#OLASweetNemesis

Chapter 6
Tears

I craned my neck while massaging my nape simultaneously as I descended the stairs. Maaga akong nakatulog, pero maaga rin akong nagising. My body still felt heavy. I wanted to sleep longer, but I'd rather work and clock off early. Maybe I could contact my friends for wine or something. Pwede rin akong magpa-spa at massage para mawala ang lamig sa katawan.

Right. I should do that instead! I need to pamper myself!

"Morning."

A soft gasp escaped between my lips as I went inside the kitchen. I found Keno drinking his brewed coffee in the breakfast nook. It was only six-thirty in the morning. Maaga ito sa usual na pasok ko sa opisina, yet he was already there.

"Mornin'..." nag-aalangan kong bati pabalik habang papalapit sa nook.

Nakahain na rin doon ang breakfast na niluto para sa akin. It was a simple menu—fried eggs, bacon, and toasted bread. May nakatabing Kewpie garlic butter spread sa gilid na gustong-gusto kong inilalagay sa tinapay.

I quietly sat across from him. Lumapit agad ang aming katulong para ilapag sa lamesa ang iced coffee kong nakalagay sa tumbler. I usually don't finish my morning coffee at home dahil nagmamadali akong kumain lagi ng breakfast. Kaya naman dinadala ko ito para inumin sa biyahe na minsan ay umaabot din hanggang opisina.

"Thank you," tipid kong sabi sa katulong bago muling humarap kay Keno.

He resumed reading today's newspaper. Malapit na maubos ang iniinom niyang kape. Ang ibig sabihin no'n ay kanina pa siya nandito.

"Uhm..." I cleared my throat to get his attention.

Tumigil sa pagbabasa si Keno saka nag–angat ng tingin sa akin. "Do you need anything?"

Ngumuso ako at umiling. "May itatanong lang..."

"What's that?"

"Well, uhm... anong oras ka dumating dito?" tanong ko.

"Five-thirty."

"Five-thirty?" My eyes widened. Ang aga naman! "Anong oras ka umuwi kagabi? You were still here around ten. Nakita kita sa baba."

"Why?" he asked with a suspicious gaze. "Are you planning to sneak out?"

"Sneak out?" I echoed.

Keno dropped the newspaper on the table and leaned forward. "Gusto mo malaman kung anong oras ako umaalis para makatakas ka sa gabi, is that it?"

"Saan mo naman nakuha 'yan? I'm not gonna sneak out!" I couldn't help but get offended.

Is this what I get for being concerned about his health? I'm just worried! Why the fuck am I suddenly being accused without any grounds?

"The security here told me stories of you sneaking out a couple of times. Tinatakasan mo ang mga bodyguard mo para lumabas ng gabi," sabi niya.

"That's because they are trying to keep me confined here at home after work. Ginagawa nila akong bata, when I'm clearly an adult already," I reasoned. "It sucked to have them around. Parang hawak na nila ang buhay ko. It was suffocating. I had to escape. That was the only way for me to have fun and live my life the way I wanted."

Keno went still and quiet. He wasn't expecting that I would vent my raw emotions so early in the morning. However, I felt offended for being accused. I just had to defend myself and tell him my reasons. Hindi naman ako tumatakas noon dahil gusto ko lang o matigas ang ulo ko. It wasn't for the thrill. I was genuinely and desperately trying to chase my freedom.

"Now... I hate to admit it, but I don't see the need to escape your sight. Maybe I did the first day. To me, you were a threat to my freedom. Akala ko katapusan ko na dahil si Kuya Xavi ang mismong kumuha sa 'yo, but..." I heaved a deep breath. "I realized you were more lenient than my previous bodyguards when you let me go that night."

"It's a good thing that they were replaced, then."

My eyelids twitched. "H-huh?"

"I don't have to keep you confined just to make sure you are safe. You can go out and have fun as much as you like. I'm confident that I can protect you," he said without batting an eye.

Like a broken record, I kept replaying his words repeatedly inside my head. I tried not to overanalyze them, yet they held significant meaning for me. It felt like a heavy weight had been lifted off my chest. Nawala ang takot ko at pangamba. While everyone tried to take control of my life, Keno granted me a renewed sense of freedom I hadn't experienced in ages.

"I'll drive you to and from work," sabi ni Keno nang papalabas na kami ng bahay. "It's more convenient than having to follow you all the time. Pwede mo ring sabihin sa akin kung saan mo gusto pumunta. I'll take you there."

If it was his first day at work or if he didn't help me last time, I might have been suspicious of him. He was nothing but plain rude to me before, kaya hindi ko alam kung bakit bigla siyang naging mabait sa akin. Siguro ay naisip niyang walang mangyayari sa pagiging masungit niya. His impression of me might have changed as well. Na-realize na niya sigurong hindi lang ako basta maarte at spoiled.

I guess it's not a bad idea to get to know each other well. Matagal-tagal din kaming magsasama. And it was about time to admit that he was nothing like my past bodyguards. We needed to avoid misunderstandings as much as possible. Mas mapapadali ang buhay naming dalawa kung nagkakaintindihan kami at hindi nag-aaway.

Hinayaan kong si Keno na ang magmaneho sa akin sa trabaho. We rode his SUV instead of using my car. I love driving myself to work or wherever I have engagements since it gives me a sense of independence, pero ayos din pala ang may driver. I'm starting to like the feeling of being someone's passenger princess.

"Keno..." I hesitantly called him while we were inside the elevator.

Keno looked at my reflection in the mirror-like door of the elevator. "Hmm?"

"Doon ka na sa office ko maghintay. You don't have to sit outside the whole day," I told him and glanced at the laptop he brought with him. "You can do whatever work you have there."

"I'm fine outside."

"I don't want you to disturb my secretary and refrain her from doing her job efficiently," I reasoned.

Nagtaas siya ng kilay. "But you don't mind me disturbing you from working?"

"I'm not easily distracted when I'm focused on working," sabi ko at naningkit ang mga mata nang may maisip. "Are you attracted to my secretary?"

"What?" He shifted his stance, like he didn't expect me to blurt out the question without hesitation.

Mas lalo akong naghinala dahil sa naging reaksyon. "Or are you hitting on her already? Kaya ayaw mong sa loob na lang ng opisina ko maghintay?"

I might be overthinking, but it wasn't an entirely implausible scenario that Keno might be attracted to my secretary. After all, my cousin ended up marrying his secretary. It wasn't far-fetched, and the idea somehow made me anxious.

"What are you saying, Hari? Saan naman nanggaling 'yan?" Keno looked confused and guilty at the same time. His reactions continuously heightened my suspicions.

I pulled my gaze away and stepped out of the elevator when it reached our destination. Nagmadali akong maglakad papunta sa opisina. Kyla stood up to greet me with a smile, but I didn't pay much attention to her. Hindi ako bumati o ngumiti pabalik. Dire-diretso ang pagpasok ko sa opisina at halos ihagis ko pasara ang pinto nang nadinig kong nag-iba ang tono ng boses ni Kyla nang batiin si Keno.

"Good morning, Keno!" I mocked and made a face while trying to mimic her tone.

Inilapag ko ang bag sa drawer ko bago padabog na naupo. Nag-angat nga lang ang tingin ko nang nadinig ang muling pagsarado ng pinto. I saw Keno walking with fast strides to my receiving area.

Tinagilid ko ang aking ulo habang patuloy siyang pinapanood. He sat on the couch and opened his laptop. Before he could turn his head in my direction, I quickly averted my gaze and sat straight.

Bakit siya nandito? Akala ko okay lang sa kanya sa labas?

I thought about firing questions at him, but I didn't want to waste time. Gusto kong matapos agad ang trabaho ko para mas madami pa akong free time mamaya. I wanted to immerse myself in moments of indulgence without the need to be aware of time. Minsan lang mangyari 'to kaya pagbibigyan ko na ang sarili ko.

Wala kaming pakialamanan ni Keno. He did his job, while I also did mine. Sa lunch ay magkasabay rin kami kumain, pero dahil nagmamadali ako, hindi ko na 'yon masyadong pinagtuunan ng pansin. In the end, I finished all my work earlier than planned. It was only four in the afternoon.

Dahil five-thirty pa ang appointment ko sa spa, I decided to have an early dinner. I craved salmon sashimi; that's why I asked Keno to take me to a Japanese restaurant.

Tahimik lang kaming kumakain. Keno was watching me the whole time while we were eating. It was written on his face how baffled he was. He might be wondering why I wasn't trying to start an argument with him.

"Hari!"

James approached our table with a carefree smile on his face. May kasama siyang dalawang lalaki na tinanguan niya para mauna na sa lamesa nila.

"Hi!" bati ko sa kanya at tumayo ako upang makipagbeso bago muling naupo.

I saw him glance at Keno, but he didn't bother asking me about him. He cleared his throat at napaayos lang siya ng tayo. "Hindi ka na nakasama ulit sa amin."

"I'm busy with work," tipid kong sagot.

"I figured." James chuckled. "But if you wanna come with us tonight, pwede naman. Ingrid, Marcus, and Hannah will come, too. You can bring your, uhm..." Sinulyapan niya ulit si Keno. "Friend? Or boyfriend?"

I carefully looked at Keno na para bang nasa kanya ang sagot. He raised his brow and nodded once. I guess that was him saying na ayos lang sa kanya. Naisip kong he wasn't the type to party. And besides, nag-aalangan talaga akong pumayag dahil wala naman sa plano ko na mag-bar.

"Uh... Maybe next time," sabi ko na lang nang muli kong tingnan si James. "I'm not in the mood to party tonight."

James nodded coolly. "No problem. Just send us a message if you wanna come sometime."

"Will do. Thank you."

Tumango ulit si James at pinaunlakan din ng tipid na pagbati si Keno bago pumunta sa mga kaibigan niya sa kabilang lamesa. I picked up my chopsticks and eyed the next piece of salmon sashimi.

"Bakit hindi ka sumama?" tanong ni Keno.

"Not in my plans," sabi ko. "May booking ako sa spa ko."

I grabbed a piece of sashimi and dipped it in the soy sauce. I smiled when the freshness exploded in my mouth as it quickly melted. I really love good sashimi. Kapag malansa ang pagkakagawa, matagal din bago ako kumain ulit. Pero kapag masarap, parang ayaw ko nang tumigil, but it wouldn't be good for my health.

Naalala ko tuloy yung lobster sashimi na natikman ko sa Taiwan. I had a hard time pulling myself away from the table. It was so good that I could still remember exactly how it tasted. I might come back to Taiwan just for that alone. Hmm, maybe I should? Pwede akong sumaglit pagkagaling kong Thailand.

"Maaga pa naman. You can still party after," he insisted.

I lifted my gaze up to him and tilted my head. "Why do you want me to party? I don't want nga," sabi ko at bahagyang ngumuso. "I just wanna relax tonight, go home, bake for an hour, and sleep."

Muling nagtaas ng kilay si Keno. He looked amused. His lips twitched, and he wiped his lower lip with his thumb to hide a smile.

"Okay..." Keno said after a while. "I just thought you wanted to relieve stress and party."

"No, thank you," I replied, shoveling another piece of sashimi into my mouth.

Pagkatapos naming kumain, agad kaming bumiyahe papunta sa spa ko. It was just ten to fifteen minutes away from the Japanese restaurant. Sa gitna nga lang ng biyahe ay tumawag si Kuya Knoa nang hindi inaasahan.

Napatingin si Keno sa cellphone ko at agad ding ibinalik ang mga mata sa kalsada nang makitang si Kuya Knoa iyon.

"Yes, Kuya?" I answered his call.

"Where are you?" Kuya Knoa's tone sounded off, making me feel a little bit unsettled. Napansin kong sumulyap din si Keno sa akin nang umayos ako ng upo.

"I'm on the way to my spa appointment. Is there... anything wrong?"

"Come to Red Oasis," Kuya Knoa ordered, as if there was no room for me to say no.

Red Oasis? Why does everyone want to invite me to a party tonight? Akala ko naman kung ano ang itinawag niya. He even sounded off a bit.

"I said I have a scheduled spa appointment, Kuya. I'm not in the mood to party. Iba na lang ang i-invite mo sa bar mo," sabi ko.

"We're not partying. I want you to come here and help me. Xavi's here."

"Kung hindi tayo magpa-party, bakit pinapapunta mo ako sa bar mo? At bakit nandyan si Kuya Xavi?" tanong ko dahil hindi ko alam kung ano ang pakay niya.

"He's fucking drunk, and he's been trying to punch me every time I try to stop him," he explained with frustration. "Kapag ikaw ang pumigil sa kanya, he won't hurt you. You need to take him home. Isama mo si Keno."

I glanced at Keno while my heart throbbed. "What happened, Kuya? Bakit naglalasing si Kuya Xavi? Did... something happen?"

Matinding kaba na ang naramdaman ko. Kuya Xavi had never lost his control. Never ko pa siyang nakitang naglasing. He has a high alcohol tolerance from all the social gatherings he's been to. If he's really drunk, like Kuya Knoa claimed, he has reached his limits.

I knew for sure that it wasn't about work. Walang problema sa DVH. Kuya Xavi is a business prodigy. Our companies continuously thrived in his hands. Isa lang ang naisip kong dahilan ng paglalasing niya.

Chantal...

"His wife left him," Kuya Knoa stated, his voice fragile.

I accidentally ended the call. There was a sudden rush of emotion inside me. It filled my chest until it became heavy.

How did it happen? No, fuck that. Alam ko.

Alam kong nagkakalabuan silang dalawa nitong mga nakaraang araw. My cousin was an asshole. When I visited their house last time, I knew Chantal was clearly hurting, no matter how much she tried to conceal it. Akala ko nga lang ay malalagpasan din nila 'yon. Mahal nila ang isa't isa kaya hindi ko alam kung bakit kailangan nilang maghiwalay.

"Sa Red Oasis tayo," sabi ko kay Keno.

Hindi na ako kinuwestyon ni Keno kung bakit mag-iiba ang aming destinasyon. He quickly followed my order and canceled the navigation to my spa. Bahagya niya ring binilisan ang pagtakbo ng sasakyan, after he sensed my urgency.

It wasn't long after we arrived at Red Oasis. Kahit may pila sa labas ay agad kaming pinapasok ng bouncer. May naghihintay na server sa amin sa loob na agad kaming dinala sa taas kung nasaan ang mga VIP lounge for elites and private parties.

As I stepped inside, I saw Kuya Xavi sitting alone on the edge of the sofa, the vacant spaces around him somehow reminded me of the absence of his wife's presence. Devastation was etched across his face. Like he was in a trance, he continuously traced his finger along the rim of the glass filled with hard liquor.

Kuya Knoa quietly came up to me and tapped my shoulder. I swallowed hard and braved every step closer to our cousin. When I reached him, I slowly bent down, sat on my heels, and searched for his face.

Once he noticed my presence, Kuya Xavi's gaze shifted from the glass to me. We stared at each other with unspoken grief while I gathered enough courage to push words out of my mouth without breaking down.

"Kuya..." I hesitantly called him and forced a comforting smile. "Uwi na tayo?"

Kuya Xavi bit his lower lip. Ibinalik niya ang tingin sa iniinom. His gaze lingered on the liquor for a moment, contemplating, until he pushed it away.

Nakahinga ako nang maluwag, lalo na nang tumayo siya. He might look a bit sober, but he couldn't hold his balance any longer. Muntik na siyang bumagsak sa akin, and I knew I couldn't carry his weight alone. Mabuti na lang at agad siyang sinalo ni Keno na nakaantabay lang sa likod ko. Kuya Knoa also helped us carry him to the car.

Sa likod kami dumaan ng Red Oasis para hindi siya makita ng ibang tao. We couldn't afford to have a scandal that could damage his reputation and DVH's image. Malaking isyu na 'tong paghihiwalay nila ni Changal kapag umabot sa media. Hindi na dapat dagdagan pa 'yon.

"Hari, I'll leave him in your hands. May kailangan akong asikasuhin," sabi ni Kuya Knoa bago inilipat ang tingin kay Keno. "Ikaw na ang bahala sa kanilang dalawa. I trust that you can keep them safe."

"No problem."

Tumango si Kuya Knoa at tinapik ang balikat ni Keno bago dumiretso sa kanyang sasakyan. Hindi na rin kami nagpatagal pa ni Keno at umalis na rin kami papunta sa bahay ni Kuya Xavi. Pagkarating sa kanila ay tinulungan kami ng security guard na maiakyat siya sa kwarto nila.

There was a lump in my throat when I saw their wedding picture in the room. Accompanied by the beauty of nature, it looked like a scene carved out of a fairytale. They were smiling brightly, like it was the best day of their lives.

Tiningnan ko si Kuya Xavi na mahimbing nang natutulog. He looked hurt, stressed, and frustrated. He expressed those emotions well, even in his sleep. Siguro ay nagsisisi siya... kung kailang huli na nga lang ang lahat.

Alam kong malaki ang naging kasalanan ni Kuya Xavi sa hiwalayan nilang dalawa, but I couldn't help feeling his pain as well. Kung ganito siyang nasasaktan, I wondered how worse it was for Chantal. She might be hurting a lot to finally give up on him. Nakakalungkot na kailangang umabot sa ganito ang lahat.

"Hari..." Keno gently called me.

My breath hitched, and I felt a hot tear drop at the back of my hand. Gulat akong nag-angat ng tingin kay Keno. He seemed a bit flustered to see me crying, but genuine concern sparked in his eyes.

I wiped the tears off my face and turned away. Nagmadali akong maglakad palabas ng kuwarto. When I was out of anyone's sight, mas lalong bumuhos ang aking luha. It was getting even more difficult for me to breathe. The pain pierced straight through my heart as soon as I allowed my vulnerability to show.

I couldn't believe that their breakup would hurt me this much, and I never want to imagine how much pain and tears it would cost me to experience heartbreak firsthand. Parang nakakatakot magmahal ng taong walang kasiguraduhang mananatili sa tabi mo. Nakakatakot sumugal sa isang relasyong hindi mo alam kung magtatagal.

"Hari," tawag ni Keno habang nakasunod sa akin.

Hindi ko siya nilingon. I didn't want anyone to see me cry. I couldn't let anyone see this embarrassing side of me. Binilisan ko ang pagbaba sa hagdan at halos tumakbo na ako palabas ng bahay para hindi niya ako maabutan. However, I froze in place the moment I opened the door to go out.

Ang dalawang security guard na nagbabantay sa bahay nasa hindi kalayuan. I panicked when I caught their attention. I didn't know where to hide, as they were about to turn their heads toward me.

Before they could see me crying, I felt a tug in my arm as Keno spun me around. Hinigit niya ako papunta sa kanya. In just a split second, he buried my face in his chest. His hand remained supporting my head, while the other rested on the small of my back.

"You can cry now..." he whispered in my ear. "Your tears are safe with me."

Desperate to hold someone for comfort, I sobbed and wrapped my arms around him. Idiniin ko lalo ang mukha sa kanyang dibdib. And for the first time in a long while, I released myself from all the inhibitions and found solace in his arms.