15 copies of the book, Revenge of an Heiress, just arrived yesterday!
I am beyond ecstatic to see my babies. Ang ganda ng cover. Smooth siya. Makapal din siya kaya sulit ang 500 pesos. May kasama na siyang bookmark and postcard, although maliit lang sila. For the text naman, medyo malabo siya sa inaasahan ko pero readable pa rin.
This won't be possible without TDP Publishing House's help. Thank you so much for making one of my dreams come true. I'm now a published author! Maraming salamat sa napakagandang print ng books. Sana marami pa kayong matulungan na gaya kong aspiring author. All the best!
Blurb
Chantria Yvonne Zima is the first heiress of the Zima family and the eldest of the triplets. But before she can even inherit them all, her father instructs her to fly over to the Philippines and hide. Before she can even reveal her face to the public, she is forced to change her identity to prevent their family’s enemies from coming after the heiress. But when someone close to her dies because of that, she can’t just stand idle and let their enemies do what they want. She will avenge her, no matter what anyone says. She will hunt the one who killed her sister even to the ends of the world.
Preview
“Happy eighteenth birthday!” Kasabay ng malakas nilang pagbati ay ang pagtama ng mga wine glass namin sa isa’t isa.
“Hey!” sigaw ni Chanel sa ‘min na halatang-halatang lasing na at hindi na makalakad nang maayos.
Natawa ako lalo habang pinanonood sila. Kinuha ko ang phone ko sa bulsa at nagsimulang video-han ang mga pinaggagagawa niya.
“How’s your birthday going?” tanong ko.
She smiled widely in front of the camera. “It’s superb! This is, like, the best birthday of my life. Ever!”
Laughing, I said, “You always say that every year on our birthdays. Wala ka na bang ibang gustong sabihin? Something more fun?”
Napaisip siya saglit sa tanong ko. Nang may maalala ay bigla siyang napangisi. “Ben and I broke up a while ago after we made out. He’s a good kisser, you know.”
“Then, why did you break up with him if he’s a good kisser?”
Muli na naman siyang natawa na parang baliw. “Because his dick is so small!”
There were a series of reactions in the crowd after what she said. Ang iba ay napahiyaw na lang habang ako naman ay tawa na nang tawa. This is so much fun!
“Ghad, Chantria, it’s so small that I can’t reach my climax whenever we have sex. It feels better when I finger myself. What am I supposed to do? Girl needs a bigger dick!” Nag-cheer ang lahat ng mga kaibigan niya dahil doon.
“Hey, stop it! Tama na ‘yan.” Okay, here comes the saintly sister, none other than Carleigh. “Everyone, go home! The party's over,” sigaw niya sa mga bisita.
Nang marinig nila ang boses ni Carleigh ay automatikong napahinto ang lahat sa pagtatawanan at pag-inom. Wala ni isa sa kanila ang tumutol.
“There’s still the next destination, guys. I still reserved the bar for our next stop!” Hinawakan pa ni Chanel ang braso ng isa sa mga kaibigan niya para pigilan siya pero nang makita ang tingin ni Carleigh at tumalikod na ito at umalis.
“Let’s wash you up and go to bed,” ani Carleigh kay Chanel. Hinawakan niya nang mabuti si Chanel sa pagitan ng mga braso niya bago iginaya sa loob ng banyo.
“Okay!” Chanel shouts. “The three of us will continue the party. Yay!”
Mas lalo lang akong napailing sa kaniya bago nagsimulang maglinis ng mga kalat namin.
***
“Chantria, how dare you?!” bulalas ni Chanel.
I am laughing out loud inside the bathroom after I lock the door. Pinalabas ko sa phone ko ang video na kinuha ko kanina at nilakas iyon para mas marinig niya.
"Because his dick is so small!"
"I am going to pull all your teeth when you get out there. I swear!" Chanel growls from the door, still banging. "Why did you upload this? Argh!"
"Why are you so mad?" I ask. "There is nothing wrong with the video."
"Come on, Chantria! I look like a mess in the video. My hair, my lipstick, my ghad!"
Napailing na lang ako dahil sa komento niya. I know that it is not about the words she said but more about her appearance. Ayaw na ayaw niyang maglalabas ng litrato niya sa publiko nang hindi siya maayos.
"This is called payback time, Chanel!" I shout from inside the bathroom.
"What? I didn't do anything to you—oh!"
I roll my eyes. "Remember somethin' now?" I ask sarcastically.
"Well, I can't do anything about that. Dad threatened to cut off my card if I didn’t tell the truth. What am I supposed to do?"
"You chose your card over your sister, huh?"
"I didn't know dad would ground you because you didn't attend the meeting that was supposed to be your debut at the company. What were you thinking? Can you imagine the embarrassment on dad's face while waiting for his daughter to come, and no one came? If I was in that position, I would not just ground you. I would freeze your card as well. Better yet, freeze you to death."
Napabuntonghininga na lang ako habang iniisip ang mga sinabi niya. Right, it was partly my fault for not attending. Pero hindi ko pa dapat ipakita ang sarili ko sa company hangga’t hindi pa ako eighteen. That was my condition, and I was not ready yet. And dad knows that.
"Hey," a soft voice whispered outside. It’s Carleigh.
I open the door with a glum look on my face. "I am going to inherit the company, Carleigh. Tinanggap ko na ‘yon para sa ‘yo. I know how much you hate our dad's company, and you have a dream of your own that you want to pursue.
"That is not what I am about to say. I’m sorry."
I pout. "I told you never to apologize again, right?"
"But still, I'm sorry. If not for me, hindi mo rin naman kailangang manahin ang kahit anong business ni dad. We all hated dad's company.”
"Yeah, but someone has to. And I will. I don't know what I want anyway. So, maybe I'll just go with his company. Maybe, just maybe, I will come to love it.
***
I was enjoying my rest on our way to Maldives. Tahimik lang sa loob ng eroplano at tanging hangin lang ang naririnig ko. I was about to sleep pero naudlot ang pagpapahinga ko dahil sa gulo nitong katabi ko.
“Can you please calm your butt, Aiyara?” I exclaimed, calling Chanel by her second name, which she hated the most.
She glared at me. “My butt is always calm, Yvonne,” she retorted.
“You’ve been fidgeting on your seat ever since we took flight. Alam kong excited ka pero pwedeng kumalma kahit saglit lang. Doon ka na sa Maldives magwala.”
“I’m not fidgeting. I’m simply taking selfies.”
“Then, can you please take a selfie calmly? How can you be so fidgety just capturing your espasol face?”
“My face is not espasol!” she exclaimed.
“Yes, it is.”
“No, it’s not.”
We continued bickering and slapping each other’s hands when someone beside me spoke, “If you’re going to continue making noises, I will kick you off this plane right now.”
Chanel and I immediately stopped slapping each other. Pero hindi pa rin natigil ang pagbebelatan naming dalawa.
Huminga ako nang malalim at ninamnam ang amoy ng beach nang makarating kami sa isla. Kinailangan pa naming magsuot ng sunglasses dahil sa sobrang liwanag ng paligid.
“Sorry, girls,” ani Chanel habang dala-dala ang bagahe niya. “I think this is where we part ways. I’ll enjoy my vacation, you enjoy yours. Ciao!”
Napangiti na lang ako habang pinanonood siyang rumampa papunta sa tutuluyan namin.
Hinarap ko si Leigh. “What about you?” tanong ko.
“I’m going to the spa. You?”
“I’m going swimming. Enjoy!”
Hindi ko na hinintay ang sagot niya at nauna na sa cabin namin. Suot ang pula kong two-piece bikini ay lumabas ako ng cabin. Suot ko rin ang straw-hat ko. Inayos ko ang sunglasses bago nagtungo sa dagat.
Nang matapos ako ay tumayo na ako at naglakad pabalik sa cabin. Bigla akong nagutom at hindi sapat itong dala ko. On my way to the cabin, I stopped on my track when a guy pointed at my face.
“You!” he exclaimed.
Nanlaki ang mga mata ko habang nakaturo sa sarili. “Me? What about me?”
Nagmartsa siya palapit sa ‘kin. Nakakunot ang noo niya sa ‘kin at kulang na lang ay umusok ang ilong niya. I don’t even know him!
“Acting like you don’t know me now, huh?” He smirked. “After what you did at the bar, there’s no way you would forget about me. You embarrassed me in front of everyone!” Nang makalapit siya sa ‘kin ay napatingala ako dahil sa sobrang tangkad niya. I think he’s about six feet.
Napakurap pa ako sa pag-aakusa ng lalaking ‘to na ngayon ko lang nakita. “Excuse me? Do I know you? And F.Y.I., I haven’t gone to the bar ever since I stepped foot on this island. Maybe you mistook me for someone else. You know, I have—“
“Don’t lie, young lady,” he cut me off. “What happened at the bar is something no one can forget. And there’s no use lying that you can’t remember. I know people like you.”
This time, ako naman ang halos umusok ang ilong. “Really? What kind of a person I am, then?”
He smirked. “Gold diggers.”
Before I could even react, the guy was already lying on the floor. Napahawak na lang ako sa bibig dahil sa gulat at pagkalito. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang nangyayari. But one this is for sure, what he said hurt like hell. Kahit na alam ko sa sarili kong hindi naman ako isang gold digger ay ang sakit pa rin sa kalooban.
No one has said those words to me before.
***
Ilang segundo bago ko mapagtanto kung ano ang nangyayari. Carleigh was beating up the guy who called me a gold digger. That was my cue to stop her before she kills this man.
“Leigh, stop it!” I held her fist before it could land on the guy’s face again. Nilayo ko na si Carleigh sa lalaki at hinayaan ang ibang tao na tulungan siya. Hinawakan ko ang dalawang pisngi ni Carleigh at tinitigan siya sa nag-aalab niyang mga mata.
“Leigh, look at me.” Tinuloy ko ang pagsasalita nang tumingin na siya sa ‘kin. “I’m okay. Nothing happened to me. You need to calm down.”
Her breath was shaky. “Calm down? He fucking called my twin a gold digger. No one calls my twin a gold digger! I won’t let anyone.”
“I know. I understand.” Inutusan ko siyang gayahin ako at nagsimula kaming huminga nang malalim hanggang sa alam kong kumalma na siya kahit papaano.
This is a rare scenario where our sister gets mad. Most of the time, siya ang pinaka-compose sa ‘ming tatlo. And I hate when these things happen. Ayoko makitang nagagalit siya nang ganito.
“Let’s go back to the cabin now, okay?” sabi ko. Nakahinga ako nang maluwag nang masiguro kong kumalma na siya. Hindi na niya ulit tinapunan ng tingin ang lalaki dahil baka uminit na naman ang ulo niya.
***
Napairap na lang ako sa kawalan nang makita si Chanel na susuray-suray na naman sa isang bar.
“Chanel!” I shouted through the loud noise. “Let’s go back to the cabin. Carleigh’s already there!”
“I’m not done drinking yet. You go back first!” she shouted back.
“Are you going to go back to the cabin, or I’ll ask Carleigh to pick you up?”
And yeah, that was the cue. Dahil doon ay napanguso na lang siya bago nagpaalam sa mga bago niyang kaibigan.
Sinukbit ko ang braso ni Chanel sa balikat ko bago kami bumalik. Napahinto ako sa paglalakad nang muli kong makita ang lalaking tumawag sa ‘kin kanina ng gold digger. He was tending to his wound while walking towards us. At hindi naman nagtagal ay napatingin na rin siya sa ‘min bago napahinto.
Noong una ay kumunot na naman ang noo niya at mukhang galit na naman. Ngunit nang makita niya si Chanel na akay-akay ko ay nawala ang pagkakakunot n’on at napalitan ng pag-awang ng mga labi.
“Chanel! Huwag kang malikot. Akala mo ang gaan-gaan mo, ‘no?” I exclaimed.
“I am! I've been on a diet since birth.” She snorted before laughing out loud.
And sarap talagang kutusan ng babaitang ‘to minsan.
***
"What?!” Chanel exclaimed. “Carleigh beat someone last night?”
“Yhup! If it wasn’t for me, the guy might be dead by now.” Nagkibit-balikat pa ako na para bang wala lang iyon.
“Wait! Why? Did he hit on you or something? Tell me everything.”
Naupo ako sa gitna nina Chanel at Carleigh bago nagsimulang magkwento.
“What?! He did?” Chanel looked at Carleigh. “Good job, Leigh. That guy deserved it! No one calls you two inappropriate names. And gold digger? Really? You should have slapped him with your money.”
“I don’t have money, Chanel. Dad has. But well, I was too stunned at that time. He didn’t even let me explain. He was too mad to listen to anyone.”
“What did he say? Was he drunk?”
“He’s not drunk. But he keeps on saying how I embarrassed him at the bar. When I told him that I didn't know what he was talking about and I didn’t even go there, he accused me of lying. The hell, right?”
Nang hindi magsalita si Chanel ay napatingin ako sa kaniya. Nakaawang ang mga labi niya at napakagat sa ibabang labi na para bang may napagtanto.
“What?” tanong ko.
“I… I guess I owe you an apology.” She bit her lower lip before she grimaced. “It’s my fault. I’m so sorry!” Pinagdikit niya ang mga palad habang nakapikit.
That’s when it hit me. “You’re the one who embarrassed him, didn't you?!” Halos manlaki ang mga mata ko dahil sa napagtanto.
Tumango siya habang magkadikit pa rin ang mga palad.
“He fucking called me a gold digger, Chanel! Kung hindi dahil kay Carleigh ay baka kung ano na ang ginawa sa 'kin ng lalaking ‘yon. Paano kung masama pala siyang tao at balak niya akong saktan?”
“I said I was sorry! Don’t speak in Filipino too fast, please. I can’t follow.”
Mariin akong pumikit at huminga nang malalim. There’s no use yelling at her. Alam ko namang hindi niya sinasadya at alam na niya kung ano ang dapat gawin sa susunod.
***
“Time is so fast here! Can’t we have an extension, please?” Chanel asked particularly no one. Nagpatuloy siya sa pagrereklamo hanggang sa makasakay kami ng eroplano. Mabuti na lang at si Carleigh ang katabi niya ngayon dahil baka mabatukan ko siya sa pag-iingay niya.
“Hindi na naman natin na-celebrate ang birthday natin kasama si dad,” sabi ko habang nakanguso at nakapangalumbaba sa bintana.
“Dad’s just busy,” Carleigh interrupted. “You know that this is the only way dad can cope with his loneliness ever since mom died. Let’s give him what he wants. I know, for sure, that he’ll invite us when he’s ready.”
“Right!” Chanel beamed. “We all have the time in the worl—“
Chanel’s voice was suddenly muted, and everything spun around me. Agad akong napahawak sa ulo ko upang protektahan iyon ngunit ramdam kong tumama pa rin ito sa may bintana ng sasakyan. Napapikit na lang ako at hinintay matapos ang pag-ikot ng mundo.
And suddenly, I feel hot. Hindi ko maigalaw ang buong katawan ko, but I was conscious. Pilit kong dinilat ang mga mata ko. Chanel and Carleigh were lying on the ground like I do. Nasa ilalim kaming tatlo ng nakatumba at umuusok na sasakyan. Duguan pareho ang kanilang mga mukha, and I felt something trickling down my cheeks.
That’s when I realized it was my blood.
