Dedicated to: meownview

*

**

Him

"Is that—" 

"No." I cut him out before he could over react. 

Lumiere gasped as he look at the lady sitting on the couch who was talking to Potty. I drank my whisky and stared at the Beauty, she looked exactly like her but different in a way I could easily identify. Even with all the mud staining her dress, she still looked like a Goddess. Her wavy messy brown hair is tied in a tight bun, she has a small face, I could easily crush her face with my rusty hand but I wouldn't do that because that would mean ruining her beauty.

"She look just exactly like her." He said.

I didn't answer, it was an obvious answer and is the only reason why I decided to spare her even when I badly wanna punish her severely, she wouldn't be able to walk or even dare ride a horse the next day because she can't. 

Literally. Not through fuck shit, that woman would end up enjoying it that it wouldn't even feel like a punishment but rather a pleasure. 

"Paano kung siya talaga siya? Nagpapanggap lang—"

"I would instantly know." I hissed, I hate how he underestimates me when it comes to Cara. I know her so damn much, every inch of her, every little move of her. 

"Ah . . ." He trailed off. "Kung ganoon, bakit mo siya dinala—" he gasped. "Don't tell me you're going to make her—"

"A sex slave?" I scoffed and shook my head. I would never touch her not when she has the same face as Cara. I could never think of Cara that way. 

"Salamat naman." He sighed in relief.

"Hindi ko kailangang mamilit ng babae, Lumiere. You fucking know that. Girls go to me, not the other way around." 

"Yeah." He chuckled.

"Although . . ." My eyes trailed down her body, she has an obvious curves. Even with the unattractive old lady like dress, she still managed to nail it. From the view of her front, I already knew there's flesh inside it. "I'm not sure if I could resist temptation." I added and sipped my whisky. 

"No! I will call your girls if you want just not her!" He suddenly felt protective of her all because she fucking looks like Cara.

"No thanks." I turned my back on him and walked away.

Tonight, I'm going to deal with Maurine.

🥀

"Saan mo siya dinala?" Mahinahon kong tanong.

Maurine is sitting on the execution chair and I'm inside the jail with him at the basement. This basement is meant for criminals like him, sparing no light except for that one torch hanging on the stone made wall.

"Hi-Hindi ko alam! Hindi ko siya kinuha!" 

"Fucking liar." I violently threw all the things I could see, the table, the lamp, the glass of whiskey, the whiskey, the chair, everything, and he shivered in fear. 

"Pa-Pakiusap, hindi ko alam kung nasaan si Cara!" The old man whined.

"You don't know and yet you know who I was talking about." I laughed in disbelief and he paled when he realized what he just said.

"Pa-Pakiusap." He sobbed.

"If you don't tell me where she is then I'm going to touch your daughter tonight." I would never. But I'm not going to tell him that, what I need right now is answer.

Natigil siya sa pag-iyak at sa saglit na pagkakataon, nakita ko kung gaanong napalitan ng galit at pagkamuhi ang mukha niya, that wasn't long though, he's a smart man, he knew who's in power right now between the two of us.

"Gusto niyang tumakas!" Iyak niya. 

"So you helped her escape?" I roared, he flinched.

"A-Ayaw niya sa 'yo! Ayaw niyang makasal!" 

"Tangina! Hindi ko naman siya pipilitin!" Galit kong sigaw sa kawalan at bayolenteng hinagas ang lahat ng bagay, iyak nang iyak ang matanda ngunit wala akong pakealam kahit na mamatay pa siya sa harap ko.

"Hin-Hindi ko alam kung nasaan siya. Tinakasan niya ako!" 

That was my last straw, tinalikuran ko siya at naglakad na papalayo dahil pakiramdam ko'y makakapatay ako ng tao bunga ng galit, at hindi niya pa kailangang mamatay, kakailanganin ko pa siya. 

Natigil ako sa paglalakad nang may makitang anino sa likod ng pinto. Hindi kaagad ako lumingon ngunit naramdaman ko ang presensya niya. Kahit kailan, sakit talaga sa ulo ang babae.

"Labas!" Banta ko.

Ngunit hindi siya lumabas. I pinched the bridge of my nose and tried to calm the fuck down. I can hear her trembling even from the distance, she should be, I'm a beast and she shouldn't dare disobey me.

"Kapag hindi ka lumabas, papatayin ko ang Papa mo." Walang pag-aalinlangang lumabas ang babae, puno ng takot ang mukha at namumutla.

Fuck it. Fuck it. Her face is a curse. I fucking remember my little Cara, being scared while hiding at the corner of her room. I can't think straight whenever I remember her because it hurts. She betrayed me, she left me, all alone, in here with nothing but a broken piece.

"Gusto ko lang makita si Papa." Nanginig ang boses niya.

If her face is a curse then I'm thankful her voice is a blessing. Her voice is far more different from Cara, Cara's voice was soft and gentle while hers was fierce and deep. With her voice, I could comfort myself and confirm that she is not Cara and I shouldn't feel guilty if I hurt her because she's not fucking Cara.

"Bibigyan kita ng isang minuto, sa oras na makita kong nasa harap pa rin kita, hindi ako mag-aalinlangang parusahan ka katulad ng ginawa ko sa Papa mo." 

And I'm thankful it worked because the moment I was done, she fucking ran and stormed out of the place. I don't even know if I would be able to hurt her.

Fuck it, just where the hell are you, Cara?

🥀

"Invite her to dinner." Utos ko.

"Who? The girl?" Lumiere dumbfoundedly asked.

"Don't let me repeat myself." Banta ko.

Lumiere puffed a sound but the wise man he is, he obliged. I sipped my whiskey and stared at the empty seat beside me with a soup on the table. I'm seating at the head of the long oval table and she has to seat beside me. I told the chef to serve a bowl of soup for the girl, I don't know her type of food yet. Cara loves soup so maybe she do as well. 

Bumukas ang pinto kaya napabaling ako sa pintuan ngunit hindi siya ang inaasahan ko, kumunot ang noo ko at tiningnan kung mayroon pa bang tao sa likod niya ngunit wala.

"Hinahanap mo siya?" Potty asked.

"Obviously. She's a guest." Iritado kong sabi.

"Tinakot mo ba siya?"

Ininom ko ang alak na hawak-hawak at hindi sumagot. Bumuntong-hininga siya at naglakad papalapit sa akin, seryoso ang mata kaya nagpakawala ako ng malalim na hininga. Alam ko na ang mangyayari, makakatanggap ako ngayon ng sermon at hindi ko kailangan ng dagdag sakit sa ulo.

"She was stubborn."

"Alam mo namang hindi pa maayos ang paa niya. Bakit mo tinakot? Nagtatakbo tuloy ang bata." Umiling siya sa akin, halatang disappointed. 

"It was her fault. She knew her ankle isn't well yet she chose to go to that fucking basement." 

"Dahil nandoon ang Papa niya."

"I fucking told her she will meet him tomorrow!" Napatayo na ako bunga ng galit.

That girl, how dare her fuck with my servants. She didn't even last a day and yet they're already on her side. 

Nagulat ang matanda, kitang-kita ko ang paglaki ng kaniyang mata at ang pagsiklab ng takot sa kaniya, natigil ang galit ko nang mapagtantong hindi ko nanaman nakontrol ang sariling  emosyon. Mrs. Potty is like a mother of mine and fuck it, I just shout at her. Imbes na humingi ng tawad, tinalikuran ko ang babae at naglakad na papalayo. I tought I was already in control, it was getting better, I was already calm but now . . . I don't know anymore.

Malakas kong hinampas ang pintuan sa kusina, nagulat si Lumiere, kaagad ko siyang sinugod kaya nanlaki ang mata niya at napasinghap. 

"Nasaan ang babae?" Sigaw ko, napatalon siya sa gulat.

"Ka-Kalma—"

"Lumiere! Nasaan siya!"

"Ca-Cara's—"

Iniwan ko siya at mabigat ang paang naglakad sa kuwarto, tangina, hindi ko sinabing ibigay nila sa kaniya ang kuwarto ni Cara! Bakit? Gusto na ba nilang palitan si Cara? Ng ganoon kadali?!

"It's okay, dear. Makikita mo rin ang Pa—"

Malakas kong hinampas ang pintuan ng kuwarto ni Cara. Nadatnan kong yakap-yakap siya ni Derobe. Napatayo si Derobe at namutla ngunit nanatili ang titig ko sa babae, umuusok sa apoy ang kaniyang titig at alam kong gusto niya akong patayin sa isipan niya ngunit wala akong pakealam.

"Labas." Utos ko.

Kumuyom ang kamao ni Arabelle, ang mata niya'y nanlilisik na nakatingin sa mga mata ko. Tinuro ko ang pintuan nang hindi tumitigil sa pagtitig sa babae. Binigyan ni Derobe ng nakakaawang tingin si Arabelle bago siya lumabas. She's already poisoning the minds of my servants and I hate that about her.

"Anong ginagawa mo rito?" Galit niyang tanong.

"Anong sinabi mo sa mga katulong ko? Gung gaano ako kasama?" Galit ko ring tanong at humakbang na papalapit sa kaniya.

She scoffed. "Hindi ba?" Sarkastiko niyang tanong.

"Are you that helpless here, Beauty? That you're seeking for allies?" I mocked.

"Why? Are you disappointed they're already on my side?" She retorted. 

Nawala ang ngisi sa labi ko, hindi na makontrol ang sariling emosyon, hinagis ko ang kabinet na nasa gilid ko sa harapan niya, she shouted out of fear.

"Wala kang karapatang angkinin ang mga alipin ko." Hinigingal kong sabi.

"At wala kang karapatang pagsabihan ako!" Sigaw niya at tumayo na sa kama, sinubukan niyang tumakbo ngunit nawalan siya ng balanse dahil sa biglaang paggalaw ng bali niyang buto sa sakong.

"Ouch." Mahina niyang daing.

Napapikit ako at napahilot sa sintido. Humakbang ako papalapit sa kaniya ngunit pinigilan niya ako.

"Huwag mo akong lalapitan!" Banta niya.

How cute of her to assume I'll listen to her.

Hindi ko siya pinansin, humakbang ako papalapit at inalsa na siya pabalik sa kama. Sumigaw siya at sinuntok ang dibdib ko, akala niya ang lakas-lakas na ngunit para lang akong kinagat ng langgam sa suntok niya. 

"Kasalanan mo 'to!" Sisi niya sa akin at tinaliman ako ng titig. 

Nakaupo na siya sa kama, kumunot ang noo ko dahil mukhang hindi niya magalaw ang paa niya, may bendahe na ang isa niyang paa ngunit dahil sa kalikutan niya'y natanggal ito, inayos ko ang pagkakaikot ng bendahe sa sakong niya, sinubukan niyang alisin ang kamay ko sa pagkakahawak sa kaniya ngunit hinawakan ko ang paa niya para maayos ang pagkakaikot nito at hindi na matanggal kahit pa maglikot-likot siya sa kama. 

"Ano? Pagkatapos mo akong sigawan magkukunwari kang mabait? Nakawala na ba ang Demonyo?" She mocked.

Inirapan ko siya at plinastar na ang paa niya sa kama bago tumayo. Nanatili ang nakamamatay niyang titig sa akin. Napabuntong-hininga nalang ako nang mapagtanto kung ano ang nagawa. Nagkalat na ang mga damit, nakabukas ang cabinet na nasa sahig dahil sa pagkakahagis ko, pati ang pintuan nito ay nasira.

Hindi na ako nagsalita, naglakad na ako papalabas ng kuwarto. Pagkabukas na pagkabukas ko ng pinto ay nahuli ko ang mga kasambahay na nakalinya at mukhang nakikinig sa nangyayari sa loob, napatalon sila at kaagad na umaayos ng pagkakatayo.

"Aayain sana namin siya na maghapunan." Potty said with a nervous laugh.

Hindi na ako nagsalita at tinalikuran na sila, narinig ko ang kani-kaniya nilang buntong-hininga at ang dali-dali nilang pagpasok sa loob ng kuwarto para lang matanong kung ayos lang ba ang babae.

Cara was the reason why they all choose to stay even with my temper, they loved her so much and now that she's gone, they're giving all their attention to the new girl. That looked exactly like her.

Pumasok ako sa kuwarto ko at pagod na napaupo sa upuan. Kaagad na bumungad sa akin ang salamin na nasa cabinet, I stared at my reflection. The black mask covering my left side until my cheek, I remember Cara's reaction when I first wore this mask at the age of 12. She was 7 years old back then and she hardly recognized me. She thought I was a monster and she was not wrong. I am a monster.

Sinandal ko ang ulo sa upuan at ipinikit ang mata, I feel tired looking for her all day.

"Adam?" Soft and gentle voice called me.

Kumunot ang noo ko ngunit nanatili akong nakapikit.

"Adam . . ." I knew that voice.

Kaagad akong napadilat at nagtama ang mata namin ni Cara, she was waking me up! She came back!

"Cara!" Napatayo ako niyakap siya ng mahigpit, she chuckled.

"Pinagsisihan mo na ba?" She asked.

"Ang?" Nakangiti kong tanong, humigpit ang yakap ko sa kaniya na para bang makakawala siya.

"Killing her."

Napawi ang ngiti ko. Hinarap ko si Cara ngunit hindi na siya si Cara na yakap-yakap ko. I saw my Mom, my mom on her white dress.

"Pinagsisihan mo na ba?" It was Mom's voice.

"Cara . . ."

"Master!"

Napadilat ako sa pagkakapikit, hinihingal at pinagpapawisan. Nagtama ang tingin namin ni Lumiere na nag-aalalang nakatingin sa akin.

"Napaniginipan mo nanaman ba?"

I sighed and closed my eyes to calm myself down.

"Tatawagan ko si Evelyn para makapagpahinga ka." 

"I don't need a fuck buddy right now, Lumiere." Iritado kong sabi.

"You need her! Ilang araw ka nang walang pahinga. Besides, nangangamusta na rin si Evelyn, bakit hindi mo na raw siya tinatawagan."

"Fine." I massaged my forehead.

While my father sealed my fate with Cara ever since she came, she was nothing more to me than a sister, and they all know that. Cara knew that.

🥀