From Afar (Isla del Fuego series 3)

Kabanata 49

Bastian POV

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Manipulate

"I don't think I can do this, Dad." Tony murmured

I glance at him.

"I'm with Bastian, Dad. Maybe I can make that next day. After our trip with my co-workers."

Mas lalo umigting ang panga ng pinsan ko. Maybe my tito is giving him hard time. Just like my Dad. Na kapatid rin ng papa nya. In here, we don't waste time. We don't stop working for a seconds. Kung kailangan gawin kaagad, dapat gawin. And I hate it the way they manipulate us. How they threatened us na mga anak na kapag hindi namin gagawin ang trabaho namin ay tatanggalan kami ng mana. Tho, I'm not afraid of it. Kahit tanggalan pa nila ako ng mana ngayon, kaya ko buhayin ang sarili ko pati na ang mapapangasawa ko. I won't let my parents manipulate me again the way my tito and tita manipulate their child.

"Permisi (Excuse me.), Dad. I did my job. You know that I'm not really good at it. Please..."

Inalis ko ang tingin ko sa kanya. Nakatingin na ako ngayon sa cellphone ko na kanina pa nag riring. Sinagot ko ang tawag ni Dario na ilang beses na naka misscalled saakin.

"Whats up?"

"I'm in Zamboanga right now. I didn't trace them." Aniya.

I shited moves. "Alam mo ba kung saan papunta ang bangka na sinasakyan ni Catriona? 'Yun lang ang gusto ko na malaman. So I can fetch here in Manadotua Island."

"I will, dude. We'll keep in touch. I'll call you later." At binaba nya na ang tawag.

Nakatulala muna ako sandali. I heard Tony curse several times. Napapikit nalang ako dahil sa malutong nyang mura.

Natahimik rin kami. Nakaidlip ako ng ilang sandali at nasa port na kami kung saan papunta sa Isla. Binaba ko ang gamit ko para maisakay na sa yacht. Apat lang kami lahat doon. Kasama ang Crew at ang Captain. Before we drove off, nakita namin ang ibang kasamahan namin na kakarating lang. Agad ko na sinabihan ang kapitan na magtungo na. Since, hindi sila sasama sa isang sasakyan. And I don't think I can be with them since Rhon is there. Kinasusuklaman ko ang tao na 'yon.

Nasa deck kami ni Tony. Seryoso parin syang nakatingin sa kawalan. Ganoon rin ako. Ilang ulit narin syang huminga ng malalim.

"Whats the matter?" I ask him.

I can't stand hearing his breath for nth time.

"My dad wants me to the his job." He said coldly.

"What job?"

"Run the business."

Ngumuso ako. Ganyan din ang ginawa ng dad ko. But I fight for it. I don't like business but I like numbers. I invested and let the money grow. Hindi pa 'yon nakakapagod.

"Do you want to run our business?" Tanong ko.

Nilingon nya ako. "Of course no. Alam nya noon na gusto ko maging engineer. But he put me in this situation. Sinunod ko sya because he's my father and I have my all respect to him. I did not say anything about it. At ngayon, he wants me to run for it? I won't let that happened."

See? They love manipulate their children. Like me, my sister Federicka did the same thing. That's why she lived in Australia. Sya lang ang naiiba saaming lahat. Habang kaming lahat ay doctor na, sya ay isang architecture slash beauty queen. Federicka is the black sheep. And I'm proud of her from making her self. I'm proud she finished studies without the help of our parenst. Since the day Ricka left us, nawalan na ng pake ang magulang namin. They don't give any support. I help her financially. Kahit na naghihirap rin ako before making my own name.