The Billionaire's Switch

Chapter 9

It's been two days pero para silang estranghero ni Alice at Sleia sa iisang condo unit na tinutuluyan nito. Sleia felt embarrassed kaya di nito makausap ang kapatid nito. She was the strong one at ayaw niya ng idamay ang kapatid niya. She lost hope and tanggapin na lamang ang tadhanang meron siya.

Ano'ng laban niya sa buong pamilya Montreal kung kasapi siya nito sa una pa lamang. Bilyonarya siya kung tutuusin but what a small individual of her. Kahit ama nga niya ay hindi siya matulungan. Their combined assets is nothing compared to whole family's assets.

She's nothing but an expensive possession of this kind of arrange marriage. Wala na siyang maihaharap na mukha sa kakambal niya. Nanliliit siya sa sarili niya, ni hindi man lang niya maprotektahan ang sarili niya laban sa mga ito. She was too weak already from the start.

Her father already told her many times about her being a member of Montreal Family pero nakakatakot pala pag aktwal mo ng mararanasan ito. Their family are excited about this kind of event. A new merging of family members kaya hayok na hayok ang mga ito sa makukuha nilang benepisyo. Para sa kanila ay importante ang paglaki ng yaman, koneksyon at kapangyarihan na makukuha nila.

"Ate, pwede ba kitang makausap? It's been two days na mukha lang akong hangin dito." Sambit ni Alice mula sa pintuan ng isang kwarto. There are three rooms sa condo unit niya and Alice use the one, a spare room.

Namiss niya rin ang kakambal niya but she's too shy to confront her.

Mukhang naging duwg siya at tila nagbingi-bingihan siya sa sinabi ng kapatid nito.

Papasok na sana siya sa sariling room nito nang magsalitang muli ang kakambal niya.

"I'll be moving out tomorrow Ate, it's like this place of yours feels like not a place for the two us." Sambit ni Alice habang kitang-kita ang labis na kalungkutan sa boses nito.

She feels that she's alone again. Kasalanan niya rin siguro na naging ganito ka-cold sa kaniya ang kakambal niya. Siguro deserve niya ito dahil sa pagiging oa njya masyado.

She lose her composure lalo na pag ang ama na nila ang involve. Siguro masyado siyang sensitive to all the f*ck up things that happened to them lalo na kay Ate Sleia niya.

"No Alice, you have to stay here. Walang aalis. It's just that I'm totally on the wrong side. It's my fault I'm sorry!" Seryosong turan ni Sleia na may halong pagtutol sa kagustuhan ng kapatid nito. She's not use to apologizing pero kakambal niya tong kaharap niya kaya she must lower her head.

"No Ate, listen... I'm just in the wrong too. Ako dapat ang humingi ng pasensya. Kasalanan ko to dahil napakasensitive ko at palaging selfish. Akala ko ay okay ka at ako itong palaging reklamador sa mga problema ko. Sorry talaga Ate!" Umiyak na wika ni Alice habang kitang-kita ang lungkot at pagsisisi. Napayuko ito dahil sa hiya.

Agad namang pinatid ni Sleia ang distansya nilang magkambal at niyakap ng mahigpit ang kapatid nito.

"Don't say that Kambal. You know that you are are precious bunso. You'll never know how embarrassed I am. I'm too weak to be your twin sister." Sambit ni Sleia habang kitang-kita na naging aware siya sa mga kamalian niya.

"Don't insult yourself Ate. Ikaw kaya yung lodi ko. You are always the strong Ate Sleia I ever know. Napakaswerte ko dahil ikaw ang naging kakambal ko!" Masayang sambit ni Alice habang nakatingin sa kakambal nito.

"Mukhang mahihiya pa ko sa sinasabi mo ngayon. I'm not a celebrity or any famous person to be idolize." Seryosong ani ni Sleia sa yakap-yakap nitong kapatid.

"You are my best friend and super Ate. You are the best twin I have and you will never leave my side." Nakangiting turan ni Alice sa kakambal nito.

Mas hinigpitan pa ni Sleia ang pagyakap sa kapatid nito. She always wished about it. In order to protect her sister, she'll do anything even risking her life after this kind of momentum.

Once her powerful family dig up their greatest weakness, she'll know that it will her time to be perished in this world, ang mundong di naging maganda para sa kaniya. Kaya niyang itaya ang buhay niya at siya na lamang ang masaktan wag lang ang inosenteng kapatid nito.

She also wish that her twin sister and her dad will finally unite and forgive each other. Just this one final wish for her. She knows she's setting and risking her own life here but it was all worth it. Wala siyang bagay na hindi kayang gawin para sa pamilya nila.

"Ate, di ako makahinga. Ang higpit ha." Reklamo ni Alice na siyang nagpagising sa kaniya.

"Sorry naman, na-carried away lang ako bunso." Paghingi ng pasensya ni Sleia habang natatawa.

"So okay na tayo? Are we back?!" Tanong ni Alice na tila naninigurado.

"Well yes, we are back! Hahahaha" Maarteng sambit ni Sleia at nakitawa na rin ang kapatid nito.

Marami silang napag-usapan at nagbonding. Sleia don't want to ruin this day. Tomorrow will be the best time to tell her plan. She was ready and accepted this plan. Sana ay hindi siya mabigo because she won't accept Alice knocking into death door. She always wants her sister to be safe. She's already tired being herself and this family tradition. It was the only way and the best thing kahit pa ikagagalit ito ng kakambal niyang ito.

...

They are in a table, it was an afternoon lunch. Kahapon ay ayos na sila and they are back as a close as much as they are. It means that their bond are stronger than before.

Sleia don't have all the time here in this world. Her time is running out and after this long vacation, she must be back or else her plan will go to waste.

"Kambal can I ask a very big favor?!" Sleia

"What big favor it is? It's that so big? Pwede naman kambal." Alice asked confused written on her face.

"Can we do switching? I mean switch places between you and me?" Sleia said it directly.

"You mean ako ay magiging ikaw tapos ikaw magiging ako?! Why all of the sudden?" Alice said confused.

"I want to become brave again Kambal. I mean, I am not used or try this one but I hope you can do this for me please?!" Sleia said it in a plead manner. Alam niyang nagdududa na ang kapatid niya sa takbo ng pag-iisip niya.

"Pero ikakasal ka na Ate Sleia. It's really hard for me to do like your usual self." Kontra naman ni Alice na animo'y di pumapayag.

"It was an arranged marriage Alice and it was not me. Gusto mo bang makasal ako without making a prior plan for this?!" Pagsusumamo ni Sleia na kakikitaan ng desperasyon sa tinig nito.

"It's so scary you know, Ate Sleia?! Magpapanggap ako na ikaw eh hindi ko alam kung kaya ko yun. Iba nalang please." Pagdadahilan ni Alice habang kitang-kita na hindi ito kumpiyansa sa magagawa niya.

"Look Alice, hahayaan mo bang makita mo akong ikakasal sa lalaking di ko naman mahal? And besides you have to just act like me before the said date of our marriage. You know 6 months ahead of our wedding time." Siela said truthfully. Kailangan niyang ipilit ang gusto niya sa pagkakataong ito.

"Ba't ambilis naman ata. Walang closure or bonding time man lang? Nakilala mo na ba kung sino ang magiging groom mo? It was unbelievably not true right?! Sunod-sunod na tanong ni Alice na makikitang hindi niya pa naintindihan ang buong pangyayari.

"It was part of their plan, Alice. You will definitely know more about Montreal Family unbelievable marriage traditions if you will be switching with me." Pagkukumpirma ni Sleia sa kapatid habang makikitang gusto nitong malaman ng kapatid nito ang kakayahan ng pamilyang kinabibilangan nila.

"Pero paano ka Ate, you know that you live in the city, kakayanin mo bang tumira sa probinsya and act like me?!" Pagkontra naman ni Alice para di pumayag ang Ate Sleia nito.

"Hinahamon mo ata ako Alice bunso. You know how I take every challenges on myself. Kaya ko yun, ako pa." Matapang na sambit ni Sleia habang pinapakita nito ang masel nito sa braso na wala naman.

"But what about our father? Hindi ko siya gustong makasama Ate or communicate with her. Paano yun." Tila sumusukong sagot na lamang ni Alice.

Lumiwanag naman ang ekspresyon ng mukha ni Sleia habang tila hindi ito makapaniwala.

"I really love you Alice bunso. Don't worry about dad kasi you will met him not so often and besides you can choose to meet my groom often for wedding preparations or stay in different houses or condo units I have. I don't mind it anyways. Alam ko namang si dad lang naman ang hadlang na nakikita ko why you look worried and isa pa, I just want you to explore my life as Sleia Miraly Montreal and just enjoy here to heal your broken heart, okay?!" Mahabang litanya ni Sleia to make sure that her sister doesn't have any problem staying here in United Kingdom or in her groom's side.

Umaliwalas naman ang mukha ni Alice sa sinabi ng kakambal. It was their father that bothers her existence or this kind of switching thing.

"Wait, last nalang Ate. I know that I agree with this lalo na't alam kong mapilit at makulit ka pero what if may mangyaring di natin inaasahan like a critical situations. Will we go back on our own life and we will switch back ahead of expected time?!" Paninigurong tanong ni Alice habang kitang-kita na wala siyang balak to stay in their switch place for a long time.

"Yes Alice. It's either one month before, three months or five months basta any time that we see a critical problems, we must switch back no matter what happens. Promised me okay?!" Puno ng kaseryosohanng sagot ni Sleia hanang nakatingin sa kakambal nito na may assurance.

"Yes Ate Sleia. I'll do my best as I promised you!" Seryosong turan naman ni Alice habang nagpinky promise pa sila.

Pakiramdam ni Alice ay may mali but she just didn't mind it. Siguro ay nakikita nitong hahanap pa ng paraan ang kakambal nito ng paraan para hindi ito tuluyang makasal or whatsoever. Kung gustong sabihin ng Ate Sleia nito ang binabalak niya edi sana she just directly spill it out on her pero wala.

Siguro ito na siguro ang way para malaman niya kung ano ang ipinapahiwatig ng kapatid nito about being her or what a Montreal Family looks like on the inside, not on just random observations of outsiders.

On the other hand, Sleia felt that she succeeded on her first move. Alam niyang si Alice lamang ang makakagawa nito because they are twin. She really knows how a life of being poor means. Nag-advance training siya sa military service noong kolehiyo siya without her dad noticing her dahil busy ito sa trabaho nito to run the Montreal Family businesses.

Thankfully ay magagamit niya iyon because of this switching thing. She do military trainings, survival trainings and many more. During college, she took three major courses, Political Science, Business Accountancy and Fine Arts. Thankfully nagawa niyang ishorten lahat ng ito because of her status and wealth. That's how the world keep running, no exceptions.

She paid the bill and go walk for another spot they want to go kasama si Alice.

She knows that she half lied for her twin sister but it was all part of her plan. Alice Grace Buenaventura played a bigger role here. Hindi niya ginagawa ito just for her sake. Yes, after her twin sister agree with her plan, it feels like the guilt and conscience are already dwelled up and all her reasons are just part of her plan.

She may look like an evil twin sister or abusive b*tch but she is doing it not for her.

Tinatapangan niya lamang ang sarili niya because in this world of her as Sleia Miraly Montreal, kahit sarili niya di man lang niya maipagtanggol, kahit kapatid man lang niya ay maprotektahan niya.

She never beg for a favor sa kahit na sino but for her twin sister only. If father will know this someday, she must prepare herself to that day will come. Hindi niya matatakasan iyon but for now she'll just do this thing for her own sister, in her own way.

Kung gagamitin niya ang pera niya to hire bodyguards for her sister, it will be suspicious dahil tatadtadin siya ng tanong ni Alice to why she needs bodyguards. Also, she don't trust other people. There are only few people would willing to die for someone that really needs their protections and loyalty. It's just a work and show nothing but an act of service and money.

Having switching places she will guarantee their safety kahit hindi na siya. The existence of Alice is her father's weakness and also her. The more closer their enemies are, the better for Alice to stay alive and live a carefree life. She don't want her death dahil makakapatay siya ng mga kadugo niyang nasa Montreal Family. Pera sa pera, ngipin sa ngipin at buhay kapalit ng buhay. It was way to survival.