One Last Crime

Kabanata 12

Gratitude

"Please help me! Someone broke into my house and-- Ahhh!!" My phone dropped on the floor when someone grabbed my hair and pulled it tightly.

I reached for his hand on my hair. I tried to scratch it with my long nails but he's wearing a clothed gloves, it's no use.

My eyes gaze at my phone on the floor. The screen is still on. Hindi niya pa iyon binababa!

"Help! Help me please! Help! Help!" I screamed on the top of my lungs. My breathing hitched and my heart won't stop beating like crazy.

Hindi siya nag salita ng kung ano.

"Ahh! Let go of me!"

"Hmp!" Pag pupumiglas ko.

"f**k! Help! Anyone please help me!"

"Help!" Ilang beses ko pa sinubukan mag pumiglas pero malakas ang taong ito. Hindi ko alam kung saan parte ng bahay niya ako dadalhin. Nawala sa paningin ko ang ilaw ng cellphone. Luminha linga ako, madilim sa buong paligid.

Nanginginig ang buong katawan ko, pati boses ko ay ganon na rin. "Tulong please! Tulungan niyo ko!"

Shit. My house is f*****g sound proof! No one would hear me outside! It's useless. Pinapapagod ko lamang ang sarili ko kakasigaw.

"Ahh!" I shouted when he slammed me on the floor. Gumuhit ang sakit sa aking likuran.

Nasulyapan ko ang kabuuan nito. Base sa malaking bulto ng katawan niya, lalaki siya.

Nanlaki ang mata ko. Impossibleng si Mary ito. Oo sinabunutan niya ako pero hindi ganito kalaki ang katawan ni Mary! Mahina ay maliit ang bwiset na babaeng iyon! Kung ganon sino ito?!

Did she hire someone to do this?

Pinadapa ako nito. Mariin akong napapikit ng kubabawan niya ako. Tagos sa balat ang malamig na sahig. Hindi ako nito dinaganan, pinaglapat niya ang aking nga kamay.

May manipis itong wire na tinali sa aking pulsuhan. Pinilit kong mag pumiglas at subukan warakin ang wire pero bumaon lang iyon sa aking balat. Napapikit ako sa sakit ng mahiwa non ang balat ko. Kahit manipis iyon ay matibay... napaka delikado.

Hindi ko na sinubukan pang warakin iyon gamit ang pulsuhan dahil sigurado akong malalaslas ko ang sarili pag pinag patuloy ko iyon.

Nagsimulang manikip ang dibdib ko. Hindi ko hinayaang maging hadlang iyon para makakuha ako ng tulong. "Help! Please... Help me..."

Nanatili ito sa ibabaw ko, sunod niyang tinali ang paa ko. Sumipa ako ng sumipa pero hindi ko siya natamaan. Ang malamig na wire ay bumalot sa aking paa.

Hindi ko sinubukan alisin iyon dahil alam ko ang mangyayari. Nanatili ako sa pagkakadapa hanggang sa matapos siya sa pag tali sa aking paa. Pinaupo niya ako sa sahig.

"What do you want from me?! Kunin mo ang lahat ng makukuha mo sa bahay at umalis kana!" I exclaimed.

"Nasa kwarto ko ang lahat ng pera... If that's what you came here for you can take it all. Just leave please... Umalis kana..." I pleaded.

What the f**k? A Callejo never pleaded! I shouldn't have done that! He's just a f*****g low life person! I won't plead to him!

"You f*****g son of a b***h! You don't know who your messing with! I'm a Callejo you stupid f*****g b***h! Mali ka ng binangang tao bobo!" I roared in anger.

He kneeled and tugged my hair.

Kahit masakit ang pag sabunot niyang iyon. Hindi ko hinayaang makita niya sa mukha ko ang sakit. I won't give him the satisfaction.

"Wait until the police came! I will make sure you rot in jail for doing this to me! I will not stop until I make your f*****g life a living hell like what your doing to me now. The difference is I will make yours worst!"

I get a fuller view of his face. His wearing a back bonnet to cover his face. Infact his overall clothes are black. He don't even have a back pack to put his stolen things. If he's going to steal something...

Naningkit ang mata ko. He's not here to steal because if he is, he won't waste time staring at me in the dark. He should be busy stealing every valuable things.

"Ano bang kailangan mo sa akin? Ikaw ba ang nag padala ng sulat na iyon? Anong kailangan mo sa'kin?! Anong nakita mo?! Bakit ngayon ka lang lumitaw sa loob ng ilang taon?! Bakit?!"

Nanuyo ang lalamunan ko ng ilabas niya ang baril na nakaipit sa kanyang tagiliran. It's not just a simple gun! It's a f*****g silencer!

Kahit madilim ay maaninag kung ano iyon. Sigurado ako sa nakita dahil nilapag niya iyon sa sahig.

Umalis ito sa harapan ko. Nanatili ang titig ko sa silencer na nasa sahig. Luminga linga ako sa paligid. I can't hear his footsteps. Where did he go?

I tried to reached for the gun. Napasinghap ako ng itutok niya iyon sa ulo ko. s**t! Hindi ko namalayang papalapit na pala ito!

I gulped.

"W-what do you want from me? Ikaw ba ang nag padala ng--" hindi ko natapos ang sasabihin ng takpan niya ng duck tape ang bibig ko. Sinubukan kong iiwas ang mukha pero pinisil nito ang pisnge ko para lagyang muli ng isa pa. Kung ganon iyon ang kinuha nito kaya umalis.

"Hindi mo kailangang mag salita. Pakingan mo lang ako," aniya.

"Chantrea!"

My eyes widened when his baritone voice echoed in my house. I glanced around to look for him.

Nilingon ng lalaking nasa harap ko ang direksyon ng boses ni Lendehl.

"Hmm! Hmp!" sigaw ko kahit mayroon nakatakip na tape sa bibig.

"Chantrea?! Where are you?!"

"Hmm!! Hmm!!" bumaluktot ang katawan ko sa sahig ng suntukin niya ako sa tiyan.

"Hmm!!" daing ko. Sinubukan kong igapang ang katawan pero hindi niya ako hinayaan.

Hinila nito ang paa ko. Nag pumiglas ako at sumipa ng sumipa. Umangat ang suot kong night gown. Hindi ko iyon pinansin at nag patuloy. I don't care anymore!

Kailangan kong makatakas sakanya. Kung ano man ang motibo niya sigurado along desisdido siyang makamit ang bagay na iyon. Kung balak niyang patayin ako magagawa niya.

Pinaupo niya ako sa gilid ay tinutukan ng baril.

"Chantrea!"

Napapikit ako ng nagpakawala ng bala ang lalaki sa aking harapan. Hinanap ko si Lendhel sa dalim.

Shit natamaan ba siya?!

"Put your hands up and drop the gun." He commanded.

I sighed in relief. Thank God he's alive! There's no bullet on him!

Nakatutok ang baril ni Lendhel sakanya. "Drop the gun."

My face hit the floor when he smashed the gun on my head.

"f**k!" He cursed. The guy ran out of the house.

My vision blurred. I keep on blinking trying to focus my eyes but it won't.

"Chantrea I'm here wake up!" He held me in his arms. Inalis nito ang tape sa aking bibig. Hinawi niya ang magulong buhok na nakaharang sa aking mukha.

Nanatili ang tingin ko sa tinakbukan ng lalaki. "L-lend... T-the..." I can't even utter a f*****g word!

"Shh... Don't talk." He opened a flash light and cut off the wires tied on me. I don't know where he get that.

"The police are after him, they'll take care of it. Calm down. You'll be fine. We're going to the hospital." He lifted me on the floor and carried me like a bride.

I gripped tightly on his shirt. My hands are still shaking. Siniksik ko ang ulo sa dibdib niya.

His arms is not a place where I can hide but it makes me feel safe.

I want him to hold me closer,its safer. I wish I could stay in his arms...

Marahan niya akong diniin papalapit sa kanya. "Hang on, well be there in a minute. I'm sorry I was late," he murmured before everything went black.

******

"Death threat's?! Chantrea why you're not telling this to us?!"

I shaked my head. "I.. I don't about the death threat's in my emalis Mommy. I rarely check my personal email."

"Oh god! Who would did this to you?! They're heartless! Wala kang kalaban laban!" She reached for my hands. Umupo ito sa tabi ko.

I woke up in a cold room, white walls greeted me and Mommy screamed is freaking out when I opened my eyes. Lendhel brought me here. I was unconscious when we get here. I didn't remember the last thing that happened to me.

"Mabuti na lang at sinagot ni Mr. Montallion ang tawag mo kung hindi baka ano na ang nab sayo! We're sorry were not there when you needed as the most, Chant."

"It's alright Mommy."

"The Bezor! Bezor are under Callejo Industry! They must have heard your taking over it that's why they did this! They want our company to slow down so they could climb up!" si Dad.

I sighed. It's not the Bezor, Daddy... Or maybe? I don't know anymore!

"Mga walang hiya! Hindi sila lumalaban ng patas! Bakit kailangang saktan ka pa nila?! Mananagot sila sa batas!" he exclaimed.

"Miguel calm down. We're not sure about it yet. Maaring may galit kay Chant sa fashion industry. She's a top model, anyone would kill for her position in the fashion industry."

"No. I'm certain about this Diñana." Binalingan nito si Lendhel. "Do an investigation on the Bezor. I'm sure they did this!"

"Will do, Sir."

"Wala bang may galit o inggit sa iyo sa modelling Chant?"

Napaisip ako sa sinabi ni Mom, maaring mga inggit nga sa akin ang gumawa nito. Impossibleng mayroon testigo sa nangyari noon. Sigurado akong walang ibang taon ng oras na iyon. Maari ring hindi pero malaki ang posibilidad na sa fashion industry o mga Bezor ang ang may gawa nito.

Nag bayad pa talaga ng tauhan para takutin ako! Could it be Panina? She's jealous over me. I'm sure she did this!

"Panina..."

"Panina, Chant? Shes your friend right? A model like you."

"Yes mommy, we had a heated argument in the after party of the fashion show."

"Oh god! I told you Miguel. Its in the fashion industry!"

"We're going to conduct an investigation on this Panina and Bezor. What is Panina's full name ma'am?" tanong ng lalaking nakausap ko ng pumunta sa presinto.

"Panina Bezor."

"She's a Bezor?"

I nodded. "We have our first suspect. There's two motives for the crime."

"Did you received other death threat's expect from the emails?"

"I..." I paused. Should I tell him about the note I received yesterday?

He's in charge of Mariya's case years ago. Maaring mag hinala ito pag nakita ang nakasulat doon.

Who knows if he can connect all the dots and find out that it was me all along. I'm the suspect on his first case.

Hindi ko pa ito gaanong kilala pero sigurado akong matalino siya. He won't be a famous detective if he's not.

His eyes narrowed and his head tilted. "You were saying Ms. Callejo?"

I gulped. I shouldn't stutter! "I didn't. Wala na... 'Yun lang."

"Are you sure Ms. Callejo?"

I nodded. So we're back in surname basis now? I can't believe him! Last night he was calling me Chantrea now I'm just miss Callejo to him?

Pumikit ako, baka sakaling maalala ang sinabi nito sa akin bago ako mawalan ng malay.

"Aw!"

"Chant what happened?"

"N-nothing mommy I want just trying to remember something before I fainted." sinulyapan ko siya.

He stared at me. Ako na ang unang umiwas ng tingin. Bumaba iyon sa aking pulsuhan. Mayroon hiwa doon.

I sighed heavily. I can't believe this is happening to me! Araw araw nalang atang may humihiwa sa balat ko!

"I've told you about this before, you should have your own bodyguards, Chantrea."

"Your Dad's right Chant, it's for your own safety."

"I know you will say no to this again because you don't want them following you around but they can hide, you won't even notice they are there. You can have four or six for now. I know you won't agree to this but you nee--"

"I want bodyguards Dad. Double it. I dont want a stranger lay a finger on me again. I won't let them cut me and leave a scar."

"Don't worry, Chant. That's not going to happen again. No one can harm you from now on because you'll stay with us in Riqueza."

Nangunot ang noo ko. "But what about the company? I shouldn't leave it. A Callejo nev---"

"A Callejo needs rest Chantrea. We won't risk your life because of the company. Your our only daughter. The company means nothing if we loss you.

"We suggest to put the two of our policemen as his bodyguards to investigate if the suspect is stalking her so we could arrest him. Honestly you can make Detective Montallion one of her bodyguards, he will follow her everywhere like a dog to its own--"

Hindi nito natapos ang sasabihin. Nngumiwi siya. "E-excuse me sir, I need to check on the cctv footage on the village." aniya.

Paika ika itong lumabas ng kwarto.

"You did it again Lendhel. You save my daughter for the second time now."

"It's my duty Sir. I will make sure who did this will pay according to the law.

"I'll put my daughter's case in your hands, detective. I'm sure you'll take care of her right?" si Dad.

Sinulyapan niya ako. "Yes, Sir."

"We should leave the both of you. I believe my daughter will give her gratitude on you."

My eyebrows furrowed. Really? Im not aware about thanking him... alone.

Nag tama ang tingin naming dalawa. Mahigit limang beses ata akong kumurap habang nakatingin sa kan'ya!

Shit, he might think that I'm flashing my eyes on him! That I'm doing the "beautiful eyes"!

Iniwas ko ang tingin sa kan'ya saka tumayo sa kama, binuksan ko ang bintana ng hospital room. Mabuti nalang meron nito dito. I don't care if cool air will leave the room. I need fresh air!

Huminga ako ng malalim.

I turned to him. I pursed my lips. "Uh... Thank you for picking up the phone and for saving my ass last night."

His eyes traveled down to my buttocks. "Your ass is worth saving."