CHAPTER 1
1434 Words
THE SKY above London was painted in soft shades of gold and gray as the afternoon slowly drifted toward evening. The city buzzed as the cars passed, people hurried along the sidewalks, and tourists stopped to admire historic buildings.
At sa gitna ng mga ito, makikita si Neriah na naglalakad ng patalikod habang may hawak na camera at kumukuha ng larawan.
“Don’t trip,” wika ni Lucien habang nakaalalay ang kamay niya sa likuran ni Neriah. Hindi nakadikit ang kamay niya sa likod ni Neriah pero sapat lang upang maalalayan niya ito kung sakali man na magkamali ito ng hakbang,
Ngumisi si Neriah. “I won’t.”
Pero wala pang limang segundo, muntikan na itong bumangga sa isang lamp post.
Lucien caught her elbow before disaster could happen. “You were saying?”
Painosenteng ngumiti si Neriah. And her grin only widened. “I said I won’t trip.”
“Muntikan ka ng bumangga sa lamp post.”
“Muntikan lang naman. It doesn’t count.”
“It does.”
“It doesn’t.” Pilit ni Neriah.
Lucien sighed in defeat. “Whatever you say, Young Lady.”
Tumawa ng mahina si Neriah.
They have known each other for two weeks.
Naging komportable naman sila sa isa’t isa.
Though they were strangers to each other, they could tell that they were both genuine.
At isa pa, ramdam ni Lucien na kalmado siya kapag si Neriah ang kasama niya. Hindi niya alam kung bakit, pero basta ganoon ang kaniyang pakiramdam.
There was something on Neriah that made him calm.
Nagpatuloy sina Neriah at Lucien sa paglalakad.
Neriah didn’t stop taking photos. Her camera clicked and clicked and clicked, again and again. She had spent the entire afternoon taking photographs—buildings, street musicians, dogs, flowers, random strangers, a man feeding pigeons, a child chasing bubbles… anything that caught her attention.
Hinahayaan naman ni Lucien si Neriah. Though he didn’t understand how she found beauty in things most people ignored.
Wala pa siyang nakikilalang babae na katulad ni Neriah.
Neriah was a unique woman. Simple rin ito. Walang arte sa katawan. Not stylish, but carried elegance.
Lucien smiled at that thought. But… this woman was not to be underestimated. He thought as he remembered how Nylah killed that drunkard on the night they first met.
“Stop.”
Tumingin siya rito. “Ano?”
“Tumayo ka diyan.”
“No.”
“Lucien.”
“No.”
Neriah pointed her camera at him. “Stand there.”
He folded his arms. Absolutely not.
Napalabi si Neriah. “Sinisira mo ang artistic vision ko.”
Kumunot ang noo ni Lucien. “Wala ka naman nun.” Aniya.
“Che! Mayroon naman.”
Lucien rolled his eyes. “You pointed your camera at a squirrel for ten minutes this morning,” he pointed out.
Ngumiti si Neriah na parang wala lang rito ang sinabi ni Lucien. “It was a very photogenic squirrel.”
Lucien pinched the bridge of his nose.
Neriah snapped a picture, and Lucien's expression was captured. Natawa siya nang mahina habang tinitingnan ang larawan ni Lucien sa kaniyang camera.
“Delete that.”
“No.”
“Neriah.”
“No.”
“That’s blackmail,” Lucien said.
Ngumiti si Neriah. “That’s photography.”
“Same thing.”
Nahilot ni Lucien ang sentido. Namulsa siya saka nagpatuloy sa paglalakad.
Natawa naman si Neriah habang sinusundan ng tingin si Lucien. “He always says no, but still gives in. He’s really worthy as the man I chose,” she said, smiling.
Mabilis siyang sumunod sa binata. “Lucien, hintayin mo ako!”
Nang marinig ni Lucien ang boses ni Neriah, binagalan niya ang paglalakad upang makasabay ito sa kaniya.
Nagpatuloy sila sa paglalakad.
The streets became less crowded as they moved away from the busier areas.
Tumigil sila sa tabi ng River Thames. The evening lights reflected against the water. They glowed around them.
“Ang ganda.” Wika ni Neriah. She rested her arms against the railing.
Her camera was hanging from its strap.
Tumingin naman si Lucien kay Neriah. “Ang ganda.” Mahina niyang saad. A rare beauty.
Neriah turned.
Mabilis namang nag-iwas ng tingin si Lucien, pero nahuli agad siya ni Neriah.
A slow smile appeared on Neriah’s lips. “Oh,” she reacted. “You think I’m pretty.”
“Wala akong sinabi.” Sabi ni Lucien. His arms rested on the railing.
“Pero narinig ko.”
Lucien stared straight ahead. Good thing, it was nighttime because he could feel his ear burning up. It was embarrassing for a grown man like him to blush like this.
Napangiti naman si Neriah at napatitig kay Lucien. Then she slipped her hand into his.
Yes, that’s how bold she is. Wala namang masama sa ginawa niya basta hindi niya ibababa ang dignidad niya bilang isang babae.
Because of what Neriah did, Lucien’s thoughts stopped completely. Napatitig siya sa kamay nilang magkahugpo. And for a moment, standing beside the river in London, surrounded by strangers and evening lights, Lucien felt something he rarely allowed himself to feel… peace.
Neriah squeezed his hand.
Mainit ang palad ni Neriah.
“If you don’t like it, just pull away,” sabi ni Neriah. “It’s okay.”
Hindi nagsalita si Lucien, pero humigpit ang hawak niya sa kamay ni Neriah.
Neriah smiled and continued looking at the river.
Ganun din ang ginawa ni Lucien.
Sa mata ng ibang nakakakita, para silang magkasintahan.
Pero para kay Lucien at Neriah, they were both strangers, but they felt comfortable with each other.
At sapat na ‘yon upang magtiwala sila kahit pa hindi nila masyadong kilala ang bawat isa.
Sometimes, in this cruel world, comfort is not found by family, but by someone you didn’t expect.
Tumingin si Lucien kay Neriah. Gumuhit ang isang ngiti sa kaniyang labi. A genuine smile, he didn’t show when he was facing his own family.
“Are you really comfortable around me?” tanong ni Lucien habang magkaharap silang kumakain sa isang restaurant.
Neriah munched the food inside her mouth and swallowed it before answering. “Yeah,” she answered casually. “How about you?”
“Same.”
Ngumiti si Neriah.
Lucien let out a small sigh. “Honestly, being away from my family makes me breathe.”
Natigilan si Neriah. “Family?”
Tumango si Lucien. “It was a long story. But to cut a long story short, I’m not on good terms with my family."
"Gusto mong magkuwento?”
Umiling si Lucien. “I’m not in the mood,” he said. Uminom siya ng tubig bago muling nagsalita. “How about you? What does your family do?”
Neriah smiled cheerfully. “My parents are already retired and enjoying their lives. Pero kahit ganoon man, lagi silang nakasuporta sa amin.”
Napatango si Lucien.
“My eldest brother was running a café business,” pagpapatuloy ni Nylah. And the reason why his brother refused to run the Laurent or Rios Empire was because of the Black Lotus. “I’m the second of the family, and as you can see, I’m obsessed with photography.” She laughed at that.
Tumawa rin si Lucien pero mahina lang.
“Ang kambal naman na mas bata sa akin. They’re still in college… third year of college. Masyado silang matalino kaya nag-accelerate sila sa college kahit pa seventeen lang sila. And while studying, they were being trained to run the family business in the future.”
“Hearing from you… You sounded like you have a loving family.”
“Oo naman,” masayang sabi ni Neriah. “My parents were loving, and they never forced us to do what we didn’t want to do. Hinahayaan nila kaming mga anak nila sa gusto naming gawin.”
Napatigil si Lucien. Mapait siyang napangiti. “You were fortunate to be born in a loving family.”
Ngumiti si Neriah. “Yeah, I am indeed fortunate.” But being the daughter of two powerful figures in the business world, dangers are everywhere.
Mabuti na lamang at mayroon ang Black Lotus na kung saan ito ang nagbibigay sa kanila ng proteksiyon.
“Lucien.”
“Hmm?”
“I’m waiting.”
“What?”
“I’m waiting for the time you are willing to tell me about your story.”
Natawa na lamang ng mahina si Lucien. “There was no fun in my story.”
“Kahit na. Gusto kong malaman.”
Lucien stared at Neriah. “Soon.”
Soon, I will tell you. But now, let me gather up my courage first.
- Writer
