Mag- aalas kwatro pa lang ng madaling araw, pero nagliliwanag na ang mansiyon na pag- aari ng mayamang pamilya ng mga Collins.
Matapos kasi ng isang malakas na tunog ng animo'y pagbangga ng kung ano sa kung saan ay agad nang nagising ang lahat ng naninirahan sa malaking bahay na iyon.
One of them was a man in his late twenties named 'Zayne'— who immediately got up and decided to go down and check what really did cause the loud and strange sound.
Pero ganoon na lamang ang naramdaman niyang gulat nang mamataan ang isang pamilyar at mamahaling sasakyan na nakabangga sa mismong pader ng mansiyon.
Alam niya kasi kung sino ang may ari at posibleng sakay ng kotseng iyon— si Ezaiyah, ang nag-iisang tunay na anak ng lalaking napangasawa ng Tita Haydie niya na kinilala niya na ring ama— si Don Rafael.
Sa labis na pag- aalala ay hindi na siya nag dalawang isip pa at mabilis nang kinatok bintana ng sasakyan. Paulit- ulit din niyang tinawag ng malakas ang pangalan ng dalaga sa pag- asang ayos lang ito sa loob. Pero lumipas lang ang ilang minuto ay wala pa rin siyang nakukuha maski isang senyales galing kay Ezaiyah.
That's when he ordered the guard to get something hard and heavy. Babasagin niya na ang bintana ng kotse nito.
He already don't care if she would be mad at her the next day. Ang mahalaga lang sa kaniya ay ang mailabas doon ang dalaga.
EZAIYAH woke up late the next morning.
And the first thing she did was to wonder on how did she got up into her bed.
She barely remember anything from yesterday.
All that she know is that after her photo shoot, she went on one of the most famous bar on town wherein she hanged out with her colleagues and friends. She had a blast there, and almost lose herself from too much alcohol. And then she went home when it was already dawn. She successfully reach their mansion without getting into troubles and such road accidents. But when she was finally trying to get in the garage...
She screamed with the glimpse of what probably happened last night. Is is true that she crashed her car right on the wall? Or is she just dreaming by that time? Oh, heck. How she wish, she was just dreaming!
"Please, let me have those only as a dream. Please!" she murmured to herself as rake her own hair in disgust.
"Oh, gosh..." she exclaimed once more before she made up her mind to go down and see the car by herself.
She almost fell down the stairs for trying her very best to get down as fast as she could.
But when she finally reach the garage, she panicked. And when she felt like she couldn't contain her emotions anymore, she screamed.
"Who the hell did this on my car?! Who the hell are you?!" she cried after seeing her car's window that was totally wrecked by someone.
There's no way she did that by herself! Because she know that there's no effin' way she could crash her car on the wall, and the damage fell on the side of her ride!
"What's with the morning scream, young lady?"
Ezaiyah looked back after hearing those phrases from someone who suddenly spoke from behind her.
And what she saw there literally add up to her already intense emotion. It was Haydie, her stepmom— who seemingly swear to ruin her life as a mission.
Since both her parents died, Haydie already made and is still making her life miserable. So thanks to her, she was able to experience hell even though she is still alive!
"Who did this?" she asked her, pointing at the ruined car's window.
"I don't know. I don't even know what time you made it at home. I'm not this house's guard." she defensively said.
And just as that, she started to regret on why did she even asked this witch. She shouldn't ask her in the first place. Why? Because of all people, this witch should be the last on whom can she expect a nice and sensible answer.
"I did it, Zai. And I'm sorry."
Her eyes flew from Haydie to someone who spoke as well all of a sudden. It was Haydie's nephew and his name is Zayne.
What he just said echoed multiple times on her mind.
"I did it, Zai. And I'm sorry."
"I did it, Zai. And I'm sorry."
"I did it, Zai. And I'm sorry."
So, it's him. So, it's freaking him?!
After processing Zayne's confession, she suddenly felt a rush coming in.
And seconds after, she felt her hand going up. And in an impulse, she just found herself giving him a hard and much deserve slap right in the face.
She heard someone gasp and even though she won't look, she can determine who was it exactly.
Like, who was it possibly other than an overreacting Haydie?
"O-Ouch. That hurts. Okay, that hurts." Zayne said after a while of being shocked and silent.
"Why did you do that?!" she shouted at his face, not giving a damn to his little complaint about the slap.
"I did that on purpose, okay? And I want you to hear me out first—"
"Yeah, of course, you did that on purpose! And that purpose is to disturb the hell out of me!" she shouted once again.
But instead of Zayne, Haydie was the one who speak.
"Do you really need to act up like you're some sort of a five-year-old kid? When will you grow up, Ezaiyah? When?" her stepmom said, which caused her to go even mad.
"Speaking all of a sudden between two consenting adults is an act of immaturity as well. And one more thing, I'm not asking you to be this man's spokesperson. Neither he did."
Haydie's eyes went wide as she heard that unexpected comeback from Ezaiyah.
"How dare you answer me like that, you...!"
"What?" she interrupted her immediately. "Why don't you just choose to shut that big mouth of yours instead of saying too much nonsensical sentences?"
"Don't talk like that to Aunt Haydie, Zai. She's still your mom—"
"No, she isn't. And she will never be."
The silence broke among the three of them as they all stared at the wrecked vehicle.
"What am I supposed to do with this now? Ride it down the city and be proud that I have this freaking car?" Ezaiyah sarcastically said.
"I'll just hire someone to get it done for you. Just stop menacing around. Or I'll just buy you a new one—"
"Using whom's money? My dad's? Oh, come on!"
"Zayne only did that to save you. It wasn't his fault that you let yourself drown in alcohol and didn't even bother to go get someone good enough to drop you home." her wicked stepmom said in return.
Ezaiyah felt shocked after hearing those words from her.
Zayne did what?
She suddenly felt her conscience kicking in. But she must not be easily fooled by these two. Breaking her beloved car's window isn't right still.
"You shouldn't have done that. You should've just let me by myself and—"
"And you should just thank this man beside you instead of blaming him for what he did to save you."
Ezaiyah closed her eyes shut, trying to prolong her remaining patience with her gossiping stepmom.
But then, she was sorry to tell them that she can't.
"Thank him? Really?" she asked before she let out a sarcastic and fake laugh. "And how about you? Should I thank you, too, for ruining my beloved family?"
The stepmom's eyes widened again as her hand raised and was about to slap Ezaiyah, but Zayne was able to catch her arm before it actually land on the young woman's cheeks.
Ezaiyah on the other hand, felt something strange. She automatically stepped back from where she was standing.
And she can't explain it in any specific way but... the thought of Haydie being so near to slapping her hurts more rather than annoying.
Shock enveloped Haydie's face, too. But she can't do anything but keep herself silent.
Ezaiyah, who was still in shock, turned her back already from those two as she run away from them.
She went straight to her room and search all her close friends' numbers. Giving only one and the same message to them all: "I won't go to work this day. Meet me at the bar we went to last night if you wanna join me in a blast."
Only hours later, Ezaiyah managed to fly away from their house with the use of one of the spare cars found in the mansion's garage.And just like her previous escapades, she chose not to tell anybody about where she would go or whom would she be with.Besides, wala naman talagang may pakialam sa kanya. Sa kung saan siya pupunta, kung ano'ng gagawin niya. No one cares about her genuinely.Well, aside from her mom who got her back as always. But that was before. Noong nabubuhay pa ito.Pero magmula nang iwan sila ng mommy niya, at nagpakasal ang daddy niya sa pangalawang pagkakataon na kay Haydie nga, pakiramdam niya ay nasira na ang buong buhay niya. Lalo pa noong namatay ang ama niya nang hindi man lang niya nalalaman ang dahil sa likod niyon.And since then, all that she feel is loneliness.Her stepmom, Haydie, is living with her, yes. But she's not been close to her even once. And if you wanna know why? Simple lang. It is just because instead of taking care of her, Haydie prioritize
Instead of home, Zayne took Ezaiyah to his office. Matatagpuan iyon sa gusaling pag-aari rin ng pamilya nito. He works there as the acting CEO. But to set the record straight, hindi niya inagaw ang posisyon na iyon kay Ezaiyah o sa kahit kanino. Sure, she is the one who supposed to be in his position. Iyon nga lang ay hindi naman ito nagbibigay ng maski katiting na atensiyon sa negosyong naiwan ng mga magulang nito.Kung hindi kasi busy sa shooting o taping, nasa photoshoot ito. At kung magkaka-break time naman ay pawang mga kaibigan lang din nito ang hinaharap nito. He barely sees her in their house. Bagay na gustung-gusto niya mang itanong sa dalaga ay mas pinili na lang din niyang huwag alamin. Ayaw kasi niyang isipin nito na masyado siyang pakialamero. Besides, he already turned her down several times. Hindi dahil sa hindi niya ito gusto o kung ano pa man. Of course, he loves her! Hindi nga lang sa paraan na gusto nito.He was ten years old when he met Ezaiyah for the first time.
After conditioning herself, Ezaiyah managed to enter the house without anyone seeing her.Mukhang wala rin doon ang madrasta niya dahil kadalasan ay sa porch ng garden house na nasa harap lang din ng main house ang tambayan nito. At kahit kataka-taka na nasa receiving area na siya pero hindi pa rin niya namamataan si Haydie, ay lihim na lang siyang nagdiwang sa loob-loob niya.Mukhang wala nga ang bruha. Well, at least, matatahimik ang buhay ko kahit ngayon lang---"Kung iniisip mo na magagawa mong pumasok ng kwarto mo nang hindi ako hinaharap, nagkakamali ka. What took you so early?"Napapikit ng mariin ang dalaga nang marinig ang tinig na iyon ng kanyang madrasta. She's more than sure that it's Haydie's. Siya lang naman kasi ang may nakakairitang boses dito at wala nang iba.Dahan-dahan siyang pumihit patalikod, sa direksiyon kung saan nagmula ang boses nito. Hindi nga siya nagkamali dahil pagkaharap na pagkaharap niya ay bumungad agad sa kanya ang madrasta niya na salubong na naman
One week after she had that talk with a stranger, Ezaiyah is now fixing her luggage for tomorrow's trip. Dahil oo, buo na ang pasya niya na sundin ang suhestiyon ng estranghero.Upon surfing on the internet, she found this intriguing place— an island to be exact, which according to its description is an infamous and ultra-exclusive when it comes to entertaining guests. Isa lang sa kada booking ang pinapayagang makapagbakasyon sa isla na iyon. Weird, isn't it? Pero kabaliktaran ang naramdaman ni Ezaiyah nang malaman niya ang tungkol sa bagay na iyon. She felt the sudden rush of excitement. Pakiramdam niya ay isa muli siyang teenager na susubok lumabas sa comfort zone sa pinakaunang pagkakataon.The place's name is 'Isla Amore de Esperanza'. It is found somewhere in Visayas. At dahil nga 'exclusive' at 'isolated' ang nasabing area ay hindi pinapayagan ang pag-landing ng kahit ano'ng uri ng sasakyang panghimpapawid. Meaning, ang tanging paraan lang para makapunta sa islang iyon ay ang pa
Kinabukasan. Gaya ng inaasahan ay maagang nagising si Ezaiyah.Alas tres ang is-in-et niyang alarm, pero alas dos y medya pa lang ng madaling araw ay gising na siya. Well, she always have that 'advanced body clock'. Laging mas nauuna pa siyang magising kaysa sa pagtunog ng naka-set niya nang alarm. Lalo na kapag may importante siyang pupuntahan o alam niyang may masayang mangyayari sa kanya kinabukasan niyon.Pagkatapos ng ilang minuto ng pagmumuni-muni ay bumangon na siya. Kailangan niya nang magsimulang kumilos nang sa ganoon ay makaalis na siya habang tulog pa ang lahat.Bago maligo ay naisipan niyang bumaba sa kitchen para gumawa ng kape. Medyo malamig kasi ang panahon, idagdag na naka-airconditioned pa ang buong kwarto niya.Habang naglalakad pababa ay sinisiguro niyang hindi siya nakagagawa ng kahit anong ingay. She better not wake anybody. Dahil kung hindi ay malaki ang magiging tsansa na masira lahat ng pinaplano niya—"What are you doing here this late?""Ay, kabayo!"Pagkata
Pasado alas tres y medya na nang sa wakas ay magawa ni Ezaiyah na lumabas ng bahay. It is a good thing that she is so good at sneaking. Nagawa niyang makalabas nang hindi nakakalikha ng kahit ano'ng ingay na posibleng ikagising ng mga kasama niya sa bahay. Lalung-lalo na si Haydie na may sixth sense yata o kung anong radar na mabilis itong makarinig at makahalata ng mga bagay-bagay.Hindi na siya nagdala ng kahit ano pang sasakyan. She just walked away from their huge mansion and went straight to the road proper. Doon siya mag-aabang ng masasakyan. Hindi naman na siya nangangamba na baka may makakilala sa kanya dahil una sa lahat ay normal at kaswal na damit lang ang suot niya— plain hoodie na pinaresan niya ng leggings at rubber shoes. Isa pa, she has her mask on. Idagdag pa na gumawa siya ng kaunting disguise sa sarili niya para kahit papaano ay makadagdag sa kanya ng assurance na hindi talaga siya makikilala ng kahit sino.Alas singko pa naman ang nakatakdang pag-alis ng bangka na
Pasado alas singko na ng umaga nang mamataan niya ang pagdating ng isang may-katandaan nang lalaki. Sa tingin niya at kung hindi siya nagkakamali ay isa itong bangkero. Iyon nga lang, imbis na sa mga bangka ay sa kanila ito unang lumapit. Oo, sa kanila.Kanina kasi, wala pa halos sampung minuto pagkaupo niya sa waiting area ay may isa pang dumating na gaya niya ay mukhang may pupuntahan din. She easily sensed it because... nevermind. Lalaki iyon at matangkad, dahilan para pakiramdam niya ay biglang sumikip sa maliit na ngang waiting area na kinaroroonan niya. Idagdag pa na may dala rin itong malaking travelling bag."Kayo ho ba iyong bibiyahe pa- Isla Amore de Esperanza?" nakangiting usisa agad nang may-katandaang lalaki paglapit pa lang sa kanila.Kayo? Hindi niya na lang pinansin ang parte ng sinabing iyon ng lalaki at tumango na lang. She even smiled back at him, even a bit."Uhm, opo. I am heading to Isla Amore de Esperanza. Kayo po ba ang magdadala sa akin doon?" pagkumpirma at
Wala pang isang oras mula nang sumakay si Chase sa bangka pero ramdam na ramdam niya na ang pagkasagad ng pasensiya niya.At oo, ang babaeng kasama niya sa biyahe ang dahilan niyon.Wala naman talaga siyang balak na pansinin ito o tingnan man lang. Pero nang magsimula ito kanina sa pamamagitan ng pagtusok sa hita niya, hindi niya na alam kung paano pa aalisin sa utak niya ang imahe ng babaeng iyon. And every glimpse of her made his patience gradually disappear.Sinabayan pa ito ng bangkero na napagkamalan silang mag-asawa. Damn. What the heck with these two?!Sa kabila ng pangungulit ng nakakairitang babae ay pinanindigan niya pa rin ang hindi pagpansin dito. Well, not until she went beyond his tolerance."Isa pang hindi mo pagpansin sa akin, itatapon ko na talaga itong mga gamit mo. Plus, I'm gonna push you off to the waters!"Inis na binalingan niya ang babae. Hindi dahil sa natatakot na siya sa pagbabanta nito, kundi gusto niya lang na tumigil na ito sa pangungulit sa kanya. At kun