SOLD TO A HEARTLESS DEVIL

CHAPTER 7

HACE

“You’re drinking again.”

I looked back when I heard Draco’s voice.My best friend.I just shrug at him and drink the rum on my glass.Naupo ito sa katabi kong stool at nagsalin din ng alak.Uminom ng kaunti at humarap sa’kin.

He just stare at me for a while before talking.

“Are you still on,on getting Ronaldo’s daughter?”

He ask as his brows narrowed at me .

I just shrug and drink the last drop of my rum.

“None of your business!”

I answered back,and poured another drink.

Inagaw niya ang alak na hawak ko at pinakatitigan ako.Napatingin na din ako sa kanya at nakipagtagisan ng tingin.Tingin na parang inaarok niya ang sinabi ko.

“It’s my god damn business Mr. Mondeñego! Dinadamay mo ang taong walang alam sa ginawa ng ama niya.Aren’t you being unfair? Where’s your honesty and justice?”

“So what he did to us is fair?!”

Bulyaw ko sa kanya,hindi ko na napigilan pa ang emosyong lumukob sa sa’kin.This topic is sensitive for me.

“Buhay ang nawala Draco,kaya buhay din ang kapalit!”

Nakakuyom ang kamaong saad ko sa kanya.Napailing lang ito at ininom ang alak niya.

“Poor lady,but have you seen her picture? That’s a hot fine young lady there,kaya pala palaging pinagmamalaki ni Ronaldo ang anak niya! But that’s just his step daughter right?”

“I don’t care,he already bargain even before he gone rouge. This must be better,we will lure him out of his cave.”

Napailing lang siya sa sinabi ko at tumayo na.

“I have to go,dumaan lang talaga ako.Hindi ko talaga aakalain na seseryusin mo ang sinabi ni Ronaldo. That old man will regret this,I want to see her too.Call me if you got her.”

Nakangising turan nito at tinapik ang balikat ko bago tumalikod.

I will,and I promise that that oldman will regret betraying us.I finish the rum on my glass and slam it on the counter table.I got up and head to my office here on my house.

I can’t funtion well without the help of the liquor.It’s been what, two years? Two years and still counting,until I get to see that old man.I will skin him alive.He will regret betraying a Mondeñego. Not me,not Hace Alejandro Mondeñego.

“Ahh!”

I groned as I got up from my bed.Hang over,before I sleep last night I drink myself into oblivion. I don’t even remember how I get here on my room.Napatingin ako sa pinto ng may kumatok.

“Come in!”

Pumasok si manang Lara,ang mayordoma dito sa bahay.Napailing ito sa’kin,lumapit siya at inilapag ang bitbit na tray sa kama.

“Kainin mo ‘yan at uminom ka ng gamot,para mawala ‘yang sakit ng ulo mo.Ikaw ba naman kasing bata ka,parang nauubusan ka na ng alak kung makainom.’yong mga alak mo sa cellar ,halos linggo -linggo kung maglagay ng bago ang mga tauhan mo.”

Napapailing nitong sermon at nagpaalam ng lumabas.Napailing din ako at pinagmasdan ang dala niya. Hindi ko alam kung kailan ako ulit nakaramdam ng gutom.Halos alak na ang naging pagkain ko sa araw-araw,kung hindi pa ako pilitin ni manang na kumain.

Napabuntong hininga akong sinimulang higupin ang sabaw.Matapos ay uminom na ako ng gamot,pagkatapos ay dumeretso sa banyo.I stayed for a while in the shower. Tumingala ako at hinayaan ko ang tubig na pumatak sa mukha ko. How I wish what happened in the past is just a nightmare that I can shake it off from my head.

“What happen to your eyes?”

Tanong ko sa mga tauhan na inutusan kong subaybayan ang anak ni Ronaldo.Namumula ang mga mata nito at may mga kalmot ang mukha.May mga pasa din ang labi nito,may black eye pa.Nagtulakan ito kung sino ang sasagot.

“George,what happened ?”

Tanong ko at napaayos naman ito ng tayo.

“Boss kasi—.”

“—What did you do?”

“S-sinubukan po namin na kunin ang babae!”

Napatingin ako sa mabilis na nagsalita at ngayon ay nakapikit.

“You did what? Hindi ba ang sabi ko lang ay manmanan niyo! And what happen your faces?Isang babae lang hindi niyo kinaya at nabugbog pa kayo?!”

Bulyaw ko sa kanila,ang sabi ko ay manmanan lang nila.

“Boss, pepper spray po!”

They said in chorus . Napailing naman ako at inangat ang mukha ni George.

“And how will you explain to this bruises?”

“May dumating po na lalaki bago pa man namin maisakay ang babae.”

“And who’s that?”

Nakakunot noong tanong ko.

“Kaibigan niya po,’yong may-ari ng restaurant!”

Tumuwid na ako ng tayo, tumalikod ako sa kanila at napaisip,the owner of a restaurant.It must be that Jericho.

“Fix yourdelf!”

I said and walk out of the sala straight to my office.I can’t believe that guy defeated my men.Sanay ang mga tauhan ko sa pakikipaglaban,pero natalo lang ng isang restaurant owner?

Nang makapasok ako sa opisina dumeretso ako sa drawer ng mesa ko.Kinuha ang file ng mga kaibigan ng anak ni Ronaldo.At napangisi ako sa nalaman. Really?

“What’s your report?”

Tanong ko bago pa makapagsalita ang taong nasa likuran ko.And asusual,I’m here on the bar in my house.Drinking.I heard him tsk.

“We got the report,and we’ll infiltrate later at night.” He answered as he sat beside me and pour his own drink.

“Good,we must make sure to capture that bastard.He’s been out far too long.Marami na ang nasisirang kabataan dahil sa druga na ‘yan.”

“Beats me! But his days are over,once we capture him.Although there’s still his brother.Atleast we’re almost there!”

Nakangising tugon nito.Tonight, we’re going against a drug lord.Nahuli siya ng mga pulis pero nakapag-p’yansa din dahil sa kakulangan ng ebidens’ya.But now,we have all the evidence in our hand.We just have to caught him in action.

Nag-uusap kami tungkol sa planong pag-atake ng magring ang cellphone ko.Nagkatinginan kami ni Draco,napabuntong hininga ako ng makita kung sino ang tumatawag.My cousin Aaron,looks like Amanda started her plan,or should I say Amelie?Napangisi ako sa naisip.This cunning woman.I cleared my throat as I press the answer botton.

“Couz,what’s up?”

Narinig ko itong napabuntong hinga sa kabilang linya.Naglakad siya at mayamaya nagsalita.He told me his problem,and I knew it.

“ Alejandro ,I need your help!”

“What kind of help?”I ask in my serious tone.

He sighed again.

“It’s Amanda.”

“Wait,don’t tell me it’s the Amanda that I know?”

I asked,kahit alam ko na.I’m sorry couz,but I can’t help you for now.But I promise,no one will get hurt.

“What about her? Did she do something stupid?Or she’s after you again.Don’t get me wrong,it’s just that you’re already married.So what's she’s after now?”

Sunod-sunod na tanong ko. Like a normal cousin, who cares about them.

Napabuntong hinga itong sumagot,napatingin na din sa’kin si Draco na parang may ginawa akong masama.

“So ,what do you want me to do ?”

I just asked,at natawa ako sa isip sa sinagot niya.If he knew about Amanda and me,he will freak out .At baka kamuhian niya pa ako.Well ,that’s life.All I can do is to prevent everyone on getting hurt,by that crazy wench.

“Okay,let me gather up my men first.I’ll just call you.”

“Thanks man,just send me the account.I’ll ask my secretary to send the money.”

He said,but I don’t think he can still say that after this.

“It’s not—”

Naputol ang dapat na sasabihin ko ng biglang may nagsalita sa likuran namin.

“Sir,nakuha na po namin siya.Nakatulog na po sa sasakyan sa kakaiyak.”

Napapikit ako at napahawak ng mahigpit sa hawak na cellphone.

“I’ll hang up now,I have some work to do.”

Hindi ko na siya hinintay pa na makapagsalita at pinatay ko na ang tawag.Humarap ako sa tauhan ko at tumayo.

“Don’t you know how to say excuse?! Can’t you see I’m talking on the phone!”

Bulyaw ko dito at napatras naman siya.

“Pasensya na po sir,hindi na po mauulit!”

Sagot nito at yumukod pa.

“Where is she?”

Tanong ko nalang at agad naman itong umayos ng upo.

Iginiya niya kami palabas ng bahay.Ito namang katabi kong si Draco ay pangisi-ngisi lang.

“What?”

I asked,and he just shrug.

“This is exciting, I’m excited to see her!”

Napailing nalang ako sa mukhang niyang nakangisi pa rin.

We reached to the garage of my house.And there,my men stood outside the van.Nang makita ako ay agad na yumukod bilang paggalang.

Itinuro nila kung nasaan ang babae at agad naman na pumunta doon si Draco.

“Back off ,Draco!”

I said growling,and he just smirk.

“Wala pa nga,binabakuran mo na!”

Hindi ko na siya pinansin at dumeretso sa likod ng sasakyan.I don’t know how I get her out at the back of the car.I just find my self walking towards the stairs,while caring her on my arms. Bakit ang gaan niya,she’so thin like a feather.Those beautiful lashes,a heart shaped lips.And her smell,she smells like an apple.

“f**k!”

I cursed under my breathed.May nabubuhay na hindi dapat mabuhay.Am I lusting over her?No.She’s here to pay for what her father did.Nothing more,nothing less.

When we reached my room ,I immediately put her slowly on my bed.She’s too small for my big bed.I don’t know what gotten to me,but I just find myself staring at her.I shouldn’t bring her here in my room.But my heart, it’s like my heart knows her.What’s happening to me?

Hindi ko dapat ito nararamdaman.Hindi dapat!

Tumalikod na ako at lumabas ng kwarto ko bago pa ako may magawa na pagsisihan ko.I go straight to the bar and I saw Draco there,drinking.

“I thought you already leave?”

Nakakunot noo na tanong ko.

“I feel like staying more.” He said while moving his glass in his hands.

“Doesn’t she feels familiar?”

I creased my forehead at what he said.Still looking at his glass,and when he look at me.He smirked.

“What do you mean?”

Nakakunot noong tanong ko.

“Nothing, I have to go.”

Saad nitong tinungga ang alak sa baso niya at tumayo.Kumaway pa ito habang papalabas.

What does he mean by ‘familiar’?

Msybe he’s just drunk.That’s it,and we will see each other later anyway.Mamaya ko na lang siya ulit tatanungin. And I smirked at thought I have Ronaldo's daughter now.

It's payback time.