Latch

Chapter 17: The Truth Has Never Been This Painful

LATCH

Chapter 17: The Truth Has Never Been This Painful

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Third Person's Point of View

Pumasok na si Krystique at Lynx sa loob ng opisina ng detective. Agad silang pinaupo nito sa malambot na couch. Pinagmasdan ng dalawa kung ano ang bawat kilos nito hanggang sa ilapag nito sa center table na nasa kanilang harapan ang laptop na mayroong video na naka-pause.

"I just want to say that I did not think I got this video with my own abilities, it is either someone pulled the strings or the person you want me to investigate want me to get the video and the information. Since the security of his laptop is very high and my virus cannot penetrate it" - seryosong saad ng Detective which automatically made Krystique frown. Hindi niya akalain na kusang ibibigay ni Miguel Santillan ang mga impormasyong pinapahanap niya, and it is also shocking to know that Miguel know that there will be someone who is about to investigate him. Krystique immediately thought that Miguel Santillan is really too good to be true.

"As I have said please ready yourselves, and so here goes" - muling saad ng detective at kasabay nito ay ang pagpindot niya ng space bar dahilan upang magplay na ang video. Ang unang scene ng video ay isang parking lot. She can see Miguel on the parking lot, smoking and gazing at the stars, then her mouth automatically went wide when she saw herself, walking with her make-up ruined. 

"It's from a year ago" - she unconsciously said at tumango ang detective, hindi gumalaw ang camera at nanatiling nakatutok ito kay Miguel hanggang sa lumipas na ang 20 minutes ay umalis na si Miguel. The next scene was even more shocking for her, it is a footage from the Zara's bar, she can see Miguel standing on the front door and she can see herself drinking, but what caught her attention the most is the shirt Miguel is wearing that night.

"H-h-how?" - she whispered to herself at kasabay nito ay ang paghawak ni Lynx sa kamay ng kapatid. Nagpatuloy ang video hanggang sa nakita nalang niya kung paano nagtagpo ang mata nila ng lalaki, kung paano ito lumapit sakanya, kung paano siya nito hinila sa dancefloor kung paano sila sumayaw ng sobrang passionate hanggang sa natapos ang video sa paglapat ng kanilang labi. At kasabay ng pagkawala ng video ay siya ring pagtulo ng kanyang luha

"S-s-so it's him all along?" - Krystique whispered again pero bago pa man siya makabawi ay muling umadar ang video at nakita niya ang ilang pictures. Mga pictures noong umalis siya pabalik ng Germany, yung nagtra-trabaho siya sa hospital, habang namimili siya ng groceries, habang nanga-nganak siya everything that happened to her in the past year ay mayroong litrato, even what happened to her up til' now is in the video. 

"Miguel Santillan is the father of your child, he is consistently watching you and your daughter for afar. Gave you all your needs even though he did not show himself. That's all that I've found out or rather he had given to me" -  The detective said once again ngunit nanatiling nakapako ang tingin niya sa laptop, at lalo siyang napaiyak ng makita ang imahe niya habang karga-karga ang anak at ang imahe din ni Miguel habang karga karga si Euphema. Pinagdikit ito and there is words below the picture.

"I hope I'll get to be with her and our beautiful daughter. I love them both"

At nang mabasa niya ito ng malakas sa kanyang isipan ay doon na siya napahagulhol sa iyak, dahilan upang yakapin siya ni Lynx.

"Bastard Miguel. You just made my sister cry. I'll punch you for this later" - Lynx said on his mind as he continued patting his sister's back.

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Matapos na malaman ng magkapatid ang katotoohanan tungkol kay Miguel ay nakapagdesisyunan nilang maglakad-lakad muna, pam-pakalma, inabot sila ng hanggang alas-sais at si Lynx nadin ang mismong tumawag sa nagbabantay sa kanyang pamangkin tungkol sa sitwasyon and surprisingly ay alam din ng nagbabantay sa kanyang pamangkin ang nangyari. She said that Miguel went there to tell her everything and told her to watch over his and Krystique's daughter until everything is settled.

"That sneaky bastard, here I thought I was the only one who did something so stupid tapos siya din pala" - Lynx said on his mind at saktong sakto ay nakarating na sila sa harap ng building kung saan nakagtira si Krystique. Pinagbuksan niya ng pinto ang kapatid at inalalayan niya pa itong makaka-baba dahil kahit ilang oras na ang nakalipas ay nanghihina padin ito at wala sa sarili.

"I'll go now sis. Call me if you need anything" - mahinang saad ni Lynx at saka hinalikan sa noo ang nakatulala pading kapatid. Krystique just stood there on the same spot hanggang sa tuluyan ng maka-alis ang sasakyan ni Lynx. Just then ay agad din siyang nagpara ng taxi at pagkapasok na pagkapasok niya sa loob ay kusang lumabas sa bibig niya ang pangalan ng bar ni Zara

Wala pang twenty minutes ay narating na niya ang bar, agad siyang nagbayad ng pamasahe at mabilis siyang lumabas ng taxi at dire-diretso siyang naglakad patungo sa entrance ng bar. The bouncer let her enter, at pagkapasok na pagkapasok niya ay bumungad sakanya ang pamilyar na amoy ng pinaghalong mamahaling air freshener at menthol na sigarilyo.

She walked towards the bar counter, the same place where she used to drown herself with alcohol a year ago

"One bottle of tequila please" - matamlay niyang saad at agad namang tumango ang bartender at saka nito nilapag sa kanyang harapan ang mamahaling bote ng tequila, lemon, salt at wine glass.

Agad niyang binuksan ang tequila at nagsalin na siya ng puno sa kanyang baso, nilagyan niya ito ng kaunting lemon at tska niya inubos ang laman nito. The bitter sour taste of the alcohol immediately marked her taste buds and she also felt heat on her throat. Nagsalin muli siya sa kanyang baso at ininom ulit ito, hanggang sa halos kalahati na ang nabawas niya sa tequila. 

Nakaramdam na siya ng kaunting hilo dahil matagal na siyang hindi umiinom at hindi na siya sanay uminom. 

Nilagay niya ang kanyang kanang kamay upang takpan ang mata niya because if she didn't the bartender will see her crying. Yes she is already crying. Crying because of happiness and pain. Happiness, since finally she found her daughter's father and in pain because she has been totally fooled. She never thought that Miguel and that man she had sex with that night are the same person. If only she followed her instincts when she smelled the same perfume ay siguro hindi siya maloloko.

"The Truth really hurts" - she whispered and just as when she is about to pour another drink ay naramdaman nalang niya ang isang mainit na kamay na pumigil sa kanyang kamay.

"I know and I'm sorry for keeping everything from you. I know that I am wrong so you can punish me but please don't drown yourself with alcohol again like you did one year ago" -  a voice, very familiar to her suddenly said dahilan para lalo siyang mapaiyak and unconsciously she put both of her hands on the face of the man.

"You know you sound like that man, you smell like him, you even look like him. You know I am really starting to love that man pero hindi ko na alam. I felt betrayed and fooled, you know? I don't know what to do anymore, it's like everything turned back to zero.  I am willing to accept him if he just told me in the first place. I would've--

before Krystique could even finish her sentence ay pinutol ito ng ilang salita na pakantang sinabi ng lalaking nasa kanyang harapan, ang tono nito ay parehong-pareho noong kantang naging dahilan upang magpadala siya sa agos ng kanyang nararamdaman, and hearing it now made her cry even more but a smile is still noticeable on her face. 

"I'm so in love with you"

©IMPERATRICEC

AUGUST 2020