Chapter 1

HUMAHANGOS NA NAPABALIKWAS siya ng bangon at agad na dinama ang kaniyang dibdib, nahihirapang huminga at pinagpapawisan. She felt like someone took her heart out as if someone pulled it out from her chest and it terrify the hell out of her because it felt so real.

Dinama niya ang dibdib kung nasaan ang puso at pinakiramdaman ang bawat pagtibok nito.

"Nightmare again." She hissed and gazed at the clock above the side table.

It was already 1:16 in the morning, the same time again. Every time that dream visited her, she would wake up, always at that time. Lumabas siya ng silid para uminom ng tubig sa kusina. She didn't bother to open the lights because the beam of the moon was enough to lighten up her surroundings.

She sipped her water while staring outside the window, its full moon.

Dahil sa umulan kagabi ay mahamog ang bintana. She raised her hand and traced the shape of the moon on the window. The moon is in its perfect shape, glowing and it's breathtakingly beautiful.

Kahit pa paano, saglit niyang nakalimutan ang bangungot habang nakatingin sa kalangitan.

"Is there something wrong, Nina?"

Maliit siyang napangiti ng marinig ang boses ni Argus, her butler slash bodyguard slash personal driver. Maliban kay Soleil na handmaiden niya at personal assistant, pinagkakatiwalaan niya rin ito. Ang mga ito lang ang lubos na pinagkakatiwalaan niya simula noon at magpahanggang ngayon.

She continued sipping her water.

"Nothing. I just got thirsty."

Nina Celestine Gabriel was pampered since birth, She gets everything she wanted and everyone adores her. For others, she was the soft and fragile heiress of the Gabriels but for her, she's more than that.

She wants to be more than that. She wants people to know her more than that.

Kalkulado ang kaniyang bawat galaw at dapat naaayon lang sa kagustuhan ng magulang ang dapat gawin. At dapat ding makikinabang ang buong pamilya sa magiging desisyon niya.

She felt like a puppet and a robot while growing up and her parents hold the key or strings or they own the switch of her body and mind.

Napapiksi si Nina ng isuot sa kanya ni Argus ang isang malaking roba. Kulay itim iyon, siguro balat ng hayop at napakalambot. Nabalot agad siya ng init at guminhawa ang pakiramdam dahil isang manipis na pajamas lang ang kaniyang suot.

Argus is always caring and gentlemanly. He was five years older than her and she also considered him as her brother. Maybe he heard her when she got out of her room earlier. Her room was only next to him to ensure her safety, it's what her parents wanted too.

"Do you dream, Argus?" She asked him.

"You had a nightmare?" He already concluded.

She laughed a little. It's funny how fast he can read her and sometimes he really scares her.

"I'll sleep now! Good night, Argus."

Without looking at him, she finds her way out. Her parents taught her to be strong, to always act calm but elegant. They raised her not as a princess but as a son, they have a lot of expectations of her and she never, not even once, disappoints them.

Nina loved her parents so much she doesn't have any strength to disobey them even if it's against her will or her happiness is at stake.

BAHAGYANG YUMUKOD SI Soleil ng pumasok sa silid ni Nina, pormal at seryoso ang mukha ng babae. She's wearing a draped dress, a coat and underneath it was a black turtleneck. Maayos din ang pagkakasuklay ng makintab at unat nitong buhok na hanggang baba nito.

Samantalang si Nina ay handa na rin, napaka-elegante niya sa suot na peach high collar slip dress at peep-toe Mary Jane heels. Her straight nose and red cupid's bow lips are the most attractive features in her face that made people think she went under the knife.

"Handa na ang kotse, miss Nina. Dadaan muna ba tayo sa clinic n'yo?" She asked flatly but full of respect.

Nina owns an animal clinic and she's a veterinarian too, that's the only thing she asked her parents. Nang makapagtapos ng pag-aaral noon ay nag-aral ulit siya, pinagsabay niya pag-aaral at ang pamamahala sa kanilang kompanya at foundation. Her parents are against it but they didn't interfere with her decisions, though they didn't support her.

Mag-aaral ulit siya pero hindi siya bibigyan ng mga ito ng kahit na isang sentimo at siguraduhin niya daw na matututukan niya ang kanilang kompanya. It was really hard and exhausting but everything paid off, she's now a CEO and a veterinarian.

Nina smiled and nodded while sitting on her throne-like sofa, malalim ang kaniyang iniisip.

"My parents?" She asked her.

"Kakaalis lang, miss Nina."

She nodded again, slowly tapping her fingers on the table.

"Hindi ba at matagal ng naninilbihan ang pamilya n'yo sa amin, Soleil?"

Soleil blinked, slowly nodding her head. "Yes, miss."

"I just want to know if we have a history of heart problems? Heart attack or someone in our family had a heart transplant?"

"Not that I know of, miss. Bakit?"

Bumagsak ang balikat ni Nina pero hindi niya ipinakita dito ang pagkabigong naramdaman. Bakit ba lubos na binabagabag siya ng panaginip na iyon? It's just a dream, hindi iyon totoo. Tumayo na siya at lumabas, sumunod naman ito sa kanya. Dala ang kaniyang briefcase at double-breasted trench coat.

Sa bawat madaanan niyang kasambahay ay tumitigil sa kanilang ginagawa para yumuko sa kanya. She's already used to that. Though she's not strict, she even has a friendly aura and angelic face but people avoided her on purpose. Umiiwas ang nga ito sa kanya hindi dahil natatakot sila kundi dahil maiilang ang kung sino mang lumapit sa kanya.

Pinagbuksan siya ni Argus ng pinto sa backseat ng kaniyang kotse. Nang makaupo ay don lang pumasok ang mga ito at sinimulan namang paandarin ni Argus ang kotse.

"Wala bang ibinilin si mom, Soleil?" Nina asked after checking her phone.

Kumunot ang noo ni Nina ng mapansin ang pananahimik ni Soleil.

She sighs in annoyance. "Mayron nga? Ano iyon?"

"Tungkol lang kay sir Diether, miss. Alam kong masisira lang ang araw n'yo kaya hindi ko na muna sinabi."

"What about him?"

"Madame told me that If I can, I should be the one to make ways for the two of you to talk, and it's not good in business to always quarrel, especially that you two will soon be married."

Napasandal siya sa kinauupuan, she exhaled deeply as she remembered the last time she saw Diether. He is her longtime boyfriend and fiancée, bata pa lang sila ay lagi ng sinasabi ng kaniyang ina na ito ang magiging asawa niya. Hindi lang daw iyon makatutulong at makabubuti sa kanya kundi pati sa kanilang kompanya at foundation.

Isa rin ito sa mga dahilan kaya hindi siya pinigilan ng mga magulang ng mag-aral ulit siya. Diether Lexington's family owns the biggest hospital in Castavale, nagmula ito sa pamilya ng mga tanyag at magagaling na mga doktor.

"Sa opisina tayo, Argus. Mamayang hapon na lang ako dadaan sa clinic." Utos niya.

Naging abala si Nina sa kaniyang opisina na hindi na niya namalayan ang oras kung hindi lang siya dinalaw ng kaniyang ama. Tumayo siya at agad itong binati, taas noo naman itong umupo sa kaniyang swivel chair. Sinabihan niya agad ang sekretaryang maghanda ng maiinom.

She sat in the chair coolly too. "What brought you here, dad?"

Pinakatitigan siya nito. "I just want to inform you about the event this coming weekend for our board members and shareholders. Dadaluhan din iyon ng mga benefactors, magnates, and tycoons."

In short, a dull party!

"I don't want to disappoint our guests, Nina, kaya gusto kong ikaw ang manguna sa paghahanda lalo pa at dadalo din si Hawthorne Salvatrix."

Nina just nodded even though she knew the party would be as boring as hell.

"And I want you to search about this Hawthorne Salvatrix. I know all the Salvatrix's but this is my first time to hear that name. If that Hawthorne Salvatrix turned out to be a fraud then I don't want to waste my money and time."

Salvatrix? Then it's really a big party. They're known for their shopping malls, resorts, and hotels and they're one of the richest and most powerful families in Mysticshire. Mailap sila at talagang hindi agad nag-iinvest o nagtitiwala sa ibang kompanya. Kung oras na maging shareholder ito ng kompanya o benefactor ng foundation then mas makikila at magiging makapangyarihan pa lalo ang kanilang pamilya.

Kakainggitan din sila dahil dito sa Castavale ay wala pang nababalitaang business ventures ang mga Salvatrix.

"Nagkausap na ba kayo ni Diether?"

Napadiretso ng upo si Nina ng agad ibahin ng ama ang kanilang usapan. Pakiramdam niya mas gusto pa niyang pag-usapan ang tungkol sa kompanya kaysa sa hilaw niyang fiancée.

"Huwag n'yo ng patagalin ang tampuhan n'yo at ayusin n'yo na iyan. Malas sa negosyo ang laging nag-aaway."

She nodded, not showing any emotion. "I will call him later, dad."

Kahit labag sa loob ay sinabi niya iyon para hindi na ito mag-alala pa.

"That's part of a relationship, Nina. Not because you saw Diether with another woman doesn't mean you're going to break up with him already. You're both been engaged since you're in high school, don't waste everything just because you saw him hugging some girl. Grow up and stop being a child."

Kahit nagrerebelde at gustong kumontra ay tumango pa rin si Nina. Ilang linggo na ba simula ng makita niya si Diether sa isang party, aksidente pa iyon. Nagulat pa siya ng makita ito don pero ang mas ikinagulat niya ay ng malaman na may iba itong ka-date.

And it's not just a hug, she saw them kissing. With her own eyes.

She's not jealous, she's actually mad and disgusted because the woman he was kissing looks like a slut. A low-class whore, yes, she did her research. At kabastusan iyon sa pagkatao niya. Kung makikiapid ito sa iba, sana naman sinigurado nito na ang babae ay ka-estado nila. Iyong kaya siyang pantayan o higitan at iyong hindi magiging basura lang oras na itabi sa kanya.

Tapos hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa siya tinatawagan ni Diether para humingi ng tawad o kahit ang magpaliwanag. The brat inside her won't yield and she will not gonna make the first move. She was raised that way so she will not be gentle and nice.

HABANG NASA BIYAHE papuntang clinic ay biglang bumuhos ang malakas na ulan, nagliliwanag din ang kalangitan at paligid dahil sa sunod-sunod na pag-kidlat. Minsan nga ay napapapiksi pa si Nina kapag nangyayari iyon kaya mas pinili na lang niyang ipikit ang mga mata. Soleil played a piece of classical music to divert their attention from the bad weather.

"I already informed the secretary of your parents that you will be late tonight, miss Nina."

"Hmm! Thank you, Soleil." She just murmured, suddenly she felt so tired and sleepy.

Mahina siyang umungol ng makaramdam ng pananakit ng dibdib, she rubbed her temple and take a deep breath to calm herself. Pero habang tumatagal ay mas lalo lang sumasakit ang kaniyang dibdib, ang kaniyang puso ay tila nilulukumos ng dahan-dahan na para talaga maramdaman niya kung gaano kahirap huminga.

Bigla siyang nakarinig ng busina at muntikan ng sumubsob sa kaharap na upuan. Mabilis siyang nagmulat ng mga mata. Nakahimpil na ang kotse sa kalsada at medyo nakatabingi iyon.

"Ayos lang ba kayo, miss Nina?" Agad na tanong ni Soleil, nilingon siya nito at puno ng pag-aalalang inalam kung maayos ba siya.

"I'm fine," Nina assured her then she gazed at Argus, brows furrowed. "What happened?"

"Pasensya, Nina. May bigla na lang sumulpot na kotse." Argus answered with gritted teeth, mahigpit din ang pagkakahawak nito sa manibela. Nakakuyom ang mga kamao.

Tumingin si Nina sa kanilang harapan at nakita nga ang isang kotseng tulad nila ay nakahimpil lang din don, mahamog at sobrang lakas ng ulan. Isama pa na hindi nakakatulong ang mga streetlights at headlights ng kanilang kotse sa dilim ng kapaligiran.

"Just ignore it. Let's go, Argus." Utos niya dito, pilit ipinagsasawalang-bahala ang nararamdamang sakit sa dibdib.

"Kakausapin ko lang, mukhang sinadya."

"Hindi na. Malakas ang ulan at mahamog, madulas ang kalsada at siguradong hindi rin nila tayo nakita. Sige na, Argus, tayo na!"

But Argus remained unresponsive, he's just staring at the car with wrath in his eyes.

"Argus!" Si Soleil.

Nina sighs heavily, she's losing her patience already. "Just drop it, Argus, and let's go... Please?"

Tumikhim ito, tumingin sa repleksyon niya sa rearview mirror. He stared at her for minutes and gradually the darkness on his face disappeared and he calmed down as well. Kahit mahahalata ang pagtutol ay tumango pa rin ito saka pinaandar na ang kotse.

NAPAHAMPAS SI HAWTHORNE sa manibela ng kaniyang kotse at malutong na napamura, he's always been an excellent driver the moment he learned it. He's also into car racing and he never loses so he was surprised by what happened earlier.

Hindi niya nakontrol ang kotse at muntikan pa siyang makabangga. Pakiramdam niya kanina ay nanigas ang mga kamay, bigla ring nawala ang atensyon niya sa pagmamaneho na ngayon lang nangyari.

It's not because of the fog or the weather, mayron pang ibang dahilan pero hindi niya iyon matukoy. Hanggang ngayon nga ay nanginginig pa rin ang mga kamay niya at sa unang pagkakataon, matapos ng ilang daang taon, nakaramdam siya ng kaba.

When he was back in his senses, he parked his car at the side of the road. Sumandal sa kinauupuan at tiningala ang bubungan, malalim ang iniisip. He will never be in this position if he didn't listen to that Constantine.

Dapat hindi talaga siya naniwala dito, dapat hindi na lang siya sumama dito. He cursed loudly and disheveled his hair. He felt so hopeless and miserable.

Bakit kapag tungkol sa Kanya ay kahit imposible, nagtitiwala pa rin siya? Kahit mali ay magiging tama basta tungkol sa kanya? Kahit kasinungalingan ay paniniwalaan pa rin niya?

Isinama siya ni Constantine sa isang animal clinic pero ilang oras na silang naghihintay ay hindi pa rin dumadating ang sadya nila. Bumili pa ito ng aso kanina bago sila tumuloy sa clinic at talagang ganon na lang ang pagtitimpi niya na huwag itong saktan.

"It would be easy if you shift into your wolf form then we will pretend that you're my sick pet and I'm your master."

Nakuha pa nitong sabihin habang ilang oras na silang naglalakad sa isang mall, ni hindi niya alam kung saan talaga sila pupunta. Ilang linggo na rin itong kasa-kasama niya. Sumama siya dito pag-alis nito ng Condoleeza, ni hindi na niya isinama ang mga tauhan.

"This is plain bullsxxt, Constantine! Why am I even here in the first place?"

Ngumisi ito, mas lalo siyang inaasar. "Because I'm charming and no one can't resist me, Hawthorne Salvatrix. And I'm really good at encouraging people. I should apply for a job here because for sure I will be good at sales talk."

Nagpamulsa siya. "If I found out that you're lying, Constantine. Ako na mismo ang papatay sa iyo."

"Oh! Stop with the threats, let's just enjoy our date!"

"Go to hell!"

Isang halakhak lang ang iginanti nito. Pagpasok pa lang nila sa pet shop ay nagwala na ang mga hayop don, tinatahulan sila, inaangilan at kung anu-ano pa. Even the talking parrot was scared of them and it keeps on flying inside its cage. May mga nagtago at may mga gusto talagang sumugod.

Sinaway ito ng babaeng nagbabantay don pero hindi iyon naging sapat. When she looked at them, her lips parted and she can't take her eyes off them.

"I want that dog," turo ni Constantine sa isang Doberman.

Naglalaway ito, galit na galit na nakatingin sa kanila at kinakagat na nga rin ang bakal na rehas ng kulungan nito.

He smirked at him. "I really love taming animals and people in general."

Umiiling na inilibot ni Hawthorne ang tingin sa paligid. Nang hindi na matiis ang ingay, he changed the color of his eyes and showed them his fangs then growled a little. All the animals immediately stopped and they all sit down, some cried, some shut their mouth up.

"That doesn't look sick at all." Komento ni Hayes habang nakatitig sa Doberman na hila-hila na ngayon ni Constantine palabas ng pet shop.

"Pregnant then? She's a girl."

"Malala ka na talaga."

"This is for you too, Hawthorne." Ngumisi ito. "I will name her Rosemarie-"

"Don't you dare." Agad niyang putol sa ano mang sasabihin nito, dumilim ang mukha.

Bumuntong-hininga si Hawthorne, ginulo ulit ang buhok bago binuksan ang compartment at may kinuha don saka pinakatitigan ang larawan ng isang babae. She doesn't look like her. Siguro sa unang tingin pero kung tititigan mo ang babae ng matagal ay malalaman agad ang mga pagkakaiba nila.

Rosemarie was more innocent, always smiling and sweet. Parang may nakapalibot ditong mga bulaklak at paru-paro. It was always light and easy whenever she was around.

While this girl, even she has an angelic face, you can still see the evilness in her eyes. Mukhang sanay sa karangyaan at hinding-hindi basta mapapasaya sa isang simpleng bagay lang.

They're different in a lot of things. His Rosemarie was simple and this girl isn't, she looks like she was used to everyone serving her. Their only similarity was they both love to take good care of sick people and animals.

Si Rosemarie ay nanggagamot ng mga taong may sakit samantalang ang babaeng ito naman ay sa mga hayop.

Clenching his jaw, he traced the photo using his thumb.

"Nina Gabriel."