Hidden Pleasure (Taglish) (Book 2)

Chapter 14

"Ken?" hindi makapaniwala kong usal nang tuluyan ko nang masilayan at makita ang buong mukha nito nang inikot na nito ang swivel chair na kinauupuan.

A grin was plastered in his lips while looking at my shocked face. He wave his hand at me na ikinaawang ng labi ko. How didn't I remember his full name?

"Your handsome and best uncle, sweetheart" he grin and winked at me that made me shivers. "What's with the shivering?" napanguso naman ito sa naging reaksiyon ko na ikinatawa ko.

"Tito, kailan ka pa naging gano'n?" ako naman ngayon ang napangisi nang diinan ko ang pagkakasambit ng 'tito' na mas lalo niyang ikinanguso at tinignan ako ng masama. "You're making me cringe because of your words"

"Uh-huh?" napailing na lang ako dahil sa parang bata na naman ito ngayon. "I told you not to call me 'tito', Iria. You know how I hate it" and he rolled his eyes at that made me laugh hard.

Ayaw na ayaw niya kasing tawagin ko siyang tito dahil isang taon lang naman ang tanda niya sa akin. He was the youngest brother of mom. Kaya noong tinawag ko siyang tito sa park noong naglaro kami, he walks out. Ewan ko sa kaniya. Kinakahiya ata akong pamangkin.

Simula noon, kinausap niya akong Ken na lang daw ang itawag ko sa kaniya dahil hindi naman nagkakalayo ang edad namin. Ang ang pogi niya raw para maging tito ko. Kaya ayon, kapag naiinis o gusto ko siyang asarin, tinatawag ko itong tito na agad naman niyang ikina-walk out.

We were so close when I was in my younger years but because he was sent abroad, we lost our communication. Naging busy din kasi siya sa pag-aaral sa pagiging abogado niya na pareho naming pangarap noon. Pero nang dahil sa nangyari sa akin noon, hindi ko na natupad ang pangarap ko. I am happy and proud of him. Dahil natupad niya ang pangarap namin.

"Yeah. Yeah. By the way, I am so proud of you, Ken" I smiled at him sincerely. Naramdaman ko ang pag-iinit ng magkabila kong mata dahil sa luhang namumuo rito. "Mabuti at natupad mo ang pangarap mo"

"You are my inspiration, sweetheart. This is our dream and I make it happen" he lean in his desk to wipe the tears that starts to fall from my eyes. Tears of joy. "But you, you can still make your dream come true"

Umiling ako sa sinabi nito na ikinakunot ng noo niya. "I can't" garalgal at tipid kong ani na mas nagpakunot ng noo niya.

"Why is that?"

"I can't defend myself. So how can I defend those people who want to? When I, myself is a mess?"

"I'll help you" may tipid na ngiting nakapaskil sa kaniyang labi na ikinangiti ko na rin. "Huwag kang mag-alala, Iria. Tutulungan kitang maabot ang pangarap na ipinagkait sa'yo. Lalo na ang hustiyang matagal mo nang dapat na nakuha"

"I'll take and manage the company when I send them to jail. Kaya hindi ako makakapag-aral ng abogasya dahil mawawalan ako ng oras"

"Alam na ba ni kuya Lance ang nangyari sa'yo?" I nod my head while he sits back in his swivel chair. "Anong sinabi niya? Bakit hindi na lang ang family lawyer niyo ang paasikasuhin niya ng kaso mo?"

Sinamaan ko ito ng tingin na ikinangiti niya lang ng alanganin. "Ayaw mo bang ikaw ang humawak sa kaso ko?" walang buhay kong tanong sa kaniya na agad naman niyang ikinailing at lunok.

"Hindi naman sa gano'n, Iria. Kasi alam mo na, mas madali ang lahat kapag si kuya Lance na ang gagawa" pagpapaliwanag nito na ikinaikot ko na lang ng mga mata ko sa kaniya.

"I want to take this by myself and I promised him na kapag hindi ko nagawa, siya na ang gagawa nng lahat para mapakulong ang kambal at ang ina nilang demonyo" bumuntong hininga muna ako bago nagsalita ulit. "And I am thankful that you will be my attorney" I smiled at him and he smiled back at me.

"Nagulat nga ako noong tumawag si Doc. Gomez sa'kin na ni-recommend niya ako sa'yo" mahina akong natawa dahil sa sinabi nito. "And I cancel all my appointments for today because I know you'll come"

"You got me there, Ken" nailing kong ani na ikinatawa niya na rin. "But seriously speaking, what case can I file?" dahil sa naging tanong ko, naging seryoso na ang mukha nito. "But is it still applicable? It's been ten years..."

"Yes, it is. According to the Republic Act 8353, which is the Anti-Rape Law of 1997. It is the Revised Penal Code criminalizes as a whole class of acts that are generally accepted as criminal, such as the taking of a life whether through murder or homicide, rape, robbery and theft, and treason" he put his glasses on and scan some files. "When the rape is committed with the use of a deadly weapon or by two or more persona, the penalty shall be reclusion perpetua to death or a lifetime imprisonment" napatango-tango ako sa narinig mula sa kaniya.

"Is it still okay to file a case when it was ten years ago?"

"Yes, it is. Rape won't be based on how years it had been happened. The thing here, they committed rape on a minor you. You should have come to the DSWD to seek for help or some government officials. Hindi 'yong naging tahimik ka paggising mo" bumuntong hininga ito at hinilot ang sintido bago tumingin sa akin na may naawang mga tingin. "You should have come to us, Iria. May nagawa sana agad si papa kung lumapit ka lang"

"I had a post-traumatic amnesia, Ken. So how will I know and remember? And up until now, I still have this freaking amnesia"

"What?" hindi makapaniwala niyang tanong sa akin. "Ilang taon na ang nakakalipas pero hindi pa rin bumabalik ang ibang alaala mo? The things I know about that amnesia is that, it will only last for ten to twelve weeks, but you..."

"Ilan lang ang naalala ko. Lalo na 'yong mga ginawa sa akin ng kambal. Palagi kong napapanaginipan na parang nandoon pa rin ako" nagsimula na namang manubig ang mga mata ko dahil sa mga naalala. "But I still have memories to remember. Especially my memories before my mom died..."

"Oh, sweetheart. Sorry at wala ako noon. Kung nandoon lang sana ako" umiling lang ako sa kaniya at hinayaan na naman ang mga luha na dumaloy sa magkabila kong pisngi. "Edi sana, hindi nangyari sa'yo ang nangyari noon"

"Don't be, Ken" I smiled at him while my tears fall like a waterfalls. "I know things happen for a reason. That's why, when I experience pain, I take it and not fight with it. Pain gives me a reason to live and pain is the reason why I know that I am alive"

"As you said, you don't remember some things. What are those? Can you tell me?" pinunasan ko ang pisngi ko at tumango sa kaniya.

"Though, may mga boses akong narinig noon na sigurado ako na memorya ko iyon. Not just voices" he just nods at me. Indikasyon na magpatuloy ako sa pagku-kwento. "I know that something is missing in my heart but I ignore it when I wake up from the hospital. Then, after years of ignoring it, I met this man who fills the hole that I felt for years after waking up. It's so familiar that I know in my heart that I find the missing piece in me. But after months of being with him..." napahikbi ako sa sakit na naramdaman ko sa puso ko habang inaalala kung bakit ako ganito ngayon.

It's because of the pain and the betrayal that I felt and experienced. My love for him that causes my pain and the trust I gave him that broke because of his betrayal. The reality that hits me hard and big time. The reality that tells me everything I feel and see is just temporary but the pain is the only thing that is permanent in this reality.

"I was betrayed, Ken. I was a... mistress. I became his mistress" naihilamos ko na lang ang mga palad ko sa mukha ko dahil sa hiyang naramdaman ko sa pag-amin ko sa tiyohin ko. "He made me his mistress. At dahil isa akong tanga, hindi ko muna inalam ang lahat-lahat ng tungkol sa kaniya"

"Who is he?" madiin at puno ng galit na tanong niya sa akin na ikinailing ko na lang.

"I should have known. And now, I am suffering because I was able to bear his child" garalgal at basag na ang boses kong ani. "His own blood and flesh. His own"

"You're pregnant? And he knows?"

"Yes. I am. And he doesn't know. I don't have a plan to tell him" nakaramdam ako ng mainit na yakap ang bumalot sa akin habang sinusuklay nito ang buhok ko. "Hindi ko sisiraan ang pamilyang binubuo niya dahil sa batang dinadala ko. I know that my child may suffer in the future but I am not like those women who will use their child to get the man they want. I am not like them and I won't be like them"

"I know you won't be like them. You're Iria Marie Delcena. The strong, brave and independent woman I know" he cooed and rock our body back and forth. "I will make sure that everyone who cause you pain will pay their rightful prices"

-courageousbeast