Third person's point of view Masayang umalis si Finn sa abandunadong building nang matapos niyang pagsampalin si Sunny. Doon muna siya magtatago sa Carter's Manor. Naka-set naman lahat, speaker, at wireless CCTV, while Verity is on the mission now. Along with him is his trusted friend and a hacker who helps him block Ventura's system's attempts to locate him. Nakatutok lang sila sa computer screen kung nasaan si Maddox nakatayo na parang magwawala na. "Dickhead, come out now! What a coward! What do you want?" Maddox shrieked. Finn pressed the button on the speaker, which connected to the abandoned building. He just cracked a laugh to insult Maddox. Well, hindi naman tanga si Finn para hindi niya malaman na magdadala si Maddox ng mga kasapi niya, kaya tama lang ang plano niyang mag-iwan ng speaker to use it by talking to him. And they are using the CCTV audio they've installed to hear everything they say. It's not that obvious, dahil naka set lang 'yun na parang nandun lang talaga s
Sariel's point of view Ready na ako, excited na akong makipag-kita kay Maddy. Kaya nag-magaling talaga ako tonight, in order to show off my playful side, I'm wearing a basic black cross-front blouse with a midi skirt printed with a cheetah design. A light pair of strappy shoes will add a touch of polish to my look. Errrrr, sana naman magustuhan ni Maddy. Nag-ayos pa talaga ako, ah. Hayaan na kapag si Murphy na kaharap ko mamaya, magpapapangit ako ng mukha. Dapat kasi sa isang Maddox ko lang ipapakita ang Mariang Makiling kong ganda, pff... I giggled at that thought. Huminga ako ng malalim at ch-in-eck ko ulit ang mukha ko. Light make-up lang ako, tapos curled hair. Nang okay na ako sa itsura ko ay nagpaalam na ako kay Mommy, hindi ko nga rin sure if makaka-uwi ba ako mamaya, o kaya kay Meli nalang ako matutulog. Okay lang naman, 'yun kay Mommy, basta kay Meli. Nang makarating ako sa bahay ni Meli ay kaagad niya akong pinasadahan mula ulo hanggang paa, judgemental talaga ang babae n
Sariel's point of view "That's nice, where are you? I'm going to fetch you." Nagdadalawang isip pa ako if sasabihin ko ba kung nasaan kami o hindi. Parang nakakabastos naman kasi sa part ni Maddy, kasi nga diba date namin 'to? Ang sosyal nga, kasi may pa private room pa siyang nalalaman with the view of the city skyline. "Oh, wait a moment, I'm going to see the full location first," I say. Hindi ko na siya hinayaan na sumagot, tinakpan ko muna 'yung speaker at nag-tanong kay Maddy. "Ahhm, after this date, can I stay here? Or, in this case, am I going to look for another place? I'm just going to talk to Murphy," I whispered to him, dragging his hand sideways. Kahit anong gawin kong tampal sa kamay niya nanatili pa rin ito sa akin. Damn. His filthy hand is—I'm actually not sure how to properly describe it.A line appears between his brows. Lumapit siya lalo sa akin at bumulong. "Papayagan kitang makipag-kita sa kanya, pero maghihintay ako sayo. Maghahanap ako ng ibang table malapit l
Sariel's point of view "Hey, what happened? Anong ginawa ng gagú na 'yun, sayo?" "I... I'm fine," I sigh. Pinigilan ko siya kaagad ng akma na siyang lalabas. Papabili nalang siguro ako ng cetirizine sa kanya. Buti nga pagpasok ko sa rest room walang katao. "Anong nangyari? Bakit namumula na bibig mo?" he choked out, then caressed my mouth. "I have a citrus fruit allergy, tapos bigla akong sinubuan ni Murphy, hindi naman kasi niya alam. Siguro akala niya, hindi ko lang talaga magustuhan," I say finally. Damn. Nangangati na ako. "A citrus fruit allergy," he echoes. "What do you want me to do?""Pwedi mo ba akong bilhan ng Cetirizine? Dito nalang ako maghihintay," I mutter. "Oh, I think, meron sila dito, do you want to come with me?" "Hindi na siguro hihintayin nalang kita rito," I mumble. Ayoko ko rin, kasi kaming makita ni Murphy. At isa pa baka pagtitinginan lang kami ng mga tao. Mukha na kasi akong aswang, omygosshhh, did I just say that to myself? No way! He slowly nodded hi
Sariel's point of view My breathing is rapid, and Murphy's proximity to me does not help. If he thinks I'm delighted with the way he acts, he's wrong; I'm disgusted and ready to throw up in his face."Pwedi ba Murphy, tama ka na? Umuwi na tayo, masama na 'yung pakiramdam ko," I screeched, rolling my eyes at him. He grabbed my hair to make me face him an inch, as he said, "Ah, so why are you becoming a bitch at this moment?" Hinawakan ko naman yung kamay niyang nakahila sa akin. "Bitawan mo ako, Murphy. You're hurting me," I spit as my lower lip quivers. Pero hindi niya ako binitawan. I made a mark on his arm by digging my nails.He hissed at me, "Damn, you're really a bitch. Tsk, pasalamat ka hindi kita magalaw ngayon dahil diyan sa allergy mo. Don't worry sa susunod marami na 'yung ipapakain ko sayo. And I'm going to wait until your rush mouth will heal."I glared at him. "Bago mo magawa 'yun baka nakahandusay ka na sa sahig," I grumbled. Binitawan naman niya ako. Inayos ko naman
Sariel's point of view SUNDAY ANNIVERSARY PARTYI've got myself dressed in a purple silk A-line cocktail dress with a clavicle-framing neckline. It is fitted with flares at the shoulders to give an extravagant bulk and is cut with soft, molded sleeves that cope with my natural curves. Pastel kasi 'yung theme at cocktail attire for girls. Mansion din 'yung pupuntahan namin, nauna na si tito. Si Murphy? Nandun sa babá kausap si mommy. Tsk, akala naman magugustuhan siya ni mommy para sa akin. Dala ko na rin ang regalo para sa anniversary couple. Si mommy nalang, 'yung pinapili ko ng gift, wala naman kasi akong alam. Nang matapos na ako sa lahat ay bumaba na ako. Murphy gives a clap that reverberates throughout the sala. I gave him a rolling eye. "Sar, you look amazing, I love your outfit," he expressed. Sus, parang hindi na nasanay sa akin, pero parang araw-araw ata iba 'yung tingin niya sa akin. "So? May I?" Lumapit siya sa akin when I'm near the last step, and then he motions his h
Sariel's point of view Tita Jhovel says we're going to find Jasper so we can get along. That's why Murphy is leading the way again; for crying out loud, I have no idea where we're headed right now. As if naman gusto kong makilala si Jasper. Screw them, dinadagdagan lang nila 'yung problema ko. "There," Murphy grudges, sabay turo sa isang table na puro ata mga lalaki ang naka-upo. Yeah, I'm right. It makes my hair on the back of my scalp freeze. Dejávu? Why do I have the feeling that something terrible is going to happen? Iginaya naman niya ako papunta sa kaibigan niya kuno. Nang makarating kami sa table nila ay binitawan kaagad niya ako para bumati sa mga kaibigan niya. Meron pa namang dalawang bakanteng upuan, tamang-tama lang sa aming dalawa, na parang expected talaga nila na dadating kami. "Hey, bro," sabi niya at nakipag fist bomb, I think he's Jasper. Though he is attractive and cool-looking, I already harbor an attachment to another person, and the other person to whom I'm ta
Sariel's point of view Bago pa kami makarating sa taas, pinigilan ko si Murphy. "Wait, my purse, I need it. Hindi ko nadala.""What? Akala ko dala mo? Ako na ang kukuha, wait me here," pagpigil niya, pero hindi ko siya hinayaan. Kahit nahihilo na ako ay ginawa ko ang makakaya ko para makarating ulit sa table namin kanina. Nang makarating ako dun, ay natuon kaagad ang tingin ng mga natitirang lalaki sa akin. Hindi ko sila pinansin at umupo ulit. Damn. Kapag bumalik o sumama ako kay Murphy at Jasper paakyat ay baka katapusan ko na. Titiisin ko nalang ang init na nararamdaman ko. Naramdaman kong nasa likod ko na si Murphy. "I thought you're going to the restroom?" He leans and whispers in my ear. "No, hindi na pala kailangan. Bigla kasing nawala, dito nalang muna tayo," I murmur. He only responded, "Okay," and sat down to my right once more, with Jasper returning to my left. I got stiff, I'm not comfortable in between them. I need to do something to ease this anxiety of mine. Kinuha k
Sariel's point of view The closure that I've been looking for has come to an end, and Maddox and I are no longer in any danger. It's been a long time. Now we are in the city of Amsterdam. It was at the narrow bridge that Maddox made his second proposal to me. Wala ng mas makakapagpigil sa kanya, e. Tinotoo talaga 'yung biro na mag-propose 'ulit. As for my mother, she has decided to remain in this wonderful place permanently. She has found a Dutch partner here, and I will always be there to support her. She has earned the right to have a life with the man she loves now and to take care of each other, but I will never forget about my father. Gusto ko lang ulit sumaya si mommy gayong siya nalang mag-isa. Ayaw din naman niyang sumama sa amin ni Maddox. I am currently six months pregnant, and Maddox is such a sharp shooter. My second baby, and it's a girl. Minsan nga pinaparinig ko, na sana siya nalang ang nagbuntis kasi ang hirap naman 'yun. Well, I set aside those thoughts. For
Sariel's point of view Everything is going smoothly fine, but when Maddox stormed into my house one day, It feels like we are back again at our storming bekering. "Wow? Akala ko ba nakapag-usap na tayo? Hindi pa pala sapat 'yun. Ano pa bang gusto mo?" "Yeah, I thought so. But you know what? I'm waiting for you to tell me that Mason is my son, but you didn't. So when are you going to tell me that? When he's old and not really knowing me as his father?" He spat. Napatahimik naman ako sa sinabi niya. Hindi ko naman akalain na mas mauuna pa niyang malaman, 'to na dapat ay ako ang nagsasabi sa kanya. It's just that naghahanap lang ako ng timing. Ngayon sana kaso 'yung timing ng pagpunta niya rito sa bahay parang kidlat, ang bilis. Huminga ulit ako ng malalim at tinitigan siya. Buti nalang wala rito ang anak ko, kasama niya si mommy gumala. "So? Can we talk in a calm manner?" I ask, tilting my head. "I'm calm!" He yelled, and I raised my brows at him. "Why are you yelling now?"
Sariel's point of view Well, every day feels different now. Maddox's comments don't intimidate me. Instead, I'm moving forward with what's going to happen. Nakakapagod ng takbuhan ang mga pangyayari, parang lumalala lang nga, e. Palagi nalang kami nagsisisihan. Parang walang katapusan. My phone buzzed. Nang tingnan ko kung ano ay ganun nalang ang pagkunot ng noo ko. Talaga lang ha. Pinaalala pa talaga. Wala na nga atang pakiramdam ang lalaking 'yun. What if nandoon pala ang asawa at anak niya? Tsk. Bahala na nga. 'Meet me at the Jungle K; I know you remember where it is. The place you're held captive with' That was his text message. If he wasn't my son's father, maybe I'd kill him already. Kill him with my love then; I don't want to be brutal anymore. Shame on me. There's a lot of memories in there, Jungle K, that poured out of my heart, expressing my regret and my desire for something or longing. I'm sitting in our modest living room, the moonlight filtering through th
Third person's point of view As Lowe, Mason, and Sariel finished their food, Sariel's son excused himself to go to the bathroom. Lowe and Sariel volunteer to accompany him, but Mason says that he can handle himself. See? Sariel's baby boy is kind of an independent na talaga. Hinayaan nalang siya ni Sariel, masisilayan naman niya ito papunta kung nasaan man ang bathroom. Tsaka, this is a luxurious resto, so Sariel is expecting that there's no bad, evil people lurking there. Lowe, on the other hand, has already seen his brother and is concealing his expression to prevent Sariel from noticing it. Baka mahambalos na talaga siya nito. Initially, Lowe had stated that he would not interfere in their relationship. However, upon witnessing his brother and Sariel's intense longing for each other, despite their denial, Lowe decided to intervene. As for Mason, he's already in the bathroom, one of the cubicles, and once he's done. He got out jumping a little bit; he just was hyper about the f
Sariel's point of view After those incidents happened, I've been contemplating what to do. I didn't answer well to my son's question, and I don't like to lie to him either. I need to talk to Lowe. I know he's here because he followed me back to the Philippines after my flight. I'm about to call Lowe, but it seems luck is on me right now; he's calling me already. I swiped the answer button, put the phone in my ear, and walked back to my room. I just checked on my son, and he's still asleep. It's Sunday today, and later in the afternoon we're going to visit sister Jane. "Hey, whats up?" Lowe greeted. I open the door, push it back with my foot, and then head to my bed to settle in. I heave a deep sigh. What should I tell him, then? "Oh, ano na? Parang ang laki naman ata ng problema mo niyan, ah. Abot pa ata rito 'yung pag buntong hininga mo ng malalim," he exclaims and laughs out loud at the other line. I snorted and rolled my eyes even though he couldn't see it. "Scram, tawang
Sariel's point of view After six years, my son has grown up, and I and my mother raised him in the United States for those six years. I was called to the company that my uncle had previously run when it was brought back with us when he was arrested 6 years ago. We'd like to thank our lawyer for that. Now that six years have passed, I'm experiencing mixed emotions. For those six years, there has been someone I trust at the company, so I don't have any concerns. However, right now, they really need me in the company, so I don't have a choice but to bring my mother and son back to the Philippines. I began running the business right away once we got to the Philippines. I'm currently in traffic on my way to pick up my son from school. I merely sighed and drummed my fingers on the stirring wheel, signaling that I was anxious right now. I’m simply frightened that he’ll come out again and wait in the waiting shed, despite the fact that there are guards outside. I’m just concerned that
Sariel's point of view In order to get away from all that was going on in the Philippines, my mother and I settled down in Amsterdam and purchased property there. And now we live in Amsterdam, where we are able to repair the scars that have been in my heart. I was able to kill time by creating whatever I wanted, including a cake, a cookie, and whatever else I desired. There is a small bakery that we own; although it is small, people adore it and absolutely enjoy all of my baked goods. But the only thing that worries me is that a month after I found out I'm pregnant, I'm happy because Maddox is the father of the child. However, I plan to keep it a secret from him, as he harbors a deep-seated hatred for me and believes that retaliation is always on the horizon. Nakaramdam naman ako ng symptoms, pero binaliwala ko lang sa inaakala na palagi lang akong pagod for baking. Kaya nang hindi ko na kinaya nagpacheck-up na ako, kasama ko si mommy. The fruit that happens is the night wher
Sariel's point of view I dialed my mother's number, the second ring, when she picked up. "Hello, dear? You already decided what to do?" She greeted. "Yup? Ready to kidnap me?" I playfully chuckle to myself. "Right away. Wait for me." She chirps, then the call ends. I make sure to leave the less important items behind and bring only the essentials. Isang backpack lang 'yung dala ko. Hindi ko naman balak ipaglandakan na maglalayas ako, na sana aakalain nila na namasyal lang ako rito sa Jungle K. I will miss this place so much. My phone beeps, and when I see my mother's text messages, I cautiously and silently stroll around the back of the house, taking care not to be noticed. They're still in the living room. Nasa hindi lang kalayuan ai mommy hinihintay ako, nagpa booked lang siya ng Grab. Dadaan lang kami kahit sandali sa puntod ni daddy para magpaalam. Nang makalabas na ako ng bahay ay napahinga ako maluwag, buti naman at hindi nila ako napansin. Tinakbo ko na ng tuluy
Sariel's point of view Lumapit nalang ako sa kanila at umupo sa harap ni Maddox. Hindi ko na tinapunan ng tingin ang babae na kanina pa nakatitig simula nang lumingon siya sa akin. Yay, pangit na ba ako sa paningin niya? Namamaga pa kasi ang mga mata ko. Maddox didn't mind it, though. My stomach became more sour as I stared at the prepared foods. My gaze flew to Maddox when he started to speak. "This is Winona, Sariel, and Winona, that's Sariel." He gestures back toward me and Winona. "Winona will be staying here for a moment. Nasa Cebu pa kasi si Meli kasama si Aster, kaya walang makakasama si Winona, I just can't let her stay alone in the hotel. She's just here for a vacation," he explained her reason for being here. I shrug my shoulders, not caring if she stays here or not. Bahay naman niya 'to. "Sure, nice meeting you. Feel free to roam around as you wish. Just don't mind me." I look up at Winona and smile at her. She just smiled back at me. "Thank you, Sariel. Nice mee