Hear in Silluette (Cynthia's Pov)
1556 Words
“Bakit ka umiiyak ulit, Cyn? Akala ko ba tapos na ‘yung drama mo last week?”
Mama’s voice came through the phone speaker, tinny and impatient. Nakaupo ako sa passenger seat ng kotse ni Mateo, parked sa madilim na side street malapit sa Makati, engine off, windows cracked just enough para hindi mabingi sa init. Pero malamig ang pawis ko sa likod.
“Hindi drama ‘to, Ma. Totoo. May narinig ako kanina. Sa penthouse.”
Silence sa kabilang linya. Then:
“Anong narinig mo?”
I swallowed. My throat felt like sandpaper.
“Si Ysabel. Kausap niya si… someone. Foreign accent. German siguro. Sabi niya, ‘The timeline has to move up. I can’t wait until my birthday. We need to confirm the transfer tonight.’ Tapos may sinabi pa siya tungkol sa ‘donor protocol’ at ‘non-disclosure renewal.’ Parang… parang may deal sila tungkol sa baby.”
Mama inhaled sharply. I could picture her fingers tightening around her own phone.
“Baby? Ano bang pinagsasasabi mo?”
“Ma, alam mo ‘yung clause ni Papa. Twenty-five na siya next month. Kailangan niya ng anak para ma-claim ‘yung full control. Pero hindi si Mateo ‘yung—”
I stopped. Kasi biglang bumukas ang pinto sa driver’s side. Si Mateo. Bumalik na galing sa convenience store, hawak ang dalawang bottled water at isang pack ng sigarilyo na hindi niya binuksan pa.
He slid in. Closed the door softly. Looked at me.
“Who’s that?” he mouthed.
I covered the speaker. “Mama.”
He nodded once. Didn’t smile.
I uncovered the phone.
“Ma, nandito na si Mateo. Pwede ba kitang tawagan ulit mamaya?”
“Huwag mong patayin ‘to,” Mama snapped. “Kung totoo ‘yang narinig mo, kailangan nating magplano. Hindi pwede na basta-basta lang ‘yan.”
Mateo leaned closer. His cologne mixed with the faint smell of rain outside. He didn’t speak pero his eyes said enough—don’t tell her everything.
“Ma, hindi pa sure. Pakinggan ko muna ulit. Baka mali lang ako.”
“You’re not wrong,” she said. “Your sister has always played dirty when cornered. If she’s bringing in an outsider for that baby clause, she’s desperate. And desperate people make mistakes.”
I glanced at Mateo. His jaw was tight. Fingers drumming the steering wheel.
“Ma, kailangan kong pumunta ulit sa penthouse. May naiwan akong gamit doon nung last time. Pwede bang—”
“No,” Mateo cut in, voice low but firm. “Hindi ka na babalik doon. Security changed the codes na after your stunt. At alam nilang galit ka. Kung makita ka roon, diretso ka na sa presinto.”
Mama heard him. “Mateo’s right. Pero kailangan natin ng proof. Record it. Use your phone. Kung may plano siya, kailangan nating marinig lahat.”
I felt my stomach twist. Not from guilt. From something darker—excitement. Finally, may laban ako na pwede kong manalo.
“Okay. Gagawin ko. Pero kailangan kong mag-isa.”
Mateo’s head snapped toward me. “Ano?”
I ended the call with Mama before she could argue more.
Then I turned to him fully.
“I have to go back tonight. While she’s out. May duplicate keycard pa ako sa old access. Hindi pa nila na-disable lahat.”
His hand shot out. Grabbed my wrist. Hard.
“You’re not going anywhere near that place alone.”
I yanked back. Didn’t work. His grip tightened.
“Bakit? Takot ka bang marinig ko ulit ‘yung plano niya? O takot ka bang malaman ko kung gaano ka ka-inlove sa kanya na handa kang maging ama ng anak na hindi mo gusto?”
His eyes darkened. “Hindi ‘yun ang issue.”
“Then what is?” I leaned in. Close enough to see the vein pulsing in his neck. “Na baka mahuli ako? O baka mahuli ka rin dahil kasama mo ako?”
He released me. Slowly. Like he was forcing himself.
“I’m coming with you.”
“No. You can’t. Kung pareho tayo nandun, mas madaling mahuli. Ikaw ang fiancé niya. Ako ‘yung ex-employee na may galit. Mas madali akong makapasok kung mag-isa.”
He stared at me for a long beat. Then:
“If anything happens to you—”
“Nothing will. Promise.”
He didn’t look convinced. Pero bumitaw na siya.
“Two hours. Text me every thirty minutes. Kung walang update, pupuntahan kita. Kahit anong mangyari.”
I nodded. Leaned over. Kissed him quick. Bitter.
“Para sa atin ‘to.”
He didn’t kiss back. Just watched me get out of the car.
The walk to the Montoya Tower felt longer than usual. Ulan na naman. Light pero steady. Hood up, mask on para hindi makilala ng lobby guards. Pero hindi naman ako dumaan sa main entrance. Sa service door sa likod, kung saan dati akong nagrereklamo kapag late ang delivery ng supplies.
The old keycard still worked. Click. Green light.
Elevator to the 42nd floor. Penthouse level.
Door unlocked. Dim lights lang. Parang wala si Ysabel. Pero narinig ko agad—music. Soft jazz. From the master bedroom.
I crept closer. Phone on record. Volume low.
She was on speakerphone.
“…yes, Henry. The clinic confirmed. The second sample arrived yesterday. We can schedule the procedure next week. But I need your signature on the final NDA. And the transfer—twenty million more. For discretion.”
A man’s voice. Deep. Accented.
“I’ll wire it tonight. But Ysabel… are you sure about this? Once we do the implantation, there’s no going back.”
“I know. Pero wala nang ibang paraan. Mateo can’t know. Not yet. Not until it’s done.”
My heart slammed so loud I thought they’d hear it through the phone.
She continued. “After the baby’s born, I’ll file for full custody. The will only requires an heir. Doesn’t specify the father has to stay. I can raise the child alone. With the company. And you… you get your name on the birth certificate if you want. Or stay anonymous. Your choice.”
Silence on the line.
Then Henry: “I don’t want anonymous. I want in. Fully.”
My hand shook. The phone almost slipped.
Ysabel laughed. Small. Tired.
“We’ll talk about that when you’re here. Just… don’t tell anyone you landed early. I need time to prepare.”
“I won’t. But Ysabel—promise me one thing.”
“Anything.”
“If this falls apart… if Mateo finds out… you come to me. No hesitation.”
Another pause.
“I promise.”
The call ended.
I stood frozen in the hallway. Recording still going.
Then footsteps. She was coming out.
I ducked into the guest room. Door ajar just enough to see.
She passed by. Hair wet. Fresh from shower. Wearing nothing but his shirt—Mateo’s favorite white button-down. The one I used to steal when we were still together.
She went to the living room. Poured wine. Sat on the couch. Stared at nothing.
I waited. Ten minutes. Fifteen.
Then I slipped out. Same way I came.
Sa service elevator pababa, pinatay ko ang recording. Saved it. Sent it to my cloud. Then to Mama’s number. With one message.
“Proof. Listen. Then call me.”
Paglabas ko sa building, tumakbo ako pabalik sa kotse ni Mateo.
He was still there. Lights off. Waiting.
I slid in. Slammed the door.
He looked at me. “Nakuha mo?”
I nodded. Tears burning pero hindi ko pinatalsik.
“More than enough.”
He reached for my hand. Squeezed.
“Anong narinig mo?”
I looked straight ahead. Rain streaking the windshield.
“She’s planning to get pregnant. Not with you. With someone else. A German billionaire. Henry Blackthorn. And she’s going to cut you out after the baby’s born.”
His grip tightened. Painfully.
“She said that?”
“Word for word.”
Silence.
Then he laughed. Low. Dangerous.
“She thinks she can play me like that?”
I turned to him. “She already is.”
He released my hand. Started the engine.
“Where are we going?” tanong ko.
“Somewhere safe. Then we listen to the whole thing. Together.”
The car moved.
Pero bago kami makaliko sa main road, tumunog ang phone ko.
Mama.
I answered.
“Anak, narinig ko lahat. May plano na ako.”
“Anong plano?”
“Tomorrow. We leak fragments. Not the whole thing. Just enough para mag-panic si Ysabel. Para magkamali siya.”
I glanced at Mateo. He was listening.
“And Mateo?” tanong ko.
Mama’s voice turned colder.
“Let him decide whose side he’s really on.”
The line went dead.
Mateo didn’t speak for a full minute.
Then, quietly:
“If we do this… there’s no going back for any of us.”
I looked at him. Really looked.
“Are you ready for that?”
He met my eyes.
“Are you?”
The car kept moving into the night.
At sa gitna ng katahimikan, narinig ko ang sarili kong sagot.
“Yes. Pero ikaw… siguradong sigurado ka bang kaya mo siyang saktan?”
He didn’t answer right away.
Then, voice like steel:
“I already have.”
- Writer
