The Sweet Pretender

One

CHLOE SHAE ALEXANDER's POV

Fancy clothes, pastel bags, designer shoes, and branded perfumes. That's almost every girl's dream. But that isn't my dream because it's my reality, I live in a fancy and dream-like world where spending thousands a day is normal and buying a hundred thousand item is just some sort of a stress-reliever.

Not until something happened.

"Anong nangyari, Kevin?"

Hinilot ni Daddy ang sentido niya at mukhang hindi rin alam ang gagawin. They were like that for a few hours now. Kabi-kabilaan ang phone call sa kanilang dalawa. They look busted and I've never seen them like this before. Wala akong alam sa nangyayari.

Gusto kong magtanong pero ayokong makadagdag sa stress nila. I'm worried and nervous. Is this about our business? What about it? Maayos naman ang lahat sa pagkakaalam ko.

"We have no choice," Mom grunted. She sighed heavily before reaching for her phone. "We have to settle this before something worse happen."

"Tatawagan ko si Santiago." Dad stood up and I was stunned when Mom looks angrily at him.

"Ano pa ba ang hindi mo maintindihan? Santiago Villanueva betrayed you! Scammer at manloloko ang tao na iyon. I told you he shouldn't be trusted!"

Santiago Villanueva? His name sounds familiar. Is he Dad's friend?

"Sheryll, calm down first--"

"Calm down? Naririnig mo ba ang sinasabi mo? We lost fifteen million because of that damn investment. And now? Now what? Ikaw pa rin ang magbabayad ng lahat ng nasira at nadamay sa sunog? Even the staffs? Even those shitty partners who wants you to take all the blame? Paano akong kakalma kung mawawala na lahat ng pinaghirapan natin?"

Kinuyom ko ang dalawang kamao kasabay ng pagbagsak ng aking mga luha. Mom started crying and dad... I never seen him this devastated ever since.

Was it true? We lost millions because he invested in something?

And fire? What are they talking about?

Tumakbo ako patungo sa room ko saka agad hinanap ang laptop. My hands are shaking as I type Santiago Villanueva on google. My heart is pounding so loud as I wait for the result.

Villanueva is on run after a fire broke at AV Corporation- a wine and liquor newly registered company.

Dad invested here?

Kahit naman mag-invest siya diyan at malugi, marami naman siguro silang aako ng kasalanan ni Villanueva, hindi ba? They were all partners. They were all owners of it. How come Dad will have to take all the blame?

Sinimulan kong isa-isahin lahat ng balita patungkol doon. The fire happened at four in the morning. Everyone's upset about it and no one can trace where the fvck Villanueva is. Damn that man!

Nagsimulang maguho ang mundo ko nang malaman na si Dad pala ang nag-iisang general partner bukod kay Santiago Villanueva. Ibig-sabihin siya ang hahabulin ng tao. Siya ang gagastos lahat to the point na maski mga personal properties ay pwede nilang kunin. I wonder how many millions would it be for everything to be settled?

Naalala ko ang mukha nila Mommy kanina. Kung isang milyon ay ayos lang pero mukhang malaki ang pinsala na nagawa ng sunog. If I'm not mistaken, may na-injured pa na staff na naka-24/7 sa lugar na iyon.

"Anong mukha iyan?"

Umayos ako ng upo nang dumating si Leia sa meeting place namin. Leia Cruz is one of my most intelligent friend. She's taking up Accountancy and a dean's lister in our batch. How great is that, right? I wonder if I could tell her about my problem.

"Mag-isa ka?" Tanong ko kahit obvious naman na wala ang iba pa naming kaibigan. "Hindi pa ako naka-order."

She raised a brow at me. "You're not your usual self today. Something's wrong?" Hinila niya ang upuan saka umupo sa tapat ko.

Lumunok ako at saka siya nginitian. If she's good at reading, I'm good at pretending.

"I'm hungry. Kanina pa ako naghihintay rito." I took a 500-peso bill on my wallet and gave it to her. "Can you order for us?"

Umirap siya saka tinanggap ang pera ko. She stood up and I watch her as she walk away from our table. I sighed. I don't think I can tell anyone about it. Isa pa, wala pa namang balita tungkol doon.

It's been a week since the incident happen. I barely see my parents in the recent days. Gabi na sila umuuwi, minsan ay magdamag pa sila sa opisina. I heard even the banks and corporations which the company of Villanueva has a liability goes after Dad. I overheard them talking about a lawsuit something.

At hindi na rin lingid sa kaalaman ko na marami ng ipinagbili sila Mommy na properties namin. Five of our car businesses branch were already closed.

"Two weeks before the school starts," Leia said in between our coffee. "Nakabili ka na ng mga gamit? I heard Louis Vuitton launch a new bag. Na-check mo na?"

Yeah... It's gorgeous.

"Nabili ko na."

"Woah!? Bakit pa ako magugulat? I know you already did."

I chuckled. That bag is a limited edition bag from LV. Hindi na raw sila magri-release ng ganoong design kaya bakit ko hindi bibilhin, 'di ba? Isa pa, designer bags are investment.

"Anyway, tell me about you. Napaka-busy mo nitong mga nakaraan ha."

She rolled her eyes. "Hindi pa nag-i-start ang klase pero sandamakmak na libro na ang kailangan kong basahin."

"Really?" I don't think I could ever be as generous as her when it comes to studying. "Sabi ni Mommy before mag-accountancy ako. Buti nalang hindi iyan ang in-enroll ko."

Kung saan-saan napunta ang usapan namin ni Leia pero hindi rin kami nagtagal dahil busy siya. Ni hindi pa nga siya nagwo-work pero madalang ko na siyang makasama.

Naka-park sa labas ang sasakyan nila Mommy nang makauwi ako. Ang aga yata nilang umuwi ngayon?

Nagmamadali akong pumasok sa loob ng bahay at naabutan silang dalawa sa sala. They were sitting side by side on our couch and their eyes are set at me. Kinabahan ako bigla. Wala naman akong ginagawang masama, 'di ba? Or... meron ba?

"Saan mo ginastos ang three hundred fifty thousand kahapon, Chloe?" Mom stood up angrily. Her face is red as if her daughter did a crime. Dad looks disappointed and I don't get why they are like this.

Three fifty thousand? Seriously? I do think its just normal for me to spend such money.

"For bag, Mom," mahinang sambit ko. Natatakot akong mapagalitan kahit pinapagalitan na nga ako ngayon.

"For bag?" Mom glared at me. "For bag, Chloe Shae? Alam mo ba ang ginagawa mo, ha?"

Tears started forming on my eyes. Ngayon niya lang ako nasigawan ng ganito. At hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit kailangan niya akong pagalitan sa bagay na normal ko namang ginagawa.

"Mom, it's a limited edition--"

"Mapapakain ka ba ng limited edition na iyan?" She shouted again. Napaatras ako lalo na nang makita kung gaano kasama ang titig niya sa akin. Dad didn't say anything. "We're losing everything and we only have few left and then you'll do what? Buy an almost half million bag? Just for bag, Chloe?"

Nalaglag ang panga ko sa sinabi niya. We're losing what?

"Don't stress her out, Sheryll." My tears fell when Dad indirectly confirmed what my Mom has said.

"What do you mean?" My voice cracked as my heart keeps thumping out loud inside my chest. "What do you mean we're losing everything?"

Pinaupo nila ako sa single couch. Dad seems hesitant to say anything and Mom's kind of stressed.

"Naibenta na ang lahat ng lupa natin maliban itong bahay..." Bumuka ang bibig ko nang marinig iyon. Are we really losing everything now? "Tatlo lang na branch ang natira sa lahat ng car stores natin. And we have to budget our finances. And I have to cut down your expenses."

Hindi ako nakapagsalita. Alam ko na may lugi kami. Alam kong may mawawala sa amin pero hindi ko inasahan na ganito katindi. I hate to admit but she's right. We're indeed losing everything. Dahil lang sa... wait...

"Is this about your investment with Santiago Villanueva's company?" Tumalim ang tingin ko kay Daddy. "How could you trust--"

"He's my friend!"

"Dad, you know friendships don't matter in business--"

"You don't know how business works, Chloe. Don't meddle with this--"

"How could I not? Dad, I'm a business student! Hindi ko man alam lahat pero may alam din ako. And how could I not meddle with it? Apektado din ako!"

"Tone down your voice, Chloe." I unconsciously glare at Mom, too. "No one wants this to happen."

"No one wants this to happen? Mom, this is a choice you have to make. Hindi naman obligado so Daddy na mag-invest sa kumpanya ng scammer na--"

"I said shut up!" Dad shouted at me angrily. "Shut up! Dadagdag ka pa ba sa iisipin namin? Are you really going to disrespect us just because we'll cut your allowance?"

"Dad, this isn't just about my allowance--"

"May makakain ka pa. May matutulugan. Makakapag-aral at may allowance ka kahit paano. Anong problema mo roon?"

Natahimik ako sa sinabi niya. Alam ko sa loob ko na kaya ako nagkakaganito dahil hindi pwede... hindi pwedeng mabawasan ang allowance ko. Anong pambibili ko ng mga bag? Ng mga sapatos, pabango, jewelries, and I still have to pay for my annual subscription for my domain name of my blog.

And no.. no, I can't enter the university without brand new things. And hearing them saying they'll cut down my allowance feels like I lost a big part of me.

No.. this is not freaking happening!