NAGISING SI Ayze na nasa hospital na. She lost her consciousness after staring for too long at Windelle. Hindi mawala sa isip niya ang nahihirapan na mukha nito, it was evil but it was too satisfying to watch.

She was losing, alam niya 'yon. The moment Windelle placed the muzzle in her head, right there and then alam na niya na katapusan na niya 'yon. Ayze was lucky that Arki arrived in time. Hirap na siyang makagalaw dahil sa tama niya sa tagiliran.

Luck was indeed on her side. Isang tao lang ang nakakita sa nangyari and Arki already handled it. There's no CCTV around that area that's why it's easy for them to manipulate the situation. If meron man, she'll make sure that the results of the investigation were going to favor her side. After all, she was ambushed.

Arki told her that he called some of their men to clean up the place, habang ito naman ang nagtakbo sa kanya sa hospital, and Windelle was now in their care. She's now in their safe house, getting the best treatment she deserved after she got shot by Arki.

Kailangan nitong magpalakas dahil hindi pa siya tapos dito. Windelle was brave enough to put a gun on her head. She'll do the same. Mas malala nga lang.

Ayze sighed in relief. Bumaba ang tingin niya sa braso niya, they've wanted her to wear a sling to support her arm at hindi niya masyadong maramdaman ang sakit. Mariin niya 'yon na tinanggihan lalo na at kaya naman niya ang sakit.

"Ayrelle Zehra!"

Napalingon kaagad si Ayze nang marinig ang boses ng mommy niya. Bakas sa mukha nito ang pag-aalala sa kanya, this was the first time na may nakaalitan siya at napuruhan siya. Malamang ay hindi ito sanay.

Her father, on the other hand, looks cool. She clicked her tongue when she finally caught his eyes, they were deadly. His anger sipped through her bones.

"Goodness! Look what happened to you. I've heard you were having a head on fight with the Marquez family?" her mother asked. Hindi kaagad nakasagot si Ayze, instead, she looked at her father and silently begged him to help her.

"I was," her father replied.

"What? Bakit hindi ko alam?" her mother pinched her father's arm. Napangiwi naman ang Daddy.

"That was after you passed down your title to her. Tumigil ako after no'n," sabi nito at kumindat sa kanya.

She had no idea that he was sticking his nose into that old man's business. Ngayon lang.

Ayze cleared her throat and said, "They actually bombed one of our resorts. I retaliated."

"And this is what you've got in return, Ayze? How many times do I have to remind you na huwag niyo na lang pansinin? They're notorious —"

Pinutol ni Ayze ang sasabihin ng mommy niya.

"So are we, Mom," she said.

Umawang ang mga labi ng mommy niya sa naging sagot niya. They were evil, alam niya 'yon. But she's much more evil than them. Tanggap niya 'yon.

"Ayze, let's not go there please? Pwede naman na sampahan na lang sila ng kaso. Look, darling, beauty... Ayaw ko na may masaktan kahit isa man lang sa atin. Look what they've done to you, Ayze..."

Alam niya na nag-aalala lang ito. This was the reason why sometimes her father kept her mother in the dark. She's too pure. Sa sobrang bait nito, she hates to say it but her mother sometimes acts naive. Her judgment leads her to danger.

"I'll do the same thing to her..." Her father said. "I want to kill her."

"Jyrelle!" tumaas ang boses ng mommy niya.

"What? I won't leave her unscathed."

"She's a girl, Jyrelle! For goodness sake! It's better if ipakulong na lang natin para hindi na umulit!"

"Our daughter too, Mia bella. That girl almost killed our daughter. What makes you think na hindi 'yon uulit? Put her behind the bars? Darling, they have connections."

"Dad, Mom... That's enough, please?" pakiusap niya sa dalawa.

Ayze looked at his father and smiled, reassuring her father that the bitch won't go to jail without meeting her alter, Zehra.

She's still not sure what she would do to Windelle. Ang tanging nasa isip niya lang ngayon ay magpahinga at magpalakas. Hanggat nandito siya sa hospital at nakahiga, her mother won't stop worrying and at the same time nagging her.

"Can you do me a favor?" alanganin na tanong niya sa dalawa.

Ayze knows her mother. She's very open to people she's very close with, especially to Zayndrei's father— Zayvin. Bukod sa mga Tito niya, ito lang din ang lalaki na pinagkakatiwalaan nito. Her mother trusted the man. She never doubted him.

"Ano 'yon?" tanong kaagad ng Daddy niya.

"Please, huwag niyo na lang ipaalam kay Zayndrei na nasa hospital ako... And if ever alam na niya... Then, huwag niyo na lang sabihin kung saang hospital ako naka admit."

"E, kung malaman niya kung saan?" her father asked. He raised his brow and glanced at her mother.

"I... I will try my best not to tell your Tito Zayvin?" nakangiwi na sagot ng mommy niya.

"Don't let him in. I'll ask Arki for guards para may humarang sa kanya kung sakali."

Her father, Jyrelle, sighed. He placed his tongue inside his cheek, as if he was suppressing himself not to say something she wouldn't like. But after a minute of him glancing at her, her father finally had the courage to speak up.

"What's up with you and that guy?" inis na tanong nito. Nag-isang linya ang mga kilay nito.

She smiled at her father and answered his question confidently, "I like him, Dad. I really do."

Halos pumalakpak ang mommy niya sa narinig. Masaya pa itong lumingon sa Daddy niya.

"Now, you have more reason not to touch Zayndrei. Dalawa na kaming magagalit ngayon. And mind you, darling, hindi mo gustong galitin ang anak mo. Magkaugali kayo ni Ayze." Her mother said in a matter of fact tone.

Never silang nag-away na mag-ama kaya wala silang ideya kung sino ang mananalo kung sakali. Who knows what will happen too.

"You like him that much?" parang gusto na masuka ng mismong tatay niya sa tanong nito.

She nodded. "My life is a complete mess without him, Dad."

"Ano kami ng mommy mo? Display sa buhay mo?" sarkastiko na tanong nito sa kanya.

"I know you're going to answer the same thing if It was me who asked you that question." Ayze shot back. Natahimik kaagad ito.

Isabella, her mother, proudly smiled at her answer. Kilala nila ang Daddy niya. They've heard words about him when he and her mom hasn't met. Naging tahimik na tigre lang naman ang Daddy niya nang makilala ang Mommy nila.

If she didn't realize how much she likes Zayndrei during the time na lagi siyang na ga-guidance, hindi siya pipirmi. She'll be the black sheep of the family, for sure.

"You got it bad?" tanong ulit ng Daddy niya.

"Down bad, Dad. Down bad."

ZAYNDREI CLEARLY told her to be safe and careful. Hindi rin siya nagkulang na sabihan ito na kumuha ng guard na aaligid sa dalaga habang wala siya o si Arki sa tabi nito. But after years of being with her, kilala niya ang dalaga. Hindi ito susunod sa kanya lalo na at kung may nakalatag na itong plano.

She sometimes listen to him. Mas lamang lang sa bilang ang mga hindi nito sa kanya.

He checked his phone and sighed when there's no message from Ayze. May kinuha lang siya na mahalagang papeles sa unit niya, pagkatapos ay dadaan sa restaurant ng Tito Yves nito para mag takeout ng makakain nila.

He's too tired to cook and there's no way he'll let Ayze cook. She's getting good at it but there's still some time na hindi talaga kaya ng sikmura niya ang mga luto nito.

Zayndrei was on his way to her unit when he received a call from Windelle. Kanina, she was talking about killing herself. But as he watched her father getting cuffed, hindi niya maiwasan na mag-alala para kay Ayze. He feels guilty afterwards that he felt no sympathy for Windelle.

"What is it, Windelle? I don't have time for your whims, I'm bus—"

["Nice one, Windy.]

Zayndrei gulped when he heard his lover's voice.

"Windelle! What the fuck are you doing? Stop it this instant!"

[Sayonara, black sheep. This is for my father, ang pang-aagaw mo kay Zayndrei, pati na rin ang kasalanan mo sa akin ngayon-ngayon lang!]

"I was never yours! Stop it!" halos maputol ang mga ugat niya sa leeg sa pagsigaw para lang pakinggan siya ng babae.

Natulos siya sa kinatatayuan niya nang makarinig siya ng putok ng baril. It took him a minute to recover. Nanuyo ang lalamunan niya nang makarinig ulit siya ng putok ng baril. Sunod-sunod 'yon.

His palms were sweating. His head couldn't process what he just heard. Nang makabalik siya sa katinuan, mabilis niyang pinagpipindot ang cellphone niya. He almost dropped his phone, dahil 'yon sa panginginig niya. He's damn worried about Ayze's safety.

He traced his location and saw that it was just near her condo. Zayndrei always took his time, wala siyang pakialam kung mas mataas sa kanya ang kikitain o naghihintay sa presensya niya. Not even when her mom got hospitalized. He was always calm. His mind was still present even he's in his worst situation.

Pero hindi ngayon na ang mahal niya ang pinag-uusapan. Not when Ayze was involved.

Mabilis niyang minaneho ang sasakyan papunta sa location ng condo ni Ayze. He was silently begging God to save his life. His lover. He couldn't live without her. His life was meaningless without his Ayrelle.

"Please, God... I know she's not that nice but please... I am begging you. Don't take her away from me. Not now, God..." Zayndrei kept on mumbling these words.

Halos mabaliw siya sa pag-aalala nang madatnan na lang niya ang ang nagkalat na dugo sa daan. There were offices, investigating the scene.

Namanhid ang buong katawan niya nang makita ang dugo na nakakalat sa daan. It was too much. Hindi alam kung kanino 'yon. Was it from Ayze or Windelle?

Zayndrei unconsciously seek for his phone and when he finally have it, he called for his father. Alam niya sa sarili na sa Carson hospital dadalhin si Ayze. He's ready to go to each branch para lang makita ito at masiguro na maayos ang lagay nito.

[You probably know by now what happened to her. Uwi ka muna sa atin, anak? We're going to talk about it.]

Pinatayan siya kaagad nito. He had no choice but to go home. His mind was wandering somewhere, and he's lucky, dahil buo pa ang katawan niya nang makarating sa bahay nila.

Nakaabang sa kanya ang Mama niya sa labas. Kalmado ito, hindi tulad niya na nanginginig pa rin ang mga kamay at namamawis sa kaba at pag-aalala.

"Pa, nasaan siya?" he immediately asked when he saw his father.

He sadly shook his head. "I'm sorry, son. All I can do is to explain her side to you."

"I want to see her, Pa. I want to take care of her. Gusto ko siyang makasama!" Zayndrei whined.

"Ayze clearly told us not to mention anything about what happened to her. Malakas lang talaga ang radar mo pagdating sa kanya."

"Windelle called me, kaya alam ko."

"She doesn't want you to be with her, Zayndrei. Irespeto na lang natin ang gusto niya, hm? Ayze wants to rest and face you when she's already healed. No scratch and no pain. That girl doesn't want to worry you."

"She's already making me worried by not letting me see her, Pa!" tumaas ang boses niya dahil sa frustration. "Please, Papa... Sabihin niyo na sa akin? Saang branch siya ng Carson hospital naka admit?"

Umiling sa kanya ang tatay niya. "Kahit sabihin ko sayo, 'nak, hindi ka nila papapasukin. Ayze banned you from every branch of the hospital."

"Pa, please? I wanna see her. I love her, Pa. I really do. I'll lose my mind kung hindi ko siya makikita."

☕