"Success and perfection means giving way to the most appropriate action... whatever it takes."
-Joseph Castillo's motto
"What?! How can I not be furious right now, Dad?! Give me one goddamn reason kung bakit hindi ako magagalit sayo!" I shouted at the dining area.
Umuwi ako after kong marinig yung sinabi niya sa client niya. Nainis kasi ako. Hindi ko kinaya yung galit ko.
"Arissa, please calm down," sabi ni Mama sa'kin. "Joseph, tell her."
"Oh please! You're selling me off!" sabi ko sabay bagsak ko ng kamay ko sa table namin.
"Ris—" bulong ni Kuya.
"Oh shut it, Drake! It's not like you know what's happening," sabi ko sa kanya while looking at me intently. He's giving off a weird vibe na parang... alam niya yung nangyayari.
"You know this?!" sigaw ko sa mukha niya.
Tinignan ko si Mama and she had the same look as Drake. "Unbelievable! So fucking unbelievable," sabi kong nanghihina. I felt tears starting to build up in my eyes but I stopped them from dropping.
"Bunganga mo Arissa! Respeto naman sa'min na pamilya mo! Stop being so ungrateful about everything!" sigaw din ni Dad.
"Kayo? Pamilya? Families don't sell each other out for a mere business," I mumble while slumping down my chair.
"We're not selling you out, Arissa," he says calmly. "Let your mom assure you that."
"Please, don't Dad. I promise I'll be a better person... Just please don't make me marry a guy I don't know," bulong ko habang lumuluhod sa harapan niya.
"Arissa, stand up, sweetie," he said.
"Dad, please. I... I can't be married. I–I have goals—" I pleaded while leaning my forehead on his knees. 'Di ko na din mapigilang umiyak kasi it's hard to keep all the trauma, the pain, and the fear inside my heart any longer.
"Arissa, stand up, please." Kuya Drake pulled my shoulder in attempt to stand me up.
"No! No! Dad! Please don't!" I pleaded harder. Sumasakit na yung tuhod ko pero I don't care. I can't marry someone. Not now, not ever.
"Dad, remember that I had to go to a psychiatrist because of the i-incident? Please don't make me go through that same feeling again," I pleaded while Drake pulled me up from my kneeling stance.
Drake hugged me while I cried in his chest. My hands were grasping his white shirt tightly. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders while his right hand caressed the back of my head to calm me down.
"Aris—"
"Dad, give her time," Drake cut my dad off when he was about to say something.
"Bu—" panimula ulit ni dad pero pinatigil muna siya ni Kuya.
"I said, give her time. Leave her alone for now," sabi ni Kuya habang yakap-yakap pa din ako. Naglakad kami paalis sa dining room, paakyat sa mga kwarto namin.
Pagdating namin sa kwarto ko, inupo ako ni kuya sa pang-single na couch sa gilid ng room ko. Lumuhod siya sa harap ko at hinawakan ang mga kamay ko.
"Hey," sabi niya pero hindi ko pa din siya tinignan.
"Hey," sabi niya ulit tapos tinaas niya yung baba ko. "Look at me, little sis." tinignan ko yung mga mata niya. Halatang malungkot siya.
ESTÁS LEYENDO
The Shining Glory of the Queen
Romance-REMAKE of my UNPUBLISHED BOOK- Arissa Jae Castillo, isang amazonang anak ng isa sa pinaka mayamang businessman na president ng CL Industries sa Pilipinas. She's very professional in every way. She's also one of the most known successor because of t...
