{"id":75,"date":"2026-10-14T03:43:07","date_gmt":"2026-10-14T03:43:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/storyph168.live\/?p=75"},"modified":"2026-10-14T03:43:07","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T03:43:07","slug":"part-3-25","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/storyph168.live\/?p=75","title":{"rendered":"Part 3"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n

Lumipas ang apat na oras.<\/p>\n

Sa wakas, lumabas ako ng operating room.<\/p>\n

Pagod.<\/p>\n

Namamanhid ang balikat ko.<\/p>\n

May bakas pa ng dugo sa guwantes bago ko ito tuluyang tinanggal.<\/p>\n

Pagbukas ng pinto, agad tumayo si Gabriel.<\/p>\n

\u201cMara!\u201d<\/p>\n

Lumapit siya.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow is he?\u201d<\/p>\n

Tumingin ako sa kanya.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe surgery was successful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Napapikit siya.<\/p>\n

Parang biglang bumagsak ang bigat na ilang oras niyang pasan.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs he alive?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Napahawak siya sa mukha niya.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank God.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPero critical pa rin siya.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tumango siya.<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFirst twenty-four hours are important. He\u2019ll remain in the ICU.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan I see him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot yet. We need to stabilize him first.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tumango siya.<\/p>\n

Pagkatapos ay bigla niya akong niyakap.<\/p>\n

Hindi ko agad naibalik ang yakap.<\/p>\n

Hanggang sa marinig ko ang mahinang boses niya.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Napapikit ako.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to thank me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tumingin ako sa kanya.<\/p>\n

\u201cI did my job.\u201d<\/p>\n

At doon ko nakita si Lourdes.<\/p>\n

Nakatayo siya ilang metro ang layo.<\/p>\n

Tahimik.<\/p>\n

Walang makeup retouch.<\/p>\n

Walang eleganteng ngiti.<\/p>\n

Walang confidence.<\/p>\n

Mukha siyang isang ina na unang beses nakaharap sa posibilidad na mawala ang asawa niya.<\/p>\n

Lumapit siya sa akin.<\/p>\n

\u201cMara\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Hindi ako sumagot.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Simple lang ang dalawang salitang iyon.<\/p>\n

Pero hindi sapat.<\/p>\n

Hindi pa.<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Del Rosario\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease.\u201d<\/p>\n

Napaluha siya.<\/p>\n

\u201cCall me Lourdes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tahimik ako.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tumingin siya sa akin.<\/p>\n

\u201cI judged you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wala akong sinabi.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought you were just a nurse.\u201d<\/p>\n

Huminga siya nang nanginginig.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I thought that made you less than us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Naramdaman kong humigpit ang panga ko.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you were never less.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nagsimulang tumulo ang luha niya.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou saved my husband\u2019s life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Umiling ako.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour husband saved his own life by coming here in time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you operated on him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEven after everything I said.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tumingin ako sa kanya.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause he was my patient.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tumango siya.<\/p>\n

At bago pa siya makapagsalita, biglang lumabas ang isang nurse mula sa ICU.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor!\u201d<\/p>\n

Agad akong lumingon.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis blood pressure is dropping.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tumakbo ako.<\/p>\n

\u201cCall anesthesia.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlready called.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGet the crash cart ready.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pagpasok ko sa ICU, nakita kong nag-aalarm ang monitor.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s his pressure?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSeventy over forty.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStart the protocol.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lumapit ako sa bedside.<\/p>\n

\u201cRoberto?\u201d<\/p>\n

Walang sagot.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Del Rosario, can you hear me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Bahagya siyang gumalaw.<\/p>\n

\u201cDad?\u201d<\/p>\n

Narinig ko ang boses ni Gabriel sa likuran.<\/p>\n

\u201cStay outside.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMara\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGabriel, please.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tumigil siya.<\/p>\n

Sinara ko ang curtain.<\/p>\n

At muling nagsimula ang laban.<\/p>\n

\n
\n<\/div>\n

Makalipas ang halos isang oras, naging stable muli ang vital signs ni Roberto.<\/p>\n

Lumabas ako.<\/p>\n

Nandoon pa rin si Gabriel.<\/p>\n

Pagkakita sa mukha ko, agad siyang lumapit.<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay?\u201d<\/p>\n

Tumango ako.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe stabilized.\u201d<\/p>\n

Napaupo siya sa upuan.<\/p>\n

Nakahinga siya nang maluwag.<\/p>\n

Sa kabilang banda, tahimik na nakatayo si Lourdes.<\/p>\n

Pero bago pa siya makapagsalita, dumating ang isang lalaking naka-dark suit.<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Del Rosario?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lumingon si Lourdes.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI need to speak with you privately.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSino kayo?\u201d<\/p>\n

Inilabas niya ang isang folder.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m Atty. Adrian Cruz. I\u2019m representing your husband\u2019s business partners.\u201d<\/p>\n

Napakunot ang noo ni Gabriel.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat does this have to do with my father being in the ICU?\u201d<\/p>\n

Tumingin ang abogado sa kanya.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything.\u201d<\/p>\n

Binuksan niya ang folder.<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore Mr. Del Rosario lost consciousness, he signed an emergency document.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat document?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hindi agad sumagot ang abogado.<\/p>\n

Pagkatapos ay tumingin siya kay Gabriel.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt concerns the ownership of Del Rosario Holdings.\u201d<\/p>\n

Napatigil si Gabriel.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause your father recently discovered that someone has been illegally transferring company assets.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nanigas ang mukha ni Lourdes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSeveral million pesos are missing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tumahimik ang lahat.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho did it?\u201d tanong ni Gabriel.<\/p>\n

Hindi sumagot agad ang abogado.<\/p>\n

Sa halip, inilabas niya ang isang printed document.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt your father\u2019s instruction, we were ordered to investigate someone within the family.\u201d<\/p>\n

Napatingin si Lourdes kay Gabriel.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n

Tumingin ang abogado sa kanya.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour brother, Victor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Biglang napalingon si Gabriel sa tiyuhin niya.<\/p>\n

At sa kabilang dulo ng corridor, nakatayo si Victor.<\/p>\n

Tahimik.<\/p>\n

Pero hindi siya mukhang nagulat.<\/p>\n

Sa halip\u2026<\/p>\n

Ngumiti siya.<\/p>\n

At doon ko napansin ang isang bagay.<\/p>\n

May dugo sa cuff ng kanyang puting polo.<\/p>\n

Hindi iyon dugo ni Roberto.<\/p>\n

Dahil wala siyang pagkakataong lumapit sa operating room.<\/p>\n

At sa bulsa niya, may hawak siyang maliit na USB drive.<\/p>\n

Napatingin siya sa akin.<\/p>\n

At bigla niyang sinabi:<\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor Mara\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Huminto siya sa harapan ko.<\/p>\n

\u201cKung ako sa\u2019yo, huwag mo nang pakialaman ang bagay na hindi mo naiintindihan.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tumitig ako sa kanya.<\/p>\n

\u201cBakit?\u201d<\/p>\n

Bahagya siyang ngumiti.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause your fianc\u00e9\u2019s father wasn\u2019t supposed to survive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nanigas ang buong corridor.<\/p>\n

At sa unang pagkakataon mula nang makilala ko ang pamilya Del Rosario\u2026<\/p>\n

Hindi na ako sigurado kung ang operasyon ang pinakamapanganib na bagay na haharapin ko.<\/p>\n

Dahil baka ang tunay na operasyon\u2026<\/p>\n

ay nasa loob mismo ng pamilya nila<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Lumipas ang apat na oras. Sa wakas, lumabas ako ng operating room. Pagod. Namamanhid ang balikat ko. May bakas pa ng dugo sa guwantes bago ko ito tuluyang tinanggal. Pagbukas… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-75","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/storyph168.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/storyph168.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/storyph168.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storyph168.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storyph168.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=75"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/storyph168.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":76,"href":"https:\/\/storyph168.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75\/revisions\/76"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/storyph168.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=75"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storyph168.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=75"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storyph168.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=75"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}