Wicked Obsession

KABANATA 11

I AM SO MAD at myself! Natapos ang araw na iyon na I let myself in his car at naihatid pa ako pauwi! It was annoying for my pride!

Naalala ko ang sinabi niya sakin habang nasa sasakyan pa kami noon.

"Do you know that man?" Pang-uusisa pa nito. "You should not trust some strangers, Cara."

Wow. "Speak to yourself, Sebastian. Lumang-luma naman ata ang sermon mo. May pinagkatiwalaan ako na kilalang-kilala ko. Pero anong nangyari ngayon? I just got betrayed!"

At siya ang tinutukoy ko sa linyang iyon!

And everything is confirmed now! He called me good girl! Sebastian's loves to call me that way before!

"Sebastian, bakit ka nagpapanggap ngayon? Para saan na naman? Kasi mahal mo si Lara?" I almost hissed in annoyance.

If he loves someone, why just... can tell it immediately and accept his fate?! Kung ayaw ay ayaw! Hindi iyong ipipilit niya pa ang sarili sa iba!

"I am not Sebastian," he still denies the obvious!

"Are you in love with Lara?" Wala sa sariling tanong ko.

I didn't even know why I asked that question! Parang gumawa ako ng sariling hukay!

"Nevermind! Don't answer that question! Wala akong pakialam!" Sigaw ko dito.

"Can you just... lower your voice? I hate that."

TAHIMIK AKONG nakaupo sa opisina habang binabalikan ang alaaala sa farm. Siya talaga si Sebastian. I am sure that he is!

So, he is realy in love with Lara? Hindi siya nakasagot sa tanong ko eh! Malamang! Ganito rin siya sakin noon—pero sa ibang babae nga lang!

I don't even know why that thought annoys me too much. Sa ibang babae, pero ganon pa rin ang ginagawa?

Wala ba siyang ibang style? I mean, manligaw na lang siya! Hindi iyong nagpapanggap siya na si Silver so he can have what his brother had!

"Yow!" Si Shaina at isinilip ang ulo sa opisina. "There is a problem with the production department–"

Tumayo ako at tinignan ng diretso ang kaibigan.

"Shaina, he is Sebastian." I told her.

Naningkit ang mata nito at tuluyan ng pumasok sa opisina ko.

"Hindi ka pa ba tapos diyan Cara?" She said, so disappointed. "There is a lot of things that you should worry—"

"Pero nanloloko na naman siya!"

"And that is none of your concern, really!" Suway nito at bagsak ang balikat na lumapit sakin. "Cara, you sound obsess with Sebastian! Can you hear yourself?"

Napapikit ako sa sinabi nito at umupo na sa swivel chair. I am not like this... Pero... bumalik ulit siya. Akala ko ay ayos na ang pakiramdam ko—pero mukhang mali ako ng akala.

"Ngayon na alam mo na siya si Sebastian, what is you next step?" Ulit na naman niya sa tanong.

Natigilan ako saglit, naalala ang alok ni Francis.

What Francis told me had bother me so much... na gusto kong patulan.

It was against my principle. Pero habang tumatagal ang pag-iisip ko kay Sebastian at in love siya kay Lara kaya ginagawa niya ito...

I need to do something!

"Hey, anong balak mo?" Si Shaina.

"Well, I need to separate her from Lara—"

"Mali iyon Cara!" Shaina shouted, horrified.

Tumayo ako. "That is the right thing to do! May hindi siya ginagawang tama kaya I will correct that!" I told her.

Tama si Francis.

But I don't want Silver to be wreck pag nalaman niyang may iba na ang kanyang girlfriend—but who cares?

Silver doesn't really care about me that much before! Hinayaan nga lang niya si Sebastian na magpanggap bilang siya!

So a heartbreak will be a great revenge against Silver. Poor guy... I lust and like him so much, but my anger weigh more than anything else.

"Call my secretary, Shaina. I need to do something," I told her. "Sabihin mo ay I need to take a break. A month."

I have... a very mischievous plan, or wicked to be exact.

Bakit nga ba ako magpapakatao sa kambal na Galliano kung hindi nila ako tinurin na ganon nooon?

"A month of break? Excuse me, Cara?! Anong iniisip mo?!" Habol nito sakin.

"I need to take a break from this mess, okay? Masyado na akong nago-overthink about kay Sebastian at Silver... I need a break. At wala akong pina-plano," palusot ko sakanya.

"Kanina lang ay sabi mo na siya si Sebastian! I am sure you have think of your plan!" Reklamo pa nito. "Saan ka magba-bakasyon, sige nga?!"

I rolled my eyes on her. Kailangan ko rin maging maingat sa pagsabi kay Shaina ng kung ano. She is my friend and I trust her—pero ayaw na ayaw niya na nagkakaganito ako kaya malamang, isusumbong niya ako sa magulang if she sense something wrong!

"Naisip ko na tama ka... Ano naman kung siya si Sebastian..." Mahinang bulong ko, umaaktong kawawa. "But I am thinking about him too much... I need a break. I need to breathe—kasi nawawala na naman ako, Shaina."

My acting skills was excellent! Kumalma ang galit na itsura ni Shaina, then she shook her head.

"Cara..."

Pasimple kong inabot ang card kung nasaan ang pangalan ni Francis. He can help me a lot.

"I'm sorry, Shaina... but the past still hurts..." I cried a little so I look very convincing.

She sighed and walk towards me. Hinila ako ni Shaina para sa isang yakap.

"Shh... Friend, okay. Take your break na... Siguro ay hindi rin maganda na nagkikita kayo dito sa work..."

Tumango-tango ako at umaktong nanghihina. Pero sa totoo lang, I am conceptualizing my plan inside my head.

I will make sure that they will both pay for the past.

"ARE YOU GOING to take a break?" My mother asked me.

I nod my head. "I feel stress."

"Because?" My father asked me. "Is this connected to Silver Galliano?"

"Daddy..." Suway ni Mommy sa tanong nito.

I wanted to go in my room after he had ask that. Pero ayokong magmukhang defensive. Mas lalo lang silang maghihigpit.

"This is my first break since the Alta opened, Dad." I told him.

Nagsalubong ang kilay ni Dad, making him looked more strict.

"Sinundo ka daw ng lalaking 'yon?" Aniya. "You are getting closer with his brother huh?"

"Pinapasundan niyo ako?" Pinigilan ko ang boses na tumaas.

"I am doing it for your safety, Cara. Alam mo naman ang trabaho ko," he said to me.

"Malaki na po ako, kaya wag niyo akong pasundan—"

"And how can I trust a person who's once been fooled?" Ganti sakin ng ama ko. "But that's right, take a break away from company. Away from the Galliano."

Tumango-tango na lang ako. Marami pa akong gustong sabihin—but whenever I talk with my father... it just feels draining. Nakakapagod ilaban ang sarili sa taong hindi marunong umintindi.

Kasalanan ko ba kung naloko ako? And that encounter made me less... Pag naloko ang babae, o nagkamali ang babae... Why does it sound so low?

Pag naloko, uto-uto? Pero ang lalaki, nanloko, magaling?

When I am having a fling or scandals from left to right—I am consider as a whore... But when the guy has a lot of girls—attractive naman?

Why is it always unfair with woman?

I WAS FIXING a lot of requests in filing my one month leave. Iyon ang pinagkaabalahan ko ng isang linggo, at noong matatapos na iyon, I decided to contact Francis.

"Francis Fernando speaking," he greeted from the phone.

Ilang araw ko ng pinag-isipan ang bagay na ito ng mabuti. Hindi ko alam kung bakit hindi ako makabati pabalik.

Silver entered my mine—the real Silver. Kung tutulungan ko ang lalaking ito, relationship wrecker nga ang bansag sakin!

"Hello?"

"This is Cara Altamirano," I greeted back. "Do you still remember me?"

"Oh!" I can almost see him jump because of happiness! "I've been waiting for your call! I am glad you've gathered your thoughts!"

"Let's meet each other first."

I gave him the details about the place. Mukhang hindi naman busy si Francis dahil mabilis itong pumayag at pupunta na agad.

Napalunok ako. I hope I am doing the right thing. For revenge and to straight things back... gagawin ko ito.

NAKANGITI SAKIN si Francis sa coffee shop. He is all smiley, and gathering some attention of the other girls kaya naiinis ako.

"Are you famous?" Tanong ko dahil kanina pa siya pinagtitinginan.

"Maybe yes... Or no." Tawa pa niya. "So? Do you have a plan in mind?" He get straight to the point.

I nod my head. "Yes. I am planning to take him away from here..."

Natigilan ito. "Silver? Take away?" Ulit pa niya sa sinabi ko.

I nod my head. Siya naman ay natawa.

"Kidnapp?"

Sinimangutan ko siya. "That is not kidnapp! Malaki na 'yon para tawaging kidnapp!" Mabilis na tanggi ko sakanya.

Umiling ito. "How can you kidnapp such a big guy, Cara? At hindi ba siya hahanapin dito? He is a well known person."

Alam ko iyon. But there is a lot of Galliano. He still have his cousins to manage the company. I can do a fake news where Silver flew away from the Philippines... Or tame him and tell everyone na umalis siya.

It will be easy. Pero iyong kay Lara?

"I hope you can control Lara. I have my plans, Francis. But you need to take care of Lara..."

Tumaas ang kilay niya. "I know. Kahit hindi mo sasabihin, aagawin ko naman talaga si Lara sa walang kwenta niyang boyfriend..."

"Walang kwenta?"

He shook his head. "Lara told me about their relationship. Medyo nag-iba daw si Silver..."

I wanted to tell him that he is not Silver. Ngunit ayokong humaba ang kwentuhan naming dalawa so I remain silent.

"If he likes you, then leave Lara alone early." Galit talaga ito para sa kalagayan ni Lara.

"Ilang beses mo na nabanggit na gusto ako ni Seb—Silver... Why did you think so?"

Kumunot ang noo nito, at inilingan ako.

"Only a fool cannot notice how he looks at you..." he remarked. "So what now? It's settle? When will you kidnapp Silver?"

I started to explain my plan with Francis.

We have a remote island. Maliit lang na isla at kaya mo pa ngang ikutin ang lupain.

I am planning to seduce Sebastian and make out with him until he fully gives in.

There, I can put something on his food and drink that can make him unconscious...

At pagkatapos noon ay sa isla na ang punta namin. Hindi kami aalis doon hangga't hindi niya inaamin ng buong-buo na siya si Sebastian!

"It sounds a very good plan... But has a lot of risk. Kaya mo ba iyon?" Takang tanong niya. "You and your father—I mean your family has a big reputation."

At doon papasok ang trabaho niya.

"No one will know because I have you here," I explained further. "Patahimikin mo si Lara... Seduce her to make her forget about his boyfriend—at malay mo, mahalin ka niya."

He just shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah. That's the goal. How about you, Cara? What's your goal in our whole plan?"

Few seconds had already past but I still didn't manage his answer... He asked about my goal, huh?

"I just want my revenge." I simply said.

NOONG MATAPOS na ang munting meeting namin ni Francis ay doon na ako kumilos. Simula sa tao hanggang sa yate na papunta roon ay inasikaso ko na.

"Did you see him?" I asked my personal investigator.

"Yes, Ma'am. Nasa loob pa po ng building si Silver Galliano."

Nandito ako ngayon sa tapat ng company nila. Galliano. The massive building screams intimidation and superiority among the others.

I sighed and pull a red lipstick. Inayos ko ang pagkaka-push up ng aking bra at bago bumaba.

It's showtime...