"Please call off the marriage."
The color drained out of my face when I heard what he said. Napaatras ako at napatakip sa bibig ko. Hindi puwede!
"I-I can't..." nanginginig ang mga tuhod ko habang naglalakad ako sa hallway.
Napahawak ako sa pader at umiling. "I can't go back there..."
No— I refused to go back!
Nalulula ako at tila ba umiikot ang mundo. Huminto muna ako sa paglalakad to regain my composure. I clutched my dress tightly. Parang anumang oras ay bibigay ako.
I am anxiously biting my nails. Naiisip ko pa lang kung anong mangyayari sa akin ay nasusuka ako. Natatakot sa posibilidad na mangyari sa akin kapag bumalik ako. Just like what happened to my sister.
My lips trembled and my eyes welled up with tears. Naalala ko na naman ito. I'm petrified. Hindi ko na namamalayang tumulo na pala ang mga luha ko.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"Did my father scolded you? Ha! Serve you right!" tumawa si Pietro na nakasalubong ko sa hallway pero nakayukong nilampasan ko lang siya.
Hanggat maaari ayoko munang dumagdag siya sa problema ko. I have bigger problems to face. And I need to survive this place!
"Hey..." malumanay na pagtawag niya. "Are you crying?"
Hindi ako sumagot at nagpatuloy lang sa paglalakad. Hinawakan niya ang braso ko saka ako ipinaharap sa kanya. Nagulat siya nang makita niyang basa ang pisngi ko.
"Why are you crying—" hindi niya na naituloy pa ito nang sapilitang binawi ko ang braso ko dahilan upang mapaatras siya.
I gave him a ferocious glare, tears brimming in my eyes. "Don't touch me!"
How dare he look concerned when in fact he was the one who reported me! The only crime I have committed is that I wanted to survive. I just wanted to live!
I've spent my entire life surving. I finally got the chance to leave that hell. I worked hard for them to acknowledge me para hindi nila ako ibalik but all of my efforts didn't paid off.
My efforts were in vain! And my only mistake was trusting people.
I didn't even know that she had an allergy. How would I know that? Bago pa lang ako. Hindi ko alam ito. He should've given me a warning, but he didn't. He wanted me to leave.
And now that I'm going back, he must be leaping for joy right now.
"Are you okay? Did my father hurt you? Or did my brother—" I cut him off with a cold stare.
"I hate your family. I hate your maids. I hate him and I hate you... with every cell in my body."
After leaving him standing alone in the dark, I headed to my room and cried myself to sleep.
BINABASA MO ANG
Under the Red-Light District
General FictionNesrin is the wildrose in the red-light district, a prostitution house. She grew up and spent her childhood in isolation. One night, she was caught by the manager and was forced to charm the customers by dancing. Because of her enchanting beauty, sh...
