Beyond the Billionaire's image

Chapter 6/2

When I handed the card to one of them, matagal itong nakatingin roon at bumalik ang tingin sa akin.

"Eres conocido de Mr. Gil?" He spoke in

Spanish language. I noticed that some of the guards here are foreigners. Maybe because the owner is from an elite family, so I heard.

"Sí," sagot ko. Tumango lang siya at binigay sa akin ang card.

Pagkapasok ko palang ay napupuno ng mga mayayaman ang loob. Nilibot ko lang ang paningin ko nang makita ang ibang actors na nakilala ko lang rito meron ring mga taong owner ng mga sikat na brand.

I went to the corner of the yacht and just enjoyed the view of the night. Naalala ko na naman ang mga panahon na kasama ko ang lolo ko.

In my dark room every night when my nightmares were hunting me, he was there. Lagi niya akong sinasamahan. Grandpa, with his kind smile, came in. He sat beside me and held my hand, asking about my dream adventures.

I told him about scary monsters chasing me. Grandpa with his wise and comforting, said that those monsters might seem big but reminded me that I'm even braver. He told me I have the power to change my dreams.

His words made me feel safe, like a shield against fear. He stayed until the scary feelings went away, and I fell back asleep. I felt lucky to have him but it vanished five years ago. I clutched my hand. That bastard who killed my grandpa, ako mismo ang papatay sa kaniya.

"It's seems like it will rain tonight." I heard a woman's voice beside me. Hindi ko siya pinansin at ininom lang ang dala kong alak.

Lumapit siya sa railings at tinatanaw rin ang paligid. Biglang humangin kaya yinakap niya ang kaniyang katawan. She's wearing a tube fitted dress and pair it with a blazer. She's young, maybe we're just the same age.

I continued to stare at the horizon, not paying much attention to the woman beside me. The sound of the waves against the yacht provided a soothing background.

"Yeah, it does look like rain," I replied nonchalantly, taking another sip of my drink.

She turned to me with a curious expression, "You seem lost in thought. Anything on your mind?"

I hesitated for a moment before responding, "Just reminiscing about the past. Sometimes, the memories hit you unexpectedly."

She nodded understandingly, "I get that. Life can be quite a journey with its twists and turns."

I glanced at her, finally acknowledging her presence. "And what about you? What brings you to this yacht? You're going to have fun too?"

She smirked, "Fun, you can call it that but not for me," Her smirk faded, replaced by a serious expression. "Some people think that life is also a game. Chasing, being a pawn in a game just to survive. But everything has to end. Death is still our destiny unlike when you play games, if you lose, you can still come back but in human life, it's not possible because everything has its limits," she said thoughtfully.

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued by her philosophical outlook. "That's quite a deep perspective on life. Are you saying you see it as a game with a predetermined end?"

She nodded, "Exactly. Life is like a complex game with its own set of rules and uncertainties. Some win, some lose, but in the end, we all face the same outcome."

I leaned against the railings, contemplating her words. "So, how do you navigate this 'game' then? Any strategies?"

She chuckled, "Survival is key. Adaptability, resilience, and a touch of unpredictability. Those are my strategies. What about you? How do you play this game?"

I smirked, "I play by my own rules. Life's too short to follow someone else's script. I take risks, make my own choices, and embrace the consequences."

She seemed intrigued, "Bold moves. Do you ever regret any of your choices?"

I glanced back at the city lights, "Regret is a luxury I can't afford. Every choice, good or bad, shapes who I am. No point dwelling on what-ifs."

She nodded in agreement, "Fair enough. We all have our journeys to navigate. It's fascinating to meet someone who walks their own path."

"Yeah, because no one will be with me except for myself." Bumaling siya sa akin na parang binabasa ako.

"You're right," Tumayo na siya ng maayos at nginitian ako. "I hope we can still meet outside but I feel that this will be our last conversation." Iyan ang huling sinabi niya at umalis nalang rin.

It took thirty minutes to get there by yacht and I was amazed with the Casino's infrastructure. Nasa ilalim ito ng lupa kaya pababa ang hagdan. Nakakamangha rin ang loob papunta sa main location dahil may aquarium hanggang b****a ng malaking pinto. Huminto ako at tiningnan lang ang mga naglalangoy na iba't ibang isda at huminga ng malalim.

"Grandpa, look! Penguins!" I exclaimed, pulling him towards the large glass enclosure. Sa loob, yung mga penguin ay nagpapadulas sila sa kanilang mga tiyan, tumatalon sa tubig, at naglalakad-lakad. Dikit na dikit yung ilong ko sa salamin.

Grandpa laughed, "They're funny, aren't they?" He bent down to my height, showing me the different kinds of penguins and telling me about them. I listened carefully, taking in everything he said.

Next, we went to see the dolphin show. We sat in the front row, and I was very excited. When the dolphins came out and started jumping and doing flips, I clapped and cheered with everyone else. Grandpa was laughing next to me, and him being happy made me even happier.

We spent the rest of the day looking around the park. We went to the aquarium to see the colorful fish and to the touch pool where I got to feel a starfish. Grandpa was with me the whole time, and we had a lot of fun together.

When it was time to go home, we sat on a bench, eating cotton candy and watching the sun go down. I was tired but happy, and I leaned against Grandpa. He put his arm around me and held me close.

"Did you have fun today, sweetheart?" he asked. Malamlam ang matang nakatingin sa akin.

I looked up at him and my eyes shining. "It was the best day ever, Grandpa. Thank you."

He smiled, pressing a kiss to my forehead. "Anything for my little star."

"Grandpa, I swear that I will avenge your death." I said to myself and started walking.

"Wow, Man! Ang astig dito ah." Kunot ang noo kong naglalakad nang may narinig akong boses ng asungot sa likod ko.

"Sigurado ka bang casino 'to? Bakit may aquarium?" Dagdag niya pa.

"Yeah, it's for entertainment. Do you want to stay here? Para ka kasing bata." Saad ng kasama pang isang boses.

Hindi ko mapigilang mapangiti. Para talaga siyang bata. Akala ko ako lang.

"Luh, hindi ba pwedeng na amaze lang?" Sagot niya pa. Naglakad nalang ako ng mabilis. I thought this is an exclusive but I can say, malaki talaga ang impluwensiya niya dahil parang pumunta lang siya sa park at nagtatambay.

When I reached inside, a lot of people were everywhere. Kahit saan ko libutin ay hindi nawawala ang mga taong naglalaro.

I closed my eyes to the man who played baccarat. In Baccarat, you can bet on either of two hands - one is the Banker's hand, the other is the Player's hand. A player may bet on either hand. Bets must be placed on either the Player or Banker before cards are dealt.

Two cards are dealt to both the Player and the Banker. The gameplay follows specific rules about whether additional cards are drawn, it's not a choice made by the players. The game is known for its simple betting system and is very popular among high rollers.

I smirked and casually put my hands on my pocket at naglakad na papunta doon ang kaso may lamok na naman akong

naririnig sa paligid.

"Tara laro, doon tayo oh. Nakikita ko 'yan parati sa TV eh!"

"You're irritating, Oliver. Are you a kid?"

"Tsk, nagsasaya lang. First time ko nga."

"Whatever." Saad ng kasama niya.

I will just let them. Hindi naman nila ako kilala dahil nag disguise ako ngayon. Bakit ba kasi nandito ang asungot na 'to.

I kept walking through the casino, not minding the noise from Oliver and his friend playing games. Bright lights and the sounds of slot machines were everywhere as I went to the poker tables. I felt at home there.

I found a free seat at a table and nodded at the dealer. The other players looked at me, trying to figure out the new player. I kept my face calm, not showing anything.

When the cards were dealt, I focused on the game. I was thinking about chances and watching the other players carefully. For me, poker was more than a game. It was like a battle where I had to plan my moves.

Oliver's loud laughter came from the other tables, but I didn't let it bother me. I was concentrating on the poker game. I wanted to win.

As the game went on, I had more and more chips in front of me. The other players started to look unsure. I knew how to play this game, and I was doing it well.

Oliver and his friend came over to see the poker game. I kept my focus, only looking at them now and then. I wanted to show them that poker was about skill, not just luck.

The game got more intense as we got to the last rounds. The casino was filled with excitement. I felt a rush, knowing that every move I made could change the game.

When the last cards were shown, I put down my winning hand. The other players looked disappointed, and I took my winnings. Winning felt good, and I smiled at Oliver, who looked surprised.

Ngunit wala akong pakialam sa kaniya dahil gusto kong malaman ang reaksiyon ng lalaking kasama ko sa table. He is now amused by my winning but I know that he's a lion inside.

"You're good. Why don't we play another game?" Saad niya bigla. Napatingin ang lahat sa kaniya.

Maya-maya lang ay narinig kaming nakabulagta sa gilid namin. Agad akong napatayo nang may tumili ilang metro. I looked at it and the people surrounding it. Mabilis akong pumunta room at hinawi ang mga tao at hindi na ako nakatuloy pa dahil biglang nanginig ang katawan ko.

I saw the woman's dress and I remember the woman I talked to earlier and now, she's here--lifeless.