TAINTED INNOCENCE

Chapter 16

Late Monday morning. Tahimik sa Valencia mansion. Si Margarita ay nagkakape sa veranda, tahimik na nagbabasa ng magazine. Si Lorenzo naman ay nasa opisina nito, kausap ang isa sa mga business partners sa phone.

Sa Santiago household naman, si Elena ay nasa harap ng vanity mirror, preparing for a last-minute board meeting. Si Carlos, as usual, ay abala sa pag-review ng contracts sa opisina nila sa bahay.

Until both of their lives got interrupted.

Ping.

A single notification changed everything.

Una si Margarita. Tinignan lang niya ang phone, hindi inakala na seryoso.

Unknown Number:

Thought you’d want to see what your son is doing behind your back.

[1 IMAGE ATTACHED]

Tumaas ang kilay niya, tapos sinenyasan ang katulong na wag siyang istorbohin. Pinindot niya ang image.

And she froze.

It was Dominic.

Nakahubad. Nakatulog, yakap-yakap ang isang babae.

At ang babaeng iyon… si Isabella Santiago.

Mababa ang ilaw sa photo, pero malinaw pa rin ang view ng kama, ang balot ng kumot, ang leeg ni Bella na may mga kiss marks.

Margarita’s face went blank.

Tumayo siya, hawak ang phone, and without a word—sinugod ang opisina ni Lorenzo.

“Lorenzo,” she said sharply.

“What is it now, Marga? I’m busy—”

She threw the phone on his desk.

Tumingin si Lorenzo, inis. But when his eyes landed on the screen, his jaw clenched.

“What the f*ck?”

“Your son,” she spat, “is screwing Santiago’s daughter. And look—no shame. May pa-photoshoot pa sa kama.”

At the same time, sa Santiago household...

Elena received the same message.

Unknown Number:

Ito ba ang pinagkakaabalahan ng anak mo habang nasa ‘fashion company’ mo siya?

[1 IMAGE ATTACHED]

She stared at the image for a full ten seconds, trying to process what she was seeing.

Bella. Half-naked. Sa kama ni Dominic Valencia.

May hickey sa leeg. Magulong buhok. Mukhang bagong—well. Obvious.

The coffee cup in her hand dropped. Nabitawan niya.

PLAK!

Tumilapon ang kape sa sahig, nabasag ang tasa.

“ELENA?!” sigaw ni Carlos, biglang tumayo mula sa mesa.

Pero hindi siya sumagot. Tuloy-tuloy lang siya paakyat ng hagdan, hawak ang phone, nagngingitngit ang mukha.

Pagdating sa kwarto ni Bella, hindi na siya kumatok.

BANG!

“ISABELLA SANTIAGO!” bulyaw ni Elena.

Napa-angat si Bella sa kama, gulat na gulat. “Mom?! What—?”

BATO! Hinagis ni Elena ang cellphone sa kama.

“Explain this. NOW.”

Kinuha ni Bella ang phone. Pagbukas niya ng image, para siyang binuhusan ng yelo.

“Oh my God—”

Her voice cracked. She almost dropped the phone. Nakita niya ang sarili niya, tulog, yakap ni Dominic, hubad. Kitang-kita ang mga marka sa leeg niya.

“M-mom, I can explain—”

“Explain?!” Elena screamed. “Paano mo i-eexplain ang PAGPAPAKANTOT MO SA PENTHOUSE NG VALENCIA?!”

Bella gasped. “Mom—please—”

“Do you know what this photo looks like?! Alam mo bang pinadala ito sa akin at sa DAD mo?!”

“What?!” she panicked. “P-paano? Kanino galing?!”

“I don’t know. But someone is watching you. May nakakita. At kung anong klaseng babae ang lumalabas sa photo na ‘to—tiyak, buong high society, kakalat ‘to pag hindi natin inayos.”

Tears welled up in Bella’s eyes. “Hindi ‘to nangyari ng basta-basta, Mom. Mahal ko si Dom—”

PAK!

Elena slapped her.

“Mahal? MAHAL?!” nanginginig ang boses niya. “Pinaglaruan ka lang, Isabella. At sa isang iglap—winasak mo ang pangalan natin.”

Sa kabilang banda…

Dominic was on the way to a meeting when he got a call from Jules.

“Bro. Uwi ka. Ngayon na.”

“Why?”

“Your parents saw it. The photo.”

His jaw clenched. “Who sent it?”

“Walang pangalan. Pero sabi ni Tita Margarita, she wants to see you. And she’s f*cking pissed.”

Dominic canceled everything and went straight to the Valencia mansion.

Pagdating niya, si Lorenzo ang bumungad sa kanya.

“Ano’ng iniisip mo, ha?” galit na galit. “You let some photographer into your condo? Or worse, pinabayaan mong may babaeng kumalat sa kama mo?!”

“I didn’t know someone was watching—”

“You let the Santiago girl sleep in your place? Anong klaseng kabastusan ‘yan, Dominic? Gusto mong sumabog ang giyera?”

“She’s not just some girl—”

“She’s the daughter of your father’s enemy,” Margarita said coldly, sumulpot sa gilid ng pinto. “At ngayon, may ebidensya na. Mukha kayong cheap scandal sa tabloid.”

“Then let them talk,” Dominic snapped. “I love her.”

Lorenzo laughed mockingly. “Love? Hindi ‘yan love. That’s lust. And now, you’ve dragged both families into it.”

Dominic didn’t flinch. “I’m not hiding her.”

“Well maybe she should hide,” Margarita said bitterly. “Dahil ang buong society, hindi papayag na makasal ang isang Santiago sa anak ng Valencia.”

After the chaos caused by the photo, Dominic didn't wait for things to cool down. Hindi siya nanahimik. Hindi siya umatras.

Alam niyang kailangan niyang humarap.

Kailangan niyang ipaglaban si Bella.

He called ahead, but the Santiago staff were instructed not to let him in. So he took his car, parked right outside their gated estate, at diretsong pumasok nang bumukas ang gate para sa delivery van.

The guards tried to stop him. “Sir, bawal po—”

“I’m here to talk to Mr. Santiago. Hindi ako aalis hangga’t hindi niya ako kaharap,” Dominic said firmly, eyes sharp, jaw tight.

One of the guards, nervously, tumawag sa loob.

Five minutes later, lumabas si Carlos Santiago mismo. Nakasuot ng crisp white shirt, rolled sleeves, hawak ang isang glass of whiskey.

Nakaangat ang kilay. Tahimik. Malamig ang tingin.

“Dominic,” he said without greeting. “Matapang ka. I’ll give you that.”

“Sir,” Dominic said, taking a breath. “Alam kong hindi ito ang gusto ninyong mangyari, but I need you to hear me out.”

Carlos took a slow sip from his glass. “At ano sa palagay mo ang sasabihin mo na magpapabago ng opinyon ko, ha?”

“I love your daughter.”

Carlos laughed, a cold, bitter laugh. “Love? That’s rich. Anak ka ng pinakamalaking halang ang bituka sa industriya, tapos sasabihin mo sa akin—LOVE?”

“I’m not my father,” Dominic said calmly. “And Bella’s not a child anymore. She can make her own choices.”

“Oh, so now you’re telling me how to raise my daughter?” Carlos snapped, his voice rising. “You think just because may pera ka, may karapatan ka na sa kanya?”

“I’m not here to disrespect you, sir. I’m here dahil ayokong umalis nang hindi ninyo naririnig ang totoo.”

Carlos set his glass down sa nearby garden table.

“You wanna talk about truth?” he said, stepping closer, his tone sharp. “The truth is, you seduced my daughter. You—na kilalang babaero, basagulero, at walang respeto sa pamilya—naisip mong okay lang na gawing laruan ang anak ko? Sa kama mo? Sa penthouse mo?”

“It wasn’t like that,” Dominic said, voice straining to stay calm. “She’s not a toy to me.”

“No?” Carlos growled. “Eh bakit may picture siyang nakahubad sa kama mo, ha?! Gusto mong ipaliwanag mo 'yan sa media? Sa lola niya? Sa mga tita niyang mas konserbatibo pa sa Santo Papa?!”

“I didn’t take that photo. Someone’s trying to ruin us. And you’re letting them win.”

Carlos stepped even closer, now toe-to-toe with him.

“Us? Us daw oh,” Carlos mocked. “Ngayon, ‘us’ na kayo? Sa tingin mo, may ‘us’ pa after ng kahihiyan na dinulot mo sa kanya?”

“She’s hurting. And I’m not going to abandon her now—”

“Hindi mo siya iniwan?” Carlos interrupted. “YOU ALLOWED HER TO GET EXPOSED LIKE THAT.”

Dominic's jaw clenched. “She was safe with me. I didn’t know may kukuha ng picture.”

Carlos didn’t hold back.

“Safe? Ang anak kong itinago, pinagaral sa private all-girls Catholic school, binantayan ng yaya, para lang sa bandang huli—mahuli sa kama ng Valencia boy na parang isa sa mga GRO mo sa bar?”

Dominic’s hands balled into fists.

Carlos narrowed his eyes. “You come from trash, Dominic. Your father uses people. Your mother closes her eyes to everything. And you? You seduce sheltered girls who don’t know better.”

“Stop talking about Bella like she’s some clueless child,” Dominic snapped.

“Then stop pretending you're good for her,” Carlos shot back. “You’ll destroy her. One scandal at a time.”

There was a tense silence.

Dominic took a breath, lowering his voice. “I’m not going to stop seeing her.”

“Then I’ll make sure you never get near her again,” Carlos said calmly, too calmly. “Starting today, she’s no longer working. She’s grounded. No phones. No freedom.”

“That’s imprisonment,” Dominic said darkly.

“No, that’s parenting,” Carlos answered coldly. “A concept foreign to you, I suppose.”

The insult landed hard. But Dominic didn’t flinch.

“I’m not walking away,” he said again, firm, unwavering.

“Then prepare for war,” Carlos whispered.

Carlos Santiago stared down at Dominic like a king sentencing someone to exile.

Matagal siyang tahimik, as if weighing his next words. Pero sa likod ng katahimikan niya, ang galit ay parang apoy na handang sumabog sa isang iglap.

Dominic didn’t back down. Kahit ramdam niya ang tensyon, hindi siya umatras. His jaw was set, his eyes defiant.

Carlos took one step forward, enough to make the air between them feel like it might explode.

“You know,” Carlos began, voice calm but lethal, “I’ve seen men like you before. Rich. Rebellious. Spoiled. You think you can take whatever you want and walk away untouched.”

Dominic's voice was firm. “Hindi po ako ganun.”

Carlos ignored him. “You may think you’re different from your father. But you’re not. You carry his blood, his arrogance, and worse—you think that just because you claim to love her, I’ll let my daughter be swallowed by your world.”

“I love her,” Dominic repeated, his voice tightening. “And I will fight for her. Hindi niyo ako kayang takutin, Mr. Santiago.”

Carlos gave him a cold smile.

“That’s brave of you to say,” he said. “But let me be very clear…”

Tumigil siya sandali. And then, with a voice like thunder, full of finality:

“Stay. Away. From. My. Daughter.”

Each word was sharp, deliberate, heavy.

“Because if you don’t…” he leaned in closer, whispering now, “I will make sure that the Valencia name burns with yours. Business. Reputation. Everything.”

“Gagamitin ko ang lahat ng koneksyon ko—lahat ng tao ko—para siguraduhin na wala kang mapuntahan. Wala kang matakbuhan. And if you think your father’s empire is dangerous, subukan mong kalabanin ang tatay ng babaeng sinaktan mo.”

Dominic’s fists clenched, but he didn’t say a word.

Carlos stepped back, as if dismissing him like trash.

“You’re not welcome in this house again. And if I find out you so much as try to see her—"

Carlos looked him straight in the eyes.

"I’ll bury you."

The words were soft, but they cut like a blade.

Dominic didn’t respond. He couldn’t. Not because he was afraid, but because he knew—this man would stop at nothing.

He wasn't giving up on Bella.

Dominic turned and walked away—his spine straight, his fists clenched, his heart burning.

This wasn’t over.

Not even close.

“Bella,” mahinahong sabi ni Elena habang nasa harap sila ng dining table. But her voice was cold, calculated. “You’re quitting work. Effective today.”

Bella blinked, akala niya nagkamali lang siya ng dinig.

“W-what? Ma, bakit?”

Carlos entered the room, arms crossed. “Because you’ve clearly forgotten what it means to be a Santiago. Nakakahiya ka. Nakita ng buong mundo ‘yung litrato ninyong dalawa ni Valencia—naka-half naked ka, natutulog ka sa kama ng lalaking hindi mo pa man lang boyfriend officially—”

“Papa—”

“Enough!” sigaw ni Carlos. Tumayo ito, ang pwersa ng boses niya parang pumutok sa buong bahay. “You’re staying home. No more work. No more events. No more Dominic.”

Bella’s lips trembled. “You can’t do this to me—”

“I just did,” he snapped. “You will not leave this house unless it’s with your mother or Bianca. May bodyguards sa labas. I already gave instructions.”

“What am I, a prisoner?!”

“Not a prisoner,” Elena said calmly. “But clearly, you need… guidance. At kung hindi mo kayang i-respeto ang sarili mo, kami na ang gagawa nun para sa’yo.”

Bella stood, tears welling in her eyes. “You don’t even want to hear me out. You just assume I did something wrong!”

Carlos stepped closer, towering over her.

“You think I care about your side?” he said in a deadly whisper. “I saw the photo, Bella. Alam ng board. Alam ng investors. Alam ng buong pamilya. Alam ng media. You think I’ll risk everything I built just so you can ‘explore’ your feelings for some Valencia bastard?”

“I love him!” she finally shouted.

Silence. Mahabang katahimikan.

Carlos stared at her like she was a stranger.

“You don’t know what love is,” he said quietly. “At kung yan ang klase ng lalaking pinipili mo, then I’ve failed as a father.”

Those words hit harder than any slap.

Elena didn’t even try to comfort her. She just gestured to the maids.

“Ihanda niyo ang kuwarto ni Isabella. Alisin lahat ng gadgets. Walang cellphone. Walang laptop. Walang labas ng bahay. I-block niyo lahat ng tawag galing sa Valencia o kahit sinong kaugnay niya.”

“Ma…” Bella’s voice cracked. “Please…”

“You did this to yourself, hija,” Elena said, standing up. “Now face the consequences.”

Carlos turned to her one last time.

“From now on,” he said coldly, “you are not to speak, see, or even think about Dominic Valencia. Do you understand me?”

Bella stood frozen, her arms shaking, throat tightening.

“Yes… po,” she whispered, defeated.

As her parents walked away, Bella collapsed into the chair, silently crying.

She wasn’t just heartbroken.

She was trapped.

And the one person she wanted most…

Was the one she might never see again.

Dominic stood by the glass window of his penthouse, one hand gripping a whiskey glass, the other clenched into a tight fist. Outside, Makati's city lights flickered—but inside him, only fire burned.

"Bella..." he murmured, jaw tight.

Jules stepped into the room, phone still in his hand. "Confirmed. Wala na raw si Bella sa fashion company. Pati mga accounts niya, deactivated."

Dominic slammed the glass onto the table. Basag.

“PUTANGINA.”

“Bro—” Jules tried to calm him.

“They took her like a prisoner,” Dominic growled, pacing. “Walang tawag, walang text. Ni hindi man lang siya pinayagang magpaalam.”

“You knew this would happen,” Jules said carefully. “Her dad’s not just strict, Dom. He’s Carlos Santiago. And you—”

“Am Dominic Valencia,” he cut in, voice deadly. “At walang sinuman, kahit ang ama niya, ang makakaalis sa kanya sa akin.”

Jules stared. “You’re serious.”

Dominic turned to him, eyes wild with resolve.

“I’m going to get her back.”

“Paano? Gwardyado bahay nila. Carlos already told you to stay the hell away.”

“I don’t give a f*ck.” He lit a cigarette with shaking hands. “Tinanggap ko lahat ng insulto ng ama niya para lang maprotektahan siya. But now that they locked her up? Binura lahat ng karapatan niya bilang babae? Wala na akong pake kung sino pa ang matamaan.”

Jules exhaled slowly. “You’re in love with her.”

Dominic didn’t answer at first.

He looked out the window again, eyes narrowed, jaw clenched.

Then—“No,” he said. “I’m owned by her.”

Silence.

“She thinks ako ‘yung may control. Na ako ‘yung dominant. But the truth?” His voice dropped. “Simula pa lang, hawak na niya ako.”

He ran a hand through his hair, desperate, wild.

“Yung mga ngiti niya. Yung mata niya tuwing nanginginig siya sa ilalim ko. The way she says my name like it’s a goddamn prayer. Hindi lang libog ‘to, Jules. Tangina, I’d burn the whole Santiago empire to the ground just to see her smile again.”

“Dom…”

“No. Hindi ako titigil.” He turned fully to his friend, voice like steel. “Kung ayaw ng ama niya, I’ll go through the mother. Kung isasara nila lahat ng pinto, papasok ako sa bintana. Kung itatago nila siya sa tore—I'll climb it with bloody hands if I have to.”

Jules was speechless.

Dominic lit another cigarette. This time, his hands were steady. His eyes cold. Focused.

“She’s mine,” he said with finality. “At kahit buong mundo pa ang pumagitna sa amin, I’ll fight. I’ll take on her parents, her legacy, her rules, her chains.”

He took one long drag, then dropped the cigarette to the floor, crushing it under his boot.

“Because she’s worth every war.”