My Everything In His Past (2nd Book of 'In His Past' Series)

Chapter 39

"You're crying. Are you alright?" tanong ni Kuya Zy kay Apple Pie nang makapasok na ito sa sasakyan.

She quickly wiped her tear-filled cheeks and replied, "Wala lang ito, Kuya."

"Narinig ko kayong nagtatalo kanina. Abot hanggang dito sa labas ang mga boses niyo," saad nito na para bang sinasabi sa kaniyang huwag na siyang magsinungaling.

"Stress lang kami sa nangyayari Kuya . . ." pagdadahilan niya habang nakadungo upang itago ang namamasa na naman niyang mga mata.

"Here," ika ni Kuya Zy habang inaabot sa kaniya ang isang envelope na may lamang pera. Ito ang lagi nilang ginagawa tuwing nagkikita sila. He would pick her up from the house and give her the money. "There's a little bit of a problem. I don't know if I can still give you money anymore. Naghihinala na si Dad. He would know about this sooner or later." She bit her lip while looking at the envelope in her hand. God knows how much she wanted to cry out loud right now. Kuya Zy then cleared his throat before speaking again. "Apple Pie . . . I know it's hard for you to make a decision now but please do consider my plan. One year lang ang hinihingi ko sa iyo. Iwan mo muna si Yohan. After that, I would personally make sure that both of you would get back together."

"I-I can't, Kuya Zy . . ."naiiyak niyang iling sa suhestiyon nito.

Narinig niya ang malakas na pagbuntung-hininga nito na para bang nahihirapan rin ito sa nangyayari ngayon. "I'm not gonna force you to do anything. If you ever decided to go through the plan then don't hesitate to talk to me."

She weakly nodded, her mind was so firm in the thought that she would never ever agree to his plan but life has its ways to surprise you. Just three days after her meet-up with Kuya Zy, his father went and visited her in the apartment. Wala si Yohan sa bahay dahil may nakita itong trabaho. It's a construction job and even though his qualifications were much higher for it, he still accepted the job. Sabi nito ay okay na iyon kaysa sa wala. 

She felt guilty. Big time.

Alam niyang nagtitiis si Yohan ngayon para sa kaniya. He was doing everything that he can do to earn money, but she stopped talking to him. Hindi niya kayang harapin ang lalake at baka masabi niya ang lahat-lahat ng nangyayari. Kuya Zy told her that Yohan would never hesitate to kill their Dad if he ever finds out about the situation right now. Yohan hates his Dad so much and Kuya Zy said that he threatened to kill their Dad multiple times. Si Kuya Zy na nga lang ang dahilan kung bakit hindi pa iyon nagagawa ni Yohan. Ayaw niyang makulong ang lalake dahil sa kaniya.

The day their Dad visited her, she knew right away that he was there with a conviction. Nang pagbuksan niya ito ng pintuan ay para bang nais niyang isaradong muli iyon. Kahit pa man hindi niya alam ang mukha ng Dad nina Yohan ay alam na kaagad ng utak niya na iyon talaga ang ama ng mga ito. 

His face bore a huge resemblance with the three brothers. Isang tingin pa lang ay kita na niya na nagmana ang tatlong magkapatid sa ama ng mga ito. His aura was far more imposing than Kuya Zy. Para bang sinasabi na kayang-kaya nitong patiklupin ang nakatatandang anak ng walang hirap.

She was so nervous when she let him inside. Pinaupo niya ito sa sala at nag-alok ng kape ngunit seryoso lamang siya nitong tiningnan. She then just decided na umupo sa katapat na bangko nito dahil mukhang ayaw magpatumpik-tumpik ng matandang lalake. 

They were face-to-face, the silence deafening between them. Not until the old man started talking with his harsh words and dominant voice. "I think you already know why I'm here. Let's cut out the formalities. I don't like you for my son. I'm pretty sure you already saw how powerful I can be. I'm the kind of force that you don't want to be an enemy. Kayang-kaya kong sirain ang buhay niyo. You wouldn't get the happily ever after that you wanted while I'm still here."

Napadungo siya dahil sa sinabi nito ngunit pinilit niya ang sarili na maging matapang. "A-Ano po bang nagawa kong masama? Minahal ko lang naman po ang anak niyo." Naiiyak siyang tumingin ng diretso dito bago muling nagsalita. "Mahal na mahal ko po si Yohan."

"I don't fucking care about your so-called love. I didn't raise my sons to be perfect like they are right now, just to end up with a pathetic woman like you. You're ugly as hell, your body is like a walrus, and your parents were the perfect example of sin."

Aaminin niyang nasaktan siya sa mga sinabi nito. Hindi naman lingid sa kaalaman niya na hindi siya kagandahan at hindi rin siya sexy. Gustong-gusto niyang ipagtanggol ang sarili ngunit agad namang nakuha ang atensyon niya dahil sa huli nitong sinabi.

Her parents? He knew who is her father and mother?

Baby pa siya nang itapon siya ng mga magulang. Hindi niya kilala ang mga ito at wala rin siyang kahit na anong lead para mahanap ang mga ito. Just hearing him talk about her parents made her heart skip a beat. Mukhang agad nitong napansin ang reaksyon niya dahil may nilabas itong white folder at hinagis iyon sa lamesa. Kahit na kinakabahan ay dinampot niya iyon at binuksan.

The first thing that greeted her eyes were two pictures of a man and a woman. Ang babae ay puno ng make-up ang mukha. Masasabing hindi ito magaling maglagay niyon dahil mali-maling shade ang gamit nito. Nasobrahan rin dahil para na itong clown sa kapal niyon. The man, however, looks like a thug. Puno ng tattoo ang katawan nito at kahit nga ang mukha ay meron rin. Marami ring piercings sa katawan nito. Both of the pictures looked like a mugshot or maybe they were indeed like that.

Naguguluhan siyang lumingon sa matandang lalake.

"Your mom was a prostitute and your dad is a drug addict, child rapist, and a murderer," ika nito.

Napatingin siyang muli sa files na binigay nito sa kaniya bago muling nagsalita, "Kung totoo nga po na mga magulang ko ang dalawang ito . . . wala pa rin po kayong karapatan na isisi sa akin ang ginawa nila. Hi-Hindi ko po kasalanan kung kriminal at puta ang mga magulang ko. Iba po ako sa kanila."

She tried defending herself but the old man sarcastically laughed as if mocking her. "Do you really think that I would let your dirty blood mix with ours? Ito ang problema sa mundo ngayon! Poor people like you would always dream of marrying a rich person. If you're a pig then better stay in the pigsty with the rest of your crowd. Masyado kayong delusional para isiping babagay kayo sa mundo namin." Bago pa man niya maipagtanggol ang sarili ay tumayo na ang matandang lalake at lumapit sa kaniya. He then retrieved a thick envelope and unceremoniously slapped it in her face. The impact made her whirl her head on the right side. Dahil sa lakas niyon ay nagsiliparan rin ang mga one thousand bills na laman ng envelope. "You should act like how your fellow poor class acts, you're all money-hungry peasants. I want you gone in my son's life as early as tomorrow. Kung nabuntis ka ng anak ko ay mas mainam na ipalaglag mo na iyan. Wala kang mahuhuthot na pera sa pamilya ko."

Matapos iyon ay walang lingon itong naglakad papalabas ng apartment habang siya naman ay naiwang nakaupo pa rin sa sofa. Her head was still facing the right side, her hair was so disheveled as if she just came from a cat fight. She can see some of the money from behind her tears that was continuously flowing from her eyes.

She now understood why Yohan's father let Xav and Elisa get married despite their young age compared to his reaction with her and Yohan. Tuwing naroon siya sa bahay ng mga ito ay kinukwento sa kaniya ni Xav ang tungkol sa asawa nito. Several things were always mentioned during those kwentuhan sessions. 

Elisa was beautiful as hell.

Elisa came from a very rich family.

Elisa was the definition of a perfect lady with her soft-spoken voice and genteel ways.

She was so far from that kaya naman kahit nasa tamang edad na sila ni Yohan ay ayaw pa rin siya ng ama nito. Somehow, she can feel anger rising within her. Naiinggit siya sa kung sino man si Elisa.

Life was so unfair. People would only favor you if you're pretty. People would only respect you if you're rich. 

Kahit na nanginginig ang kamay ay unti-unti pa rin niyang dinampot ang cellphone at tinawagan si Kuya Zy.

"Hello? Apple Pie? Do you need something?" sunod-sunod na tanong ni Kuya Zy. It must be a shock for him since she never contacted him first. Ito ang laging nauunang tumawag sa kaniya.

"Kuya Zy . . . Payag na ako."