Steffanie was running away. She had nowhere to go but forward. This was a leap of fate. Bahala na kung anong mangyayari sa kanya. Ang mahalaga, she was miles away from her father's home.
She was taken captive on her stay there. She was locked inside her room like a common criminal. Binibigyan lamang siya ng pagkain ng mga katiwala. There was no way for her to contact anybody. Her phone and laptop was taken away from her. For days, she had become a prisoner.
Hindi naman siya makahingi ng saklolo sa ama at kapatid. Umalis pala ang mga ito para sa isang convention. Nag-iwan pa nga ng note ang kuya niya. He wanted her to enjoy her stay. But what happened was the opposite.
Mabuti na lamang at may isang nagmagandang loob sa kanya. He freed her from her confinement. Umalis raw kasi ang Duchess kaya madali lamang para sa kanila na makatakas. Inihatid siya ng mga ito patungo sa istasyon ng Tren. From there, she was on her own.
She needed to get back at her condo unit. She wanted to talk to Gareth. Kanina pa niya sinusubukang kontakin ito. But she got no response from him. Her calls were not pushing through and her text messages were all unanswered.
Takot na takot na siya. Alam na kaya ng Duchess ang pagtakas niya? How many men were sent to get her? She needed to act fast.
She was about to send Gareth another text message when she finally received a response from him.
Meet me at your condo tonight.
A flicker of hope raised inside her. She knew that Gareth could help her. Handa na siyang ipagtapat dito ang kabuuan ng kanyang pagkatao. And in her heart she knew that he'll accept her no matter what.
Hinimas himas niya ang sinapupunan. Baby, just hang in there. Daddy will help us.
Gabi na nang makarating ang tren na sinasakyan niya. She suddenly felt relieved at the sight of the familiar view of the Arondight Palace. Somehow, she felt home.
Maulan ng gabing iyon. Kakaunting pera na lamang ang nalalabi sa kanyang bulsa. She took a ride in a public vehicle to her street. Sa wakas, kahit papaano, maiibsan na ang kanyang paghihirap. All she needed was Gareth.
She saw the familiar way to her block. Dali-dali niyang tinahak ang landas patungo sa kanyang condo. She was finally home.
Binuksan niya ang pinto ng kanyang unit. If there was one thing that she did not forget, it was her keys. She took a step forward and what she saw made her regret entering her home.
Gareth was there, laying on the floor, his eyes were smoked with lust. He was only wearing his pajamas. And together with him lay three women. One of which, she knew very well. It was Natalya. And the look on her face was taunting her.
Pawang hubad ang mga ito. Everyone was gyrating their bodies against his. Every one of them aimed to please him.
Her body became numb at the sight of them. She suddenly cannot feel anything. Her heart was squeezing tightly on her chest.
"Hey there sweetheart, want to join my harem?"
He suddenly kissed Natalya. It was a punishing kiss. One that forlorn lust and sex.
She was frozen in her tracks. Her mind refused to believe what she was seeing. Gareth would never do this to her. The Gareth she knew would never hurt her. But reality bit her in the ass; this time, it was hard and painful.
"W-why?"
"W-why did you do this?" her words were now stuttering.
Tumayo na ito mula pagkakahiga. Agad namang lumakad ito palapit sa kanya. He reeked of alcohol and nicotine.
"C'mon, sweetheart. I know you want to join us."
He grabbed Natalya. The height of the woman was towering her. She was now cornered. She had nowhere to go.
"Look at Natie, here. Game na game."
His hand pushed her breast upward. He then licked the valley in her globe. She could see his tongue as it darted back and forth to her skin.
Umungol si Natalya. "Stop it! Stop it!"
Then a memory from a not so long ago returned. Naalala niya kung paano siya pinapanood ni Natalya habang pinagsasamantalahan na siya ng mga kalalakihan nito.
She suddenly felt suffocated. She wanted to get out this. What was Gareth doing to her? Why was she hurting her like this?
The memory just kept on coming, filling her entire mind with visuals that she wanted to forget. When everything was just simply overwhelming, she just shrieked!
"I love you, Gareth. I love you." She said in between the quenching pain in her chest.
Nagsisimula nang bumuhos ang mga luhang kanyang pinpigil.
"I love you, too. But guess what, I love them as well. 'Di ba girls?"
"N-no Gareth. We have something special between us. Alam kong naramdaman mo rin yan," she said as she catch her breath. She was like a fish out of water.
Gareth laghed smithlessly. "You ought to be kidding me? Akala ko ba alam mo? I thought you know our set-up?"
She looked confused. Everything failed to register in her mind. Dire-diretso lamang ang pagtulo ng kanyang mga luha. The hurt she felt was so overwhelming.
"Isa ka lamang parausan sa kama ko, Steff. Tandaan mo yan."
And that did it. She cannot bear it anymore. She fell through her knees.
"I am pregnant, Gareth."
Nakita niya ang pagrehistro ng galit sa mga mata nito.
"Do you think I give a damn? Do you think I even care?"
Her chest heaved at his words.
"But you are the father, Gareth. You are the father."
"Fuck you Steff! Alam kong alam mo na hindi ako ang ama ng batang iyan!"
She held in to him. She was desperate.
"Please, Gareth. Believe me. Ikaw ang ama ng anak natin. Ikaw!" her raw voice came out.
She felt the searing pain lacerating her chest. She suddenly wanted to die.
"Putang ina! Hanggang ngayon ba ginagago mo pa rin ako! Go back to the Sutherlands! Go back to them! Magpapabuntis ka sa mga gagong 'yun tapos sa akin mo ipapaako?" the bitterness inside of him rose. She knew he was at his dangerous. She knew he was hurting as well. She knew everything about this man because she loves him. But still, she couldn't do anything for him.
"Michael Angelo is my brother and the Duke is my father," she silently said.
Bumaba ng tingin ito sa kanya.
"And you expect me to believe you? Go fuck yourself with your lies."
Something inside her just died. She gasped for breath, her chest was hurting too much now. Everything was just overwhelming her. It was as if a thousand daggers were piercing her all at the same time.
May itinapon itong papel sa kanya.
"Open it!" he commanded.
Dahan-dahan niyang binuksan ang laman nito. It was a deed of sale. Sinasabi nitong si Gareth na ang nagmamay-ari ng kanyang condo.
"Get out of my property, now!"
But she remained still. She just sat there quietly while her tears were constantly flowing. Hirap na hirap na ang kanyang kalooban.
"M-my paintings..." she said.
"I burned it all up, now, get out!" Gareth casually said.
Again, she remained motionless. She was inside her own world, a world of nothing but sorrow.
"If you don't move there, ipapakaladkad na kita sa labas!" babala nito.
But she ignored his warning. She wanted to be in the same room as him. Umaasa siyang panaginip lamang ang lahat. But she was wrong again.
"Take away this slut!"
His hurtful words spread like a wild fire in her system. Everything inside her was now broken. Pumasok ang mga tauhan nito, and like a rag doll, kinaladkad siya ng mga ito palabas. They threw her outside the condominium. She fell on her butt. She winced at the sudden pain. But she can bear that, hindi naman ganoon kalakas ang impact ng kanyang bagsak.
Ramdam din niya ang mga matang nakamasid sa kanya, but she didn't care. She just wanted to be alone in her own world. She felt the rain water brushing her skin. Nagsimula na siyang mabasa ng ulan. Several minutes more and she was soaking wet.
Sumunod na lumabas si Gareth kasunod ang mga babae nitong may mga saplot na.
The women tossed everything she owned outside. Ash's cage, her clothes, her boxes, her tools. Lahat ng gamit niya ay nagkalat na sa kalasada.
Her world was now in pieces. Hindi na rin niya mawari kung luha pa ba o tubig ulan na ang dumadaloy sa kanyang mga mata. She hurt so much, she could hardly breathe.
Everything was now being taken away from her.
"Don't ever let me see you again, Steff! Or else, you'll face the consequences!" Ito na lamang ang sinabi ng binata bago nito tuluyan siyang tinalikuran.
What would she do now? Everything in her life was now gone. Her family, her beloved. They all deserted her. Mukhang mas mainam na rin na lisanin niya ang mundong ito. She thought of her mom and grandparents. Makakasunod na kaya siya sa mga ito?
She suddenly felt something moved in her womb.
That made her snap back to reality. Naririto pa pala ang baby niya. Adrenaline suddenly pumped through her system.
How dare she become so selfish for her baby? She was now harbouring a life inside her. Kailangang niyang magpakatatag.
She stood up. Isa-isa niyang pinulot ang mga nagkalat na gamit. Like her life, she would pick up every piece one at a time. Hindi lang para kanya kundi para rin sa kanyang magiging anak.
Isang pusa ang lmapit sa kanya. Inikot-ikutan nito ang kanyang mga paa. Tulad niya ay iniinda rin nito ang lakas ng ulan.
"So you want to go with me, Ash?"
Her cat just answered with a meow.
"Glad to her that from you."
Tonight she died. The Steffanie who knew nothing of the world was dead. Hindi na siya ang mabait na Steffanie na pinalalampas lang ang mga bagay-bagay. She was now reborn. Tonight, she will become a woman of substance. An independent woman who's going to live for her child alone.
Kinuha niya ang cellphone. Basang-basa na ito dahil sa ulan.
She was thankful na functional pa ito. She immediately made a phone call.
"Val, I need your help..."