49: Truth in Hell

"How are you?"

Talia welcomed her with arm opened upon seeing Margo getting off her car. "All good," Talia said and tapped her back. "It is good to see you again. I miss you."

"Wow, seems like we did not see each other for a year. Anyway, this place is good. You own this? Or Zanea's?" Margo roamed her eyes around the village and smiled from ear to ear.

"Yes, the Zanea's."

"Should we go now? Where is my brother?"

They both looked in the door of the house when Kiel went out from there. He gave the two a questionable look because they were looking at him like he just did a crime that he did not even know. "What?" he exclaimed and even checked her face, there might be a dirt for them to stare at him.

"Let's go?" Talia asked, now grinning like teasing. "We have to go early."

"Wait!" They were about to head to the car when Margo stopped them and blocked their way by her arms wide open. "What did I miss?"

Talia and Kiel looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders afterward. "None? What are you talking about?" Talia pretended like she does not know about it when in fact, there is just only one answer to Margo's question.

"Hmm, I know you guys," Margo squinted her eyes to the couple and hissed. "What is it? You look blooming and fresh and happy. I mean, I am not saying that you do not look good often. It was just that now is kind of different."

They both chuckled because Margo is now desperate to know about what she did really miss. Well, it was about their conversation earlier about marriage. They talked about marrying each other, have a child – children and have a happy family. The "happy family" might sound like a fairytale but why not achieve it, right? If you really want a happiness, then be the reason of it. It is in you.

"Nothing to talk about," Kiel hissed and walked to go inside the car. He sat on the backseat while Talia was on the passenger's seat, and Margo in the drive's seat.

"I know you guys have something you did not want to tell me - to tell us but I will find it out by myself. Hmm, it is annoying to know that someone is hiding something from you. It wakens up my curiosity," Margo continued to talk to show to them that she is pissed because they do not want to tell anything to her.

Until they got there, the irritation was still evident in her face but Talia and Kiel did not mind Margo anymore. They went inside the police station to see Cage. They waited for a minute before Cage entered to the room where Talia is waiting. Kiel and Margo just waited for her outside the room, somehow guarding because Cage might hurt her all of a sudden though Cage was in a handcuff.

"Whoa, a Zanea," Cage uttered as a greet and sat in front of her. "You doing here? Will you ask about how good you are in shooting?"

Talia shakes her head in disappointment. She thought that he will change once he gets into a prison to pay his sins but he was still the same. Who would change that easy anyway? Cage is just something, he do not care and he is not afraid – the personality that leads him there.

"I am here to ask something," Talia told him. Cage then leaned his back on the chair and squinted his eyes on her. He was like teasing just by looking at Talia. "Look, I did not mean to hurt –"

"Oh, shut that," Cage hissed. "I did not face you here just for a drama."

"Just listen, okay? I did not mean that and I am here to say sorry," she said, getting to the point. "I want this to over already. I am not asking for your forgiveness, I just want to apologize. That's it. I'm going."

"Wait," Cage stopped her when she was about to leave, "Can you be more sincere?"

She tilted her head to him. "Should I kneel?"

"Oh, you went here and you are the one who has the guts to get that attitude. You really are sorry, huh?"

She heaved a sigh. "I am sorry, okay? I really am. I did not went here to waste my time. At least accept my apology –"

"How did you get that personality?" Cage asked, now sounding serious. "I almost killed you and now you are sorry. Why, Talia? It is that easy to forgive anyone?"

Talia on the other hand were dumb-founded for a moment. She then forced a smile. "Forgive and forget, Cage."

Cage nodded his head multiple times. Talia started to walk out of the room when Cage uttered. "Funny but I forgive you," he said. "Now, I will be saying sorry. For killing your parents and –"

"Why though?" Talia asked, confused. "I just want to know the reason why you did that to my parents. What did we do to you, Cage?"

"I can't answer that," he said.

"I want to know."

"Give my a reason why should I tell you the truth," he challenged her. From her back facing him, she tilted her head to Cage.

"Because I deserve to know," she simply said. Cage blinked and thought for a second before he shakes his head, seems like he decided to tell the truth.

"I was ordered to," he said. "He paid me for me to kill your parents."

Talia froze. She was not able to utter anything because of disbelief. She can not believe that someone ordered him to kill her parents. Who is the "he" Cage is referring to?

"A Ramirez," he added and forced a smile. That is when Talia's heartbeat stopped. A Ramirez? The family member of her boyfriend?

"N-No," Talia forced a laugh. "You are lying. Don't dare to ruin my relationship with them, Cage. Why would I believe you?"

"Believe me because you asked," he uttered, really serious. There is no hint of lies to what he confessed. "It is up to you if you will believe me or not."

Talia looked up to stop her tears from falling down her cheeks. She gasped first and closed her eyes, then she gulped. "T-Tell me who ordered you," she said, not looking at him. "Tell me, Cage."

"Hanz," he simply said and stood up already. He then left Talia inside the room weak and in horror. She cannot grasp what he just said. Hanz Xiro Ramirez? He ordered Cage to kill her parents? Why? For what reason?

She could feel the pain inside her chest. It was like a huge hand punched her in her chest, making her to feel the deepest pain. She cannot believe it. She should not trust Cage because he might not telling the truth, but what if he did? There is a part of her that is saying that she should not believe him but the big part is to believe.

"Hey, are you all right?" Kiel went inside the room in rush when he saw Talia slowly falling down the floor. She looked at him with tears forming in her eyes and bit the insides of her cheeks. "Hey, Talia."

"I... I am fine," she stammered. "S-Sorry, Let's go."

Even confused, Kiel guided her to walk out of the room. They were silent when they were back on their way. Good thing Margo and Kiel did not bother her. They do know nothing but they see that this was not the right time to ask her because with just one question, Talia might roar in anger.

"Rest," Kiel whispered to her as they went inside the house. Margo also stopped by since Talia invited her inside. "I will prepare her a food. Go to the room and take a rest."

Talia forced a smile at him and nodded her head afterward. As soon as she went inside their room, she ran to the bed and covered her face with a pillow. She then cried silently while holding her chest with the thought of the pain there might disappear.

"Why?" she asked in her very low tone. "I'm sorry..." she added, now talking to her parents. "Sorry if I was not able to save you... I promise, mother, father. I will make Hanz to rot in jail..."

She continued to cry until she did not notice that she fell asleep. She just woke up feeling Kiel's presence hugging her from behind. When she checked, he saw him asleep as well. It was already midnight.

She just smiled and kissed the tip of his nose, then she continued to sleep.

"How do you feel now?" asked Kiel while they were cleaning the house. Plian said that she was only the one in charge so they do not have to do the stuff, but they insisted. They cannot just sit still while Plian is working for the house.

"I am good," she said. "Sorry for making you worry."

"'Hey, it's fine. Can you tell me about it?" Kiel looked at her seriously. That is when she stopped from what she is doing. She then looked at him with her hopeless eyes. "Tal, you can tell it to me. I do not want you to carry burdens alone. What did Cage tell you?"

Talia sat on the bamboo chair and stared at nowhere. Now hesitating if she should tell him about it but since he is her boyfriend and it was about his brother, she spilled the tea.

"Hanz ordered Cage to kill my parents," she said frankly, making Kiel to caught off guard but he seemed not shock bigtime. "You knew?"

He gulped. "Yes."

She then creased her brows in disbelief, and looked down at her nails. "Really, Kiel? You knew? You gotta be kidding me," she uttered in pain. Kiel did not utter a word so she continued. "You hide this from me? Yeah, right. You knew who killed my parents even before. But why? Why did you not tell me first before I found it out?"

"I'm sorry, Tal. I can't tell you," he said, now his voice were swallow and is like pleading. "He is my brother –"

"And I am your girlfriend!" she could not help but to yell. "Who am I to you, huh?"

"Talia..."

"No, Kiel," she shakes her head and stood up, not looking at him. "You can't tell me because he is your brother, but I am also your family! You keep me in a maze!"

When Talia started to walk away, Kiel ran after her. "Baby, wait! Come here, please? I'm sorry!"

"Don't follow me!" she yelled back in anger. "Do not you ever follow me, Ramirez! Stay still or I will hurt you!"

Kiel lose hope when Talia ran as fast as she could, heading to the trees in the high-end. He bit his lower lip and kicked the small tone in his foot in frustration. Now, he is full of regret for hiding from Talia the truth.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, watching her getting out of his sight. Pool of tears started to form in his eyes as the thought of hurting her grasped his mind. "I love you so much, Talia."

"What happened?" Plian appeared beside Kiel. He looked at her and forced a bitter smile. "You hurt her?"

"I'm sorry," all he could utter. Plian shakes her head, seems like disappointed. "I did not mean to hurt her."

"Yes, I get it. But do not be sorry anytime. Do better instead of apologizing," she Kiel nodded his head and was about to go inside the house when Plian asked again. "What is it about? You can tell me."

Kiel stared at the old woman for a moment before he looked away. He then sat on a huge stone facing the clean road. "I bet you heard about her parents, the adoptive one."

"Yes, she told me that they were killed by that man. She mentioned it yesterday," Plian said and sat beside him. "Tell me."

Kiel heaved a deep sigh first. "My brother ordered that Cage to kill her parents."

Plian nodded her head multiple times. "You knew it since then and you did not tell her, am I right?"

"Yes, you are right."

"Just give her some time, Kiel. Wait for her here and once she is ready to talk to you, then make things right."

"But what if she will break up with me?" his voice sounded bitter. He will understand it, though. It just pains him. With the thought of ending everything because of one mistake makes him broken in pieces.

"That is why make it up with her," Plian said and tapped his shoulders. "I will cook your dinner. Help me to cook her favorite."

Kiel automatically smiled upon hearing that. "Sure thing."

While Kiel is making Talia's favorite food, he is hoping Talia to love it. Funny how he is shaking while cooking it. He was too occupied of thinking her tasting the food, loving it.

"Focus, Kiel," said Plian. "That might burn."

He blinked as he went back to his senses. "Yeah, sorry."

Talia on the other hand in the woods, she is silently weeping staring at the trees and the sky. She is lying in the ground that is full of dry leaves. The sun is slowly fading yet she was still there, none of herself and thinking of deep things.

It pains her knowing that Kiel hid the truth from her. That it was Hanz who wants her parents dead. She thought they were both cool but then, seems like Hanz betrayed her and is just pretending that they are cool.

How can Hanz act normal when the daughter of the parents he killed was seeking for justice right at his bare eyes?

"Fuck you, Hanz." Talia muttered in anger and turned her hands into fist. "See you tomorrow. I will kick your ass away from this world."

With raging eyes, she slowly smirked as the thought came across her mind.

"Fuck you to death," she added and slowly stood up, then she left the place with a smile planting on her lips. "Meet me in hell, you bastard."