The Chairman's Secret

20 - Cielo Is Dead

  
   
    
   
CIELO glanced at the pregnant woman sleeping soundly beside her. Sinama niya si Francin sa pag-alis ng bansa hindi dahil sa responsibilidad niya ito dahil nangako siya rito na tutulungan ito sa bata na dinadala. Francin became her close friend from the day she ran away. Alam niyang may naghihintay sa kanya na bagong buhay at kailangan niya si Francin para maging sandigan.

They're traveling now to Switzerland where her real father is situated. Iyon ang sabi sa sulat na iniwan ng ina niya sa kahon. Kasama ng sulat ay isa pang sobre na may pangalang 'Ramon', that must be her father's name. Ibibigay daw niya ito sa lalaking makikita niya sa address na nakalagay sa sulat. There's another letter for her and there's a note on the envelope that she should read the letter once they left Philippines.

Binuksan niya ang sobre at binasa ang sulat mula sa ina. Written there was the truth behind her existence.

Ang kanyang ina at si Ramon ay magkasintahan ngunit tutol ang mga magulang ng ina sa relasyon ng mga ito kaya pinaghiwalay ang mga ito. Huli na nang malaman ng kanyang ina na nagdadalang-tao siya sa anak ni Ramon (that's must be her). Her mom tried to tell Ramon about the baby but her father locked her in her room. Her mom was never allowed to get out of the house not until Cesar, her so-called father, came into her mother's life. Ramon never had a chance to know about the baby because of her grandfather's decision. Her Lolo doesn't like Ramon for her mom because Ramon was just a commoner and her mom belongs to a wealthy family. Cesar, om the other hand, promised her mom a better life. He promised that he will take her of mom and her as well but the opposite happen. Her mom tried to reached out to Ramon but she had no idea where to find him. Lumipas ang panahon at lumaki siya na ang kinilalang ama ay si Cesar.

Her mother wanted to give her a better life kaya naman nitong mga nakalipas na buwan ay gumawa ng paraan ang kanyang ina para mahanap ang kanyang ama. Hindi naman ito nabigo dahil nahanap nito ang kanyang ama. At ngayon nga ay patungo sila sa kinaroroonan nito.

May kaba sa dibdib niya nang maisip na makikita at makikilala niya ang kanyang tunay na ama. Mabait kaya ito? O katulad ito ng kinilala niyang ama? Kamukha niya kaya ito? May kapatid kaya siya sa ama?

Maraming katanungan sa isip niya hindi niya mabigyan ng kasagutan sa ngayon. Right now, her heart is beating so fast as the plane landed on the Zurich Airport.

Kasabay ng bawat hakbang niya palabas ng eroplano ay ang malakas na kabog ng kanyang dibdib. She still know the place although Switzerland is where her mother grew up, hindi naman siya lumaki rito dahil hindi pa man siya ipinapanganak ay nag-migrate na sa Pilipinas ang kanyang mga magulang. She just remember Switzerland when she was in her college days. She finished her art course in Institut Le Rosey in Rolle, Switzerland that costs US$130,000 annually. Many royal families from around the world send their children there, leading it to be nicknamed “the school of kings”. On average, there are fewer than 10 children per class. College was the worst days of her life because she had to deal with different people and she had the pressure upon her shoulder in making her Lolo proud. She dealt life in college all by herself.

Good thing her mom taught her to speak Irish, Italian, German and French language which happened to be the language used in Switzerland. She only spent 4 years in that country because as soon as she finished her studies, her father demanded her to go back to the Philippines. Ang Lolo lang naman niya kasi ang may gusto na mag-aral siya sa mamahaling school. Her so-called father was really against it.

She hailed a taxi when they got out the airport. It was a busy airport so people don't care about other people so they are.

"Où dois-je vous emmener, madame?" (Where shoul I take you, madame?) tanong sa kanila ng taxi driver.