Break the Code

Kabanata 24

"Hindi naman ganito kagulo noon. Everything started after what happened with your mother, my father, and Rafael Alvidrez—your mom's, let's say, former fiancé," pagpapatuloy niya. "Alam kong alam mo kung gaano kaliit ang mundo para sa mga pamilyang kinabibilangan natin, lalo na noon na maayos pa ang pakikitungo ng mga matatanda sa isa't isa. Upperclass families used to only interact within their circle, matapobre man kung iisipin, we can't blame them for they grew up that way."

"I get that," pagyuko ko, "and it was our parents' rebellious deeds that caused the conflict."

"No, it was greed."

Napatikhim ako nang marinig ang kanyang sinabi. He has a point, ano ba ang mali sa ginawa ni Mama noon? All she did was fight for her love, but she ended up being lied to... just because of all these families' greed for wealth and power.

Ito ang hindi ko maintindihan minsan sa mayayaman, sobra-sobra na nga ang salapi't ari-arian ay naghahangad pa ng higit.

Good thing my family is not like that. Sa palagay ko ri'y hindi kayamanan at kapangyarihan ang hangad ng matandang Conde kaya niya ipinagkasundo si Nico, kundi ang kaligtasan lamang ng kanyang pamilya.

Mahirap kalabanin ang mga Alvidrez. They play dirty, lives could be at stake. Kaya rin naman naging madali sa akin ang pagsang-ayon kay Contessa, I wouldn't want for Nico's life to be at risk.

"Nico's parents and his aunts have been close with your mother ever since and they were the ones who helped, they did it behind Contessa's back. Hindi gusto ng matandang makasali sila sa gulo na namamagitan sa ating mga pamilya at mga Alvidrez. It was reasonable, labas sila roon at hindi gusto ng matandang isipin ng ibang taong mayroong kinakampihan ang mga Conde."

Saglit siyang tumigil nang dumating ang inorder naming drinks—soda for him and fruit juice for me.

"My father admitted that he courted your mom to gain access to your properties and investments, but as time went by, he truly fell in love with Tita Pillar."

Hindi nawala ang tingin niya sa mga mata ko kaya naman kitang-kita kong nagsasabi siya ng totoo. I decided not to say anything and let him finish.

"Your mom believed him, they decided to fight for their love. Ngunit sa pagkakataong iyon ay nangialam na si Lolo, he blackmailed my father, itatakwil niya ang aking ama sa oras na ipilit pa nito ang kanyang gusto. My father was ready to leave it all behind for your mom, but the Alvidrezes decided to make a move and threaten my dad's and your mom's lives."

Bumuntong hininga siya at umiling, parang sobrang dismayado sa mga nangyari noon. "If that wasn't bad enough, they also revealed all of my grandfather's illegal deals and how corrupted he was as a politician, publicly. The old man deserved it, yes, ngunit hindi kailanman maikukumpara ang mga ginawa ng lolo ko sa nagawa—at patuloy na ginagawa—ng pamilyang iyon."

His jaw clenched in anger bago uminom sa kanyang baso upang pakalmahin muli ang sarili.

"My father also had a plan to overthrow my grandfather, ngunit dahil sa ginawa ng mga Alvidrez ay nasira na kahit ang reputasyon niya. The Condes..." tingin niya pabalik sa akin, "they didn't let my father explain. Dahil lang sa mga kasalanan ni Lolo ay ginawa na rin nilang kriminal si Papa. Itinago nila ang Mama mo sa mga Alvidrez at kahit sa aking ama.

"They let your mother believe that my father was just like my grandfather. Gustong linisin ni Papa ang pangalan ng aming pamilya kaya siya tumakbong Bise-Gobernador, ngunit nalaman na lamang niyang tumakbo rin pala si Salvador Vicencio sa parehong posisyon.

"My father was competing fair and square, hindi kailanman dumating sa puntong may ipinapatay siya dahil lang sinusuportahan ang kalaban. Kung gagawin niya 'yon, hindi ba't para lang din siyang si Lolo? Gusto nang baguhin ni Papa ang reputasyon ng mga Singh, it was his main purpose for running, in the first place! He was not the one behind the fire ten years ago."