ALEXUS
The moment she looked at me with pained and angry eyes, I knew to my self that I lost. I might lose her today and I hate myself for letting things go like this. I am mad at my brother. But I am more mad at myself.
Sa tindi ng galit ko hindi ko man lang magawa siyang pigilang umalis sa dining room. Every steps away from me feels like tearing me into pieces. Sa tuwing ihahakbang niya ang mga paa niya palayo sakin, unti-unting nadudurog ang puso ko sa sakit.
I admit, all of this was my fault. Kung hindi lang ako kinain ng takot ko, hindi sana aabot sa ganito. Hindi sana aabot sa puntong sa iba niya pa malalaman ang mga sikreto ko. I fucked up and there is nothing I could do than to tell her the truth right now, or else, baka pag lumipas pa ilang segundo, mawala na talaga siya nang tuluyan sakin.
Pagod na nilingon ko si Alrius. His eyes followed Aria. Kilala ko ang kapatid ko. He's a rebel. Kahit pa para kaming pinagbiyak na buko, we're poles different from each other. Hindi ako katulad niya na malakas ang loob at kayang-kayang sumuway sa lahat ng utos ni Papa. Maybe he's right.
He is right. I am a coward. Sa ginagawa ko, I realized that Aria doesn't deserve any of this. Pero ano nga bang magagawa ko? Kung para sa kanya din naman lahat ng ito? I was stuck in between. Nasa gitna ako at naiipit sa sitwasyon ng pamilya. That's why I always envy my brother for being free and for living his life to the fullest kahit pa hinahabol at pinaghahahanap siya ng mga tauhan ni papa.
The reason why he's here. Nalaman ni Papa na ikakasal na siya at magkaka-anak na, sa galit ni Papa ay gusto siyang ipakuha sa mga tauhan. But look at him, he's a happy man kahit pa hinahabol na siya, unlike me, miserable and stuck.
"Why did you have to say that?" puno ng hinanakit kong tanong sa kanya nang tuluyan nang nawala sa paningin namin si Aria.
I heard my brother sighed. He's provoking me to do reckless things. I know him. I know him too well and he wants me to do things and defile our father's manipulative hands.
"I just want you to wake up from being the goody good son you are, Alex. I have watched you grew under our father's commands and I can see that you're not yourself anymore. Why did you even agreed to that engagement? Because of the guilt?" Tuloy-tuloy na sabi ni Alrius.
Namuo ang mabigat na damdamin sa dibdib ko. It's like I'm back to my dark past.
"So what if its because of my guilt, huh? Maria is dead because of me and the only thing I can do is accept the chance that the Morgans gave me! They should've sent me to jail--"
"Bobo ka ba or sadyang napaka-tanga mo?"
Shocked at my brother's words I can't utter any words. Lumapit siya sakin at mariing pinakatitigan. The Alrius I knew to be a happy go lucky is now gone.
"Why would they send you to jail if in the first place, it was an accident, Alex! You know what accident means? Or do I have to explain it to you? Hindi ko alam na ganyan ka kabobo," malupit na sabi nito sakin.
"Kahit saang anggulo mo tingnan, Maria had an accident that caused her death. Wala kang kasalanan."
Wala kang kasalanan... Aria's voice suddenly echoed in my ears. Like a soft wind caressing my soul. How could I forget that? Is it really not my fault when all my life I blamed myself for Maria's death?
"But still..." hindi ko na naituloy ang sasabihin ko nang mabilis na kinuwelyuhan ako ni Alrius.
"Open your eyes, Alexus! You're a Mardoni! And no man in the family is this weak like you are right now! We're going to figure out what the Morgans are hiding, okay? Come to your senses and speak with your girl! Explain everything and be a man!"
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