Chapter Three

For the very first time, Gabriella went home from the mission, devastated.

Nakatanggap sya ng tawag mula sa agency pero hindi nya ito sinagot dahil pakiramdam nya ay napahiya nya ng sobra ang sarili.

She just lost 300 million dollars for a single painting and she also failed to catch the thief.

She's so mad and disappointed at herself and she doesn't want to talk to anyone—specially someone from the agency. Siguro ay gagawin nya ito mamaya kapag napakalma nya ng konti ang sarili nya.

Pumasok si Gabriella sa banyo ng kaniyang kwarto at nagbabad sa bathtub habang s********p ng red wine sa hawak-hawak nyang wine glasses.

She keeps on recalling the events that happened at the museum earlier and remembering it just makes her face look more annoyed.

Silent Thief...

Naalala nya ang sinabi nitong muli itong babalik para kunin ang painting bago tumalon sa bintana at tumakas. It's as if giving her a warning that she needs to be ready because he's going to visit her anytime.

Gabriella's grip on the wine glasses tightened.

"No. You're the one who should be ready, Silent Thief. Soon, I would definitely expose that ugly face of yours."

##

Pagkatapos magbabad sa tubig ay isinuot nya ang kaniyang white robe bago lumabas sa banyo ng kaniyang kwarto.

Her phone still keeps on ringing kaya naisipan nyang kunin ito sa side table ng kama at sinagot ang tawag.

"So is the painting safe?" It's Quel's voice.

Wala ng kumukumusta at diretsyo na agad sa pakay ang tinanong nito.

"Yeah, I managed to stop the thief from stealing it. I think the painting will be delivered at my apartment tomorrow morning," hindi sigurado nyang sagot.

"I heard it was sold for 300 million dollars. That's more than 16 billion pesos, you know? It's crazy." Hindi makapaniwalang sambit ng kaibigan mula sa kabilang linya.

"Yeah," and she was crazy too for using her own money to buy it.

Ang malaking pera na yun ay bigay pa sakaniya ng lolo't lola nya pero hindi nya iyon ginagastos dahil malaki rin ang kinikita nya sa bawat misyon na kaniyang natatapos.

Hindi nya inaakalang magagastos nya ang perang iyon para lang sa isang painting.

"Quel, would the agency refund the money I used for the painting? I want my money back." malambing ang boses nyang tanong pagkalipas ng ilang minuto.

Rinig nya ang mahinang pagtawa nito sa kabilang linya na agad ikinakunot ng noo nya.

"Agent Angel, don't you think it's a little too late for that? If you only told the boss that you're going to participate on the bidding, then the agency would prepare such amount of money for that. Pero ikaw mismo ang nag desisyon na gamitin ang sarili mong pera para sa misyon nang walang pumipilit sa'yo kaya naman 'wag mo nang asahan na maibabalik pa yang pera mo. Well, the boss might've agreed to refund it if you succeeded catching the thief, but you failed your mission, remember?"

Hearing that made Agent Angel frowned and groan in annoyance.

"I already know that, you don't need to remind me." she said.

This is the first time she ever failed her mission. Oh how she hates that Silent Thief.

"Cheer up, you can always ask your billionaire parents to give you such amount of money anytime.... Kesa isipin yung pera na nawala sa'yo, isipin mo nalang kung paano mo matatapos ang misyon mo. The boss would probably give you a big prize if you catch Silent Thief, Gabriella." he called her by her real name that means, he's cheering her up as a friend and not just a co-agent and overseer.

Pagkatapos ng tawag, patihayang humiga si Gabriella sa malambot na kama kahit basa pa ang kaniyang buhok.

It only took 5 minutes bago muling tumunog ang selpon nya.

Tinatamad na sinagot nya ang tawag na hindi tinitignan ang caller id.

"Hello, this is Gabriella speaki----"

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN YOUR LIFE, GABRIELLA PAULINE?! IS IT TRUE THAT YOU WASTED 300 MILLION DOLLARS FOR A SINGLE PAINTING?!"

Bigla nyang nailayo ang hawak na cellphone sa tenga nang marinig ang sigaw nito at tinatamad na muling bumangon para bumalik sa pagkakaupo.

It's her mom.

Hindi nito alam na isa syang secret agent. Her mom also probably doesn't know that she have such big amount of money on her bank account. Nang ibigay kasi ng grandparents nya ang ganoong halaga ng pera sakanya ay nasa Hawaii ito kasama ang daddy nya para sa vacation. Wala syang hilig sa mga ganun kaya naman hindi sya sumama. But it was a great decision not coming with her parents kasi kung sumama sya ay hindi sana sya mabibigyan ng maraming bilyon ng lolo't lola nya.

It might be Quel who told her mom about the money and the painting.

So the real reason why he cheered her up earlier was because he blab her to her parents. She should've known na mahilig manlalag ang kaibigan nyang yun.

"Mom, don't worry, it's just a money. I would work hard to earn it again." She says.

Yun ang sabi nya pero hanggang ngayon ay nanghihinayang parin sya at pinagsisisihan ang naging desisyon na sumali sa auction kanina. She's regretting wasting such a big amount of money.

"Just because your dad and I let you to live on your own, means you can do all the things you want without asking for our permission and guidance. How could you spent 300 million dollars for a single painting? Gabriella, hindi ganyan ang tinuro namin sa'yo!"

"Pero mom, that's my own money. I can do whatever I want with it." giit nya.

"I don't care about the money you spent, what I care about is by how you spend it. As a mom, I want you to know that what you did is wrong. Will that painting feed you if you're hungry?"

"What even kind of a question is that, mom?" Gabriella asked in disbelief.

"What I mean is that you need someone to look after you."

"If you're asking me to go home, I'm not going back to that house, mom..."

She is a secret agent and she doesn't want her family to be involved with her missions so she rarely visit or contact them.

It's for their safety.

"Then how about looking for someone to marry? Do you have someone you like?"

"Wala."

"Then I'm going to look for someone who would marry you!"

"Mom, please, not that again. I already told you I don't want to marry anyone. At saka busy po ako sa trabaho ko. I don't have any time to spare para magpakasal."

"What if I tell you that I would give that painting you purchased as a wedding gift? I would give you 300 million dollars, just get married already."

Agad na nanlaki ang dalawang mata nya sa narinig.

Is her mom really that serious of getting her married?

300 million dollars for a wedding gift? That isn't bad. Her mom is saying that she would buy the painting from her, but still would give it to her as a wedding gift.

Her money would be back and she would still have the painting---which the Silent Thief was after.

It was a great offer so she got tempted to accept it. She's desperate to get her 300 million dollars back, but a marriage?

Dalawang beses syang napalunok.

"How about this mom, free ako this weekend so let's talk about that again. If you manage to find me a person na pakakasalan ko, then bring him with you at kapag nakita ko na sya, doon ako magpapasya kung papakasalan ko ba sya o hindi."

"Sure, anak! I have lists of those men who are perfectly match for you! I'll see you this weekend then, honey. Bye!"

"Night, mom."

The call ended. Gabriella heaved a deep sigh.

Lists of men who are perfectly match for her? Just how would her mom call it a perfect match if it could be applied generally?

Gently, she shakes her head in disbelief and closed her eyes as all of the events and happenings tonight sank inside her head.

Sa ngayon ay ipagpapahinga nya muna ang isip nya. Bukas na nya ulit iisipin at haharapin ang kaniyang mga problema.