15 years ago, my dreams were shattered. My heart was killed, and my bottle of dedication got emptied. I hated destiny. I hated life. I hated living. I hated everyone, including the surname of the most privileged family of the whole country.

October 16, 2008—the day my parents got killed.

"Tita. Malapit na po ba sina mama raw?" I innocently asked with my eyebrows furrowed. I need my mommy. I need to see my daddy. This is my first time I get to see their faces! Boses lang kasi nila ang naririnig ko, but not enough to fill the gap between my heart and theirs. This day is finally the day!

"Yes." lumuhod si tita para maabot ko ang tingin niya, hinawakan niya rin ang dalawang braso ko.

"Malapit na sina mommy mo, baby. Wait ka lang nang onti ha. I-tetext ko muna sila." she comforted, but I knew something was wrong when her eyes were brimming with tears bago siya tumayo't inasikaso ang biglang tawag sa telepono niya. I never get to check up on her dahil dumeretso na si Tita sa kuwarto niya. But out of curiosity, I sneaked through the small hole of her door—silently overhearing her conversation sa telephone.

"Okay na ba si Iza? Si Wally? Diyos ko, matagal nang nangungulila anak nila, buong buhay na silang inantay—tapos ganiyan pa ang mangyayari? Ano... ano ba kasing— ano? Mga Parriño?" I saw how she stomped her feet, narinig ko rin ang mariin niyang padyak dahilan para matakot ako nang bahagya at mailayo ko nang onti ang mata ko sa peephole.  Pero pinagpatuloy ko pa rin dahil ilang sandali pa ang nakalipas, bumalik din siya sa dating anyo niya, pero nakaharap na ngayon sa pinto, naka-dekuwatro. But... something has also changed—her eyes. It was her eyes filled with brimming tears again. Nag-uumapaw.

"H-Hindi... hindi na n-nila... kinaya?" then, hindi ko na namalayan na pinatay niya na ang telepono and constantly bawled her eyes out with tears. I didn't understand what was happening. Hindi ko naiintindihan bakit umiiyak si Tita.

Because back then, I was clueless. I was still young. And even if that day already made our parents succumbed to devil, I was still hoping they could see me at night. Tinatanong ko, kinukulit ko si Tita hanggang gabi kung nasaan na sina Mommy, and her replies were always "Wait, baby. Paparating na sila." which I hoped. Hanggang sa makatulog na ako, at nagising akong nagbibihis si Tita na parang may paglalamayan and never even informed me na it was my parents' funerals which she'd go to. Basta't sinama niya na lang ako at pagpunta ko sa burol, hindi ko rin kilala kung sino tong mag-asawang 'to basta ang alam ko lang, magka-apelyido kami. I was that clueless when I was eight years old. Na imbis na umiyak ako sa burol, tinanong ko pa rin si Tita kung asan na sina mommy. Kung pagbalik ba namin ng bahay sa Tarlac ay nandoon na sila, preparing for our dinner.

But I was wrong. I was so wrong. And I felt very disappointed. Because fifteen years after, even after my Tita's death, and after knowing what had happened—I'm still craving my parent's justice. Their rightful justice, and my vengeance for making a permanent scar on me. For... for making a permanent hindrance from seeing my parents for the very first time.

Iba maghiganti ang mga ulila. Iba mangagat ang mga nangugulila. Dahil kung si Satanas, may kapangyarihan sa mga apoy—ako, may kapangyarihan ako sa hustisya. At gagawin ko ang lahat para masira ang mga Parriño.

Ika-16 ng Oktubre taong 2023, alas siyete ng umaga—pumunta agad ako sa sementeryo para salubungin ang mga magulang ko.

"Flowers. Tulips. I hope you guys like it." I placed three tulips on their tomb, enclosed within their stem. Medyo mabasa-basa pa nga, kaya nag-tissue agad ako after. I sat in front of their tombs, imagining them being physically in front of me even if I have no vision of what they would look like cause remember, I was clueless of whoever that was inside the caskets nung bumisita kami ng tita ko sa Manila.

"You know what... until today... manhid pa rin ako, but then, I realized that... the both of you died for a reason—for a reason to entangle me into more suffering at nagpapasalamat ako." I backlashed as my eyes started to brim with ungrateful tears, attempting to flow with fluency—but I held it in.

"Tita was right. I was dumb. I was gullible. At dahil tanga ako't bata pa ako, you took advantage of me. Iniwan ninyo ako kay tita the day that I exactly released myself from you." sabi ko sabay turo sa pangalan ni mama na naka-carve sa lapida.

Izaryn Dion Fuentivas. Tangina. Wala ring middle initial. Ano yan? Mga parehong niluwal ng engkanto? Anak ng puta talaga.

Minu-minuto pa ang nakalipas, I finally came to a decision to get into my car and drive my way home. Sasalubungin ko na naman ang nag-iisa na lang na illusyonada na tita ko, siya na lang natitira sa mga kapatid ni mama matapos mamatay nung nag-alaga sa akin nung bata ako. Si Tita Ash. Ashley Fuentivas. Wala ring middle initial. Punyeta. Talagang hanggang sa pangalan, may tinatago pa rin sila sa akin. Weren't all those bullshits they had done not enough already? Mukha ngang hindi pa yata. Surang-sura na ako sa mga kasinungalingan na nangyayari. Nakaka-imbyerna.

"Tita." I greeted as I made my first step on the door, scrubbing my shoes through the thickness of our mat's crunchy texture.

"You're here. Sakto, may sasabihin ako." aya niyang pagkaway sa bakanteng pwesto sa couch na inuupuan niya. I poured out a fake smile bago magtungo sa tabi niya—pretending to be enthusiastic over her so-called anticipating statement. Itinaas ko ang kilay ko as a signage of "what", kaya nagsalita na rin siya pagkatapos.

"May tinatayong negosyo ang mga Parriño." ibinaba niya ang tingin niya sa kamay ko na nakapatong sa lap ko, then initiated to open it to hand me the flyer of Parriño's open recruitment for their business. My eyes suddenly got starstruck, finally getting a mark of a beginning shoot to put a dot on this matter, of my parent's injustice. I immediately read the content anyone will do—first come, first serve to be interviewed, which will take place tomorrow.

"They need an auditor at saka assistant ng heir, si Adrion. And to return all the expenses I made for you, I require you to enter their business... at magagawa mo na rin yung matagal na gusto mong gawin, hindi ba?" with my aunt's smile which came afterward seemed suspicious. She's still holding my hands, now gripped even harder.

"Siraan mo ang mga magulang mo and pretend that you are unbothered sa pagkamatay—"

"What? Hindi pwede!—"

"Pero kailangan mo, Cassandra! Kailangan mo!" she battled my interrupted speech, standing up, releasing the hold. I formed a slight frown dahil alam kong wala akong laban dito. Nang tumingin siya sa akin at nahalata kong napansin niya ang simangot ko, I got my face return to its normal expression—the fake smile.

"O-Okay... I... I will... I will apply, Tita. Sorry... S-sorry for my temper." I apologized before heading towards my room. She even complimented me weirdly habang naglalakad ako papunta sa kuwarto ko. Napaka-weirdo. Self-centered. Narcissist. Nakaka-irita.

October 17, 2023. Nakapila sa labas ng office sa company ng mga Parriño. Buti na lang, I trained myself before, to have this loooong patience. Yung iba, iritang-irita na. Isang katerba ba naman pumila, halatang hayok kumapit sa mga patalim ah... este, makakuha ng trabaho na may malaking sahod. Saan ka pa? Sa Parriño ka na bestie, talagang ma-eensure ang paglabag sa safety precautionary measures mo. Dugo ang kalaban mo rito at hindi ang sarili mo.

However, I started making bluff about my parents yesterday. I posted on my personalized account which I made public na, everyone has the access to receive the information I published. Kahit labag sa loob ko, this is a part of the process. Hindi rin naman ako recognizable doon, but I'll make sure to have these people's trust. I have to make sure they believe what I have to offer to them until there's a perfect time to make them succumb into defeat, into my ultimate vengeance.

"Next." the interviewer who seems to be the head manager because of this guy's silver plate on his uniform, H.M ang nakalagay. Good luck na lang.

"Cassandra Oxine Fuentivas." pangunguna ko which made this guy look at me like disguising me as someone na bida-bida.

"Resume? The papers? PSA birth—"

"Here." binalandra ko sa lamesa lahat ng papeles na naka-enclosed sa long transparent envelope with fierce held between my eyes. Fuck! Anong pinaggagawa ko? I really cannot control myself kapag alam kong kausap ko na ang mga Parriño. This guy just looks like that girl na pumunta sa burol nina mama!

"You have an attitude." binuklat niya ang transparent envelope bago ibaling ulit ang tingin sa akin. "And I like how fierce you are." dugtong niya sabay bigay ng strange na ngiti. Yuck!

"Present me your number, tatawagan ka na lang namin kapag tinanggap ka. And surprisingly, you're a Fuentivas without a middle name. Is it a coincidence, perhaps?"

"No. It is not. Don't worry, Mister. I hate everything about Fuentivas by blood. They're maniac. Delusional. Intrimitida sa buhay ko." pagpapanggap ko. Base sa expression niya, wala siyang reaction, e. Blank expression kumbaga, kaya it felt so embarrassing! Moreover, I wrote my number sa maliit na sticky note together with my full name saka ko binigay sa kaniya. We expressed gratitude to each other bago ako palabasin ng silid. Agad-agad akong lumabas to release the tension. Tangina! Anong pinaggagawa ko?! I should've been nonchalant kanina regarding sa Fuentivas kong apelyido!

Putangina, Cassandra!

"Kumusta?"

"Pagod! Pagod sa byahe, pagod pa sa interview." sagot ko. In-offeran na ako ng orange juice ni tita, may ice cube sa loob. Tumingin muna ako sa kaniya't nagpasalamat bago kunin at lagukin ito. Gosh, it's been so long since I tasted a refreshing drink. Grabe kasi talaga ang init. Para kang nasa hideout ng mga Parriño, sa impyerno.

"Mag-aantay na lang ako ng tawag. Then, tapos na. I could now make my own money and—"

"Magsisilbing pambayad sa mga gastusin na nilaan ko mula nung namatay ang isa mo pang tita, yung ate ko." singit niya habang nakataas ang mga kilay. My smile slowly faded. Dahan-dahan ko na ring inilagay sa glass table yung baso. I sat down the couch, wore another fake fucking smile.

"And that... as well." panggagatong ko naman. I just let her to say whatever she wants to, pero hindi ko naman susundin lahat 'yon. Nobody's gonna bring me down like that. I am a mountain, everyone else is just my soil.

Parriño's Office — Adrion's Point of View

"You found a... Fuentivas? Tsk." Dad said. Umirap lang ako habang nilalapag ang mga documents na na-receive ko kanina sa office table niya.

"Go, accept her." napatigil ako sa ginagawa ko nang banggitin ni Dad 'yon. I turned my head around para tignan ang mukha niya—nakangisi.

"Dad—"

"Hahaha. If you think I'll go have her have sex with me, hindi. I am not that kind of person na, anak. Come on! We have our own free industrial business with all the prostitutes cut off! HAHAHAHA." he psychotically laughed. Nakakatakot, ang creepy masyado. I just shook my head to actively present the awkwardness before heading towards the admin's office para i-prisenta ang mga papers.

Sa sobrang liwaliw ko, hindi ko na napansin na nakasunod pala si Papa matapos kong lumingon mula sa admin's office dahil kapapasa ko lang ng mga dokumento. I raised a brow like an ice—cold stare freezing at him.

"Hire her, Adri." Dad coldly ordered as if he's staring at my soul from miles away.

"Let's have another bitch from Fuentivas's." he added, making me sigh deeply.

- Acrimonious Heart, Chapter 1 -