Mafia Enslaved

24

MARSHAN

"I won't go against her, brother," I said to Kuya Spencer. We were on the balcony of the unit we bought upon arriving here in the Philippines. I don't remember how much I know about speaking Tagalog, but I am the one who taught Maureen the language. It was just sharpened when Lolo took us.

I have this fear of coming to this place. I know their language; it's my mother tongue, which means I came from here. My family is here, and this is where I will find out who I really am.

I met Maureen when I was 6, and she was born in Venom. Maureen grew up in Venom, which means we grew up separately. The question that kept bugging me is how and why Maureen and I were separated? Did our parents abandon her? Was she also kidn*pped?

But I remember what the Lord of Venom once said when he was beating up Maureen in front of us.

"You owe us your life! You were sold to us by your parents just to save your twin! No one needs you!"

My hand was shaking, and I took another puff of the cigarette I was holding. Our parents sold her to save me, something my mind doesn't want to absorb. Maureen is my greatest love, knowing that someone could easily abandon her crushes my heart. She has been through a lot, and she doesn't deserve all of this.

She needs love.

And I see that in the friends around her. Why would I go against it? Simple things can make her happy, and I would be willing to give her everything, even if it's against the rules.

"What if Grandpa finds out?" Brother Spencer leaned against the railings and looked at me slightly concerned.

"Does Lolo know? I know that you already know that Raphael's family is part of Venom, brother. Maureen knows that for sure. It's not about being a part of Venom; it depends on whose family we are a part of," I replied.

Kuya sighed at what he heard. I knew he knows too much, and he's not willing to tell us everything he knows.

"You know she doesn't have much time left," I told him. I crushed the cigarette I was holding in the ashtray.

"I won't let that happen. Maureen will live longer. I will insist on that; I will fight for that," he firmly said. I've been a witness to how Kuya Spencer kept on pushing Maureen to undergo several surgeries and therapies. He was always watching over her during her executive check-ups.

"I hope so, brother," I sighed. But I know how Maureen thinks. I made her promise me that she'll be my maid of honor by the time I'll be getting married, but she just always smiles at me.

Maureen doesn't want to make promises anymore because she's sure every promise she'll make will be left broken or unfulfilled.

"Go to your room, Marshan. I've fixed your papers already. Come in early tomorrow."

"How about you, brother? They will find out who we are if you don't change your name," I said.

"That's not a problem, Marshan. Everything is well taken care of, only one person knows us, only Rocket," he said. I pressed my lips tightly and nodded at him. I entered my room, and next time, I will make sure that Maureen stays here as well.

MAUREEN

"You're such an early person," I yawned when Marshan popped out in front of our unit and honked the horn again.

"I brought breakfast. Brother woke up early," she smiled at me and entered our apartment. She also fixed the dinner table because I was still sleepy.

"You fix your stuff now, huh? You're going to stay with us from now on," she added. I just nodded to her and went up to my room to get dressed.

"Come on, let's eat," she called me when she saw me.

Marshan may be a brat, but she loves Paeng as much as I do. Even if I am gone from this world, I will be reassured that I will leave them in good hands.

We took Paeng to his school before we went to school ourselves.

"I have a part-time job with Monique after class," I told Marshan after we got out of the car.

"Part-time job? Wow, Maureen , we're rich, you don't need that," she chuckled.

"Monique asked me a favor. It's good that I'm doing something while waiting for news on Venom."

"Hmmm, you seem very fond of her, should I be jealous?" She narrowed her eyes in question. I immediately put my arm around her and hugged her tightly.

"You're still my number 1 girl," I chuckled before letting go of her. She snorted at me, blushing. She is quick to sulk, but she is not hard to persuade.

"Hmph!" she grunted.

We entered the classroom holding hands. We were early today, so we were the only ones there. Marshan put her stuff on my seat. I can't quite remember if there's a vacant seat in the classroom. She opened the sliding window and sat there.

"Want some?" she asked, offering me a stick of tobacco.

"You should stop that," I said. She ignored me and lit a cigarette in front of me.

"Marshan..."

"Blake and I broke up," she puffed on her cigarette. I was stunned by what she said. I know how much she liked Blake.

A sad smile formed on her lips when she glanced at me.

"Frianne and Blake have liked each other for so long, I knew that, I felt that, but I just can't let go of him. He's my first love, but I'm not his true love," she said sadly.

I bit my lower lip furiously. I don't know what to say to my brother. I am not an expert on this. But one thing is for sure, I can feel the pain she's feeling right now.

"Marshan..."

"I tried to be happy for them; they are our friends. But it hurts, it hurts so much," she sniffed. She looked away to hide the tears forming in her eyes. She quickly smoked her cigarette and blew out a lot of smoke.

My sister may be a happy-go-lucky lady, a brat, and a headache, but when she loves, it's too much. She becomes selfless for the one she loves.

"I don't know what hurts more, leaving you suddenly or seeing you with someone else," she spoke in Tagalog. "But either way, we're both not lucky in love," she chuckled softly.

After she finished one stick, she lit another. I could clearly see the trembling of her hands.

"That's not allowed here," Marshan and I were both stunned by Raven's sudden appearance. He looked at us with a frown before sitting in his seat. I glanced at Marshan as she clenched her jaw before throwing out the unlit cigarette.

"Good morning," Raven said to me. My eyes widened slightly.

"Uhh, good morning," I said awkwardly. Marshan sat in my seat, but first, she gave Raven a hard look, who was also looking at her badly. I winced secretly.

"Don't smoke again; you have Maureen's face, and seeing you smoke is like seeing her smoke too. I don't like that," Raven said firmly. I heard Marshan gasp at what he said. Even I was surprised by what Raven said.

"June, July, Aug--"

"Marshan!" I cut her off. Her butlers June, July, and August are just around. One word from Marshan, and they won't hesitate to act.

Marshan's eyes turned red as she turned to Raven. She was fuming mad.

"What? I just said what I wanted to say. Don't do nasty stuff. You're ruining Maureen 's image," Raven said insensitively. Marshan ran out of the classroom, and I heard her sobs before that.

"What's your problem?! Why do you have to say that?!" I snapped at Raven. He just looked away and leaned on the backrest of his chair.

"I just don't like her," he said frankly.

"You have a habit of hating people before knowing them personally. One thing, Raven, don't do to Marshan what you did to me before. If you hurt her again, I swear I don't know what I'll do to you," I hissed at him.

I ran out of the classroom to find Marshan, but I was stunned to see her at the end of the hallway, hugging Christian.

I turned to Monique, who looked like she had been there a while and was looking at Marshan and Christian with sadness in her smile. She entered the classroom and bowed.

I was about to touch Marshan, but my hand hung in the air. If I touch her, what will I say to comfort her? D*mn! I'm so clueless about these things! I just let her go inside, and I walked towards Christian and Marshan.

"Marsh," I called her. She turned to me but did not remove her hug from Christian, as if she had found an ally.

"That's enough. Come on."

"B-But I don't like him! He's so rude! And mean!" she sniffed. I looked at Christian, who gave her an apologetic look.

"It's okay," he smiled at me.

"Marshan, you should be ashamed of yourself! You already wet his clothes," I said. Marshan slightly moved away from Christian to look at his clothes.

"S-Sorry," she sniffed and wiped her face. Christian handed her a handkerchief.

"It's okay, Marshan. If Raven bullies you again, just report it to me, and we'll whoop his ass for you," he chuckled and tapped Marshan's head like a child. Christian smiled at me before walking towards the classroom.

I glanced at Marshan, and I saw sparks in her eyes.

"I think I'm in love," she mumbled as she looked behind Christian as he walked away.

I slightly pulled her hair, so she giggled and immediately snorted at me.