The Will of Engagement.

Prologue.

Pasensya na, mabobored kayo dito. Mahaba kasi ito dahil dito nagumpisa ang lahat. Pwede kayo matulog, btw. :">

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The red glow from a space heater touched the creases and folds of Maxwell Calhoun's face. Nagsalin siya ng alak sa kanyang kopita at lumapit sa bintana. Papalubog na ang araw at ang mga bundok ay nagsimula nang mawala sa kanyang paningin. Sino ang magaakalang ito na ang huling sulyap niya sa kanyang kaharian? He started to shudder at the thought but remained true to his plans.

Mula sa ibaba ay natanaw niya si Abigale, his beautiful young wife. Twenty  two years his junior, he had no doubts of the woman's feelings for her. He knew she loves him more than his first wife and summer flings combined. Nag-angat ng mukha si Abby at kumaway sa kanya. He waved back at her and then turned his back from the window. If only he is brave enough to say his goodbyes.

Ang sumunod na kumuha ng atensyon niya ay ang nakangiting larawan ni Serena sa study table. She could have been sixteen in that photo. His sweet and stubborn little princess. Years ago ay nagkaroon sila ng hindi pagkakaunawaan nito at naging dahilan ng paglalayas nito sa rancho. Naisip niya, if only he had been soft enough to reconcile with her, his daughter would be here. 

Nabura saglit ang kanyang ngiti when he thought of his other child. His son, his own flesh and blood, and that he is now sure of. He had always planned to have a parcel of grandchildren by now, but he didn't even have one. He was the last Calhoun. There was no one to carry his blood after he was gone.

No one except Levi.

He was guilty of the thought that for the longest time, he had wronged that boy. He tried to make it up to him. But Levi had always been stubborn and unforgiving. Sino nga ba naman ang mapapatawad ang isang ama na inabandona ang anak? The thought brought pain to his heart and pity for his son. Naalala niya pa ang gabi kung saan si Loyola Allegreza, Levi's mom, came pounding at his door claiming that he fathered the black-haired baby in her arms. Of course he denied it like hell, but that did not stop his first wife from divorcing him.

Mula sa maingat na pagkakatago, inilabas niya ang isang .357 and slipped one bullet in the cylinder. After Beth, nakilala niya si Abigale na isang unwed mother sa batang si Serena. Itinira niya sa kanyang palasyo ang dalawa at tinuring niyang anak si Serena. In the end, he was disappointed much by her, and Abby gave him his biggest failure of all. After years of marriage, she hadn't produced him a legitimate heir.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the piece of paper he just finished some hours ago. His last will and testament. He took hold of his pen and with trembling hands, signed it with his name. Maxwell Timothy Calhoun.

Now, it is legal and binding.

His eyes getting misty, he raised the revolver at the side of his head. As the final seconds tick fast, his last thought were that of two people whose lives would change forever once his will is read. It was a damn shame he wouldn't be around to see the looks on their faces when they discovered what he had done.

But he darn pray that someday, they would also be thankful to him.

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O gising na kayo! Tapos na ang prologue. Pash. :">

P.S. If you like my story, please VOTE and/or COMMENT. Kung hindi naman eh just continue reading. Baka sakaling magustuhan nyo. :">

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