My Untamed Princess

Chapter 1: The Princess And The Vagabond 1

"No! Go back to your room," pagalit na utos ng Daddy ni Cassie sa kanya. Seryoso pa rin na nakatuon ang mga mata ng ama  sa laptop nito.

Cassie rolled her eyes and lifted her brows. She thought of just sneaking out tonight so that she could go to her bestfriend, Lizzie's, party. But Lizzie insisted that she asked her father's approval of her going out. And look what it brought her, just a nonchalant no from her father Ernesto.

"It's Lizzie's party Dad. I should be there. She's my best friend!" she pleaded in a calmed tone. Alam niyang hindi na nagpapadala sa pagmamaktol niya ang Daddy niya. Ernesto had long tolerated her, according to him, rebellion. And she knew now that raising her voice won't change a thing.

Sumulyap sa kanya ang Daddy niya, tinanggal ang salamin at pagod na sumandal sa swivel chair nito. Hanggang ngayon, hinidi pa rin niya maintindihan talaga kung gaano ba kadami ang trabaho nito na hanggang ngayon na alas-otso na ng gabi, nasa home office pa rin ito at nagta-trabaho.

Sandaling sinuyod ng Daddy niya ang kabuuan niya. Maybe, like her, he’s trying to collect his composure too so that this talk won’t burst into another heated argument.

"I mean it this time, Cassie. Not a single strand of your hair will leave this house tonight," finality in his voice. "Bakit ba ang tigas ng ulo mo? Bakit ka  labas nang labas? Hindi ka ba nagka-phobia man lang sa aksidenteng nangyari sa iyo? It's only been two months and your ribs are not yet fully healed!" Napabuga ng hangin ang Daddy niya, namutla rin.

She's sure he was recalling the horror of the accident she got into almost two months ago. She crushed into a post while she was drunk and driving her BMW M5 on her 23rd birthday. She had seen the pictures of her car, para iyong nayuping lata ng sardinas. It was a miracle that she only had minor bruises and two broken ribs. On top of that, just a week before her accident, muntikan na siyang ma-kidnap nang takasan niya ang mga bodyguards na kinuha ng Daddy niya para sa kanya.

Umismid siya. Kaya lang naman siya gano’n dahil—

She huffed. Trying to ward off a horrible memory out of her mind.

"Dad, it's my own body," kalmadong sagot niya. "Ako ang nakakaalam kung magaling na ako o hindi. Wala nang masakit sa akin," dugtong pa niya.

"Kahit na!" Napatayo na ang Daddy niya sa swivel chair nito. Dumagundong na rin sa apat na silid ag boses nito. She can almost feel the tremors on the wall.

There goes his anger, she thought.

All of her father’s employees would've been scared with the look on her father's face, but she's not. She’s actually, happy and satisfied.  She loves angering her father because it means she had his full attention.

"Ano na lang ang sasabihin ng ibang tao? Na pabaya akong ama? Na hindi man lang kita mapigilan d’yan sa pagwawala mo?” Nasapo na nito ang ulo. “Hindi ko na alam ang gagawin ko sa ‘yo, Cassandra! Palagi ka na lang gumagawa ng eskandalo na para bang siyang-siya ka pa na napapahiya ako sa buong mundo!" galit na sita nito.

Her eyes rolled again. "So it's the name thing again, huh? Is that what you’re afraid of? That your name will be dragged again to whatever trouble I'd encounter when I'm outside?" she asked, irritated.

Hindi ito sumagot, lalong nalukot ang mukha.  .

"Then, take it away," matigas na sabi niya, naghahamon.

"What?"

"Take your name out of mine if that's what will give you peace of mind," she suggested casually before balling her fist. The idea struck something deep inside her chest.

Her father scoffed and gently shook his head."What absurdity are you saying, Cassie? Alam mong hindi ko magagawa ‘yan. Anak kita!"

She chuckled, sarcastic. "Well then, un-daughter me or send me off some place where you can't see me so that you won't be bothered by my presence. Bakit ka pa kasi bumabalik dito? Pumunta ka na lang sa asawa mo and forget about me like you always do!" sumbat niya.

“God!” pagod na sabi ng Daddy niya bago tumingala at pinisil ang pagitan ng mga mata. She quickly blink her unshed tears away. She'll never cry in front of her father, not now, not ever. She's way to proud to let her father know him marrying his childhood sweetheart Beatriz still affects her so much that her heart pains everytime she thinks about it.

How could he remarry? Is her mom that easy to forget? She had always thought that her mother was his father’s one and only love. But he had been a widower for only 8 years and then he got hitched again, without her knowing.

He really is a liar.

Ernesto Echavez is one big filthy liar!

Kalmado na ito nang muling tumingin sa kanya. "Beatriz is a good woman, Cassie. If only you'd get to know her-"

"No!" she replied urgently.

Umigting ang panga ng Daddy niya, ang mga mata nakatitig pa rin sa kanya. Maya-maya pa, muli itong nagbuga ng hangin at nagsalita.

"Fine! Gusto mong makipagmatigasan? Then do as you wish, Cassandra. Hindi na kita pipigilan sa kung ano mang gusto mong gawin. But be sure to be ready with the consequences of your actions," seryosong pahayag ng Daddy niya.

She smiled sheepishly. "Oh, I'm so scared," patuyang sagot niya bago tuluyang tumalikod, tinungo ang pintuan at padabog iyong isinara.

Dinig pa niya ang inis na paulit-ulit na pagtawag sa kanya ng Daddy niya pero hindi na lang niya iyon pinansin.

Mabilis niyang tinungo ang garahe kung saan naroon ang Ferrari na binili ng Daddy niya para sa kanya noong graduation niya from college two years ago.

Mabilis siyang umupo sa driver's seat at maingat na hinaplos ang manibela niyon.

"It's been ages, baby," she whispered before turning the ignition on.

She'll have fun tonight, she promised herself.

Hell lot of fun!

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"Tired?" nag-aalalang salubong ni Betariz kay Ernesto. She tried her hardest to smile at him though he knew that she had been suffering silently too for the past five years that she had been married to him.

Maingat niyang kinabig payakap ang asawa at ito ng halik sa noo.

"Kumain ka na?" masuyong tanong nito.

Marahan siyang umiling.

"Okay, go change first. Ipaghahanda lang kita," nakangiting sabi nito bago tuluyang dumiretso sa kusina.

Pagod siyang naglakad patungo sa kanilang kuwartong mag-asawa at naupo sa kama. Limang taon nang nagtitiis si Beatriz sa set up nilang mag-asawa. After office hours, he spends a few hours at the mansion just to check on Cassie before going home to his and Beatriz’s house.

Napapagod na siya sa ganoong set-up. Pero halos wala siyang magawa para baguhin iyon. At lalo lang iyong nakakadagdag sa frustrations niya.

It was Beatriz herself who suggested that set-up after they got married. Ang sabi kasi nito baka nabigla si Cassie sa pagpapakasal nilang dalawa at kailangan nitong mag-adjust. Pumayag naman siya pero mukhang mali ata ang desisyon niya.

Cassie could never accept Beatriz or any other woman as his wife. Hindi na rin niya maintindihan kung bakit ganoon na lamang ang pag-uugali ng anak.

She just keeps getting worse and worse every year. She keeps getting herself involved in a scandal after a scandal. Media tagged her as wild, untamed, and a brat. And for the life of him malapit na siya talagang maniwala na gano’n ang anak niya!

Si Beatriz lang ang laging nagsasabing misunderstood lang si Cassie dahil maaga itong nawalan ng ina. At tama ito, Elena died when Cassie was just ten years old. And he was barely there during her teens when she needed guidance and parental attention.

And it was too late when he realized that Cassie wasn't just misbehaving, she’s already in a state of rebellion. And the worse thing was, she won't talk to him about it. She just keeps on doing what she wants. And it's frustrating.

He sighed.

Agad ang pag-angat ng tingin niya nang marahang bumukas ang pinto. Lines of worry were written on his wife's face. Umupo ito sa tabi niya at hinawakan ang kanyang mga kamay.

"Just trust Cassie some more. She's still probably figuring things out with her life. She'll get there darling, just trust her some more," alo nito sa kanya.

Inakbayan niya ang asawa at muli itong hinalikan sa noo.

"Thank you. If it weren’t for you, this would all be too difficult," aniya.

Ngumiti lang ito at nagpatiunang tumayo bago siya tuluyang hinila palabas ng kuwarto patungo sa kusina.

"Nicholas called today," balita nito sa kanya habang nilalagyan nito ng kanin ang plato niya. Nicholas was the husband of their childhood friend Olivia, who died ages ago. They remained good friends with Nicholas though.

Napakunot-noo siya. "Why?"

"He's putting Olivia's farm up for sale. He thought you might be interested," pahayag nito.

Natigilan siya. Why would Nicholas put Olivia’s farm for sale? Hindi naman iyon nalulugi. Sa totoo lang maganda ang pamamalakad ng katiwala ng mga ito doon. At isa ang farm na iyon sa top supplier ng mangga at fresh water fish sa buong bansa maging Southeast Asia.

"Bakit daw?" takang tanong niya.

Bumuntong-hininga ito at humila ng upuan sa tabi niya. "In the hopes that Liam would resurface, Baka raw makarating ang balita kay Liam at magpakita na," mabilis na sagot nito.

He knew the rift between Nicholas and his youngest son Liam. It all started when Liam failed to pass at Harvard's Business School. Nicholas was enraged and told his son many things. Liam ran away from home when he was 18. Last time they checked, he enlisted himself to the US Marines. Until two years ago, when Liam’s group of protectors saved him and Cassie from a nerve-wrecking hostage situation.

Binisita pa siya nito sa ospital noon.  They had a little talk about him fixing his relationship with his father. But Liam just shrugged the idea. He never saw him since.

"Kaya ikaw, h'wag mo masyadong pagagalitan si Cassie kung ayaw mong matulad kay Nicholas. Nawalan na nga ng panganay, pati ‘yong bunso niya nawawala pa. Kids these days are different from our times. You know, different strokes for different folks."

Hindi na lang siya umimik at nagpatuloy sa pagkain. Nang matapos siyang kumain, naligo lang siya at nagpalit ng pantulog bago siya dumiretso sa library at nagsimulang tumipa sa cellphone niya.

Nang umangat ang kabilang linya ay agad ang naging pagbati niya. "Nick, it's me, Ernie."

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