Kabanata 4

Kabanata 4

PUMARADA ang itim na Honda Fireblade ni Alec sa harap ng maliit na cafe kung saan siya makikipagkita sa private investigator na kinuha ng unang ginang. Alec spotted the old man sitting on the far end of the vintage style coffee shop, and as soon as he got off his big bike, he removed his helmet and walked in.

May dalawang babaeng nasa bungad na kaagad napunta sa kanya ang atensyon. One of them even tucked her hair behind her ears while flashing a flirty smile.

Ngumisi lamang si Alec. He's gone familiar with the cues already, but he didn't come here to get laid. He's got something more important to do and that is to find out about that woman the President is seeing.

Hinila ni Alec ang bakanteng silya sa tapat ng matanda. Malayo na sila sa dalawang customer kaya nang matapos mag-request si Alec ng double shot espresso, inilapag kaagad ng matanda ang maliit na sobreng naglalaman ng mga nakalap nitong impormasyon tungkol sa kalaguyo ni Vince De Vera.

"I need you to do something for me but I'd rather keep this between us. The first lady doesn't have to know. Masyado na siyang stressed sa nangyayari."

Payak na ngumiti ang matanda saka nito nilapag ang tasa ng kape sa mesa. Probably just an Americano. Alec doesn't really fancy sweet coffee. He thinks it kills the purpose of coffee.

"My men can find whatever you need but it comes with a price. We are not your typical investigators."

Umismid si Alec. "I could sell my soul for this one."

"Ano ang nais mong malaman?"

Alec took a deep breath then released it heavily. "I need you to find two people. My mom and my adoptive mother's daughter. Loisa Justiniano, my biological mother, left me to Rodessa Saturnino when I was two months old. Mama Rodessa told me my real mom went to Japan but the previous investigators I hired can't find any traces of her. Kung nagpalit siya ng pangalan ay hindi ko alam. They didn't even find my real birth record. Andrea, my adoptive sister, nawala siya sa kasagsagan ng flash flood sa Cagayan. No body was recovered so I ain't giving up." Gumalaw ang panga ni Alec at bumaba ang kanyang tingin sa kanyang kamaong nakapatong sa mesa. "I still dream about her begging for my help. She can't be dead..."

"Leave it to me. Transfer your down payment and my men will work on it immediately."

"Aasahan ko 'yan."

Alec just finished his coffee and went on his way back to his penthouse. Naupo siya sa kanyang kama at binuklat ang laman ng sobre.

Lucy Sta. Maria is an eighteen-year old anonymous artist from Nueva Viscaya, the same artist who painted several expensive artworks sold in the last auction he attended. Although she's known as Lucy, the investigators found some falsified information about her birth record. She was sold to a couple fifteen years ago for seventy thousand pesos. Kung ano ang tunay na pangalan at edad ng dalaga ay hindi masabi ni Alec dahil wala sa mga impormasyong nakalagay sa papel na kanyang hawak.

Clinically diagnosed with severe depression, panic attack, and post-traumatic stress disorder. She was rescued one and a half year ago from the hands of her adoptive brother who's been molesting her since she was thirteen. Her adoptive parents were aware of the abuse but to protect their son, Lucy was threatened to stay silent.

Kumulo nang husto ang dugo ni Alec. Nalukot niya ang papel na kanyang hawak at naihilamos niya ang kanyang palad sa kanyang mukha. Bigla niya na namang naalala si Andrea. What if she survived the flash flood? What if she was in the same situation as Lucy? Paano kung humihingi ng saklolo ang kapatid niya pero wala siya?

Parang hindi kaya ni Alec kung ganoon din ang pinagdaraanan ni Andrea. Mahal na mahal niya ito at nangako siya noon sa kanyang Mama Rodessa na babantayang mabuti ang kapatid. 

Guilt hit Alec pretty bad. Nasabunutan niya ang kanyang buhok at umigting nang husto ang kanyang panga habang mariing nakasara ang mga mata niya.

"I'm going to find you, Andrea. Pinapangako ko, hindi kita susukuan."

MAPAKLANG napangiti si Lucy habang nakatutok ang mga mata niya sa isa sa kanyang mga artwork na naka-display na sa isa sa pinakamalaking art museum sa bansa. She's wearing her sunglasses while her long hair was tied. Simpleng puting women's tux, silk tops with spaghetti straps, skinny jeans, at red pump lang ang sinuot niyang tinernuhan ng Dior bag na pasalubong ni Vince pagkagaling nito ng congregation sa Europe.

Kakatapos lamang ng session niya sa psychiatrist na binabayaran ni Vince para tulungan siyang gumaling. Malaki ang naitulong ng kanyang sessions sa doktor. Hindi na niya pinagtatangkaang patayin ang kanyang sarili dahil pakiramdam niya ay napakarungis niya, at marahil ay dahil na rin sa buong pusong pagtanggap ni Vince sa kanya, kahit paano ay naramdaman niyang may pag-asa pa siyang mahalin.

The doctor said she must have fallen in love with Vince because he made her feel accepted. Hindi siya hinusgahan at ipinadama ng lalake na naroon ito parati para protektahan siya. As a victim of abuse, she craved for the security and protection Vince has offered.

Noong una ay takot siya sa lahat. She didn't want to be touched. Hindi siya nakatutulog nang maayos at palagi siyang nagwawala dala ng masamang mga panaginip. Nang minsang tangkain niyang tumalon mula sa ikalawang palapag ng girl's town, saktong bumibisita si Vince kasama ang partido nito. Kasagsagan noon ng kampanya at marahil para lalong umingay ang pangalan ng mga kandidatong kasama nito, binisita nila ang isa sa mga benepisyaryo ni Vince.

He was the one who rescued her and stopped her from jumping. She went histerical but with Vince's gentle pats on her back while he's embracing her, Lucy suddenly felt different, as if he's not holding her to do the same nasty thing her adoptive brother had done.

Nang magtama ang tingin nila ni Vince, wala siyang ibang nabakas sa mga mata nito kung hindi awa at kagustuhang tumulong. It all started there, until his visits became regular and Lucy found herself getting more and more comfortable with him. When Vince found out about her growing feelings, he let the magic of being a politician do the wonders. Nailabas siya sa girl's town, binilihan siya ni Vince ng bahay, at inengganyo siya nitong gawin ang hilig niya. Ang magpinta.

"That's one depressing piece, don't you think?"

Napabalik sa reyalidad si Lucy nang marinig ang tinig ng lalakeng hindi niya napansing nasa tabi niya na pala. Nanlaki ang mga mata niya sa gulat dahil kilala niya kung sino iyon kaya mabuti na lamang at hindi niya inalis ang kanyang sunglasses.

Standing next to him is Alec Thane De Vera, the adopted child of Vince and Hailey. Sa larawang nasa dyaryo lamang niya ito nakita noon, ngunit tama ang balita. He really resembles the young Vincent De Vera. From his curtain style brown hair, intimidating thick brows, long lashes that slightly hid his dangerous pair of protruding olive eyes, to his aristocratic nose and pair of lips that's pursing right now for unknown reason, people would really think he's a real De Vera.

She didn't like the sudden tension she felt towards Alec. He's radiating a certain power she finds hard to resist even when she's half a meter away from him. There's something about this guy that made the hair on her nape stand to its ends and Lucy didn't like it.

Patay-malisya siyang tumikhim at muling binalik ang tingin sa artwork. "That's the message the piece wanted to depict."

"You must be very depressed when you painted it, hmm?"

Parang tumigil ang tibok ng puso ni Lucy. Muli siyang napabaling sa binata, ang nanlalaking mga mata ay nagtago sa kanyang sunglasses.

His dangerous eyes focused on her as he clenched his jaw. He looked like a feral wolf who will tear her apart in a blink of an eye, and judging with the way he towered her, she knew he's already aware of who she is.

"What do you want from me?" kunwari ay kaswal niyang tanong kahit ang totoo ay gusto nang bumigay ng kanyang mga tuhod.

Nalunok niya ang kanyang laway nang makita kung papaanong umangat ang sulok ng mga labi nito para sa isang makahulugang ngisi. His eyebrow cocked, his eyes narrowed as if he's about to crush her and break her into pieces.

"You're the woman who's causing the first lady pain and sleepless nights." Umismid ito saka siya pinasadahan ng tingin. "I didn't know hoes can be classy."

Napaiwas ng tingin si Lucy. Alam niya sa sarili niyang wala siyang karapatang ipagtanggol ang kanyang sarili mula rito. Tinikom niya ang kanyang bibig at aalis na lamang sana nang hawakan ng binata ang kanyang braso upang paharapin muli rito.

His sudden move made her shiver. Napasinghap siya at ang dibdib niya ay nagwala lalo nang makita niyang lalong naging mapanganib ang tingin ng binata sa kanya. She was supposed to be scared, yet there is something with the way Alec looked at her, as if he's feeling the same tension that's turning her insides to jellies.

"We're still talking, Lucy," may diin nitong ani.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and looked on his chest instead because God knows how much she's trying to keep her balance. "Wala tayong dapat pag-usapan."

Umismid ito. "I know what you and the President is doing behind the first lady's back. Alam nating parehong malaking eskandalo ito kapag lumabas sa madla. You will cause Papa's downfall. You know it very well but I don't think you will stop clinging on him despite the trouble you can cause him."

Hindi siya kumibo kaya muling nagsalita ang binata.

"I'm not gonna expose you, Lucy. I'm here to offer you something that would save you from this mess, save Papa and Mama's marriage, and keep Papa's reputation from getting ruined."

"W—What is it?"

Mariing nailapat ni Lucy ang kanyang mga labi sa isa't-isa at nang bumaba ang mukha ni Alec upang bumulong sa kanyang tainga, halos mahigit niya ang kanyang hininga.

"You are like a leech, sweet Lucy." He pulled her body closer and breathed out in front of her ear. "So I am giving you the option to stick around me instead and save everyone from this mess..."