The Devil's Trap

Chapter 38: The Other Girl

Chapter 38: The Other Girl

Napantig ang tenga ko sa narinig. Napatitig ako sa babaeng nasa aking harapan. Helena. Nasa harap ko si Helena.

Maging ang mga kasama ko sa kwarto ay naguluhan sa nangyayari. River cursed. Hindi ko alam ang gagawin.

"I'm surprised you didn't know that the man you're playing fire with has a fiancée," said their grandfather.

Lumingon ako kay Landon. Hindi siya nagsalita. And that, itself, is enough confirmation for me.

Umatras ako. Hanggang sa unti unti akong lumayo. Lumabas ako mula sa mansion nang nangingilid ang aking luha. Naguguluhan ako. Natatakot.

How did everything turned out this way? We were okay just hours ago.

Pinagtinginan ako ng mga tao. Pinahid ko ang aking mga luha habang pilit hinahanap ang daan paalis sa lugar na ito. Narinig ko ang kanilang bulungan.

"Isn't she the human Landon brough here?"

"You know he always brings a woman with him and ended up in tears. Nothing new."

Landon Monaghan. Was it true all along? Am I just another woman who you bring to luxurious parties just to end up in tears?

Ngunit habang lumalayo ako sa mansion ay unti unti kong nalaman ang kanyang sagot. Hindi niya ako sinundan o tinawag ang aking pangalan. Because the one in front of him was the person he chose before anyone else. The woman he promised to protect.

Iniwan ko ang liwanag at kasiyahan sa loob ng isla. Bumalik ako sa dock. The sails of the yachts swayed and rustled beneath the wind.

Kumintab ang mga puting yate sa liwanag ng buwan. Ngunit walang tao. Hindi ko magawang umalis.

Umupo ako sa buhanginan. I was wearing a silver dress, in a party at a private island, but I was a disaster.

For the first time I wished to be someone else. I wished to be the person Landon swore to save, to love. I wish I am Helena so Landon would choose me.

"Denise,"

Pinahid ko ang luha ko nang marinig ang boses ni River.

"River, is this a nightmare? Or is this a regular dream and I've been just dreaming the good ones in the past few months?"

Umupo si River sa tabi ko, suit and all.

"There are dreams that confuse us, or bring emotions and fears we don't know we could have. But these will soon fade the moment we wake up. So don't be afraid, Denise. We will all soon wake up from this."

"Helena... she came back."

"I'm sure there is something behind this. Let's give Landon time to sort things out because he's as confused as we are."

Pinikit ko ang aking mga mata.

"River?"

"Huh?"

"Can you do me a favor?"

Nanatili akong naka tingin sa tubig nang magsalita.

"Get me out of here, please."

—

Gumawa ng paraan si River para maka-alis kami sa isla. Sumakay kami sa yate na pag mamay-ari nang isa sa kaibigan ng kanilang pamilya.

The ride back home was silent and empty. I kept my sight outside the window. Hindi ko gustong makita ni River ang emosyon ko.

Nakabalik kami sa mansion. The place looks emptier and darker than usual.

Pinatay ni River ang engine ng sasakyan. Nanatili akong naka-upo sa passenger seat at nakatitig sa mansion sa aking harapan.