Chapter 4 | Another Woman
1484 Words
[Lance]
Spending time with Sitti in Barcelona while I studied architecture was the best time of my life. Nag-aral ako sa eskuwelahan na kinaroroonan ni Sitti matapos ibigay ng aking ama na si Victorino Lee ang exact coordinates kung nasaan si Katerina Evanovich—ang aking misyon.
I have a mission to retrieve a pendant key from her. Ngunit hindi ko inaasahan na mauuwi ang lahat into leaving in with her and getting married. Matapos kong ibigay ang lahat lahat na mayroon ako sa babaeng inakala kong mahal ako, she left me on the day of our wedding. Sampung taon na ang nakalilipas subalit hindi ko pa rin makalimutan ang pait ng araw na iniwan niya ako.
I am Lancelot Ramsey Herrera – Javier Monreal, a promising top-notch lawyer of Kendall Kirby Law Firm and Associates. They know as Attorney Lance Javier. I was born by a single mother, Natalie Javier, who worked in Las Vegas Casino when she was younger. My mother Talie met my father, Filipino-Chinese-Mexican bachelor Victorino Lee in the casino, and I am the fruit of their one-night-stand.
Makatapos kaming abandonahin ng aking ama. Basta na lamang ito nagpagpakita sa aking opisina. Twenty-five years later, a man in a black suit with a black hat in a golden walking cane is seated in my law firm’s office. He asked me to help him search for his friend’s long-lost key taken by a lady named Ella Evanovich. This woman had a daughter that wore the key, and the last thing they knew, the baby was taken to the Philippines by a couple named Fernando and Marina Delgado.
In search of finding Sergei Terrakova Schneider's long-lost key, that’s where my whirlwind romance and love story with Sitti begun in Barcelona. Katerina Evanovich is who I was looking for, but I stumbled with a woman with unfaltering beauty—Felicity Saavedra. Two different names, the same person. The woman I needed to avenge my mother's death. Dahil sa susi na hawak niya kaya namatay ang aking ina.
Nakahanda na ang lahat sa first family trip namin. I packed everything we will need. I did not pack many clothes dahil balak kong ipag-shopping ang mag-ina ko sa Europa.
Alam ko na hindi papayag si Sitti knowing how stubborn she is. But I find my way around to beat her. She maybe that hardhead but I’ll find a way to get what I wanted. Besides, I own her. It’s just right that I claim her now. It’s about time for us to be together and continue the love that was ruined by a woman set up by father.
Kailangan ko pang ipaliwanag iyon kay Sitti. Wala akong babae. Hanggang ngayon hindi ko nagawang gumalaw ng ibang babae all because I am so obsessed with her. Siya lang ang gusto ko. Only her can awaken my blood and veins. Only Felicity because she took my heart and soul when she left me.
# # #
Seven hours earlier at the hospital lobby. . .
Malayo pa nakikita ko na ang malalapad na ngiti ng aking anak habang tumatakbo itong lumapit sa akin. Nakita ko naman ang pagdilim ng mukha ni Sitti ng makita si Gina na nakipakaway sa akin.
"Daddy!" sigaw ni Logan pagkakita sa akin.
"Daddy? Ipinakilala mo ang sarili mo bilang ama ng anak ko?" Sitti hissed.
Kunot ang noo na tanong nito habang nakatanaw sa tumatakbong si Logan papalapit sa amin.
"Anak natin," pagtatama ko.
"Anak ko lang siya. Hindi natin."
Nang makalapit si Logan. Agad na hinarangan nito ang anak ko na makalapit sa akin. Bahagyang lumuhod si Sitti upang magpantay sila ni Logan at salubongin ang yakap nito.
"Mama! Where did you go? Bakit hindi ka po umuwi? I miss you," ani Logan. He gave Sitti a quick smack before turning towards me.
"Daddy, guwapo!" sigaw muli ni Logan. Kinarga ko siya agad," where are we going this time, Daddy?"
"Disneyland, son. Are you excited?"
"I've been there, Daddy. Mama took me there many times na po."
Ilang segundo lamang ang nakakaraan akala ko she will lash out in anger on me. Subalit tahimik si Sitti na pinagmamasdan kaming dalawa ni Logan habang karga pa rin nito si Enzo. I jinxs myself dahil makaraan ang ilang minuto. . .
"Ibaba mo ang anak ko," she hissed again in a domineering tone.
"Baby, anak natin."
"Why did you call my Mama 'baby' Daddy? She's not a baby," Logan curiously asked me while giving Sitti a quick glimpse.
“Oh, son. Like you, your mother is my baby too. It’s a sweet endearment,” paliwanag ko.
“Ahh,” sagot nito na tumango-tango tila naintindihan ang aking paliwanag.
"Logan, bakit ka lumapit sa kaniya? Nagpakarga ka pa. Didn't I tell you don't talk to strangers?"
"Mama, he's not a stranger. He's my daddy."
"Logan, get down!" pasigaw na turan ni Sitti sa anak namin.
Nakita ko ang pamumuo ng mga luha sa mata ni Logan. Naawa ako sa kaniya. Growing up without a father figure is a huge part of my messed up life before I met the Monreal and Sitti.
"Mama, I wanna be with daddy, please?"
"Sitti," tawag ni Gina rito," hindi naman tama sigawan mo ang anak mo. Panahon na para malaman ni Logan ang totoo. Para matahimik ka na at makalaya 'yang kinikimkim mong galit sa puso mo."
"Ikaw na muna mag-alaga kay Enzo,” sagot ni Sitti kay Gina. Matapos ay pilit na kinuha sa akin si Logan.
"Mama, please, can I stay with daddy?"
"Sitti, ano ba? Gusto sa akin ng anak ko. Why can't you let him be?"
"I want to go home," sagot nito sa akin.
"We are not going home. We're going to Paris."
"Paris?" gulat na tanong ni Sitti.
"So, you have this all planned out?"
"Matagal na. Ikaw na lang ang kulang," sagot ko while putting a victorious grin on my face.
I have planned this wedding for a long time. I was only waiting for my bride to come home. Kaya sa oras na umapak si Sitti sa Pilipinas pinasundan ko ito. Nang matuntun siya ng private investigator ko. Inaraw-araw kong puntahan ang restaurant na kabubukas niya pa lamang —ang Sitti's Haven.
Maliit na restaurant lamang iyon sa ground floor ng Fey Hotel and Resort sa Quezon City. Nagkasya ako sa palihim na pagsulyap-sulyap kay Sitti sa tuwing umaga at gabi. I eat breakfast and dinner at her restaurant. Hindi ko nga alam kung bakit sa loob ng isang buwan eh hindi niya man lang ako nilapitan o sadyang hindi pinansin man lang?
"Daddy, who is that baby? Kapatid ko ba siya?"
"Oh! No, son. He's your baby cousin. Remember, Tito James?"
"My Tito Handsome?"
"Yes."
"Where's Tita Ganda, Daddy?"
"Gaano mo na katagal kilala ang anak ko?"
"Anak natin, Sitti."
"Gina, pinayagan ba kitang ipakita kay Lancel ang anak ko?"
"Lancel? Did you call me Lancel? Does this mean—okay na tayo?"
"Magdusa ka. Hindi na tayo magkakaayos pa, Lancelot."
"Gina," tawag ko sa nanny ni Logan, "please, take my son and Enzo to the car. Sitti and I need to talk."
"Ayoko makipag-usap sayo. Iuwi mo na ako."
Nang makalayo si Gina at makapasok sa sasakyan saka ko lamang sinagot si Sitti.
"Iuuwi naman talaga kita—"
"Then, what are we waiting for? I'm so tired, and I need to rest."
"Iuuwi kita. . . sa bahay ko."
"Nooooo!"
"You are living with me whether you like it or yes, Fey."
"What?"
"You don't have a choice. Mahal mo naman ang ama mo 'di ba?"
"Why are you doing this to me, Lancel?"
"See, I wasn’t mistaken. Otherwise, you won’t be calling me Lancel. Mahal mo pa rin ako. I heard it loud and clear, you are calling me Lancel, Mi Bonita."
Ngiti-ngiti ako habang sinasambit ko iyon. Sitti never called me Lance back in Barcelona. Exclusive endearment niya iyon sa akin. I never called Felicity Sitti; instead, I called her Fey.
"Don't call me, Fey. Matagal ko ng binaon si Fey sa limot."
"Bakit ka ba galit sa akin? I should be the one resenting you. Hindi mo sinipot ang kasal natin.”
“Matagal na ‘yon, Lancel. Ano pang pinaghihimutok mo riyan?”
“ Akala ko okay na tayo. We made love that night. Was that nothing to you?"
"Yes, we did made love that night. Okay na sana tayo. Handa na sana kitang tanggapin muli. I was ready to give us another chance. I didn't care about what Papa would say anymore. Pero nakita kita—"
Namuo ang mga luha sa kaniyang mata. I pulled her closer to me. Niyakap ko ang aking mahal nang sobrang higpit subalit nagpumiglas siya sa akin.
“Ano’ng nakita mo?”
"Nakita kitang may kahalakihan sa opisina," she said in between her sobs.”You have another woman, Lancel. Pinaglalaruan mo lang ba ako?”
- Writer
