Chapter 5

SAPO ang dibdib na sumandal sa pinto ng comfort room si Beauty. Hindi na niya maalala kung anong alibi ang sinabi niya kanina sa mga tao sa labas ng justice office. Halos hindi siya makahinga sa mga sunod sunod na tanong ng mga kamag-anak ni Euh Jin. At dahil ayaw niyang masala sa mga mapanuring tingin ng mga tao sa labas, tumakas siya at nagpuntang banyo.

Let him handle the explanation. Inis na susog niya.

Hindi niya talaga lubos na maisip na hahantong sa ganito ang lahat. She was just doing her mission. Bakit kelangan maging ganito kakomplikado ang sitwasyon? She was very confident of her deliberation yesterday, but why does her stupid mouth told a different story a while back?

I love him? Ha? Where did that came from? She was supposedly going to tell them that the whole wedding was a bogus. She unconsciously held her lip when she remembers the kiss. He kissed her, at iyon ang una niyang halik.

"Sweetie, how many hours will it take you to finish there?" Boses ng lalaki iyon. She panicked when she heard a sequential knock from the door.

Shit! Patay ako nito! Kailangan kong makalabas dito! She surveyed the small comfort room and saw the glass window at the upper part of the wall. With desperation, she climbed the toilet tank, reach and opened the blinds of the window and ascended her small body out of the small square window.

Tumagal ng ilang sandali bago tuluyan siyang makalabas sa bintana. Good thing, may nakapitan siya roon. She immediately went down when she saw the stairs at the fire exit.

Yes! She jumped in joy when her feet finally landed the ground.

"WHAT THE HECK." Mahinang mura ni Euh Jin nang makitang wala ng tao sa loob ng binalyang comfort room niya.

He gritted his teeth when he read the lipstick marked GOOD BYE AND GOODLUCK with smiley on the mirror. Then he saw the open windows up.

That witch! Tiim bagang tiningnan niay ang assistant na halos lumuwa ang mata sa takot nang makita ang masamang timpla ng mukha niya. Buti nalang nauna na sa parking lot ang kanyang mga pinsan at ama. He needs more time alone with that woman to extract who's behind the sabotage.

"Find all the information you can get about that woman and send the reports tonight."

"A-ah sir. Kindly give me until tomorrow," nauutal nitong apela.

"Who's the boss here? Me or you?" He dangerously asked Kevin.

"Noted Sir. I will revert to you details within the day!"

This won't be our last meeting. You'll see. I'll make sure you won't get away easily!

"PAMU." Beauty cornered Pamu at the back stage when her friend finished her song number.

"Oh fren? Nakuha mo ba yung cheke mo. Pinadala ko na kay Inay kanina sa bahay niyo." Takang tanong nito sa kanya.

"Pamu, hindi iyon. Umamin ka. Sino ba ang nagpatrabaho sa akin ng raket na binigay mo?"

"Naku fren, hindi ko pedeng sabihin, eh."

"But why?"

"Kasi iyon ang papel ko sa raket mo fren. Kelangan kong manahimik. Sorry fren, ha? Bayad na din kasi ako. Kelangan din ng mga kapatid ko iyong pera."

"Wala naman makakaalam, Pamu eh. I'll assure you, I'll keep the secret."

"Sorry talaga fren, ha? Hindi talaga pwede eh." Laglag ang balikat na nagpaalam siya rito. She walked in the middle of the night with her lost mind.

Yesterday, after her duty, a little boy approached her and gave her an intimidating note. The note indicates that she has twenty four hours to reveal who's her boss is. Most probably, she knew where the note came from. It's from Euh Jin!

Kung may isa mang magandang bagay ang nangyari kahapon na gusto niyang ipagpasalamat sa Diyos, iyon ay ang pagkagising na ng kanyang Inay. Worth it ang pagtanggap niya sa misyon, kahit pa na ang ibig lang sabihin niyon ay kailangan niyang maging handa sa lahat ng konsekwensiya ng ginawa niya.

Panoo na ito? What if he does something bad to get even? Naku, Ibinayad ko na ang pera sa hospital. Wala ng natira. How will I protect myself from that evil man?

She was busy with her thoughts when she felt a firm clutch on her wrist along the sidewalk. It was so cold at this night time but she could only feel electrifying warmth coming from the hand who grabbed her at her side.

"Hop in!" She followed the baritone voice. It's him! She stiffened and raised her eyebrow.

Euh Jin pulled her forcedly and drops her inside the passenger seat of his Land Rover Range luxury car.

"Ano ba? Nasasaktan ako." Mariin niyang sita rito habang pilit na binabawi ang kamay mula rito.

Euh Jin freed her hand and immediately walks at the opposite side of the car. He went inside and drove the engine quietly.

"T-teka. San mo ako dadalhin?"

Ilang sandali pa ang lumipas ngunit ni isang sagot ay walang narinig ang dalaga mula rito.

"Ano ba? Pipi ka ba?" But he only manage to give her a harsh look at the review mirror.

Beauty tossed out her phone and dialled a number for help, but she was astonished when Euh-Jin snatch her phone and throw it out of the open window.

"Problema mo?" she screamed.

"Stop the car. Wala kang mahihita sa akin. This is kidnap!" Tapang tapangan niya.

She's beginning to fear him. Estranghero ang kasama niya. At natatakot siya sa matatalim na tingin at pananahimik nito. Lord! Help me!

The man speed up his car na halos ikalabas na ng dibdib ni Beauty sa nerbyos. After seeing his eyes turned to black, she managed to shut her mouth. Padaskol siya nitong hinila palabas ng sasakyan nito matapos nitong ihimpil ang sasakyan sa garahe ng village house na pinasukan nila. Halos madapa siya sa pagkaladkad nito sa kanya sa loob ng bahay nito making their way to a room where he locked her inside.

"Hoy. Palabasin mo ako dito," pasigaw niyang habol sa nakapinid na pintuan.

After a long silence, the door opens and Euh Jin went inside with a dangerous aura in his eyes. Umatras siya sa kinauupuang kama nang lumapit ito sa kanya. Natatakot siya rito. What if he's going to do something bad? What if he's a psycho killer? What if he's going to kill her to get even with her?

"W-wag kang lalapit." No. "Sisigaw ako!" Apela niya rito nang ilang dangkal na lang ang pagitan nila nito. She's at the headboard and Euh-Jin was standing looking at her.

"Your time is up, woman." Sinalo ni Beauty ang folder na initsa nito sa kanya at mabilis na sinuri ang nasa loob nito. Nanlaki ang mga mata niya nang tumino sa utak niya ang nabasang mga letra sa papel.

"Ano to?" She faced the gorgeous man who was half leaning on the bed side table.

"What do you think?" Matiim na tingin nito.

"Prenuptial?" Beauty answered unbelievably.

"Sign it. Tomorrow is our wedding day." Utos nito sa kanya sabay abot ng pen.

"N-no." Tanggi niya.

"Austen Hospital. Room 208." Beauty widened her eyes when she realized he is referring to her mother's location.

"Now sign it. Or your mother will be in great trouble Ms. Beauty Ferrer."

"A-anong ginawa mo sa Inay ko?" Kinakabahang tanong niya rito.

"Wala pa naman akong ginawa. Saka pa lang. If you refuse to sign the paper."

She gathered her strength and poked him in his arm. "W-walang hiya ka!" But he grabs her on her arms with clenched grip.

"Huwag na huwag mo akong tatawaging walang hiya. It is you who doesn't have the shame. You created this lies and I'm just giving you what you deserve. Now, sign the fucking paper." Madilim ang mukhang isinalya siya nito sa kama.

Nakaramdam ng sakit si Beauty sa ginawa nito ngunit mas ramdam niya ang umaahong takot sa kanyang dibdib. Nanginginig ang kamay na kinuha niya ang folder at sinimulang basahin ang terms and condition ng kontrata. Ngunit kahit anong pilit niyang intindi sa mga salitang nahahagip ng mga mata niya ay hindi pa din niya maintindihan ang mga nakasulat doon.

She was really scared. She's cared for her family. Hawak nito ang kanyang Inay, at base sa yaman at tono ng pananalita nito, he can do whatever he wants with just a click of his finger.

"I tell you, you have no other option but to agree with the contract." Euh Jin voice's echoes her mind, so with a worried heart, she signed the paper.

"Good. Now sleep, and tomorrow you will start your work for me."

Tulalang tiningnan lang ni Beauty ang pintuan nilabasan ng binata. She wiped her tears when she felt it streaming on her face.

Ito ba ang kabayaran ng kasalanan ko?

Mariin niyang pinikit ang mga mata habang pilit na kinakalma ang pagragasa ng emosyon sa kanyang dibdib. She is strong, and she has to be stronger now. Lalo pa at nakasalalay ang buhay ng mga magulang niya sa kanya. Gustuhin man niyang tumakas at puntahan ang kanyang Inay sa hospital ngayon ay hindi niya pwedeng gawin iyon. The door is lock, and she is on his mercy. At kahit manghimagsik siya buong magdamag ay walang magagawa ang pagsisigaw niya sa kwartong pinagkulungan nito sa kanya.

She accepted the mission, better yet she gets ready with the consequences of it. What she did was wrong at kahit pa sabihing ginawa lang niya iyon dahil gipit siya at walang pagpipilian, mali pa rin iyon.

Kaya mo to Beauty. Kakayanin mo ito. Para sa kanila! Ngunit pilitin man niyang ipahinga ang pagal na utak ay hindi niya pa din magawang kalmahin ang kanyang kalooban.

She's independent and strong. She will do everything for her family. But visioning her future with the strange man gave her threat. The man defines wealth and power. At sino lang ba siya? A striving underprivileged nurse na nagsusumikap na matugunan ang mga pangangailangan ng mga magulang niya. Anong laban niya rito?