Deighland's POV
The next morning, I woke up earlier than usual. Ang sakit pa rin ng ulo ko mula pa kagabi. I couldn't shake off the feeling that maybe I had gone too far. I had to admit, I was frustrated—frustrated with Shantal, frustrated with myself. But it wasn't easy for me to just let things slide, not anymore. She had to know that there were consequences for her actions. I couldn't keep protecting her from every little thing.
While I was getting ready, I couldn't help but replay the events in my head. Her attitude, her words, they kept playing over and over. Pero I knew deep down, I had to let her understand. I couldn't keep letting her act like a child when she was already old enough to take responsibility.
I went downstairs and saw Shantal, sitting at the dining table with her head down. Ang tahimik niya. There was something in her that was different today, maybe because she knew I was mad, or maybe she was just thinking about everything that happened.
I didn't say anything right away. I just let her sit there in silence, giving her time to reflect. But when she looked up and our eyes met, I knew it was time to talk. I wasn't going to sugarcoat anything. It was hard, but I had to say it.
When I saw her nodding, silent and meek, I couldn't help but feel a little guilty. Hindi ko siya gusto'ng makita na malungkot, but she had to learn. I had to make her understand that hindi pwedeng palaging ako ang mag-aadjust, hindi pwedeng palaging ako ang magpapasensya.
It wasn't easy for me to be firm, but it was the only way I knew how to make her see that she needed to change. I wanted her to be better. I wanted her to understand that she wasn't a child anymore, and I couldn't keep treating her like one.
I wanted her to stop acting like the world revolved around her, to stop thinking that she could just get away with things. I wanted her to realize that respect, patience, and maturity were part of growing up.
I told her I wasn't angry with her, but I was disappointed. But in a way, it felt like we were getting somewhere. At least she was listening, even if she didn't say much. I had to trust that she would figure things out. She just needed time, but it was up to her to take the next step.
I watched her walk away, wiping her tears, and I hoped that today would be different—that maybe she'd start taking responsibility for herself. I couldn't do everything for her. I couldn't fix everything.
But maybe, just maybe, this was the moment she needed to start changing.
Habang nagsisimula kaming mag-almusal, hindi ko maiwasang mapansin na tahimik si Shant. Mas matagal siya mag-ayos kaysa usual, at hindi ko rin narinig na nagreklamo siya. It felt like something was bothering her, but she kept it to herself.
"Shant, bilisan mo na. May importanteng bisita ako sa office," I said, trying to hide my frustration from all the things I had to do today.
"Okay, kuya. Oo nga pala... Umalis na si dad?" she asked, sounding a bit sad.
"Yes, may meeting siya ngayon. Darating ang anak ni Mr. Monteverde, ang bagong financial manager," Mom answered, unaware of the tension building in the room.
"Si Mr. Monteverde, the vice chairman, right? Where's his son from?" Shant asked, almost as if she was asking about something trivial.
"He's from the States. Kababata at close friend ng kuya mo, di ba Deighland?" Mom turned to me.
"Yes, mom. Matagal na rin since we've seen each other," I replied, but I was confused about why this mattered to Shant.
"Really? Seems like I still have a lot to learn. Hopefully, he'll be my friend too," Shant said casually, but there was something about the way she said it that caught my attention.
Suddenly, I felt like I had swallowed something wrong. I almost choked on my food.
"Kuya! Are you okay?" Shant asked, handing me a glass of water.
"Yes... I'm okay," I answered, but I felt weird. It was like something was off, something I couldn't pinpoint. I noticed Shant seemed clueless about it all.
Si Beatriz nga, ayaw niyang maging kaibigan, how would she react if she found out that Mr. Monteverde's son was Beatriz's brother? Would she still want to be friends with him?
We continued eating breakfast, but I couldn't stop thinking about it. While Shant was eating, I could tell she was deep in thought. I knew her well enough to sense when something was bothering her, but I couldn't figure out what it was.
I wanted to help, but I didn't know how. She never really talked to me about her problems. I just hoped that whatever it was, she'd find a way to deal with it.
I couldn't help but worry about her, especially after everything that had happened recently. She didn't look like herself, and I just hoped that she'd be okay soon.
Even as we finished breakfast, I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong with her, and I just hoped she'd be alright.