Utos Niya

35 ALEX

Alex planned for Noleen to be crazy about him as a talent. But he got more than what he bargained for.

Isang bagay na hindi inasahan ni Alex ang maging sila ni Noleen: ang itali siya sa buhay pag-aasawa. He thought that just like him, she was not fond of the shitty idea. Well, he thought wrong. The bitch wanted an intimate but grand wedding.

Noleen unconsciously devised his humiliation and he wouldn't allow it. The thought of his mere shadow coming to a wretched nuptial was disturbing enough. But Xander's presence as the second son was a threat.

It was tradition for the heir of the Marudo clan called primero to inherit everything. The rule of heirs and shadows only involved the main family and it had been like that for generations. In this case, Alex was the future primero. And the future wife of Alex had the ultimate duty of bearing him a son. After the first one, the rest would be considered shadows and spare beings if ever something happens to the first one.

Because of the expected cold treatment to other male offsprings of the main family, napipilitang makuntento ang primero sa dalawa o isang anak lamang. Fortunately, this rule did not apply to the females born into the household. Having daughters was greatly encouraged. Ang mga anak na babae ng mga Marudo ang inaasahang magparami sa angkan. They were free to have male children as much as they want, but the first born son should bear the surname Marudo.

Kung ang asawa ng isang primero ay hindi kayang maibigay ang inaasahan sa kanya, the husband was obliged to take a mistress to provide one. This condition was agonizingly fulfilled by the fourteenth generation's primero since his wife could only give birth to daughters after their marriage. Mr. Zavier Marudo, their father, was a result of a desperate arrangement. He was the first half-blood to become the male heir.

Unlike his sisters, Zavier was burdened by the fifteenth generation's duty. He was obliged to continue the complicated and unnecessary tradition as the Marudo's primero.

It had been a long time since the main family had a shadow. The previous primeros had been very careful not to procure unwanted male offsprings until Alex and Xander. They were the first twins of the main family. Xander inevitably became the first shadow after five generations.

According to the elders of the Marudo clan, the second son couldn't be in the same place as the first son because it would bring bad luck. It was a stupid belief, but everybody in the clan knew that the main family's blood needed to monopolize everything. Only one heir could have everything.

Zavier Marudo, who was frequently ridiculed behind his back for being the 'half-blood' primero, tried to infuriate the clan by keeping Xander under his wing after he was born. Gusto niyang ipamukha sa lahat na isang malaking kalokohan ang tradisyon. Only he had the guts to break it since he was not completely a Marudo by blood. But his wife was utterly against it. She loved Alex too much. Hindi nito hahayaang may mangyaring masama sa unang anak na lalaki. Tuluyang nilamon ng baluktot na sistema ang asawa ni Zavier. She wanted all of it for her son, Alex. She wanted to live at the Macedon Estate and to achieve that, they must abandon the shadow.

Mercilessly, ipinatapon si Xander ng mga magulang sa America kung saan maluwag naman siyang tinanggap ng lolo at lola. Their grandmother, the former primero's wife particularly took care of Xander. It was out of guilt, to make amends for the stepson she had failed to love before. But Zavier risked taking Xander back dahil sa pagloloko ng panganay na anak na si Alex.

Sinadya ni Alex na pumirma sa isang walang kwentang kontrata upang magrebelde. It was the last straw for Zavier. He brutally told his first son, "I'll break my honor if it means to discard someone as useless as you."