The Devils Mayhem (Devils #3)

Chapter 5

ALEX had tried to be patient. And it was already something big for someone like him.

Ang tingin ng ibang tao sa kanya ay walang pasensiya at mareklamong tao. Kapag may nakita siyang mali sa paligid niya, agad niya itong tatamain. Ngunit pagdating sa paglalaro, oras-oras ang gugugulin niya dito.

Kaya't kung ikaw ang napili niyang paglaruan, manalangin ka na at paunti-unti ka niyang pahiirapan hangga't na ikaw na mismo ang magmakaawa na patayin ka na lang. Sa kabila nito, madali din ito magsawa, lalo na sa mga babaeng pinipili nito.

The maids and bodyguards were a witness of his countless affairs as well his gruesome crimes. Lahat ang mga ito ay iba-iba, masasabi nilang ni isa sa mga ito walang tumatagal dahil sa pabago-bagong ugali ng kanilang amo.

Well, that's also something they must keep their tabs on. Their boss was a nut head and quite moody. Hindi nila alam kung paano nila pakikisamahan ang pabago-bago nitong ugali.

Oras na makasama nila ito sa iisang kwarto, hindi nila alam kung anong ikikilos nila. Minsan ayaw nito ang tinititigan, other times he'd demand to be looked at. Or else you were a rude person if you haven't done either. It was like every day you were walking on thin ice, careful approach, fragile grounds, and burning coldness. That's how it felt like.

Or simply put, Alex just loves stepping on everyone's face and having control in any given situation.

Kaya't hindi nila inaaasahan ang biglang paguuwi nito ng isang babae. And what's even surprising is that he allowed this woman to live in his own mansion, tended by maids and well taken care of. Sa lahat ng mga babaeng nakikita ng mga katulong ito yata ang nakatagal ng isang linggo at hindi pa rin nahuhulog sa bintana o pinupunta sa underground upang paglaruan lamang.

"Ma'am oras na po para kayo ay maligo." Yakag ng is a sa limang katulong na pumasok ng kwarto ng dalaga.

Katulad ng naunang punta ng dalaga sa mansion, nakatanaw lamang ito sa bintana. It wasn't hard to understand that the woman was being held captive by their boss. Pero kahit maisipan nilang tulungan ito ay hindi nila magawa, kahit pa magtapang-tapangan sila, wala lang sila mailalaban.

Ilang tauhan na ba nila ang namatay sa kamay ni Alex dahil lang sa paglabag nila sa utos nito?

Kung gugustuhin naman nilang umalis sa tabaho, ang mga pamilya naman ni Alex ang pupuntiyahin nila. Saying that he will make their family suffer if they quit.

They also must remain loyal and never engage with the people outside of the mansion. It was a prison, holding them by the throat.

One maid learned this the hard way when she tried to escape the mansion, all her family died, no one was spared. She lost her mind and was admitted to a mental institute and would eventually commit suicide.

Pagkatapos ang insidenteng ito, wala nang mga tauhan ang gusting lumabag sa mga galamay ni Alex.

And this woman, no matter she was favoured by the boss, they're still ot confident that Alex won't lose his interest.

Ngunit ano nga ba ang nakita ng lalaki sa babaeng ito? Maganda ito ngunit ang mga babaeng nagkakandarapang makuha ang atensyon ni Alex ay may mga lahi, ang ilan pa ay modelo at halos sambahin na ang nilalakaran ng binata.

"Is this one of your masters order?" Nang tumango ang mga katulong ay muling nagkuyom ang kanyang magkabilang kamay. Being powerless really is frustrating. Even though all her life, she promised herself to never ever be easy meat towards men, it only made her pity her situation.

Huminga siya ng malalim upang kalmahin ang sarili. "Ano naman ang parusa niyo kapag hindi ninyo ako napaliguan?"

Natahimik ang lima at napayuko. Ynalee had a hunch about it, and it only frustrates her more that they've been treated as tools.

"Death by hot boiling water."

Nanlaki ang mata niya nang marinig ang sinabi ng katulong na nasa gitna. Maski ang mga mata nito ay malaki, parang hindi makapaniwala na masasabi nito ang karumal-dumal na parusa na maaring mangyari sa kanila.

Ynalee couldn't really steady her breath but she had no choice but to oblige to this one as well. Besides, she hadn't had any baths since she first came here.

She just felt very uncomfortable all the while they were rubbing her with some bath soaps and shampoos as maids had never bathed her before, even though she was from a rich family. Mas gusto niya kasing siya na lang ang gumagawa ng mga kailangan niya. That's what people normally do anyway.

Nang matapos na and mga ito ay tinuyo na ng mga katulong and kanyang buong katawan saka siya binihisan ng isang red empire wast dress.

"Why should I wear this?" Tanong niya.

"Master requested you in this outfit ma'am."

Pinanliitan ko ng mata ang repleksyon ko sa salamin.

"Where are we going?"

"To the garden."

Napaangat siya ng paningin. "Garden?"

__Ynalee's POV__

IT was a very big garden house, a place I least expected to exist in a prison. The mansion was suffocating but once I stepped inside this garden, I can't help but breathe in delight, as if a heavy anchor has been lifted from my chest.

Hindi naman talaga ako mahilig sa mga place viewing. I found it very unimportant an unamusing. Pero ngayong matagal ko nang hindi nakikita ni katiting man lang na kagandahan sa loob ng mansyon, hindi ko maiwasang matuwa sa nakikita ko.

Ngunit lahat ng kaligayahan ay may hangganan rin.

Nang dumating na ang demonyo ay agad na bumagsak ang ang ngiti ko.

I don't wanna ask why he was here because I know that he would just annoy me by answering with a fake kind voice. The voice he uses always reminds me of Pierce, the one who I really fell in love with, not this disgusting monster in front of me.

"You seem happy." He says, and there it is his poisonous smile. "How are you, Ynalee?"

Hindi ko siya sinagot ngunit nanatili lamang matalim ang titig ko sa kanya.

"Let's seat okay?"

Yakag niya at itinuro ng kanynag palad sa isang black rattan table na napapalibutan ng mga naggagandahang rosas. And just like ho wit was used for, there are already meals placed on each side of the table with two rattan chairs with matching colours.

Hindi ko alam kung ano na ang mararamdaman ko. It's easy to say I am pleased without him around but now that I am seeing him with that smile Pierce would always give me, it complicates me. Almost got me wishing that he were not Pierce.

Or that this was just a very bad dream. 

Because he's just here, hands extended in front of me, inviting, ready to guide me. Pero hindi ko ito tinaggap at nagdire-diretso lang sa paglalakad.

Kung ano man ang pinaplano niya, hindi ko ito papatulan, at least in that way, even it was just a little bit, I could salvage a part of my fallen dignity.

Ako na mismo ang naghila sa isang upuan para makaupo na ako. I already know that he is going to join me for breakfast, what is the purpose of this dress anyway?"

"I see. You're that hungry, huh?" Mula sa tapat ko ay umupo na rin si Alex. "Eat up."

Pinanliitan ko siya ng mata. Ito naman ay deadma lang at kumilos upang buksan ang takip ng aming pangkain at inilagay ito sa gilid ng lamesa.

"Today's dish is special."

When I looked down I expected an unrecognizable fancy food. Pero nagulat ako nang makita sinigang lang pala ito na may simpleng kanin sa gilid. Kunot ang noo na napatingin ako sa kanyang gawi.

"What...," Naudlot ang aking sasabihin nang maalala ko ang plano ko. Wasn't supposed to give him the silent treatment?

"Because it's your favorite, isn't it?"

Natameme ako sa sinabi niya.

Tatanugin ko na sana siya kung paano niya nalaman, kaso naalala ko nga pala na nasabi ko na sa kanya.

At that time, I asked him to stop by to a cafeteria to eat, kasi doon ko lang nakita ang putaheng iyon, na-curious ako kaya iyon ang kinuha ko. Sino ang mag-aakalang kakaiba pala ang lasa ng kinuha ko. But I liked it. Since then, whenever I eat outside, I can't eat it unless it's sinigang.

Should I be moved? He let the maids cook my favorite dish. Pero and maliit na bagay na ito, mabubura ba ang ginawa niya sa akin?

"Hindi ako kakain." Malamig ang boses na sabi ko saka tinulak ng mahina ang platong naglalaman ng sinigang. "Wala akong gana."

Tumaas ang magkabila nitong kilay. "Ayaw mo? Sige ako na lang ang kakain." Ngumisi ito na animo'y nangaasar sa akin. Just like how Pierce would tease me.

I would have shouted at his face and hover the food inside my mouth and tease him back and...

My eyes trembled as I remembered the time spent at the cafeteria. Ngunit pinigilan ko ang namumuong luha at iniwas ang tingin sa kanya.

"S-sabi ko hindi ako gutom." Kinagat ko ang aking labi.

"Oh? Favorite mo ito. Sige ka baka hindi ka na makakain sa bahay ninyo ng ganito."

Lalong nanginig ang aking katawan nang nakukuha ko na ang sitwasyon naming dalawa. And I don't know what hurts more, is it the way he was trying hard to pretended like Pierce again? Or is it that I can't force myself to imagine that we're the same as before.

"Hindi na din kita ililibre."

Hindi ako nagsalita.

Ngunit nagpumilit pa rin siya. Kinuha niya ang kanyang kubyertos at kumuha sa sinigang at isinubo ito sa kanyang bibig.

"Dali kapag naubo 'yung s akin, baka 'yung sayo na ang kakainin ko."

"Go ahead." I said shortly.

"Yna," I flinched involuntarily as I heard my name. "diba tayo na? Hanggang ngayon ba magsusungit ka pa rin sa akin?"

Nang sabihin niya ito ay napatingin ako sa kanyang gawi, ang mukha nito ay walang bahid na kung anong masamang intensiyon, na para bang hindi niya ako pinagsamantalaan noong isang araw lang. It's as if he is really Pierce without any pretense.

"A-ano ba...," Marahil ay nakatingin ako ng matagal kaya't bigla siyang napatingin sa gilid. Hinimas-himas pa nito ang batok, wari mo'y talagang nahihiya sa inasta. "H-huwag mo akong titigan ng ganyan."

It was all too sudden but my mouth just automatically said, "P-Pierce..."

That's when he looked at me as if he couldn't believe what I just said, for a moment there, an emotion is evident in his eyes, only to disappear before I could even name it.

"Y-yes--" Tumikhim siya saka muling ibinalik ang ngiti sa kanyang labi. "It's me."

I stared at his smiling face, my eyes trembling even more as I felt in the deepest part of me was anger spawling like a great wavelength.

He is the worse...

Sino siya para paglaruan ang ako ng ganito? Ang mga memorya ko kasama si Pierce, he didn't even respect them. 

Ngunit napigilan ko ang galit bago ko pa ito mailabas sa aking bibig. Kung gusto niyang magpanggap, kaya ko rin.

So, I smiled, the fakest I could master. And it took all my courage to say, "Salamat Pierce. It's my favorite."

Unti-unti kong kinuha ang kubyertos na nasa lamesa at nagsimula ng kumain. Ang bawat subo ay pinilit kong lunokin upang mapigilan ang pagbara sa aking lalamunan. At sa sitwasyong ito, alam kong hindi ganito ang maasta ko sa harapan ni Pierce.

How would I act?

Kahit pa na naging kami na. Siguro magiging tulad pa rin kami ng dati. Aasarin niya ako, magagalit ako sa kanya, magpapaulan ako ng prankang salita.

I smiled sadly. It's gonna be the most comfortable and happiest feeling. Pero ngayon, napipilitan lang ako dahil alam kong ako na naman ang gagawin niyang dahilan upang patayin ang mga inosenteng tao...diba?

Kaya hindi na ako papayag na gawin niya pa iyon.

I looked at Alex's way, where he was happily munching on his own food.

He was planning something big and I need to find out what it is. I must stop him before he involves anyone else before he involves Victorique. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang mangyayari sa akin. Ngunit alam kung binubuwis ni Victorique ang buhay niya upang mahanap ako. At hindi ako magda-dalawang isip na ibuwis din ang aking buhay sa magaganap na malaking laban.

Afterall, Alex is the mastermind of this mess, I will end it with him.

Ikinuyom ko ang kamay ko.

I need to find a way to get rid of him.

It's the right thing to do.