The Blind Young Master [Published under PopFiction]

Kabanata 19

"City Mayor Daelan "Lan" Alejandrino arrested for kidnapping ViC's future CEO Adriel Calix M. Villangco." It was the same headline I read everyday, 3 years ago. And I have kept different newspapers having the same headline.

"Fia, I'll just check your Aunt Celestine. She told me she's not feeling well today." I immediately hid all the newspapers under my bedsheets.

"Okay Mom..."

We flew to Canada, 3 years ago.

"I miss you, daddy..." My heart still breaks. My heart still aches. And as much as I wanted to forget everything, it's still fresh to me. Pakiramdam ko sa araw-araw, ay pinipilit ko na lang muling ipagpatuloy ang buhay, dahil kay mommy.

We ended up losing the family we built for so many years.

"Afia... What happened? Bakit basang-basa ka? At namumutla ka pa?" Umiling ako kay mommy, agad din akong dinaluhan ng mga katulong para mapunasan at matuyo ang basang-basa kong suot. Yumakap ako kay mommy at doon umiyak kahit sobrang sakit na ng mga mata ko at wala na talaga akong maiyak pa.

"Ang sakit-sakit kasi mommy. Bakit ganito na lang palagi? What did I do in my past life to deserve this? To feel like the world's against me now?" Alam kong hindi maintindihan ni mommy ang tinutukoy ko ngayon. I'm sure she doesn't have any idea of what's happening now and I'm sure she'll be more disappointed than I do.

Napatingin ako kay daddy na kakababa lang mula sa kanyang opisina sa second floor. He stared at me blankly. Tumakbo ako palapit sa kanya at napaluhod sa harapan niya. "Dad, hindi totoo diba? Sabihin mo sa akin hindi totoo 'yun..." Pakiusap ko kahit alam ko na ang totoo. Pilit kong hinila-hila ang laylayan ng polo shirt niya.

Lumuhod din si daddy para mapantayan ako. Sa unang pagkakataon nakita kong umiyak si daddy. Nakita ko kung gaano kahina ang pagkatao niya ngayon. "You are my weakness, you and your mom. At kung kaya ko pa sanang itama ang pagkakamali ko, ay ginawa ko na...matagal na." Ang kanina'y tuyong-tuyo kong mga mata ay muling nagtubig. Ramdam na ramdam ko ang higit na sakit ngayon. Sa kanya na mismo nanggaling, hindi na magbabago ang katotohanan, ang mga nangyari sa nakaraan.

"Hon, what's the meaning of this? Anong nangyayari?" Si mommy ay dinaluhan kami ni daddy. Napasalampak na lamang ako sa sahig, hinang-hina sa mga pangyayari.

"I kidnapped my bestfriend's son to threatened my best friend. Just to threatened, because I can't see no way for him to accept my idea. I was one of the  major shareholders ViC a long time ago, Afia is young back then too, I have to established myself, just enough to support both of you. But I pulled out my shares because he didn't accept my proposal project, for him it was too risky and we might lose big amount of money..." Yung bata, yung batang nakilala ko noon na umiiyak, it was Dric! Mas lalo lamang bumigat ang pakiramdam ko. Dati pa pala, tinatakda na kaming magkita.

"I was so disappointed and felt so rejected. He was my best friend. We are best buddies ever since high school. We've planned a lot of things together. And we always shared the same interests. Rich, his wife was my first girlfriend but eventually, our friendship gets unsteady when they became a couple, a year after our breakup, we're good friends back then, the three of us. I know at some point Mack lost his trust on me, just because he thinks I might get back Rich from him. But I already have your mom, I'll remain faithful to her until our remaining years of being together..." Nakita ko ang paghawak ni daddy sa mga kamay ni mommy. I know, I believe Dad's still a great man.

"I wasn't expecting the sudden turn of events. Na nandun ka, na sasabihin mong ikaw ang nakabangga sa kanya. I let Dric escaped, because I realized he's not responsible for whatever that happened between me and his dad. Naisalba ni Dric ang ViC, despite the fact that they lost me. Dun mas lalong naglayag ang ViC sa mga nakaraang taon, they have Dric. Mas lalong nakilala and I somehow envy Mack. Ganun din naman sana ang mangyayari kung nagtiwala siya sa akin, sa project proposal ko. But as years past by alam kong magkakalamat na talaga. And I don't understand him for that. So I did a way para sana matauhan siya. I kidnapped Dric for him to feel what it's like to lose someone you treasured the most."