✧ADAM MEADOWS✧ "Hi, Auntie," I greeted her nang pagbuksan niya ako ng pinto. Bitbit ko ang medyo malaking shopping bag na may tatak ng isang signature brand. A slight smile on my face. I had promised her last night I'd send a gift today, but because of Jazz mentioning the vault and the photo album, I thought I'd have to check it out myself. Uncle Win wasn’t home; he was at the company. Only Auntie Cass was here. "Hello, Adam!" Aunt Cassandra responded warmly, her eyes lighting up when she saw me. “Come in, come in." I stepped inside, feeling a mix of determination and anxiety. As much as I appreciated Auntie Cass’s hospitality, I couldn’t shake off the urgency of finding out the truth about those pictures. Pero kailangan ko muna siyang libangin dahil hindi naman niya alam ang totoong pakay ko sa pagpunta ngayon dito. “Here’s my gift.” Inabot ko sa kaniya ang bitbit kong shopping bag noong nasa living area na kami. “Goodness, Adam . . .” Para siyang nawala sa sarili habang inaaral

✿♡ JAZZLENE ♡✿NOONG sinabi ni Adam na uuwi siya ngayon sa apartment niya, I felt a surge of excitement. I imagined us spending time together, talking, and maybe annoying each other. Pero noong dinagdag niya na kailangan niya ako sa kama, my heart sank with disappointment. I couldn't pinpoint why I felt this way; after all, I knew from the beginning that this was our setup, our arrangement. I was just a bed warmer to him, his powerless sex slave.Lumabas ako sa kuwarto ko, suot ang pantulog kong pajama set na floral ang design, kulay light pink. Tumungo ako sa kitchen at pumuslit ng isang beer ni daddy sa refrigerator ‘tsaka ako lumabas sa bahay. Sa porch ako pumuwesto at bago ako naupo sa rocking chair na naroon ay sinadya ko munang patayin ang ilaw sa porch para hindi ako makita ni Adam kapag dumating na siya. The only light came from the solar lamp on the fence, casting a soft, dim glow that barely reached me. It was almost time for Adam to get home, and my emotions were a tangled

✿♡ JAZZLENE ♡✿ TAHIMIK kaming nakaupo sa living room. Magkatabi si mommy at daddy, habang katabi ko naman si Adam. Kaharap namin ang parents ko, at naka-crossed arms si mommy habang nakatitig kay Adam, tila binabasa ang buo nitong pagkatao. Si daddy naman ay bahagyang nakayuko, nakapatong ang mga siko niya sa ibabaw ng hita niya at paminsan-minsang bumubuntong-hininga. The silence was thick and uncomfortable. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, each beat echoing loudly in my ears. Adam sat next to me, calm and composed, his face betraying none of the anxiety I felt. He seemed to be waiting for the inevitable interrogation to begin. “Boyfriend?” ani mommy nang ibaling niya sa akin ang tingin niya, hindi pa rin siya makapaniwala, bahagya pang nakataas ang kilay niya. “Kailan pa?” I swallowed hard, feeling the weight of their scrutiny. Alam kong ako lang ang magbibigay ng explanation sa kanila dahil tahimik si Adam, and clearly having no intention of helping me out. Sigur

✧ADAM MEADOWS✧SA ILANG araw na lumipas, I was still consumed by the need to figure out who was responsible for my family's death. Every waking moment, every thought was fixated on this single goal. I had to know who orchestrated the tragedy that tore my life apart.Determined to find answers, I went to the jail myself. The two men who had shot my family were locked up there, and I needed to confront them. As I walked through the cold, sterile corridors of the prison, my heart pounded with a mix of rage and anticipation.When I finally saw them, sitting behind the bars, my blood boiled. T*ngina. I felt a deep and intense anger surge through me. My vision blurred for a moment, and all I wanted to do was pull out the gun behind me and blow their heads off right there and then. The image of their lifeless bodies, a small recompense for the pain they caused, flashed through my mind.Pero pinigil ko ang sarili ko. Hindi ko pa sila puwedeng tapusin dahil kailangan ko pa sila. I needed them

✧ADAM MEADOWS✧ NANATILI ang tingin ko kay Jazz sa screen, every instinct screaming at me to help her. Naaawa ako sa kalagayan niya dahil may nakita pa akong galos sa braso niya at dumudugo pa ‘yon. And the sight of her suffering made my heart ache. “What have you done to her?” I demanded, keeping my voice steady, habang nakatutok pa rin sa kaniya ang baril ko. Kay Cassandra. “She’s just a little insurance, Adam,” sagot niya, her tone dripping with mock sweetness. “You see, you’re not the only one who can play dirty. Now, put the gun down, and we can talk like civilized people. Napakasimple lang naman ng gusto ko. Ibalik mo sa ‘kin ang kinuha mo sa vault, ilipat mo sa pangalan ko ang Meadows Group at mag-resign ka sa kompanya. Kapag ginawa mo ‘yon, ‘tsaka ko ibibigay sa ‘yo si Jazzlene. Palitan tayo. And remember, Adam, every move you make will determine Jazz’s fate.” I felt trapped, my mind racing to find a way out of this nightmare. Jazz’s terrified eyes met mine on the screen, an