Kabanata 28
PINANOOD ni Keeno na ilagay ng anak ang bulaklak sa puntod ng namayapa nitong ina. Nang matapos ay tumabi itong muli sa kanya saka siya tiningala at matipid na nginitian.
"Do you think she's proud of me, Dad?"
Ngumiti si Keeno sa anak saka niya ito inakbayan. "Of course. Your mother loves you, Krishnan. We all do. Even your Papa Greg, your uncles, especially your grandpa Khalil."
Krishnan's smirk reminded him of his younger self. "Pops is the coolest. We'll go camping next weekend. He said he'll spend all his money going on vacations with his grandkids."
Napangisi na lamang din si Keeno. Ilang buwan na rin mula nang magretiro ang kanilang ama. When Klinn went back to handling the empire with Konnar, his father forced him to take half days at work. Siya ang pinaghahatid-sundo nito kay Krishnan tuwing abala ito. Siya rin ang uma-attend sa mga school activities at tuwing weekend, dinadala niya ang anak sa labas ng syudad upang kumuha ng mg
Kabanata 29INILAPAG ni Honey ang ginamit na pen sa mesa saka siya mapaklang ngumiti sa kanyang kinilalang ama. "It's done. All the inheritance I got, including Dustin's, it's all yours. Now I want the info about my real dad."Umigting ang panga ng kanyang ama saka ito nag-iwas ng tingin. Ang kanyang ina naman ay malamlam ang mga matang tumingin sa kanya saka ito humugot ng malalim na hininga."We have to tell her now."Her dad sighed and collected all the documents before storming out of the living room. Sa totoo lang ay masakit kay Honey na makitang iyong mana lang talaga ang habol nito kaya nang mawala na ito sa kanilang paningin, nilapitan siya ng ina upang yakapin.Uminit ang su
Kabanata 30NANANAGINIP yata si Keeno nang sa pagmulat ng kanyang mga mata ay nakahilig sa kanyang dibdib ang babaeng apat na taon niyang hinintay na umuwi sa kanya. He even blinked his eyes a couple times. Nang hindi ito naglaho sa kanyang tabi ay hinaplos niya ang buhok nito."Honey?" he called in a husky voice.Honey moved and groaned a little. Lumislis nang kaunti ang kumot na tumatakip sa katawan nila. Doon lamang napagtanto ni Keeno na pareho silang walang saplot.When Honey opened her sleepy eyes and saw him staring with shock on his face, gumuhit ang matipid ngunit kuntentong ngiti sa mga labi nito. She lifted her head and pecked a kiss on his lips as if telling him she's real.
EpilogueNAPANGISI na lamang si Honey habang pinagmamasdan ang malaking wardrobe ng gowns. No, it's not just a place for her party gowns and cotour dresses. It's where she keeps all the wedding gowns she used in every wedding she had with Keeno.As crazy at it may sound, but her husband swore to marry her every year, during their anniversary. At pinangako nito sa sariling hindi siya lasing na bibitawan ng mga pangakong panghabambuhay niyang dadalhin sa kanyang puso. Bumawi ito dahil hindi raw maalala ang una nilang kasal, ngunit hindi naman niya inakalang taon-taon nitong ire-renew ang vows sa kanya.Noong una akala niya ay hihinto na ito sa kanilang pangalawa o pangatlong anibersaryo ngunit nagkamali siya. It's already been sixteen years, yet here goes the new gown sitting on the end
Kabanata 1"DEATH is our way of fulfilling the process of salvation. In order for our souls to go back to the Almighty, one's soul must be separated from the mortal body."Umismid si Honey. She doesn't want to agree with the Pastor's teachings but she kept her mouth shut. She knew better than disrespecting the reason why she comes to the Sunday gatherings. Her target. Her next toy.Ngunit sa kanyang isip, naghuhumiyaw ang pagtanggi na tanggapin ang konsepto nito ng kamatayan.Death for her is a sweet surrender to escape the cruel world and its never ending suffering.Death...was her brother's only option on the table to free himself from the unbearable pain.If Dustin is burning in hell right now for taking his own life, she's rotting on Earth for her decision to still dance to the tune of heartaches and internal havoc.Hindi niya masabing mas matibay siya sa kakamb
Kabanata 2"SOMETIMES I get scared whenever you're quiet. Pakiramdam ko may assassination kang binabalak."Napaismid si Honey sa sinabi ng kanyang alalay. Naroon sila sa ikalawang-palapag ng sports bar. Yakap niya ang kanyang tako at nakatitig sa pool table. Her naturally curly brown hair is on a tight bun, giving everyone full access to see her slim, flawless neck and diamond shape jaw.Sa kanyang batok pababa ng spine ay may grupo ng nunal na madalas sabihing tila korteng Aries constellation kung pagdudugtungin. Well she likes it. She thinks she's got an Aries attitude anyway.Bold, fierce, driven...and easily bored with people who cannot keep up with her.To be honest, she's not entirely calculating her next shot. Open ang stripes at wala siyang problema sa posisyon ng white ball.She was actually, just like what Rustom said, may be plotting an assassination, if it's
Kabanata 3"BWISET!" Naihampas ni Honey ang kanyang bag sa sofa nang marating niya ang inookupang hotel room. Hindi niya mapigilan ang inis habang marahas na nagtataas-baba ang kanyang dibdib.Ang putanginang Keeno? Paanong natanggihan siya nito nang gano'n lang?!Her teeth gritted in fury. Naalala na naman niya kung paano nitong sinabing "I'm so sorry but maybe some other time, Miss. I don't fuck drunk women."At talagang sa kanya pa nga nito pinairal ang pagiging maginoo? Siya na kailangang mabastos nito!She clutched onto her hair and pursed her lips hardly together as she filled her lungs with enough air. Where did she go wrong? Sapat ang lalim ng kanilang halik. She even felt him had a hard on so saan siya nagkamali? Did she act too drunk?"Fucking Keeno!"Hindi ito pwede. Ito lamang ang bukod tanging tumanggi sa kanyang alindog at hindi niya matangg
Kabanata 4KEENO'S jaw clenched hardly when he saw the most recent chat he received. Gusto niyang magmura nang malutong ngunit nang madinig niya ang pagbukas ng pinto sa kanyang opisina, wala na siyang nagawa kung hindi ang huminga nang malalim at kalmahin ang sarili.He knew he should never let his emotions get on the way again. The last time he let it, he ended up getting so fucked up.Tumikwas pataas ang sulok ng kanyang mga labi at ang kaninang galit na ekspresyon ay napalitan ng mahinahon nang magtama ang mga mata nila ng kanyang kapatid na si Krei."Long time no see. Someone's busy with his ranch, huh?" Anas niya kasabay ng pagtaob niya ng kanyang phone sa mesa.Ngumisi ang kapatid niyang si Krei. Nakapamulsa itong naglakad patungo sa harap ng kanyang mesa saka pabagsak na inupo ang sarili sa bakanteng upuan."Yeah. I just finished the expansion. Sa susunod na linggo idedelive
Kabanata 5ISANG linggo na mula nang yayain ni Honey si Keeno sa isang movie date, ngunit hanggang ngayon, naglalaro pa rin sa kanyang isip ang mga salitang binitiwan nito habang nasa sinehan matapos niya itong tangkaing akitin.She didn't really plan to feel anything that night, tho, but with the way desire registered in his pools, she realized Keeno has a dangerous effect on her system. Although he is doing a great job in controlling himself, ramdam ni Honey na oras na itapon nito ang kontrol sa sarili, hindi niya magugustuhan.Rustom was right, so as Keeno. Sa paghagod pa lamang nito ng tingin sa kanya, alam niya nang mapanganib ang bahaging pinili nitong huwag munang ipakilala sa kanya kaya alam niyang hindi ito nagbibiro nng sabihing hindi ito ang maginoong Keeno kapag nasa kama.If he was threatening her so she'd back down, she isn't sure at all. A part of her got scared, but her body seemed thrilled to