CHAPTER 23

I EXCUSED MYSELF. I had to leave, or I'll fucking loose it right then and there, after seeing the face of the man I was willing to give up my everything for.

My hands were shaking, as my grip on the side of the sink tightened. I was trying to calm myself down, because I didn't want this negotiation to go well. Tama na 'yong isang beses akong pumalpak, ayaw ko na maulit 'yon.

I raised my head and looked at my own reflection on the comfort room's mirror. The mirror was big enough to show my whole upper body, my bloodshot eyes and my clenched jaw.

I badly wanted to strangle and stab him right there. Kung hindi lang ako hinawakan ni Trisver sa braso para pigilan ako, hindi ko maiisip na umalis doon nang walang dumadanak na dugo niya.

I exhaled harshly, my last attempt to tame the demon who kept whispering to me to kill that bastard.

I heard the door clicked opened, kaya gumalaw ang mga mata ko para tingnan ang direksyon ng pinto mula sa repleksyon sa salamin.

Out of reflex, I quickly fished out the swiss knife on my thigh and faced him with a fighting stance.

"Woah!" He smirked. "Easy, tigress."

My brow twitched upon hearing his voice. It irritates me how much he sounded like the guy I liked, but also looked unfamiliar.

"What the fuck do you want?!" I hissed, my grip on the knife tightened.

He chuckled. His chest pushed up and his inner shirt tightened around them when he put his hands inside the pockets of his slacks. And when he started walking slowly towards me, I stared at him intently, ready to attack him if he makes a move that'll trigger my survival instinct.

"We're not here to kill each other," aniya. Unti-unti na siyang lumapit sa sink kaya napaatras na ako. Humawak siya sa gilid ng sink, at tinitigan ang sarili sa salamin nang ilang segundo, bago nagbaling ulit ng tingin sa akin. "Remember, kayo ang may kailangan sa amin kaya tayo nandito ngayon."

I scoffed. "Clearly, it's you who wants something from us. You want to be on top, so you want us gone!"

Hindi siya nagsalita, nanatili siyang nakatitig sa akin, na para bang minememorya niya ang mukha ko. My brow twitched, and my heartbeat started to double for a reason I could've find.

"Tell me... was it fun?" I asked when he didn't speak. "Fooling me and everyone else? Was it fun for you, Kace? Oh, wait, baka hindi mo rin pangalan 'yon?"

He smirked. "I could ask you the same thing, Kyrie..." diniinan niya ang pagkakabigkas sa palayaw na binigay niya sa akin. "Was it fun for you?"

My brows furrowed when he started walking towards me again, and I kept on stepping back. Maliit lang ang space ng comfort room, kaya napahinto ako nang tumama ang likod ng heel ko sa pader.

I threw a sharp look at him, and he equalled mine with a dark and cold stare. He was getting nearer, and my heart pounded more inside my chest, and my brain started to panic.

When he was about a step away from me, I instinctively moved my hand that was holding the knife and aimed for his neck, but he was quick to catch my hand. I kicked his abdomen and quickly chopped his hand that was holding me.

Nang nabitawan niya ang kamay ko, sinipa ko kaagad siya papalayo sa akin. I went back to my fighting stance while staring at him lying on the floor and trying to get up.

My efforts to calm myself down and not commit murder was thrown away, because at that moment, I just wanted to stab his heart multiple times and kill him over and over again. He's a threat! He should be killed!

He stood up and fixed his clothes. "The heiress and current boss of the Azarcon Clan..." He trailed off as he stepped towards me again. "Transferred to the school where Roa was attending. You tried to get close to him, in hopes that he'll soften to you and you could end his life, because you thought he was the successor." He laughed mockingly. "I expected more from the leader of the biggest and most successful organization."

"Fuck you!"

I raised my leg and tried to kick him but he was quick to block my attack with his arm. I didn't waste any second, I moved my hand and aimed the knife to his shoulder but he was quick to dodge it again! He held my hand and I winced when he twisted it, the knife made a clanking sound as it hit the tiled floor.

I tried to chop his hand that was holding me but before I could even move, he was quick to pull me closer. I gasped. He then held my waist and pulled me up, and put me on top of the sink. My eyes widened when my head hit the mirror.

My brows furrowed when he positioned in between my thighs, and he pushed the hem of my dress up, the tattoos on my legs were exposed, and he stared at it for a few seconds, before he raised his head to look at me.

He smirked. "Nice tatts."

What the fuck?!

I was getting conscious with his big hands resting on the sides of my thighs just below my tattoos, so I rose up and kicked the side of his rib. He groaned. When he stepped back, I took it as a chance to escape.

I went out of the comfort room and went straight to the VVIP room where I left Trisver and uncle. Kaso nasa hallway pa lang ako, nakasalubong ko na si Trisver na malalaki ang hakbang at mabigat ang paghinga.

"What's happening?" tanong ko kaagad.

"We need to leave. Now!" ani Trisver at nilagpasan ako.

Nakakunot ang noo na sumunod ako sa kaniya. "Ano ngang nangyayari?! And where's uncle!"

Huminto siya saglit para humarap sa akin. "This is a fucking set up, Quincy!"

Bahagya akong nagulat sa pagtaas ng boses niya. I knew Trisver as a calm and collected person, who doesn't panic because he can quickly think of solutions to any problems. He rarely shouts like he's about to loose it and he doesn't know what to do anymore.

I blinked. "What?"

He opened his mouth to elaborate what he said, we heard gunshots and glasses breaking downstairs.

Mabilis kaming tumakbo pababa. I now understand what he meant when he said this was a set up, because when we arrived on the ground floor, some of our men were already dead, and wounded.

"Madame Quincy!" sigaw ng isang security ko. He was holding his side kung saan siya may tama. "Umalis na kayo ni Sir Trisver!"

Nakakagulo na ang lahat. Nagsisigawan at nagtatakbuhan na ang ibang mga tao. Sumabog ang mga bote ng alak sa shelves nang tamaan 'yon ng mga bala mula sa nagbabarilan, dahilan para mas magpanic ang lahat ng nandito at nagkasiksikan na sa emergency exit.

Napasinghap ako nang bigla akong hilain ni Trisver payuko dahil sa amin itinutok ang baril at pinaputok.

"Fuck!" Trisver hissed. "We should leave now!"

Nakayuko pa rin kami nang hilain niya ako papunta sa secret passage nitong casino na nasa gilid lang ng shelves sa may bar counter. He pushed the wall slightly and when it opened, pumasok na kami at agad naman 'yong nagsara. Habang tumatakbo kami, unti-unti nang humihina ang ingay ng barilan sa labas.

"Trisver, explain what's happening," I said while catching my breathe.

"This was a fucking set up!" he answered between gritted teeth. "I knew it. It was suspicious the moment I heard Luciano agreed with this fucking negotiation shit!"

Hindi ako nakapagsalita.

Ang ibig niya bang sabihin... niloko kami ni Tito? He's with Luciano, all along?

"Ano ba nangyari doon sa loob ng VVIP room?"

"Your fucking uncle pointed a gun at me after you left." Nagbaling siya ng tingin sa akin. "He was planning on killing anyone who's on your side."

Nagsalubong ang mga kilay ko. "What? But your father, Tristan--"

His eyes darkened more. "He's one of them, Quincy!" He looked like he's hurt, despite being angry. "He's on their fucking side! Since the beginning, no one's on our side!"

Natahimik ulit ako. Alam ko 'yon. Sa una pa lang, lahat na sila tutol sa akin. Dahil lang naman kay Daddy kaya nila ako hinahayaan. It took my uncle three years to convince everyone to switch to his side.

"Your uncle plans on taking the position from you, with the help of Luciano and everyone in Luciano's organization," pagpatuloy niya.

I gritted my teeth. "Then we should fight back!"

"Nang tayong dalawa lang?! Nahihibang ka na ba, Quincy?!" sigaw niya sa mukha ko. "Sa ngayon, let's prioritize escaping. Saka na natin isipin kung ano ang gagawin natin kapag nakaalis na tayo rito."

Nakarating na kami sa dulo ng hallway. Just like he did before, he just pushed the wall and it opened instantly. Bumungad kaagad sa amin ang parking area ng building.

Hinawakan ni Trisver ang kamay ko at patakbo kaming pumunta sa kung saan ang kotse niyang itim na Mustang. Pagkapasok namin sa kotse, pinaharurot niya na kaagad paalis doon.

He said we need to check the mansion, just in case. All of our things are there, and he needed to take at least his iPad and laptop with him dahil nandoon lahat ng impormasyong nakuha niya.

While we were on the road, I was leaning on the window. A lot of things were going on in my mind at this moment, and I couldn't pick one to focus on. I just sighed and closed my eyes.

I've already seen this coming, but I never thought it'll be this soon. My uncle had always wanted to be the leader. He wanted the organization to follow his ways. And to think that he'd team up with our rival organization just to get what he wants, shows how desperate he is.

I'm sorry, Daddy. Hindi ko matutupad ang kahilingan mo. I think the organization I tried to maintain for three years will crumble to pieces now, because of my uncle-the person you told me not to give up this position to. Maybe I wasn't capable enough, strong enough, or was I really not fit for this responsibility after all?

Will you be disappointed with me, too, Daddy? You trusted me so much. You entrusted me this, but I couldn't even take care of things on my own, without Trisver.

Pagkarating namin sa tapat ng mansion, pareho kaming nagtaka ni Trisver nang makitang bukas ang gate at wala ro'n ang guard. Hindi na pinasok ni Trisver ang kotse at kaagad na kaming bumaba, at tumakbo papasok ng mansion.

My steps were getting slower as I looked at the current state of our mansion. Ang daming nakahandusay na mga wala nang buhay, at naliligo sa kanilang mga dugo. The main door was also broken, and almost every maid in this mansion was killed, their bodies scattered around the living room, the kitchen, and there's even a body hanging on the staircase.

The whole mansion was a mess. Everyone was killed, even the ones that grew on me, were killed.

Bumigat ang paghinga ko habang nililibot ang paningin sa buong lugar. Bumilis na ang tibok ng puso ko at nagsisimula na akong makaramdam ng panlalamig ng katawan.

No one's on my side now. They're all killed!

"Quincy!" Nabalik lang ako sa reyalidad nang iyugyog ni Trisver ang balikat ko. "Let's go out now! No one survived here!"

Hinila na niya ako palabas ng mansion pero pagkalabas namin ng main door, nahinto kaagad kami dahil pinaputukan kami ng bala!

"Good evening, Madame Quincy!" Ngumiti si Feliciano. "Glad to see you again, Madame Quincy!"

With the current situation, it wasn't surprising anymore that even Feliciano turned his back on me.

Pinaulanan niya ulit kami ng bala kaya tumakbo kami ni Trisver para magtago. Bumalik kami sa loob ng mansion. Nagtago kami sa likod ng staircase.

May baril mula sa patay na tauhan ko ang nasa malapit, kaya mabilis ko 'yong pinulot at chineck kung may bala ba at nang makitang meron pa, cinrack ko ito para kapag susulpot ang kalaban, ipapaputok ko na lang.

I heard their footsteps kaya mabilis akong lumabas, iniluhod ang isang tuhod, at itinutok kaagad sa direksyon nila ang baril bago pinaputok. I was able to kill three of them, tatlong beses ko lang din pinutok ang baril at lahat tumama diretso sa ulo nila.

Napansin na nila kung nasaan ako kaya mabilis akong bumalik sa pagkakatago nang nagpaulan na naman sila ng bala.

"Fuck! Makakalabas pa ba tayo rito?!" I checked how many bullets left. There were only five left, and there are seven of them outside!

Trisver smirked. "Of course. Ikaw pa."

I looked at him and I just smirked back.

The men were already nearing us, kaya ang kamay ko lang ang nilabas ko at isa-isa ko silang binaril. Two down.

Wala na ang mga nakapasok sa mansion kaya umalis na kaagad kami ni Trisver sa ilalim ng staircase. I picked up the rifle that was lying on the floor and when we went our of the main door, inangat ko kaagad ang dalawang baril at ipinaputok. The rifle on the left, the pistol on the right.

Noong naubos na sila, hinagis ko lang ang baril at tumakbo na kaagad kami pabalik sa kotse ni Trisver sa labas. He handed his things to me before he drove the car.

"Where are we going now?" tanong ko.

He sighed. "For now, I think we'll be staying in a hotel. Nakuha ko naman ang iilang pera, alahas, at cheke. That could last us at least two months--"

Pagkabaling ko ng tingin sa gilid, namilog ang mga mata ko nang makita ang humaharurot na itim na kotse na papalapit sa amin at wala itong preno. Bago pa ako makasigaw kay Trisver, tumama na ang kotse sa amin at tumilapon ako sa kabilang pinto ng kotse, dahilan para mahilo ako at nawalan ng malay.