The Billionaire's Trap

Chapter 7

My Mom's calling...

Why?

"Lady Lesley..." Tawag sa akin ni Ivan. I glanced at him for a moment and looked back again to my screen monitor.

My Mom never ever called me in the past before.

So why?

My thumb is trembling while pressing the answer button. Isama pa ang nananakit kong puso nakita lamang ang pangalan ng aking Ina.

"M-Mo—"

"LESLEY!" Sigaw agad ni Mommy. Nailayo ko ang cellphone sa aking tainga.

"COME BACK HERE! RIGHT NOW!" aniya. Pinababalik niya ako? Bakit? Para saan?

"W-Why?" I asked. Kahit natatakot akong sumagot, I have to ask why. Anong rason kung bakit niya ako pinababalik? Hindi ba't sila ang may gusto na ipakasal ako? Para mawala na ako sa bahay?

"WHY?! YOU'RE ASKING WHY?!" Galit na sabi ni Mommy sa kabilang linya. I can imagine her face full of rage.

"WHO TOLD YOU TO GO WITH HIM?! HE ISN'T YOUR HUSBAND YET! COME BACK HERE!" Sigaw ulit ni Mommy.

"I w-won't... I d-don't want to..." sagot ko.

"What?!" saglit na natahimik si Mommy.

Hindi na ako babalik doon kahit na anong rason pa nila. Ngayong nakalaya na ako sa kulungang naglimita sa aking kalayaan, nanaisin ko pa bang bumalik? Hindi na. Hinding-hindi na.

"HOW DARE YOU?! YOU UNFILIAL CHILD! I'M TELLING YOU, COME BACK HERE RIGHT AWAY!"

Huminga ako ng malalim bago nagsalita. Kailangang laksan ko ang loob ko. Wala na ako sa poder nila, soon, officially mawawala na. I need to be brave enough to tell them I won't go back. "I... I'm n-not going back..." I swallowed. "W-Why, Mom? Hindi ba't kayo ang may kagustuhang ipakasal ako? Para mawala na ako sa buhay n'yo? Now that I'm gone why do want me to go back—"

"Don't assume things, Lesley. We're not asking you to come home because we miss you or anything. That will never happen." It was Lorraine who said that.

Nanikip ang aking dibdib sa narinig.

Alam ko naman 'yun.

Alam kong hindi n'yo naman ako namimiss kahit mamatay pa ako.

Hindi n'yo na kailangang ipaalam pa sa akin kasi alam na alam ko na.

Pero kahit alam ko na, hindi ko pa rin maiwasang masaktan.

Sana kahit isang beses lang... you'd miss me.

Mapait akong napangiti. "What do you need from me then?" I asked. I know that they need something from me, that's why they're asking me go back home.

"Lorraine, I have to go now. Talk with Lesley, alright? Tell her to go back home!" Rinig kong sigaw ni Mommy mukhang nagmamadali.

"Yes, Mom. Don't worry. Take care!" Lorraine said sweetly that I cringe by hearing it.

Nagkaroon ng mahabang katahimikan sa kabilang linya bago nagsalita si Lorraine.

"It's Dylan," ani Lorraine. Again? It's about Dylan again? Ano na namang ginawa ko na wala akong kaalam-alam at sangkot na naman ang pangalan ni Dylan?

"Kahit nand'yan ka na, lumalandi ka pa rin. Dylan's looking for you and he won't talk to me unless makita ka niya dito sa bahay. Ano bang pinakain mo sa fiancé ko? Napakalandi mo." Lorraine irritatedly said. Si Dylan? Hinahanap ako?

Bakit?

"I'm not going back..." sabi ko. For whatever reason, I'm not going back. Kahit si Dylan pa ang dahilan, hinding-hindi ako babalik.

"YOU BITCH! NAPAKALANDI MO! SINABI KO NA SA'YO, DYLAN IS MINE! IKAKASAL KA NA NGA, NILALANDI MO PA ANG FIANCÉ KO!"

Coming from her who stole someone's fiancé.

“Lorraine, you and I are different. Ikaw, naghahabol. Ako, hinahabol. Magkaiba 'yun. Kung ako ang amo, ikaw ang aso.”

How I badly wanted to say that! But I can't!

"Whatever you say. May sasabihin man kayo o wala, please do not call me ever again and I promise that I will do the same," sabi ko.

"LESL—"

Bago pa siya makasagot, pinatay ko na. Ang aga-aga, nagpapainit ng ulo.

But it's such a relief that I can now talk back! Masarap pala sa pakiramdam ang sumagot? I always been holding back myself from retaliating... but now, although I know that Vallen's not with my side... still, it's a reassuring that I'm with him... although it's just a feeling.

"Sorry for that, Ivan," sabi ko.

Ngumiti lamang siya sa akin at umiling. "It's alright, Lady Lesley. Now, shall we?" he asked. Tumango lamang ako sa kaniya. Binuksan niya ang pintuan pero pinauna niya akong lumabas.

Pagkalabas namin, may isang kulay puting kotse na ang nakaparada at naghihintay sa amin. "This will be Lady Lesley's service from now on," pagbibigay-alam ni Ivan.

Service? "Uhm—"

Pero bago pa ako umimik ay inunahan na niya. "Please don't refuse the things Young Master has given and prepared for you in advance, Lady Lesly." Magalang niyang sabi. Sasabihin ko pa sanang hindi na kailangan ng service na ganito pero ano pa, makakahindi pa ba ako?

Binuksan niya ang pintuan ng kotse at inanyayahan akong pumasok. Kaya sumakay na rin ako.

"Thank you," sabi ko.

"Lady Lesley, please contact the driver once the classes are over," sabi niya.

"Okay," tanging sagot ko.

"Take care," aniya. Nagsimulang umandar ang kotse. Ito na, matapos ang ilang araw na hindi ako nakapasok, muli akong tatapak sa school.

I miss Mady. How's she doing? I haven't contacted her ever since I told her I'm quitting the job she gave me. I hope she's alright.

Nakarating kami sa school. I texted Mady kanina habang nasa byahe ma papasok ako at hintayin niya ako sa labas.

Sumilip ako sa labas ng kotse and I saw Mady standing there in front of the gate looking at every passerby, checking if I was one of them.

"Salamat po sa paghatid. Magsasabi po ako kung anong oras ang labas ko po," sabi ko kay Kuyang Driver na nakababa na pala at pinagbuksan pa ako ng pinto.

"Yes, Ma'am!" sagot niya. Napangiti na lamang ako.

Nang makababa na ako, tumingin agad ako sa direksyon kung nasaan si Mady. But she'd already running towards me. Ang bilis ako nitong makita ah.

"LESLEY!" aniya at niyakap ako pagkalapit sa akin. "Namiss kitaaaaa!" she said while sniffling.

"Ako rin, namiss din kita," sabi ko. Kaagad siyang umalis sa pagkakayakap at hinawakan ang magkabila kong braso.

"Is what you texted me true?" she asked.

"Yeah," I answered.

"AHHHHH!!! Just why?!" sambit niya. She looked at me, confused. She scan my whole body, ako naman ang nagtaka.

"Wala ka bang galos or anything? Okay ka lang ba? Hindi ka niya sinaktan? OH, GOSH, LESLEY! Tell me if he hurt you!" she's hysterical. I know where she's coming from and it made me happy knowing that she's really worried about me.

Napatawa ako. "Mady, I'm fine," saad ko.

She pouted. "Don't laugh at me. Don't you know how worried I was? Sinong hindi mababahala, kung ang pakakasalan ng natatangi kong kaibigan ay ang isang Vallen Garrett Alejo? Ha?" She rolled her eyes.

"I'm well aware of what kind of person he is," dagdag pa niya. Nakagat ko ang aking labi. I can't say na they're just rumors since ilang araw pa lamang akong tumitigil sa Alejo Mansion. But as I observed, none of the rumors were true... so far.

"Are you really sure you're alright?" tanong niya ulit. Ngumiti ako sa kaniya at tumango.

"Syempre, ako pa ba?" sabi ko.

She giggled. "Sabi ko nga."

I really missed her.

Napatingin ako sa school gate. Now, what awaits me beyond that gate?

Lorraine, what have you build up on the days I wasn't here?

I can't wait to know...