The Billionaire’s Wrong Bride

TBWB - 10

NAKAILANG BASO na ng tubig si Kira, pero hindi pa rin kumakalma ang katawan niya. Talagang muntik na siyang mawala sa mundong ibabaw kanina kung hindi siya hinatak ni Lissandro at niyakap. Nagkaroon pa tuloy siya ng utang na loob sa lalaki.

She doesn't like owing anyone anything.

Hindi siya makapaniwala sa mag-ama. Are they insane? Ganoon ba talaga sila magbatian? Kamuntik na siyang maging kwento na lang.

Naupo si Lissandro sa sofa katabi niya.

"You look familiar, hija... have we met before?"

Napatingin si Kira sa matanda, bahagyang naningkit ang mga mata. "If we did, I'm pretty sure I'd remember someone who almost got me killed," sagot niya, may halong sarkasmo at lamig sa boses.

Bahagya niyang inangat ang baba, pilit pinipigilan ang panginginig ng katawan. "Or is that your usual way of welcoming people?"

Saglit siyang tumingin kay Lissandro, saka muling ibinalik ang tingin sa ama nito. "Because if it is... I'm not impressed."

Palihim na pinagmasdan ni Lissandro si Kira, his gaze lingering longer than he intended. Bahagya siyang tumikhim nang mapansing hanggang ngayon ay nanginginig pa rin ang katawan nito, parang hindi pa rin tuluyang nakaka-move on sa nangyari kanina.

He realized then... she's not built for this kind of world. Not yet.

Dahil sa mundong ginagalawan ni Lissandro. walang choice kundi matuto, sumugal at lumaban. Simula nang ikasal sila ni Kira ay kabuntot na rin niya ang peligro.

"Kiana, he's my dad," pakilala ni Lissandro, sabay sulyap kay Kira. "Dad, she's my wife, Kiana."

Alam ni Kira kung bakit niya ginawa iyon, para pakalmahin ang tensyon matapos ang sarkastiko niyang sagot kanina.

Bahagya siyang tumuwid at hinarap ang matanda. "Hindi ko alam kung 'nice to meet you' ang dapat kong sabihin, Mr. Moretti," wika niya, diretso ang tingin sa ginoo, kahit may bahid pa rin ng kaba.

Pangiti-ngiti lamang ang ginoo habang pinagmamasdan silang dalawa, tila may sariling aliw sa sitwasyon. He had tested Lissandro through his wife, and thankfully, Lissandro had passed his father's first test.

"Bakit napaaga ang uwi mo, Papa?" seryosong tanong ni Lissandro sa ama. "Sa pagkakaalam ko, sa susunod na buwan ka pa makakauwi."

"I wanted to see your wife personally," wika ng matanda, tumitingin kay Kira. "And tama nga ang narinig ko... she's pretty, brave, and smart. Did she know about you?"

Nagdadalawang-isip si Lissandro bago umiling, habang nakatingin kay Kira.

Kumunot ang noo ni Kira sa pagtataka. Ano bang pinag-uusapan nila? Are they insane?! Gulong-gulo na 'ko sa kanilang mag-ama.

"I think you should tell her sooner," dagdag ng ama ni Lissandro, may halong aliw sa tinig, "because danger won't stop finding her."

Mas lalong kumunot ang noo ni Kira. Mukhang dadami ang wringkles niya dahil sa mag-ama.

"Even if I don't tell her, she'll find out sooner."

Kira rolled her eyes. "Pwede bang tigilan n'yo na ang pag-uusap about sa 'kin na parang wala ako dito?" Isang malalim na buntong-hininga ang pinakawalan niya. "I don't know what's happening, or kung ano man ang pinag-uusapan n'yong mag-ama, but one thing I am sure about... you guys are crazy!"

Dinala si Kira sa isang silid at doon pinagpahinga. Samantala nag-usap ang mag-ama nang masinsinan.

"You married her because of the throne," Lissandro's dad said.

"Ano bang gusto mong maging sagot ko, Papa?"

"The truth, dahil hindi ako bata na maloloko mo."

Tumango si Lissandro at huminga nang malalim.

"Yes," direkta at walang pagdadalawang isip na tugon. Nagsalin siya alak sa isang babasaging baso at tinungga iyon. "Ang ipagpatuloy ang pangalan ng pamilya, 'di ba 'yon lang ang mahalaga?"

Tumango ang ama.

"Tulad n'yo ng mama."

A quiet chuckle escaped his father. "Your mother and I are different. I love her. She knew exactly who I was before we got married." His gaze hardened slightly. "Yours is different, you married an innocent woman and dragged her into a life she never chose. A life that could get her killed."

"Does it matter?"

"Yes, I will tell you this, Lissandro, you can't have the throne just because you married her."

"What?!" Tumayo siya at naikuyom ang mga kamao. "Are you playing with me, Papa?"

"Do I look like I'm playing with you?" Matigas ang titig ng ama, seryoso ang mukha. "If you're not capable of loving, you have no right to sit on that throne."

Napatigil si Lissandro.

"What nonsense is that?" mariin niyang sagot, halatang nagpipigil ng galit.

"Hindi ito laro, Lissandro," malamig na tugon ng kaniyang ama. "Ang trono, hindi lang lakas at apelyido ang basehan. Dugo ang puhunan dito. Loyalty. Fear." Humithit ito sa tabacco na iniabot ng tauhan. "Kung hindi mo kayang protektahan ang asawa mo, kung hindi mo kayang mahalin, paano mo poprotektahan ang buong organisasyon? You can't rule a syndicate if you can't even keep one woman alive."

"I passed your test! I saved and protected her!" Nagngingitngit ang mga ngipin niya sa galit, nananatiling kuyom ang mga kamao.

"Saved?" mapaklang ulit ng ama. "You call that saving?" Umiling ito, mabigat ang bawat salita. "You only saved her because you needed her. You saved her because you're using her." Tumalim ang tingin nito, tila sinusukat siya. "That's ruthless, Lissandro, but don't mistake that for strength."

Lumapit ito nang bahagya, malamig ang boses. "Wala kang pinagkaiba sa mga taong itinutuba natin, selfish, gutom sa kapangyarihan, at walang pakialam kung sino ang madamay."

Saglit itong huminto bago muling nagsalita, mas mababa ang tono. "That's not a leader. That's a man who's bound to lose everything. If you want to rule a syndicate," dagdag nito, "start by learning how to lead your own life... bago ka tuluyang mawalan ng lahat—even her."

Tumalikod sa kaniya ang ama. "If she died today... would you just find another woman to marry for the throne?" Tumigil saglit, malamig ang boses na halos walang emosyon. "The throne is not a toy, Lissandro. May kaakibat 'tong mabigat na responsibilidad. At kung ganyan lang ang isip mo..." Napailing ang ama. "Hindi mo 'yon deserve. Not the throne... not her... and maybe, not even yourself."

The air between them thickened. Lissandro's hands clenched into fists, his nails digging into his palms. "You... you don't understand!" he snapped, teeth gritted. "I did what I had to do! I protected her! I—"

"Protected her?" His father's voice cut him down, calm, cold, merciless. "You call that protection? You dragged an innocent woman into our world, used her as a pawn, and think that makes you strong? That's weakness, Lissandro. That's what will get her killed... and ruin you with her."

Lissandro's jaw tightened, his pride stung sharper than any blade. Rage burned through him, not for Kira, but for the humiliation of being judged, questioned, belittled. He slammed his fist against the wall, plaster cracked under the impact. His knees threatened to give way, but he didn't fall. Not yet.

"You think I care what you call it?!" he spat, voice shaking with fury. "I did what I needed to do! I did it my way!"

His father stepped closer, the shadow of his presence dark and suffocating. "No, Lissandro. You did what you thought was enough. But strength isn't just action, it's control. It's strategy. Until you understand that, the throne will never be yours. And one day, if you're not careful... the world will take everything from you, and you'll have no one to blame but yourself."

Lissandro's chest heaved, his pride and anger warring inside him. For the first time, he felt cornered, not by fear of death, but by the realization that his father could see right through him.

"It's our tradition, right? To get married before you get the throne?" aniya, madilim ang awra.

"You still don't understand everything." Malamig ang boses ng kaniyang ama. "You need to learn more, Lissandro. Sa nakikita ko ngayon... hindi ka pa handa." Bahagya itong tumigil, saka mas tumalim ang tingin. "All you want is power. That's pointless.”

Humakbang ito palapit, halos pabulong ngunit mas masakit pakinggan. "You can't lead."