa kanyang mata. And now I understand why.