Taming The Devil's Heart

Kabanata 11

Kabanata 11
Escape

"Why would you want us to marry, Papa? Hindi pa ba sapat na ginawa mo akong bayad sa mga utang mo?" I asked in a very soft voice.

Papa was facing the other side of his room's balcony. Kita ko mula sa aking pwesto ang bahagyang paghigpit ng hawak niya sa barandilya habang nakikinig sa aking litanya.

"I would not let you control me like this again, Papa! I never wanted this set up! Ikaw ba kakayanin mong pakasalan ang isang tao na hindi mo naman mahal?" I asked with my tears streaming down my cheeks.

I saw him sighed. He faced me with his stern look.

"I didn't love your mother at first."

It's like a lightning strike to me. Paanong hindi ko alam ito?

"W-What?" I stammered.

"We got married because I hot her pregnant accidentally. We were both drank and you are the result of that night, Anna. I'm sorry to tell you this. Your mother loved someone else before me." He said.

Himdi ko na alam kung paano ko pa pipigilan ang pagsusunod sunod ng luha ko. I can see how my Papa's eyes shadows loneliness. I never heard his side of the story. At my eighteen years of existence, my mother's point of view was the only thing I knew. Ang alam ko ay ikinasal sila dahil mahal nila ang isa't isa.

"Hindi ko siya mahal nung una pero kalaunan ay natutunan ko rin siyang mahalin, Anna. I sincerely love your mother but she left me." He softly said with his head down.

"Papa..." I called.

"I know that you can also learn to love Sancho. This is for the both of us. Maisasalba ang kumpanya natin at masisigurado mo na ang kinabukasan mo, anak." Hinawakan niya ang aking dalawang kamay gamit ang kamay niya.

He wants us to benefit from Sancho. That's what I thought momentarily. He wants me to secure my future using Sancho's wealth and also save our bankruptcy. Napapikit ako ng mariin.

This is not what I wanted to learn from my father. I respected him and look up to him for my whole life. This is not what I expected him to say.

"This is also what your mom's wish. To marry you of to someone who can secure you an easy and comfortable life." He added.

Umiling ako at pilit na binawi ang kamay ko mula sa kanyang pagkakahawak. I am now regretful. Sana pala sa una palang ay ipinaglaban ko na na hindi ako sasama kay Sancho. Or should I just runaway now?

Tulog si Sancho at ito ang sa tingin kong pagkakataon para makatakas ako. I am not ready, of course, but this is my one and only chance.

Bitbit ang isang pouch na naglalaman ng aking passport, wallet, phone at cheque ay pasekreto akong lumabas. I know this mansion like the back of my hand. Ang sekretong daan palabas ay nakukublihan ng mga halaman sa hardin ni Mama noon. Kung hahawiin ang makakapal na baging ay may makikitang maliit na daan palabas at kung susundan ay makakarating ka sa gitnang gubat sa likod ng mansiyon.

Madilim pa rin dahil madaling araw palang. I opened my phone's flashlight when I walked passed from the veins. Napatili pa ako ng bahagyang makarinig ng tunog ng tuko. Sobra rin ang kaba ko. I was scared that someone might follow me. Wala si Gardo ng magtungo kami rito kaya siguradong walang dala si Sancho na bodyguard. Thankfully, he did not bring any.

Nasa kalagitnaan na ako ng gubat ng mapatigil ako sa tunog ng phone ko. I silently cursed when I saw the message. It was from Sancho.

From: Sancho

*You should have turned off your tracking device, young lady.*

Natataranta akong napaikot. Anong tracking device ang sinasabi niya? Anong ibig niyang sabihin?

Tumunog ulit ang phone ko. I should have left this thing!

From: Sancho

*Start running away if you still want to be away from me. But I want you to know that running away from me is not easy. Kapag nahuli kita, wala ka ng kawala.*

"Oh, Shit!" Sigaw ko ng makarinig ako ng malakas na tunog ng baril.

It was coming from my back. Ibinato ko sa kabilang banda ang phone ko at mabilis na tumakbo sa kabilang banda. I was so scared. Kahit na takot ay sobrang bilis pa rin ng ginawa kong takbo dahil na rin siguro sa pagkakataranta.

"Anna!" I heard his furious shout.

Maraming yabag ang naririnig ko mula sa likod ko pero nagpatuloy pa rin ako sa pagtakbo. I am sure that he will definitely kill me if he'll caught me. Hindi niya dapat ako maabutan!

I saw the pavement of the road to the national highway. Nabuhayan kaagad ako ng loob dahil makakaligtas ako kapag may napadaang sasakyan.

I am now crying and panting while still running fast. Masakit na ang binti ko at naninikip na ng sobra ang aking dibdib dahil sa pagtakbo.

Kaagad kong itinaas ang aking kamay ng makarinig ako ng makina ng sasakyan.

"Help! Please, help me!" Sigaw ko.

The blue van stop abruptly in front of me.

"Please! Kailangan ko po ng tulong!" Katok ko kaagad sa driver seat.

I stood frozen when the door opened. Gardo was fast to pull me from my waist and pass me to someone with stronger grip.

"Oh my God! Let me go! Please! I don't want to be with that devil! Please! Gardo! Gardo! I know you're kind!" Sigaw ko habang pilit na pumipiglas mula sa kung sino mang may hawak sa akin.

Ipinasok ako ng kung sino mang hayop na may hawak sa akin habang si Gardo ay pumasok muli sa driver seat. Everything happened so fast.

Nagpupumiglas ako sa lalaking may hawak sa akin ng bigla niya akong hawakan sa panga ng mahigpit at iniharap ako sa kanya.

That's when I realized that I failed.

A dark smirk is plastered on Sancho's face while I am seated on his lap inside this damn car. His eyes are mad and it seems like he's ready to kill me.

A click sound echoed in my mind as he pointed the cold mouth of his gun on my temple. Nanginig kaagad ako at tuluyang napaiyak.

This is going to be my end. Ngayong gabi rin ay mamamatay na ako. I hope I can meet mama. Sana nagpaalam ako kay Papa bago ako umalis. I will definitely miss Caddie. I wish I had a longer life.

"Akala mo matatakasan mo ako?" He asked with his voice laced with anger.

"I-I'm so sorry." Iyon lang ang tanging naiisip kong sagot ngayon.

Inaasahan ko ng papatayin niya na ako pero nagulat ako ng bigla niya akong siilin ng isang marahas na halik. His kisses are so rough that i tasted blood on my lips. Because of the pain he inflicted to me, I did something in defense. I bit his lip so hard that I also tasted blood on his lips.

"Fuck! Damn woman!" He immediately cursed and pushed me away causing me to fall from his lap.