THE VIOLINIST (filipino-english) On Hiatus

19: Truth=Hurt

Pagdating ni Luca nung araw na iyon, ipinagtapat niya sa kanila ang nalaman niya mula kay Phillippe.

"Quinn is alive"

"What, how, he called you?", sunod-sunod na tanong ni Luca. Habang si Reece ay tahimik lang na nakikinig.

"He called Phillippe" ani Henri. I'm not sure about Ariah. Luca, I'm sorry" pagpapatuloy niya habang nakatingin sa pinsan.

Parang binuhusan nang balde baldeng malamig na tubig ang mukha ni Luca. What's written on his face is not relief, it's disgust and at the same time worry.

"Anong plano niyo?", wika ni Reece.

"Nothing", sabad agad ni Luca. "If they're alive they would have come sooner."

"Quinn is still my fiancee Luca and Ariah is yours. Whether you like it or not, papahanap ko sila", Henri replied with finality on her voice.

Masakit man marinig ni Reece iyon pa rin ang katotohanan. The woman he fell in love with is bethroted to someone else. 

"Hindi ka pa nga sigurado kung buhay sila" mahinahong sagot ni Luca sa pinsan. 

"The call was recorded in a machine, kilala ko ang boses ni Quinn".

Naguguluhan man si Reece sa takbo nang usapan pinili niyang manahimik na lang. 

"Suit yourself, find them" sagot ni Luca sabay tayo.

"Don't you wanna ask them, why they left us Luca?. Ako gusto kong malaman kung saan ako nagkulang, kung saan ako nagkamali. That Quinn would even go as far as faking his death para lang lumayo sa akin"?

Napatigil sa paghakbang si Luca at napalingon sa pinsan. Pati si Reece napatitig kay Henri.

"I know everything cuz. I know, you tried to protect me by keeping it from me. But, I'm not dumb. When Duke asked me to claim Quinns stuff in the hospital, Rafa and I, pumunta kami sa bahay niya. His passport and bank accounts weren't there and he only had a few clothes left in the closet. Then Rafa found the final piece of the puzzle."

Tinungo ni Henri ang isang painting at may kinuha sa likod nito.. 

"This"

Isang picture nina Quinn at Ariah, kissing..

"Rafa put the pieces together, they didn't drown. They eloped. Alam ko na from the very beginning. Luca, what I wanted to know is why they would go through the engagement if they are in love with each other."

"Money", sagot ni Luca.

"Remember that 2 million widthrawal your dad made before he died but we didn't find?", pagpapatuloy ni Luca.

"They must have known about that money and if they're trying to come back now by pretending to have lived. They must be after your inheritance", sabad ni Reece.

"Kung pera din lang, puwede namang pinakasalan muna ako ni Quinn then run off with my money. He didn't, Quinn loves me and he tried to protect me", wika ni Henri. 

"Siguro nga Henri. Siguro nga. Pero ang hanapin sila at pabalikin dito sa mansyon, that's suicide", ani Reece.

"I don't care. I just want Quinn back", tugon ni Henri in a lovelorn voice.

At alam na ni Reece na hindi pa siya nag-uumpisa ay talong-talo na siya. 

Pero si Luca "Don't you have any pride left?" Pabulyaw niyang tanong sa pinsan. Halos magsilabasan ang litid niya sa leeg. 

"I don't"

And with Henri's reply lalong gumuho ang pag-asa ni Reece na mahalin rin siya nito.