Siobhán’s Wrath

Exposed

“Naku, mahiga ka na lang. Please lang, Vawn,” sinunod ko siya dahil ang sakit talaga ng katawan ko.

“Here’s your phone, kanina pa may tumatawag. I think you have to answer the call.” Ibinigay sa akin ni Mickey ang phone ko. “I’ll call the doctor, dito ka muna. Nandito naman si sir Dwayne.”

“Si ate Eliza po pala?”

“Inutusan ni sir Dwayne bumili ng damit mo,” sagot ni Mickey. Napatingin ako kay Dwayne, seryoso pa rin siyang nakatingin sa akin.

Tumunog ang cellphone ko, hudyat na may tumatawag. Agad na itinuro na ni Mickey ang labas, hudyat na aalis na s’ya. Tumango ako lang.

“Answer it, I don’t mind. Do you? I can go out.” Napatingin ako sa kanya matapos makipag titigan sa screen ng cellphone ko. I sighed as I shook my head and then answered the call.

“네~ 오빠?” I said as I answered the call, it’s Dohyun.

“너…괜찮아? (You…okay?)” He asked from the other line. I can hear noises from the background. Is he shooting or something?

“난 괜찮아 (I’m okay), why wouldn’t I be?” Napapikit ako nang makaramdam ako ng kirot sa kamay ko.

“I saw some articles online about you, you had an accident again.”

“Since when did you become so interested in the entertainment industry of the Philippines?” I chuckled, “I’m okay.”

“I’ll see you so I can really tell whether you are okay or not,” napadilat ako.

“안 돼요!(No way!)” Napabuntong hininga ako, “do not ever come here again just because of this,” medyo bakas ang inis ang boses ko.

“But you are living alone, who will take care of you?” Bumukas ang pinto at iniluwa non si Mickey at ang doctor na may kasamang nurse.

“Living alone doesn’t mean I am helpless. I have to go, bye.” Pinatay ko na rin kaagad ang tawag.

“How are you Ms. Fabroa?” Tanong ng doctor habang sinusuri ang mga pasa ko.

“I’m kind of…in pain. J-just a little,” there is no way I’ll tell the doctor that I am okay because I need a pain killer!

“Do you feel any pain in your head?”

“Just a little bit po Doc.” Tumango-tango naman siya.

“Doc, do a full body check up on her, please. So we can make sure no internal injury,” si Dwayne.

“I think wala naman pong internal injury na nangyari sa akin,” singit ko.

“Internal injury is called internal for a reason, Vawn.” Medyo nanibago ako sa kakaibang aura ni Dwayne.

In the end ay hindi na ako naka hindi. I swear ayos lang sa akin ang maglakad pero pinag wheel chair talaga nila ako.

“Don’t check on social media just yet, focus on recovering,” si Dwayne. Kanina pa siya nandito, wala ba siyang ibang gagawin?

“Vawn, uhm…bigay ni sir Fabian po,” napatingin ako sa bitbit niya na paper bag at isang naka basket na iba’t-ibang klase ng prutas. I think damit yung naka paper bag niya.

“Oh…pasabi po ate, thank you.” Tipid akong ngumiti.

“Why, what’s going on online?” Binalingan ko ulit nang tingin si Dwayne na nasa couch. Si Mickey naman ay nakaupo sa dulo ng bed ko.

“Maraming diskusyon tungkol sa nangyari sa’yo. Baka ma-stress ka lang kaya huwag ka muna tumingin online,” si Mickey ang sumagot.

“The company also assigned a bodyguard for you. Isa lang naman,” kunot noo akong napatingin kay Mickey.

“I have ate Eliza, mem.” May PA na ako, hindi ko na kailangan ng bodyguard.

“It’s for your own safety. I think someone is targeting you and they are disguising it as an accident,” saad ni Dwayne.

“Sino naman? I don’t have any enemies. I lived in Korea for so long,” hindi ko maintindihan.

“We don’t know yet, maybe someone recognizes you as a threat to them kaya ganon? Madumi ang showbiz, nakshie.” May punto si Mickey. Pero….sino?

“For all your upcoming shoots, the bodyguard needs to be near you all the time. But for now, you stay here for a couple of days to recover.” Dwayne said, full of finality.

I can’t do anything about it since Mickey is on his side. So I obediently followed their orders. Ang boring nga lang.

“Come in,” I said when I heard a knock on the door.

To my surprise, it was Dwayne and he is not alone.

“Shiyo,” my father, may dala ulit siyang puting tulips na bulaklak at dalawang basket na prutas. Mataman kong tiningnan si Dwayne as if I was asking him what this man is doing here, but I got a negative response.

“Kumusta ang pakiramdam mo, anak?” Iminuwestra ni Dwayne ang couch sa kanya.

“Stop calling me anak, I am not your daughter. Remember?” I cannot help but to be bitter about it.

“Sa puso ko ay anak kita, Shiyo.”

I did not argue anymore since Dwayne is here and I don’t want to be left alone here with my father either so I just let him be.

My father peeled some fruits for me, and once again– I just let him. Baka kung ano pang mapag-usapan namin kapag naumpisahan ang alitan namin. I want to lessen any possibility of me being exposed to Dwayne.

“I wanna sleep,” saad ko pagkatapos kong kainin ang mansanas at hinog na mangga. Mabilis akong tumalikod kung saad sila nakaupo as I covered myself with my blanket.

For the following days, Dohyun was constantly messaging me asking how I was. My answers were all the same, I told him I was fine. I really am, pinapagaling ko na lang ang mga pasa ko. Nakapag browse na rin ako online, and I was surprised that Heather was bashed because of what happened to me. People are assuming that Shanaia and Heather are targeting me because I was a threat to them, nabring-out pa ang tungkol kay ate Azzura– kung papaano rin siya nabiktima ni Heather at Shanaia.

I didn’t like what happened to me but I think it was worth it because it brought up the topic about my sister again. I was in horror when I saw the video of me, falling from that d*mn stairs.

“Vawn ano ang masasabi mo sa ginawa sa’yo ni Heather?”

“Vawn, totoo ba na itinulak ka ni Heather kahit wala sa script?”

Hindi ko alam kung saan ako titingin dahil hindi ko inexpect na maraming reporter na nag-aabang, kabababa ko lang ng van, mabuti na lang at may bodyguard ako.

Saglit akong huminto, “Ate Heather did not push me on purpose po. It was indeed in the script that she had to push me, it was purely an accident.” I smiled at the cameras.

“Nakshie naman, hindi ka dapat nagsalita,” pinagsasabihan ako ngayon ni Mickey because of what I did earlier.

“Hindi po ba ‘yon naman po ang totoo?” I asked innocently.

“It’s still under investigation, kaya nga hindi naglabas ng kahit anong statement ang TalentFuse,” is he suspecting na kayang gawin nga ‘yon ni Heather sa akin?

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know.” I apologized.

But I am satisfied with what I have done. Siguro ay nahihirapan ngayon si Heather, and my statement will lift up her mood kaya tiyak ay pauunlakan niya ako.

And I was right.

“Thank you talaga, Vawn. I swear I wouldn’t do such a thing!” She even raised her right hand.

Liar.

“Opo naman, ate. I know,” I know very well that you are more evil than me.

We have another scene together today. Our previous scene was already aired, people are praising me while bashing Heather. I will let you taste your own medicine, Heather. I smirk inwardly.

“Kailan ka pwede? I want to invite you to lunch, my treat.” She smiled, I can feed myself.

“Sorry ate, hindi pa ako makahanap ng bakante sa schedule ko,” I made a sad face.

Malapit na matapos ang shooting ng movie namin ni Damon kaya mas lalo akong naging busy. Sa susunod na dalawang linggo ay wala talaga akong pahinga.

“Uh, he wanted to talk to you. I am free kaya sinamahan ko na maghintay rito ang papa mo,” naningkit ang mga mata ko kay Dwayne. Nandito silang pareho sa receiving area ng TalenFuse.

“Saglit lang ito, Shiyo.”

“Okay,” umupo ako sa sofa, “what do you wanna talk about?”

“Hindi rito, na-,”

“Quit it,” naiirita ako sa tuwing tinatawag niya akong anak. “Shiyo, Shiyo ang itawag mo sa akin.” I gritted my teeth. “You cannot make me go with you, kaya wala tayong ibang choice kung hindi ang mag-usap po rito,” mahina ang boses ko, sapat lang na marining niya. No way in hell I’ll go with him.

Narinig ko ang buntong hininga niya.

“You guys can use the conference room, it’s for private meeting anyway,” singit ni Dwayne na mas lalong ikinairita ko dahil ayaw kong maiwang mag-isa sa iisang kwarto kasama ang ama ko.

“Thank you, Mr. Facundo,” at talagang ang kapal ng mukha niyang makigamit ng conference room ha.

“He has nothing to do with the company, sir. Why would you let him use the room for his personal things?” Halos lumagpas na yata sa noo ko ang kilay ko sa sobrang taas.

“He is an investor, of course he can use the room.” Wow.

“Stay,” I said when Dwayne was about to leave. I do not care anymore kung ano man ang marinig niya sa sobrang inis ko.

“She is not comfortable with me Mr. Facundo, I hope you don’t mind staying,” Mahinahon ang boses ni papa.

We sat across each other habang si Dwayne ay nasa gitna na akala mo’y Padre de pamilya.

“Pagkatapos ng movie mo ay huwag ka na sanang mag showbiz pa, Shiyo.” Literal na uminit nanaman ang ulo ko.

Sarkastiko akong napatawa, “why would I?”

“We both know why,” matalim ang tingin ko sa kanya.

“Nope, I don’t know why.” Pagmamatigas ko.

“Alam kong masakit pa rin ang lahat para sa’yo, Shiyo. Pero mali ang ginagawa mo.” Who is he to tell me whether I was doing the right thing or not?

“Mali ang ginagawa ko…” tumango-tango ako, “you really don’t know how to determine what is right and wrong. You think what you did was right when in fact it wasn’t and now you think what I am doing is wrong when in fact– I am not doing anything wrong. What’s not clicking here?” Napailing ako.

“Gusto mong gumanti hindi ba?” nanlamig ako sa narinig ko, “gusto mo ng hustisya, pero hindi sa ganitong paraan, Shiyo. Hindi kita kayang makita na sinasaktan mo ang sarili mo para lang makaganti,”

“What do you mean?” I’m puzzled.

“You did it to yourself, didn’t you?” Mas lalo akong nalito.

“Did what?” Hindi ko siya maintindihan.

“The real gun incident and you– falling in that stairs,” diretso niyang sabi.

Hindi ko na napigilan ang galit ko, “why the heck would I hurt myself!? Anong akala mo sa akin, baliw!?”

“H-hindi naman sa ganon, Shiyo. Alam mo naman, ang mama mo di–,” nananadya ba siya? Naghahanap ako ng sagot sa mga mata niya pero wala akong makita.

“Wala kang karapatan na banggitin ang pangalan niya! Pwede ba? Huwag ka nang makialam sa buhay ko! You left when I needed you the most, do not fvcking be involved with me again for the rest of my life because your role as my father was done the moment you left us. Do not act as if you care, and even if you do– PLEASE keep it to yourself. You disgust me, I will never forgive you even if I die today!”

Tumayo ako, but before I could take a single step– he triggered me more.

“Azzura will never be happy seeing you like this,”

“Vawn!” Dwayne held my hand where I was holding the empty vase that I was about to throw to my father.

“You are the worst father I’ve ever had,” I angrily told him.