The Gold-digging Mastermind

Kabanata 27

Ilang ulit kong tinawagan ang kanyang numero.

His phone was ringing, but he wasn’t answering it. Sigurado akong wala siyang balak sagutin ang tawag ko para mas lalo akong mabaliw sa pag-iisip. Kinuha niya ng walang abiso ang aking anak.

Tinawagan ko naman si Atty. Buendia upang magpatulong sa paghahanap ng kasong p’wede kong isampa kay Daxiel para mabawi ko ang aking anak. Tinawanan lang ako ng attorney, nagsasayang lang daw ako ng pera at oras kung ganoon.

Pinagkakaisahan nila akong lahat!

“Maricel, iyong anak ko…”

“Ano hong gagawin natin, Ma’am Olga? Ipapa-barangay ba natin si Sir Daxiel? Hindi makatarungang kinuha niya ang inyong anak!” She caressed my back.

Inabutan naman ako ni Jemaima ng isang basong tubig upang kumalma. I accepted the water and drank it.

I was thinking of a plan to get my baby back.

It was my plan to trap him with Gustav the Third in case something happened, he stole that plan and used it against me.

Iniwan naman ako ng dalawa para makapag-emote sa sala.

My mind was occupied with things I was planning to do in a much dramatic approach. Ito ba iyong ganti niya sa akin? Ito ba iyong ganti niya matapos kung aminin ang totoo kong pakay sa kanya?

Bumalik ako sa realidad nang tumunog ang phone ko.

Agad kong tiningnan ang message ng gago kong ex-boyfriend!

It was a picture of my baby seemingly happy. Nahagip din sa larawan ang maugat niyang brasong nakahawak sa furbaby namin. Akala yata niya madadaan ako sa maugat niyang braso, s’yempre…

I received another message.

From: Ex-boyfriend with huge deck </3

One date for a day of supervised visit with Gustav the Third.

Ilang beses kong inulit na binasa ang kanyang text. Napairap ako sa ere.

He really used the weapon I thought beforehand against me. I was the one supposed to trap him with me using our furbaby, but it ended the other way around. Ginamit niya iyon para mapasunod ako sa kanyang gusto.

Anong pakiramdam na maisahan sa sariling plano, Olga Millaray?

From: Ex-boyfriend with huge deck </3

I need your answer now.

Agad akong tumakbo patungo sa comfort room. Binuksan ko ang zipper ng suot kong shorts habang nakatutok ang camera. Unti – unti kong inilabas ang aking kamay na naka-middle finger salute.

I sent it to him.

I received another video of him laughing on the background, but it was focused on our baby. Ngumuso naman ako. I already missed them both. Hindi lang ang alaga ko ang nami-miss ko, pati ang kanyang ama.

Somehow, the mansion felt empty without their presence.

I’ve already had my share of good life by having the inheritance. Hindi ko na kailangang lokohin pa si Daxiel Gustav Jr. Pero hindi ko rin naman siya madidiktahan sa kagustuhan niyang gantihan ako.

Kinagat ko ang pang-ibaba kong labi bago nagtipa nang sasabihin ko sa kanya.

To: Ex-boyfriend with huge deck </3

Give me back my baby. I’ll do everything you want.

Kumagat akong muli sa kanyang patalim.

I will be playing with him once more.

This time, it’s his game.

He’s the one at the advantage point. He has the control over what game we’re playing.

Kailangan kong mangapa sa bawat galaw niya. Kailangan kong talasan ang aking pag-iisip.

Kung ano mang laro ang balak niya, hindi siya makakatakas sa mapang-akit na Olga Millaray Perfecto.

Sisiguraduhin kong sa akin pa rin ang bagsak niya.

From: Ex-boyfriend with huge deck </3

Good girl.

Muli siyang nag-send ng video.

It was a video of Gustav the Third running around their new place. Mas napagtuunan ko ng pansin ang bulge niyang nahagip ng video. Hindi ko alam kung sinasadya niya iyon o hindi!

Parang nanadya siya, eh.

Palibhasa alam niya ang kahinaan ko. Mas lumandi yata siya sa akin ngayong break na kaming dalawa.

Hindi na ako nakatiis, tinawagan ko siya.

Within a few rings, he answered my call, finally!

“Daxiel! Ibalik mo sa akin ang anak ko! Kung may galit ka sa akin, ‘wag mong idamay ang inosente kong anak na walang alam sa pangyayari! That’s unfair!” I yelled on the other line.

Narinig ko naman ang pagbuntong hininga niya sa kabilang linya.

“You know what’s unfair, Millaray? You’re unfair for dumping me just like that…” baritono niyang saad.

Isang epekto yata ng pag-iwan ko sa kanya na mas lalong gumwapo ang boses niya sa pandinig ko.

“Hindi ba mas unfair sa’yo kung patuloy pa rin kitang gagamitin?” Kumunot ang aking noo.

I stopped because I got I wanted. Hindi ko na siya kailangan pang idamay sa plano ko.

“Why not? I’m not complaining if you keep using me…”

Mariin kong kinagat ang aking pang-ibabang labi, hindi ako nakasagot sa kanyang turan. Simula na ba ng panibagong laro?

Napapikit ako. Minasahe ko ang aking noo.

The other reason why I broke up with him… I was starting to fall for his tricks. Daxiel Gustav Jr. is a dangerous man for me, how can he just let me do all of the things I did without paying the price?

Una pa lang, alam na niya ang pakay ko sa kanya pero hindi niya man lang ako pinigilan.

There must be a bigger reason for him to do that…

Hanggang ngayon pinapaikot pa rin niya ako.

Pagdating sa kanya, madaling lumambot ang puso ko.

“Are you still there?” malambing na tanong ni Daxiel. “I miss you, baby. Gustav the Third misses you, too.”

“Bakit mo pa nilayo si Gustav the Third, nami-miss naman pala ako?” I pouted.

“For a date, baby. I’m pursuing you this time.”

Mas lalong humaba ang pagnguso ko. “Gagantihan mo lang ako, Daxiel…”

I heard him laugh on the other line.

Narinig ko naman ang tahol ng baby namin sa kabilang linya. Napangiti naman ako.

The call didn’t last long.

Madalas naman ang palitan namin ng mensaheng dalawa. Nawala ang lungkot ko sa mga video at litratong si-nend sa akin ni Daxiel. He was playing with our furbaby. Natutuwa akong nag-eenjoy ang aming anak.

Lumipat sila sa penthouse na pag-aari ni Daxiel pansamantala.

The place was nice and cozy, he showed me a bit of the unit with a video. Parang gusto ko ring lumipat doon.

After all the trouble I did, parang hindi naman ako masaya sa nakuha kong tagumpay?

***

To clear my mind, I decided to have a little stroll in the mall.

Nagpresenta akong mamili ng mga kailangan sa mansyon. Although, Daxiel isn’t around, I still bought his favorite drinks.

Hindi naman yata kami hiwalay. Magkausap pa rin naman kami halos araw – araw tungkol kay Gustav the Third, madalas pa rin ang landian naming dalawa. I think he was giving me space to rethink my choices in life.

He was making sure I’d miss him.

Epektibo naman.

Hindi lang buong pagkatao ko ang nami-miss siya, pati iyong pagitan ng aking hita.

Napatigil ako sa pagtulak ng cart ng may batang humawak sa laylayan ng suot kong skirt. Nang tumingin ako rito, nanlaki ang aking mata. It was a familiar little girl. Anak iyon ng kaibigan ni Daxiel.

Binuhat ko naman ito nang umaktong nagpapabuhat sa akin.

“Hi, Jordyn! Did you miss Tita Olga?” I asked her softly.

She nodded.

“Where are your parents?”

As if on cue, humahangos namang tumungo si Jandro sa aming direksyon.

His eyes widened seeing me.

“Kaya pala. She just ran away from us because she saw you. It’s nice meeting you here, Olga. Where’s Daxiel?” Hinanap niya agad ang kaibigan habang inaayang sumama ang anak sa kanya.

Jordyn just ignored her father. Mas pinili niyang ayusin ang aking buhok.

“He’s not with me. Where’s your wife?” I asked.

I didn’t elaborate why he wasn’t with me.

“Paying in the counter. We were waiting for her when Jelly bean started to run…”

Tumawa naman ako sa kanyang kuwento. “Jordyn, do you want to go with your daddy?” Muli siyang umiling at yumakap sa akin. Pinanggigilan ko naman ang kanyang pisngi.

Tinulungan ako ni Jandro sa dala kong cart habang hawak ko ang kanyang anak. Ngumiti naman ako nang namataan ko ang kanyang asawa. She waved at us. Bumeso siya sa akin nang nakalapit kami.

“I was worried for a second, turned out she saw you! How are you?”

“I’m well. Kumusta? Hindi na nasundan ang pagkikita natin sa beach.” I smiled.

Sumama si Jordyn sa ina, pumila naman ako sa counter.

“We’ll wait for you. Let’s have lunch together.”

Hindi naman ako tumanggi sa paanyaya nito.

When I was done paying for the groceries, I went with them to a restaurant. Marami kaming napagkuwentuhan, at nagplano na agad kaming magkitang muli. Mukhang mapapadalas ang pagkikita naming dalawa.

She invited me to do girly stuffs that I would enjoy. I never really had a friend with a wealthy background, it was a first having someone to treat me nicely from that demographic.

“Mommy! I have to go bathroom!” Jordyn whispered.

Tumayo ang dalawa at tumungo sa direksyon ng comfort room. Naiwan kaming dalawa ni Jandro, tumikhim ito upang kuhanin ang aking atensyon.

“I remembered why you were familiar to me. It seemed like you were familiar with Daxiel as well…” The man told me.

I thought he already put the idea to rest. Tumaas naman ang aking kilay. I urged him to continue to tell me, I was dying to know what he was about to say.

“You were one of the strippers hired in one of our friend’s bachelor’s party way back,” saad ng lalaki.

“Instead of dancing to the supposed groom, you went with him instead. You were memorable to him because you spent the whole night drinking with him. It was one of the toughest times for him, I think you made him laugh. In the morning, you even borrowed money for you to eat that day…” He continued the story. “He kept talking about you for a long time.”

I was speechless after his story-telling.

Wala akong ideya kung paniniwalaan ko ang lalaki. It was possible as I danced with several anonymous clients. My motto was to never associate my job with pleasure. Ni wala akong tinandaan sa mga ito.

It was purely business with me.

Natigil ang pag-uusap namin nang bumalik ang mag-ina niya. Muling naupo sa aking lap ang batang babae. Tinapos namin ang lunch sa pangakong magkikita kami ulit kasama si Jordyn.

Nagpaalam ako sa mga ito, nagpasundo naman ako sa driver.

He was already waiting outside.

Balak pa sana ako nilang ihatid sa mansyon, it was out of the way to their place. Nakakahiya naman.

Hindi rin naman sa mansyon ang deretso ko. Tumungo ako sa penthouse ni Daxiel. I was allowed to visit anytime I wanted.

Hindi naman ako hinarang sa reception area nang sabihin ko ang aking pangalan at ipinakita ang aking identification card. I was given a pass, and I went to his penthouse.

Mayroon akong dalang alak at ibang groceries.

Wala akong ideya kung kumakain ba ang mag-ama ko ng tamang pagkain, baka puro lang sila bili sa labas.

Pinindot ko ang doorbell at naghintay ng ilang minuto sa labas.

Daxiel opened the door.

Sinalubong din ako ng baby namin.

Iniabot ko sa kanya ang aking mga gamit at agad kong binigyan ng pansin ang naglalambing naming alaga. Gustav the Third licked my arms as I enveloped his frame into a hug.

“Na-miss mo ba ako, baby? I missed you!” I caressed his fur.

Nagalak ang aking dibdib sa pagkikita naming dalawa. Ramdam ko naman ang paninitig ni Daxiel sa gilid namin.

“‘Yong tatay mo kasi inilayo ka sa akin!” Ngumuso ako.

Sinadya kong iparinig iyon sa kanya, sinagot lang niya ako nang halakhak. Isinara niya ang pinto sa likod namin. Nauna siya sa living room habang nakikipaglaro pa ako sa aming anak.

There was no trace of Daniella’s presence in the penthouse.

That was a good sign.

Binuhat ko ang aming furbaby habang naglibot – libot ako sa kabuuan ng penthouse. They were occupying a two-storey floor. Malawak din iyon upang makapaglaro si Gustav the Third ng husto.

Dumako naman ako sa kusina. I checked his refrigerator.

Sumimangot naman akong makitang puro takeouts iyon. Mabuti na lang mayroon akong dalang konting groceries, maaari kong ipagluto si Daxiel. I didn’t even know why I was doing it for him. Tapos naman ang relasyon naming dalawa.

I prepared the ingredients in his kitchen.

Pumasok naman siya sa kusina, hindi pa kami nag-uusap nang maayos.

Gusto ko siyang kausapin. Gusto kong magkalinawan kaming dalawa.

I was ready to hear him out.

Umikot siya sa parteng likuran ko, bahagya naman akong napatalon nang pumulupot ang kanyang braso sa aking baywang. He rested his head on my shoulder. His breathing became at ease.

Huminga ako nang malalim.

“What do you want for lunch?” I asked him.

“Anything you’ll cook will be appreciated, baby.”

Napangiti ako na agad ko namang sinupil. “We have lots of things to talk about, Daxiel. Handa na akong makinig sa mga sasabihin mo pa…”

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