Chasing Chances [TSC Book 2]°KathNiel° ✓COMPLETE

Chapter Twenty-Two: Dreadful Truth

The following days went by in a blur. Anthony continued the search for Nero Castillo but he was nowhere to find. He also tried looking for Wayne dela Vega, the cousin of the latter who I met at the hospital. Bigla tuloy akong napapaisip na baka nga tama ang hinala kong tuluyan ng nawala si Nero. Baka pinatahimik narin ito ng kung sino mang may gawa ng lahat. Kinakabahan ako kung sino pa ang madadamay. This has to stop.

"Zacchary! Anak? Zacchary?"

"Babe, si mama ba 'yan?" Tanong ni Chances. Nakahiga pa kaming pareho sa kama. It's still five in the morning. Sobrang aga pa.

"Zacc! Son, open the door."

Nagkatinginan kami ng asawa ko bago ako bumangon para pagbuksan si mama ng pinto.

"Zacc, your tita Miracle called. Mirana escaped the facility."

Frozen. That's the best word appropriate for myself when I heard the words from mama. Hindi ako makagalaw. Walang laman ang isip ko. Maybe there is but is frozen as well.

"Your tita Miracle is crying. Zacchary, you have to call your cousin. Your tita thinks he took her out." Mama continued, still not pacing down with her panic.

Si Arlo. Sana nga si Arlo nalang ang kumuha sa kanya. Sana hindi ibang tao. I should really have known better. I shouldn't have left Mirana alone in that facility.

After eyeing the keys on the table, I quickly took it and headed out of the room.

"Zacc! Where are you going?" I heard Chances shouting while I was running down the stairs. "Zacchary!"

Halos paliparin ko na ang kotse sa sobrang pagmamadali. Sinusubukan ko ring tawagan si Arlo habang nagmamaneho pero hindi ito sumasagot. Hinanap ko sila sa kung saan-saan. I checked the townhouse that Arlo and I used to live at when we were still studying. I checked his condo afterwhich. I checked everywhere. Pero hindi ko sila nakita.

Gayunpaman, hindi ako tumigil. Pumunta ako sa bahay nila, nag-aabang sa labas, nagbabakasaling uuwi siya. Habang nakatambay ako do'n, tawag ng tawag si Chances. Hindi ko 'yon magawang sagutin dahil sa sobrang pag-aalala kay Mirana.

Arlo. Come on! Para akong mababaliw habang naghihintay kaya kinausap ko nalang ang asawa kong kanina pa tumatawag. Sigurado akong nag-aalala lang 'to.

"Babe?" I mouthed. "I'm sorry. Are you okay there? How about the kids—" I paused when I heard my wife holding her breath from the other line. She's scared! "Baby? Talk to me. What is wrong? Please, just say something babe. I'm worried."

Ilang segundo pa ng katahimikan ang lumipas. Hindi na ako mapakali sa takot at pag-aalala mabuti nalang at narinig ko ang boses niya.

"It's..." Narinig ko ang patagong hagulhol niya kaya lalo akong natakot. She remembered something again!

"It's what, baby?" Malambing na sambit ko para mapakalma siya. "Love? It's okay. I'm going home. Shhh. Love, I'm going home."

Hindi ko pinatay ang tawag pero nagmamadali akong pumasok ng kotse para umuwi na. Hindi ko pa nabuhay ang makina ng sasakyan nang makita ko ang paparating na kotse ni Arlo at kasabay no'n ang masamang balitang nagmula sa bibig ng asawa ko.

"It's her."

"What do you mean? Who's her baby?" I asked, really scared.

"Mirana. She's the woman I told you about."

Umiling ako, hindi sa hindi ako naniniwala sa kanya, sigurado lang akong hindi magagawa ni Nana ang sinabi niya. Mirana is the most supportive of our relationship. It's impossible. She can't do it.