Chapter 2

After dinner, he invited Reina for a walk pero tumanggi ito. She had a long day at naiintindihan niya 'yon. Inihatid niya ito ng tingin hanggang makapasok sa silid nila at napangiti si Estefano nang hindi ito mag-attempt na magbukas ng ibang silid. He was tempted to follow her, but changed his mind the last minute when he received a call.

"Ale," bati niya sa kaibigan.

They met when Ale visited Spain— Basque country to be exact. Nasa hilagang parte ito ng Espanya. It has an autonomous community with strong cultural traditions. Although the place is beautiful, bihira ang pumapasyal doon and Alessandro is not local. He's a half Italian, half Filipino born and raised in New York. He didn't know the man was a Chemical Engineer at the time. Mas mukha itong artista sa mga telenovala.

Kaya pala nagpunta roon ay para sa tinetesting nitong antidote ng kung anong ahas. On instinct, Estefano shot the Seoane's viper who's about to attack Ale. Nainis pa ito sa kaniya dahil nakawala ang isang ahas na hinuhuli nito. At nang ipaliwanag niyang muntik na itong matuklaw ng isang ahaw sa may likod ay natigilan. Ale is the type of person who can't be easily impressed, but wise enough to know when to be grateful. They kept in touch and when Estefano had a problem with Leon, sumaklolo ito sa kaniya. Sabay pa sila ni Tor sa initiation. Ale owed him so he took care of everything including money.

Foedus has seven founders, at ang tumatak sa kaniya ay 'yong isang lalaki na hindi marunong magsuklay. His hair looked like a freaking bird's nest at kulang na lang ay itlog na lilimliman. But his stance? It's vile. Deadly. He's someone you never want to cross in your entire worthless life.

"Your sorry ass brother is running with his head cut off looking for Reina."

"Oh?" Napangiti si Estefano.

That's what he was aiming for— for Leon to get crazy. Tama ang desisyon niyang kunin si Reina. Pwede naman siyang magsimula ng bagong negosyo. Bootlegging is easy with the right connections. At kung salapi rin lang, kahit ilang henerasyon pa ay hindi maghihirap ang lahi niya. Estefano is doing this because the Escarra Empire is his birthright. Kahit pa matanda si Leon sa kaniya ay alam niyang hindi iiwan ng kaniyang ama dito ang negosyo nila. Estefano's parents worked hard to build this empire at kung hindi lang nabuntis ng kaniyang ama ang isang starlet noong bago ito ikasal sa kaniyang ina ay hindi ito magiging Escarra. It was Estefano's mother who made it possible dahil naawa ito sa bata. That alone should put Leon in his place, pero hindi man lang ito nangutangan ng loob.

"I'm watching him right now. Do you have plans on giving him back the woman if he hands the company back to you?"

"Nope. After today, I plan to build a new empire. I want to burn the old one down to the ground with him on it. He shouldn't have crossed me. Ni hindi niya iginalang ang alaala ng mga magulang ko. And in my book, that's a big offence. Let him suffer a bit more before we move to the next step." That's Estefano marrying Reina. Ang tanong ay kung sasagot ng I do ang babae.

"Okay. Tor said hi. I asked him to go out on a drink with me. Muntik pang hindi payagan ni Iris. Naglilihi na yata," kwento nito sa kaniya.

"So much for someone who didn't want a family." Tumawa si Estefano.

Tor is Salvatore Salcedo. Ang liit ng mundo dahil si Tor ang nagligtas sa kaniya sa New York ilang taon na ang nakararaan. Resident doctor pa lang ito noon nang masaksak siya. He was out on a fucking walk in the afternoon nang bigla na lang siyang saksakin ng kasalubong niya. Estefano didn't even see him coming dahil humingi ng tulong ang isang matandang babae sa gilid. Mabilis na nakatakbo ang sumaksak sa kaniya at nakalayo. Halatang inutusan. He never found out who was behind it, pero ngayon? May nagsasabi sa kaniyang si Leon ang may kagagawan. Wala lang siyang matibay na ebidens'ya. Tor calls him and Ale the Catastrophe twins dahil daw pareho silang nadisgrasya nang makilala nito. And he is right on that, no matter how funny it sounds.

***

Kaagad na kumunot ang noo ni Estefano nang makitang wala si Reina sa kama. He checked the bathroom at kahit ang pribadong balkonahe pero wala roon ang babae. Where could she be? Wala naman itong pwedeng puntahan na iba. All the doors to the other bedrooms were locked too and— Saglit siyang natigilan. Walang magbubukas ng mga pinto para sa babae.

Inis niyang kinuha ang master key sa safe at lumabas ng silid. Binuksan niya isa-isa ang mga pinto pero wala roon si Reina. Hanggang sa mabuksan niya ang nasa huling pinto sa dulo. Saka lang siya nakahinga ng maluwag. Tulog na tulog ito sa isa sa mga single beds na naroon. She looked peaceful pero hindi niya maintindihan kung paano ito nakapasok. Humakbang siya palapit at nakita niya ang isang hairpin. Kahit magulo ang buhok nito kanina ay tanda niya ang isang hairpin sa may gilid ng tainga nito.

She can pick locks? Well. What do you know? His feisty temptress has a talent. Nakapag-shower na ito. Her hair still looked a little damp. Pero ang nakaagaw ng pansin sa kaniya ay ang suot nitong damit. Reina is wearing his shirt and boxers. He felt an ache in between his groins. Those long shapely legs is enough to drive him insane. Weakness niya 'yon sa mga babae. He has fucked countless models, actresses even beauty queens but Estefano has never felt such a strong pull until Reina came along.

His plan was to drive Leon crazy by taking Reina away from him. Pero wala siyang balak saktan o pagsamantalahan ang babae. Estefano originally thought of letting her go kapag sawa na siyang makasama ito. And now, he doesn't want her out of his sight. Pinag-iisipan niyang mabuti ang next step na pagpapakasal sa babae at pabago-bago pa rin ang isip niya.

Estefano just might keep her for the rest of his life and hope that she chooses to stay with him after everything he has done and what he's about to do.