Moonstruck: Divulgence

DIVULGENCE 28

𝓙𝓪𝔂𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓷 𝓩𝓪𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓲𝓪𝓼

My phone rang and vibrated at the same time. Mabilis kong binasa ang caller's ID sa pag-aakalang si Chief iyon. I am expecting his call, but I do not know that he would call this early. I tapped the green button to answer his call. It's Vale Havier, the rich asshole and pompous brat.

I asked him last night to conduct a background check on Saber Zene Salavaria. Well, what Saber had said bothers me kaya nga hindi ko nakatulog kagabi. Magdamag akong nag-isip. Kung malalaman ni Zene na may anak ako sa ibang babae ay mas liliit ang tyansang balikan niya ako pero ayoko namang magsinungaling sa kaniya.

Vale tsked. "Dude, what I attained will blow your mind!" he exclaimed. I just don't know if it will really blow my mind or if he is just exaggerating. Knowing him, he is overacting as fuck.

Nervousness engulfed my whole system, but I managed to be calm. "What is it?" I asked, then gulped. Am I ready for this?

"Saber is an abandoned child. Isinuko siya sa DSWD at dinala sa bahay ampunan dahil walang kakayahan ang kaniyang ina na pangalagaan siya--"

"Who is her mother?" I cut him off.

"Dude! Don't you dare to cut me off! Just fucking listen first, okay?" Inis na sagot niya at siningahalan ako.

"Okay. Continue," I said, tensed. Hindi kasi siya detailed mag-report.

"Going back. Chou Salavaria is his sponsor. He is using Salavaria as his surname, but he is a Zacharias on his PSA form. So basically, nakapangalan siya sayo at ikaw ang nakatalang ama niya sa mga legal forms niya." I want to interrupt, but I'll let him finish his statements as he said.Fuck! That only means na anak ko nga si Saber Zene Salavaria. I mean Saber Zene Zacharias. But I am still not sure about it. Maybe we should conduct a DNA test, but that would definitely insult the hell out of him. I don't know what to do.

I am still thankful to Chou Salavaria for sponsoring my suspected child and giving him financial assistance that I didn't provide for his whole existence. Hindi ko alam kung anong dapat kong maramdaman. Saber was right. Wala nga talaga akong kwentang ama.

"In that case, p'wede siyang makasuhan ng patong-patong na kaso dahil--"

"Argh! Skip that part, Vale," naiinis na putol ko sa sasabihin niya. Damn! Kakasuhan niya 'yung anak ko? I'm fucking aware that he is a lawyer slash prosecutor, but can't he set aside his profession on this matter? Anak ko 'yung pinag-uusapan namin for Pete's sake.

"Oh sorry. Anyway, kulang ang nakuha ng mga tao kong impormasyon. I will update you if there are fresh feeds," he ssaidsubmissively.

"Who is his mother?" I repeated my question earlier. "Vale? Still there?"

Natahimik ang kabilang linya kaya chineck ko kung pinatay niya na ang tawag pero umaandar pa ang ang time call namin kaya hindi pa napuputol ang tawag.

"Vale? Hello?"

He hummed. "About that. You should find it out by yourself." No more than that, and he hung up. I tried to reach his line, but he is fucking unreachable. He might have turned off his cell phone to evade my calls.

I ran my fingers through my hair out of frustration. Damn! My phone rang again. Mabilis ko iyong sinagot at hindi na nag-abala pang tignan ang ID caller sa pag-aakalang si Vale ang tumawag pero nagkamali ako.

"Deputy Hanzo," a familiar voice, mentioned my name. It is a roaming number that means the caller is not in the country.

"What is it?" iritang tanong ko. Hindi ko inaasahan ang tawag niya pero alam kong tungkol sa anak ko ang itatanong niya.

"I will kill you once na may nangyaring masama kay Jayshie. And fuck you for lying to me—to everyone!" Deotoronomy Vander hissed from the other line.

"Saber told you, huh?" I asked, annoyed and hissing at him. Ibinubugaw niya ang kapatid niya sa mayabang na batang 'to.

"It doesn't matter who the fuck told it to me. What matters here is my Miss Jayshie!" he enraged. I can feel his madness in his prominent tone of voice. He is fucking raising his voice at me. How dare he? Anong karapatan niyang angkinin ang anak ko. And what's with Miss Jayshie? Is that a fucking endearment?

I hissed, "Young man, you should be ashamed of what you are saying and be careful with your words. Better watch your mouth! I am still Jayhie's father." I warned him using a well-founded voice.

I don't really like him for my daughter. The same goes for his cousin, Zhask Lysander. Kung si Schy Chadler ang manliligaw sa anak ko at baka pumayag pa ako.

"Tss. What should I call you then, Dad?" he queried with a thick sarcasm. Hindi ko man siya nakikita pero nakakasiguro akong nakangiwi siya. The fuck! Ang bilis niya naman yata.

"Anyway, uuwi na ako d'yan. I missed your daughter. See you!" No more than that, and he hanged up. The audacity! Magsasalita pa sana ako ng patayin niya na ang tawag. Hindi na ako nagsayang ng oras para muli siyang tawagan pabalik.

NATAPOS ANG araw ng walang nangyaring kakaiba. Walang sorpresang nanggaling kay Chief gaya ng sinabi niya kahapon. I sighed in relief. As I was thinking, he was just provoking me. I'm hoping na huwag niya ng ituloy kung anumang binabalak niya. I still have a week and three days to prove that my daughter is not a serial killer.

Pabagsak akong nahiga sa kama at nakipagtitigan sa kisame. Minutes have passed, but I'm still in the same position. Kinapa ko ang phone sa tabi ko at tinawagan ang number ni Saber. Nakuha ko 'yung number sa form niya noong kandidato pa lamang siya ng SSG Secretary. Hindi siya sumagot kaya sinubukan ko pa sa isang pagkakaton. Seven rings had passed before he answered the call.

"What, Deputy Jayshin?" he answered, annoyed and irritated. I assumed that he saved my number, and that makes my heart feel flattered.

"Saber, I'm sorry about what happened this morning--"

"Darn! Kung magda-drama ka, p'wedeng next time na lang? In game ako!" he hissed, then ended the call.

What does he mean by 'in game'? I don't get it. Mas importante ba pa 'yon kaysa sa akin? I texted him instead.

Jayshin Zacharias: Let's talk.

I turned off my phone and buried my face on the pillow. I'm expecting that Saber would reply that fast since, as he said, he is in the game. My phone whistled, indicating that a notification or whatever newsfeed came. I grabbed my phone to check it out. It is my son. Kahit wala pang confirmation at inaangkin ko na siya bilang anak ko kahit pa wala akong ideya kung p'ano ko siya naging anak. I can feel it.

Saber Zene: I don't have time to talk if it is you.

Parang may kung anong kumirot sa puso ko ng mabasa ang message niya. I hove a sigh and shook my head. I don't deserve children's attention and affection. I'm useless as fuck. Dapat hindi na ako umaasa pang matatanggap nila ako bilang ama. I deserve hatred.

Jayshin Zacharias: Report to me tomorrow morning. I need the edited list of students.

If he doesn't want to talk to me about the thing between us, then I will use my authority as the dean. I asked him to edit and remove the names of students who were dead or killed by the serial killer. And speaking of serial killers, these past few days at wala ng natatagpuang mga bangkay at wala na ring nawawalang faculty teachers. Is he done, or is he just resting? Pero hindi dapat ako maging kampante dahil anak ko pa rin ang dinidiin dito.

𝚁𝚢𝚔𝚎𝚛𝙼𝚘𝚘𝚗