Love.
Ang kaisa isang bagay na kahit kailan hindi ko naranasan. My parents have always been busy with work. Ever since I was young, I've learned how to become independent. Iyong lahat ng problema sinasarili ko. Lahat ng sama ng loob ko, wala akong pinagsasabihan.
I grew up where I don't feel the love of my parents. Si Mommy laging busy sa kumpanya,alongside with Daddy. Sapphire Estates has become their empire. Their home. Walang araw na hindi nila iniisip ang kumpanya.
As the Assistant Vice President of Operations, it's stressful. Although, most of it si Mommy ang naghahandle. But I have to take part in it. As the President's daughter, I have to manage, and learn the works of our company.
It is something I should treasure as a Fontonalgo.
Being an Architect is something I should be proud of. Dahil ito ang legacy ng pamilya namin. Architecture. Lahat kami sa pamilya ay magagaling na mga architect. Both in Mom and Dad's side.
"Where are you going?" tanong ni Daddy.
Today is his day off. Minsan lang kaming nagkakasama for breakfast and dinner dito sa bahay. Most of the time kasi si Mom busy sa kumpanya, si Dad either sa kumpanya o sa kabila niyang pamilya. Ako naman, kakauwi ko lang from New Zealand.
I just graduated a few months ago, but I was busy for my first project as a fresh graduate. It was for a new airport of New Zealand.
"Out with Brianna. Pero mamaya pa after lunch, pagkatapos kong gumala sa mall." Sagot ko.
Hinagkan ko Daddy sa pisngi bago umupo sa kanan niya. The maids laid down the food infront of us, as Mommy was on a phone call.
Manang Paning personally served me my Dalgona coffee. Siya ang mayordoma namin rito sa mansiyon. She was our maid since I was young.
"I'm sorry, it was Carol. Nothing important" sabi ni Mommy nang matapos na ang kaniyang tawag.
Nagpatuloy kami sa pagkain ng tahimik. After our breakfast, nagmadali si Dad na magbihis dahil may lakad sila nang isang investor na mag golf.
Naiwan naman kami ni Mommy sa lamesa, hanggang sa nagtanong si Mommy tungkol sa buhay ko while I was away for New Zealand.
"Do you want to go shopping with me, Mom?" tanong ko sa kaniya.
"Maybe next time, Dana. Pupunta pa kasi ako sa kumpanya for a meeting with the Interior designers regarding the new Model house" she said, getting up from her seat to change into her clothes.
I fidgeted my fingers on the table bago ako magdesisyon na kunin ang bag ko para umalis na papunta sa mall.
Nauna akong pumasok sa Starbucks, to get myself an Iced Americano. I can't live a day without drinking an Americano.
I went to Gucci and Louis Vuitton to buy new bags and a new pair of shoes. I received a text from Brianna, saying that she and the others are already at her cake shop.
"Dana's here!" bungad nito.
Nathan got up to give me a peck on my cheek, he's Brianna's twin brother. They are two of the hottest and famous twin models in the industry of fashion in Paris.
"Buti naman at pinagbigyan mo kami," saad ni Sabrina, the daughter of the Spaniard king. She's basically a royal princess.
We went to the same high school here in the Philippines dahil isang Filipina ang kaniyang nanay, and she was sent to the Philippines for her safety.
Umorder ako ng Red velvet cake at kumain habang sila ay naguusap tungkol sa Fashion week sa Paris na dadalohan ni Sabrina.
"How about you, Dana? Are you coming?" tanong ni Brianna.
"I can't. I have to work na kasi for our company tomorrow. Alam niyo na, Vice President" turo ko sa sarili.
"Madamè Nerissa should be very proud of you. You're like Miranda Priestly. The stuck up at work kind of gal" si Nathan, at lumagok nang kaniyang soda.
Marahan akong tumawa sa kanilang mga reaksiyon. It's true. Wala nga akong panahon for love. All my life I tried to be the perfect daughter.
The perfect Aldana Amphrytrite Fontonalgo, daughter of Asia's most powerful tycoon. I had to keep that image, that status.
But there is a flaw to everything. Akala ng lahat kami ang perpektong pamilya. With Daddy having an affair with another woman noong nagkaroon si Mommy nang miscarriage with my younger brother.
Angel Elizabeth Fontonalgo. The bastard. The fruit of my father's infidelity. She and her mother are the reason why I was left all alone. My parents are no strangers to a verbal fight every time Dad doesn't go home even when he has no appointments. Dahil nandoon siya sa kabila niyang pamilya.
Namaalam ako sa mga kaibigan ko after our little reunion dahil pupunta ako ngayon sa isang book signing event of a friend of mine.
"Ate, Dana?" I heard a familiar voice.
Ugh. Why does it have to be her of all people na makakasalamuha ko ngayong araw?
Nagpatuloy ako sa paglalakad, trying to ignore her calls. But she insisted, patuloy niya akong sinusundan.
"Ate, kelan ka lang umuwi? Bat di ka man lang nag text?" tanong nito sa akin habang hinahabol ako.
"You don't have to know my whereabouts, Angel. Wala kang pakialam doon." I rolled my eyes at her and proceeded to my friend's book signing event.
Palaging ganyan si Angel tuwing magkakasalubong kami sa daan. Laging magtatanong kung saan ako pupunta, saan ako nanggaling.It's frustrating!
She and her mother were always there kung sakaling mayroong event sa kumpanya o di kaya sa birthday parties o kahit sa mga personal events nang pamilya. I can't even believe my father kung bakit niya sinasama ang kabila niyang pamilya.
Kumatok ako sa dressing room nang Book signing event, at nakita roon ang crew ni Trisha. She was being pampered by her make up artist kaya naman ay naglakad ako patungo sa kaniyang kinauupuan.
I tapped her shoulder. "Dana! You're here! Kelan ka lang dumating?" asked my friend, Trisha.
"A few days ago. Anyway, congratulations on your book signing event! Your book is so relateable"
"You've read my book? Thanks, Dana" anito.
The event lasted until six in the evening.Trisha signed a lot of her self- published books that are top hits. It's actually impressive. Knowing Trisha kasi, she was the kind of girl who spends most of her time with guys back in highschool. They would skip classes to go somewhere far to smoke and drink.
Pero noong makilala niya ang kaniyang boyfriend ngayon ay, nagbago ito. She changed for him, because she loves him. And most importantly, he loves her to the point where she forgot how much she hated herself noon.
Ako kaya? Kailan ko makikilala iyong taong para sa akin? Is there someone out there for me?
After the book signing ay umuwi na ako sa bahay. Karga karga ang mga shoppings bags na mula sa Gucci at Louis Vuitton. Nilapag ko ito sa sahig na para bang hindi ito mamahalin.
"Sina Daddy? Wala pa ba?" tanong ko sa mga katulong pagdating ko sa bahay.
Tanging iling lang ang sagot nila sa akin. Umupo ako sa sofa at naghanap nang channel sa malawak naming television. Ang lawak nga nang sofa, wala namang taong namamalagi rito.
I asked the maids kung mayroon bang pasta sa pantry, and thank heavens na mayroon. I'm going to make Shrimp pasta na paborito nina Mom at Dad for dinner.
Pagkatapos kong magluto ay nagpasya akong umakyat sa aking kuwarto para magbihis na at makapagpahinga. After I did my night routine, umupo ako sa desk ko para ireview ang mga kakailanganin ko tomorrow sa first day ko sa kumpanya.
It was tiresome. I opened my Netflix and decided to watch a movie for the rest of the night. Pinanood ko ang pelikulang paborito ko while I was back at New Zealand. Still the best series so far.
"Aldana?"
Napalingon ako. Si Mommy.
"Nakauwi na pala kayo. Where's Daddy?" tanong ko.
Bumuntong hininga si Mommy sa akin. "He's not coming home. Sa kumpanya na siya matutulog, he had an emergency meeting and marami siyang kailangang aprobahan."
Tumango ako kay Mommy. What else should I expect? Lagi namang ganoon, hindi pa ako nasanay. "Well, I made Shrimp pasta earlier for dinner sana, pero you were still out."
"Thank you, darling. But I already had dinner," anito saka sinarado ang pinto.
Bumagsak ang mga balikat ko. Yet, again this always happens. Simula noong grade school ako, I've always had breakfast, lunch and dinner alone. Kung sakaling may kasama man ako, it would always be Manang Paning.
Kahit sa mga school events ko noon like family day, palaging wala ang parents ko. Kaya after that, I never went to any of the school's event. It's humiliating.