Chasing Fire (Completed)

Chapter 36

Fear

"Mist, this is your Tita Vienna, my girlfriend." Pakilala ni Marco sa akin.

Naktatakang tingin ang ipinukol ng bata sa akin. Is she wondering why we look almost the same with her mom? Or wondering why her dad has a girlfriend?

"No." Valentina muttered angrily.

Bago pa makalapit sa Val, Marco said something that made Mist look so sad na kahit ako ay napaiwas ng tingin.

"Listen to me. I am not your real Papa-"

"Marco!" Agad na putol ni Val sa kanya at marahas na kinuha sa Mist mula kay Marco.

I saw how Marco stared at Val with pure disgust and anger.

"Tell her or else, I will. And I'll make sure she'll understand how her mom lied to her all this time." He said coldly.

Mist started crying. She's six or maybe seven years old so I think she understands what is happening.

"Hindi ka man lang ba naaawa sa anak mo-"

Hindi pa rin sumusuko. Hindi niya ba talaga kayang tanggapin? Nasa kanya na ang buong atensyon ng mga magulang namin. She's the favorite daughter. Pati ba naman atensyon ni Marco, kukunin niya? (Which will never happen, of course.)

"You're delusional." Marco cut her off. "Leave, or I'll let the guards drag you out. Please Val, nandito si Mist."

Nakita ko ang galit na mga mata ni Val na tumitig sa akin. She's almost crying. Just when she's about to say something, Marco held my hand and blocked me upang hindi ako makita ni Val that stopped her from speaking.

"I know you just loved her because she looked like me! You loved me first Marco! You loved me first!" And now she snapped.

"I didn't. It's just your stupid manipulations that made me stay."

Sinubukan kong umalis sa likod ni Marco upang makita ang kalagayan ni Val but then he stopped me. I don't need protection. Pilit akong umalis sa likod niya at nang nagawa iyon ay agad na lumipat ang galit na mga mata ni Val.

At halos napaatras ako nang lumapit siya with raging eyes that is directed to me.

"Mang-aagaw ka! I will never accept you as my sister! Kaya ayaw sa'yo ni Mom! Everyone hates-"

At bago pa siya tuluyang makalapit, Marco's voice thundered in the whole room that made her stop.

"I said leave!"

Humagulhol na sa iyak si Mist dahil sa gulat. Unti-unting dumalo si Val sa anak niya and without looking back, she left Marco's office with Mist.

For almost a week, iyong ang huling gulo sa buhay ko. I turned my phone off at wala akong balak na gamitin iyon. Not that I expect my parents to call me. Baka nga walang balak ang mga yon na pabalikin ako.

I thought of applying for a job. Wala iyon sa isip ko dahil simula nung nag college ay binibigyan na ako ni Dad ng konting trabaho sa kompanya. Itinatak ko na sa isip ko na ako ang mamamahala sa kompanya dahil ako lang naman ang nag-iisang anak.

But now, there's Val. Alam kong siya ang papaboran so it's better for me to start my own career. And there's Zandra. Hindi ko alam kung anak rin ba siya ni Dad o anak siya ni Mom sa ibang lalake. The latter seems more accurate though.

I stayed in Marco's house for almost a week now. Every other day siyang pumupunta sa opsisina niya and there are times too that he only want to stay at home and work.

People really change huh. Talagang nawala na yung Marco na playboy noon. I never thought he'll be this workaholic. In just three years, he created his own name.