Dangerous Solace

CHAPTER 17

LATER that evening, Neriah and Lucien had finally settled in their flat. After weeks of living in hotels, they had decided to rent a small flat in London. It wasn’t luxurious or extravagant.

But it felt peaceful.

Neriah was humming softly in the kitchen while preparing tea.

Tahimik namang nakaupo si Lucien sa stool at pinagmamasdan ang dalaga.

Kumuyom ang kamay ni Lucien nang maalala niya ang nangyari kanina.

At ganun na lamang ang pagdidilim ng kaniyang mukha nang umilaw ang screen ng phone niya.

The caller ID displayed a familiar number from the Philippines.

Sinulyapan ni Lucien si Neriah bago siyang walang imik na lumabas ng kusina at naglakad patungo sa balkonahe.

As he closed the sliding glass door behind him, he answered the call.

And she still has the nerve to call me. Of course, she wants to know if I’m already dead or still alive. Lucien thought.

“What?”

A woman’s elegant voice greeted him from the other end. “Oh, Lucien, dear, what an unpleasant way to answer a call.”

Sumandal si Lucien sa railing ng balcony. “Wala akong maalala na binigyan ko kayo ng permiso na tawagan ako.” Aniya.

“You’ve become quite rude, Lucien.”

Tumaas ang sulok ng labi ni Lucien. “I learned from the best.”

Mahinang tumawa ang stepmother ni Lucien. “How are you, my son?”

Mas lalong dumilim ang mukha ni Lucien. “Don’t call me that. Hindi mo ako anak. At lalong hindi ikaw ang nanay ko.”

“My… my… Lucien, ang sakit mo namang magsalita—”

“Stop pretending, Tita Eleonor.” Pinutol ni Lucien ang iba pang sasabihin ng ginang. “I know why you called me.”

“Oh…?”

“Tita, I told you, stop pretending. Alam kong ikaw ang nagpadala sa kanila upang patayin ako.”

“What?” his stepmother sounded shocked. “No! Stop accusing me, Lucien. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang sinasabi mo.”

Lucien snorted. “You’re quite an actress, Tita,” he said. He looked down at the bustling streets below. “Tita, next time you send an assassin to kill me, I’ll send their head back to you.”

Tumawa lang ang stepmother ni Lucien. “You’re becoming troublesome, Lucien.”

You finally admitted it. Lucien thought. “No,” he replied. “I’m becoming difficult to kill.”

Kapagkuwan napabuntong-hininga si Eleonor. “Hindi ka na dapat pang bumalik.”

Lucien’s grip tightened around his phone. “Your husband forced me to,” he said.

He had tolerated years of manipulation… years of schemes, and years of pretending. Simula nang mamatay ang kaniyang ina, nawala na rin ang masayang pamilya nila.

And now, he’s not tolerating it anymore.

“If you’re planning to send more assassins…” Lucien’s voice became frighteningly calm. “…choose them carefully.”

“Is that a threat, Lucien?” Eleonor asked in a sweet voice.

“No,” Lucien said. “It’s a promise.”

Natahimik ang nasa kabilang linya. “You’ve been trying to kill me since you came to the Verdan Family because you knew all along that I am the legitimate heir. Tita, you raised killers,” Lucien said. Tumaas ang sulok ng kaniyang labi. “You forgot that I was raised among them.”

“Verdan Group belonged to my son!” Eleonor lost her patience.

Lucien laughed. “Tita, ipapaalala ko lang sa ‘yo. Naging CEO ang anak mo dahil umalis ako diyan sa Pilipinas. And because my father forced me to. And may I remind you, ako ang pinakamalaking shareholder ng Verdan Group. Your shares are nothing compared to mine.”

He ended the call. No goodbye. No hesitation. Just complete silence.

Inside the flat… Neriah looked toward the balcony through the glass doors. Hindi niya naririnig ang usapan, pero nakikita niya ang binata. His shoulders were tense, and his jaw clenched. The calm, gentle Lucien she knew had vanished.

Tahimik na naglakad si Neriah patungo sa balkonahe.

She simply slid the door open and stepped beside him without asking what happened. And without a word, she slipped her hand into his.

Lucien looked down, and their fingers intertwined naturally.

Bumuga ng hangin si Lucien. “I’m sorry.”

Umiling si Neriah. “You don’t have to apologize.”

“Still. I brought my family’s problems into your life.”

Ngumiti si Neriah. “It’s not your fault. Kaya huwag kang humingi ng tawad.”

“My family is complicated.”

“Everyone has their problem.”

Lucien agreed, and almost instinctively, he rested his forehead lightly against hers. “Neriah, parang pakiramdam ko hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko kapag wala ka.”

Neriah smiled. “Good,” she said.

“Bakit naman?”

Neriah just smiled.

And far away from London… across the seas and miles away…

Inside the Verdan Manor, a woman stared silently at the disconnected phone in her hand.

Matapos ang tawag, nakaramdam siya ng kaba.

For the first time in years… Lucien Hale Verdan seemed different now.

She was afraid that Lucien, the obedient boy, whom afraid of her smile and the boy she could easily manipulate, was gone.

At sa tono ng pananalita nito, parang hindi na ito natatakot sa kaniya.

“No…” she muttered. “Hindi dapat ito mangyari. If Lucien stopped obeying and fearing me, then what will be my son’s rank in the family? I won’t allow it. Verdan Group will be my son’s and only his.”

LUCIEN HAD fallen asleep on the couch. Exhaustion had finally caught up with him after everything that had happened that day.

The dinner they were supposed to have didn’t happen.

Sinulyapan ni Neriah si Lucien. Even asleep, his brows were slightly furrowed. As though he were still fighting battles in his dreams.

Bumuntong-hininga si Neriah.

She knew she was just an outsider in the Verdan Family. But Lucien nearly got hurt in front of her today. There was no way she would let this off.

Lucien had never told her about his family’s situation.

Pero nangyari kanina, hindi na siya makakapaghintay na sabihin sa kaniya ni Lucien ang gulo sa pamilya nito. Hindi niya hahayaan na may masamang mangyari kay Lucien bago siya gumalaw.

She doesn’t want to regret it if anything bad happens to her man.

Sa ganitong pagkakataon, isang tao lamang ang pinagkakatiwalaan niya at nakakaalam tungkol sa mga pinaggagagawa niya sa buhay.

Neriah picked up her phone and stepped onto the balcony before dialing.

“Kuya.”

“Neriah?” his brother sounded sleepy. “You called, little sister.”

“Kuya, I need a favor,” deretsong saad ni Neriah.

Natahimik ang nasa kabilang linya. Pero naririnig ni Neriah ang tunog ng papel. Looks like my brother is busy. But why does he sound sleepy?

Then the line went dead.

Napatanga si Neriah at napatitig na lamang sa sarili niyang cellphone.

“Kuya… what the hell…” she muttered under her breath.

Then a text message came from her brother.

‘Are you my little sister?’

Tumaas ang isang kilay ni Neriah at napairap na lamang sa hangin.

Meanwhile, Evron was staring at his call logs… at the last caller.

“Since when did my little sister ask for a favor?” he muttered under his breath.

Neriah was a capable woman.

And she won’t ask for help unless…

“…she’s in trouble.”

Evron chuckled while shaking his head.

“My sister… looks like someone important was in trouble,” he said after realizing that Neriah’s call wasn’t random.

And with that, he called Neriah back.