Laya

▪️Prologue▪️

HAVEN'S POV

This morning, sudden news came to me...

I was in the middle of lecturing when I received a call. I don't like someone interrupting me during my lectures, but the phone call didn't stop. I excused myself from my class and proceeded to answer the call.

Without looking at the name on the screen, I tapped the answer button.

"Dad's back. He wants us to have a dinner later." A cold yet intimidated voice came from my older brother Khalil.

"What the hell is he doing here? I thought he was busy doing some stuff in the Middle East?!" I said as my face fumed with rage.

"He's after you. What now? What did you do to make him come home unannounced?" he calmly said with a little hint of seriousness.

"Look, Khalil. I didn't do anything stupid. Not unless he knew about Mignonette?" A sudden urge of fear was visible in my face as I just glanced at her currently talking to her seatmate.

"You're doomed, Haven. He'll make sure that woman will be out of his sight. He will do anything just to make you give up that stupid thing!" He casually said as if he doesn't care at all.

"That's not going to happen, Khalil! I'm not afraid of that demon anymore! I'm not like Mother, who caged herself in slavery just to please him. I'm not a trophy that he'll lock in a cabinet just to make everyone proud. Relay this message to him: whatever it takes, I'm not letting him touch Mignonette! Mark my words, Khalil!" I compose myself to remain calm even though I'm in rage, but I know my face is visibly dark.

I ended the call and calmed myself before I went back to my class. I'm a bit distracted and can't focus anymore, so I decided to end it early and gave them some assignments.

Hindi muna ako lumabas ng classroom since inaayos ko pa ang mga gamit ko. Pinauna ko na ang mga estudyanteng magsilabasan. Ayoko kasi ng nakikipagsabayan, makakalabas din naman ako kahit di ako makipagsabayan sa kanila. Habang unti-unting nawawalan ng tao sa loob ng classroom ay patuloy pa rin ako sa pag-aayos ng gamit ko.

Nakatalikod ako sa unahan ng whiteboard; binubura ko kasi ang mga isinulat ko doon kani-kanina lang bago ako mawalan ng gana ng tuluyan sa pagtuturo. Sa sobrang lalim ng iniisip ko'y hindi ko namalayang may natira pa palang tao sa loob bukod sa'kin.

"You seem so irritated, something's wrong?" A soft voice came from my back.

Nabitawan ko pa ang hawak kong whiteboard eraser dahil bahagya akong nagulat sa kanya. Hindi ako humarap sa gawi niya, dahan-dahan kong pinulot ang whiteboard eraser sa sahig at ipinagpatuloy ang pagbubura sa mga natitirang sulat.

"Paddy, the last time I saw you like this was when I got hospitalized. I knew something was going on. What is it? Is it about me again?" Nag-aalalang sambit naman nito.

Hindi ko ito hinarap subalit bahagya akong napatigil sa kasalukuyang ginagawa ko. Bahagya akong napapikit at nagpakawala nang isang malalim na buntonghininga.

"Kinda, my dad is here in the country. I don't know why he didn't hesitate to go home since he literally dislikes everything here," pag-amin ko pa rito bago inilapag ang hawak kong whiteboard eraser sa lagayan nito.

"Anong business niya rito at nandito siya?" Nagtatakang tanong naman nito at bahagyang lumapit sa'kin.

"Don't come near me, Winowa. Baka may makakita sa'tin," pigil ko pa sa kanya. I can't risk everything, lalo na at nasa campus perimeter kami pareho.

She heaved a sigh and stopped right in front of me. "What's your plan? Kailan mo ba balak magsabi sa Dad mo tungkol sa totoong ikaw? Paddy, it's time. You're old enough to take everything in your hands," pagkumbisi naman nito sa'kin.

"I know it, Win. But, you didn't know my father after all. He's ruthless and cruel; he locked me up before in our basement for a month without any food at all because he knew that I courted a woman, which he's not happy with." Walang emosyong saad ko rito habang titig na titig ako sa mga mata niyang bakas ang labis na pag-aalala.

"If... If you may not see me around the campus, in my house, or my phone cannot be reached... Promise me, Win, that you'll be safe and all. I will come to meet you again when things go right again, I promise that. Just promise me, don't contact or go to our mansion, okay? I will find you in any way. That's how much I have loved you since the day I met you." My voice suddenly cracked as I said those words to her.

My hands are literally shaking with the thought of my father finding out that I met a woman again. It scared the hell out of me, as I imagined that he made his way to separate us and destroyed me again for the second time around. As I fear for my own life, I'm more scared for Winowa... I know how my father's cruel mind works.

Please, Lord... Spare Winowa this time. She's all I have. Please, I'm begging you. Keep her safe at all times.

Credits to the owner of the picture. Gather it from Pinterest.