I'm Yours to Adore

Chapter 33

Tahimik na kaming lahat habang hinihintay na magsalita si Atty. Lau nang makarinig kami ng kung anong nabasag sa labas.

"What the hell?"

"Saan galing 'yon?"

Lumabas ako ng library at nagtungo sa dulo ng left wing kung saan nakakalat ang bubog mula sa glass door.

Pinihit ko ang doorknob at marahang hinila ang frame ng pinto. Pagtapak ko sa balcony, natanaw ko ang grupo ng mga rallyista sa bakanteng loteng katapat ng mansyon. Nakatayo sila doon habang hawak ang kaniya-kaniya nilang placards.

"Ilabas niyo si Raniel Del Mar at panagutin sa mga kakulangan niya!"

Sumunod ang mga kamag-anak ko at pinagmasdan ang mga tao sa baba. Suminghap si Tita Silvia at lumingon kay Raniel. "Are they..."

"Yes."

"What's happening here?"

Nilingon ko si Tito Jorge. "They're Ka Lona's factory workers. Turns out, they don't receive livable wage and complete benefits."

Saka ako lumingon kay Raniel na nasa tabi ko lang.

"This is nonsense. Guards!" Tito Adrian shouted at the guards behind the gate. "Disperse them!"

One guard slowly shook his head. "Hindi po natin property 'yong tinatayuan nila."

Four men from the group of rallyists started throwing empty glass bottles on the driveway just in front of the gate. I smirked and whispered to Raniel as I kept my eyes in front. "They are fighting hard, aren't they?"

"Ibigay niyo ang sahod at benepisyo namin!"

"Ilang taon na kaming kontraktwal! Nagtrabaho kami nang marangal kaya bigyan niyo kami ng makataong pasahod!"

Nilingon ko na si Raniel na mahigpit ang hawak sa railings ng balkonahe. "Do you see that? When the oppressed fights back, can you handle the damage?"

Nagtinginan ang mga kamag-anak ko pero nginitian ko lang sila bago lumingon sa mga nasa labas. One guy from the outside aimed his glass bottle at me kaya marahan akong pumikit. When I felt nothing but someone's embrace, dumilat ako agad.

Then I saw Rainiel panting in front of me as blood trickled down his neck.

"Rainiel!"

"Oh, my gosh!"

"You're bleeding!"

My relatives panicked, but I stood quietly in front of him. Agad na sumilay ang ngiti ko at kinuha ang panyo ko para ilapat sa likod ng ulo niya. "I told you. No justice, no peace. If you don't compensate them properly, you will continue to bleed. So just do what your conscience says."

Unti-unti niyang inilipat ang tingin sa gilid ko. "Talk to their union leader and tell them I'm up for negotiation."

Nilingon ko ang sekretarya niyang tumango agad at naglakad na paalis. We let the housemaid tend to Raniel's wound first bago kami bumalik sa library. Umalis na rin ang mga rallyista nang makausap sila ng sekretarya ni Raniel.

"Is everyone ready?"

Atty. Lau cleared his throat and started reading the last will. It took him almost twenty minutes to read everything. When he's done, tumayo agad si Tito Adrian at inagaw ang mga papel sa kamay ni Atty. Lau. "This is impossible!"

Nilingon nila akong lahat kaya nagkibit-balikat lang ako.

"Were they really serious?" Ang tanong ni Tita Silvia sa 'kin.

Unti-unti akong ngumiti at nagkibit-balikat ulit. "They're dead. How can we know?"

She rolled her eyes in frustration. It's funny seeing them gasp in unison.

Tito Jorge sneered at me, "Paghahatian namin ang kalahati ng assets nila at ang natitirang kalahti, sa 'yo lang!? Anong klaseng paninipsip ba ang ginawa mo!?"

Unti-unting napawi ang ngiti ko. I crossed my arms habang nakahilig sa lamesang nasa gilid. "Well, all I know is, I was there when they got sick, I was there during their birthdays, I was there during anniversaries and I was totally there in every emergency."

Tita Silvia laughed sarcastically. "Don't tell us na gagawin mo rin ang ginawa mo sa mga pinamana nila Fiarra at Gilbert sa 'yo?"

I stared at each one of them. "What's wrong with giving away their assets? It helped many people."

"You cannot do this!" Dinuro ako ni Tito Jorge. "If you don't want their inheritance, then give it to us!"

I slowly smiled and pouted. "But this is exactly why they gave almost everything to me. So, I can do it all again: distribute the wealth."

"You're—"

Tita Silvia had a hard time finding the right words, so I chuckled. "They are your parents; do you think they wouldn't know what monsters you all have become? Kamamatay lang nila at nagkumahog kayo agad tungkol sa last will. But I know why."

Tumayo ako at lumapit sa isa pang lamesa kung nasaan ang mga litrato nila. Kinuha ko ang isa at ipinakita ko sa kanila. "Because their death is the end of your career."

Inilapag ko ito at kinuha ang isa pa. Litrato ito ni Lolo at Lola kasama si Tito Jorge noong unang panalo niya sa pagka-mayor. "None of you can earn the same reputation and integrity as them."

Kinuha ko ang isa pa na kasama naman si Tita Silvia na nanalo sa pagka-senador. "The people only voted for all of you because they trusted your parents, but not you."

Inilapag ko ang picture at tinignan sila. "Kaya ngayong namatay sila, nagmamadali kayong makakuha ng pera because you think money can save you. But if you split half of their assets, it will only last for one election at kung matatalo pa kayo, you will already lose everything. And this dynasty... is over."

They were all silent kaya hindi ko na napigil ang tawa ko. "Look at your faces. Parang nadala nila Lolo at Lola pati ang pag-asa ninyo. It sucks, isn't it? To lose the only people who can bring you up because none of you can do it for yourselves."

My uncles and auntie were furious as hell, but my cousins were all looking guilty. They know that I'm right because the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Naglakad na ako patungo sa pinto pero natigil ako nang tumunog ang cellphone ni Tito Adrian. He read something from his phone and gasped in shock. "They were assassinated. There were bullet holes in the glass window."

"Ginny!"

I jolted in shock when I heard Lola's voice. They all stared suspiciously at me.

"Don't tell me you did this!?"

Tita Silvia stood up and went to me pero napigil siya ni Raniel. Hinigpitan ko ang kapit sa doorknob habang bumabalik ang sakit ng ulo ko.

Ginny, are you there!?

I looked at each one of them before heading out. Sa garahe, Gerard stood up from his chair.

"You're pale again. Anong nangyari?"

Umiling ako at binuksan na ang sasakyan. I tried to breathe deeply, but my hands were shaking. Shit.

My phone rang, and it's Jim kaya sinagot ko agad ang tawag. "Hello?"

"Nakakuha ako ng lead kay Hugo. Ite-text ko ang address."

I sat straight at nilingon si Gerard. "Speed up."

"Anong nangyari?"

Lumingon ako sa labas habang pinapakalma ang sarili. "Jim found him."

Saglit siyang tumahimik bago niya iniliko ang sasakyan. "Where is he?"

"He'll text the details. But we have to go somewhere first."

"Where?"

Sinalubong ko siya ng tingin sa rear-view mirror. "Sa dati naming bahay. Doon kami nakatira ng parents ko bago sila namatay. Lolo didn't let anyone in since we moved out, but it's mine now. And I just... I've been wanting to visit that place."

"Anong meron doon?"

I sighed heavily and looked outside. "My past."