The Montelier Bride

Chapter 9: Rest on the Nest

REINALD Cortez is the same as when I first and last met him. He didn't have those domineering glasses back then, but his upturned black eyes always carried that menacing blaze that would urge anyone to avoid his gaze. He has fire in him that is silently spreading and gracefully ruining anything it will run into.

At sa mismong pagbukas ng pinto ng sasakyan sa panig ko, agad ko ring naabutan ang mismong titig na alalang-alala ko. Halos pumarinig muli sa mga tenga ko ang matapang niyang paalala sa 'kin noon.

"Hindi ka namin kilala pero salamat. Tatanawin kong malaking utang na loob na iniligtas mo kami ng amo ko. Kaya kapalit ng ginawa mo, hahanapin ka namin," aniya nang walang kahit anong bahid ng hiya habang nangangatog sa lamig buhat ng damit niyang basang-basa ng ulan. "Hintayin mo ang pangako ng amo ko. Hintayin mo 'yong araw na maisasama ka na namin pauwi sa Wisteria Manor!" 

"Ms. de Agustin," he called in a low tone, his nostalgic pleas echoing at the back of my ears.

Saglit kaming nagkatitigan, tila ba sinusukat ang magiging atake't depensa ng isa't isa. Ngunit tunay na saglit lang ito, lalo na't malinaw ang banta sa boses ni Caesar nang mapagtanto niya ang eksena nang siya'y napalingon.

"Cortez." 

Isang salita lamang iyon subalit agad na umurong sa tagisan ang taong wala pa man gaanong sinasabi ngunit batid ko nang binabalaan na ko na umayos ng kilos at salita.

Suppressing a somewhat disappointed sigh, he stepped aside. "Your hand, please, ma'am," he politely said, offering to lend his left hand to assist me.

I first looked at Caesar, standing guard just a few meters away. Like the raven that he is, his keen eyes seem to have easily noticed the tension that's immediately built between me and his subordinate. As if to reassure me that nothing would happen on his watch, he nodded encouragingly to my direction and mouthed, 'I got you.'

Nang muli ko nang ibalik ang tingin ko sa consigliere, nakaangat pa rin ang kamay niya sa ere. Iniabot ko ang kamay ko kahit may kaunting pag-aalinlangan, samantalang daglian niya naman itong tinanggap kasabay ng pag-angat ng titig niya mula sa kawalan.

"Be careful on your steps, ma'am," makahulugang paalala niya na bagamat nakapagpakunot ng noo ko, kalaunan din itong nakapagpangisi sa akin.

"I will," I instantly replied.

With my knees tightly together and my balance entrusted to him, I finally set my feet to the ground, my entirety finally on the doorstep of where the main headquarters of the Montelier Group of Companies is erected. An intimidating tower of glass with its ice color and structure from the outside. It is a nest purposely built to boast over sixty floors to ensure no one will ridiculously believe they can reach the Raven resting on its peak.

Nang sapat na ang pagkakaalo sa 'kin ni Cortez para maisara ang pinto sa likuran ko, akmang papadulas na ang kamay ko mula sa kanya nang biglaang humigpit ang kapit niya rito. Higpit na sapat na para patigilin at pabalingin ako sa kanya sa mismong segundong 'yon.