Richard stood by the glass wall panel of his office at Gold Hotel. He was watching the morning unfold down on the busy street just across his property. Cars and public transport filled the street— each carrying at least a member of a tired workforce. While other people on that same street, much less fortunate he assumed, were busy making a living with just about anything they could think of just to get by through the day. Melancholy filled him. He suddenly realized how life was very different outside the four walls of his comfortable office. And how lucky he was to not ran after something, anything—a ride, an appointment, a job and even a spare time.It was past 9 in the morning and in most days, he would have been busy barking orders right now. But today was not just the most days. Today, Zyrone, his only son, is getting married.Napabuga siya ng hininga at dinala sa bibig niya ang baso ng alak na hawak niya. He took a swig of the brandy that has been his only friend for the past mo
Zyrone stood anxiously by the small security office where Belle’s penthouse was. Doon sila dumiretso matapos siguruhin ni Marco sa kanya na hindi siya binalak iwan ni Belle, nawawala ito.Marco was waiting in the lobby for Belle and Marie to come down from the penthouse. But when the lift opened when it reached the lobby, Marie was already on the elevator’s floor, unconscious. And Belle was nowhere in sight.Marie has yet to recover from whatever potent drug they had given her to knock her down. As well as Belle's driver, 2 guards manning the entrance at that time and the concierge. That’s why he’s there, to find for himself what really happened to Belle.He watched as Eliseo converse with a policeman just a few meters near the entrance of the building. Eliseo was devastated when he learned about the news of Belle’s disappearance. But the old man was strong, stronger than he thought. He collected himself quickly and pulled all his connections that could help them to locate Belle. Ng
“What now, Isabelle Ledesma? Cat got your tongue?” sarkastikong turan ni Laura Del Valle nang manatili siyang tahimik pagkaraan ng ilang sandali.Why wouldn’t she? She never had any clue at all that the mother and daughter would do such kind of atrocity on the very day of her wedding!Laura gave out a low and dangerous laugh. She looked very different from the woman she met a couple of weeks ago. Ang Laura na nakilala niya mabait, maasikaso at maayos kausap. Kaya naman hindi na siya nagtataka na naging malapit si Miranda dito mula nang humiwalay ito kay Richard. Odd as it seemed, Miranda found a friend in Laura, or so Miranda had related. Dahil bukod sa mabuti raw itong kaibigan, Laura was also the one who introduced her a good annulment lawyer. And because of that she and Zyrone never treated Laura Del Valle differently despite of what Grace did three years ago. She and Zyrone treated Laura as good family friend for the past weeks that they were preparing for their wedding. She e
Malakas sa tenga ni Zyrone ang pagtiktak ng orasan na nakasabit sa dingding. Bawat kumpas ng kamay ng orasan, sumasabay din ang pagkabog ng kanyang dibdib.He was standing on the other side of the interrogation room, the one that has a one way mirror. And he watched as Stephen Del Valle anxiously sat on the lone chair in the other room—waiting for the police investigator.Nang sabihin ng Mommy niya kanina na tungkol kay Belle ang ipupunta nila sa presinto, hindi niya inaasahan na si Stephen Del Valle ang makikita niya roon . He would’ve left as soon as he arrived, for he thougt he was just wasting his time. That it was just one of his father’s ploy to make him submit to whatever his demands would be. But when his father gave him a quick overview of what was happening, he made sure that he will choke the truth out of Stephen’s throat if that would make him talk about Belle’s location.Umingit pabukas ang pinto at pumasok doon ang isang pulis na mabilis na umupo sa harap ni Stephen. He
“Call Laura now,” mariing utos ni Paul kay Stephen. Zyrone watched as the pathetic coward called his crazy wife using the bastard’s own phone.Nasa police car sila ni Paul kung saan nakalulan si Stephen. He was on the passerger’s seat while Paul was with Stephen at the back of the car. The car was parked behind the bushes just a few hundred meters away from the Laura’s old family house in Bulacan. Si Stephen ang mismong nagdala sa kanila roon matapos ang interrogation.Wala sa sarili niyang hinayon ng tingin ang bubungan ng bahay kung saan dinala nina Laura at Grace si Belle.The old house was sitting alone in the middle of an abandoned property. Ikinukubli iyon ng makakapal na ligaw na mga damo at halaman na nakapaligid doon. Malayo rin iyon sa mainroad at wala ring halos katabing bahay. One wouldn’t really think that a house is there if one really doesn’t know the place. Making it a perfect hide-out for any atrocity.He huffed as he restrained his emotions.He’s not supposed to be
Belle was staring blankly at the white wall of the ER’s waiting room where she had been seating for the past half an hour Maingay ang paligid subalit mas malakas ang pagkabog ng kanyang didbib. Maayos siyang nakaupo roon subalit magulo ang isip niya. But despite of the chaos going on inside her, she sat there still. She felt numb.Her heart was crushed with worry and fear for Zyrone. She wanted to pray—to beg God to save the life of the only man she had loved, but words deserted her. Her mind was filled with haze and her gut was in knots since she arrived there at the hospital—with Zyrone’s bloodied body in her arms.She closed her eyes and draw in a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself. But her hands instantly trembled as the picture of Zyrone’s wounded body entered her mind.Agad siyang napamulat at muling humugot ng hininga. There was no escape for her. No. Not even for a brief moment.She felt like she’s drowning. Drowning in fear, worry and uncertainty.How did that suppose
Mabigat ang bawat paghakbang ni Belle papalapit sa ICU unit ng ospital. Nagtatalo ang isip niya kung tutuloy ba siya o hindi dahil hindi niya alam kung anong madaratnan niya sa loob ng ICU suite. Her grandfather had reassured her over and over habang nasa loob sila ng lift na stable si Zyrone for now. But then again she knew death like the back of her hand-- it comes when one least expects it, leaving grief and many tomorrows filled with uncertainty.That happened with her mom. That happened with Grandma Eve. At kahit na anong gawin niyang pagpapatatag sa sarili niya ngayon, she just can’t help but feel weak.But she has to see Zyrone. Kahit na puno ng takot at kaba ang d*bdib niya, she needs to see him. She wants to be there with him, go through that critical 48-hours with her by him side. And so she continued to walk that long hallway going to the ICU unit. She’s doing it afraid because there was just not other way.Nasa labas pa lang sila ng ICU unit subalit tanaw na niya agad sin
Umingit ang pinto ng private suite sa Angelicum Hospital kung nasaan si Zyrone. Agad namang napabaling si Belle sa direksyon niyon. Awtomatikong dumiretso ang upo niya sa sofa nang mapagsino ang nasa pinto. It was Richard.“Hi,” matipid nitong bati sa kanya bago tuluyang pumasok sa silid. Tahimik niyang tinanguan ang matandang lalaki at sinubukang umakto ng normal.But with Richard around, she knew she could never act normal. Heck! She didn’t have any pleasant memories with him, paano siya aakto nang normal?It has been almost a week now since the incident happened. Nakasampa na rin ang mga kaso laban sa mga Del Valle. At nai-transfer na rin nila si Zyrone sa Maynila—sa Angelicum Hospital and Medical Center. But still the same, her Zyrone is not yet awake. And though the doctors said that he is stable, no good news would count for her until he opens his eyes.Kaya naman, sa bawat araw na dumaraan, patuloy siya sa pakiusap sa Diyos na sana, bigyan pa siya ng pagkakataon kay Zyrone—pagk