Her Knight Till Night

Chapter 16

__Quiceleth's POV__

KINUSOT ko ang aking mata nang magising ako. Nakapa ko pa ang natuyong luha mula doon, pati ang mata ko ay masakit dahil kakaiyak ko kagabi. I never felt that alone and frightened at the same time.

Nilingon ko naman ang tabi ko at napansin ko sa table na may coffee doon ngunit walang sulat tulad nung dati. Kinuha ko na lamang iyon at ininom.

Base sa maligamgam na temperatura ng kape ay kanina pa ito nakalagay sa lamesa.

I sighed when I remembered how angry he was with me last night, even though I haven't done anything wrong. What's sleeping with me in bed? It's not like I could no something on him while I'm asleep.

Nang matapos kong ubusin ang kape ay bumaba na ako, may lungkot sa aking labi dahil alam kong isa na naman itong araw na wala akong kasama at nakakulong lang sa bahay niya.

Umupo ako sa sofa at tahimik na nagmukmok doon. I stared at the loaded but empty house. The familiar silence fills my ear, making me deaf than I could ever be. I gulped in the hollow of my throat as I forced my eyes not to water. The sight, this scenery is what I didn't want to look at when I decided to get out of my kingdom.

I put my feet at the sofa and hugged my knees against my chest. Pressing my cheeks against it a million of thoughts cross my mind. This happens all the time when I'm alone.

I always think that the world does hates me for preventing me to know them. I'm ignorant. I know that, ignorant that I don't know what is bad and good outside my small solitude.

I rocked my body back in forth on the sofa, my eyes tearing up as I remembered my father and stepmother.

__Clacesier's POV__

"THAT would be a pain in the ass, Clace." Walang emosyon na sabi ni Rougedrien tinititigan ang dokumento ng mga nawala kong ari-arian doon sa kakabagsak ko na negosyo sa Naga City.

"That's why I need your help."

Sabi ko habang humihigod ng tsa ng kape. While he examine the document in each turn, as well the pictures placed inside.

"Who is this?" He asked while flipping the picture of a man lying on the ground.

The angle is focused on the tattoo on his chest.

"I don't know, Rouge. Only a dead Parasite a**hole!"

Rouge looked closely at the body but I guess he wouldn't recognize who it is.

"Did the police found out about your League?"

I shooked my head, not to tell him that they didn't or they did. "Yes, but no."

He sighed impatiently.

"I hate being confused, Clace." He warned.

"How would you understand when you are not giving me the chance to finish?"

Oh yeah, Rouge was an impatient man. Impatient at eveeything, a guy whose principles is "time is gold" rather than 'patience is a virtue'. The guy dosen't have a single patience!

"The police were also one of those who participated at the attack, but if they really know then in that case the reporters or the media should know about my Empire right now."

He looked at me and at the newspaper lying beside the documents.

Sure my fallen empire where there. But it only said about a bunch of polices fighting about a group of gangsters, and that the bomb were set up to wipe them all. Not metioning the word 'Empire' or 'drugs' or something that may have a relation to my illegal bussiness.

"You are saying that someone, from the f*ck*ng police department is covering up for the Parasites?!"

I nodded, "Which is maybe has a higher position than the others..." I took another sip, and layed mug down.

"Then why would the Parasites forbid the police department to reveal your organization in public?" Rouge asked before finally raising an eyebrow as if he already found an answer with his own question.

Tinignan ko siya at hinintay kung may sasabihin pa siya. He put his hands on his lap and said,

"Let's say that they are not really planning to expose your empire, they are just thinking of sabotaging it. If that is the answer, the question now is why."

Nagpakawala ako ng magaan na buntunghininga at sinandal ang likod sa malambot na couch na kaharap niya lang. Pinalinot ko ang tingin ko sa mga waiter at sa mga customer na nasa loob na cafe.

Okay, since we do not think like a detective does, and 'that' detective is nowhere to be found, we'll just depend on our wide guess.

"It could be that, if they did expose my organization, it will somehow...put theirs in risk as well."

He looked at me in amazement.

"I'm surprised that you can come up with a reliable idea. Drozell would buy it." He then looked at his watch and bring his gaze once again back on mine.  "Though you should be taking a wide guess with the company of Triumphere. I'm sure it will help, since both of you kinda understand each other."

I rolled my eyes, "Nicest way to tell me your leaving."

"Who says I am?" He asked masking his emotion once again. Then he set the picture he just examined down. "Since when did the Parasites appeared?"

"Just now," Don't need to think about it.

"From where are you going to need an investigator for, why not ask Drozell to do it?"

Rolling my eyes once again, I remarked, "To boast his ego?"

"Already have," He seriously replied to my remark that doesn't even need an answer. "You could ask Drozell for fair discount since we are connected to Icell."

I heaved another sigh. "Now, don't mention a hopeless romantic psycho. Gives me the creeps, D*mnation!"

He grinned, slightly. You might even think that it isn't a smile. That his lips where only lifting on one side.

"Or maybe you could get a help from the King..." He said a little pressure with the word 'King'. "Why don't you just  flee back to England, in that way you could solve your problems. Well, I guess that would be impossible since you're already involved and it's your choice."

Natahimik ako sa sinabi niya. Enil really don't want me to get involved in his league, but he knew I was stubborn and I'm gonna follow him wherever he went.

"I need to find out who killed him..." I muttered. "At least I have a goal, why I joined—"

"All of us does..." Umangat ang paningin ko sa kanya.

Nakita ko ang pagbabago ng kanyang ekspresyon habang tinititigan ang kape sa harapan niya.

I stared at the fading image of the mint milk on top of my coffee. Maybe I should drop the topic.

"Another thing is, I have a traitor behind me."

"Diyen?"

I shooked my head, "I'm not so sure about that."

Rouge nodded and wrote somehing on a piece of paper. Then he handed it to me without a word.

It was some sort of code or a passcode to a bank account or something.

"What?! I'm not asking for money—"

"It's not the money, Clace..." Rouge said. "It was your brother's money before he died."

Natahimik ako sa kanyang sinabi. It was Enil's savings when he decided to live here in philippines.

"I still don't get why I should need this. This won't help. I got enough millions."

"Shut up and see for yourself." Kumunot ang noo ko tinitigan ang numero.

Maybe to solve something while I stare at it. It's not a cryptocode or sh*ts like what Drozell likes doing. That a**hole sure has a weird sense of choosing his hobby.

"Enil left that before he died. He said to deliver it personally to you." Rouge added, "It's under your name."

Kumunot pa rin ang noo ko sa sinabi ni Rouge. It still doesn't make any sense.

"I don't think this necissary for my situation..."

"Just open it, f*cker,"

Pagkasabi niya n'on ay umalis na siya para sa kung anumang trabaho na gagawin niya pa. Humugot ako ng isang malalim na hininga at tinignan kung saang bangko iyon.

Deluxe Bank

Natigilan ako nang biglang may naglitawan ng imahe ng isang babae sa aking utak. Tsk! Of all places, doon pa sa bangko kung saan nagtratrabaho dati ang babaeng iyon.

I pursed my lips on each side and folded the paper before standing up. I let my guards gather all the documents and I headed for the said bank.

It only takes a minute to get there, probably half an hour. I don't leave near at that bank anymore since there is someone I don't wanna see there anymore. But it's a good thing to come back there since she quit the job. Last time I heard, she became a stewardess.

Bumuntung-hininga ako at umalis sa kotse. Ngunit nanatili lamang akong nakatayo sa labas n'on na parang inaalam kung ano ba ang dapat gawin.

Memories, memories, why do you have to be insulting?!

I reopened the piece of paper containing the codes. What is it that you wanted to let me see Enil, why don't you just tell Rouge so that I don't have to use my mind to guess. You perfectly know that I hate solving.

I let out an exasperated breath and crumpled the paper, placed at my coat pocket. I don't need your money,  Enil...

Patalikod na sana ako nang may mahagilap na isang pamilyar na tao ang aking paningin. Nakaitim ito at may suot na shades ngunit kahit naka-shades ito ay namumukhaan niya pa din ito. Pinagmasdan ko ang likod nito dahil tanging likod na lamang ang nakikita ko. Ang kilos din nito ay kakaiba ngunit hini tulad ko. Not proud and confident like a real prince would. So he was probably some kind of tourist.

Tumalikod na ako at sumakay sa aking kotse. Ngunit hindi ko iyon pinaandar at nakasubsob lang ang ulo ko sa manibela.

I vowed to myself to never go back in this forsaken place!

Mabuti nalang tumunog ang phone na nakalagay sa kabilang seat, ngayon lang ako natuwa na may naggambala sa akin.

"What now?!" I snapped.

"Aciee baby, where are you?!"

Kumunot ang noo ko nang mahimigan ko ang medyo tipsy na boses ng tao sa kabilang linya.

"Who the heck is this?"

"It's me Wanda!  Yung anak ng mga Montgomery!"

Now I changed my mind. I hoped she hasn't have called at all. She's just another annoying obssesed fling. I thought that I already made sure that whatever we had were just f*ck. Strings are off limits

"I missed you, come at my place, Ace."

Hinilot ko ang sentido. "No, I'm done with you."

"Come at my place this evening or I'll ask my father to attack your empire!"

Pinatay ko na lamang ang tawag. Pinaandar ko na ang makina ng aking sasakyan ngunit hindi pa ako nakakaalis ng mamataan ko ang isang nagtutulak na nagbebenta ng ice cream. That brat came in mind.

I moved out of the car and walked towards the vendor who is ringing his annoying bell. I looked at the two flavors available.

"Keso at ube po yan hijo!"

Tinitigan ko ang tindero. "I know." Tumawa lamang ito.

"Ikaw pa lang ang nakita kong mayaman na bumili sa ice cream kong walang pangalan!" Anito habang tinitignan ang nakaparada kong sasakyan. "Hindi po ba mukhang nakakahiya naman para sa inyo? Kasi ito ang ice cream na ginagawa lang namin, walang binatbat sa ibang may brand."

I slightly supressed a sincere smile.

"Yes, but I know she won't mind eating your ice cream..." I say.  "At sa palagay ko lahat ng ice cream, kahit ube o keso, o walang pangalan, magugustuhan niya." At hindi ko alam kung bakit napapangiti ako habang kinukwento ko siya.

Ngumiti rin ang tindero. "Mukhang malapit po sa inyo ang babaeng pagbibigyan niyo nito."

Umiling ako dahil naalala ko na nagaway pala kami kagabi. Baka naguguluhan na siya sa ugali kong pabago-bago. I think I am having a mood swing when I'm around her. I'm just frustrated, when she is so close yet I couldn't even have her. Really Clace, stop imagining all night on how are you going to take her.

And I guess I need to apologize to what I did last night.

"Ilan ba ang bibilhin mo hijo?"

"Will it last for thirty minutes ride?" I asked.

"Kung nakalagay po siya dito sa paglagyan, bakit po?"

I grinned. "I'll buy all of it."