CHLOEAfter I was treated like a whore*... I just sat on the edge of the bed thinking how terrible what I felt was. I waited for Trace to finish in the shower because I needed to talk to him. What he did makes me feel unloved… unworthy… I waited for minutes while looking at my reflection in the mirror. I wanna pity myself for what happened. Did I deserve that? Probably…I heard the shower stop and he walked out of the bathroom without even looking at me. He didn’t utter a word at first while wearing his clothes. I thought he wouldn't talk to me but he started when he said he can’t trust me anymore and that… made me sad. I admit I made a mistake and how devastating it was to him, but I just connived with Nite because of what happened to Carly. And when I decided to turn my back on what Nite wanted me to do, he threatened me that he would kill Trace and I needed to choose at that moment. But now… Now it seems I am the only one who did wrong when in fact it was Trace who did bad to C
TRACEDinampot ko ang phone na nabitawan ni Chloe sa kama bago siya dinamba ni Michigan. I checked who she was talking to, si Paige pala. No other number she called, hindi pa siya nakatawag sa parents niya kung gano’n, at incoming call lang ang dahilan kaya nalaman niya na naiwan ko ang phone. I inserted the phone on my pocket at tatawagin ko na sana si Michigan nang natawa ako sa nakita ko. Nakalilis na ang t-shirt na suot ni Chloe at halos nahubaran na siya ng loko-lokong pusa.“Oh no, don’t eat me!" patili na sabi ni Chloe. Natatakot na siya masyado kay Michigan pero alam ko naman na nagpapapansin lang ang tigre sa kaniya. Okay lang ‘yan.Dahil sa halos hubad na katawan ni Chloe ay muli na naman akong tinigasan habang nakatingin sa kaniya. Mukhang late lang yata ang epekto ng droga ni Isaiah at ngayon lang gumagana sa akin. Pero ang droga nga kaya ang dahilan o talagang mas nakakaadik lang si Chloe? And should I thank Michigan for showing me the nakedness of Chloe and making me rea
TRACEAt pinagbigyan ko ang sarili ko… sa bawat paglandas ng dila ko sa balat niya, sa bawat paghagod ng kamay ko sa mamasa-masa pa niyang balat, at sa bawat mahinang ungol na pinapakawalan niya ay alam ko na kailangan niya ako. She needs me but I badly needed her too. I was kissing her thoroughly, and while licking her still-damp skin and reaching her navel to taste her there… flashes of Papa and Louisianna dirtying Mama’s room disturbed me… Fuck*! I was trying to remove it from my thoughts because I don’t want to think anything aside from Chloe. And then… the fucking* arresting scene of what happened to me days ago sa hotel ni Jeru na resulta ng kagagahan ng babae na ito ang pumalit sa utak ko.The betrayal. The pain. The hatred. All negative emotions I am feeling towards Papa and Louisianna that I can control for all the years of following Lev’s advice… Now, because of Chloe, she made me remember it all! Damn! The disgust toward myself because of Louisianna that Julie helped
CHLOEI thought that I would hold my reins to Trace as I saw how he desired me but I was wrong and I don’t know what went wrong.We were kissing passionately, he took his clothes off, and when he went down to lick my body… he angrily said the F word and stopped our smooching. “Trace…” I admit that I was scared at how his eyes gave me his hateful stare.I moved to the other side of the bed and stood up. Natakot ako sa uri ng tingin na binibigay niya. He looks like he wants to end my life. I pulled the blanket and used it to cover my body then stepped closer to him, gusto ko siyang yakapin. There is something in his eyes that I can see danger. “I—I'm sorry. Again, I’m sorry…” Trace seems not himself. I saw how he fights with Elliot, I saw how he gets jealous of Niccolo but… but this time… his looks were nothing like before. Oh, God help me!“I was terrified and I had no choice,” I am trying to explain. He will listen. I still believe that there is hope between us. “I love y—” “You s
CHLOEMy eyes are wide in despair as I am facing his maleness. I feel relieved knowing he won’t use the belt to hit me but… he made it my leash! “I am not your pet, Trace!” I hatefully said that. If he wanted me to blow him then I would do that but not this kind of treatment. “You’re not but you’re my whore, remember? My toy…" His hand touched my face and inserted his thumb inside my mouth. “Stop do—” Ugh! He gripped the belt in my neck as he is going to choke me. “Please me, Chloe…” he was grinning, and how I hated him this time. "Start paying your debt!"I wanna cry but what for, he will be happy if I cry now. Fighting Trace is by making him crazy over me. I obliged to make him stop choking me with the use of his belt, I need to live and if this kind of fetish can stop him from hurting me then let it be. Tingnan ko na lang sa end kung sino ang talo… I made eye contact with him while opening my mouth. I held his cock* and licked its small hole then encircled the tip of my tong
TRACE Nagising ako na yakap-yakap ko si Chloe at gabi na pala. After we made love ay nakatulog pala ako. Hindi ko alam pero mabigat ang pakiramdam ko ngayon, reulta siguro ng kulang sa tulog. I shook my head, para akong magkakasakit. I pulled Chloe’s waist to gets her body closer to me. Nang maramdaman naman niya na hinihila ko siya palapit pa sa akin ay mabilis siyang bumangon. “Trace…” I opened my eyes to see her at agad naman siyang ngumiti nang nakadilat na ako. I was captivated with her smile. How lovely. My goddess. Meu roxo. My queen. “Zup?” I asked when I realized that I should not gaze at her like I am obviously enthralled by her charm. “I’m… hungry.” I checked the time, malapit na pala ang alas-siete ng gabi. Almost ten hours din pala ako nakatulog pero mabigat pa rin ang pakiramdam ko. “I’m scared to go downstairs,” Chloe continued talking. “I am starving, actually. I want some food, Trace.” Napatitig naman ako sa kaniya. Oh, fuck*! Mali talaga na titigan
CHLOE I was hungry while waiting for him to wake up. Ayoko naman siya gisingin kasi alam ko na need niya pa matulog. Kahit gutom na ako ay okay lang pero truth is if hindi lang talaga ako takot sa mga pets niya ay baka kanina pa ako naghanap ng kitchen. I can look for food by my own as I am self-reliant always. At gutom na ako laalo na at kahit lunch wala kami kinain pareho. We just had sex*... at hindi mawawala ang gutom ko sa mga pineapple juices sa mini-ref dito sa room ni Trace. When he made some movements, I quickly got up to tell him that I was hungry, and I knew na gising na siya. I called his name and informed him na gutom na nga ako and I thought he would rise from the bed by how he looked at me for seconds, pero hindi pala. Imagination ko lang pala na concern siya kasi bigla na lang, he turned to another side and said that I should go downstairs and look for my food by myself. Alone? He wants me to find food alone. I pouted my lips. Did he forget his beasts? Then I decid
CHLOE“The hell!” He sounded like he was scolding me again and released my left hand that he was holding. His voice is the same as earlier. It was like when he stopped licking my navel and shouted ‘shut up’ at me. I didn’t say anything afterward. My eyes followed Trace's movement and saw that he looked like he was not feeling well as he massaged his forehead while sitting on the top part of the stairs.“Sorry.” I had already uttered the word before realizing he might not like it. Hindi na siya umimik at tinitigan lang ako. “We will buy you clothes tomorrow.” I smiled. Wow! Hindi siya nagalit. Mukhang alam ko na paano ang ibang ways na gagawin ko para magkasundo pa kami.“We will go shopping?” Nakangiti kong tanong sabay upo sa tabi niya.He nodded while gazing at me. I love this man… even though he has this weird way of showing me he cares, and I am ecstatic. No butterflies in my stomach, but I feel like I am in a maze most of the time. Trace is like a puzzle; it takes only perseve
TRACE We locate Raiden through Logan. Si Logan ang tumawag kay Dev para hanapin si Gavi. Dev tracked the GPS of his sister kaya narito kami ngayon sa isang hotel, na katapat lang ng hotel namin dito sa Baguio. Lumapit sa amin ang manager ng hotel, inabot ang isang key card saka kami iniwan sa harap ng kuwarto. I used it to open the door. We entered the room at napasinghap si Chloe sa nakita. “Wake up!” gising ko kay Raid. Tulog na tulog. Sa lahat ng anak namin ni Chloe ay itong si Raid ang bihira namin masermunan. Hindi dahil sa wala siyang nagawang mali, pero hindi namin kayang pagsabihan siya ng sobra dahil sa takot namin na baka mawala na naman siya. He used to hide when he was younger, paano pa ngayon? Patuloy kong tinapik ang mukha ni Raid. Napabuga ako ng hangin nang magising na siya. Bahagyang lumaki ang mga mata ni Raid sa gulat nang nakita ang mommy niya na nasa kabilang gilid ng kama at ginigising si Gavi. “Put your clothes on!” utos ko kay Raid. Dinampot ko ang m
CHLOE Busy ang lahat. Today is Gunner’s wedding. He is twenty-seven and will marry Reign Pellegrini, ang anak ni Rex kay Julianna. I sighed as time flew so fast for all of us. Ikakasal na si Gunner and who knows kung sino ang susunod sa mga kapatid niya. Cadence is still engrossed with his art. Narinig ko kay Saint na girlfriend ni Cade ang muse niya. Sa mga nakikita kong paintings niya lately ay kadalasan ang babae na nga ang main objective ng mga gawa niya. And she’s pretty. Killian is living his life to its full simplicity. Masaya si Kill sa simpleng buhay na pinili sa isla kasama ang mga malalaking pusa. He has no girlfriend lately. The last girl he was into was the time he went to trouble kaya siya isinama sa Fielvia ni Alguien para magbakasyon muna doon. Darth is the most famous among my children now being the rockstar he is. Kung hindi lang sina Anghel at Axel ang kasama niya lagi sa mga tours niya ay baka hindi ako pumayag sa buhay na pinasok niya. Yes, kasama niya ang dala
TRACE “What is he doing?” kunot-noong tanong ko. Mas para sa sarili ko iyon kaysa sa dalawang pinsan ko na nanonood lang din sa ginagawa ni Prime thru monitor. I just got here like ten minutes ago. Hindi lang ako pumasok pa sa loob ng bahay dahil mas gusto kong makita muna ang ginagawa ni Prime. At gusto kong makita rin muna kung ano ang itsura ng anak kong matagal na nawala sa amin. “Kanina pa ‘yan gan’yan…” Atlas said. “Paikot-ikot. Obvious na alam niyang may mga CCTV cam pero hindi naman sinisira.” “He is obviously showing us that he knows we are watching yet he doesn't give a damn at all…” ani naman ni Isidro. “Nanghahamon ‘yan.” “Send men inside…” I uttered. “Katorse na lang ang natitirang tao sa labas. Ilan ang papapasukin natin?” tanong ni Atlas sa akin. “Papasukin lahat. Kinaya niya ang walo sabi niyo. Let him face fourteen this time.” “Akala ko ba gusto mong makumpleto na ang mga anak mo?” natawang tanong ni Atlas. “Bakit parang gusto mong mapahamak iyang isa?” “B
TRACE Bumiyahe ako agad pagkatapos namin mag-usap sa telepono ni Chloe. Umiiyak siya at sinasabing alam na kung nasaan si Prime. Kahit hindi pa tapos ang usapan para sa shipment namin sa Ecuador ay iniwan ko na sina Lev at Logan. Bahala na sila umayos at magpulido ng plano. Kailangan ako ni Chloe at sa sinabi niya ay nabuhayan din ako ng pag-asa na mahahanap na namin si Prime. At sana nga mahanap na namin talaga… “Trace…” Lumapit si Chloe sa akin at yumakap nang mahigpit pagpasok ko pa lang ng kuwarto namin. She was crying. Birthday ng asawa ko bukas at naghanda ako ng sorpresa para sa kaniya. Kinasabwat ko pa nga sina Cade, Gunn at Kill. Magiging masaya si Chloe sana bukas pero sa nangyayari ngayon ay alam kong walang party na dapat maganap kung hindi ko rin lang maiuuwi si Prime. Paano naman kasi kami magpa-party kung si Prime ang nasa isip naming lahat? Dahil sa mga sinabi ni France na nakakausap niya ang Kuya Raid niya ay waring nahinto na naman ang ikot ng mundo ng aming pam
CHLOEI looked at my reflection in the mirror. I smiled. I am turning forty-one after this day, and yet hindi pa rin naman halata. I still look younger than my age. Sabi nga ng Big 3 ay para lang akong nasa early thirties. Na ngayon puro binata na talaga sila ay mukha na lang nila akong ate. Time flies fast… the Big 3 have graduated college. Cade is the one following Trace's love of art, but he is more on painting than architectural art. Gunn is always with his cars and into international races often. Kill, the youngest among the three, is the one who chooses to stay with the beasts in Alma Livre. Mas gusto ni Killian kasama ang mga big cats kaysa manirahan sa syudad. Umaalis lang ng isla si Killian kapag may race si Gunner at sinumpong siyang panoorin o kaya may art exhibit si Cadence at may gusto siyang bilhin na gawa ng kapatid. The Big 3 are now twenty-three. Same age as mine when I got married to their father and they became my son. Same age when I gave birth to Prime. My Prime
TRACE“Shut up, old man! I knew it! Walang magandang gagawin ang pugad na ‘yon na kasing kulot ng utak ang buhok! Look at what he’s done to his wife!”That was Maddison. The ‘always’ nagging wife of Indigo. Mukhang hindi pa yata nasabihan sa totoong nangyari kaya ako na naman ang obvious na sinisisi sa nangyari kay Chloe, na napaanak kagabi dahil sa stress sa nangyaring pagkidnap kay Saint. “Bakit? Ano na naman ba ang kasalanan ko?” And that was Indigo Magtanggol talking to his judgmental wife. “Member ako ng Foedus, we have our brotherhood and Trace leads us. At hayaan mo na ang problema nilang mag-asawa.”“But look at Chloe! She—”“Chloe is definitely safe and sound. And stop acting that I will do the same thing towards you. I won’t let you worry…”“Don’t ever think about that, Indi! I swear, iiwanan kita!”I knocked the already opened door to let them know I heard them and stopped them from talking nonsense. “Trace!” bati sa akin ni Indigo. Nilapitan ko ito at tinanggap ang pakik
CHLOEI checked the time in my wrist watch. Ang sabi ni Trace ay parating na sila ng mga bata dahil sa resto ng Sacrebleu ni Matthias kami magdi-dinner, pero two hours na mula nang nakausap ko siya ay wala pa rin sila. Kanina pa rin ako pabalik-balik kakalakad dahil medyo sumasakit pa ang tiyan ko. This is my last month of being pregnant at two weeks na lang ay due date ko na. Excited kaming lahat sa baby girl namin ni Trace na magiging last child na rin namin. Saint just turned seven last month. Darth and Xenon are now ten. And the Big 3 are now eighteen in legal ages and all in their freshmen in college. Nasa HCU dormitory sila inilagay ni Trace para matuto raw sa buhay at masanay na walang mga yaya at bodyguards. At kung akala ni Trace ay malulungkot ang tatlo na wala na sa poder namin ay nagkamali siya. Those three were all excited after their father left them in the dormitory. Ilang beses na nga rin silang tumawag sa akin para sabihin na huwag papuntahin si Trace pa sa HCU at a
TRACE Three days later… I parked my car in front of Willow’s mansion. Sinalubong naman ako agad ng butler na si Alfredo at magalang na bumati. “Buenos días, Señor Trace.” “Buenos días… Saan sina Chloe?” hanap ko agad sa mag-iina ko. “Wala po si Señora Chloe, señor. May pinuntahan sila ni Señora Willow.” “Saan?” Ang malas naman ng punta ko yata. Huwag lang sana pumunta ng Colombia o Italy ang mga iyon. “Hindi ko po alam at walang pasabi.” Magalang na ngumiti ito at bahagyang yumukod pa. “Ang mga anak ninyo, nasa loob po sila. Nasa recreation room kasama nina Señorito Isaia at Señorito Isauro.” Mga anak ni Willow ang binanggit ni Alfredo. Ibig sabihin ay hindi nangibang-bansa sina Chloe at Willow kasi naiwan lang ang mga bata. Tumango-tango ako. “Sige,” sabi ko na lang at tinalikuran na ito para puntahan ang mga bata. Bumalik ako nang may naalala na ibilin kay Alfredo bago dumiretso na ulit sa mga bata. Pagbukas ko ng pinto ng recreation room ay napatingin silang lahat sa akin.
TRACE ‘The number you have dialed is either unattended or out of coverage a—’ “Tangina!” galit kong sabi at ibinalibag na ang phone na hawak ko. Langya! Hanggang ngayon ay hindi sinasagot ni Chloe ang mga tawag ko. “Kalma lang… Hindi naman lalaban ‘yan.” Inis kong nilingon ang nagsalita. Si Ice na kararating at nasa likod si Lash na nakangisi. “Paano ako kakalma?” tanong ko. “Isang linggo na akong ayaw kausapin. Kung sino man ang putanginang may gawa ng kalokohan na pagdala sa mga bata na ‘yon kay Chloe ay tatamaan talaga sa akin!” “But they are your sons, right?” Ice yawned. Parang sinabi na rin na nauumay na siya sa topic. Sabagay at ulit-ulit na lang din nga ang sinasabi ko tungkol sa inis ko sa nangyari. Paano ba naman? Sino bang matutuwa na bibintangan ka sa bagay na hindi mo ginawa? Wala na akong problema kung anak ko ang dalawa, eksplanasyon na lang ang kailangan kung paano ko sila naging mga anak. Ang hindi ko maunawaan ay ang galit ni Chloe dahil sa pakikipag-orgy ko