DANCING WITH THE VILLAIN

XVIII | The Hidden Marfori

Adriene Constance

Sinclaire Grande

Nagising siya kinaumagahan na walang masyadong maalala sa nangyari kagabi. But she could remember one clear thing: Rhysand staring back at her as she gulped down the contents of the whiskey on the glass. And as she sat on her bed, saka niya naalala ang buong nangyari. 

"I sang in front of him?" hindi makapaniwalang saad niya sa kanyang sarili nang maalala niya ang nangyari. Ngunit napahinga  naman siya nang maluwag nang maalalang hindi na siya pinagdududahan ni Rhysand. Hindi niya alam kung magpapasalamat ba siya o hindi sa alak na binigay ni Sid sa kanya kagabi. Ilang baso rin ang nainom niya and her drunkenness had pushed her to do things she never imagined she could do. 

Singing in front of a huge crowd was something she never thought of doing at ang kagabi ang unang beses na nagawa niya iyon. Hindi rin siyia umiinom nang ganoon and if not for last night, hindi niya sana malalaman na medyo mataas pala ang tolerance niya sa alcohol. Although it wasn't as high as the Marforis. Parang ginagawa na nila itong tubig. 

Adriene shook the distracting thought out of her head. She has to do something now. It seems like Sid and Rhysand are now trusting her as their employee. Ngayon, kailangan na niyang maging mas maingat. Otherwise, everything will be in vain. 

And then the sound of her phone ringing echoed across her room dahilan para mapatalon na siya sa kanyang kama. Napatingin siya sa kanyang cellphone na nasa kanyang bedside table. Nang tingnan niya ito ay unregistered ang number. Agad naman niya itong sinagot dahil alam na niyang si Ariela iyon. 

The moment she placed the phone on her ear, and malamig na boses agad ni Ariela ang bumungad sa kanya. 

"I have been calling since last night," bungad ng babae. 

"Good morning to you too," sagot naman niya habang hinihilot ang sentido. Her head hurts. 

"If you are not taking this mission seriously, alam mo na ang mangyayari at alam mo na ang dapat mong gawin." 

Adriene closed her eyes as she let out a deep breath before she said, "I was busy doing the job you asked me to do last night that's why I couldn't answer your call." 

"Then you better have something important to report today," saad ng babae. Mas lalong lumamig ang boses nito. 

"The Marforis has a lot of enemies. I am not yet that close for them to tell me the specifics but last night men came barging into the Grande causing trouble. And they're claiming they're men of Gulliver Wood. Maybe you should start with that," saad niya. 

"Gulliver Wood as in Wood Enterprises?" 

"I suppose so." 

"Ivory Skulls is making the Wood Enterprises their enemy?" 

She let out a scoff as she remembered what happened last night with the Skulls and with Sid. 

"Bakit?"

"Wood Enterprise is a big group, Miss Adriene." 

Ngunit iba ang nakita niya kagabi. Hindi pa rin siya makapaniwala kung paano napaalis ni Sid ang mga tauhan ni Gulliver Wood. He did not even have his own weapon. And here is Ariela telling her that the Wood Enterprises is the biggest group na makakaaway ng Skulls. 

"It isn't what I saw last night. One of the Marforis sent Gulliver Wood's men home. And he doesn't even have his own weapon." 

Natahimik naman saglit si Ariela sa kabilang linya bago ito nagsalita ulit, "I will be calling next week on Saturday. Make sure to answer it." 

At saka namatay ang tawag. Adriene sighed as she stared at the phone. She tossed it onto the bed at saka siiya humiga ulit. Inilagay niya ang kanyang braso sa kanyang ulo at ipinikit ang mga mata nang may bigla siyang maalala. 

She opened her eyes at nanlalaki iyon habang nakatingin sa kisame nang may maalala siyang isa pang nangyari kagabi. 

She remembered she was walking down the streets dahil ayaw niyang sumakay sa kotse ni Rhysand--or Rhysand doesn't want her to get on his car dahil baka masukahan niya--hindi niya maalala. And then it was a blur of curses and screams and when she remembered how Rhysand searched her pockets fof her room keys, doon na siya napabangon sa kama at napamura. 

Rhysand took her home and she had already embarrassed herself in front of him. It isn't because he's an extremely attractive guy but because it was embarrassing in general. Hindi niya alam kung paano siya natiis ni Rhysand kagabi. 

And then as she tried so hard not to think about it, mas lalo lang niyang naalala. Napapikit siya nang mariin as she recalled their banter in front of her apartment door. 

"You are touching me in the wrong places, Mr. Marfori," she said at tinampal ang kamay nitong nsa bulsa niya at naghahanap ng susi. 

"Trust me I don't like this as much as you. And besides, it's not as if there's much to touch--" 

"Aba!" saad niya at napalingon sa lalaki. Abala pa rin ito sa paghahanap ng susi at base sa nakikita niya sa mukha nito ay naiinis na rin ang lalaki. But she doesn't care. She's drunk. And she forgot that it's the leader of the Skulls she was talking to. "Hindi mo alam kung ilan ang nanligaw sa akin noon sa bayan namin. But anyway, hindi na ako magtataka. I've seen you and your girl next door. Maganda siya at ang ganda pa ng katawan. I know your type so you wouldn't dare take advantage of me. So here!" She opened her arms wide at humarap sa lalaki. Napatigil naman ito sa paghahanap ng susi sa kanyang bulsa at napatingin sa kanya. 

"What are you doing?" tanong ng lalaki habang nakakunot ang noo. 

She gave him an innocent look at sinabing, "You can touch me anywhere. I don't know where I put my keys. Nilalagay ko iyon minsan sa bra ko." Napayuko naman siya at tumingin sa kanyang dibdib. "Perhaps it's here," saad niya at walang sabi-sabing dinukot ang kanyang kamay sa loob ng kanyang damit at sa loob ng kanyang bra.

Narinig naman niya si Rhysand na napamura bago nito kinuha ang kanyang kamay na may hawak nang susi. Saka niya binigyan ng ngiti ang lalaki at sinabing, "Sabi ko na nga nasa bra ko lang eh." 

Nakita niyang napahinga nang malalim ang lalaki na para bang nagpipigil na rin itong patayin siya nang tuluyan. Kinuha nito ang susi sa kanyang kamay agad na binuksan ang pinto. Hindi na siya nito inalalayan. He was dragging her inside at saka siya pinaupo sa kanyang kama. Agad naman siyang humiga at tiningnan ang lalaking nakatingin lang din sa kanya.

And the last thing she remembered was him walking out of her room. 

Napasabunot naman siya sa kanyang buhok nang maalala iyon. Nothing good really comes out when drunk. Ni hindi man lang niya naisip kagabi na lider iyong grupong kayang-kaya siyang patayin at ang buong pamilya niya. Ni hindi niya naisip that she might have spilled everything to him while being drunk and it could have compromised her mission. Although she was quite confident that she wouldn't, but who knows? And all in all, it was embarrassing. Hindi niya alam kung anong mukha ang ihaharap niya sa lalaki after what happened. 

Bigla namang tumunog ang alarm ng kanyang cellphone and it was her sign to prepare for work. Ilang beses niyang kinausap ang kanyang sarili sa salamin ng kanyang banyo bago siya lumabas at nagbihis. 

The moment she arrived at the Grande, laking pasasalamat niya nang makitang si Fred lang and naroon. He was cleaning the floor at nang makita siya nito ay agad siya nitong nginitian. 

"How was your night?" tanong ng lalaki habang nakangiti.

She rolled her eyes before she placed her bag behind the counter and wore her apron. "Embarrassing. Is that what you wanted to hear?" 

Tumawa lang ang lalaki at nagpatuloy sa paglilinis. "You did great last night, though. The audience liked you. They wanted you to sing everynight. Told them the girl needs to rest her throat." Saka tumawa ulit ito. Napangiti na rin siya becasue deep down inside her, she was happy of what she did last night before Rhysand came. Dahil puro kahihiyan lang naman ang nagawa niya sa harapan ni Rhysand kahapon. She shook her head, trying to brush the thought away. 

"Dadami ang customers natin dahil sa pagkanta mo," saad ni Fred habang patuloy pa rin sa paglilinis. She just let out another small smile saka nagsimula nang magpunas ng mga baso. 

Thirty minutes after that, the door burst open at muntikan na siyang mapatalon sa gulat. Nang tingnan niya ito ay labis na lang ang pagtataka niya nang makitang isa iyong babae. She was wearing a dress that looked uncomfortable dahil kitang-kita niyang mahigpit ito sa bandang bewang ng babae. And the way she walks looks like she felt it was uncomfortable too but had no choice but to wear the dress. Nang makarating ito sa mesa ay agad naman itong napahawak doon at napahinga nang malalim. Adriene put the cloth down at agad dinaluhan ang babae. 

The woman looked at her and the moment she was close enough, saka niya nakita nang maayos ang mukha nito.  She looked fierce.  

"How may I help you?" tanong niya sa babae. 

Nagpalinga-linga naman ito na tila ba may hinahanap and then the woman's gaze went back to her. "Ikaw lang ba mag-isa dito?" tanong nito sa kanya at agad naman siyang tumango. Fred went to the Garson and she was the only one left in Grande. 

"May hinahanap ka ba?" tanong niya ulit sa babae at tumango naman ito sa kanya. 

"Did Rhysand drop by here today?" tanong nito sa kanya. 

And that's when she realized who the woman was. The resemblance--the fierceness--everything about her is very similar to the other Marforis she has met. The woman in front of her must be Rhysand's sister. 

"I'm afraid he didn't. May ipapasabi ka ba sa kanya? I can tell him later when he drops by,"she said ngunit umiling lang ang babae at tumayo. But the dress was too tight kaya na man kahit ang pagtayo ay mahirap para dito. 

"Are...are you okay?" hindi niya mapigilang magtanong. But the woman just waved a dismissive hand na para bang wala lang iyon at nagsimula nang maglakad. But as Adriene looked at her, hindi niya mapigilang mag-alala. And just when the woman was near the door, bigla nalang itong nadapa. 

Adriene was quick to run towards the woman on the floor ngunit bigla naman siyang napatigil nang marinig niyang magmura ito. And the next thing she saw was that the woman was already ripping the dress as if she's done. At nagmumura ito habang ginagawa iyon. 

Nang matapos na itong puniting ang ibaba ng damit, umabot na ang dulo nito sa kanyang tuhod. And next thing she did was reach for the laces at the back at agad iyong tinanggal. Ngunit nagkabuhol-buhol na ang tali sa likuran kaya naman nahihirapan itong tanggalin iyon. 

"This f*****g dress is driving me nuts!" sigaw ng babae habang pilit pa ring tinatanggal ang tali sa likuran. Agad naman siyang lumapit dito. She couldn't help but sigh inwardly. So the Marfori women are just as wild, huh. 

Hinawakan niyia ang balikat ng babae ngunit labis nalang ang gulat niya nang bigla nalang siya nitong hinila and the next she knew is her face is pressed on the door while her hand is being restrained from the back. 

"I just want to help with the laces at the back," saad niya sa babae. Halatang nagulat din ito sa nagawa dahil agad siya nitong binitawan at humingi ito ng tawad sa kanya. She let out a tight smile bago niya pinatalikod ang babae. 

"Thank you," saad nito sa kanya bago ito tumalikod. Agad naman niyang tinanggal ang tali sa likod nito at nang matanggal na ang damit ay walang sabi-sabing tinanggl ng babae ang buong damit leaving her naked inside the Grande. 

Humarap ito sa kanya and she couldn't help but look at the woman questioningly. "Great! Thanks," saad ng babae at saka nagpunta sa isa sa mg kwarto doon. Ngunit agad din namang lumabas na para bang wala doon ang hinahanap niya. Hinayaan niya lang ang babae hanggang sa makapasok ito sa locker room at nanag makalabas ay may dala na itong damit. Ngunit nang tingnan ito ng babae ay nagmura na naman ito. 

"I--uh--I have some spare clothes..." saad niya sa babae at napalingon naman ito sa kanya. Her eyes lit. 

"Talaga?" 

Adriene nodded at nagpunta sa locker room. Agad naman niyang binigyan ang babae ng damit na inilagay niya doon in case she spills drinks on herself.  The woman thanked her at agad naman itong nagbihis sa harapan niya. Hindi niya lang maintindihan kung bakit hindi na lang ito nanghingi ng tulong. The woman in front of her  gives her the impression that she isn't used to getting help from other. And theories already formed in her mind that perhaps this girl has been living away from her brothers and has been living on her own. And judging from the fact that the Crown doesn't even have any record of a Marfori sister, it must mean that the Marforis have been hiding the existence of this girl. 

Nang matapos ito ay ngumiti ito sa kanya. "Saan ba ako pwedeng maupo habang maghihintay ako kay Rhysand? Somewhere I couldn't be seen." 

Bingo. She thought. This woman was indeed hidden from the public. Adriene was tempted to ask why she was wearing that very tight dress but she stopped herself. Nginitian lang niya ang babae at agad niya itong dinala sa jwarto kung saan madalas tumatambay ang magkakapatid at nag-iinuman. 

"You can wait here," saad niya sa babae. Akmang aalis na sana siya nang bigla siya nitong tawagin. When she looked at the woman, she could see the way Sid looks when he's being playful. 

"You aren't curious of who I am and just let me in here without question," saad ng babae. "You must know who I am, then." 

Of course, she's sharp. She groaned inwardly at hinarap ang babae. 

"Yes, in fact, I do." 

"How?" This time, the smile from the woman's face disappeared and her voice has become stern. 

Adriene sighed. "Your brother, Rhysand, told me she has a sister. And the moment you barged into that door, I clearly saw the resemblance." 

Bigla naman itong napangiwi. "I look like him?" 

Adriene blinked and smiled. "A bit, yes. And a bit of Sid and Marcus too." 

Mas lalo naman itong napangiwi. "Maybe I should get plastic surgery, then." 

"Don't say something like that as if the Marfori genes embarrasses you." Napalingong naman silang dalawa sa nagsalita sa likuran nila. She saw Marcus standing a few inches from the door. 

Agad niyang tiningnan ang babae at nginitian. The woman smiled back at her and Marcus nodded at her bago siya bumalik sa counter kung saan siya nagpupunas ng mga baso kanina. And before she was out of earshot, she could hear the girl assuring Marcus that she is safe and there's no need to threaten her just because she knew about the hidden sister. She sighed as she walked back. Hindi niya akalain na ganoon ang kapatid nilang babae.

She's practically a kid. Kaya siguro nila itinago ang babae dahil ayaw nila itong masangkot sa gulo. With the enemies of the Skulls, they would, without a doubt, go for the little sister to threaten the brothers. She's the weakness of the Skulls.

Ngunit hindi rin siya pakasisigurong ito nga ang kahinaan ng grupo. The girl is a Marfori too. And Adriene couldn't help but think the young woman is just as capable as her brothers. 

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