Prologue
Pierce called.
I drop everything.
“ Where are you?” tanong ko habang palakad-lakad sa harap ng glass window. I was peeking through the black curtains and realized I’d been doing it for minutes before I heard a loud noise coming from his background. “ Hindi ka pa uuwi?”
There was a pause on his end. I looked at the clock and it said it’s almost midnight and he’s not home yet. What is this man doing late at night? My brows furrowed and went to the other side of the room so I could properly talk to him.
“ Why did you call, Attorney Maeve?”
Attorney Maeve?
My mind went blank. “ Something wrong,love?”
In a blink, I found myself getting my jacket and car keys so I could go wherever he was to fetch him. Sanay naman ako na lagi siyang late umuwi dahil sa mga inaasikaso niya sa office. Sanay naman ako na masyado siyang maraming gustong patunayan sa mundo handa siyang isugal ang kahit ano.
“ Ang hirap sayo, panay ka prinsipyo! Walang kwenta ang prinsipyo sa mundong ito Attorney!”
D-Dad?
I opened my mouth out of shock and had to stop myself from walking. It felt like a bucket of ice splash right into my head. Parang nanghihina ang tuhod ko ng marinig ang malakas na kalabog mula kung saan. What are they doing? Halos ilang minuto ang itinagal ng katahimikan bago ko marinig muli ang aking daddy na sumigaw ng malulutong na mura.
“ Punyeta de ijo! Ito ang dahilan kung bakit hindi kita kailanman magugustuhan para kay Maeve! Naiintindihan mo?! Walang silbi ang titulo kung panay prinsipyo ang gagamitin mo iho!”
“ Tell me where you are, Pierce. Don’t listen to him.” I asked with my voice trembling out of fear. Hindi ko alam kung bakit magkasama sila gayong masyadong ayaw ni daddy para sa relasyon naming dalawa. He’s the Prosecutor General and he said I could have done better than Pierce so I stopped communicating with him. I was so afraid Pierce would listen to my dad and leave me. I can’t have that. I’m so inlove with him I cannot risk that.
“ Pierce? Why are you with my dad?” Mahinahon kong tanong kahit ang dami ng bagay ang tumatakbo sa isip ko.
Muling naging tahimik ang linya niya bago ako may narinig na malakas na putok ng baril na nagpagulo ng tuluyan sakin.
“ Pierce?”
No answer.
Sobrang lakas ng tibok ng puso ko at pakiramdam ko malapit nakong mabaliw ng tuluyan ng nakarinig ako ng sunod-sunod na malakas na kaluskos at ang bulong ni Pierce na tuluyang nagpahina sakin.
“ Trust me, Maeve. I love you—” was his last words before the line went off and the call died.
here…
