Novel-novel oleh Plume Alter

27A GAME OF CHESS∞≠∞ Tiffany heaved a deep breath as she dialed Mamita Dionee’s call number. The latter picked up on the third ring. “Mamita Dionee, I’m in trouble. I need you.” “How may I help you, my dear?” Mamita Dionee replied. “I’m going to burn down a brotherhood.” Silence flooded the line for a moment, then Mamita Dionee asked again. “Are you sure this is what you want, child?” “Yes, Mamita. I need to do this.” The help came in less than an hour and Tiffany has the resources to burn a whole city. Wearing a tight-fitted black overall suit, she expertly moved without being seen around the mansion that had been a witness of the life she had as a billionaire's daughter. The thought of burning it down gave a pang inside her chest for the memories of her beautiful mother still lingered around it. “I know you’re scared and sad, little Heiress. But there

27 MISS T. ∞≠∞ The rain poured all afternoon. It had been a week since Lucio freed her from the shackles. Lucio and the rest of the Dragon Brotherhood members had become very nice to her. Except for Charlotte whom she still had a vendetta. Today was just an ordinary day for Tiffany. But it had also been an awakening to her. The video footage that the Alphas sent to the Dragons was given to her and she had been rewinding it over and over again. Clutching the hem of the cardigan she was wearing, she intently stared at the man who was talking at the podium. Behind him was a full graffiti of the Alpha symbol. She cannot believe her eyes when Yuan Lloyd Marquez was announced as the new Alpha Don. Just a few days ago, she sneaked through their mansion and tried to contact Elizabeth, but she failed. Instead, she overheard the guards talking about her. “The Don killed he

26 RELIVING THE PAST ∞≠∞ Tiffany could clearly see them now. She was nervously standing across the Dragons who were now firmly holding Marie Joyce as a captive. George was standing in front of her, giving the protection she needed in case one of them shoots her unexpectedly. But then she snickered when she saw Charlotte with the Dragons. She was wearing a cropped top and a mini skirt plus heavy make-up that almost made her look like a stressed copycat of Harley Quin. “Steffy! Just run away, please!” said Marie Joyce pleadingly. “Stop being hysterical Marie Joyce, I will not leave you alone,” Steffy replied. Lucio stepped forward with his hands clapping slowly in the air. “So touching.” “Hello, Lucio.” “I believe you have stolen something from me. So, I got something from you as well, Tiffa

25 THE TRUTH ABOUT THE HEIRESS ∞≠∞ “You cannot hide the truth from everyone, Arnulfo.” Drawing a heavy chuckle, the Don faced Elizabeth then replied, “Elizabeth, dear. You shouldn’t be spilling such poison inside my office. You barged in just to tell me some stupid musing?” He then walked towards her and rubbed a finger on her bare arms. “Tiffany will eventually find out, and when that happens, you’re a dead man! Haven’t you heard of what he did to your favorite? She fucking cut his balls and now he’s lying in the hospital bed, throwing a fit because he had just lost his only ticket for the position!" The Don laughed loudly as he patted his big stomach with his hands. “What a waste of time, Elizabeth! Get out, slut! I don’t want to hear anything from you!” Clenching her fist, Elizabeth slammed his hands on the table then looked him in the eye. “Our daughter is yo

24 SAVING MARIE ∞≠∞ “Tell me, Yuan. How does an Alpha assassin kill an important target?" Yuan smiled at her mischievously. "Why do you want to know?" he asked as he moved towards her and wrapped her in his arms. Tiffany lightly pushed him away. "I just want to know how would the Don wants her daughter dead." "Are you sure you want to know that?" "Of course. Otherwise, I won't be asking you in the first place." Heaving a sigh, Yuan settled in the bed before them, looking at her as she slowly stripped her clothes. “Well, I'm going to kill you or Lucio Hernandez the same way I did to that fat principal." "Really?" she said as she straddled him on the bed. Her breasts were dancing before his very eyes. "Yes," he moaned as he sucked her left nipple. "Ah, except that I won't be castrated, right? But Lucio will." Yuan nod

23 MARIE WAS KIDNAPPED ∞≠∞ The fact that Tiffany was out there, completely naked and defenseless almost made Yuan’s head go insane. He had been wanting to see her looking like that and now, things had quite made everything easy for him. Without any second thoughts, he stripped his suit and left not a piece of clothing on. He plunged to the water; his muscles glittered with every stroke. Tiffany was standing before him, with the sea just a little bit above her waist. He swam near her and upon reaching her, hungrily consumed her mouth. It took a couple of seconds before he felt her pushing him away. A hard slap came flying to his face as Tiffany heaved long deep breaths. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” she angrily shouted at him. Yuan let out a snicker. “I should be asking you the same thing, señorita. Tell me, are you flirting with me?”

Biglang nabitiwan ni Joelyn ang photo album. Gulat na gulat siya sa nakitang dugo na pumatak mula sa kanyang mga mata kaya hindi niya maiwasang manginig sa sobrang takot."Bakit may dugo?" Kabado niyang tanong habang mabilis na pinahid ng kanyang mga palad ang mga mata niya. Tiningnan niya ang mga kamay ngunit wala naman siyang nakitang dugo mula dito. Ilang sandali pa'y kinakabahan niyang nilapitan muli ang photo album at sa isang iglap ay nakumpirma niya na hindi na nga niya nakikita ang dugo mula dito. Napabuntunghininga na naman si Joelyn at nagdisisyong tuluyan na ngang pulutin ang photo album."Ate!"Napabalikwas siya nang marinig ang biglang pagtawag ng kapatid niya sa kanya."Marco. Nanggugulat ka naman!" Naiinis niyang sabi habang hinihimas ang kanyang dibdib."O? Napaano ka po? Bakit mukhang namumutla ka? Parang nakakita ka ng multo ate ah," patawa tawa pang sabi nito. "Masyado ka namang matatakutin.""Wala, parang tang

"Mom was being weird this morning."Tiningnan ni Joelyn si Marco habang naka-upo ito malapit sa kanya. Nasa sala silang magkapatid, admiring the newly-cleaned house.Medyo maaliwalas na ang ibang parte ng bahay dahil naging successful ang ginawa nilang paglilinis dito."Yeah, I could also agree with you now. She even asked me not to go to a certain room... which reminds me... hindi ka rin pwede doon. Again, bawal.""What?" sagot naman ni Marco habang nakakunot pa ang noo. "What room is that ba?""The last room on the second floor."Napangiti naman si Marco, halatang may kalokohan na naman na naiisip."Woah. Whatever you're planning, kid. Stop. Ayokong magalit si mom. Ikakasama niya iyon ng loob.""Fine then," sagot naman ng kanyang kapatid na siya naman niyang ikatuwa. If there's one thing she liked about her younger brother, it's how he respected her as an older sister."Can you please help me with this?" she asked as s

Mabilis pa sa alas-kwatro ang pagtakbo ng kanilang mommy Edna at ni Dante nang napatili na lamang si Joelyn."Ano'ng nanyari?" nag-aalalang tanong ng kanilang mommy nang makalapit na ito sa kanila. "Diyos ko!" sambit naman ni Dante nang tumambad sa kanila ang mga kalansay."Mom. Bakit may mga ganito dito?" tanong ni Marco. Tumpok-tumpok ang mga kalansay na nakita nila sa likod bahay na para bang ginawa itong triangulo at nagmistula pang altar. Masangsang din ang amoy gawa na rin siguro sa mga bulok na kalansay. Hindi nila maintindihan kung bakit may ganoon sa likod ng lumang bahay."I don't know," kalmadong sagot ng kanilang mommy."What should we do to these things?" tanong naman ni Joelyn.

Nasa kalagitnaan ng sila ng pagpaplano kung paano lilinisin at pagagandahin ang bahay nang may paulit-ulit na tumatawag sa kanila mula sa gate."Are you expecting anyone, mom?" tanong ni Joelyn sa mommy niya.Napakunot naman ng noo si Edna. "Nope. Kakadating pa lang natin dito at wala naman tayong mga neighbors. I wonder who might that be. Wait lang ha. Hays, we should really get a new doorbell," pabulong na sabi ni Edna bago ito pumanaog upang tingnan ang tao sa labas."Hey, I found an attic. Gusto mo ba puntahan natin mamaya?" tanong ni Marco habang nagwawalis ito ng sahig. Busy naman si Joelyn sa pagtanggal ng mga puting tela sa mga muwebles sa sala. She also wiped the dusts from the furnitures."Ewan ko. Natatakot pa rin ako, to be honest," kibit-balikat na sagot naman ni Joelyn. "Medyo luma na rin itong

Agad na nawala ang kanilang mommy nang makapasok na sila sa loob. Kinabahan naman ang dalawa dahil tanging ang flashlight lamang ng kanilang mga cellphone ang naging ilaw nila sa loob."Mom? Where are you?"Sa laki ba naman ng bahay na ito, at sa tagal ng panahon na walang naninirahan dito ay hindi maiiwasan ng magkapatid na mag-freak out."Mom!!!" sigaw ulit ng dalawa."Where's mom?" tanong ni Marco sa kanyang ate."Hindi ko alam! I was just right behind you, hindi ba?"Ilang sandali pa ay biglang bumaha ang liwanag sa loob. Halos ipikit ni Joelyn ang kanyang mga mata nang tumama sa kanilang paningin ang liwanag ng mga ilaw mula sa chandeliers sa taas ng bahay.

“Pagdating natin sa Mabini, magiging maayos na ang lahat.” Tumingala si Joelyn at siniyasat ang malungkot na mukha ng kanyang ina. It had been three years since her father died dahil sa Cancer. Masakit man isipin ngunit mahigit isang taon na rin ang nakaraan nang lumipat sila sa masikip at mabahong apartment na ito. “Namimiss ko na si daddy,” malimit na rinig niyang sinasabi ng kanilang bunso na si Marco. Madalas ay sinasagot lamang niya ito ng isang mapait na ngiti, ngunit may mga pagkakataon naman na niyayakap na lamang niya ang labing dalawang taong gulang na kapatid. She was hoping that she can fill the hole inside his heart dulot ng pagkawala ng kanilang mabait na daddy. But no amount of hugs can ever fill that hole inside them. Lalo na’t hindi sila sanay mamuhay nang wala sa karangyaan. “Daddy used to say na may mga bagay na nangyayari sa buhay natin na hindi natin naiintindihan,” ani Joelyn habang mahigpit na hinahawakan ang kamay ng kapatid. “But eventually, we will.” “Sana