Hindi masamang makinig. Sometimes, the smallest voices you hear around you will lead you to what you are looking for— like trail of breadcrumbs towards the jackpot. However, maaaring ito rin ang maging sanhi para maabot mo ang dulo— ang dulo na malayo mula sa hinahangad mo. Ang dulong tatapos sa mga inaasam mo. Be aware of your surroundings but do not get fooled easily. Blistering footsteps echoed around the hallways. I was on my way back to the room where I woke up earlier when the servants inside the mansion started panicking. “The guards just called. Lady Lemery is on her way here!” It was a whisper from an old lady that walked passed me. She was talking to a younger servant who immediately crumpled her face— I don't know if it's because of annoyance, worry, fear, or nervousness. Who's Lady Lemery? “Señor just left! What shall we do?” Hindi ko na narinig pa ang sumunod na sinabi ng babae dahil nakalayo na sila mula sa puwesto ko kung saan ako napatigil. Malapit na ako sa pin
Halos isang linggong hindi nagpakita si Rye pagkatapos ng gabing iyon. Halos isang linggo na rin akong nabuburo sa loob ng mansyon. Kain at tulog lang ang ginagawa ko at hindi ko alam kung paano ko 'yon nakakayanan lalo na't hindi ako sanay sa gano'n.Isang beses kong sinubukang mag-aksaya ng lakas upang tumakas, ngunit mga sugat sa braso lang ang natamo ko matapos kong labanan ang mga bantay sa labas ng mansyon. However, hindi naman ako nakaramdam ng pagsisisi. I was bored that's why I did that.Hindi lingid sa aking kaalaman na nasa loob lamang ng mansyon si Rye, ngunit hindi ko alam kung saan banda. Hindi naman lahat ng parte ay maaari kong puntahan sa loob ng mansyon. May mga bahagi na hindi ako pinahihintulutang puntahan kaya naman hindi ko mahanap-hanap ang lalaki.Kaya naman suwerte ako nang bumaba ako sa kalagitnaan ng gabi dahil kinailangan kong linisin ang sugat ko na aksidente kong muling napadugo, muli kong nakita si Rye. “I already missed my sons' birthday. Until when d
I knew I was fucked up real hard when all I could see whenever I was closing my eyes is her; her delicate lips and her pair of dark sultry eyes. The electricity that her touch sent me that night together with her sweet moans even bugged my system for I don't know how fucking long.“The woman you met that night is not the daughter of Articus Severino you have chosen as your fiancée.”I knew it.From the moment she turned off the lights first before taking off her mask, I fucking knew it. The Astean Severino I was talking with told me she prefer it lights on.Fuck. What now?Sino ang babaeng 'yon, kung gano'n? Hindi niya ba ako paninindigan? “I don't know who is she.”Nakakunot ang noo ko nang balingan ko ng tingin ang kanang-kamay ko na si Ervo. “How did you know it wasn't her then?”“According to Altroin, Astean Severino is currently under medication for her illness. The Severinos are hiding it.”Napapikit na lamang ako at napamasahe sa aking sintido. “Articus used another woman. Does
After having a nice talk with him, I got Sever Hareon as my right hand. He was easy to talk with. Hindi ko naman siya binantaan. I just gave him reminders as his boss.“What did you do? Bakit may pasa sa mukha 'yon?” Ervo was so worried when he got into my office. Napataas ako ng isang kilay sa kaniya. “You know him?”“I am the one who trained him before he became the head of Derrivy in the Philippines.”Nagkibit-balikat ako. “Nice. He's my right hand now. Pinapayagan na kitang umalis.”Napahinga nang malalim ang lalaki bago itinaas ang gilid ng mga labi. “Alright, then. Sa wakas. Malaya na ako. Goodbye, boss. See you when I—”“Sinabi ko ba na ngayon? He will start his work as my right hand right once my children are born.”Ervo muttered a curse. “Five months pa.”I asked Sever to be with Zalaria while she's carrying our twins in exchange for a billion dollars. However, the man told me that it was really his plan to do so, even if I did not ask him.If only I was able to do my duties a
“You'll let Rye handle the assignation of missions?”“Uhuh. It's not a thing to worry about. He'll assign and I'll approve. It's still under my control.”Ervo showed his concern about my decision. He thought it was risky, pero 'yon nga ang pinakamaayos na puwesto na maaaring upuan ni Rye na dadaan at dadaan talaga sa akin lahat ng gagawin niya. Being the Supreme doesn't mean I should control everything about Derrivy in my favor. I knew that Rye was desperate to have my position— desperate that he became okay with the idea of destroying the relationship we have as brothers, pero alam ko na ang trabaho ay trabaho sa kaniya.He won't make an awful mistake when it comes to things inside Derrivy because the company's downfall will surely be his, too.As of me? The only thing I can consider as my downfall is that when Zalaria wouldn't accept me as the father of her sons.I really want to be a father. Oh, Lord, how many times did I wish to swing my sons safely in my arms so that they cou
Today, I was scheduled to meet my mother in our family house located in America. Malas lang dahil kinabukasan ay ang pagbabalik ni Zalaria sa Derrivy. “Will you be there, my Supreme?”I shall be there. “I will host the assessment.”“Does the Second knows about it, my Supreme?” I nodded while fixing the sleeves of the plain white shirt I was wearing. “I already sent him my orders. He have probably read it by now.” My brother, Rye, as the Second— the second highest title inside Derrivy, is responsible for arranging an assessment for those who took a long break or undergoing the process to re-enter the organization. Zalaria will undergo an assessment and I wanted to be the host. Supposedly, the Second is the one who'll do it. However, it is not like I was breaking the rule— I was just bending it a little. Gustong-gusto ko na siyang makita. Ervo nodded for the second time as he scanned the pile of papers he was carrying. “How about Sever, my Supreme? When is his estimated time of a
I was quiet as a predator aiming for a prey. Maingat ang aking mga hakbang habang sinisiguro ko na walang ibang nakakakita sa akin. Padilim nang padilim ang hallway na aking tinatahak habang tumatagal, ngunit hindi ko magawang huminto. Hindi ako dapat na huminto. Kailangan kong sundan ang lalaki. He was heading to the basement. I was holding my breath while tying the mask tightly behind my head. I didn't have a hard time entering this masquerade party, pero mukhang mahihirapan akong makalabas dito ngayon. If I would follow the man to the basement, I would get into a trap. Or maybe I am already in one? Hindi lingid sa kaalaman ko na hindi biro ang seguridad sa lugar na ito. I was lucky that my backers did what they have to do to get me in here peacefully. However, I didn't enter the party as an alluring lady in a hot long gown. Nandito ako bilang isang taga-silbi. This is a party of elites. Lahat ng nandito ngayon ay may malalaking pangalan hindi lamang sa loob kundi pati na rin
An unknown number was calling me. Noong una ay wala akong balak sagutin ito. Malay ko ba kung scammer ito na maniningil ng utang na hindi ko naman inutang, o 'di kaya naman ay death threats mula sa mga kaaway ko. Ngunit matapos ang ilang segundo, kusang gumalaw ang aking daliri upang sagutin ito. “Sino 'to?” bungad ko sa kabilang linya. “Zalaria, it's me.”Napangiwi ako kasabay ng paglaylay ng aking balikat matapos marinig ang pamilyar na boses. Hindi ko na pala dapat ito sinagot. “Why did you call?” diretsong tanong ko sa pakay ng aking magaling na ama. Hindi ko alam kung papaano niya nakuha ang numero ko dahil sa pagkakatanda ko ay hindi ko naman ito kailan man ibinigay sa kaniya. “I want to offer you something,” he answered straightforwardly. Wala manlang kumusta o simpleng pagbati. The side of my lip rose into a smirk. “Paano kung ayaw kong tanggapin?” “Five million pesos.”Napatanga ako. Ano raw?“I will give you five million pesos if you accept my offer.”Five million pes