Ariadne's Angel

II

Damon yawned as he went out of his bed, ruffling his brown hair. Madaling-araw na at nakatulugan na naman niya ang pagtapos sa mga trabahong iniuwi niya galing sa opisina. Lockhart Entreprises has been growing under his control, and it became one of the technology giants globally. Masaya naman siya sa kinapupuntahan ng mga paghihirap niya, ngunit nananatiling may kulang sa puso ng lalaki.

He grabbed a cup of wine as his eyes landed on the single picture frame placed on top of his bedside table. Kinuha niya iyon at pinagmasdan ang mukha ng nasa litrato. It has been three years since they broke up. Three years since she left him without any clear reason. Itinaob niya ang picture frame at dumiretso sa may balkonahe ng kanyang silid. Pinagmasdan ang tahimik na siyudad ng X mula sa kanyang kinalulugaran. His mansion was sitting on top of a hill, in the most exclusive part of the city. Namamait ang lalamunan niya. Hindi niya malaman kung dahil ba sa alak, dahil ba kakagising niya lang, o may iba pang dahilan. All he knew was that seeing that picture again sent rage and hatred in his jet-black heart.

Ariadne Jade Cabaya, bulong ng isipan niya. My sweet, sweet angel.

Humigpit ang kapit niya sa kopita ng alak nang tila pelikulang nagbalik sa kanyang alaala ang mga masasayang sandaling kanilang pinagsaluhan. They have been together for five years, ever since he was a mere college student and she was a mere crew in a fast food chain. Sinuway niya ang mala-diyos na utos ng kanyang ama na huwag iibig sa hindi nila ka-lebel ang antas sa buhay. Ipinaglaban niya ito hanggang sa sumuko ang kanyang yumaong ama at hinayaan sila na maging masaya. Ngunit sino ba namang mag-aakala na ang babaeng minahal niya nang todo, na ipinaglaban niya, ang siya ring sisira sa kanya? Lumagapak sa lupa si Damon nang iwan siya nito. At sa pagbagsak niya ay ipinangako niya sa sarili na kung makikita niya man muli ang dalaga ay wala na itong magiging puwang sa puso niya.

She left him a gaping hole in his heart, void of emotions. Incapable of being human again. Incapable of trusting and loving someone again. He had given everything to her, after all. And that kind of love usually does not end so good. Ubos na ubos siya. Walang natira sa sarili niya, na halos kulang na lamang ay kitilin niya ang sarili niyang buhay kung hindi lamang siya isinalba ng mga kaibigan niyang sina Vladymir Krasny at Warren Saavedra. Liam Astoria taught him to be cold. Carter Chen taught him to play with people’s feelings.

And now, he is the demon that people feared and hated. The incarnation of the Devil himself.

He gulped down the remaining contents of his cup and went back inside his room. He remembered that the company has just launched a new dating app and that it was still being tested. Dahil masyadong tutok sa trabaho ay napagdesisyunan niya na subukan iyon. Sa pagkakaalam niya ay maaaring tawagan, imensahe, o kaya naman ay makilala nang higit pa ng mga user ang mga kausap nila. Not that he will look for someone to date or to have s*x with, though. Gusto niya lang talagang makita na walang palpak sa ginawa ng mga developers niya. Ayaw niyang mapahiya ang pangalan ng kompanya kapag nagkataon.

He logged in using the username Demon. He has gotten used to the moniker people had given to him that he does not even mind anymore if people see him as Satan himself. He entered basic information such as birthday, height, looks, weight, and his basic preferences for a woman; submissive, soft, sweet, like an angel. An angel that will be corrupted once met by him. An angel that will definitely rebel once touched by his magical palms.

Pagkapasok na pagkapasok niya ay kaagad siyang binigyan ng system ng match. The girl’s username was Ehreeadni, which made him instantly laugh as he remembered his ex-girlfriend correcting his pronunciation of her name. He hit the call button and he was surprised when the girl from the other line answered it.

“Hello, Ehreeadni,” malalim ang boses na bati niya. “Looking for fun tonight?”

“Hindi, naghahanap lang ako ng kausap,” tugon nito na dahilan para manlamig ang talampakan ni Damon. Kilala niya ang boses na iyon! Kilalang-kilala...

Punong-puno ng katanungan ang isipan ni Damon. Bakit nasa dating app ang kanyang dating nobya? Not that he care that much. But knowing Ariadne, she will never go to sites like this, let alone talk to a random stranger. Ngunit dahil nilukuban na ng matinding galit at pagnanais na makapaghiganti at makabalita na rin sa dating nobya, nagpanggap na lamang siya na hindi niya ito kilala. “You do know that you are in a dating app, right?”

“Bakit, bawal na bang makipag-usap sa mga tao rito? Kailangan, tungkol lang sa kalandian?”

He chuckled. “It’s odd to find someone looking for somebody to talk to in apps like this. You know, dear, there are many predators out here. Puwede kang maloko rito.” He cleared his throat. “Well, not that it matters to me. Let’s say I’m also looking for someone to talk to. Care to be that girl?”

Narinig niya ang mahinang pagkaluskos ng tila kobre-kama sa kabilang linya at ang pag-ingit ng higaan na tila may tumayo mula roon. Sinundan ng yabag. Mayamaya ay muling nagsalita ang kausap. “Ayos lang. Ano bang gusto mong pag-usapan?”

Humiga sa kanyang king-sized bed si Damon at inunan ang kamay sa ilalim ng ulo niya. “Well, what do you want to talk about, angel?”Matagal bago sumagot muli ang nasa kabilang linya. “I might bore you with my life.”

Pagak na tumawa si Damon. “No, not really. Actually, I’m interested to hear about you, dear.”

Mahina itong tumawa. “Hindi naman ako interesting. Normal na babae lang. Nagtatrabaho bilang crew sa fast food, tapos suma-sideline sa mga singing contests sa lugar namin. Patay na parehong mga magulang ko. Stepfather ko na lang ang kasama ko,” halos pabulong na sabi nito sa huling linya.

“You don’t sound happy about it, my dear.”

“Inaalila ako, e. Tagabili ako ng mga bisyo niya. Tagabayad sa ma pinagkakautangan niya. Tapos ngayon, gusto niya akong ibenta.” Pagak na tumawa ang dalaga. “T*ngina.”

Damon remembered her stepfather, Jim. She hates to talk about him, unless she could not hold it anymore. Kahit kailan ay hindi niya pa nakilala ang lalaki dahil ayaw ni Ariadne. Baka daw kasi kapag nalaman na mayaman siya ay pati siya ay guluhin at hingan ng pera. Sinabi nito na hayaan na lamang niya ito na ayusin ang sarili nitong gusot kahit na magnobyo na sila.

“He sound awful.”

“Simula pa noon, gano’n na ‘yon. Ewan ko ba kung bakit siya pinakasalan ni Mama.”

“My dear, we became irrational when it comes to love,” may halong sarcasm na saad niya. Kaya nga kahit na ayaw sa’yo ng Papa ko, pinaglaban kita. If I only knew you’ll break my heart, you wicked angel. “You just simply go nuts.”

“Pero hindi naman sapat na dahilan ‘yon para hayaan mo na pati anak mo, magdusa. Hindi sapat na dahilan ‘yon para magbulag-bulagan ka.”

He bitterly laughed. “You have a point.” Ngumisi siya at bumangon. “You seem like an interesting individual, Ehreeadni.”

“Akala mo lang ‘yon.”

He softly laughed as he stared at her picture on his bedside table. “It makes me want to help you. I don’t mind throwing money to help an interesting girl like you, angel. Say, do you want to make a deal? Ililigtas kita, at mananatili ka sa tabi ko. ‘Yon lang ang hihingin kong kapalit.”

Tumawa ito. “Sira ka ba? Hindi mo naman ako kilala. Hindi rin kita kilala. Pa'no kung nagagaguhan lang pala tayo pareho?”

He smirked. “I know you’ll know me soon, my dear. And do not fear, I am a man of my word.”

“Sige, kahit na imposible. Bahala ka,” saad ng dalaga. “Pumapayag na ako,” natatawang usal nito na tila hindi naman seryoso.

Humigpit ang hawak niya sa picture frame. “Nothing is impossible, my dear angel. Help is on the way.”

He does not want to help her, to be honest. But knowing that this is his chance to have her again, to make her feel the pain he has gone through, Damon could not help but to act rashly. This is a one-time opportunity, an opportunity he does not want to miss. He would not let her slip from his fingers again. At kahit na kamuhian siya nito, wala siyang pakialam. At sisiguraduhin niyang sa pagbabalik niya sa buhay nito ay kukunin niya ang lahat mula sa dalaga at ipadarama rito kung paano siya nito sinaktan noong iniwan siya nito. Pain for the pain that she left inside his heart. At gagawin niya ang lahat para lang mapasakamay ang dati niyang nobya.

Lahat-lahat.

Mahinang tumawa ang dalaga. “Ano pa lang pangalan mo, kung okay lang tanungin?”

He smirked. “Just call me your Demon, angel.”