SYNOPSIS (Chapter Fourty One: My Only Strength) [Richard' PO!"!

# I open the eye lo$ly reali%ing &y head hurt ! Na apo 'o yung noo 'o (ecau e o) &y head ache! I didnt and cant open the eye co&pletely due to the un that truc' &y )ace! Ma yadong &ara&i lang talaga a'ong naino& 'aga(i! I $a a(out to tand up $hen I )eel an ar& around &y che t and a leg on &y leg ! I co&pletely open &y eye and I $a hoc' on $hat I a$! *Shit+* I cu and tand up ,uic'ly! She $a a$a'en (ecau e o) &y cu !

*-hat the hell I a& doing here.+* I a ' angrily! Shit+ /a'it 'o 'ata(i tong (a(aeng to+ Shit Richard+ Shit+ *Rich!!!* She $a a(out to touch &e $hen I a0oid to top her *1nong nangyari.+ Mang nagyari (a.+ 2a.+* She tarted to cry! Shit+ I hate eeing $o&en cry e pecially $hen I a& the rea on $hy! *Shh!!! -ag 'ang u&iya'! 1no (a to. Paano a'o napunta dito.+ 2a.+ 1n $er &e+* *Rich3 I a$ You $ere drun' at the /ar and I decided na dalhin 'a dito a condo 'o para &a'atulog 'a! /ut you pulled &e and tarted to 'i &e and I cant get out+ I'a$ ang &ay ga$a nitong lahat+* She tarted to cry again! Shit+ 4hi i all &y )ault+ *1no.+ Shit+* I cu again! -hat a (ig trou(le thi i na na&an+ I hate thi + 1rghh+ Paano a'o niyo &a'i'iu ap 'ay 5a$n.+ Shet+ I tand up and tarted to pic' &y clothe and $ear the& ,uic'ly! *-here are you going. Ii$an &o nalang a'o.+ -ala nalang (a yun.* *Shit 1ndrea+ 4hat houldnt happen+ Mali ito+* *Richard!!!* She tood3 'neeling on the (ed $ith the co&)orter co0ering her (ody! *!!!&ahal 'ita! Mahal na &ahal+* *Shut it 1ndrea+ Si 5a$n ang &ahal 'o+ Not you+* *5i(a3 tayo na&an talaga dati. Nung du&ating lang yang 5a$n nayan3 he too' e0erything )ro& &e Richard+ 2indi niya a'o tinirhan+ Pati i'a$ 'inuha 'a niya a'in+* *She' not into thi 1ndrea+ She doe nt e0en 'no$ that he'll (eco&e the 6&ily on the role+ -ala iyang 'a alanan dito+* *7a alanan niyang lahat to Richard! Nang dahil a'anya3 hini$alayan &o a'o+ No$ I a& here Rich! 2indi 'ita ini$an+ Siya ang nang i$an ayo+*

*5ont ay tho e $ord + I 'no$ he lo0e &e+ 2indi niya 'o 'ayang i$an+ 7aya3 you (etter hut up or el e3 &a'a'ali&utan 'ong (a(ae 'a!* 1)ter that con0er ation3 I $ent out ide the condo and ha0e the 4a8i ho&e! I called 1ga!!! 9Phone Call9 *Pare+ :ong ti&e no call! 1no na.* She a ' *Pare3 can you help &e plea e.* *Saan. I it a(out your urpri e date )or 5a$n or!!! *Pare3 he' (een 'idnap (y o&eone! Can you plea e )igure that out!* *2uh. -ell!!!* *Pare3 ige na! I really need your help!* *Sige pare! I'll try &y (e t!* *Sala&at pare!* 9Call 5rop9 I al o called 1lice and "i0ian to a ' i) they 'no$ $here he i ! /ut they ha0e the a&e urpri e reaction! 1nd hindi nila ala& 'ung na aan iya! I tell the& the $hole tory at our &eet up and decided to contact her! /ut the line i (u y! 2er phone i o))! *-here are you 5a$n.* [5a$n' P!O!"!# I $o'e up (e ide &y daughter3 Ce 'a! I &anage to pull a &ile upon eeing her! She' a cutie and a (ra0e girl! 1)ter all na gina$a niya para ipagtanggol a'o! She' My Only Strength no$! She' ne0er (een a i8 year old &entaly! She ee& li'e a gro$n girl! I 'i ed her on the te&ple that $o'e her! *Mo&&y. 1re you o'ay.* I $a urpri e (y $hat he aid! She' a 0ery protecti0e daughter! I a&iled at her touching her hair! *-hy did you a ' (a(y.* *I thought that ;uy $a hurting you again!* She hug &e tight and I tightly hug her al o! *5ont $orry! Mo&&y' )ine!* *I $i h 5addy' here to protect you &o&&y!* I $a it! She realea e )ro& the hug urpri e at the a&e ti&e ad a(out

*/ut dont $orry &o&&y! I'& here to protect you! I $ill (e your protector )or $hile daddy' not around!* Naiya' na ta'aga a'o a &ga ina(i ng ana' 'o! Napa'a $eet niya talaga! She a$ &e crying! *Mo&&y! Youre crying again!* I a$ her )ace (eca&e ad! *I'& <u t happy that youre here (e ide &e!* 2er &ile ca&e (ac' *I'& happy too &o&&y+* 4hen he chuc'le *4hat it+ I &i &y (a(y' chuc'le*

She <u t chuc'le again and $ere cuddling each other! *Mo&&y3 can I play out ide.* *No (a(y! /ut You can play in ide the hou e!* *Yayy+ 4han' &o&&y+* She 'i */a(y3 (e care)ul+* *Ye &o&+* She aid in )ading 0oice! I chec' &y phone $hich i o)) ince ye terday! I open it! &e age and call $a on it! 7ara&ihan i Marco3 tapo i "i0 and 1lice! =Fir t Me age (Richard) >5a$n plea e na $er &y call =Second Me age (Richard) >5a$n! /u&ali' na na a'in! :et tal' a(out thi ! Plea e dont lea0e &e du&()ounded! =4hird Me age (Richard) >5a$n3 I :o0e you! Plea e dont )orget that! 1nd &ore call )ro& hi&! Shit+ 1no (a tong narara&da&an 'o.+ I )eel the guilt and galit a arili 'o! I dialled hi nu&(er! I $a a(out to put it on &y ear $hen So&eone gra( &y phone )ro& &y hand! *?ohn.+* *2indi &o iya p$edeng 'au apin+* &e on the lip and run a$ay!!!

*-hat.+* 2e hold &y grip tight that &ade &e )linch! 1ng lala'ing to+ -ala iyang 'arapatan na a'tan a'o dahil hindi niya a'o ag aari+ *1no (a.+ Na a a'tan a'o+* My tear $ere )or&ing )ro& &y lid and anyti&e it $ill (ur t! *2indi &o iya p$edeng 'itain ni ta$agan dahil a'in 'a na 5a$n+ 1no (ang hindi &o naiintindihan dun.+ -ala nang &a'a'aaga$ pa ayo a'in+ Naiintindihan &o (a.+ /a'it &o (a 'o hindi 'ayang &ahalin.+* My tear already )all (ut I a& not ho$ing any e&otion ! It <u t )lo$ li'e a ri0er $ithout topping and not intentionally! *5a$n3 in t$o day $e'll (e lea0ing the country! 1nd &agpapa'a al tayo! Pa'a'a alan! Mo a'o+ -ala 'ang &agaga$a 'undi pu&ayag! 5ahil 'ung hindi3 ala& &o na ang &angyayari 5a$n! 1nd I &ean it+ 2indi 'a na&an ata a'i& para pu&ayag nalang ng ganun.* 1ng a'it+ Yung na'o'on en ya a'o+ 4a&a iya3 &a yado a'ong a'i& 'ung ii ipin 'o lang ang arili 'o! 2e'd gi0en &e hi all and I hould acri)ice $hat I &ight do3 not hi& to )all! 2e thro$ the (ro$n )older on the (ed and let go o) hi grip har hly3 a I call it! *:et hi& ign it!* *-hat that.* *It your annul&ent paper ! 7ailangan niyong &aghi$alay (ago tayo &agpa'a al!* *?ohn!!! You 'no$ I cant!!!* *It your choice3 5a$n! Still your !* 2e le)t &e du&()ounded and tulala! 1no (a ito. /a'it niya a'in ginaga$a ito. 1no (ang 'a alanan 'o a'anya.+ 1ll day long3 I pend on thin'ing $hat to do $hile taring at the 1nnul&ent paper ! I cant a0oid to cry! Ma&a&atay na ata a'o nito! 2indi 'o iya 'ayang i$an pero!!! 1yo'ong &a ira ang &atagal niya nang pinapangarap! I tare at the annul&ent paper once &ore! *7ailangan 'ong ga$in to Richard! Pata$arin &o a'o!!!*