Chapter 16 Pretending

Mabigat ang loob ni Zoe habang binabagtas niya ang opisina ng kanyang ate. Gulong gulo parin siya sa natuklasan niya. Di siya makapaniwala sa lahat. She needs to hear the truth from her sister. Why dad has suspicion on her. Bumalik ulit sa alaala ni Zoe ang mga nakaraan when she was being told lies.

“Oh! Zoe why are you here?”

“Tell me this is not true ate.”

Nilapag ni Zoe ang folder sa table ni trisha. Nagtatakang binuksan ito ng kapatid at tiningnan ang laman. Nung una ay shock ito ng makita ang picture niya but sudeenly Trisha’s face changed.

“So you hired an investigator?”

“Why ate ? Bakit mo nagawa kay Lexie to? I thought you want me to be happy but why you make this things to Lexie?”

“Lexie? Oh poor Zoe until now wala parin alam. Well I think I will this is the time na sasabihin ko sayo ang totoo. Kawawa ka kasi.”

“Ate ikaw ba yung naririnig ko ngayon? Why did you change. You’ve been supporting me through all these years. Then why so sudden you changed into like this.”

“Well, sorry Zoe mali lahat nag inaakala mo sakin. All those years that I’ve been your supporter well it’s just an act. Di mo ba alam gaano ka annoying na maging supportive mong kapatid. My gosh how many years din ako nagtiis na maging supportive sa walang kwenta mong life. And now finally masasabi ko na ang totoo. Zoe I hate you.”

“No that’s not true, your not pretending. Your just messing me.”

“Does dad never tell you the truth why im out at the house? Still tinatago parin niya sayo?”

“Diko maintindihan. Bakit ka ba kasi nagkakaganyan. Please naman ate ayusin natin to.”

“Ayusin? Tanga ka ba talaga Zoe, till now di mo parin magets ang ginawa ko. Lexie is just a collateral damage of all this. Ikaw talaga ang gustong sirain that’s the truth. And because hurting Lexie would hurt you more so I choose to made Lexie’s life worst.”

Di makapaniwala si Zoe sa narinig niya sa kapatid. After all those years na hinahangaan niya ang ate niya ngayon unti unting nglaho.

“No di yan totoo ate. Why your doing this? Ikaw ang laging naging sandigan ko.”

“Yeah that’s true I was always there when you need me. Hays… I really thought effective nga yung plan ko. But unfortunately kulang parin lahat ng pagpapanggap.”

“Bakirt kailangan mo magpanggap. Bakit di mo sabihin sakin kung ano ang reason. Why kailangan pa masali ni Lexie?”

“Well Zoe I thought if I could be always there for you and doing things that could help you, dad would see that I be more deserve to be that perfect daughter. Which his will be the next Cepeda who will manage everything he has now. Ako dapat ang nasa position mo. But still he choice her own blood even that can cause her reputation down.”

“So you only do all of this just to pleased dad. Everything you’ve done for me is all fake dahil gusto mo lang ibida ang sarili mo kay dad. Ganun ba yun?”

“Exactly! now you already get it. Bravo Zoe nakuha mo rin.”

Ate I never treat you bad. Why you see me as an enemy. I never want this position if you just told me that you want this I will not accept dads offer. Mas gugustohin kong mamuhay ng simple kaysa magkakaganyan ka.”

“Really? Well Zoe di ganun kadali na makuha ang loob ni dad. Ever since he never offers me to be part of his company. Nung malaman ko na nagpanggap lang siya na itakwil ka doon ko nalaman na di ako makikita ni dad hanggang andiyan ka.”

“You know that I never wanted any of this ate. My family is more important to me than this. I just can’t uderstand na kailangan mo pang umabot na manira ng ibang tao para lang sa ganito.”

“Oh don’t be dramatic Zoe. You knew how unfair dad to us because you’re his true daughter kahit pa sabihin mo sa kanya na di mo gusto ang company niya he will still beg you and wait for you na manahin lahat. That’s why I plan to sabotage your love life so that ikaw na ang susuko sa sitwasyon and be miserable again. By that time dad will change mind about giving his company to you at makikita na niya sino karapat dapat na maging tagasunod niya.”

“Why are you being like this ate alam mo naman na kahit kailan dika tinuring ni dad na iba. Di ko nga nalaman about you being not her true daughter. He loves you and gave you everything you want just what she gave me.”

“Alam mo wala sa 10 percent ng kayaman ni dad ang mga bagay na ito Zoe. This company I work this is not the legacy of dad. It was was just a puppet company. Ito ang binigay niya sakin. Ni hindi man lang niya ako sinama para lang makasalamuha sa nakapaligid sa kanya. Kailangan ko pang e build ang sarili ko para lang makita ako ng iba. Tapos sasabihin mo sa akin dad is fair to us.”

“I thought sa ating tatlo kuya Abe is more to be like this. Greed for power but unfortunately ikaw pala ate. Diko alam kung papano ko ipapaintindi sayo ang lahat. Pero I think matagal na ata naging manhid ka sa pagmamahal namin ni dad so its useless na mag explain pa ako. Pero I will remind you stop making Lexie’s life miserable because I will not hesitate myself nextime to file a case against you. Wag mong hintayin makalimutan na kapatid kita.”

“Oh really kaya mo akong ipakulong. Kaya mong edrag ang family natin sa kahihiyahin. Don’t scare me Zoe cause I planned this long time ago. Alam ko ang kahinaan mo.”

“Then try me ate. And this is the last time that I will talk to you about this.”

“Well if you say so. Bring it on sister. Let’s see gaano kana katapang ngayon.”

Di maiwasan ni Zoe na masaktan ng sobra at manghinayang sa mga panahon inakala niya na naging sandigan ng buhay niya ang kanyang ate. Ang lahat pala ng mga ginawa nito ay isa lang pagpapanggap. Di niya akalain sa tagal na panahon ay di siya nakadama sa kasinungalingan ng ate niya sa pikitungo nito.