Chapter 4
Nagmadali pumasok si Anna sa loob ng kwarto nila ni Ren sa villa ng mga Robledo. Hindi na niya sinalubong pa ang mag-asawang Robledo dahil sa sobrang inis na nararamdaman niya ngayon. Handang humingi ng tawad si Art sa mga nagawa nito dahil lang sa pera? Ano pa ba ang inaasahan niya kay Art? Iniwan nga siya diba nito dati? Hindi nga ito nagpaliwanag kung bakit siya umalis.
Pero hindi lang siya naiinis sa mga Monteverde kundi pati kay Ren, habang nasa sasakyan sila, pinipilit siya nito na pagisipan niya ang desisyon niya. Na humingi na naman daw ng tawag ang mga ito at mas maganda kung paghihirapan nila ang pagporsige sa kanya na bilhin nila yung lupain.
Hindi niya kailangan ang paghingi nila ng tawad, hindi niya kailangan nun, ang kailangan niya ay ang maghirap sila, at ngayon maghihirap na sila dahil hindi nila mababayaran yung 15 million. Sapat na yun. Ayaw na niyang mainsulto pang muli. Pero bakit hindi iyon nakikita ni Ren?
Agad ding humiga si Anna sa kama at pinikit ang kanyang mga mata. Alam niyang kakausapin pa ni Ren yung mag-asawa at magpapasalamat sa pagpapatira sa kanila dito. Sa totoo lang gusto ng bumalik ni Anna sa New York. Nagkita na sila ng mga Monteverde, nakita niyang lumuhod si Art sa harap niya. Sapat na yun. Ayaw na niya dito.
Narinig niyang nagbukas at sara yung pinto, must be Ren. "Anna." he called pero hindi niya ito pinansin. Naramdaman niya ang pag-upo nito sa may dulo ng kama at pinatong nito ang kanyang paa sa tuhod nito. "Anna talk to me please." he pleaded. "I'm sorry Anna." he said "I thought you'd like to stay and make them suffer more. They hurt you Anna and I wanted them to know the pain they've caused you before. So please Anna, reconsider it." akala ni Anna, naintindihan na siya ni Ren na umalis nalang sila. Na bumalik na sila. "Let's me buy the land Anna."
"Do whatever you want Ren." she said.
"Really?" Ren asked with full of enthusiasm in his voice.
"Yes Ren do whatever you want, stay if you insist on it but me I'm going back to New York as soon as I buy my ticket." Anna said. Tapos na siya. Ayaw na niya.
"What?" Ren asked "I thought you wanted this?"
Tumayo siya sa pagkakahiga niya "I wanted my own revenge Ren and I got it!" she snapped "They met me as the Anna Madrigal I am right now not the Anna Madrigal they knew. They lowered themselves for money, they pleaded the way I did before. That's all what I wanted Ren. But it turns out you still want something to do with them. It's my revenge Ren, mine. Not yours." may mga nagbabadya ng luha pero pinigil niya ang mga ito.
"I.... I wanted them to suffer Anna. Because they were the reason for your scars. I want them to know that they can't do that to you anymore, that you're not beneath them anymore, that you never were." Ren said "I just want to remove your scars."
Lumapit na siya kay Ren at dahan dahan niya itong niyakap "Ren, you don't need to do that for me. I...." she cut off.
"I want to. I'm your fiance."
"But Ren, this is my own revenge. I can't pull you down. You are already removing my scars by loving me. By being by my side always. That's what I only need to you, stay by my side don't ever leave me Ren." Anna said. "I can't lose you." too.
Niyakap siya babalik ni Ren "You won't lose me Anna. I love you." he professed his love. "I love you so much and I promise you won't lose me."
"I love you too my Ren." Anna said, she really love Ren with all her heart. Si Ren yung taong laging nasa tabi niya, hindi siya nito hinusgahan, hindi siya nito iniwan.
Nagnatili silang magkayakap haggang nakatulog na si Anna. Hiniga na ni Ren ng maayos si Anna, he laid down with her and just looked at her, she's peacefully sleeping beside him.
He wanted what's best for her. Ayaw niyang makita itong nasasaktan. At kanina nakita niya kung paano ito nasaktan sa pagluhod ni Art sa harap nito. Pero bakit? Bakit siya nasaktan nang lumuhod si Art?
He wanted to know but he can't risk it. As they said, don't ask questions if you're not prepared for the answer. And he's not just ready to ask her that. Cause he's too afraid of her answer. Too afraid she'd leave him.
He trust Anna, he trust her with every fiber of his being, he knows she loves him, he can feel it but he's too afraid that her feelings for Art might come back. That if they stopped the revenge she was planning then the hatred in her heart for Art would gradually melt and the love that was covered with hatred would soon unravel. He just can't let that happen.
And by doing the revenge would not make that ice melt. He won't make that ice melt. He trust Anna, the Anna he knows but not the Anna, who fell in love with Art. He doesn't know the intensity of her love for Art But she was ready to marry Art, would that mean Anna loved them both with same intensity?
"Ren." Anna called in her sleep.
Napangiti si Ren and hinawi niya yung mga buhok nito na nasa mukha, sinagot ni Anna yung tanong niya. Siya. Siya ang pipiliin ni Anna. Siya ang mahal nito. Hindi na si Art. Siya. "I love you Anna." he said and kissed her in the forehead "And I'd do anything for you." he was tempted to kiss her in the lips but Anna was sleeping. But still he did kiss her just for good night. Pero hindi niya na napigilan pa ang sarili niya and he kissed her playfully.
Dahan dahan ay nag respond na si Anna sa mga halik nito at napangiti si Ren when Anna pulled him closer to her. He was on top of her and his hands were roaming around her body so does her hands.
Anna looked in his eyes and smiled at him lustfully "Make love to me my Ren." Anna said and he kissed her deeply and that night they made love.
The moment Anna opened her eyes, she saw the man sleeping beside her, she smiled as she trailed her fingers to his face. He's so handsome. So gorgeous and he's hers.
"Are you done lusting over me?" Ren smirked at her with his eyes closed.
"Not yet." Anna said as she trailed her fingers down to his jawline. She rolled on top of him and traced his jawline with her lips.
"Hmmm." He groaned "My breakfast sure is delicious." he grinned.
She smiled as her lips move down to his chest down to his flat and muscled stomach. He was indeed gorgeous and hot. She was about to move her lips down when she heard a knock, Ren groaned in frustration so did she. She missed Ren.
Tumayo si Anna at nagsuot ng robe pero bago pa siya makapunta sa pinto ay naunahan na siya ni Ren na nagsuot na din ng robe.
"What is it Lucas?" Ren asked.
"Sir, Art Monteverde is here to see you." sabi ni Lucas.
Napatingin naman si Ren kay Anna and she gave him a nod "Tell him to wait for us, we'll just take a shower." with that sinara na niya yung pinto at tumingin kay Anna "Shower?" he asked and offered his hand and Anna took it and they both showered.
Pagkababa nila, nagpunta sila sa may poolside at nandun na si Art at ang kanilang breakfast. May mga katulong kasi dito sa villa, sympre Crisostomo Robeldo would want to impress his guests at isa pa tama naman na may kasambahay dito. Hospitality at hindi iyon alam ng mga Monteverde, hindi nila alam ang salitang iyon.
Tinignan ni Anna si Art na nakatitig lang sa kalayuan, na parang may iniisip ito at nung napansin na niyang naglalakad na sila, nilingon siya nito at gave her a weak smile. Tumayo ito sa kinauupuan niya upang salubungin sila ni Ren.
"Good morning Art, what are you doing here?" Ren asked as he helped Anna to take a sit and when she did umupo na ito sa tabi ni Anna.
Umupo na din si Art "I came here to apologize again for what my family did yesterday." he said.
Nagsimula ng magpalaman si Anna ng tinapay niya at ni Ren, "Apology not accepted." Anna said and she turned to look at Ren and smiled at him as she handed him the plate with the toast na may palaman na jam. "Eat Ren. You must be hungry." she said.
"Thank you babe."Ren said "So that's it Art?"
"Alam ko Anna na hindi mo kami mapapatawad pero give us a chance naman Anna, bigyan mo ako ng isa pang pagkakataon."Alam ni Anna na kaya nagtatagalog si Art ay para hindi ito maintindihan ni Ren.
"Alam mo naman pala yun Art eh. Bakit naman kita bibigyan ng pagkakataon Art, sinira mo ang buhay ko." Anna said.
Nagulat si Art sa sinabi ni Anna and ngumiti lang si Anna dito "Ganun ba yung tingin mo Ana?" he asked. "Hindi mo ba minsan naisip na baka ikaw ang sumira ng aking buhay?" he asked, his tone was cold.
"Art please do tell your father to deposit the 15 million by tomorrow." Ren interrupted maybe sensing that the conversation was getting somewhere.
"Won't you give us a chance Mr. Thorpe?"
"We've decided not to buy any land here in the Philippines. We would be going back home by this week and we won't be returning so there's no need to buy, it's final. I"m sorry about it." Ren answered.
Nagulat si Anna, pero napangiti siya dahil sa wakas naintindihan na ni Ren na gusto na niyang umalis. Pero dahil sa sinabi ni Art kanina na siya ang sumira ng buhay nito parang gusto niyang magstay. Pero buo na ang desisyon niya. Aalis sila.
Tumayo na si Art "I understand Mr. Thorpe." he said at tumingin na siya kay Anna "Bago ka umalis, makipag0usap ka muna sa akin."
"At bakit naman?" tumaas ang kilay niya.
"Sasabihin ko sayo ang katotoohanan nung araw na iyon." nagulat si Anna, katotoohanan? Pero bago niya matanong umalis na si Art.
May magbabago ba pag nalaman niya kung bakit?
"What did he tell you?" Ren asked. Kasi kahit pa matagal na sila ni Anna never natuto si Ren magsalita ng Tagalog. Or makaintindi.
"He wanted us to talk." sagot ni Anna, hindi siya nagsinungaling kay Ren dahil ayaw niyang may tinatago dito "Something about hearing the truth."
"Would you talk to him?"
Anna shrugged "I don't know, I mean what's the use of hearing it if it's 8 years too late?" she said.
Yeah Art. You're too late for explanations.
Pero hindi lang siya naiinis sa mga Monteverde kundi pati kay Ren, habang nasa sasakyan sila, pinipilit siya nito na pagisipan niya ang desisyon niya. Na humingi na naman daw ng tawag ang mga ito at mas maganda kung paghihirapan nila ang pagporsige sa kanya na bilhin nila yung lupain.
Hindi niya kailangan ang paghingi nila ng tawad, hindi niya kailangan nun, ang kailangan niya ay ang maghirap sila, at ngayon maghihirap na sila dahil hindi nila mababayaran yung 15 million. Sapat na yun. Ayaw na niyang mainsulto pang muli. Pero bakit hindi iyon nakikita ni Ren?
Agad ding humiga si Anna sa kama at pinikit ang kanyang mga mata. Alam niyang kakausapin pa ni Ren yung mag-asawa at magpapasalamat sa pagpapatira sa kanila dito. Sa totoo lang gusto ng bumalik ni Anna sa New York. Nagkita na sila ng mga Monteverde, nakita niyang lumuhod si Art sa harap niya. Sapat na yun. Ayaw na niya dito.
Narinig niyang nagbukas at sara yung pinto, must be Ren. "Anna." he called pero hindi niya ito pinansin. Naramdaman niya ang pag-upo nito sa may dulo ng kama at pinatong nito ang kanyang paa sa tuhod nito. "Anna talk to me please." he pleaded. "I'm sorry Anna." he said "I thought you'd like to stay and make them suffer more. They hurt you Anna and I wanted them to know the pain they've caused you before. So please Anna, reconsider it." akala ni Anna, naintindihan na siya ni Ren na umalis nalang sila. Na bumalik na sila. "Let's me buy the land Anna."
"Do whatever you want Ren." she said.
"Really?" Ren asked with full of enthusiasm in his voice.
"Yes Ren do whatever you want, stay if you insist on it but me I'm going back to New York as soon as I buy my ticket." Anna said. Tapos na siya. Ayaw na niya.
"What?" Ren asked "I thought you wanted this?"
Tumayo siya sa pagkakahiga niya "I wanted my own revenge Ren and I got it!" she snapped "They met me as the Anna Madrigal I am right now not the Anna Madrigal they knew. They lowered themselves for money, they pleaded the way I did before. That's all what I wanted Ren. But it turns out you still want something to do with them. It's my revenge Ren, mine. Not yours." may mga nagbabadya ng luha pero pinigil niya ang mga ito.
"I.... I wanted them to suffer Anna. Because they were the reason for your scars. I want them to know that they can't do that to you anymore, that you're not beneath them anymore, that you never were." Ren said "I just want to remove your scars."
Lumapit na siya kay Ren at dahan dahan niya itong niyakap "Ren, you don't need to do that for me. I...." she cut off.
"I want to. I'm your fiance."
"But Ren, this is my own revenge. I can't pull you down. You are already removing my scars by loving me. By being by my side always. That's what I only need to you, stay by my side don't ever leave me Ren." Anna said. "I can't lose you." too.
Niyakap siya babalik ni Ren "You won't lose me Anna. I love you." he professed his love. "I love you so much and I promise you won't lose me."
"I love you too my Ren." Anna said, she really love Ren with all her heart. Si Ren yung taong laging nasa tabi niya, hindi siya nito hinusgahan, hindi siya nito iniwan.
***
Nagnatili silang magkayakap haggang nakatulog na si Anna. Hiniga na ni Ren ng maayos si Anna, he laid down with her and just looked at her, she's peacefully sleeping beside him.
He wanted what's best for her. Ayaw niyang makita itong nasasaktan. At kanina nakita niya kung paano ito nasaktan sa pagluhod ni Art sa harap nito. Pero bakit? Bakit siya nasaktan nang lumuhod si Art?
He wanted to know but he can't risk it. As they said, don't ask questions if you're not prepared for the answer. And he's not just ready to ask her that. Cause he's too afraid of her answer. Too afraid she'd leave him.
He trust Anna, he trust her with every fiber of his being, he knows she loves him, he can feel it but he's too afraid that her feelings for Art might come back. That if they stopped the revenge she was planning then the hatred in her heart for Art would gradually melt and the love that was covered with hatred would soon unravel. He just can't let that happen.
And by doing the revenge would not make that ice melt. He won't make that ice melt. He trust Anna, the Anna he knows but not the Anna, who fell in love with Art. He doesn't know the intensity of her love for Art But she was ready to marry Art, would that mean Anna loved them both with same intensity?
"Ren." Anna called in her sleep.
Napangiti si Ren and hinawi niya yung mga buhok nito na nasa mukha, sinagot ni Anna yung tanong niya. Siya. Siya ang pipiliin ni Anna. Siya ang mahal nito. Hindi na si Art. Siya. "I love you Anna." he said and kissed her in the forehead "And I'd do anything for you." he was tempted to kiss her in the lips but Anna was sleeping. But still he did kiss her just for good night. Pero hindi niya na napigilan pa ang sarili niya and he kissed her playfully.
Dahan dahan ay nag respond na si Anna sa mga halik nito at napangiti si Ren when Anna pulled him closer to her. He was on top of her and his hands were roaming around her body so does her hands.
Anna looked in his eyes and smiled at him lustfully "Make love to me my Ren." Anna said and he kissed her deeply and that night they made love.
***
The moment Anna opened her eyes, she saw the man sleeping beside her, she smiled as she trailed her fingers to his face. He's so handsome. So gorgeous and he's hers.
"Are you done lusting over me?" Ren smirked at her with his eyes closed.
"Not yet." Anna said as she trailed her fingers down to his jawline. She rolled on top of him and traced his jawline with her lips.
"Hmmm." He groaned "My breakfast sure is delicious." he grinned.
She smiled as her lips move down to his chest down to his flat and muscled stomach. He was indeed gorgeous and hot. She was about to move her lips down when she heard a knock, Ren groaned in frustration so did she. She missed Ren.
Tumayo si Anna at nagsuot ng robe pero bago pa siya makapunta sa pinto ay naunahan na siya ni Ren na nagsuot na din ng robe.
"What is it Lucas?" Ren asked.
"Sir, Art Monteverde is here to see you." sabi ni Lucas.
Napatingin naman si Ren kay Anna and she gave him a nod "Tell him to wait for us, we'll just take a shower." with that sinara na niya yung pinto at tumingin kay Anna "Shower?" he asked and offered his hand and Anna took it and they both showered.
Pagkababa nila, nagpunta sila sa may poolside at nandun na si Art at ang kanilang breakfast. May mga katulong kasi dito sa villa, sympre Crisostomo Robeldo would want to impress his guests at isa pa tama naman na may kasambahay dito. Hospitality at hindi iyon alam ng mga Monteverde, hindi nila alam ang salitang iyon.
Tinignan ni Anna si Art na nakatitig lang sa kalayuan, na parang may iniisip ito at nung napansin na niyang naglalakad na sila, nilingon siya nito at gave her a weak smile. Tumayo ito sa kinauupuan niya upang salubungin sila ni Ren.
"Good morning Art, what are you doing here?" Ren asked as he helped Anna to take a sit and when she did umupo na ito sa tabi ni Anna.
Umupo na din si Art "I came here to apologize again for what my family did yesterday." he said.
Nagsimula ng magpalaman si Anna ng tinapay niya at ni Ren, "Apology not accepted." Anna said and she turned to look at Ren and smiled at him as she handed him the plate with the toast na may palaman na jam. "Eat Ren. You must be hungry." she said.
"Thank you babe."Ren said "So that's it Art?"
"Alam ko Anna na hindi mo kami mapapatawad pero give us a chance naman Anna, bigyan mo ako ng isa pang pagkakataon."Alam ni Anna na kaya nagtatagalog si Art ay para hindi ito maintindihan ni Ren.
"Alam mo naman pala yun Art eh. Bakit naman kita bibigyan ng pagkakataon Art, sinira mo ang buhay ko." Anna said.
Nagulat si Art sa sinabi ni Anna and ngumiti lang si Anna dito "Ganun ba yung tingin mo Ana?" he asked. "Hindi mo ba minsan naisip na baka ikaw ang sumira ng aking buhay?" he asked, his tone was cold.
"Art please do tell your father to deposit the 15 million by tomorrow." Ren interrupted maybe sensing that the conversation was getting somewhere.
"Won't you give us a chance Mr. Thorpe?"
"We've decided not to buy any land here in the Philippines. We would be going back home by this week and we won't be returning so there's no need to buy, it's final. I"m sorry about it." Ren answered.
Nagulat si Anna, pero napangiti siya dahil sa wakas naintindihan na ni Ren na gusto na niyang umalis. Pero dahil sa sinabi ni Art kanina na siya ang sumira ng buhay nito parang gusto niyang magstay. Pero buo na ang desisyon niya. Aalis sila.
Tumayo na si Art "I understand Mr. Thorpe." he said at tumingin na siya kay Anna "Bago ka umalis, makipag0usap ka muna sa akin."
"At bakit naman?" tumaas ang kilay niya.
"Sasabihin ko sayo ang katotoohanan nung araw na iyon." nagulat si Anna, katotoohanan? Pero bago niya matanong umalis na si Art.
May magbabago ba pag nalaman niya kung bakit?
"What did he tell you?" Ren asked. Kasi kahit pa matagal na sila ni Anna never natuto si Ren magsalita ng Tagalog. Or makaintindi.
"He wanted us to talk." sagot ni Anna, hindi siya nagsinungaling kay Ren dahil ayaw niyang may tinatago dito "Something about hearing the truth."
"Would you talk to him?"
Anna shrugged "I don't know, I mean what's the use of hearing it if it's 8 years too late?" she said.
Yeah Art. You're too late for explanations.
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