Protecting the Mafia Queen [BOOK 2]

Chapter 1

Empress's POV

Nang mag mulat ako ng aking mata ay nakita ko nalamang ang aking sarili na tumatakbo sa isang madilim na lugar. Pilit kong inihihinto ang aking mga paa dahil narin sa giniginaw na ako dulot ng malakas na hangin at ulan pero 'di ko magawa, na parang may sarili itong pag-iisip.

Madilim ang buong paligid, mukhang nasa highway ako pero walang dumadaan na mga sasakyan at wala man lang kahit isang street lights. Habang patagal ng patagal ay nakakaramdam na ako ng takot. Natatakot ako sa pwedeng mangyari. Natatakot ako na baka hindi na ako magising pa.

Ngunit napapikit nalamang ako ng isang nakakasilaw na ilaw ang tumama sa aking mga mata at sunod ko nading narining ang walang tigil na pagbusina ng sasakyan. Huli na ang lahat ng matanto ko na may papalapit na palang sasakyan saakin. Tila namanhid ang buong katawan ko sa pagsalpok sa sasakyan at pati pagbagsak ko ay parang wala lang.

"Oh my goodness! Bilisan niyo kailangan nating siyang madala agad sa hospital!" Rinig kong boses ng isang babae. Pinilit kong alalahanin kung sino yun dahil narin sa familiar ang boses niya.

"Mommy, what happened to her? Bakit puno ng dugo ang katawan niya?" Ngayon naman ay boses ng isang batang babae na takot na takot

"Illiana! 'di ba sinabi ko na sayong wag kang lalabas?"

Pilit kong binubuksan ang aking mga mata ngunit pabigat ito ng pabigat.

"M-mommy n-need my h-help, m-mom--"

Agad akong napa-upo ng magising ako. Tagaktak ang aking mga pawis at nanginginig din ako sa takot. Pinikit kong muli ang aking mga mata at inalala ang naging panaginip ko ngayon. Sa totoo lang ay hindi lang panaginip ang lahat. Dahil unti-unti ko ng naaalala ang mga nangyari noon. Kunti nalang at malalaman ko narin ang tunay na dahilan kung bakit nila pinatay ang mommy ko at ng mapapalaya ko narin ang sarili ko sa nakaraan.

"Hey!" Muntik na akong mahulog sa inuupuan ko ng bigla nalang nagsalita si Denden na nasa gilid ko na pala, "I'm looking for you" sabi nito sabay upo sa katapat na upuan

"Why? Is there something wrong?" May pag-aalalang tanong ko sakanya.

Greyden Walter, my Lil' bro. He is only 18 y. old, I am 3 years ahead pero hindi ako nagpapatawag ng ate sakanya. Akala ko din kasi noong una ay mas matanda siya saakin.

"I accidentally heard you and dad talking last night that you and ate Illiana are going back to the Philippines tomorrow. Why so sudden?"

I already told dad my reason and that is to unfold the truth about my mom's death and the same time, to help myself to remember everything. I know knowing the truth can't change anything, this can't either bring my mom back from the dead. But I'm doing this for my own good.

My childhood memories are hunting me. I can't sleep, I can't eat, and sometimes I can't even talk to anyone. I already consulted lots of psychiatrists, but they can't help me too.

I'm not expecting that remembering my past will only make me worst. Pinilit ko pa talaga dati ang sarili ko na maka-alala. Ngayon ay sising-sisi na ako.

Jacq is right, I should have not to force myself to remember all those tragedies that happened to me. Now it's too late for me and the only thing that can cure me is to face it. I don't have a choice.

"Well, mauuna lang naman kami ni ate. Susunod kayo ni dad once he's done with all his works here" I don't know if that answered his question, but I hope it does.

"Okay, parang may magagawa pa ako. all of you already decided, even without asking me"

"Biglaan lang, kahapon lang din ako nagpa-alam kay dad. At saka balak naman namin sabihin sayo mamaya e. I'm sorry Lil' bro, wag ka ng magtampo"

"Basta mag-ingat kayo doon ah"

"Of course! Diba ate Illiana?" Damay ko sakanya kahit kakalabas niya palang sa may pintuan at hindi niya alam kung anong pinag-uusapan namin.

"Huh?" Takhang tanong nito habang naglalakad papalapit saamin ni Denden.

"Ate Illiana! Bakit hindi mo sinabi saakin na aalis ka?" Napakamot nalang ng kanyang batok si ate habang tumatawa.

Ate Illiana's been with us since that night. Dahil wala ng pamilya si Ate ay inampon na siya ni Dad. Bayad narin niya sa utang na loob niya kay Tita Yana at Tito Alex sa pag-aalaga saakin.

"Oo nga pala Den may tumatawag sayo kanina. Ruby daw pangalan"

"What?!"

"Sh*t!"

At nagulat nalang ako ng dali-dali siyang napatakbo papasok ng bahay. What the?!

"Denden have a girlfriend?" Tanong ko kay ate pero nagkibit balikat lang siya.

"Girlfriend or not, it's okay. Binata na si Denden"

"No, he's still young for love!" Napa-iling nalamang si ate.

I need to know who is that freaking ruby!

"Tuloy na ba tayo bukas?" Ate suddenly asked, I nodded, "Dad already knows your intention right? "

"Yeah, kahit naman 'di ko sabihin, malalaman at malalaman niya parin"

Dinaig ko pa ang isang bata kung makabantay si dad saakin. Buti na nga lang at napapayag ko siyang umalis ako, may kondition nga lang. At yun ay kasama ko si ate at kailangan kong ibalita sakanya ang lahat.

"Gusto niya lang na ligtas ka. Alam mo naman na matagal kang nawala at di niya kakayaning mawala ka ulit"

"I understand"

While I'm protecting Aiken, he's protecting me from behind. While my memories are hunting me, dad is also there to take care of me. He also stood as our mother and father, and we never feel a lack of love. Dad is always there watching over us and I am very lucky to have him as my dad.

"Anyways, bakit hindi mo nalang sila tanungin? You can ask dad and Lola V. Maybe they can help you to completely regain your memories"

"I already asked them and sadly, they don't have any idea why tita Wendy and Tito Aeries killed my mom. They both just received a letter from them asking for forgiveness"

Sobra ang pagsisisi ni dad noon na sana hindi nalang sana siya umalis edi' sana nailigtas pa niya si mom. Buhay pa sana siya ngayon.

"No one is expecting that kind of betrayal. Not even mom"

....

Next day

"I'm still against this, but I know that this is for your own good. Mag-ingat kayong dalawa" he said then hugged the both of us.

"Hey, Denden! Alagaan mong mabuti si Dad. Wag na wag mong hahayaang maging busy sa trabaho yan at lagi mong pakainin sa tamang oras. Are we clear?" Tumango naman siya sabay kindat

"Dad is just a piece of cake for me, Em"

"Tsk, talaga lang huh!" But he just winked again then put his hand on dad's shoulder. 

Napalingon naman kaming tatlo kay dad dahil hindi siya nagsasalita. Nakatingin na pala siya sa malayo at walang ka-emo-emosyon ang mukha nito.

"Dad? Is there something wrong?" I asked.

"Did you both bring your gun?" He asked out of the blue but I immediately understand what he meant, "Three on our both sides and four at your back, they are all armed"

Napangisi ako, "plus one" sabi ko sabay harap sa lalaking papalapit saamin na may hawak pang mapa as his props.

"Excuse me, may I ask some questions?"

"No" diretsahang sagot ni dad na ikinalaki ng mata nung lalaki. Aalis na sana siya ng biglang hilain ni dad ang kanyang braso tiyaka siya bumulong.

"Tell your companions that I'll only give three minutes for all of you to leave this place and if not, you're all dead" mahinahon pero puno ng otoridad na sabi ni dad saka niya ito binitawan.

Napa-iling nalamang ako at pilit na pinipigilan ang aking pagtawa habang pinapanood yung lalaki na ngayon ay nanginginig ang buong katawan niya habang naglalakad paalis.

"You can leave now, Take care" Then he hugged us again then kissed our forehead.

"Bye dad, bye Denden" sabi namin ni ate at naglakad na paalis.

"Denden, start the engine. They didn't take my warning seriously" rinig ko pang sabi ni Dad bago kami tuluyang makalayo sakanila.

"Aren't we going to help them first?" Ate asked.

"Nah, dad can handle that alone. We also have our own enemies, ate"

-*-*-*-

Gray's POV

Yesterday

*Sigurado ka na bang hahayaan mo ng malaman ni Empress ang lahat? Yes it can help her but it can also ruin your father and daughter relationship*

I sighed.

"But what can I do Mrs. Janios? Nasasaktan akong nakikita siyang nahihirapan every time her memories are visiting her. Empress is suffering for so long, pagod na pagod na siya"

*Then are you ready to lose her?*

I stopped. Ilang beses ko ng napag-isipan ang tanong na yan. Minsan oo pero kadalasan hindi. I don't want to lose her again. But the thing is...

"It's better to lose her than seeing her suffering because of my selfishness"