Kabanata Tatlumpu't tatlo
The operation is successful but the waiting game is not yet over. Limang oras na ang nakalilipas mula ng matapos ang operasyon pero wala pa ring malay ang kapatid ko.
"Babe." Jacob handed a cup of coffee to me.
"Thanks." Umupo siya sa tabi ko at inakbayan ang balikat ko.
"Magiging okay siya." Ngumiti siya sa akin at hinayaan akong sumandal sa balikat niya.
"I know he will. Calen is a tough guy. He already endured a lot of pain because of our parent's death. He didn't deserve this." Pinigilan ko ang luha ko.
Ayoko ng umiyak. Gusto kong maging malakas para sa mga tao sa paligid ko.
Nakita ko a
Kabanata Tatlumpu't apatHinila ko ang kamay ni Jessy mula sa sugat ko."Sinabi mo ba kay Jacob?" Tanong ko."Syempre hindi! Can you just think about yourself first? Tingnan mo ang ginawa mo! Muntik ka nang tamaan sa ulo!” Sigaw niya sa mukha ko."Huwag kang sumigaw. Sumasakit ang ulo ko." Sabi ko at tumingin sa side mirror.Hinampas niya ang manibela.She looked so frustrated.I am too.I must admit that Arturo Montes is smarter than his son."You knew I was Phoenix all along?" Tanong ko ulit.
Kabanata Tatlumpu't limaNakatingin lang sa amin si Jacob. Sinubukan kong kausapin siya pero hindi naman siya nakikinig.Bumuntong hininga ako.Gusto kong sabihin sa kanya ang lahat ng totoo ngunit natatakot din ako. Natatakot ako na hindi niya ako maintindihan.He knew about my past but he barely knew my present life.Hindi ko alam kung matatanggap niya ako bilang isang vigilante.He stood up when Jessy finished cleaning my wound again.“I know that's not a cut. Huwag mo na akong gawing tanga. He said and stormed out of the room.“Jacob wait!” I shouted
Kabanata Tatlumpu't Anim"Girl, you still have time to say goodbye." Jessy urged me.We were inside a rented car. It was fully tinted so my family won't see us.Nakita kong niyakap ni Jacob si Calvin. May binulong siya dito na ikina ngiti ng kapatid ko."Baka nagbago ang isip ni Calen pag makita niya ako. Okay lang, Jessy. Tinanggap ko na ang sitwasyon namin. Never silang magiging ligtas kasama ko." I replied not leaving my eyes away from the scene.She rubbed my back and didn’t say a thing.Binuksan ni Eric ang pintuan ng van. Ang lahat ng aming mga guard makakasama nila.My former American guards will also be
Kabanata Tatlumpu't PitoI stayed in Jacob’s place that night. I checked all of his stuff to find the mask but it was not in there. Jessy was still bothered even if she was already at the party.Gusto ko sanang mag focus siya sa assignment niya pero nakikita ko sa CCTV na hindi pa rin siya mapalagay."I'll turn off the alarm once you're in his room Sphinx. Meron ka lang fifteen minutes. Sorry, that's the only time I could hold it." Sabi ni Griffin.Sphinx held his cap to give us the signal that he understood what Griffin said.Nasa kitchen siya na puno ng security kaya ang plano namin ay bibigyan lamang niya kami ng mga signal sa mga sasabihin namin sa kanya. Hindi na niya kailangan mag salita dahil baka may maka
Kabanata Tatlumpu't WaloKumabog sa kaba ang dibdib ko ng marinig ko ulit ang mga putok ng baril.The man that was holding me was pinning me to the ground."Ssh. Baka marinig nila tayo." Bulong nito sa akin.“Bitawan mo ko.” Mariin kong sagot at sinabukan siyang sipain pero na hawakan niya ang binti ko."Stay quiet or my partner will shoot your partner.” He whispered slowly in my ears.Natigilan ako ng maisip ko si Jessy.Ayokong masaktan siya.Nanatili kami sa posisyon na iyon ng ilang sandali."Wala na sila
Kabanata Tatlumpu't SiyamHindi namin mapigilan ang mga tawa namin dahil sa eksenang ginawa ni Jessy sa emergency room ng hospital. I knew her Manager would be mad because of the sudden news about her being in the hospital without him knowing but we can’t think of a better solution. Si Sphinx ang utak ng bawat misyon namin. Siya ang gumagawa bawat plano at kami lang taga gawa nito at wala pa rin siyang malay hanggang ngayon.Binayaran ko ang lahat ng kanyang gastos para masimulan nila ang operasyon. I just asked them to call me after so I could still take a rest.My body was sore all over.“You guys will stay here?” Baling ni Centaur sa amin."Oo. Dito nalang kami matutulog. Babalik ako sa ospital mam
Kabanata Apatnapu"JESSY!" I pulled my gun as I ran to follow Jessy's van.Agad kong pinaputukan ang likurang bahagi ng gulong ng van pero hindi ko natamaan. The van sped off leaving me behind.I gritted my teeth as I was thinking of a solution on how to follow them. Walang sasakyang duma daan sa kalsada.Tumakbo ako pabalik sa inn at sinubukang mag renta ng kotse o kahit motorsiklo pero wala silang maibigay sakin.Tangina!"Cindy? What's wrong?" I heard Ethan's voice.Before I could turn around, someone hugged me from behind."Are you okay baby?" Gusto kong u
Kabanata Apatnapu’t Isa Pinunasan ko ang luha ko habang iniisip si Jacob at ang aking mga kapatid. "Good girl. If you had listened to me before, we would not have reached this point. Ngayon dumiretso at sundin mo lahat ng ipapagawa ko. Once you enter the bypass road, you will exit your car with no weapons. My boys are waiting in a white van. Jessica’s white van. No weapons or else you know what will happen to your friend.” Tumawa ulit siya bago mawala sa linya. Hinampas ko ang manibela ng maraming beses dahil sa galit. Hintayin mo ako Jessy. Nakita ko ang pangalan ni Jacob sa screen ng cellphone ko bago ako bumaba ng kotse. I left all of the weapons that I prep
Huling Kabanata"Amethyst, sweetheart can you ask Daddy to get Mommy's scarf please?" I asked, my four years old daughter.Humarap siya sa akin at ngumiti."Sure, Mommy. But can I bring my teddy?" Tanong niya gamit ang mapupungay na mga mata.Paano naman ako makakahindi? Bumuntong hininga ako at tumango."But first we have to make a deal. Walang paglalaro sa loob ng theater okay?” Kailangan nating panoorin at suportahan si Ate Chelsey." Sabi ko at sinara ang zipper ng violin bag ng panganay ko.Today is her recital.Amethyst jumped in joy and ran to the door."Careful baby." Si
Kabanata Limampu Cindy couldn’t stop crying. I hit my forehead using my palm. “Babe our daughter might think that I made you cry. Huminahon ka.” Sabi ko at hinawakan ang mukha niya. I wiped the tears away from her beautiful eyes. “You did make me cry!” Aniya at tinulak ang dibdib ko. Umupo ako sa tabi niya. "Hindi ko naisip na iiyak ka. Hush now, please. I turned my back on that job years ago.” Sabi ko at hinimas himas ang likod niya. "Hindi mo din sinabi sa akin ang tungkol sa pagiging vigilante mo. What you have done was more dangerous than my job.” Mahinahon kong paliwanag. Ayokong sabayan ang pag tatampo niya. I al
Kabanata Apatnapu't Siyam Calvin and I laughed as I let him drive my car. "I saw a stolen picture of you on her phone!" He beamed. Umiling ako at ginulo ang buhok niya. "Be a good boy and I will teach you how to charm girls." Sabi ko at tinuro ang susunod na kanto. "Girls are complicated." Aniya at napakamot sa batok. "Saan talaga tayo pupunta?" Tanong niya. Tumingin ako sa side view mirror. Halos wala talagang nagbago sa bayang ito. "Just drive. Malapit na tayo." I said as I read the town's name on my mind. 'Welcome to San Rafael'
Kabanata Apatnapu't Walo Makalipas ang limang taon. "Jake please, tigilan mo na ang pagtatrabaho sa bahay!" Jessica crossed her arms in front of me. She's pouting her lips like a brat that she is. "Hindi ako pupunta sa party, Jessica. May appointment ako bukas sa guidance counselor ni Calvin." Sabi ko at minasahe ang gilid ng ulo ko. Napa away na naman si Calvin last week. I sighed as I remembered his reason. 'I won't stop fighting until Ate comes back!' Si Calvin ang sakit ng ulo ko sa kanilang tatlo. Siguradong namana niya ito sa At
Kabanata Apatnapu't pito "Hindi ka ba nagpaalam sa kanila?" Tanong ni Lindsey habang pinapatulog ang anak. Umiling ako at ngumiti lang. Jacob fist bumped Carlo and Calvin. Calen was on the side of his girlfriend. He could walk again without the help of anybody. Jacob waved goodbye to my Aunt and Uncle as he entered his car. Ngayon ang unang araw niya sa kumpanya namin. Uncle assigned him as the new acting CEO. I am so proud of him. "Cindy, alam mong tatanggapin ka nila. Pamilya mo sila." Sabi pa ni Lindsey. Humarap ako sa kanya.
Kabanata Apatnapu't Anim "Ate." Tinawag ako ni Calen. Humarap ako sa mga kapatid ko habang pinupunasan ang luha ko. Binuksan ko ang mga braso ko para sa kanila. They all went around my bed to hug me. "Masayang-masaya ako na nandito kayong lahat." Bulong ko sabay yakap sa kanila. "Congrats Ate." Sabi ni Calen. Tumango ako at humarap sa kanila. I pinched Calvin's rosy cheek. "I miss you all." Hinayaan kong batiin ako ng bawat tao sa silid bago sila mag paalam umalis. I f
Kabanata Apatnapu't Lima I blinked two times to adjust my vision. I heard a commotion outside of the door. Nilibot ko ang paningin ko sa buong kwarto. Wala sina Jacob at Jessy. I blinked again but my vision didn’t improve. I raised my hand to see a needle in my arm. I pushed myself up. Nasaan sila? Sinubukan kong iunat ang aking likuran pero isang biglang sakit ang naramdaman ko. "Shit. It stings." I cursed. Nanunuyo ang lalamunan ko. The door opened slowly, Jacob walked in with an angry face. He looked straight to me. His
Kabanata Apatnapu't Apat Hawak ni Jacob ang aking mga kamay habang binibigkas niya ang kanyang mga pangako. “...to have and to hold, to honor you, to treasure you, and to love and cherish you always. I choose you as the person with whom I will spend my life. I promise you this from my heart, for all the days of my life.” Ngumiti siya at hinalikan ang aking mga kamay. Pinunasan ko ang luhang tumulo sa pisngi niya. He mouthed ‘I love you’ as I recite my vows to him. I stopped and hugged him tight. “Read your vows properly. You’re stuttering.” I heard him curse quietly as he pushed me off of him. Napatakip ako ng bibig nang makita ko ang mukha ni Leo sa harapan ko
Kabanata Apatnapu't Tatlo I still couldn't believe that Mina died because of my recklessness. Kinulong ulit ako ni Leo sa loob ng silid. He just left a glass of water in a paper cup. Tinanggal ng kanyang mga tauhan ang lahat ng babasagin at metal na bagay sa loob ng silid. I closed my eyes, thinking of my brothers. If I die in Leo's hands they will be traumatized for the rest of their life. I sighed as I think of ways on how to escape this hell hole. My feet and my one wrist were tied up again. I reached for the paper cup and drank all of the water. I need a clear mind now. Napangiwi ako nang makita ko ang mga sugat ko. Pinikit ko ulit ang aking mga mata at ini