Napatayo si Helen sa ginawa ng anak niyang si Reynold. Hindi niya akalaing pagbubuhatan nito ng kamay ang anak. Maging si Santi at Luciel ay hindi inaasahan ang nangyari.
Samantala, nakatingin pa din si Henrietta sa kaliwa. She was also shock but slowly turn her head to his father a mocking smile.
"Wow. Ano'ng pakiramdam na masampal ang anak?" Henrietta's eyes turned cold. "You disgust me. Your family disgust me. A mistress, an illegitimate daughter, and a irresponsible father? You three really match up isama mo pa 'yang magiging kapamilya niyo'ng basura," sabay tingin kay Luciel.
Tiningnan isa-isa ni Henrietta ang taong may atraso sa kanya. The same people who puts her life in misery, who pushes her to death.
She stepped forward. "What did Martin Luther King say? 'The old law about an eye for an eye leaves everyone blind.' Better watch yourself. I'm no longer the same Henrietta you once knew." She smiled at them. "One day I'm gonna pay you back for what you did."
Hindi makagalaw si Reynold sa kinatatayuan maging siya ay 'di makapaniwala sa nagawa. But what is done is done.
"You deserve it!" sigaw ni Reynold. Nanggigigil ito at kuyom ang kamao. Santi looks down but there is a smile playing on her lips. Gustong-gusto niya na makita na nahihirapan at nasasaktan si Henrietta. Kasalanan nitong ipinanganak ito. Henrietta should've died pati ang lola nito. Sila ang mga hadlang sa pagkamit nila ng yaman ng Vanderbilt.
"Enough! Hindi niyo na ginalang ang pamamahay ko. Leave now, Reynold! Isama mo na din ang pamilya mo!" bulyaw ni Helen sa matigas na boses.
Tumingin si Reynold sa ina. Hah! "Really, mom? Anak mo ako—"
"At apo ko si Henrietta! Nakalimutan mo na may anak ka rin na kailangan ng kalinga mo. Kung hindi ako, sino? Sino ang gagabay kay Henrietta kung iyang bago mong pamilya ang inuna at pinili mo?" Helen let out a sigh. "Umalis na muna kayo."
"What? Ma—"
"I should be the one leaving, grandma. I never belong to this family in the first place," putol ni Henrietta. Tumango siya kay Grandma Helen bago kinuha ang bag.
"Apo..." Helen tried to stop her granddaughter but the woman walked out with her head held high. Kahit nakatalikod ito ay nandoon pa rin ang class sa galaw nito.
Helen faces her son's family. "Aakyat na muna ako sa kwarto. Maiwan ko na kayo," paalam nito sa anak niya. One maid went to her side para alalayan siya pataas.
Pagpasok ni Helen ay agad n'yang hinawakan ang puso, she was breathing heavily.
"Ma'am!" tawag ng maid at kinuha ang bote sa drawer ng amo. Kumuha ito ng baso at nilagyan ng tubig saka pumunta sa kinaroroonan ni Grandma Helen.
"Gamot niyo po, ma'am." Ininom ito ni Helen pagkatapos ay huminga ng malalim. Tiningnan niya ang katulong sabay sabing, "'Don't tell this to Henrietta."
Tumango ang maid kahit na nag-aalala. Matagal na ang sakit ni Madam Helen at iilan lang silang nakakaalam sa loob ng bahay. Gustong-gusto niyang tawagan si Ma'am Henrietta ngunit nangako siya kay Ma'am Helen na 'wag itong ipaalam. Alam niyang nahihirapan ang matanda lalo na't anak at apo niya ang mag-kaaway. Kahit naman galit ito kay Sir Reynold hindi pa din maaalis ang katotohanan na anak niya pa din ito. The maid sighed. She wants the family to be okay.
-----
"Who hits you?" Agad pumunta sa kinaroroonan ni Henrietta si Vincenzo. The man was inside her office. Paano ito nakapasok?
"Who the hell let you in?" balik n'yang tanong. Wala gaanong tao sa lobby sa kompanya nila kaya walang nakapansin sa mukha niya. She was now in her company, her fashion business. She's the fashion director who have over all control in the organization.
Hindi pinansin ni Vincenzo ang tanong ng dalaga. He touches her face that is now red and she immediately dodge away. His lips pressed and he stared motionlessly at the red mark on her face. Who has the guts to hurt her?!
"Who?" he demanded in a menacing voice.
Henrietta stepped back and furrowed her eyebrows.
"What is it to you?" tanong niya bago lagpasan ito at umupo sa swivel chair. Sa susunod sasabihan niya ang security guard na 'wag mag-papapasok ng kahit na sino.
"I was just passing by and decided to visit you," sagot ni Vincenzo at umupo sa harapan ng dalaga.
"Ah, you passed by at napunta dito sa office ko para tumambay? Gano'n ba?"
"Yes." sagot ng lalaki na nakataas ang kaliwang kilay.
'Shameless! Really shameless!' Henrietta wants to say it to Vincenzo's face.
"Then, how can I help you? Sure, you have plenty of time, Enzo. May oras ka pang bisitahin ang kompanya ko," ani ni Henrietta at ngumiti ng pang-uyam kay Vincenzo.
"Of course, I have plenty of time for you," sagot ni Vincenzo ngunit seryosong nakatingin kay Henrietta.
Hindi alam ni Henrietta kung tatawa ba siya sa sinabi nito. The great Vincenzo De Luca knows how to joke!
"Ganyan ka ba sa mga babae?" tanong niya at pinagsiklop ang kamay at itinukod sa baba.
"I'm not like your ex-fiancé, Henrietta," sagot ni Vincenzo. His eyes held an emotion that she couldn't read.
"Don't mention him," agarang reply niya. Bulag siya noong past life niya at hindi nakita ang kasamaan nito. The hell with that man. Magsama sila ng malanding Santi na 'yon.
"I have a proposal for you." Henrietta move her gaze at Enzo. Hindi pa ba ito aalis? Halos fifteen minutes na ito dito.
"Proposal? Business proposal?" she asked.
"Maybe. I know you won't reject it."
Tumawa is Henrietta. "And what made you say that? I can reject everything and I can have everything."
Vincenzo smirks. "Really. Even if I tell you it is about your mother?"
Henrietta stops at what she is reading on the laptop. The moment she hears about her mother something ignites inside. Her mother? What about her?
"What do you mean?" Ngayon ang buong atensyon nito ay na kay Vincenzo. Henrietta grips the hem of her top.
"Well, will you say yes to my proposal?" Vincenzo smiles widely. 'First step , baby.'
"Just tell me. Ano'ng nalalaman mo kay mom?" She breathes heavily. Magkakaroon na ba siya ng clue about sa mommy niya. Ano'ng kinalaman ni Vincenzo? Paano niya nakilala ang mommy niya?
"Really stubborn. I will not just tell you about your mom. I will help you avenge her."
Huminga ng malalim si Henrietta. For her mom she will do everything.
"What is your proposal?"
The smile on Vincenzo's lips brightened.
"Marry me."
-----
© _eysteambun
BINABASA MO ANG
Henrietta's Blade
Romance"Divide your enemy so you can reign approach." Upon rebirth, she returned to the time when she was twenty-four years old. As she recalled the torture she had through, memories filled her head. Smarter, feistier, and more daring! She became the cold...
