Embracing Her Lies (THREE KINGS SERIES #2)

Chapter 5

VAM

From:
Valerie Amelia Martin

Ate Vanessa, please answer my video calls. I miss you.

I closed my eyes tightly after reading my sister's message. I don't want to talk to her because hearing her voice makes me hate myself more.

Napadilat ako nang biglang mag-ring ang phone ko, Vam's name registered on the screen. Nag-dalawang isip pa ako kung sasagutin ko ba ang tawag niya o iiwasan ko ito muli tulad ng ginagawa ko sa loob ng apat na araw.

In the end, I chose to answer her call. Malalim ang pinakawalan kong buntonghininga bago ko pinilit na ngumiti sa harapan ng camera.

Bumungad sa akin ang nakalabi kong kapatid, bakas ang lungkot sa asul niyang mga mata na namana niya sa Canadian na ina.

Valerie is my half sister.. magkapatid kami sa ama at anak siya ni Papa sa legal nitong asawa.

My mother was a mistress, I was a product of a forbidden affair.

My Papa was already married when he met my mother again.. she was his first love, they were highschool sweethearts but they broke up when my father's family decided to live in New York.

Tinago ng magulang ko ang mali nilang relasyon, bumalik lang si Papa sa New York para mag-file ng divorce sa asawa niya dahil gusto niyang ikasal kay mama pero hindi na siya muling bumalik sa Pilipinas dahil nabuntis niya ang asawa.

Hindi man lang nalaman ni Papa noon na anim na buwan na palang buntis si mama. I was in her womb for six months but my father don't have any idea about it.

My mother committed suicide after she gave birth to me, naiwan lang ako kay Lola na namatay din agad.

Pinagpasa-pasahan ako ng ilang kamag-anak dahil walang kahit sino sa kanila ang gustong kumupkop sa sakitin na batang katulad ko.

I was seven when my Papa learned about my existence. He came back and took me to New York to raise me there with his family.

His legal wife, which is Valerie's mother never treated me good. She blamed me all my life for the sin that my mother committed.

I was humiliated at a young age.. my classmates used to bully me because my mother was a mistress. They called my mom a home wrecker and I was known as the 'whore's daughter'.

Being me is hard. Hindi ko naman kasalanan na naging kabit ang nanay ko pero bakit ako ang nahihirapan? I used to blamed my dead mother for giving birth to me, sana hindi na lang niya ako binuhay kung iiwanan din naman niya ako.

My life was.. and still a living hell. I never had anyone. That's why I envy Valerie with my whole heart. She has everything that I wish I could have.

"Ate! You finally answered my call," Vam excitedly exclaimed.

Malaki ang ngiti ng kapatid ko kaya kitang-kita ang malalim niyang dimples sa magkabilang pisngi na pareho naming nakuha kay Papa.

Her eyes are as innocent as before, her smile shines more than the sun. Valerie's beauty is beyond praise. 

"You're avoiding me for the past four days," lumabi siya. "Are you mad at me? Did I do something wrong, ate?"

Nag-iwas ako ng tingin dahil hindi ko kayang tagalan ang malamlam niyang mga mata na nakatingin sa akin. Tagos ang tingin ni Valerie sa screen ng cellphone ko.

"I.. I'm not avoiding you, I told you.. I'm busy," I lied.

"Really? Saan? Do you have a boyfriend?" tanong niya sa akin, maging ang mga mata niya ay nakangiti.