Chapter 33

Chapter 33

"There's no record about him in Scarletti, Empress." pagpapaalam ni Cloud pagkatapos nitong mag-imbestiga.

"How about the family register?" pahabol niya at lumapit dito, saka nagbasa na din aa mga impormasyong nakalagay sa monitor.

"None as well." iling ng lalaki.

Both of them felt the frustration of finding nothing.

"Call Sky." mabilis niyang utos na siya namang sinunod kaagad ni Cloud.

After two rings he answered. Iniabot naman ni Cloud ang cellphone sa kaniya.

"Twin?" bungad ni Sky.

"It's me, Sky." pagpapakilala niya, "Is he still there?" tukoy niya kay Roldan Scarletti.

"Yes, he's still here." sagor ng lalaki, "He's still convincing me to-" he stopped.

"To what, Sky?" takhang aniya, "What is he up to?" suspetya niya.

Eleanor heard him sighed. Tila ayaw ni Sky na sabihin sa kaniya ang pakay ng nagsasabing kapatid ng ama niya.

"He wants to see you, El. And he's convincing me that we don't need to hide you from him. Dahil matagal ka na daw niyang kilala." he answered.

Natigilan siya.

Paano?

Have they met before? Alam na ba ni Roldan Scarletti ang totoo niyang pagkatao ng makita siya niya sa party?

Naaalala ni Eleanor na may mga bumibisita sa kanila noon. But she's too young to remember them.

Kaya ba pamilyar sa kaniya ang lalaki?

She's curious, too curious.

Ang tanging makakakompirma ng pagkatao ni Roldan ay si Tanda. But he's still in coma!

Hindi siya dapat na magpadala sa kyuryosidad niya. This guy might be an enemy.

Anong gagawin niya?

If he's indeed her Father's brother, then he might know some things about her parents and the accident. Sa mga nangyari sa kanila.

She wants to hear every information that that guy might know about her parents.

Seguradong kokontra ang kambal sa gusto niyang gawin.

But will she just hide forever?

Talaga bang nakakabuti ito sa kaniya? O masyado na siyang nasanay sa pagtatago?

"I want to meet him." balik niya sa usapan nila.

Sandaling natahimik si Sky sa kabilang linya, "W-what?" utal nito, "It's dangerous, El! He might be an enemy!" he exclaimed.

"I can't hide here forever, Sky." sa wakas ay nasabi niya, "At kung sino man si Roldan Scarletti, ay gusto kong ako mismo ang makaalam. And I want to directly hear his answers for my questions."

She heard Sky's frustated sigh, "Tell me your questions and I'll deliver his answers to you. We can't risk it, El. Masyado ng maraming nakakaalam ng totoo mong pagkatao." rason pa nito.

Nahilot ni Eleanor ang kaniyang sentido sa pagmamatigas ng lalaki.

She wants to give him an earful of reasons, "Just trust me, Sky. I want to meet him. I need to." she emphasized.

Yun na lamang ang nasabi niya.

She appreciates how the Collins is standing firm with their vow to protect her and conceal her identity, until the day of her 21st birthday.

But Eleanor's too tired of acting like a coward and depending too much on their protection.

She's tired of being the unknown Empress. She doesn't want to hide anymore.

Starting from revealing herself to Ycarius, and to her Generals. Slowly, she wants to break free from that title.

"I will send him to Scarletti, Empress." suko ni Sky, "It's safer for you to talk with him there."

"Thank you, Sky." she smiled, handing the cellphone back to Cloud.

"I told you, Twin. She's becoming more stubborn!" pagsusumbong nito.

The twins have to accept it. She needs to reveal herself eventually. Hindi siya pwedeng magtago sa ilalim ng mga pakpak nila habangbuhay.

And to prepare for that future. She needs to know the story of her past. Isa iyon sa totoong rason kung bakit niya ginawang misyon ang paghuli sa mga kasabwat ng pagkamatay ng kaniyang mga magulang.

Hindi pa niya nahahanap ang mastermind niyon, pero heto sila't may kinakaharap na namang problema. And that's how this side of her world works.

She can't just be Eleanor Lacostales. Because she is Healia Eleanor Scarletti.

"How's the report from the new generals?" balik niya sa tabi ni Cloud.

"I thought they're inexperienced." komento nito, "But they can lead well. Your speech boosted everyone's motivation as well, Empress." dagdag pa niya.

Napangiti naman siya, "That's good to hear. And our enemies? Patuloy parin ba ang pag-atake nila sa mga base natin?"

Umiling si Cloud, "Some already retreated." balita nito, "Syleria and Henri, who lead our headquarters in Visayas and Mindanao, have managed to scare our enemies away. Still, they're keeping their guards up."

"How about our bases?" sunod niyang tanong.

"Still under attack. Alizah and Ealyn are in our base in Cebu. Syleria wants to keep them close. While Vincent lead our base in Mindanao as well." sagot nito, "With our defense, it looks like our enemies will retreat soon." he assured.

However, that's not enough for El. Soon is not good and specific. She wants them to disappear from her territory now.

"Inform Syleria and Henri to send back-ups to our bases." utos niya, "Order an immediate attack, we need to force them to retreat." she added.

"Copy, Empress." sagot nito. "I'll prepare the interrogation room for Roldan Scarletti." paalam nito at aalis na sana.

She grabbed Cloud's arm to stop him from leaving. Saka siya umiling dito.

"Bring him to my office." aniya, "Doon ko siya kakausapin nang personal."

Sumama ang mukha ni Cloud. He probably thought that she'll talk to the guy behind his monitors again. But he's wrong.

"Can I atleast ask you to wear your wig and contacts?" may pagmamakaawa sa boses nito.

"Kung kapatid nga siya ni Dad, hindi ba't may ideya na siya kung ano ang totoo kong hitsura?" rason pa niya.

She looked like her father afterall. Especially with her eyes.

Napakamot ng batok si Cloud, "If the old man's here, seguradong nakutusan ka na niya. You're really becoming so stubborn!" sermon nito sa kaniya.

She smiled bitterly after hearing Cloud talk about Tanda. Pero iwinaksi niya kaagad iyon. The twins are trying to be strong, she needs to be one as well.

"Sabi ko nga, magsusuot ako ng wig at contacts." she ended it with a laugh.

Tila nakahinga ang binigay na ekspresyon sa kaniya ni Cloud, "I'll send him to your office."

Tumango siya sa lalaki saka lumapit sa secret door ng kaniyang private elevator, doon din mismo sa loob ng control room. She activated the eye detector and confirmed her identity. Saka bumukas ang pader, revealing the doors of the elevator. She placed her hand on the scanner and the doors opened.

"Maghihintay ako doon." paalam niya.

Maliban sa kaniya ay ang kambal at si Tanda lamang ang may access doon.

The only way that Fourth Ycarius made his way to her room is through her elevator in route 13. Masyadong komplikado ang disenyo ng building na ito kung nasaan ang penthouse niya. The Collins made sure for her penthouse to be secured at wala talagang may makakahanap.

After turning herself into her Eleanor Lacostales appearance, she immediately gone to her office, which is beside her penthouse. Eleanor requested it to be separate from her home. She wanted her penthouse to be her private and comfort zone. No work.

Naayos siya ng upo ng may kumatok sa pinto ng kaniyang opisina. Surely, si Cloud na iyon.

"It's open, Cloud." pagpapaalam niya.

Then, the door opened. She maintained her posture to make sure that she looks unfaced. But truely, may nararamdaman din siyang kaba.

"Empress, he's here." bungad ni Cloud.

The man behind him peeked at her. At nakompirma niyang si Roldan Scarletti nga iyon.

He walked passed Cloud and stood in front of her table. Walang ni gulat o kwestyon sa kaniyang hitsura ang ekspresyon ng lalaki. Like he expected her to look like this. In her disguise.

"You didn't get your father's eyes or your mother's hair." makabuluhang komento nito.

Sandaling nanlaki ang mga mata ni Eleanor sa sinabi nito. But then, she remained to act calm and unbothered.

Now that she had a closer look at his face. Kita niyang wala itong pagkakahawig sa mga Scarletti.

She saw her grandparent's portraits. Parehong luntian ang mata ng mga ito. That's why she had a strong possibility of having green eyes as well, like her dad's.

But the man in front of her has deep brown eyes. Could it be?

"Who are you?" nautap niya.

He chuckled, like he knows what's on her mind, "You're right, Healia Eleanor." hayag nito na siyang ikinagulat niya.

He knows her name!

"I'm not a real Scarletti." he confessed, "I was adopted."