Hooking up with the Merciless Mafia Boss

SIMULA “YOU must marry Mr. Fuevos if you still want someone to survive in this family, Zuri!” Dumagungdong sa buong sala ng tahanan ng mga Burcelangco ang galit na tinig ng kanilang padre de pamilya. Zuri repeatedly shook her head in protest at what her father had said. Walang tigil ang pagtulo ng luha mula sa mata niya dahil sa paulit-ulit na pagtangi sa kagustuhan nito. “Puwede ba daddy? Pagod na pagod na ako sa pagiging sunod sunuran ko sainyo! From being the CEO of our company, which I don’t really like ay sinunod ko so that you could be proud of me tapos hanggang dito ba naman ay gusto niyo ay kayo pa rin ang masusunod?!” She could no longer restrain herself from shouting at her father for the first time. She will not allow her parents to control her again because she is so tired. Palagi na lang ‘Yes dad’ ang sinasabi niya dahil sunod sunuran siya rito. Hindi niya pa nararansan na magdisesiyon para sa sarili niya dahil palagi siyang pinapangunahan ng magulang niya. The sound of Francisco's palms on his daughter's cheek could be heard throughout the four corners of their house, causing Zuri's head to turn to the left side. “Francisco tama na!” Sylvia couldn't stop herself from interfering in the conversation. “Are you okay anak?” “Huwag kang mangingialam rito Sylvia hangga’t hindi pumapayag ang batang ‘yan sa sinasabi ko ay masasaktan at masasaktan talaga ‘yan!” After Francisco said that, he immediately left the house without saying goodbye. Inalalayan ni Sylvia ang anak na umupo sa sofa. Ito ang unang beses na pagtaasan ng kamay si Zuri ng kaniyang ama kaya hindi niya mapigilang magulat at masaktan. “M-mom please talk to daddy.” Zuri pleaded with her mother. Her hands were still quivering due to the nervousness she felt. Sylvia shook her head, slowly. “I tried anak. I tried to talk to your daddy before he talked to you but he didn't listen, buo na ang isip niya anak. Wala na akong magagawa kaya sumunod ka na lang sa gusto ng daddy mo para hindi ka na niya ulit saktan.” Biglang tumayo si Zuri mula sa pagkakaupo at galit na tiningnan ang ina. Hindi siya makapaniwalang sasabihin ito ng ina sa kaniya. She thought that her mother would make way for Francisco to change his mind, but she was wrong. Pati pala ito ay sunod sunuran rin sa ama niya na asawa nito. “Mom, are you insane?” she said. “Anak niyo ‘ko ‘di ba? Bakit niyo na lang ako basta ipapakasal sa hindi ko naman kilala?! Hindi ako isang pinaglumaang damit o kaya sapatos na basta niyo na lang ipinapamigay kasi wala nang pakinabang mommy! Tao ako, anak mo ‘ko!” “Z-zuri hindi mo kasi naiintindihan—” “Then make me understand mom! Make me understand, hindi kasi ako isang manghuhula na huhulaan ang dahilan niyo kung bakit gusto niyo akong ipakasal sa isang taong hindi ko kilala at mas lalong hindi ko mahal!” Sylvia sat down on the sofa and then placed both elbows on her knees while her both hands were gripping her forehead. “I’m sorry, anak…hindi mo dapat nararanasan ang ganito. Kasalanan namin ‘to ng daddy mo, masiyadong malaki ang naging utang namin kay Mr. Fuevos at kapag hindi namin ‘yon nabayaran sa loob ng dalawang linggo ay papatayin niya tayong lahat.” “So, ako ang ipapangbayad niyo mommy?” Zuri snapped. “I can’t believe this! Sarili ninyong anak magagawa ninyong ipangbayad sa isang walang pusong lalaki na ‘yon!” “Mabait si Mr. Fuevos, anak.” Pagak na natawa ang dalaga. “Mabait? Mabait ba ang tawag ninyo sa lalaking pinagbantaan tayong papatayin? Kung gano’n na pala ang mabait ngayon ano na lang kaya ang tawag sa masama?!” Hindi nakapagsalita si Sylvia. Labis ang pagsisisi na nararamdaman nito dahil hindi niya kayang ipagtanggol ang anak sa asawa. “Zuri naman. Sundin mo na lang ang gusto ng daddy mo. Alam kong makakabuti sa’yo ang bagay na ‘to. Kahit para na lang sa kaligtasan namin ng—” “No, hilingin mo na sa’kin lahat mom but not this one please, not this one. Ayaw kong itali ang sarili ko sa isang bagay na alam kong hindi na ‘ko makakawala at habang buhay na ‘kong nakakulong. May boyfriend ako at hindi ko kayang isakripisyo ang taong mahal ko sa taong hindi ko mahal.” “Anak...” “Magkano ang inutang ninyo ni daddy sa Mr. Fuevos na ‘yon, mommy? Ako ang magbabayad!” “P-pero anak imposible iyang sinasabi mo.” “Tell me.” Sylvia took a deep breath. “Five-hundred million pesos.” “What?!” Umalingaw-ngaw sa buong bahay ay sigaw na’yon ni Zuri. Hindi siya makapaniwala sa halagang sinabi ng kaniyang ina. Hindi niya alam kung saan siya kukuha ng gano’ng kalaking pera sa loob lamang ng dalawang linggo. Kahit siguro magtrabaho siya ng buong araw ay hindi niya maabot ang ¼ nito. Kung hindi lang sana na-bankrupt ang kumpaniya nila ay madali lang sana niya mababayaran ang gano’ng kalaking pera. Zuri left their house discouraged. She didn’t know where she was going to start. Para siyang tinakasan ng lakas sa katawan dahil sa bigat ng problema na nakaatang sa kaniya. She dialed her boyfriend’s number, but unfortunately she can’t reach him. She and her boyfriend have been in a relationship for three years. They’ve also talked about their wedding, but they do not have an exact date yet. Joe was an architect, so he’s busy more often than she is, and she understands that naman. She got in her car and then drove it to her boyfriend's condo. Pagkarating niya ng condominium building ng boyfriend niya ay pumasok kaagad siya sa loob. When she arrived at her boyfriend's condominium building, she immediately went inside. She was alone in the elevator. She hit number 7 on the elevator’s buttons. When she got out of the elevator, she went to room 720. She used the spare key that Joe gave to her and then went straight inside as she was used to do. She frowned at the sight of darkness that filled the living room. Wala ba si Joe rito? Sa loob-loob niya. It's Sunday, so it's impossible that Joe isn't here. Nagtungo siya sa kwarto ng binata ngunit wala ito doon. Sunod naman niyang sinilip ang banyo ngunit wala ring tao doon. Sunod ang kusina ngunit sa pangatlong pagkakataon ay hindi niya parin nakita ni anino nito. She was about to leave thinking that her boyfriend didn't take a day off today, but she stopped when she heard his voice. The smile on her lips automatically curved as she looked at his boyfriend on the veranda of his condo without wearing top clothes and with a phone in his right ear. She slowly went to the veranda to surprise him, but she was stunned and her forehead creased when she heard his worried voice. “Yes, I know. Hayaan mo hahanap ako ng tiyempo para makipagkalas kay Zuri at para maalagaan ko na kayo ng magiging anak natin…Yes, take care of our baby. I love you…I’ll see you later.” Zuri seemed suddenly deafened by what she heard. She wanted to tell herself that she had just misheard what Joe said, but her eyes were starting to become bloodshot. Zuri accidentally touched a vase that she had overturned and shattered on the floor, causing Joe to turn to her side and see her standing. There was a trace of nervousness in the young man's eyes when he saw his girlfriend's eyes full of pain. “Z-zuri…” “K-kailan pa joe? Kailan mo pa ako niloloko?!” “Z-zuri, I’m sorry…” Pagak na tumawa ang dalaga. She wanted to cry in front of Joe because of the extreme pain she was feeling right now in her chest, but she restrained herself because she didn't want to look miserable. “I’m sorry? I-I love you, didn’t I? Kulang pa ba ang pagmamahal na ibinigay ko sa’yo? Kulang ba ‘yon? You said you love me, didn’t you? Pero bakit mo naman ako ginaganito Joe? B-bakit?” Her voice begins to crack as she talks. “Ang akala ko ikaw na lang kakampi ko. Akala ko sa’yo na lang ako kukuha ng lakas ko pero bakit mo naman ako niloko?” Zuri couldn't stop the tears from slowly flowing from her eyes. She bit her lower lip para hindi siya tuluyang mapahagulhol sa harap nito. “F-forgive me, Zuri. Hindi ko naman gustong lokohin ka pero kasi bigla na lang kasing nawala. Nagising na lang ako isang araw na hindi na ikaw. Hindi na ikaw ang mahal ko. Pinilit kong pigilan ang nararamdaman ko para kay Camila kasi iniisip kita pero hindi ko nagawang pigilan ang nararamdaman ko kasi hulog na hulog na ko sa kaniya.” Bawat salita na lumalabas sa bibig ni Joe ay tumatatak sa isip at puso ni Zuri. Para paulit-ulit na tinutusok ng palaso ang puso niya dahil habang tumatagal ay mas lalong kumikirot ang dibdib niya. “A-ang sama mo,” sabi ng dalaga sa panunumbat na tono. “Ang selfish-selfish mo Joe. Sana no’ng una pa lang sinabi mo na sa’kin, sana sinabi mo na kaagad na hindi mo na ‘ko mahal dahil ‘yon maiintindihan ko pa. Pero ito? ‘Yong lokohin mo ko? Sa tingin mo ba hindi ako masasaktan ha?” Natigilaan ang binata at saka huminga ng malalim. “I told you I’m sorry.” “Hindi ko kailangan ng sorry mo dahil hindi niyan maalis ang sakit na nararamdaman ko!” After Zuri said that, she hurried out of Joe’s condo unit. Nakatakip sa bibig ni Zuri ang isang niyang palad para hindi mapahikbi habang tumatakbo patungo sa mga elevator. Walang tigil rin ang pagbuhos ng luha mula sa mata niya. The other guests and staff of the hotel in the hallway looked at her, confused, but she did not pay attention to that. As she entered the elevator she was faintly sitting on its floor. Mabuti na lamang ay isa lang ang kasama niya doon sa loob ng elevator para iwas kahihiyan pero mas maganda sana kung wala. Zuri sat in the corner of the elevator and then tilted her head above her knee. She wept silently as Joe's words echoed in her brain over and over again. Minahal niya naman ito hindi ba? Binigay niya naman ang lahat ng pagmamahal na kaya niyag ibigay sa binata hindi ba? Ngunit bakit parang kulang pa rin? Bakit nagloko pa rin ito? Zuri stopped sobbing when the man who had been listening and irritated in her sobs, handed her a blue handkerchief. She couldn’t see his face because of the tears that blurred her vision. Wala sa sariling kinuha niya ang panyo na inabot nito at saka ipinunas sa nagkalat na luha sa pisngi at mata niya. When Zuri's vision became clear, the man came out of the elevator that had just opened. “M-mister!” Zuri almost cringed as she called the young man, but he didn't seem to hear anything because he just didn't bother looking at her. Hinabol ni Zuri ang lalaki ngunit dahil sa habang ng binti nito ay naabutan niya itong sumakay na ng isang itim na limousine. All Zuri could do was watch his expensive car drive away. He looked at the handkerchief it gave him and held it tightly. She took a deep breath and then went to the parking lot where her car was parked. She wanted to ask at the reception desk of this hotel the name of the young man who gave her the handkerchief so that she would know where to return the handkerchief pero hindi na niya ginawa. Ilang minutong nakatulala si Zuri sa labas ng bintana ng sasakyan niya bago pinaharurot ang sasakyan niya pauwi sa bahay nila. Hindi niya na puwedeng lokohin ang sarili niya. Kahit magtrabaho pa siya hanggang mamatay siya ay hindi siya makakaipon ng kalahating bilyong piso. Wala na ang boyfriend niya. Iiniwan na siya ng taong mahal na mahal niya, ang kaisa-isang kakampi niya. Wala nang saysay ang buhay niya. Sa halip na patayin niya ang sarili niya sa sakit ay mas pipiliin niya na lang iligtas ang pamilya niya at isugal ang sarili sa Mr. Fuevos na ‘yon na bumili sa kaniya! I’ve decided, I will marry Mr. Tatumaziel Fuevos for the sake of my family. NIKEINKSHA