3. BORED 1

July 2022

NOVEMBER

I am tapping my fingertips on the table while waiting for my brother to come here in AFSLink. May pag-uusapan kami. Truth is... I wanna go back to Italy. I am getting bored in this country. Kung dati ay excited pa ako sa pagtira rito sa Pilipinas, ngayon ay hindi na.

"Miss Novee..." I gave a glance to my 21-year-old secretary, Regal, na papasok sa office ko, after she knocked on the door and opened it.

"Yep?" I asked.

"Boss Zeno called." Regal smiled. Kinikilig. I know na crush niya si Zeno. "He cannot come here and you need to go home now. Doon na lang daw kayo mag-usap sa bahay niya sa Cavite."

I angrily stood up and picked my car's key on the table hearing that. Kanina ko pa gustong umuwi pero sabi ng magaling na Zeno ay maghintay ako kaya iyon ang ginawa ko.

"Screw you, Zeno..." I whispered. Annoyed. Minsan talaga naiisip ko nang totohanin ang lagi kong sinasabi na plano ko siyang patayin para akin na ang Paradiso.

"Uh-uh... You can't go home alone," umiiling na sabi ni Regal na ikinakunot-noo ko. "Another bilin. Sorry, Miss Novee."

'What the fuck?!' That's the question I wanna ask to my secretary with my frowning look at her.

"Boss Zeno said... that you need to wait for Ramon and Dante first. Nasa mansion pa raw ang dalawa pero papunta na raw dito."

I gave her a side glance of irritation for that. Wala naman siyang kasalanan pero naiinis ako, at wala naman akong iba na mapagbuntunan ng inis maliban sa kaniya.

Irritatedly, I walked to get in front of the glass window and stared at the cars passing by the building where I was. I sighed. I was in the AFSLink Building. Pag-aari ni Zeno. I just turned eighteen three months ago and became the vice president of this so-called BPO company here just to help Zeno with his plan.

Hell... I am not into any legal businesses in mind. I wanna transact business in underground world. Kainis na Zeno... masyadong sad ang life at dinadamay ako. And now I am missing Italy at mas okay pa ako roon, malaya sa paggalaw. Here? I was allowed to drive a car but I was always tailed by Zeno's two men.

I sighed thinking what to do with Dante and Ramon. Should I have planned for their ambush? Why not? Pero naging close ko na ang dalawang iyon at game sila lagi sa trip ko. Like if I want them to dance, they will dance. If I want them to be my punching bags, they will fight me.

"A knight," Regal said, which made me turn and look at her. She was holding a paperweight of a horse and a knight, while looking at the painting in my office wall of a horse and a knight, too. "You love collecting knights and horses, Miss Novee?" she asked me with a smile.

Actually, I am not. But when I saw something like art or whatever that represents a knight on a horse, I remember him. Nite. My once upon a time knight. I wonder where he is now. Is he married? How many kids does he have now?

I was only twelve when he rescued me from the kidnap for ransom situation I was in. He rescued me and Berto or better known now as Gilberto. The so-called kidnapper of mine that became my brother's Zeno most trusted henchman.

"I just like looking at those figures or paintings," I answered Regal. I can't tell her about that assassin Nite. Did he sell my necklace? Probably.

"Did you love fairy tales when you were young?" nakangiti na tanong ni Regal sa akin na kinakunot-noo ko.

Fairy tales? Cinderella? Snow White? Uh-uh... no.

"Yes," I answered safely.

Fairy tales have nothing to do with my life. I love martial arts, guns, and anything with blades. I love planning how to rule Paradiso. I love proving to everyone I could do whatever Zeno can.

"Sabi ko na nga, eh." Regal smilingly walked to get near in front of me.

Napakunot ang noo ko. What does she mean?

"And what is it about?" I asked with a curious smile.

"Kasi ang mahihilig sa mga knights and horses ay mahihilig din sa fairy tales. You know..." Regal shrugged, "that once upon a time, Sleeping Beauty was saved by her prince charming. I love fairy tales too, Miss Novee."

Natawa ako. I don't like those crap things but I can't say that to Regal. She's nice. She became my P.A. after Delphi stopped working for me and she was assigned to Zeno. Si Regal na ang kasa-kasama ko at natutuwa ako sa kaniya kasi hindi ko lang siya secretary, naging friend ko na rin... kahit paano.

Hindi ako friendly. Mapili akong tao. Ayoko na basta na lang maging close sa isang tao. But I trust my instincts. When I want to save Gilberto, I know he's a good man. And it was the same with Nite... I know that guy is a good man, too. So when Regal entered my office, I knew she could be a friend and assistant rolled into one for me.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" tanong ko kay Regal. Wala lang. Masyado kasi siyang idealistic sa romance kaya naisip kong itanong at para maiba ang usapan namin.

Ayoko lang kasi ng fairy tales na topic. It's not true and boring for me. Papaniwalain ang mga bata na basta mabait at may mabuting puso ang isang babae, kagaya ni Cinderella, ay may pag-asang makahanap ng prince charming.

Stupid. Such stupid thing. Looking for some prince is a sign of weakness. Mas importante ang hanapin ang sariling kakayahan para hindi kailangan maging dependent sa iba.

I return my attention to Regal that was blushing. Nailang na nakatingin sa akin. Alam ko na, she doesn't have any experience. Kaya pala mahilig pa sa fairy tales.

"Okay..." I chuckled. "So you don't have a boyfriend. That's fine. I haven't experienced being in a relationship, either."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Regal na parang hindi makapaniwala. "True, Miss Novee?"

"I'm only eighteen and there's no shame in that," natatawa kong sabi.

"Wow! And they said that Italians are liberated."

"It depends on the situation, actually. Though Italy is not tagged as a conservative country, still ay marami pa rin conservative na babae roon."

"Sabagay at parang ang hirap mo ligawan, Miss Novee. O baka naman conservative ka talaga."

"No..." I smiled while shaking my head to add on my negative answer. "I'm just reserved."

"That's a nice answer... I like that. Iyan na lang din pala ang sasabihin ko kapag may makulit na manliligaw akong gusto ko ibasted."

Ngumiti na lang ako sa sinabi ni Regal. Ang totoo ay hindi ako mahirap ligawan kagaya ng iniisip niya. Nataon lang na hindi lang ako interesado magpaligaw talaga. Marami akong manliligaw na sinasang-ayunan agad ni Papa. Si Zeno lang ang mahigpit sa akin kaya hanggang ngayon ay hindi ako nawawalan ng bodyguards.

Muli ko na naman naisip ang plano ko. Mukhang kailangan ko talagang isakripisyo sina Dante at Ramon. I cannot sacrificed Berto at siya lang ang pinaka-friend ko mula noon.

Killing time I sat back on my swivel chair and watched news on TV. Nasa isang network kami at may pinapanood na balita. Pagsabog sa isang lumang building na nasa Mandaluyong ang nasa flash news.

After that news na may binabanggit na mga namatay na natagpuan ay ads na. I was still watching. Kahit mga ads na lang ay pinanood ko pa. And when the ads of the new condominium of Forte Konztrakt appeared, Regal explained her 'wow' word.

"That's where I worked before, Miss Novee," nakangiti niyang sabi sa akin.

I smiled back. Forte Konztrakt. I know who owns it. Nasabi sa akin ni Zeno.

"What was your work there?"

"Same as here. Actually, I was working under the boss' general manager. Kay Engr. Franco ako naka-assign."

"Why did you leave Forte Kontrakt?"

"Need ko umuwi sa amin at hindi ako nakabalik agad kasi namatay na si Papa at kailangan ako ni Mama."

"Oh... that's sad."

"Kaya nga. Ang guwapo ng may-ari ng Forte Konztrakt, Miss Novee. Si Architect Trace Dimagiba. Guwapo pero nakakatakot."

"Nakakatakot?" kunot-noong tanong ko. Ngayon lang ako nakarinig ng babae na natakot kay Trace Dimagiba.

I know the man because Zeno was acquainted with him and Chloe, Trace's beloved. My brother was even announced to be married to Chloe months ago. But of course there is no romantic air between my brother and Chloe, they were both in love with other people. Chloe to Trace and Zeno to Delphi.

"Controversial kasi ang pagkatao niya. At even ang love story nila ni Chloe, iyong interior designer ng FK, na sabi ay pinwersa niya lang para maging sila."

"Pwersa?"

"Naging viral 'yan sila. At maraming tsismis na nasa underground world daw si Boss Trace. Ewan kung... kung totoo."

"Underground?" tanong ko kunwari. Nakikiramdam kung gaano kalawak ang alam ni Regal sa sinasabi niya. Ang alam ko ay discreet ang Foedus na grupo. Baka akala lang nila wala pang masyadong may alam sa organisasyon nila pero ang totoo ay kalat na kalat na.

"Mafia..." Regal grimaced. "Ayaw kong maniwala nga sa narinig ko kasi ang guwapo naman ni Boss Trace para maging member ng mafia."

I pursed my lips para hindi ako matawa. If only Regal knows na hindi lang si Trace ang nagmula sa mafia family ay baka matakot na talaga. Kung alam niya lang na pati ako ay kabilang sa mafia ay baka mag-resign pa ito.

"Where did you heard that?" tanong ko na lang. Curious na rin ako.

"Doon lang din sa office ng Forte Konztrakt. Kay Alona. Secretary ni Engr. Franco at lover na rin. Sa kaniya ako naka-under dati."

"Sabi mo makontrobersyal love story ng boss mo dati... Why?" Pag-iiba ko na lang ng usapan. Ayoko i-topic ang pagiging mafioso ni Trace at baka kung saan pa makaabot ang nalalaman ni Regal. But I must inform Chloe about that Alona na parang may alam na tungkol sa buhay-mafia ni Trace.

"Last year, December lang..."

"What happened?"

"Chloe filed rape case against Boss Trace. After ma-file ang case, naging MIA si Miss Chloe. As in 'missing in action' siya."

"Saan siya pumunta?"

"Sabi sa mga haka-haka sa mga socmed, kasi trending talaga sila nakaraan lalo na at pa-election na, nagpapansin lang daw as propaganda. Politician kasi ang family ni Boss Trace sa Salvacion and they are really big shots. Ang ibang sabi naman ay nawala kasi nakidnap. But there was a name that appeared in the news at siya ang nadiin. Ang sabi ang lalaking iyon ay pinaka-assistant ni Boss Trace kaya noong madiin ang tao na iyon na dumukot kay Chloe ay walang maniwala. People are saying that the man was just used to took the blame."

"And?"

"Netizens do believe that Nite Alberona was just a pawn to spare. Nawala na rin siya bigla sa scene eh. At may iba naman na comment na ang binibintangan na abductor ni Chloe na si Nite ay nasa poder lang ng boss niyang si Trace Dimagiba nagtatago."

Sa dami ng sinabi ni Regal ay ang pangalan ni Nite Alberona lang ang interesting for me. Tauhan ni Trace. I think I need to call Zeno and demand his time more than ever.

'Alam ko na kung saan kita makikita ulit, Nite. See you soon, Nitey.'