Chapter 22 – Her Karma.

Three days lang siya sa ibang bansa pero pakiramdam ni Ethan, tatlong buwan siyang nawala sa dami agad ng natambak na trabaho niya.

Andrea was disappointed na ginawa niya lang probinsya ng Pilipinas ang New York dahil sa balikan lamang na byahe. Pagdating nila ni Felicity roon ay araw na ng birthday ng kanyang ina. Then the day after, umalis na rin sila. Isa pa, bakit naman sila magtatagal doon kung hindi man lang nagawa ni Andrea na ngitian si Felicity kahit na peke lang? His poor girlfriend was very nervous the whole time.

May jet lag pa nga si Ethan dahil sa mabilis na paglipat-lipat niya ng time zone. Pero pumasok pa rin siya sa opisina. He was never the person to take a meaningless rest when he had more important works to do. Gano'n ang pagpapayaman. Gano'n iwala ang sarili mula sa mga pangyayaring hindi na niya mababalikan para baguhin pa.

Isa pang dahilan kaya pinili niyang 'wag magpahinga ay dahil sa message ni Michael na may resulta na ang pagpapaimbestiga niya kay Shanna.

Hindi niya maintindihan pero hindi maganda ang kutob niya sa malalaman. What did Shanna do this time? Was he about to find something disgraceful?

"Good morning, Mr. E," bati ni Michael pagdating niya. Sumunod ito agad sa kanya sa kanyang opisina.

"'Morning," he murmured as he put his things on his table. Naupo siya at binuksan ang laptop habang pinapakinggan ang schedules for the day niya na nirerecite ng kanyang assistant. "So, what did you find out about Shanna?" He cut him. Na-bore na kasi siya sa schedule niya.

"Mr. E," tumikhim muna si Michael bago inayos ang suot nitong salamin. Ethan noticed na tila namumula ang mga mata nito.

"Are you sick?" Tanong niyang tinanggap ang envelope na iniabot nito.

"No, Sir... But I'm not sure if you would want to know where Miss Montenegro was taking the company's money."

"What do you mean?" Sa halip na buksan ang envelope, inilapag niya lang muna iyon sa mesa niya nang tumunog ang kanyang cellphone. Dinampot niya ang aparato at sinagot iyon. "Hello, Mr. Stevens. Yes, I was about to call you..."

Nagpaalam si Michael na lalabas na. Tumango lang siya rito. Pero habang kausap ang isa sa big time clients niya, hindi maalis ng binata ang tingin sa envelope na nasa mesa niya.

Strange, pero may kabang bumundol sa dibdib niya nang mahawakan niya iyon kanina. He was dying to know what was inside that envelope.

***

"You asked for me, Mr. E?" Bungad ni Shanna pagpasok nito sa opisina niya.

Sa tingin ni Ethan, alam na ng pinsan niya kung bakit niya ito ipinatawag. Walang bahid ng remorse ang mukha nito and he hated it so much that she could still look at him eye to eye despite what she did. Ang kapal lang talaga ng mukha!

"What did you do this for, Shanna?" He threw the envelope to her. Hindi ito nag-abalang saluhin iyon kaya kumalat sa sahig ang mga papeles na laman no'n."Really? You did this to me?!" Mataas kaagad ang boses niya.

Those papers gave him the shock of his life. Nang mabasa niya ang mga iyon kanina, nanikip nang husto ang dibdib niya.

He couldn't accept the betrayal. Hindi iyon ang kalokohang ginagawa ni Shanna na in-expect niya.

Why did it have to be Ally?

"I promised Allison not to tell you, but to hell with it! Ethan, you deserved to know the truth!" Matapang na tugon ng pinsan niya.

"You led me to the truth by using my money for some charity that you made for a traitor?" Galit niyang tanong.

Sa shelter kung saan naroon si Allison inilagak ni Shanna ang malalaking halaga galing mismo sa kanyang kompanya. He knew it that Shanna was intentionally doing the embezzlement. She wanted him to investigate her. And that way, he would find out about Allison without her having to say it to him upfront.

Why? Did she think he would give a d*mn about that woman?

So what if she has cancer? Maybe it was her karma catching up with her! She could die for all he cares.

"Traitor, huh?" Sarcastic na balik ni Shanna. "Really, Ethan? Hanggang ngayon ba naman, naniniwala ka pa ring ipinagpalit ka ni Ally sa pera? I'm so disappointed with you, Ethan! Ikaw ang mas nakakikilala sa babaeng mahal mo and yet you did not see through her lies!" Dagdag na sumbat nito.

They haven't really talked about his breakup with Ally before. Kaya aminin man niya o hindi, nagugulat siya sa sobrang hinanakit na kalakip ng bawat salitang binibitawan ni Shanna ngayon.

"What do you know?" Galit ding sagot niya. Ito ba ang nasaktan? Ito ba ang ipinagpalit sa malaking halaga? No! It was him. No one knew what he felt when the one woman he thought was the only good and real thing in his life turned out to be just after his money!

He was willing to forgive. He was willing to give her more if only she chose to stay with him.

But what did Allison say? She said she never loved him.

Did anyone have the slightest idea about how her words killed him? No. No one!

"If Allison spent the money, why would she end up in that shelter? Dapat magaling na siya, Ethan! Did you ever ask your mother if that check she issued to Ally has ever been negotiated?! No! Because you were too blinded by your pain! You failed to see through Allison! You failed her, Ethan..." Humulagpos ang mga luha ni Shanna while he was taken aback with what she said. "You never really cared to know the truth!"

She was right. He didn't try to find out whether she really spent the money.

But whatever the truth was, did it change the fact that she never loved him?

"If you want your money back so bad, I'd pay it. Don't worry." patuloy ni Shanna na marahas na pinipigil ang mga luha nito. "I get it that you hate Ally so much. But don't blame me for wanting to extend her life even just for a short time. She's my friend. It's a pity that the man who claimed he loved her couldn't show even just a little care for her condition right now."

Hindi siya nakapagsalita. Why was he suddenly at a loss for words? Did Shanna hit a nerve?

"It's not worth letting you know about Allison. I should've just listened to her." Tumalikod na ang pinsan niya.

He watched her leave with an aching heart.

'Why, Ethan? Are you regretting your decision now?'

He slammed his hands on his table. Sa lakas ay halos magsitilapon ang mga naroon sa ibabaw noon.

Ethan couldn't understand what he was feeling. Parang may kung anong gustong maghumiyaw sa loob niya.

Without a particular thought in mind, sinundan niya si Shanna and found her beside his assistant. Umiiyak ang dalawa habang nakatingin sa kung ano sa desktop monitor ni Michael.

"What are you still doing here?" Asik niya sa pinsan.

Tiningnan lang siya ni Shanna nang masama bago ito tuluyang nagmartsa palabas. Si Michael naman ay agad pinatay ang monitor nito at inayos ang salamin nitong hilam sa luha.

"Open it," utos niya.

"Mr. E, I'm sorry. But you must understand..." Nanginginig ito sa takot.

He must look like a volcano that was about to erupt that moment. Maging siya ay natatakot sa nararamdaman niyang matinding galit.

"Open it!" He shouted.

Tarantang sumunod si Michael sa gusto niya. He opened his monitor for him.

"Mr. E, Allison is my friend too... Please, I'll just delete it. It's not going to happen again..."

Pero halos hindi na rin naman niya naririnig si Michael. His attention zeroed to the image of a smiling Allison on his computer screen.

She was smiling alright.

But gone was the twinkle in her eyes that captivated his heart the very first time he saw her. All he saw in that picture was the loneliness on top of her very thin appearance.

Allison Garcia wasn't doing well at all.

Hindi niya alam kung paano siya umalis sa mesa ni Michael o kung kailan niya binawi ang tingin sa nakangiting imahe ni Allison.

But through blurry eyes, he managed to go back to his office.

Pero wala naman siyang ibang maisip at makita kundi ang mukha ni Allison.

Ethan later found himself destroying everything inside his office. Wala na siyang pakialam kung may importante bang mawawasak doon o wala.

Ang mahalaga, mapakawalan niya ang sakit na nasa dibdib niya nang mga sandaling iyon.

Michael, who heard the noise from his boss' office, rushed to check what was happening. But he stopped by the door when he saw Ethan's shaking shoulders.

The man was crying...