Unlocking His Past

CHAPTER 33

—BLAIRE'S POV—

"Mommy Gold, when can I visit the mansion again?" It's Amethyst.

"Ask your Dad, Ame not me." i answered her.

Nandito kami ngayon ni Yaya Bebang at Rio sa kitchen at kumakain ng ice cream. Nagkekwentuhan dahil kakabalik lang din ni Yaya galing sa probinsya nila. Umuwi siya noong nakaraang buwan dahil sa may emergency sa kanila. Hindi pa natatapos ang kwentuhan naming tatlo nang mag-video call si Amethyst.

"Okay, mommy. I'll ask him later! I really miss you and Yaya!"

"Miss ka na rin namin, Baby Ame!"

After Amethyst's recovery, days after, Tito Aldren fetch her. Good thing his mission were done that time.

"Mommy do you still have our picture with Kuya Reiz? The one that we took on the bookstore? Can you send it to me hehe," Ame's voice filled with excitement. She is always like this, having this so unlimited energy for everything.

"Ay oo nga pala, Gold. Ngayon ko lang ulit naalala iyon! Ang ganda pa nang magkaka-picture ko sa inyo n'on!"

Nakalimutan ko na iyon eh!

"Who is Reiz, Yaya?" sabat na tanong ni Rio.

Ngayon ko lang din napansin ulit ang presensya niya. Kanina pa kasi siya tahimik simula nang mag-call si Ame. Well, hindi pa yata nito nakikita si Ame sa personal kaya natahimik din, isa pa hindi siya iyong tipong mahilig sa bata.

"Ay kaibigan ni Gold."

"K-kaibigan?" hindi makapaniwala niyang tanong.

"Wait. I remembered the name Reiz, is he the one you wanted me to investigate before, Gold?" I nodded.

"Then how come you become friends with him? Did Dad knows about it? Did he just let you?"

Hindi ko pa nasasagot ang tanong ni Rio nang marinig namin ang marahas na pagsara ng front door. Dahil sa glass wall at isang maliit na hallway lang ang pagitan nito sa kitchen ay matiim kaming naghintay sa kung sino ang pumasok nang mansion, na kahit sinong isa sa amin ay alam na si Dad iyon.

Malay ko? Dad is in the mood these past few days. Bakit may pa ganoon siya pagka-uwi? Not unless there's a big problem in the company or in the Clan.

Hindi pa nahagip nang mata ko si Dad ay tila bumalabog ang nakakatakot niyang sigaw sa buong mansion. "RIO! IN MY OFFICE!" Dad shouted.

Dahil sa halos magkatabi lang kami ni Rio na inuupuan na stool ay parang slow motion lang din ang sabay namin paglingon sa isa't isa.

"What did you do?" I almost whispered.

He shrugged his shoulder and heave a sigh. Bago pa man siya tumayo ay biglang umayos ito nang tindig at pumunta na nga sa kaniyang office.

What's the matter?

—MIKE'S POV—

As soon as Rio arrived in my office, he quickly bow down his head. I signaled him to sit and so he did. Mabibigat na paghinga ang ilang beses kong pinakawalan. Pabalik-balik akong naglakad at pilit pang pinapakalma ang sarili. Pakiramdam ko ay gustong sumabog ng inis ko sa nangyari.

"What happened, Dad?"

Saglit akong tumigil at nilingon siya. Kapagkuwan ay itinaas ang isang daliri para ituro siya pero agad namang binawi at iritadong umupo sa swivel chair ko.

"Where were you?"

"What do you mean?" His looks tells me that he knows nothing about my question. I tried to look at him in his eyes and search for answer there but it's nothing but a full of curiosity.

Am I making an assumption to suspect him? Rio would never dare to betray me—his own father.

"I barely have time alone. You know that, Dad. It's either your or Gold have my accompany. Anyways, why do you ask? Is there any serious problem, Dad?"

Still, I trace nothing in his expression that could support what I've found.

"When you were in states? When did you arrived in the Philippines?"

Iyan na lang yata ang alam kong mga oras na malayo siya sa atensyon ko.

"What is this all about, Dad? Do you suspect of something or what?"

Nagpakawala ako ng isang malalim na buntong hininga saka sumuko sa pagtatanong. Hindi naman nagtagal ay kumalma na ang sistema ko. I apologetically looked at him and erase every suspension I built in my head to him.

"Irill and I actually installed a CCTV near Anderson's house. The first one was useless. I found nothing special in his everyday life. But I secretly added one in the secluded street near them. It's like the shortcut to go in their house. Mabibilang lang sa kamay ang mga sasakyang dumadaan doon. Kokonti lang din ang mga taong doon dumadaan dahil na rin sa maraming adik ang nandoon. When Anderson's birthday, the CCTV caught Irill's arrival there."

Damn! Bakit nandoon siya?

"I didn't know that he's been in contact with Anderson again. I was surprised seeing it."

"You think Irill is betraying you?"

I've had enough betrayal in my life. I trust Irill so much. He wouldn't do that for sure. But the fact fact that he didn't tell me about it and he has mission with Venom makes me think.

"Sort of. But I'm not sure. I've known Irill for so years already—"

"And so? I think you forgot, Dad about Anderson. He was once your closest friend, right? Someone you had trusted your life also. But he managed to betray you right?" Rio cutted off my words.

I was caught off guard with his questions which are very true. He knows about Anderson and his betrayal to me. He partly knows everything in my life. That's why he chose to be with me when her mother went missing, for goodness sake she might have dead now. We don't know. We stopped hoping to see her anymore. It's like we accepted her fate. Si Anderson pa naman, malinis at walang awa kung pumatay iyon.

"I understand your point. Maybe, I just overreact with it."

I'm actually afraid that one of them might stabbed me in the back again.

"If it's Irill then what it has to do with me? I arrived in the Philippines just 2 weeks ago."

Umiling ako.

"Such informations just overwhelmed me."

The truth is. There's one person also caught in the CCTV. Ang nakakapanghinala ay may lumapit sa kaniya na dalawang lalaki na mukhang taga-roon lang. At mabilis ang pangyayari. Bilang naglabas ito ng baril at binaril isa-isa ang dalawang lalaki sa may bandang pas. Halatang sanay itong humawak ng baril at asintado pa kung bumaril. Isang bagya na nagpapagabag talaga sa akin ay ang estilo ng lalaki at ni Rio ay may pagkakapareho.

"You sure, Dad?" he asked as if making sure that I've told him everything. That there's nothing left in my mind.

Rio is indeed great at shooting. He loves to use gun and he always aims for his victim's leg. Just like what happened to the poor guys caught in the CCTV. Based on Rio, shooting them first in their leg is much more better tactic for him to paralyzed his opponent and it would easily weakened them that target other else.

It's absurd to think it was Rio. The time pacing won't agree. Baka nagkataon lang na sa paa niya ito natamaan.

"Yeah. Maybe, I exaggerated everything," I assured him and set asside everything.

May isa pa kaming problema. At iyon ang Tropessa Clan.

They are in trouble. Bukas o makalawa, madadawit ang Ilthrov Clan. At si Rio lang ang p'wede kong pagkatiwalaan ng misyon na ito. Mukhang nagtatagumpay na naman akong ilayo si Gold sa kaguluhan ng underground community. I can't take the risk of losing her. I know she's much more capable of protecting herself but a father instinct of mine won't never allow her to be in danger again. That's the only good option I have now.

—GOLD'S POV—

Matapos umalis at magtungo ni Rio sa office ni Dad ay nagpaalam na rin akong umalis kay Yaya. Maghahating gabi na rin kasi at halos lahat ng mga maids ay tulog na. Kokonti na lang din ang mga naka-duty na body guard ang nandito sa loob ng mansion. Halos lahat sa kanila ay nasa labas na.

Pagkaaykat ko ay sumadya akong makinig sa pintuan ng office. Hindi naman soundproof ang office ni Dad at hindi ako naman ako nagkamali dahil rinig na rinig ko silang nag-uusap tungkol kay Anderson.

Sa buong usapan nila ay hindi ko magpatanto kung bakit ganoon ang reaksyon ni Dad kanina. He sounds so angry earlier but now he said that Rio has nothing to with it. Dad is probably lying. I wonder why Rio didn't initiate to ask. He seems so silent about it. I can't see them though I can picture out what they are like now.

"The Tropessa Clan. Nahuli nila si Ritch sa plano nito sa kanila," rinig kong sabi ni Dad matapos niyang e-explain ang lahat tungkol sa sitwasyon na mayroon ang Tropessa Clan.

"They are in trouble. Her auntie is threatening Irill's family. It won't take long for them to put our Clan in misery. Now that they have the power to do that."

"Isn't it our responsibility to save them?" Rio said coldly.

"Irill's family is part of the Clan. The fact that we chose to side them would cause so much misunderstanding and trouble to our Clan. That is why, I'm giving you this mission. You need to stop this mess before it became big and uncontrollable. We can't put our name, now that our company is facing a problem."

A moment of silence took over them. I heard no one speak again. Akala ko ay tuluyan nang natapos ang usapan nila dahil na rin sa inabot ng minuto akong walang narinig sa kanila.

Umayos na ako ng tayo at bahagyang nilayo ang tainga sa pintuan nang muling magsalita si Dad.

"Do it for me, Rio. I know you and Irill aren't in good terms but please. I can't entrust Tropessa and our Clan to other people here. It's only you whom I can trust you with this," he paused. "Not even Gold."