HINDI pa man kami nakaaabot sa kanya, malinaw ang pagkasigla't pagkahinga nang maluwag ni Reinald nang mamataan niya kaming paparating sa kinaroroonan niya. Liban pa sa kaniya, maging ang apat na tauhang nakabantay sa pinto ng conference room ay pawang may alam sa kasalukuyang predikamento at nagsisilay ng ngiti sa pagkarinig ng tunog ng suot kong mga stiletto.
"Rein, how is it? Hindi pa ba tapos?" Unang nangamusta si Rupert sa kung ano na ang kalagayan sa loob ng silid. Sinulyapan siyang saglit ng consigliere ngunit sa huli'y sa akin natuon nang mariin ang atensyon nito.
"We need you to come in as soon as the chance arises, ma'am," he answered sternly. "The Re──"
"What is this? May itinatago ka ba sa amin, Mr. Montelier? Wouldn't that be an insult to the oath we all swore as members of the organization?!"
A loud yelling erupted from the door next to us. So loud it was enough for Reinald's mouth to halt and for us to almost jump in surprise. Even so, if we were to argue about which is more surprising, the unnecessary yelling or the crooked accusations we just heard, I'd have to say neither. Because the very idea of Caesar most likely not having this kind of bullshit for the first time is enough to surprise me to the core.
"My, my. What would Don Julian say about this, Mr. Montelier?"
"As the deputy head, hindi ba't ang pagtanggi mong magpaliwanag sa 'min ay isa nang paglabag 'di lamang sa prinsipyo ng organisasyon kundi pati na rin ng pamilya ninyo? Tsk."
"A woman is just a woman. What's so hard about admitting you've brought a woman unless..."
Each of us standing by held our breaths as the pause hung on the air like a thin thread, fearing the worst that could slip from that old man's scheming lips.
"...unless that b*tch is here for something else other than warming your bed?" he continued nonchalantly, covering his sharp hostility with his eloquent speaking.
Napasinghap ang mga kasama ko sa kanilang narinig, ngunit ang sumunod nilang mga reaksyon dito ang tunay na nakapag-pasinghap sa 'kin. Pinagmasdan ko ang mga panga ni Reinald Cortez na umigting sa pagtitimpi, ang taas-baba niyang dibdib, pruweba na hindi siya bingi. Ang guwardiya ko na kilala sa pagiging isip-bata at inaasahan kong magpapapadyak sa inis ay walang magawa kundi ang magngitngit lamang habang sa pader nakatitig.
At that moment, when everyone seemed shackled from their necks down to their limbs, I allowed myself to be washed away by impulse. My ears turned dysfunctional, shoving what Reinald could have muttered to stop me at the back of my mind. And just like on every mission I had before, my body readily answers to the shrills of my emotions.
What do they shrill for right now? Violence.
"Pardon the intrusion, good sirs." 'Di tulad ng bara-bara kong pag-itsa sa mga pinto papabukas, malumanay akong pumasok, dala-dala ang ngiti sa mga labi't mata ko bagama't paghingi ng paumahin ang pauna ko. "I didn't know we have such gentlemen as guests. I've just returned from a trip, you see."
YOU ARE READING
The Montelier Bride
Mystery / ThrillerIn order to survive her hunters, Quinzel de Agustin, a woman who bears truths that could forever change the Underground, told one lie--- she's a mute. However, when their trail comes closer than ever to threaten her freedom, Quinzel decides to resor...
