Chapter 3

Sa maiksing panahon na magkasama kaming dalawa ay paunti-unti nang nahuhulog ang loob ko sa kaniya. Sinusubukan ko namang pigilan pero hindi ko kayang labanan ang damdamin ko.

Tuwing sinusubukan ko itong pigilan ay hindi ako mapakali. Hindi ako matahimik na tila ba gusto ko itong ilabas at iparamdam sa kaniya ang tunay na nararamdaman ko.

“Airah,” biglang pagtawag ni Ronald sa pangalan ko.

Nasa living room ako, umikot ako para harapin siya. “Bakit?” nagtatakang tanong ko ngunit nginitian lang niya ako. “Bakit nga?” pagtatanong ko muli.

"Hmm, breakfast is ready," he uttered in a soft voice. "We'll be going to have your training today as promised," he added before he left me here in the living room.

Pumunta na agad ako sa kusina at pagkarating ko doon ay nagulat ako dahil iba't-ibang masasarap na pagkain ang nakahain sa mesa. Narito rin ang dalawa nitong kasambahay at nakatayo malapit sa mesa.

“Ma'am, may kailangan pa ba kayo?” nakangiting tanong ng isang kasambahay sa harapan ko.

"Nothing, you can leave now," I coldly respond, and they nodded, went straight to the door.

Kinuha ko na ang tinidor na nakabalot sa tissue at ang kutsilyo. Ini-slice ang pork roast na inihanda niya para sa akin sabay subo sa bibig ko. Malinamnam at masarap naman ang lasa nito.

Napansin ko rin na may spaghetti meatballs at Lasagna sa lamesa. Mayroon ring Italian espresso coffee sa gilid ng kinakain kong dish. Tinikman ko ito at matamis naman ang lasa, dahil rin siguro ‘to sa coffee creamer na nailagay.

Habang kumakain ako ay may tanong na paulit-ulit gumugulo sa isipan ko gaya ng kung sino ba talaga siya?

“Bakit parang pakiramdam ko ay nakilala ko na siya dati?” tanong ko sa sarili.

Pagkatapos kong kumain ay agad kong tinawag ang dalawang kasambahay nila para iligpit ang mga pinagkainan ko. Hindi ko na nagawang kainin ang iba dahil nawalan na ako ng gana. Mukhang wala silang alam tungkol sa kanilang amo.

Pagkalabas ko sa pinto ay nagulat ako ng mabangga ako sa kung sino kaya paunti-unti akong nag-angat tingin. “Tara na, at hinihintay ka na rin doon ng mga tauhan mo,” walang emosyon niyang sambit.

Pilit ko siyang nginitian, “Oo, ito na,” maikli kong tugon.

Nararamdaman ko sa sarili ko na paunti-unting lumalalim ang pagkahulog ng nararamdaman ko sa kaniya. Tila ako'y natutunaw sa bawat tingin niya sa'kin at hindi ko rin maintindihan ang sarili ko kung bakit gano'n ang nararamdaman ko.

Habang naglalakad kaming dalawa papunta sa training ground nila ay napansin ko na tila napakaseryoso nito ngayon. “May problema ba?” bigla kong tanong ko.

“Wala, pero kailangan mong mag-ingat,” panimula niya. “Ayon sa assets ko, hinahanap ka daw ng daddy mo,” pagpapatuloy pa nito sa sinasabi niya.

“Huwag kang mag-alala hindi naman kita ipapahamak,” sagot ko.

Ngumisi siya, "I didn't say anything like that," he coldly uttered. "What I am saying is you should be careful because you cannot hide forever," he seriously added.

May punto rin naman siya at makalipas ang ilang minuto naming paglalakad ay nakarating na rin kami sa training ground nila. Kompleto lahat ng pasilidad na mayroon siya dito sa kaniyang mansiyon.

“Miss, Airah!” Kaway sa akin ng isa kong tauhan.

Ngumiti ako ng pilit at kinawayan ito pabalik. "How do you want me to practice you?" he asked, so I turned my attention to him.

"It's up to you," I coldly replied.

Naglakad kami palapit sa mga puting mesa kung saan nakalagay ang iba't-ibang klase ng baril at mga head phones na may malapad na salamin. Nakasabit ang mga target habang paunti-unti itong lumalapit.

Kinuha niya ang baril at itinuro sa akin ang tamang paghawak. Pagkatapos no'n ay dahan-dahan niyang inilagay ang headphone na may malapad na salamin sa akin. Pumunta siya sa likod at hinawakan ang mga kamay ko bilang pag-alalay.

I feel his soft and warm hands. "This is how you handle the gun," he stated as he directed my hands to the target. "Just keep your attention on the target," he added.

Mas hinigpitan pa nito ang paghawak sa kamay ko habang dinidirekta niya ang mga kamay ko sa mismong target dahil palapit na ito sa direksyon namin. Inilagay niya rin ang kaniyang daliri sa gatilyo ng baril at kinalabit ito.

"That's how you shoot the target," he stated to me and removed his hands away from mine. He clicked the button for the target that fastened the sample target came back to its position and stopped moving.

I nodded, "Okay, thanks." I shortly replied.

Umikot ako para harapin siya, pero kinuha lang nito sa akin ang baril na hawak ko. Napatingin siya sa akin at nagtama ang aming mga mata. Hanggang sa naramdaman ko na lang biglang bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko.

“What?” tanong niya ng mapansing nakatitig ako sa mga mata nito.

“N-Nothing,” napailing-iling at napakurap-kurap.

“Hmm, do you want to say something?” nagtatakang tanong niya. “Sabihin mo na,” dagdag pa niya.

“N-Nothing,” nauutal kong tugon.

He bent his fist and placed it on the table. "Okay, try it yourself how to shoot," he handed me the gun with a full clip of bullets and pointed to another target in the second row.

I pulled backwards the gun hammer and focused on the target as it slowly approached towards me. "Okay, I am going to shoot this target," I uttered and pulled the trigger.

He stopped the target and saw where the bullet went by, if it was in the center or in the side.

"One more, almost in the middle."

Sinunod ko ang sinabi niya at muling ikinasa ang baril. Nag-focus ako sa target at tinignan ito ng maayos mula sa malayuan hanggang sa tinutok ko na ang baril sa direksyon ng target.

I pulled the trigger and released the bullet inside the gun until I heard a loud sound from the bullet I released. He walked towards me again and checked where the bullet went. After he checked, he smiled towards my direction and gave me a thumbs up. "I will train you more, it goes in the middle so you did great," he stated, walking back towards me.

“Thank you,” nakangiti kong tugon.

"Just rest, and I will train you tomorrow in combat training where you can protect yourself. It seems I have an important agenda for today," he explained, staring at his ringing phone.

"Okay, you have nothing to worry about," I replied, forcing a smile.

I signaled one of my mobsters, and he quickly approached me. "Follow him, and I want you to tell me his every move. It seems there's something he's hiding from me," I stated, and he listened to what I was asking him to do.

"Don't worry, we'll take care of it," he responded, looking at the surroundings before turning his attention back to me.

"That's good," I replied, and he just gave me a nod.

Umalis na ang apat kong tauhan para gawin ang ipinag-uutos ko. Hindi ko rin alam kung bakit ganito na lamang kalalim ang kuryosidad ko sa kaniya lalo na't sa bawat oras na lumilipas ay mas lumalalim pa ang nararamdaman ko.

Lumapit sa akin ang ilan sa mga tauhan niya at pinayuhang pumasok na sa loob ng mansiyon at makapagpahinga na. I glanced at my mobsters so they walked towards me and followed me walking towards inside the mansion. There are a lot of surveillance cameras here so those mobsters I asked should be more careful.

After a few minutes passed, I received a call. "Hello, Miss Airah, it seems Mr. Navarra went to your old grandmother's mansion that she left before she went abroad," the caller said.

I paused for a second, my mind racing after hearing those words. "What do you mean?" I asked, and he fell silent for a moment.

"It seems there's something important left there," he replied.

"Okay, just keep investigating him."

"I'll update you later, Miss Airah, and we'll go find out what it is," he added and hung up the phone call.

His mobsters keep eyeing me while my mobsters just behave because they don't like how they glanced at me. I signaled them to stay out of trouble since we are in someone's estate, not in my estate.

"Just don't mind them boys," I stated, and they gave me a nod.

Nakatanggap muli ako ng tawag mula sa tauhan ko, "We almost got caught, Miss Airah, but we got the information you need from the old drawer of your grandma's cabinet," he informed me. "Maybe you should contact her and ask her regarding this because it seems Mr. Navarra has authorized the use of this property," he added, which surprised me.

"I will, but for now, you should head back here right now before he catches you," I commanded.

"We will, Miss Airah." He replied and hung up the call.

I will just need to wait for them and get the result that I want to know, but this isn't the end of the investigation about him.

Nakaupo ako ngayon sa living room habang nakabantay sa akin ang apat kong tauhan. Ang iba sa mga tauhan ko ay sumama sa tauhan ni Ronald habang nililibot ang paligid.

I heard the gate open outside and I knew it was them, my mobsters. I quickly ran towards the main door and opened the door knob until I saw a black luxurious car. Ronald allowed us to use his car as long as we took care of it.

Ipinarada na nila ito at pagkaparada nila sa garahe ay agad na bumaba ang pintuan ng garahe. Naglakad sila papunta sa akin at sinundan ako papunta sa loob.

"We found an envelope, Miss Airah," one of my mobsters handed it to me. "It contains information about him, the letter from your grandma and your pictures together," he explained, which raised my eyebrow.

"What? But how?" I asked because I had no idea.

"We also don't have an idea, Miss Airah, but based from your pictures, you look so close together," he commented, and I looked at each of the pictures.

It seems like there's something in these pictures, information, and about the letter from my grandma. I took the letter out of the envelope and read it, which surprised me. I also saw some medical records that stated that I had amnesia.