The Deception's Rage

Prologue

Zale

"On October 22, 2004, actress Allison Lim was discovered dead in her house. The 31-year-old actress was found hanging at her home. A case was registered at the Manila Police District after the actress was discovered dead. Initial investigation suggested that the case represented a suicide. However, the police later changed their statements, seeing as they found other injuries that may have been the cause of death and some evidence of a struggle. On the other hand, her fans were outraged since there were no other witnesses except for her 4-year-old daughter, who had been missing since the incident happened, Aurelia Valentina Li—"

Mabilis kong pinatay ang aking cellphone nang may maramdamang tao na papalapit sa akin. I slipped my phone into my pocket but stayed still at my position. I didn't bother to look at the person approaching me dahil mga hakbang pa lang niya ay kilala ko na.

"Magpapakamatay ka ba?" he asked.

At saka ako bumaling ng lingon sa kaniya. "What do you think?" I asked.

"Bro, seriously, stop obsessing over someone who's already dead," ani Chase. Bumuntong hininga siya bago magsalita ulit. "Bumaba ka nga riyan! Natatakot ako baka na-offend ka sa sinabi ko ta's bigla ka na lang tumalon," pagbibiro niya na kunwari'y humawak pa sa dibdib.

"Gago," sabi ko.

Bumaba ako sa railings ng rooftop at lumapit sa kaniya. I took his cigarette that he was about to light. Inambahan niya ako ng suntok ngunit tinaasan ko lang siya ng kilay.

"Ba't mo kinuha? Last ko na 'yan!" reklamo niya sa akin.

I lit the cigarette using his lighter kaya mas lalong kumunot ang noo niya. "Masama para sa kalusugan mo 'to," sagot ko sa kaniya bago ilagay ang sigarilyo sa bibig ko.

"Pero sa 'yo, hindi?"

Hindi ko siya sinagot. Binugahan ko ng usok ang mukha niya para lalo siyang mainis. "f**k you," he mouthed while sticking up his middle finger.

Biglang nag-ring ang phone ko kaya pareho kaming napatingin sa bulsa ko.

"Oh, s**t," I grunted when I saw the caller ID.

Iniharap ko rin kay Chase ang phone ko dahil nagtaka siya sa naging reaction ko. Nang mabasa niya, bigla siyang natawa. He gestured that I should answer the call, but I didn't. It was from one of the event organizers for the drag races I joined before and one of my friends, Kairi. She told me that she would keep on bothering me until I decide to go back. If I answered her call, she would just rupture my eardrum.

"Ayaw mo na ba talagang kumarera ulit?" tanong ni Chase.

Nagkibit-balikat lang ako.

I let out a sigh nang mag-vibrate ang phone ko. Kairi wouldn't just stop. She's really annoying, but I can't block her number for some reason.

From: Kai

this would be the last time zale and if you really don't want to go back bahala ka

"Grabeng text 'yan, akala mo mag-ex, amp!" Tumawa si Chase. "Nagka-something ba kayo niyan ni Kai?" tanong niya pa.

Hindi ko napansin na nasa likod ko na pala siya at nakikisilip sa phone ko. Malakas ko siyang siniko kaya napa-atras siya nang kaunti. "Chismoso," singhal ko sa kaniya.

Nothing has happened between us, and there is absolutely nothing going on between us. She was one of the people who helped me when I was at my lowest, so I just can't disregard her like that.

Nag-text siya ulit ngunit inunahan ako ni Chase na pindutin ang text message na hindi ko sana bubuksan. Tumingin ako sa kaniya nang masama pero kinindatan niya lang ako. Tarantado.

From: Kai

200k

"Pucha, ang laki!" Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Chase nang makita ang text ni Kairi. "Ako na lang kakarera sa pangalan mo kung ayaw mo. 2 percent sa 'yo ta's 98 percent sa akin. G?"

"Ang laki ng hati ko, 'di ka ba lugi niyan?" sarcastic na sabi ko.

"Oo nga 'no?"

I ignored Kai's text and was about to turn off my phone when a reminder popped up. I closed my eyes in frustration.

"f**k rent dues," I muttered to myself.

Mabilis kaming nakarating sa lugar kung saan gaganapin ang event. Agad na nahagilap ng mga mata ko si Kairi na nagulat pa nang makita kami. Paulit-ulit niyang kinusot ang mga mata niya at sinampal-sampal ang sarili.

"Ano'ng nangyayari sa kaniya?" natatawang ani Chase.

Papalapit pa lang kami sa kaniya ay rinig na rinig na namin ang malakas niyang boses.

"Oh, akala ko ba ay ayaw mo?" inirapan niya ako at bumaling ng tingin kay Chase. "Sino 'to?"

"Gumaganon? Parang 'di ka nag-confess sa akin dati, ah. Partida, first time mo pa lang ako makita no'n," pang-aasar sa kaniya ni Chase. Agad namang namula ang buong mukha ni Kairi.

They were schoolmates before, but Chase was one year ahead of Kairi. Nauna ko nang nakilala si Chase, pero noong nakilala ko si Kai dahil sa mga drag races, nasa ibang bansa si Chase. Noong nakaraang buwan lang bumalik si Chase kaya ngayon lang sila nagkita ulit after five years. There was no real bond between the three of us, but I am close with both of them.

Patuloy silang nagsasagutan habang tinitingnan ko ang mga tao sa paligid. I raised an eyebrow when I saw someone whom I had never met before, pero sobrang familiar ng mukha. I slightly tilt my head while looking at her. Mukhang napansin niya na nakatingin ako sa kaniya kaya tumitig din siya sa akin.

From a distance, I could see her hazel eyes clearly. Her long, straight, black hair framed her face perfectly, with full bangs that gave her an intimidating aura. She's tall, I'd assume about 5'8". Her nose was perfectly proportioned, with a straight bridge and a delicate tip that complemented her face. Her lips were equally perfect, with a natural pink hue. Her light skin is glowing, making her standout even more. To be honest, if she's not holding a helmet, I would think she's a model. She has that vibe.

"What?" she mouthed. She aggressively chews her gum and breaks the stare between us.

Pinagmasdan ko siya habang naglalakad, trying to recall where I had seen her before.

I can't remember.

"She's new here," sambit bigla ni Kai. "But I heard she's really good."

"I didn't ask." sagot ko.

She shrugged. "Pero mukhang curious ka."

Iniwan ko sila parehas para i-register ang pangalan ko at maghanda na. Mamayang 7:30 P.M pa naman ang simula kaya may 30 minutes pa ako. Nang matapos kong isulat ang pangalan ko ay tumalikod na ako.

Napahinto ako sa paghakbang nang may biglang tumawag sa pangalan ko.

"Zale," boses ng isang babae. Lumingon ako para tingnan kung sino ito. I feel my forehead furrowed, it was the woman from before. Nginuso niya ang kamay ko at inilahad ang palad niya. "Give the ballpen back. It's mine. I left it here before."

Hindi ako nagsalita at inabot lang sa kaniya ang ballpen. Muntik na akong magtaka kung paano niya nalaman ang pangalan ko pero hawak niya pala ang listahan.

30 minutes flew by, and the track was already packed with spectators. We are all eagerly waiting for the race to begin. The reason why Kairi keeps on bugging me to come back is that I never lose, and I was always so confident. But this time, it's different. I had never felt this much pressure just because I'm beside a woman who seemed familiar. I caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of my eye. She smirked.

"Good luck," she cheered on me.

It sounds like a threat coming from her. I actually didn't expect it from her lalo na't masama ang tingin niya sa akin kanina. I thought she thought I was a creep when I was staring at her, but it looks like it was not.

Ayoko sana siyang kausapin dahil sumasakit ang ulo ko kapag nakikita siya, but I don't want to be rude. "Yeah, good luck din."

I wanna know if Kairi said a while ago was true. Let's see what she was made of, then.

The sound of the engines roared in my ears as I geared up for the start of the race. I took a deep breath and tried to focus my attention. I need to win this. There's no other choice for me but to win.

The starting gun went off, and I shifted into gear, racing off the line with the other racers. Napakagat ako sa labi ko dahil mas mahirap ang track ngayon at ilang buwan na rin akong huminto.

The other racers were hot on my tail as I took the lead early on. "Dumbass," I said when I saw someone fall off because they took the wrong angle when turning.

I took my eyes fixed on the track ahead of me. I refused to let them overtake me. Not in a million years. With a lot of twists and turns, I could feel the heat of the engines and the adrenaline pumping through my veins.

As we approached the final lap, I could see someone in my rearview mirror, closing in fast. "f**k," I gritted my teeth. The pressure is building up on me but I can't let it get to me.

I was fast reaching the final straightaway, the finish line in sight. My engine was screaming as I accelerated towards the finish line.

I clenched my fist. Too late. Someone crossed the finish line just a split second ahead of me. The crowd erupted into cheers, kasabay nang pagtanggal ko ng helmet.

It was that woman. Again.

She smiled at me. "Well," panimula niya. "Hindi mo ba ako iko-congratulate?"

"Why would I? I don't even know you," seryosong sabi ko sa kaniya.

"Exactly," she said in a low tone of voice. "I thought you were interested in knowing me, but I guess not. Congrats, though. You're a hell of a racer."

I don't know if that's a compliment or she's just mocking me dahil I look pissed. Hindi ko na siya pinansin dahil wala rin naman akong sasabihin. Just like that, agad siyang nawala sa paningin ko.

Habang palapit ako kina Kairi at Chase ay bigla akong may narinig na pag-uusap.

"Ang astig talaga ni Aurelia. Sayang, mukhang madalang siyang sumali sa mga ganito."

Aurelia?

It took me a minute to realize where I heard that name before. Nang lumingon ako sa mga boses na narinig ko kanina ay wala na sila.

"Problema mo?" tanong ni Chase nang makitang hindi ako mapakali.

Tumingin ako kay Kairi na nagtataka rin. "Kai, do you know her name?" aligagang tanong ko.

"Sino? 'Yong nanalo kanina?" Tumango ako sa tanong niya. "Aurelia Lim daw, eh. Hindi ko lang sigurado kasi hindi rin siya gaanong familiar sa akin."

Shit, it's really her.

"Napansin niyo ba kung saan siya pumunta kanina?"

Parehas silang umiling sa tanong ko. I let out a groan. Hell, I don't even know what to feel right now.

"Puta!" sigaw ni Chase. Sumaktong nakaharap ang bibig niya sa tenga ni Kairi kaya sinuntok nito ang braso niya. "Aurelia Lim pangalan no'ng nawawalang anak ng artista na namatay 19 years ago, 'di ba?" mahinang bulong niya.

Chase heard it when I was watching the news report years ago repeatedly. He was always so annoyed kapag naririnig niyang pinapanuod ko 'yon, pero hindi niya alam ang rason kung bakit. And I don't have any plans to tell anyone.

"Where the hell is she?" bulong ko sa sarili habang hinahanap siya sa gitna ng maraming tao.

I'm sure of it.

My father's death has a connection to Allison Lim. The only way for me to get out of this hellhole is to get her daughter.

I need her. I need Aurelia.