With All Might

Kabanata 25

Promise

Marami ang nag bago sa lumipas na taon. Hindi ko na nga lang binilang kong gaano na katagal. Parang kahapon lang nang umibig ang bata kong puso. Ngayon, malayong malayo na ako sa Zaccary noon.

I hated my Mom for cheating on my Dad. I hated it more when Dad accepted back my Mom that easily. I also feel betrayed by my brother and my two bestfriends, Bridgette and Katherine for hiding the truth from me. Sinabi na pala ni Mommy kay Kuya ang totoo at narinig na pala nila Bridgette at Katherine ang usap-usapan but they kept it from me.

Slowly, Mom reach out to me. She tried her best to get my trust back. Matagal na matagal bago ko siya napatawad. It was a very long and heavy process for me and for our family. But now, slowly, we're okay. I forgive her. She is my Mom afterall and we're family. Whatever happens, I still choose her over my pain and hate.

Ganoon din kay Daddy. He explain to me kung bakit umabot sila sa ganoong punto. Kaya mas humanga at lumaki ang respeto ko sa kanya. Ganoon kalalim at kalaki ang pag-ibig niya kay Mommy para mapatawad niya ito sa kabila ng pagtataksil. He was so brave to forgive Mommy and accept her back wholely. I couldn't even imagine if other men can do that if they got cheated by their wife or girlfriends.

But in life, there would be really a time where it will challenge you. A challenge that we think we can't survive.

But thankfully, I did.

Dahil doon, mas tumibay ang relasyon nila ni Mommy. It was because of the forgiveness that's why they rebuild and reconnect and now, they become more stronger and more loving.

I forgive Kuya Zac too. At kahit hindi niya iyon napagtagumpayan dahil kay Jessie. Naintindihan ko kalaunan ang kagustohan niyang protektahan ako mula sa katotohanan kasi alam niyang masasaktan ako ng sobra sobra kapag nalaman ko ang totoo. He was my only family that time who didn't judge my parents but instead, he tried to understand hard. Nagalit din siya siyempre pero nagpakatatag siya para sa'min. And I really thank him for that.

My two bestfriends, Bridgette and Katherine, are guilty too. They are just like my brother who tried to protect me from the truth because they don't want me to suffer from the consequences of my mother's mistake. At gaya kay Kuya Zac, naintindihan ko rin sila kalaunan. Mahirap nga lang noong simula kasi akala ko katulad din sila ng iba na trinaydor ako. Right now, we still communicate and our friendship remains stronger the same.

Napag-alaman ko rin na umalis na ang angkan ng mga Benidez sa Zaccarrio. My Daddy maybe soft to Mommy but he's no saint not to forget the man who ruined our family and who almost stole his wife.

It was summer in New Jersey when I did my last acting offer in theater. Tinanggap ko ang huling offer dahil pagkatapos nitong summer, uuwi na ako ng Zaccarrio.

Daddy step down as CEO and he was succedded by Tito Arius but right after Tito Arius got promoted, Kuya Zac took his place as the Vice President while Kuya Zoren became the Chief Operating Officer and Kuya Zeus became the Head in Engineering department.

Somehow, afterall the obstacles that my family faces, ang pagbabati nina Tito Arius at Daddy ang isa sa ikinatuwa ko. Just like Daddy who suddenly change, Tito Arius's anger from me suddenly disappear and he now finally accept the decision of Lolo Zaccarriano and Lolo Zaccarrius to make me the heiress of Hacienda Fuentabella.

"I will wait for you, mi amor..." I said and hug Stefano.

Yumuko ako, yakap yakap ang walang buhay na si Stefano. The crowd cheered and clap. Sumabog ang confetti pagkatapos isirado ang malaking pulang kurtina.

Agad na nagsi-lapit ang mga staff at tumayo kami ni Stefano. Ang galing niyang umacting. He made his death scene almost too real that the audience shed tears.