Adoring Your Soul

Kabanata 35

This is the final chapter. After four consecutive months, part one will finally anchor. Thank you for reading this story. The next chapter will be the epilogue. See you in book 2.

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Kabanata 35

Abandoned

Awa. Iyan lang ang nararamdaman ng pamilya ni Nathan para sa akin. Matapos umalis sa isla, agad kaming dumiretso sa bahay nina Nathan. Although it's not far from Mercedes' mansion, tomorrow, I'll come back to Manila. Lahat ng gamit ko sa mansion ay nanatili roon. Kahit ang telepono ay naiwan. Nathan even burned the dress, shoes, earrings, and everything Mercedes' owned.

May maliit na kuwarto sila rito sa kanilang bahay-kubo, kaya pansamantalang ipinagamit sa akin. After what happened, Nathan didn't question me, even though I felt that he wanted to. Alam kong kating-kati siyang pagalitan ako dahil nangyari ang inaasahan niya. I don't even want to hear the phrase "I told you so," since I know it will happen at some point, and my rash decisions will backfire. I'm not sure what I'm taking a chance on. I stayed till D-Day and received nothing but my destitute pride.

Sa tuwing naaalala ko ang nangyari, nahihiya ako sa sarili ko. I assumed that if he found out about my secret, he would eventually forgive me because I am of legal age and his love for me is sufficient, but I was wrong. I didn't expect them to put up a hilarious storyline to deter me. He was disgusted that "I was" working in a bar, but he shamed me when he discovered that I was a minor.

I will never forget how he blinked several times when I told him that I was a minor. The moment when his eyes sparkled because he was teary-eyed. I did not mind all of those sorrowful emotions because I wanted to hear from him that he loves me and being a minor is fine. Muli, mali ako. Kailan ba. . . kailan ba ako nagkamali pagdating sa kanya? Are those months not enough to know him fully? Was it full of funny moments and not emotional, dramatic, or mixed moments? Nagkamali ba akong magpokus sa pagpapasaya sa kanya para mahulog siya nang tuluyan at sa huli. . . bigo ako dahil nakisabay lang siya sa lahat ng plano ko.

He betrayed me. He is not the only one who's disgusted. His ex-fiancé's name was Yohana. Nandidiri akong naiisip niya ang ex niyang iyon habang kasama ako. He fucked that woman, and he is about to fuck me with almost the same name. And that is not the only thing. He admitted that he didn't love me. He used me. He used me to fulfill his delayed desire. After all this time, I was correct. He sat on my feelings. He fooled me.

I wiped my tears and glanced at Nate, who had entered the room. Huminga siya ng malalim at inutusang lumabas ako. Tumango lamang ako at pinauna na siya.

Bumaling ako sa bintanang kahoy at tinanaw ang burol. Mahangin. Naglakad ako papunta sa bintana at dinama ang malamig na hangin. Tinuyo nito ang luha kong bunga ng hinagpis at pait na galing sa isang bagay na noong una, hindi pinaniwalaan.

Maniningil ako. At sisiguraduhin kong kahit anong pera ang ibayad, hindi tatalab. All of their richest will never compensate for the damage they caused me. "Sa Maynila mo na kausapin si Luan. Huwag mong pagalitan ngayon. Paglutuan mo pagbalik n'yo roon."

Ngumiti ako nang marinig ang pangalang tinawag niya sa akin. Mas komportable ako roon.

"Hindi ka pa babalik, Ma?" nag-aalalang tanong ni Nathan.

Umiling si Auntie. "Hindi muna. Asikasuhin mo ang bahay roon at ako rito." She smiled and opened the TV.

Bumaba ang tingin ko sa aking mga paa. I know why she wants to stay here. Magpipitong taon na nang mawala ang papa ni Nathan. They were also living well until his dad died. Imbestigador ang papa niya at ni isa sa amin, hindi alam ang ikinamatay no'n. I know Auntie knows something, but she doesn't want to hurt Nathan. Maaaring konektado sa trabaho ang ikinamatay ng papa niya.

"Yes." Lumingon ako dahil sa boses na narinig mula sa tv. Namilog ang mga mata ko nang makita kung sino ang mga nasa telebisyon.

It was Tita Alicia being interviewed by the press. Limang tissue ang nasa harapan. My eyes immediately moved to her side. It was Archer. Katulad noong isang gabi, wala siyang emosyon.

May tinanong pang muli ang interviewer, ngunit hindi ko narinig nang maayos dahil sa panglalamig.

"That kid came to me asking for a job, so I-I gave her! Iyon pala, she wants to marry my son! She threatened me! She is very obsessed with my son. I-I don't know! She even pushed me because I said she needs to leave Nasugbu. . ." anito at naiiyak na pinunasan ang luha.

Nanghihina akong umiling. Nathan came to me and held my hand. Tiningnan ko si Archer at halata ang kaunting gulat sa mga mata niya.

He is believing their lies again!

"How about you, Mr. Thaddeus? What can you say about the obsessed kid who wants to marry you? Does the Mercedes clan have a clear plan to punish this certain girl?"

Punish!

Inis ngunit natatawa akong umiwas ng tingin sa telebisyon. How dare they plot something to punish me? They are the ones who fooled me the most! At sila pa ang may ganang parusahan ako? That woman said she'll cover up this issue with another engagement, so why are they oulling something?! They must be enjoying the crowd and the attention!

"Kung nakinig ka lang sa akin, Luan!"

"I know!" I fired back at Nathan. "Don't say anything!" I cried again. Binalingan ko ang telebisyon at muling narinig magsalita si Archer.

"We'll take a brief action on this issue. For now, I am commanding the press to not do any funny things to hunt this girl down. We're already in action. Any articles, blogs, and/or news that are published without our permission will be greatly punished," anito at hinila na ang ina papalayo.

I went back to the small room and whipped. I cried a lot last night, but this type of pain is dreadful. Masyado nang masakit ang dibdib ko para kayanin oa ang ilang hagulhol at pagpipigil ng iyak.

I thought of going back to that mansion and reconciling with him, but I guess I'll never do it. They abandoned me. Miraes abandoned me. So I will give what energy they gave me. I will abandon them too, and I will take what is mine.

Maniningil ako na kahit na anong yaman, hindi kayang bayaran.