Engaged in Disguise

Chapter Thirteen

BIYERNES noon at ​anim na araw na lang. Anim na araw na lang bago ang nakaplano sanang pagtatapat. Anim na araw bago sana aminin ni Celeste kay Jace ang katotohanan. Ngunit ang tadhana ay may ibang plano—mas malupit, mas mabilis, at mas mapang-wasak.

​Alas-tres ng hapon. Si Celeste ay tahimik na nag-aayos ng mga files sa kanyang desk, habang si Jace naman ay seryosong nakikipag-usap sa loob ng kanyang opisina para sa isang mahalagang conference call. Ang katahimikan ng floor ay nabasag nang tumunog ang elevator.

​Lumabas si Daniella Montero. Naka-tight white dress, bitbit ang isang mamahaling designer bag, at bawat hakbang ng kanyang heels ay tila may dalang hindi magandang balita. Ang kanyang mukha ay puno ng determinasyon at may hawak siyang isang makapal na folder.

​Lumapit siya kay Celeste, binigyan ito ng isang mapanghamak na tingin. "Is Jace available?" tanong niya nang napakalamig.

​"He's in a meeting po, Miss Montero," sagot ni Celeste, pinapanatili ang kanyang pagiging propesyonal. "Pwede kayong mag-wait or mag-schedule ng—"

​"I'm not waiting," putol ni Daniella. Walang pasintabi siyang lumapit sa pinto ng opisina ni Jace at binuksan ito.

​"Miss Montero, you can't—" sigaw ni Celeste habang mabilis na tumayo, pero huli na ang lahat.

​Pumasok si Daniella. "Jace, we need to talk," malakas niyang sabi.

​Nakita ni Celeste na naka-video call pa si Jace. Kitang-kita sa screen ang mga kliyente. "Daniella, I'm in the middle of—" simula ni Jace.

​"This is more important," putol ni Daniella sabay bagsak ng folder sa desk. "Much more important."

​Nag-excuse si Jace sa mga kliyente nang may halong hiya at galit. "I apologize. Family emergency. Can we reschedule?" Pagka-end ng call ay tumayo siya, nanginginig sa galit. "What the hell, Daniella? That was an important meeting!"

​"And this is important information," sagot ni Daniella habang binubuksan ang folder. "About your precious girlfriend."

​Natigilan si Jace. Tumingin siya kay Celeste na noon ay nasa pintuan na, bakas ang kaba sa mukha. "What about Celeste?"

​Ngumiti si Daniella—isang ngiting tagumpay at puno ng excitement. "She's not who she says she is, Jace. She's been lying to you. Completely."

​"What are you talking about?" tanong ni Jace, nalilito pero pilit pa ring pinapakita ritong wala siyang pakialam sa kausap.

​Kinuha ni Daniella ang isang larawan mula sa folder at inilapag sa mesa. Ito ay larawan ni Luna Hart mula sa isang society page—naka-designer gown sa isang charity gala dalawang buwan na ang nakakaraan. "This is Luna Hart. Heiress of Hart Industries. Spoiled socialite. Party girl. Your arranged fiancée."

​Tumingin si Jace sa larawan. "I know who Luna Hart is. What does she have to do with Celeste?"

​Inilapag ni Daniella ang pangalawang larawan sa tabi ng una. Isang candid shot ni Celeste sa isang coffee shop noong nakaraang linggo. "Look closely," sabi ni Daniella. "Same person. Different hair. Different clothes. Different makeup. But same face. Same mole sa right cheek. Same scar sa left eyebrow. Same person, Jace."

​Nagsimulang mag-compare si Jace. Ang istraktura ng mukha. Ang mga mata. Ang ilong at labi. Ang mga pagkakatulad ay hindi maitatanggi. "No," bulong niya sa pagtanggi. "This is—this is ridiculous. They just look similar. Maraming tao ang magkamukha—"

​"I ran a background check," putol ni Daniella, inilalabas ang mga dokumento. "Celeste Cruz. Supposedly from Batangas. Graduate ng Batangas State University. Former secretary sa Maceda Trading Corporation. I called the university. Walang record ng Celeste Marie Cruz. I contacted Maceda Trading—company closed two years ago, walang employee records available. I checked government IDs—may Celeste Cruz, pero ibang address, ibang birthday, ibang profile completely."

​Kinuha pa niya ang isang dokumento. "Then I hired a private investigator. Followed her. Sa apartment niya sa Quezon City. Simple place. Simple life. Very convincing. But last Sunday, she went to Hart Estate in Tagaytay. Stayed for three hours. The private investigator took photos."

​Inilapag ang mga huling ebidensya: Si Celeste—bilang si Luna—naka-designer clothes habang nagtatanghalian kasama si Don Felix Hart. "She's Luna Hart, Jace. Your fiancée. She's been pretending to be your secretary to spy on you. To gather information. To manipulate you."

​Tumingin si Jace sa mga larawan, isa-isa. Ang kanyang mukha ay dumaan sa iba't ibang emosyon: kalituhan, pagkatanto, gulat, pagkakanulo, at sa huli—matinding galit.

​"No," bulong niya. "No, this can't be—" Tumingin siya kay Celeste na tila estatwa sa may pintuan. Ang mukha ni Celeste ay puno ng guilt at takot. Nahuli na siya. "Celeste," tawag ni Jace sa nanginginig na boses. "Tell me this is fake. Tell me she's lying. Tell me you're not—"

​Tumulo ang luha ni Celeste. "Jace, I can explain—"

​"Are you Luna Hart?" tanong ni Jace nang direkta. "Yes or no. Are you Luna Hart?"

​Isang mabigat at masakit na katahimikan ang namayani. "Yes," mahinang sagot ni Celeste. "I'm Luna Hart."

​Napaatras si Jace na tila sinuntok sa sikmura. "Oh my God. Everything—everything was a lie. Celeste Cruz doesn't exist. You—you're not real. You lied. You've been lying since day one."

​"Jace, please, let me explain—" simula ni Luna, humahakbang papalapit.

​"Don't," pigil ni Jace, muling umaatras. "Don't come near me. Don't touch me."

​"HOW LONG?" sigaw ni Jace. Galit at sakit ang namamayani. "How long were you planning to lie? How long were you planning to play me for a fool?"

​"It wasn't like that—"

​"THEN WHAT WAS IT?" sigaw ni Jace. "You applied as my secretary under a fake name. Fake background. Fake everything. You worked for me. You got close to me. You made me fall for you. For what? To spy? To gather information? To humiliate me?"

​"No!" sigaw ni Luna habang umaagos ang luha. "I was trying to get to know you! Ang arranged marriage—I didn't want it! I wanted to know who you really are before—"

​"So you lied," malamig na putol ni Jace. "Instead of being honest. Instead of meeting me properly. You decided to deceive me. To manipulate me."

​"I was protecting myself!" pagtatanggol ni Luna. "I didn't know what kind of person you were! The files said you were cold, ruthless—"

​"Files?" ulit ni Jace. "You had files on me? You investigated me?" Napatahimik si Luna. "You've been spying on me. This whole time. Everything. Every conversation. Every moment. Fake. All fake."

​"Not everything," desperadong sabi ni Luna. "My feelings—my feelings for you are real. I love you, Jace. That's real—"

​"DON'T," sigaw ni Jace. "Don't say that word. You don't get to say you love me. Love is built on trust. On honesty. You gave me neither."

​"I wanted to tell you! I was going to tell you! Next week—I was planning to tell you everything—"

​"Next week," mapait na tawa ni Jace. "After how many more lies? After how much more manipulation? When, Luna? When were you going to tell me? When you got enough information? When you destroyed me completely?"

​"I wasn't trying to destroy you! I was trying to protect my family! Your father—Don Ricardo—he's destroying Hart Industries! Ang contract—may predatory clauses! I needed to know if you were part of it!"

​Natigilan si Jace. "You thought I was part of my father's crimes?"

​"I didn't know! I didn't know you were trying to stop him! I didn't know you were building a case against him! I found out dalawang araw na ang nakalipas, Jace! When I accessed your files—"

​"You accessed my files?" gulat na gulat si Jace. "You went through my computer? My private documents?"

​Yumuko si Luna sa matinding guilt. "Unbelievable," sabi ni Jace. "You invaded my privacy. You spied on me. You stole information. At what, you expect me to just forgive all of that because you say you love me?"

​"Jace, please—"

​"Get out," malamig na utos ni Jace.

​"What?"

​"Get out of my office. You're fired. Effective immediately. I don't want to see your face. I don't want to hear your voice. Get out."

​"Jace, please, let's talk about this—" Lumapit si Luna, pilit na humahawak.

​"SECURITY!" sigaw ni Jace sa intercom. "Send security to my office. Now."

​Dumating ang mga security guards. "Escort Miss—" huminto si Jace, tila diring-diri sa pangalang babanggitin. "Escort Luna Hart out of the building. She's terminated. She's not allowed back. Ever."

​Hinawakan ng mga guards si Luna. "No, wait—Jace, please—please let me explain properly—"

​"There's nothing to explain," sabi ni Jace habang tumatalikod. Hindi na siya tumingin sa kanya. "You're a liar. A spy. And I never want to see you again. Leave."

​Dinala si Luna palabas ng opisina. Sa huling sulyap niya bago sumara ang pinto, nakita niya si Jace na naka-upo, ang ulo ay nakabaon sa kanyang mga kamay at ang mga balikat ay nanginginig. Umiiyak ito.

​Dinala si Luna hanggang sa labas ng building. Naiwan siyang nakatayo sa sidewalk, and feeling lost, habang ang buhay ng ibang tao sa paligid niya ay nagpapatuloy. Nawala na ang lahat sa kanya.

She lost him.

She lost Jace

​Nanginginig ang mga kamay na tinawagan niya si Atty. Suarez. "Atty., I need you. Please. Come get me. Nalaman na ni Jace. Nalaman niya lahat. He hates me. He—" Hindi na niya natapos ang sasabihin at napaupo na lang siya sa sidewalk, umiiyak. Pinagtitinginan na siya ng mga taong dumaraan pero wala siyang pakialam mas masakit ang realidad na durog na durog ang buo niyang pagkatao dahil sa nangyari.

​Pagkalipas ng bente minutos, dumating si Atty. Suarez at tinulungan siyang makasakay sa sasakyan. "Daniella," sabi ni Luna sa pagitan ng mga hikbi. "She exposed me. She had photos. Evidence. She told Jace everything. He fired me. He said he never wants to see me again."

​"Damn it," sabi ni Atty. Cruz. "We should have told him first."

​"It's over," putol ni Luna. "Everything is over."

​Nag-drive sila patungo sa Hart Estate.

Kailangan ni Luna ng Lolo niya. Kailangan niya ng pamilya niya.

Kailangan niya ng tulong.

Kasi kapag nag-isa siya, she can't handle this.

Hindi niya kaya.

The pain is too much.

The loss is too great.

At ang guilt—unbearable.

She destroyed the only real thing she ever had.

At hindi niya alam kung paano ito aayusin.

Or if it can even be fixed.