“Sasabihin ko sa ‘yo mamaya so shh for now,” sagot ni Laverna sabay kindat sa bata.Nang makarating sila sa mansyon, hinatid na mismo ni Laverna sina Anna at Clarrisse sa kani-kanilang kuwarto. Si Caesar naman ay umalis saglit nang makatanggap ng tawag mula sa isang staff ng Lucia Racing Track. Bago pa man mag-10 PM ay nakatulog agad si Anna siguro dahil na rin sa pagod. Maigi siyang pinagmasdan ni Laverna. Masaya man siyang makita muli pero mabigat ang kaniyang loob dahil sa kaniyang gagawin pagkatapos ng kasal nila ni Caesar. Kissing her on the forehead, she tucked her in and left her room. Sunod niyang pinuntahan si Clarrisse na kasalukuyang pinapatuyo ang kaniyang buhok gamit ang hairdryer. Naupo si Laverna sa gilid ng kama at agad nakatanggap ng tanong mula sa pinsan niya.“Are you seriously going to marry him?” tanong ni Clarrisse.Hindi mabatid ni Laverna kung naiinis ba ito o disappointed o nandidiri sa kaniyang desisyon.“Oo,” simple niyang sagot habang nakatingin sa direks
“I had a miscarriage, then I also lost Julius after an encounter with Nicholas,” Laverna confessed as she gazed down on the floor.The distance between her and Caesar remained close yet their gazes did not meet. The latter waited for his bride-to-be to finish whatever she had to say, hence, he remained quiet, but close to her.“Julius was also my partner in every mission so when he died, I immediately looked for his replacement. It was to fill in the emptiness I felt back then.” Natahimik siya sa loob ng ilang segundo dahil muli na naman niyang maaalala ang napakalaki niyang pagkakamali. “Little did I know that the person I chose to stay next to me was Nicholas. It was foolish of me to bare myself to him because in the end, he betrayed me.”Laverna’s voice broke at her last statement so Caesar held the back of her head and pulled her close to him.Gayunpaman, patuloy pa rin sa pagsasalita si Laverna.“That night... When Nicholas killed my father and the entire Valdemar group, I was un
Bumukas ang pinto at lumantad sa paningin ni Laverna si Caesar. Magsasalita sana ang lalaki ngunit napatigil ito sa kinatatayuan nang umalingawngaw ang malakas na putok ng baril.“Why are you here when I am still mad at you?” Laverna questioned while staring daggers at him.Before Caesar could even answer, Clarrisse rushed inside the room.“Athena, inaatake ata...” unti-unting nawala ang boses nito nang mapansin ang mabigat na tensyon sa loob ng silid.Nakatalikod man si Caesar sa kaniya ngunit alam niya kung sino siya. Nakita niya rin ang bitak na nasa dingding dahil sa bala ng baril. Dahil doon ay alam na niya na kung ano ang nangyayari sa dalawa.“I’m sorry for interrupting,” saad niya bago sinara ang pinto at pinuntahan si Anna.Nasa may kalayuan man ang kuwarto ng bata pero nais siguraduhin ni Clarrisse na okay lamang ito. Samantala, ang dalawang iniwan niya ay parehong tahimik habang nakatitig sa mata ng isa’t isa. Maya-maya pa ay ibinababa na ni Laverna ang baril ngunit hindi n
Gianna extended her hand towards her. Hindi naman nakipagkamay si Laverna dahil unang tingin pa lang niya sa babae ay alam na niyang hindi maganda ang dulot nito.“They said you are a beauty to behold, but I see no beauty in you. Probably just your red hair and green eyes.” She scoffed. “With that frail-looking body, you cannot satisfy Caesar–”“Watch your mouth,” the mafia boss intervened as he stared at her with a deadly gaze. “Leave.”“But–”“Don’t make me repeat myself.”“We are going to see each other sooner anyway.” Sinamaan niya ng tingin si Laverna.
After the quick beach getaway, the wedding of Laverna and Caesar was very much anticipated. With only a few important people invited and several men on the lookout, Caesar was assured that nothing and no one would be able to stop his union with Athena Valdemar.“Ma’am, this is your wedding gown,” saad ng assistant nang makapasok sila sa isang malawak na silid.“W-What?” utal na tanong ni Laverna saka itinuro ang wedding gown na nasa mannequin. “But that’s not the wedding gown we chose before.”“Sir Caesar thought that the previous gown was too plain so he had this one made only for you.”Hindi na alam ni Laverna ang kaniyang sasabihin dahil sa pagkabigla. Nakatayo lamang siya habang nakatitig sa wedding gown niya.It was not of pure white, but the lace that ran over the strapless gown was light blue. What almost took her breath away was its long train that looked like the waves on the beach on a clear, sunny day. Maya-maya pa ay inaayusan na siya ngunit ni isang salita ay walang luma
Isang masamang tingin ang naging tugon ni Laverna. Pakiramdam niya ay pinaglalaruan lamang siya ni Nicholas lalo na at kitang-kita niya ang ngisi nitong tila aabot na sa langit. Nais man niyang sipain ito palayo pero pagtitimpi lamang ang kaniyang magagawa.“I appreciate the gesture pero hindi ko kailangan ang anumang bagay mula sa‘yo,” sumbat ni Laverna.May masama rin kasi siyang kutob sa laman ng malaking kahon na naka-fancy wrap pa. Natatakot siya na pagkabukas niya roon ay sasabog ang isang bomba o ‘di kaya’y kahit anong bagay na magdudulot ng gulo sa kasal niya.Ayaw niya no’n ngunit nanindig ang mga buhok niya sa katawan nang natawa si Nicholas.“Huwag kang mag-alala. Hindi iyan bomba o ulo ng pinsan mong si Clarrisse. That’s the gift which I promised to you before,” saad ng lalaki.“No, thanks.” Akmang tatawagin ni Laverna ang atensyon ng isa sa mga tauhan ni Caesar para ilayo ang kahon sa kaniya ngunit napatigil ito nang muling magsalita si Nicholas.“It’s also something you w
“What the hell is this? A fucking opera?” komento ni Charlie nang maupo siya sa may harapan ni Gunner na kagagaling lang sa abroad.“Shut up. That’s a stupid question,” Mino interjected. Tinulak niya pa si Charlie saka binaling ang atensyon kay Gunner. “Anyway... So you are saying that the Luciano group is behind the explosion?”Hindi sumagot si Gunner habang nakatitig lamang sa dalawa na tila ba tumatakbo sa isipan niya kung mahirap bang intindihin ang mga sinabi niya o sadyang mga inutil lang at mabagal mag-isip ang mga lalaking nasa harapan niya.A moment of silence prevailed in the room. Once in a while, Mino would steal glances on the side where the bed was located where a woman laid unconscious while under the white sheets covered with several bandages. He hated that scenario, but things had already happened and there was nothing else they could do but to proceed to their next plan.“If the Luciano group turned their back on the Quevedos, then what are you going to do next?” Cha
The man in front of her did not move an inch. His eyes remained shut even though she had been looking at him for several minutes. Nawalan din ng kabuhay-buhay ang balat nitong dating puno ng emosyon sa tuwing nagku-krus ang kanilang paningin.Nanginginig man ang kamay ni Laverna ngunit napahawak pa rin siya sa pisngi ng asawa. Napakagat ulit siya sa ibabang labi habang hawak-hawak ang nasunog na balat ni Caesar. The burn ran from his cheek down to his shoulders, telling her that before the Black Stallion took them away, the fire had already eaten everything around them. Ngayong harap-harapan nang nakatitig si Laverna sa bangkay ng kaniyang asawa saka lang niya tunay na napagtantong wala na ito. Hinawakan niya ang kamay ni Caesar.She could still vividly remember how warm it was, but now, such warmth seemed to have never existed at all. He had gone cold. Pale. Lifeless. Gone. Forever. And there was nothing else she could do but face tomorrow without him.She shook her head.“Hindi...