Chapter 14
1128 Words
VALERIA SERRANO’S POV
A week had passed since Sovrano’s warning. Seven days since he reminded us that fire attracts eyes.
The room we used that night wasn’t sacred, wasn’t ceremonial. No long table. No shadows meant to remind us who we were beneath. Just a smaller lounge under the hall.. dim lights, leather chairs, the faint vibration of engines somewhere deep inside the compound.
Nakasandal ako sa pader, nakatingin sa kawalan habang sa harapan ko ay nakapwesto ang apat na lalaking kasama ko
Pero magmula kanina ay napapansin ko na ang ibang aura sa presensya ni Silverio. Napapansin ko na may mali, pero hindi ko lang matukoy dahil hindi pa naman siya nag sasalita.
He stood near the counter, rolling a glass between his fingers like he wanted it to shatter.
His jaw was tight. And his silence is loud.
Sa tatlong katabi niya ay si Maximilian lang ang nakapansin ng kanyang pananahimik. At ito ang unang nagsalita.
“So,” Max said lightly, though I could hear the edge underneath. “You gonna keep glaring at that glass, or are you finally gonna spit out whatever’s rotting in your mouth?”
Pagkarinig ko niyon ay agad ko ng nahulaan ang susunod na mangyayari. Nag-iwas ako ng tingin ay pinagtuonan ng pansin ang ibang bagay.
But I heard, Riven's heavy breath. And out of curiosity, I glanced back at them to watch what would happen next.
Leandro stayed focused on the tablet in his hands, pretending this wasn’t inevitable. Like he didn't have any idea about the people around him.
And I saw Silverio’s lips curved as he glanced at Maximilian.
“I’m just thinking,” he said, lifting his eyes, “about how some people get rewarded for chaos… while the rest of us are told to behave.”
Max stiffened. “Tell me exactly what you mean by that?"
Tumawa ito at muling sumimsim sa kanyang baso, bago muling tiningnan si Maximilian.
"Oh... so you're her guard dog, now?" he said, his tone was sarcastic.
That earned him my attention. So I kept watching him.
"Silverio," malalim ang boses na sambit ni Maximilian. Ramdam ko ang pagpipigil na sumabog sa kanyang boses.
Muli itong tumawa at ngayon ay mukhang wala ng balak na tumigil sa pagsasalita.
“A whole ring of traffickers... disappears overnight,” he continued, voice smooth with poison. “Bodies drop. G*ns go off. And instead of consequences...” his eyes slid to me “...we get approval.”
Doon ay umalma na si Leandro, at ngayon ay nakatingin na sa kanya.
Silverio shrugged. “Am I wrong?”
Max stood. I heard the scrape of the chair. “You’re running your mouth.”
Silverio stepped closer. “Funny. If anyone else pulled that stunt, Sovrano would’ve buried them himself.”
After hearing that... I stayed still. Letting him spill his opinion even though it won't matter.
At hindi man lang ako nagulat ng umangat ang kamao ni Maximilian at tumama iyon sa kanyang mukha.
“Don’t talk to Sovrano like that!” Max snapped.
Silverio stumbled back, wiped his mouth, smiling like he’d been waiting for permission.
Then he punched Max square in the jaw.
Ang impact ng suntok niya ay gumawa ng ingay na siyang umalingawngaw sa paligid. At dahil sa ginawa niya ay mas lalong umapoy sa galit si Maximilian. Ngayon ay hinila ang kwelyo ng kanyang damit at handa ng muling magpalitan ng suntok...
Pero bago pa mangyari iyon ay mabilis na kumilos si Riven ay hinawakan si Maximilian, Si Leandro naman ay nakahawak kay Silverio.
"Enough, Silverio!" Leandro ordered.
Silverio tore free, breathing hard.
Then he laughed.
“You see?” he said, pointing past Max. “This is exactly what I'm talking about!"
At mula kay Maximilian, ngayon ay sa akin na nakaturo ang kanyang daliri.
“The Agent’s little favorite,” he sneered. “Reiji. That Agent sh*t you’ve been playing with."
"Tell me, Valeria... How many times did that Agent, had already clap your cheeks?" he added, and that's when I lost it.
I clenched my fist. As the room went silent.
Mula sa kinaroroonan ko ay unti-unti akong gumalaw. I walked toward him, heels echoing softly, my face calm... too calm. And I could feel Max watching me, tense.
Riven was already ready to move out of the way, but Silverio didn’t stop talking
“Sovrano looks at you like you’re untouchable,” he went on. “Like the rules don’t apply. Like you’re—”
Ngunit hindi niya natapos ang sasabihin niya... nang hinila ko ang kwelyo ng kanyang damit at sobrang lapit na ng mukha namin sa isa't isa.
“Say that again,” malamig kong usal.
Bago niya ako sinagot ay ngumisi muna siya... at mariin, dahan-dahang binitawan ang salitang pinaka-ayaw kong marinig.
“Favoritism,” he said.
That word hit harder than the punch.
I leaned closer. “You think I’m favored because I’m lucky?” I asked softly. “Because I smile the right way? Because I f*ck people for information?”
Hindi siya sumagot, at sa bawat segundong lumilipas ay mas lalong humihigpit ang pagkakahawak ko sa kanyang kwelyo.
“He favors me because I don’t hesitate.. every time I'm doing something..." I continued. “He favors me, because I finish what I start. Because the moment I pull a trigger, there’s no mess left for the boys to clean.”
Mariin akong lumunok at mas lalong inilapit sa kanya ang mukha.. nang sa gano'n ay masiguro ko na maririnig at maiintindihan niya lahat ng sasabihin ko.
“Unlike you,” I whispered, “I don’t mistake envy for principle.”
Pagkatapos kong sabihin iyon ay pabato kong binitiwan ang kwelyo niya.
“Don’t drag my name into your weakness again,” I said coldly. “And don’t ever say Reiji’s name like you understand what I'm doing! It's my mission and you don't get to decide what I should and shouldn't do.." dugtong ko.
Hindi siya nakasagot sa akin. He just looked at me and his eyes were blo*dshot. I've waited for him to say or do something to me.. but he didn't.
He just turned his back on me and walked out... silently. Leaving the four of us.
"Okay ka lang?" agad na tanong ni Maximilian ng tuluyan ng nawala si Silverio.
Tinanguhan ko lamang siya at bumalik sa pwesto ko kanina.
"Prolema ng gag*ng 'yun?" nagtatakang tanong ni Riven.
Tanging buntong-hininga lamang ang isinagot sa kanya ni Leandro, habang si Maximilian ay bumalik na sa kanyang upuan.
Silverio didn’t just insult me.
He challenged something Sovrano himself had already decided.
And that kind of mistake never stays unpaid. Sooner or later.... Sovrano will come for him and he couldn't escape that.
TO BE CONTINUED.....
- Writer
