Marrying the Heartless Billionaire (SPG)

Chapter 2: Favor

Latrisse's Point of View

Hindi ko alam kung saan ako masasaktan—sa katotohanan bang kaya akong ipagpalit ng mga magulang ko para sa pera o sa posibilidad na mamatay ang ama ko dahil sa akin—sa sama ng loob sa akin. He's currently in the intensive care unit. The doctors are trying to save him. Good thing that Mr. Thornwell let us leave and told us he'd come back one of these days to negotiate again, and if not, he'll take our company shares from us. He left me with his personal calling card in case there's a 'sudden' change of heart.

My father had a sudden heart attack, but we were told he has been having issues with his heart for quite some time now.

The accumulated stress and fatigue was his breaking point, and I feel responsible for it. Pakiramdam ko'y ako ang naging breaking point niya. If only I didn't argue with him. If only I didn't talk back to him, he wouldn't be that stressed and hurt.

Pero hindi ko rin naman mapigilang magsalita. I had to defend myself. I just can't let them sell me to a stranger. At kahit kilala ko pa, there's no way I'd let them sell me.

Nakagat ko na lang ang labi ko at niyakap ang aking mga tuhod habang nakaupo ako sa hallway sa labas ng ICU. Mugto na ang mga mata ko kakaiyak dahil sa magkahalong emosyong nararamdaman ko.

"Latrisse, anak..." Lumapit sa akin si mommy. Pulang-pula na ang kanyang mga mata kakaiyak. She's been crying ever since sinugod namin si dad dito. Kakarating niya lang mula sa doctor's office.

"M-Mom..." Tumayo ako at pinagpag ang aking suot. "How was it?"

She just looked at me and broke down to tears before hugging me tightly. "Y-Your dad needs a heart transplant," mahinang sambit niya saka siya kumalas sa yakap at tumingin nang diretso sa aking mga mata. "Anak..."

"I'll cover the bills, mom," mahinahong tugon ko. "Don't worry."

I was hoping I could see some relief on her face, but I didn't. Hindi nagbago ang ekspresyon niya—she's still worried and scared. Tinitigan ko siya nang maigi, and I noticed how stressed she has been this past few days.

"Anak, I'm really sorry for what we did," biglaang sambit niya. "We didn't expect things to turn this way. We were only looking for a little entertainment, hanggang sa hindi na namin namalayan na nalululong na kami," dagdag niya at hinawakan ang kamay ko. "We tried to win back what we lost, but we ended up losing more and more, 'til we had no choice but to borrow money from Mr. Thornwell."

"Kailan lang 'to, 'ma? Kailan lang kayo magsimulang umutang sa kanya?" mahinahon kong tanong. I want to know things calmly.

"Three years ago," aniya at nag-iwas ng tingin.

"How did it grow that big? 750 mil is not a joke, mom."

"Kasama na ang interes doon," mahinang sambit niya at naihilamos na lang ang mga palad. "We tried to pay him, anak, pero hindi namin mahabol-habol dahil may mga utang din kaming binabayaran sa ibang kakilala."

"Then why didn't you tell me?" nasasaktan kong tanong. Gusto kong maiyak, pero pinipigilan ko lang.

"Because we know you'd get mad."

"Sino bang hindi, mom?!" Hindi ko na napigilan ang pagtaas ng boses ko. "Sinayang n'yo ang lahat nang pinagpaguran n'yo ni dad over a fúcking gambling! And worse? Gagawin n'yo pa akong kabayaran?"

"Hija..." Hinawakan niya ang kamay ko at marahang pinisil. "Hindi namin 'yon ginusto. Your dad and I tried our best to pay our debt. Your dad loves you so much that he was so mad when Mr. Thornwell proposed to sell you to him. Kung alam mo lang kung paano nagalit ang ama mo," paliwanag niya. "Mahal na mahal ka ng ama mo, Latrisse. He may be strict and tight on you, but it's all because he wants to you succeed in life."

"Kung gano'n, bakit n'yo nagawang maglihim sa akin? Bakit n'yo nagawang lustayin ang pera natin sa sugal?!"

Muling umagos ang mga butil ng luha sa kanyang mga mata. "N-Nagkamali kami, anak. Nagkamali kami," pag-amin niya. "We didn't realize that until things are out of control already."

Marahas kong sinuklay ang buhok ko. Sinabi ko sa sarili ko na hindi na ako iiyak, because I shed enough tears, but I couldn't help it. Tahimik akong umiyak dahil sa magkahalong prustrasyon at bigat na nararamdaman.

Hindi ko na alam kung ano ang gagawin ko. I just want to disappear right now. I am so torn. Hindi ko alam kung anong pipiliin ko—ang pamilya ko ba o ang sarili ko.

"Mahal na mahal ka ng ama mo, Latrisse. It was so hard for him to agree with Mr. Thornwell's proposal."

"B-But he still did." Tumulo ang mga butil ng luha sa aking pisngi. Muling nawasak ang puso ko. "Pumayag pa rin siya."

"It's all because of what Mr. Thornwell said," aniya kaya napatingin ako sa kanya. "Sinabi niya sa amin na pwede ka naming mabawi. Selling you off to him would mean we no longer have a debt to pay; we can focus on getting our business back on track again, and when we save enough, we can get you back by paying the same, exact amount we owe him."

"You're basically gonna buy me out, right?" tugon ko at mapait na ngumiti sa kanya. Kahit gaano pa niya pagandahin ang mga salitang ginagamit niya, it won't change the fact that they made me feel like a fúcking goods in the market.

"Do you really think that's the best thing to do, mom?" halos pabulong kong tanong. Ikinuyom ko ang mga kamay ko habang naghihintay ng sagot niya.

"H-Hindi. Hindi..." aniya at niyakap akong muli. "I'm sorry, anak. I'm really sorry." Muli siyang humagulgol. "I no longer know what to do. I am so lost."

Hindi ako kumibo. I cried silently. Ayokong magsalita dahil hindi ko rin alam kung anong sasabihin ko.

"Anak...Sorry..." Unti-unting lumuhod ang ina ko sa aking harapan. "I don't want to lose you, I don't want to lose your father, I don't want to lose our company...I..."

Nakagat ko ang labi ko. It breaks me to see my mother like this. Sobrang sakit sa parte ko bilang anak na makita ang taong kay tatag sa paningin ko na mawasak nang ganito. Sobrang sakit.

Idagdag mo pa ang kasalukuyang kalagayan ng ama ko. Anytime we could lose him. I could cover his medical bills and expenses, but we will end up losing the company. And knowing how devoted my father is to his work and company, losing it would be another death of him.

Kaya kahit saang anggulo ko tingnan, I could only see one thing—one soultion: and that's me selling myself to this àsshole named Mr. Thornwell.

We well get to keep our company. We will have another chance to rise up again and pay our debt. A little sacrifice wouldn't hurt, right? Tutal, dati pa lang naman, kahit noong bata pa lang ako, I always have considered their happiness before mine. And it's not like I'll die or my life would end when I fall in that Thornwell's hands.

"Get up, mom," matigas kong sambit sa kanya. I wiped my tears away and took a deep breath to compose myself. "Tumayo ka," utos ko at inalalayan siyang makatayo.

"Sorry, anak. We're so sorry..."

"Enough, mom. I heard enough sorries today," kalmadong sambit ko. Nang makatayo siya ay tinitigan ko siya sa kanyang mga mata. "This will be the last time I'll prioritize you over myself; the last time na isasantabi ko ang sarili ko."

"W-What are you talking about, Latrisse?"

"I'll talk to Mr. Thornwell right now," sagot ko sa kanya. "...and tell him na pumapayag na ako sa gusto niya."

"A-Anak..."

"Don't even try to stop me, mom. We all know there's nothing else we can do," malamig kong sabi. "You better keep your promise. Bawiin n'yo ako sa kamay ni Mr. Thornwell, or I will really hate you for the rest of my life and wish I was never born as your daughter," matigas kong dagdag saka siya binitawan.

Tumalikod na ako sa kanya at kinuha ang cellphone at calling card ni Mr. Thornwell sa bulsa ko.

"Good evening." Nanindig ang balahibo ko nang isang malalim at baritonong boses ang sumalubong sa akin. It was a cold, deep voice that sent shivers down my spine.

"Good evening, this is Latrisse Yapchengco. May I speak with Mr. Thornwell?" pormal kong tugon.

"You're already speaking to me, woman," matigas nitong sambit. "Calling me means you have made a decision."

"Yes," maikling tugon ko.

"Great. Now, pack your bags and I'll send someone to pick you up—oh forget it about packing up, I'll send someone to pick you up right now," matigas niyang sambit. "See you, princess."

May kung anong kuryente akong naramdaman na dumaloy sa aking katawan nang marinig ko ang huling sinabi niya. Hindi ko alam kung takot lang ba 'yon o iba na. Pero may isang bagay lang ang sigurado: wala nang atrasan 'to.