Unlocking His Past

CHAPTER 18

—BLAIRE'S POV—

I followed him and didn't bother to speak. Malakas ang hinala kong may matutuklasan akong sikreto ngayong hating gabi. Kung ano man iyon, bahala na. Bahala na basta ngayon, kailangan kong maliwanagan sa iilang mga bagay-bagay. Biglang nawala naman na ang antok ko dahil sa inusal ni Dad. Natalo na yata ng kuryusidad ang antok ko.

Tumikhim muna siya bago ulit magsalita ulit. Ang mga kamay ay kalmadong nakalapag sa ibabaw ng mesa niya, ang kaniyang likod naman ay bahagyang nakasandal na sa swivel chair na kinauupuan.

"I told Irill to send Ritch in Glaziar. For two reason, to get close with Tropesa and to help you." Eh? That's new.

"Help me what? And Dad, did I heard you right? To get close with Tropesa? Tell me you're just kidding."

Kaya nga naging sikreto ang tungkol sa katauhan ni Tita Cessy dahil sa relasyon nila ni Tito Irill. Paanong gustong ipaglapit pa nila si Ritch at ang ngayong namumuno sa Tropesa.

"It was Cessy's idea. If you don't know, the one who managing na Tropesa Clan is Cessy's younger sister and its husband. His husband came from a police family. She's worried of her Clan and her other family members."

Why would she? Kumalas na siya't nagpakalayo, 'di ba? She even used other identity just to cover it up and now, putting Ritch as somewhat a bait?

"If you're thinking that they are just using Ritch as bait or someone who can spy to Tropesa Clan, well you're very wrong, Gold."

Eh? What's the matter then?

"Tropesa Clan is under Ceila Tropesa Hareed. Hareed's family is very well known for being a policemen since their first generation. Based on Cessy, she needs to rely a message to her parents or other siblings, except for Ceila."

Ha?

"Nagulat si Cessy na si Ceila ang pumalit sa puwesto at sa halos lahat ng mga businesses ng Tropesa ay ito ang humahawak ngayon, dahil noon pa man halos kamuhian ni Celia na nabuhay siya ganoong buhay. It might be because the Clan was blackmailed. The fact that her husband is a police, Celia might used the Clan to damage our Clan too."

"And how would they do that?"

"Celia knew Cessy very well. Alam niya ang katauhan ngayon ni Cessy, hindi malabong idamay tayo pag nagkataon. Alam mo naman, pag ang pulis nag umpisang maghinala, nagiging sakit sa ulo."

"Okay? Eh anong gagawin ni Ritch? Kung hindi naman pala siya pain o spy?"

"She'll make her cousin fell for her and get an alas to blackmail the other side. In that case, if Celia try to harm Cessy's family or our Clan, we can dispatch them right before they damage us. Cessy knew that the important thing to her sister is her child."

Malakas akong napasinghap at pigil tawang umiwas ng tingin kay Dad. Wtf?! Ako ba pinagloloko nila? Hindi naman na sila teenagers para mag isip ng ganyan. Saka tangina talaga, ano sila mga gangster sa movie?

"If you want to laugh, then laugh now, Gold."

"S-sorry, Dad. It's... Haha it's really funny to think that was their plan. Seriously? Pumayag ka? Eh 'di ba nga alam ni Celia kung nasaan at kung ano man si Tita Cessy."

Tumango lang siya.

"I don't get it."

"Baka nakakalimutan mo kung paano mag trabaho si Ritch, Gold. She has different personalities, from a very secretive yet dangerous little young reaper of our Clan. Besides, maalam siya sa bagay na 'yan."

Oh! O-okay? Tsk whatever is that, can we just proceed.

"Anyways, in what way she can help me? You mentioned earlier that one of her reasons is to help me."

"I heard that there was gunshot incident in your school, in my calculations, it's something to do with your last misson, the Gallada Clan." Ah 'yong nag-absent ako ng one week kahit kaka-start pa lang ng klase. Hindi naman sa mission, more likely unfinished business with Gallada.

"Pinuntirya nila ang school kung saan ka nag aaral para may ma-ikonekta na naman sa iyo.

Mahilig manglaglag ng ibang Clan ang mga Gallada sa police. At first they will sent evidence, pictures and whatever to police, because of that police became more interested to us. Kahit ang Clan ng mama ni Ritchelle ay tinakot nila, in action to that, Dad sent me to warned them. And to our surprise, the Heir bastard of them was the mastermind behind it. His Dad didn't even had an idea that he was the snake in their Clan. All they thought was, there is someone who just want to destroy their reputation. Pawang akala nila ay tinuturo lang sila sa kasalanang hindi naman nagawa.

Siya mismo sumisira sa pangalan nila.

Tsk, sabi ko na nga, hindi talaga nadadala ang gagong 'yon. That bastard, I will gonna kill him when I see him again.

"Just to make sure of your safety—"

"What's the purpose of almost 18 years of training then?" I cutted of his words.

"Alam ko. Pero mapapanatag kami ni Irill pag nandoon si Ritch, isa pa, may kinalaman din 'yon sa mama niya. She gladly accepted my idea, so there's no problem at all." Yeah, no problem to Ritch but how about me?

It's very insulting to my part.

"I told you to stay lie low, remember? Instead of giving you freedom to do whatever connected to our Clan, I instructed Ritch to be there just as backup if it happens again. I hope you understand my point, Gold."

Yeah, as if I have other choices to choose.

"Second, Dyrelso Clan." He leaned his back on his chair. "Irill suggested that he will be the one to handle that mission," he said, still looking at me intently, as if reading what's on my mind.

"Pareho naming kilala si Anderson, alam namin kung gaano siya katuso—"

"At iniisip mong hindi ko siya kaya?" direktang tanong ko.

He stopped, more likely caught off by what he said and seconds passed, he nodded.

Wow! Just wow! Coming from my great Dad.

"Konektado 'to sa huling sasabihin ko. Alam kong nagkita na kayo. And I want to explain myself, can I?" he apologetically said.

Hindi ko alam kung matatawa ako o masasaktan. Wala siyang tiwala sa akin, na sariling niyang anak. As far as I've remembered, may dugo akong Ilthrov at nanalaytay ito sa buong katawan ko. Pero ni katiting na tiwala hindi niya maibigay sa akin? What the f**k!

"Anderson was our best friend before," he started.

"And you was a traitor who tried to killed him, right?"

Natahimik siya sa sinabi ko. Tila nagdadalawang isip kung tutuloy ba sa pagpapaliwanag ng sarili niya o hindi.

"He said, you tried to kill him," I said again. "Because you thought he was the one who killed Mom."

Saglit siyang yumuko, dahilan para hindi ko makita kung ano ang ekspresyon na mayroon sa mukha niya. Walang ano-ano ay tumayo ito at pumunta sa side table kung saan may naka-display ang nga picture frames. Sinundan ko lang ng tingin si Dad hanggang sa pinihit niya ang parang drawer ng table na 'yon at may kinuha.

Picture frame, I guess.

He went back to his chair. Standing in front of me, he put the picture frame above his table, showing a picture of group of people, or teenagers with a big smiles on their faces.

Three of them are familiar.

"This is your Tito Irill." Pointing his index finger to the man, wearing a white tuxedo, moreno skin type of color, smiling so widely.

"This Anderson and your Mom," he said, pointing to the little version of Mom, an almost look alike of me and Silver.

They all look happy, but there's something wrong. Something weird in this picture.

"And this is me and your tita Angela Dannah Oprido." Natuon ang atensyon ko sa picture frame.

There's really something wrong. The way they smile and hold each other. It's something weird.

"Hannah was my first love." Tila pagsagot ni Dad sa katanungan ko. "And your Mom, was Anderson's girlfriend before." Kaya pala.

Two pairs; mom and that Anderson, Dad and that Hannah looked so inlove with each other. Kaya pala parang may mali akong naramdaman.

"Me and your mom had an arranged marriage. Wala kaming nagawa noon at lubusang nagalit si Anderson sa amin. Sa pag-aakalang inahas namin siya. Bilang ganti, pinakasalan niya si Hannah." Hindi ako nakapagsalita.

Hindi ko inaakalang may ganitong love story sila ni Mom. Sobrang gulo naman kung gan'on. Kaya ayoko sa love, ang gulo masyado.

"He killed your Mom. His child, Venom told me that before. The day after she died, Venom confessed everything—"

"That's why you planned to killed him to have your revenge?"

"I was so angry that time. I lost your Mom—"

"You just said that it was arranged marriage, why acted like that, Dad? Beside, based on what you've said, why would he killed the woman she loved?"

"For pete sake, Gold! Aaminin kung napilitan lang kami pareho noon, pero simula nang dumating kayo ay nagbago ang lahat. Tila nag iba ang ihip ng hangin at natutunan naming mahalin ang isa't isa ni Desiree. Minahal ko nang sobra ang Mama mo."

"At least you confirmed it first. He was still your best friend." I don't know why I'm saying this. I remembered the day when my Mom died, Silver and I witnessed it. "See now, Venom is a threat to us—"

"Hindi mo 'ko naiintindihan, hindi ito ang unang beses na may ginalaw si Anderson sa pamilya natin. Kilala mo ako at hindi ko ugaling magdesisyon nang hindi sigurado."

That made sense, he's right. Maybe, I was just shocked and hurt from all of this.

"I regretted what happened, Gold. Promise, if I could just turn back the time, I will change it. If If I could just erase that night in history, I would bet my whole life too. So I save your Mom... And maybe, j-just maybe, Silver i-is still w-with us now."

For the first time, after we lost Mom and Silver, I saw how tears fell from my Dad's eyes. The tears that showed pain, longingness and somewhat hatred. His vulnerable side.