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#DS6Unwavering #CirCoal #SharkFamily #DaggerSeries

CHAPTER THIRTY: DISTANCE

CIRCE'S POV

I should be confident. I should feel secure. After all, that was what I was feeling just three weeks ago, right? But then it happened. I felt something shifting... changing.

Coal seems a bit distant. He's always on the phone. Always busy, always away. I understand that he's focusing on the case. Alam ko na gusto niya lang kaming protektahan ni Kaise. And it wasn't just him. I was also preoccupied with training and all the wedding stuff.

But something feels different. Sometimes he can't hold my eyes for a long time, when before he couldn't stop doing it. He rarely answers my texts when he's away. He almost never calls me. May mga pagkakataon na natatagpuan ko siya na malalim ang iniisip. Even his sleep changes. He's up early, like he's having trouble sleeping. Something he told me stopped happening when I'm sleeping beside him.

I don't know when or why it happened. Basta isang araw nagising na lang ako na may nararamdaman akong mga nagbabago. And I'm scared. I'm too scared to speak out. Too scared to ask him what's going on.

Napapabuntong-hininga na hinarap ko ang pag-aayos sa mga gamit ni Kaise. Napatigil lang ako sa paglalagay ng mga laruan na nakakalat sa sala sa kahon na hawak ko nang marinig ko ang binabalita sa TV. Kinuha ko ang remote at bahagya ko iyong nilakasan. There's another news in Siargao about missing people, and a name they mentioned caught my attention.

"Oh my god," I whispered.

Pakiramdam ko ay may gumagapang na kilabot sa akin nang ipakita roon ang larawan ng isang babae. The memory of her face flashes in my mind. Nang makabanggaan ko siya at nang minsan ko siyang makita sa Isla Brews.

I found my lips calling out Nevan. It didn't take him long to rush inside the house. His body was tight with tension, and his eyes were alarmed as he surveyed the place as if looking for threats.

Nanlalamig na tinuro ko ang telebisyon. "It's her, right? Iyong turista sa Siargao. Her name's Samantha."

The way he immediately took his phone out of his pocket and walked out of the house again was enough of an answer.

Yakap ang sarili na umupo ako sa sofa habang pinapanood ang balita. They said that her case was the same as the others. Same MO. Sinimot din lahat ng laman ng bangko niya maging ang mga dala niyang devices. Her ticket back to her country was never used. Her employer is looking for her, and so is her friend. She has no family.

Kinuha ko ang cellphone ko na nasa coffee table nang mag-vibrate iyon. A part of me is hoping that it's Coal. He was being his usual self, telling me not to worry or simply asking me if I was okay. But it wasn't him.

Binuksan ko ang group chat ng Yogi Babes. They saw the news as well, and they were all freaking out. I told them that I'd seen her. Turns out, hindi lang pala ako dahil nakita rin ni Alina si Samantha dahil nagkasabay sila sa isang session ni Ashton.

Nika said that it's a good thing that we're not there. Pinayuhan niya rin si Corine at Rebecca na huwag munang ituloy ang balak nilang pagbalik sa Siargao. Even Julie was forced to take a flight last night to Manila because her parents, who were scared for her, begged her to.

After I talked to them, I was about to get back to cleaning when my phone rang. Unregistered ang number na nakalagay doon. Nagtataka man ay sinagot ko ang tawag.

"Hello?"

"Don't hang up."

To say that I was surprised is an understatement. It's been years since I last heard his voice. I blocked him from ever reaching me again. Kahit ang mga email niya ay sa spam lang napupunta.

My hand tightened on the phone. "Eleazar."

"Don't hang up, please. It's important."

"Are you dying?"

"No. Of course not—"

"Are my parents dying?"

"No!" Malakas na bumuntong-hininga siya. "I need to talk to you. I know I deserve that you've been freezing me out. Naiintindihan ko kung hindi mo gugustuhin na makausap ako. But it's really important that we talk face to face."

"That's not a good idea."

"I know that you're having troubles. You can bring someone with you. Please," he pleaded.

"Bakit hindi mo na lang sabihin sa akin ngayon? Bakit kailangan ko pang makipagkita sa'yo?"

"It's not something I can just tell you. I need to show something to you so you'll believe me. Then maybe... maybe we can fix our—"

I can't believe him. After all these years, does he really think that I will go back to him? "No. There's no fixing us. If that's all this is about, then I would need to decline."

"Circe, please. Let's just... let's just talk. I won't bother you again after this if that's what you want."

Hindi ko siya nasagot agad nang pumasok si Nevan ng bahay kasunod si Warrick na alam kong kararating lang. Their faces are both grim, and I have a feeling that this is not just because of the news about the missing people.

"We received another letter addressed to you," Warrick informed me.

Sandaling nakatingin lang ako sa kanila. I know they're feeling the same thing. Whoever is doing this knows that he's running out of time. He's starting to become desperate, and when he does, things will begin to escalate.

"If you want a virtual meeting, I could set it up for you," Nevan said.

"Circe?"

Napahugot ako ng malalim na hininga nang marinig ko ang boses ni Eleazar. He's really trying my patience. "Today. The Dawson's Nook. If you're not there in two hours, I'm going to leave. Marami akong bagay na kailangan unahin, Eleazar. I'm so over this. Over us. I'm doing this for the last time."

I didn't wait for him, and I ended the call. I didn't want to hear whatever he was going to say. Kung ako nga ang tatanungin ay ayoko na siyang makita.

This is the last time.

I turned to Warrick. "We can go to the office. Basta may maiiwan dito kila Kaise. I have someone I need to meet."

I CONVINCED Nevan not to tell Coal that I was meeting Eleazar. I want to be the one to tell him. Isa pa ay kaya nga sa TDN ko kikitain si Eleazar ay dahil kung anuman ang kahihinatnan ng pag-uusapan namin ay nasa tapat lang ang opisina ng Dagger. Maybe that's why Nevan didn't hesitate that much.

Naiwan kasama ni Tala at ni Kaise si Warrick. I'm fortunate that she's with us, so I'm comfortable leaving my daughter. I'm sure she's sensing there's something going on. I'm sure I haven't been hiding it that well, even though we haven't talked about it. Kung sa sarili ko ang hirap aminin na may problema paano pa kaya sa iba?

But I will talk to Coal. Soon. I can't stay like this. It's been weeks. I can't keep second guessing everything.

The moment I stepped foot inside TDN, I knew that there was no way that the conversation with Eleazar would go smoothly.

Not when he brought my parents with him.

Vile rose up in my throat as I walked towards them. Di kalayuan ay kita ko si Mireia na nakatingin sa direksyon namin. She looks alert, as if she's ready to call her husband in any second now. I gave her a small smile to alleviate the tension in the room, but I'm not sure if it worked.

I stopped in front of the three people waiting for me. "This is a surprise," I said bleakly.

I saw my adoptive mother look at my father. When my father didn't speak, she did the same. As expected of her.

Oliviro Andino didn't look like he blended into the cozy atmosphere of TDN. He looks so out of place. Hindi man lang niya nagalaw ang kape na nasa harapan niya na para bang kahit hindi pa natitikman iyon ay alam niya ng hindi niya na magugustuhan iyon. Because nothing that doesn't cost much is worthy of touching his lips.

Beside him, like his perfect queen, is Agatha Andino. She has always been beautiful. Neat without a hair out of place. Like a perfectly polished trophy.

Looking at her now, I can see that she doesn't hold a candle to my biological mother. They both have foreign blood, but that wasn't what made Cassia Gersalino above her. She saw things, felt things, and nothing could dim her vibrance. Not even cancer. Cassia was full of life until the end.

Kalmadong umupo ako sa tabi ng ina ko. It's the only vacant chair. I fixed my eyes on Eleazar. He has a plaster on his bruising nose. If I cared, I would have asked him what happened, but I really just want to get this over with. "I think you failed to mention a lot of things, Eleazar."

Nagpalipat-lipat ang tingin niya sa akin at sa ama ko. "Circe..."

"I told you. Marami akong bagay na kailangang unahin. I don't know why you brought them with you, and I don't know what you need from me. So if I were you, I would start speaking."

He cleared his throat. He looks highly uncomfortable. "We want you back home. It's been too long, Circe."

"We?"

"That's why they come with me—to ask you to come back."

I doubt that. "Why would I come back?"

"I—"

"I made it clear to you before. Wala akong balak makipagbalikan sa'yo. Wala rin akong balak bumalik sa kanila," sabi ko at tinuro ko ang mag-asawang Andino. "As far as I know, I already been disowned. I didn't fight. I didn't ask for anything. Kaya bakit ngayon nandito kayo? It's been three years that I didn't hear a peep from any of you."

"You blocked me."

"You're hanging out with a man with an unquestionable background."

Kumuyom ang mga kamay ko nang magsalita ang ama ko. "What?"

"That Coal Dawson."

"I don't know who your source is, but maybe you should fire him. Coal literally works alongside the public authorities, and you're saying that he has an unquestionable background?"

"He's been in prison," singit ni Eleazar.

They were all looking at me as if they were expecting a huge reaction from me. Coal and I talked about this before. It was a passing topic that we didn't focus on. Napakaliit kasi na bagay niyon. He wasn't really "in" prison. He was held in a holding cell for awhile for questioning when he mediated with a couple who were fighting. The man was forcing the woman to come with him when she clearly didn't want to. When Coal tried to help the woman, the man attacked him. Coal let him get a punch in before he punched back. He was twenty-one at the time, if I'm right.

"And?"

"He's known for being a repeat offender of speeding."

Laughter bubbled out of me. This is ridiculous. "You're judging him for having speeding tickets? You?" I looked at them in disbelief. "Kayo talaga ang may gana na manghusga? Questionable background? That's rich coming from you guys. Dapat nga ako ang meron no'n. Dahil sa koneksyon ko sa inyo."

"Circe," my father said with a warning in his tone.

Inignora ko siya at muli kong tinutok ang mga mata ko kay Eleazar. "Is that it?"

"He assaulted me!" Nanginginig sa galit na itinuro niya ang mukha niya. "You were never a good judge of character, Circe. Iyon ba talaga ang klase ng tao na gusto mong nakapaligid sa anak mo?"

I can feel my blood boiling. I was a pretty chill person. I hate feeling angry.

I'm not surprised even a bit by what he said. That he's been assaulted, and it's Coal who did it. Coal had mentioned that Eleazar was brought to Dagger for questioning. Bukod doon ay wala na siyang iba pang sinabi. I should have known that there was no way that meeting Eleazar would end peacefully. Eleazar can bring the worst out of anyone.

"The question is, what did you do to deserve it?" Namula ang mukha niya sa galit pero inunahan ko siya na magsalita. "But you're right. I'm not a good judge of character. If I was, you wouldn't be here because I would have not given you a cent of my attention from the very beginning."

That pierce through. I could see that.

"What we have was good. We were good together,"

Umiling ako. "That's what I believed to. Until I had better."

"Hindi ka pa rin nagbabago." Mapait na ngumiti ang ama ko. "You're still ignorant and gullible. I see, being a mother didn't change that. We were right when we told you to abort that child. Anong klaseng buhay ang maibibigay mo sa kaniya kung ganiyan na hanggang ngayon ay hindi mo alam kung paanong gamitin ang utak mo?"

There was so much that I could say. I wanted to scream at him. Gusto ko siyang sumbatan. But there's nothing that I could say or do that would be right for him. For them. And unlike what he said, I had already changed. Matagal na. Because I no longer want to prove myself to him. I don't need him to understand me because he will never do so. Not when he can only hear himself.

"Just come back, Circe," Eleazar pleaded. "We can fix this. That woman... she was nothing to me. It was just a moment of weakness."

A moment of weakness. As far as I can remember, when I asked him how long it had been going on, he said it was more than a year. That's not a moment of weakness. He's just weak. "There's nothing to fix."

Inangat ko ang kamay ko at pinatong ko iyon sa lamesa. His gaze dropped instantly to the ring on my finger. Anger colored his face.

"He's playing you." Nang manatili lang akong nakatingin sa kaniya ay may inilabas siya na sobre sa loob ng bulsa ng suot niya. Without waiting for me, he took out the contents. "He's not who you think he is."

There are images of screenshots in front of me. Conversations after conversations with a number familiar to me. It was Coal's.

I can feel the coldness coming back, going straight to my veins. I didn't let anything show. Nilikom ko ang mga larawan at blangko ang ekspresyon na sinalubong ko ang mga mata ng lalaki. "How did you get this?"

"That... I..."

"What? Did you fabricate this?"

"Of course not!" namumula ang mukha na tanggi niya. "He's been texting someone I know."

I studied him for a moment. I know he thinks I'm stupid, but I'm not.

I thought he was only here for me. That his anger is because of me and Coal and the fact that he assaulted him. But there's more.

I don't know how. Hindi ko alam kung paanong naging posible. But I will get my answer, and it won't be through these people.

"You mean the woman you've been fucking while we were together?" My mother gasped as if she couldn't believe how crass I was being. Unbelievable. "Thank you for this. Is that it?"

"You're making a mistake," Eleazar said.

"The only mistake I made was agreeing to this meeting."

Tumayo ako pero hindi ako kaagad umalis. I looked at my mother for a few seconds before I turned my gaze to my father. I have a feeling that this will be the last time I would see them. Kasi alam ko sa sarili ko na gagawin ko ang lahat para ito na ang maging huli.

"I stayed out of your life. The least you could do is do the same. Kahit ano pang ipasok ni Eleazar sa utak niyo, please believe me when I say that there's nothing in this world that can make me go back to the man who cheated on me. Eleazar wants to be connected to the Andinos by marrying me. You want the same thing. Bakit hindi na lang kayo ang magpakasal?"

My mother speaks for the first time, as if to admonish me. "Circe!"

I looked at my mother— no. I should learn not to call her that anymore. "You tried. Thank you for that. But we both know that you weren't my mother. You were just there because I'm a responsibility that has been dropped in front of you. You didn't treat me cruelly, but you also didn't protect me. Now I understand why. You can't even free yourself from the clutches of my father, so how could you do the same for anyone?" I looked at Olivero Andino. For the last time. "You have no excuse. You're just a terrible human being. You didn't physically hurt me, but you still managed to scar me. Sa matagal na panahon paulit-ulit kong iniisip kung bakit kinuha mo ko sa nanay ko? You hate that I exist, and you made sure that I will feel that every second of my life, but you let me have your name and live inside your house. Then I realized, I was an investment. The moment that I could be of use, you pawn me to the highest bidder. Too bad, right? I'm a human who refuses to be sold."

I turned to leave, but I stopped. "My daughter's name is Kailani Sereia Dawson. She is mine. You have no right to speak of her or think of her. She's mine. Anong buhay ang maibibigay ko sa kaniya? A life where she's loved. Buhay na hindi niya kailangan kuwestiyunin ang bagay na iyon. We don't need you. Not your money, not your connection, not anyone of you. She already has everything. She has more than anyone of you can give her. She doesn't need to have an extraordinary life. She doesn't need to be successful. She doesn't need to marry someone wealthy. She doesn't need to be anything because I will love her no matter what." Tinuro ko si Eleazar na nakangangang nakatingin sa akin. This is a waste of time. Kahit anong gawin niya, kahit anong ipakita niya sa akin, kahit magtagumpay man siya na alisin si Coal sa buhay ko... hindi na ako babalik sa kaniya. "You can shove this cheating bastard on your throat because you can't force me to marry him. I'd rather die than to do that." Inangat ko ang mga larawan na hawak ko. "You're here for this? Para maipamukha niyo sa akin na nagkamali ako? Guess what? I don't care. Coal and I could break up today and nothing will change. I will not go back. I would rather be alone than to go back. So please. Stay away from me. Wala kayong makukuha sa akin at wala akong kailangan sa inyo. Leave me alone or the next time we will see each other, I will scream so loud so the world can hear me and I will drag your reputation until there's none of it left."

Pagkasabi niyon ay tuluyan ko na silang tinalikuran ako lumabas na ako ng establisyimento. I could feel Nevan following me as I crossed the road towards the Dagger headquarters.

I need to see him. I need him to tell me that what Eleazar was claiming was wrong. I need Coal to tell me that everything will be okay. I need him to tell me that we're okay. I need him to tell me that he wouldn't hurt me that way.

The doors of the building opened at the same time that I stepped foot inside, and the elevator opened, revealing Coal, who has a dim expression on his face. I opened my lips to call him, but before I could do so, a woman walked past me, and she ran straight into his arms.

My hands loosened from grasping the pictures I was holding as I watched them. His arms automatically wrapped around her... and his lips were on hers.

________________________________End of Chapter 30.