Hiding Secrets

Chapter 4

AZARIAH HEARD THE DOOR CLOSED and he averted his gaze to the woman in front of him. Naramdaman niyang natatakot ito sa kaniya at naiilang. He stared at her intently and couldn't help but to notice her gorgeous features.

Petite and has a skin of soft beige. Her hair is wavy and lengthy. She also has hazel brown eyes and heart-shaped lips.

Not bad.

He played the ballpen in between his fingers and remained his stoic reaction on the woman. Nakayuko lang ito at mukhang walang balak na mag-angat ng tingin sa kaniya.

“Nice name. I bet your parents have a nice taste in naming you for that.” Panimula niya--- kahit labag sa kalooban niya ang maging marahan sa babae. He wouldn’t want to scare her in possible way. He is doing this for the mission, anyway.

He expected an answer from her but she just let out a tiny smile. Mukhang takot pa rin ito sa kaniya at hindi epektibo ang pagbubukas niya ng paksa.

How to be f*****g friendly, anyway? He wanted to sigh in frustration but he tried not to, afraid that he might scare her. Baka ayawan pa siya nito at masira ang plano niya.

This is for the mission. Have a long patience with her.

“There’s nothing to be scared of, miss Sapphire. Breathe, I don’t eat people.” Hindi niya mapigilang aniya--- hindi na itinatago ang totoong siya kapag trabaho na ang pinag-uusapan.

Still, he needs to be careful with the words that he is going to say.

“W-What is this all about? Ano ba ang misyong tinutukoy niyo? Bakit nasali ako rito?” Sapphire looked at to him with full of confusion. Napaka-inosente ng mukha nito na tila isang babasaging krystal na dapat pagka-ingatan. Oh well…

“I know your status as of today, miss Sapphire. You are arrange with someone under Montano’s clan, right? I guess… you don’t know how to get away with the situation. Am I right?” He directly said. May sumupil na ngiti sa labi niya nang makitang nanlaki ang mga mata ng dalaga at hindi siya makapaniwalang tinignan.

“H-how did… you k-know? Who is Mr. Montano?” Of course I will know it, first.

“It doesn’t matter how I found out, the thing is, I have a proposal for you. Mr. Montano is the reason why you are arrange, right now. Unfortunately, napunta ka sa taong konektedo kay Mr. Montano. ” He forwarded the clipboard to Sapphire which contained a contract.

May pagdududa itong tumingin sa kaniya at kinuha ang clipboard na nakalapag sa lamesa niya. She won’t take that long in reading, isang pangungusap lang naman kasi ang nakalagay roon.

“Be a part of your… mission? Ano ba ang misyong tinutukoy niyo?” He watched as she creased her forehead while reading the contract.

“It’s a discreet information not to share with anybody. Unless… you will get this pen and put your signature on it.” Binalingan siya ng babae at pinagtaasan ng kilay. Mukhang hindi na ito nahihiya sa kaniya ngayon at matapang na sinasalubong ang tingin niya.

Oh, so the fierce side is showing. Should I ready myself about it? Paglalaro ng mga katanungan sa isip niya.

“How would I even know that you’re not playing with me? Baka mamaya nito’y niloloko niyo lang ako. You are may be good-looking and decent but it doesn’t justify that I should start trusting you.” Naaaliw niyang pinagmasdan ang babae at unti-unting umangat ang sulok ng labi niya.

He should be strict and not waste his time by now, but hell, he is enjoying this little conversation he had with this woman in front of him.

“I’m not good in playing with my team’s trust, but I do am skillful about playing in bed. What do you think about that?” Her mouth drapes open while being caught-off-guard about his vulgarity. Dahil mestisa ito, kitang-kita ang pagkapula ng pisngi nito at mukhang ikinakalma ang sarili.

“I-I’m serious here, Mr. Vitaliano. We are talking about your proposal here, not with the women you f**k in bed.” He is quite surprised about how straight forward this woman is.

What a nice personality to be paired with.

“Give me your trust and everything will be fine. I have the answers to the question that you are bothered with, miss Sapphire. You might not get it by now, but soon you will. So, would you agree about my proposal or not?”

Humilig siya sa hamba ng upuan at matiim itong tinignan. Paurong-sulong nitong tinignan ang dokumento at pinag-iisipang mabuti.

“Fine, I will agree to your terms, then.” He gestured his hand to let her sign the document. And when she did, he stared at her signature on the paper.

As what he expected for her to do.

****

She signed the freaking paper.

Narinig niya ang binata na tinawag si Rhyle gamit ang intercom sa loob ng opisina. Bigla naman itong bumukas at iniluwa niyon si Rhyle na may malaking ngisi sa labi. Idinipa nito ang dalawang kamay at mukhang nanalo sa lotto dahil sa laki ng ngisi.

“I’m back everyone! So how’s the meeting, my friend?” Lumapit ito sa binata at bahagyang tinatapik ang balikat nito. What would happen to her now?

“There’s nothing that would concern you, Coliver.” Balik na naman ang ugali nito sa dati at walang emosyon sa mga matang aniya.

“Ouch naman, Azariah. Kahit kailan talaga ay napakasama ng ugali mo hmpp.” Pagrereklamo ni Rhyle rito at humaba ang nguso. Rhyle folded his arms with his sulky reaction.

Patuloy na hindi ito pinansin ni Azariah nang bigla itong magsalita. Kung hindi lang siya ilang sa dalawang ‘to ay kanina niya pa siguro tinatawanan si Rhyle. His reaction was just too funny!

"Go with her to get her things. Use my Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe and let's meet in my rest house. I'll be tracking some buggers down." May inilabas itong maliit na device at inilapag sa lamesa.

“Omg napapayag mo siya? Nasaan yung hustisya? So pag ako, hindi kapani-paniwala, pero pag ikaw, yes I do agad. Lord, anak mo rin naman po ako.” Sinapo ni Rhyle ang magkabilang pisngi at nagpakita ng isang malungkot na mukha.

Napailing-iling siya sa pinanggagawa nito. Hindi lang pala ito mahangin, komedyante na rin pala ito. Iba talaga kapag ginawaran ka ng maraming talent, nakaka-weirdo.

“Wait, what do you mean to pack my things? Saan ba tayo pupunta? Wala ‘to sa pinag-usapan natin, Mr. Vitaliano.” Ito pala ang tinutukoy ni Rhyle kanina, but Azariah can’t just do decisions for her!

“You already sign the contract, miss Sapphire. You can’t do anything about it.” Marahas siyang napabuga ng hangin at pinukolan ng masamang tingin si Azariah.

Prente lang itong umupo sa swivel chair nito at mukhang hindi alintana ang nararamdaman niya ngayon. She wants to mess with his table right now and strangle that brute’s neck.

How dare he!

“I thought you don’t force woman, Azariah.” Makahulugang aniya ni Rhyle sa kaibigan.

“I don’t, but she signed the contract already. I have here now in my hands.” He simpered, looking so pleased at her. M

ukhang inaasar pa siya nito habang itinataas ang dokumento na pinermahan niya kanina. Nangingitngit ang kalooban niya sa lalaki at baka hindi niya mapigilan at susugurin na niya talaga ito.

“Ahh, now I remembered, you only forced women to be---“ Azariah looked about to erupt when he looked at Rhyle.

“Lumayas ka na ‘nga sa opisina ko.” Pagtataboy nito sa kaibigan at binalik ang tingin sa binabasa.

“Whatever you say, Azariah. Whatever you say.” Hindi man lang ito nasindak sa akto ng binata at pa-cool pang lumabas sa opisina nito. Nagtagpo ang tingin nila ng binataa sa huling pagkakataon.

She just glared at him, while he let out a grin in his face. Gusto niyang pagsusuntukin ang gwapo nitong mukha hanggang maging kuntento siya.

Nang malakabas sila ay nagulat siya nang umakto lang si Rhyle na tila nanalo ng jackpot. Sinusuntok nito ang ere na parang isang batang nakakuha ng gusto.

"Kita mo yun ha? Pinagamit ako ng sasakyan niya, that's one of his darn collections! Minsan lang maging mabait 'yun kaya dapat sulit-sulitin mo na. You will be mostly with him kaya dapat masanay kana sa ugali niyang 'yun." Madaldal na usal nito sa kaniya.

"I will be staying under his order? Hindi ko pa kayo masyadong kilala. And I don't know what you're really up to me or my family." Angal niya sa sinabi nito. She can’t help but to doubt their intention again. Mainis na kung sino ang gustong mainis sa kaniya but she just met them freaking today.

"Look, we just barely knew you and your family also, but we need to do our job or it will cause a big chaos. The governments are just snails to even move. We can't waste years for this plan to f**k up.”

Determination and pleading is visible on his voice. Kung ano ang rason na ginagawa nila 'to ay wala siyang ideya, but she can see that Rhyle and Azariah are eager to do their mission.

"Fine, I will give my trust to you and help. Just please protect the people around me." She is willing to help, but if the people around her are at stake, she can't bear to lose those important people around her.

Even if it means taking her away from this world.

“Deal. And don’t worry about your love one’s safety. We give the best services across the world, hindi mo yun dapat alalahanin.” Pag-aassure nito sa kanya.

“Am I the only girl on your lists who falls in this situation? Ano ba ang mga trabaho niyo?” Tukoy niya sa pagprotekta ng mga ito sa kaniya. Naramdaman niyang napatigil ito sa paglalakad. He looks a bit tensed.

“Hindi. Meron pang isa, but I don’t like talking about her so let’s just go on. She’s not that important anyway. To answer your question, our job is to solve such cases. You will understand further when the time comes.” Malamig na tugon nito, at nagpati unang pumasok sa sasakyan. May nahihinuha na siya kung bakit ito nagkakaganito ngayon.

He might be attached to that girl. Hinuha niya sa isip na para bang pini-predikta ang buhay nito.

She sighed before entering the car.

You want my presence, Azariah? Okay, I will give you what you want. Let’s just hope that the table will not turn, and would create such chaotic situations.