PRETENDER

Chapter 25

Royce

I'm staring at the window, not minding the heat that comes from the sun. It's already 7AM, and it's been 6 days since I came here.

Of course, I already had an idea on why my father, Lorenzo Serdenia forced me to take me here in Spain.

"Get up and drink this to ease the pain,"

I gripped the bed sheet that I was holding when I heard her voice.

Well, to be honest.. I didn't feel betrayed at all. This bitch, I knew that there was something on her when we first met.

"Bitch," I said with an unemotional face.

She smirked at me. "It's not my fault. I need to look for you as per Don Lorenzo's command."

Nilapag nya ang baso ng tubig at gamot sa table malapit sa kama. Kinuha din nya ang med kit mula sa banyo ko saka sya naupo sa kama, malapit sa akin.

"Fine, you can drink those meds later but let me help you clean your cuts and bruises,"

Lalapit na sana sya sa akin para itaas ang damit ko nang hawakan ko ang kamay nya para pigilan.

"Yen," mariin kong ani. "Leave before I strangle you to death."

Tumawa ito ng malakas na may halong pang-aasar. "I might believe you if you're not beaten up to death, Royce. I mean, look at you! Halos hindi kana makatayo dahil sa parusang binigay sayo ng Tatay mo tapos nakuha mo pang magbanta?"

"It's your fault why I am in this situation, remember?"

"Don't blame me on something that you enjoyed doing so, Royce. Is it my fault that you're slowly throwing away your dad's plan?"

Napapikit ako ng mariin, pinipigilan ang sarili na saktan ang taong nasa harap ko.

"You're throwing everything just for what? Just for that professor of ours?! Just for that damn, Ashanti Laureen Vela---"

"Fuck you!" I furiously said then punched her face.

Agad naman syang natumba, tila ba hindi inaasahan na magagawa ko syang suntukin. Dumagan ako sa kanya at hinawakan ng mahigpit ang kwelyo ng damit nya.

"You don't know anything! Just shut the fucked up!!!" Imbis na takot ang makita ko sa kanyang mukha ay isang nakakalokong ngisi ang pinakita nya sa akin.

This bitch. I was about to punch her again when suddenly, the door opened and revealed my father.

My oh so called father.. pwe.

"Get her and bring her to my office."

•••

Nakatitig lang ako ng mariin sa lalaking nakaupo sa kanyang swivel chair, hawak ang isang kopita na naglalaman ng kanyang mamahaling alak.

"So," panimula nya. "How's your bruises? Is it still painful? Let me know if it isn't so that I will whip you up again."

"I'm already used to it." Napahinto sya sa pag-inom ng alak nya. "This is your way of how you will punish me when something happens that was not in your favor, right?"

Palagi naman ganon eh. Nung bata ako, kapag palagi akong may nagawang mali o hindi nya nagustuhan, pinapalo nya ng sinturon ang likod hanggang sa binti ko. Medyo naglevel up nga lang ngayon dahil hindi na sinturon ang gamit nya kundi isang latigo.

Kaya nga inabot ako ng ilang araw dito sa Spain dahil hindi ko talaga maigalaw ang katawan ko at kailangan ko ng matinding pahinga.

"Alam mo kung bakit ko ginawa yon, Royce." Tumayo ito at pabatong nilapag ang isang brown envelope sa table na nasa harap ko.

Kinuha ko ito at nilabas ang ilang litrato namin ni Ashanti na magkasama. Maging nung nagdinner kami sa bahay nila kasama ang mga magulang nya, pati narin ang paghalik nya sa akin ay nandoon.

Napangiti ako ng mapait. Of course, he has eyes everywhere!

"Now tell me, is that also included in my plan, Royce? Kissing that woman, having a fancy dinner with them?! Did you forget that Gabrielle's daughter is your fiancee?!" There's a hint of disgust in his face.

"You know what, I only allowed you to be engaged with her because her parents are my business partners! If not, there's no fucking way that I would let you be engaged with her!"

At first, my father was against with this engagement thingy. He felt disgusted knowing that his daughter is being engaged with a woman as well, and just like what he said earlier.. kung hindi nya lang business partner ang magulang ni Gabriella, ay hindi talaga sya papayag.

Gab was the one who planned this engagement of us. Nalaman nya kasing ipapakasal ako ng tatay ko sa isa sa mga lalaking anak ng business partner din nya. Alam nyo naman kung gaano kaloko-loko si Gab at kung paano sya mag-isip. Kaya heto at naging fiancee ko sya.

I am thankful to Gab because since then, hindi na ako ginulo pa ng tatay ko pagdating sa pagpapakasal.

"That was also part of the plan, father." I defended. He just looked at me, not believing my words.

"I am not a fool, young lady. The eyes can't lie."

Tila ba hindi ko makapa ang aking dila para makapagsalita dahil sa kanyang sinabi. Napatingin ako sa mga litrato at sinipat ang sarili doon na iisa lang ang emosyon na nakikita ko.

I was there, happily talking to Ashanti. I couldn't say that it was all fake because the eyes can tell what I'm feeling at that moment.

"The plan was to ruin her parents, Royce. Just like what they did to me and your mother! Your mother died because they ordered their men to shoot her! And can't you see this?! They are the ones who did this to me!"

Tinaas nya ang kanyang polo kaya kitang-kita ko ang mahabang tahi na nagmula sa kanan nyang dibdib hanggang sa gitna ng kanyang tyan. That happens when he gets himself into a car crash. Tumusok sa kanya ang mahabang parte ng salamin sa sasakyan nya na muntik nya pang ikamatay.

Pagkatapos ay ang tungkod naman nya ang itinaas at pinakita nya sa akin.

"And I'm using this because I couldn't walk properly! That bastard, Rodney Velasquez shot my knee without hesitation!"

Lahat ng nangyari sa kanya ay alam ko. Alam ko kung bakit ito nangyari at kung ano ang dahilan. Sa sobrang focus ko at paghuhukay ng mga pangyayari sa nakaraan, ay may isang bagay na natuklasan pa ako.. at ito ang nawawalang parte ng pagkatao ko.

"You need to do this! Just think about your mother at least, Royce." Dinuro nya ang mga litrato na nagkalat sa lamesa. "If you betray me because of this woman, I will make her beg for her life... mark my words, Royce."

Napakuyom ang kamao ko dahil sa narinig. Malamig ko syang tiningnan habang sya naman ay nakaupo na sa kanyang silya, padabog na umiinom ng alak na para bang doon nya binubuhos lahat ng galit na nararamdaman nya.

"Are you threatening me using her life?"

"I'm just telling you what you need to do and what would be the consequence if you decided to betray me."

Pagod akong napasandal sa couch, hindi ininda ang hapdi at sakit ng mga sugat na nasa likod ko gawa ng panlalatigo nya sa akin.

"I'm just wondering.. do you still see me as your daughter, Pa?"

Napahinto sya sa paglalaro ng kanyang baso ng alak. Nanunuri itong tumingin sa akin bago tumikhim at umayos ng upo.

"Of course. You're spitting some nonsense questions, Royce." Iika-ika itong lumapit sa akin at hinawakan ang balikat ko ng marahan.

"You're my only heiress and you need to act like one." he said as he looked straight into my eyes.