Hooked By His Twin

1 Tears fell from Ava’s hazel eyes. She was sobbing heavily as she laid her one last glance on Drake Monte Mayor coffin—her late betrothed fiancé. “May you rest in peace, son. I love you so m-much..” Erik Monte Mayor shattered in tears as he shivered holding his son’s casket for the last time.  “Condolences to your family, Mr. Monte Mayor…” Ava heard everyone begged goodbye to the family. Hindi niya magawang i-entertain ang mga dumalo dahil sa bigat ng nararamdaman. All she knew was to cry and let her emotions die together with Drake.             “Ava, hija… C’mon now, it’s getting dark…” Her mommy Stella urged her to go home. Wala na rin doon ang ama ni Drake.             Her long hazelnut hair swayed when she turned around towards her mom’s corner.             “Mauna na po kayo, my—j-just give me more minutes with him.” Sabi nito ang knelt on the ground and traced Drake’s name on the tombstone.             “Alright, hija. Just promise me you’ll drive safely back home or kung ‘di mo kaya just call— “             “My, please..I can handle myself.” She pleaded for some privacy. Alam niyang nag-aalala ang mommy niya sa sitwasyon niya ngayon.             She’d been crying like hell. She had lost her appetite for everything. Her mom has been her shoulder to cry on in her grief dahil isang linggo nalang sana, ikakasal na sila ni Drake—and that killed her soul too much when she heard about the disseminated terrible news that had crushed her soul and all she’d wanted is to bury her heart together with Drake.                         Everything was a fairytale not until that tragedy devastated all of Drake’s love ones—.             “Alright, hija. I’ll expect you to arrive at 7:30 in the evening. We’ll wait you up for dinner.” Her mom said and sighed heavily as she watched her daughter’s mourning over Drake’s lost. Stella cordially understood the same feeling as the time when Ava’s dad passed away due to an abrupt heart attack.             Ava was 20 years old when late Edric Mondragon, her father had passed away. Indeed, not an easy thing to accept dahil sa mga masasayang ala-ala na iniwan nito sa pamilya.  Itinaguyod ni Stella ang mga naiwang negosyo ng asawa pati na ang pakikipagsusyo ng Ava Empire sa MM Elite, ang kompanya nina Drake Monte Mayor at ang malaking Ava Hacienda nila sa Davao.             Magkasusyo ang Ava Empire at MM Elite sa pagpapatayo ng mga five star hotels sa iba’t ibang sulok ng Pilipinas. Actually, they’re more than business. They aren’t related by blood but a very close friend to each other. Kaya nga nagkasundo sina Edric Mondragon at Erik Monte Mayor that in the right time, they will eventually legally emerge their company sapamamagitan ng pagpapakasal nina Drake at Ava.             “It will never be difficult as we thought, Edric. I mean—at their young ages, they seem attached to each other.” Erik positively asserted nang minsan ay magka-usap sila ni Edric habang naglalaro ng golf.             “Yeah. I think you’re right. Nagkakaintindihan sila sa lahat ng bagay even at their young ages. I think—that would be a good indication.” Edric seconded his notion. Nag-iisang anak niya si Ava at sa tingin niya ay tama lamang na ipakakatiwala niya sa isang Monte Mayor ang kanyang anak sa hinaharap.             Erik Monte Mayor was already separated to his wife for such quiet a long time. Hindi pa man sila nagkakakilala ay hiwalay na ito sa asawa at kaylan man ‘di nag-abalang palitan ang asawa kahit pa sa tinatamasang karangyaan.             Erik rendered every minute of his free time to his young son then, Drake.             Stella remembered her late husband told her sad news when he was diagnosed in the hospital.             “I’I’m sorry, Stella. Malapit ng…magsara ang Ava Empire. Nalulugi na tayo—and worst, no chance to save the company.” Pumiyok ang tinig ni Edric habang hinigpitan ang pagkakawak sa kamay ng kabiyak.             “I don’t mind—we don’t mind, Ed. Sanay ako sa hirap na buhay. Ava is a very versatile daughter, masasanay rin siya kung sakali mang maghirap tayo…” Ang sagot nito sa asawa sa determinadong boses at kung iyon man ang ibig ipahiwatig ng asawa ay susuportahan niya ito. His husband was diagnosed with a heart disease that could lead to a sudden heart attack, kaya ‘di niya hahayaang mag-alala ito.             “No, Stella. She’s already 19 years old and yet still vulnerable—so fragile. Marami na siyang mga pangarap na gustong maabot and I want her to fulfill each of those dreams…”             “Money isn’t everything for your daughter, Ed. Maiintindihan niya kung meron mang isa ang ‘di matupad sa kanyang mga pangarap—we trained her how to adopt life.” Stella saw the pressure on his husband eyes dahil sa ibinalita nito sa kanya.             “Stella, listen… Pakakasalan niya si Drake at her 25th age. I’m—I’m not that strong to hold her shoulder every time she stumbles and--neither you. We both knew that Drake Monte Mayor is suitable for our standards. Total, matagal na rin nating pinagplanohan ang kasal nila, right?” Mahabang saad nito sa asawa na naiintindihan ang lahat ng pahiwatig nito.             Tumango si Stella at binigyan ng matamis na ngiti ang asawa that she certainly agreed to his perspectives towards their daughter’s bright future with Drake Monte Mayor.             “My, dumating na pala si Drake galing Paris?” Tanong ni Ava, na noon ay nagske-sketch for her interior design demonstration final sa susunod na linggo.             She’s an aspiring interior designer kaya naman she persuaded herself to become an excellent one. Isang buwan nalang at matatapos na siya sa kolehiyo holding a Bachelor degree.             The good news was, meron ng nag-aabang na trabaho para sa kanya—sa sarili nilang kompanya. She’ll be the future chairman of the Ava Empire interior design and she’s absolutely anxious about it!             “Oh, really. That’s nice, hija. Makakabonding muna na ulit ang childhood sweatheart mo.” Her mom teased her.             Her mommy Stella was busy baking nachos, her favorite snack especially that day was Saturday. Whole day siyang nagbababad sa bahay with her mommy. As usual, busy ang daddy Edric niya sa Hacienda nila sa Batangas kapag weekend. Ngayon lamang sila ‘di nakasama dahil sa tatapusin pa niya ang blueprint niya.             “My, naman! Childhood sweetheart talaga?” Kunyari ay ‘di kinilig sa sinabi ng mommy niya but deep inside she giggled. Everyone addressed them as childhood sweetheart dahil sa closeness nila during Elementary days enrolled in the same school. She startled when she saw Drake earlier at school. Kamuntikan na niya itong ni makilala dahil napakagwapo nito kanina wearing that killer smile—nakakalaglag ng “P”.             “..but seriously, my—he picked me up at school with this blue sports car. My, para talaga siyang Hollywood actor nasi Christopher Ashton Kutcher. I mean, I was stunned! He had grown so fast...Parang kaylan lang hindi siya ganun ka..ka gwapo. Hayst!”             Ava was reminiscing Drake’s manly aura a while ago—he was standing there waiting for her. After 5 years, nagkita na ulit sila! Hindi lingid sa kaalaman niya ang napipintong ‘wedding day’ nila ni Drake—excited pa nga ‘ata siya! Why not? He was her childhood best friend, her knight in shining armor, her crying shoulder, taga-gawa ng project—minsan, and most of all..her destined love.             Kaya ganun nalang ang panlulumo niya nang mag-aral ito sa Paris for Business Management dahil ito ang magiging future CEO ng MM Elite. Parang may kulang sa araw niya nang umalis ito. She was 14 years old and secretly fell in love to Drake… Tingin niya ay kababatang kapatid lamang ang turing sa kanya ni Drake kaya wala siyang lakas ng loob to tell her feeling before his flight.             “Ava? Have you been crying? Look at your eyes—namumugto ‘a.” Ava’s dad suddenly noticed while she was in the living room tediously watching her favorite music videos.             Pwede naman siyang manuod sa kwarto niya pero para siyang tanga sa kaiiyak at ‘di na magawang sagutan ang mga assignments niya.             “No, dad…” She answered while she felt her dad’s presence right next to her.             “Is it about Drake, hija?” Edric affirmed her answer by not telling anything. Ava’s silence means ‘Yes’.             “Can you keep a secret?” Edric smiled at her daughter’s amusement after hearing out the last word.             Umayos ng upo si Ava—she loves secret thing! Lalo na ‘pag  galing sa daddy Ed niya, that would certainly fascinating!             “Of course—I can! What is it, dad?” She anxiously said.             “Do you know that, someday—Drake will marry you?”             Ava’s heart jumped as she heard it!