AZHRIA
Choose Your Poison

The original plan was to reciprocate every single injury that the Balzuaris have inflicted on Zorya's physique. But over time, I realized that it was petty.

If I really want to torture them, I must kill them from the inside. I would start to ruin their familial bond. Then hand them knives to stab their own blood.

"So, Garem did worship someone the night that you caught him visiting the church late? But not the divine, but a man. Does this mean, Garem is gay?"

Honestly, it was overly shocking that I almost didn't finish watching the act.

Garem, kneeling before a priest while giving him a head, harshly moaning his name, and riding on his member afterward, was a game-changer for me.

Who would have thought that a man appearing as darkly as Garem Balzuari was hiding a colorful secret like that?

"Guessing Garem's gender is irrelevant to this case," I told Sachiko as I gazed at her swollen cheek that she tried to conceal with over boarding make-up.

"What's imperative now is that I gained a card that could be drawn against him, Rumi, and Quiro. All I need to do is to make a smart move that would finally pit Rosh and Yuzeyo against each other. Just so the monstrous war could officially start once and for all."

The oriental design of Sachiko's house reflected so much of her character. Pastel colors, fresh flowers, and fruity scent. Things were orderly placed, too.

"I hope Zorya's smiling to this news." She wiped the tear that almost fell. "This would be the best gift for her."

"Don't celebrate just yet," I spoke coldly. "I'm still cooking. Nothing is served yet. So . . . save those tears."

Slowly, she nodded. Then she handed me chocolate muffins. Sachiko went overly excited that I'll be coming over that she baked them even at dawn.

About the Balzuaris, well, they are all sleeping deeply by this time. All thanks to my magic pills. Truly a life-saver.

"Unnecessary, but thanks for having Rosh's syndicate raided," I eventually told her. "It spared me some stress."

"Huh?" Silence befallen us for a second. "But I didn't report it yet."

The silence extended when the front door swung open. Then came a man and a woman passionately kissing.

"Heseul?" Sachiko was so taken aback that she had swiftly stood her ground.

Biglang nanubig ang mga mata niya at halos manlambot ang mga tuhod. Good thing, I caught her even before she fell.

Doon nahinto ang paglalampungan ng dalawa. And then the man gazed at us.

"Honey?" So he's Sachiko's husband. "Akala ko ba, may seminar ka ngayon?"

It's true that when the cat is out, then the mouse would play. Typical gago.

"Well, you thought wrong," ako na ang sumagot. "She had herself checked. Nasobrahan yata pambubugbog mo."

I knew that installing a tracking device on Sachiko's car would come in handy. I trust no one here. Even my employer.

And I tracked her visiting the hospital.

Noong una kong mapansin ang pasa niya ay kinutuban na kaagad ako. At hindi naging mahirap para mabuo ko ang istorya. She was a battered wife.

And was cheated on by her husband.

"Putangina ka talaga, Sachiko! Pati ako, dinadamay mo pa sa kabaliwan mo!"

When he tried to snatch Sachiko away, I stood against his way. Then I smirked.

"Take another step and die. Deal?"

Behind me, Sachiko surged nearer.

"Ayaw ko n-na, Heseul . . ." Sa labis na paghagulgol ay nahirapan na siyang magsalita. "Pagod na t-talaga a-ako. Palayain m-mo na 'ko. Umalis na kayo!"

"At bakit ako aalis?! Bahay ko rin 'to!"

He started pointing fingers on Sachiko.

"Boba! H'wag ka ngang magmatapang d'yan! Basura ka lang noong pinulot kita! Sino ba'ng ipinagmamalaki mo? Itong payatot na 'to? Tirisin ko na ba?"

Sniffing, Sachiko's eyes went colder.

"Itong b-bobang 'to . . . ito lang naman ang bumubuhay at nagpapalamon sa 'yo. Kaya oo, Heseul! Pinapalayas na kita . . . dito sa bahay at sa buhay ko!"

"Aba't putangina ka talaga, 'no?! Boba!"

That's it for me. I took my gun out and aimed for his head. Umatras si Heseul.

"Let's go na kasi, darling! Hayaan mo na nga 'yang pathetic wife mo na 'yan!"

Her thin arms snaked around Heseul's.

"Anong sabi mo?" Ngayon ay sa babae na nakatutok ang baril ko. "Ulitin mo."

"H'wag mo nga siyang idamay rito!"

Heseul attempted to smack me but I kicked his center first. When his right leg was sent kneeling, I stepped on his left folded knee and took him by the collar. I aimed my gun on his throat.

His mistress tried to intrude but was left squealing when I shot one vase.

"Ah!" She cupped her ears. "B'wisit ka!"

While grasping Heseul's collar, I then dragged him outside with his whore.

Halos masubsob sila sa pagtulak ko.

I was ready to shoot them dead when Sachiko shielded her body for them.

She was still sobbing non-stop. "Just, p-please . . . just l-let them g-go . . ."

I peeked at Heseul and his mistress.

"Ang bait niya, 'no? Ako kasi, hindi."

Nilampasan ko lang si Sachiko saka pinagtulakan ang dalawa hanggang sa makalabas na sila ng gate ng bahay.

When Heseul tried to ride Sachiko's car, I quickly shot one of its wheels.

"Magdadala ka pa ng sasakyan, ha."

I glared at them and growled. "Takbo!"

And they both did. Hastily. Hysterically.

"Anticipate for a garbage truck, I am sure it will pick you both up. Basura!"

Until I felt Sachiko embraced me from behind, still sobbing. "Thank you . . ."

This time, I hugged her back. "If Zorya was here, she will also do the same."

***

I leered as I stared at my reflection in the mirror. We're almost there, Zorya.

This will be a bloody night.

When I went out of the washroom, I caught Rumi who had just entered the bedroom. She's holding a jewelry box.

"Rosh is already downstairs for the final fitting," she told me. "But before we join him and Garem, I want to give you something first. A sisterly present."

Unlike Rumi's usual dispassionate look, her mood is as bright as the morning.

And I'm just too excited to ruin it later.

I just nodded when she motioned me to sit, facing the vanity mirror. Then she opened the box she was carrying, revealing a ruby necklace inside of it.

"My mother told me to wear it on my marriage, but since Rosh will be on it first, I would want you to wear it, Azh."

If this was a real wedding, I'd tag that as a sweet gesture. "I appreciate it."

Then she started hanging it around my neck. "Just promise to not lose it, Azh. I might kill you if you do that. I mean it."

Rumi's eyes glistened as she chuckled. "Joke! Of course, I won't. We're about to be sisters in two days! I can't wait!"

Kung nakakain lang ang kaplastikan, malamang ay busog na busog si Rumi.

"And I also can't wait to hear the bells ringing for you and the priest." I halted when I caught her mood shifted. Rumi looked dispirited now. "What's wrong?"

"You talk as if it's that easy."

"Is it not?"

"Our story's complicated, Azh."

"If he truly loves you, he'll tie the knot with you. And if he's really into you, his intention would overpower anything."

"Just how can I win against the being above?" Her hopes withered wholly.

So that was the lie the priest told her. Then he went off, fucking her brother.

Hindi ko na tuloy napigilang mapaisip kung sino ba talaga ang mahal niya sa dalawa. Was it Rumi, Garem, or both?

"Quiro and I were so perfect for each other. I was the princess and he was my knight. He kissed all of my worries away and hushed all of my demons. He chose to listen when people shut their ears on me. He saw things that I failed to see. He loved me even when I hated myself the most. He stayed when I asked him to leave. Quiro was really supportive of me . . . until he wasn't."

Rumi paused and then smiled bitterly.

"I was then working for my final thesis in medical school and Quiro was an engineer. Besides that, I was likewise designing clothes for a hobby. When a huge modeling agency abroad shown interest in featuring my collection in their magazine, he was clapping and jumping with me. But when they had offered to employ me, that's when he turned his back on me. Sure, he's my dream. But I have other dreams, too."

"And that's why you broke up," I said.

Rumi chuckled. "Broke up? We never had that. He just . . . stopped talking to me. Until Rosh told me about Quiro's priesthood journey. And it broke me."

Distance does not kill a relationship. It's the lesser conversation and late replies that do that. It's sad, but true.

"At first, it hurt then it changed me. I thought it already ended. I quit love a long time ago. But when I was no longer searching for it, it found me. Different season, but the same man."

I stared at her through the mirror.

Category: A two-faced beauty.

"You see, no one's really tearing you apart. It's just you two doing that to yourselves. One way or another, pain would visit you. So, it's either you tell him your truth or you lose him forever. You just have to choose your poison."

I needed to give her hope then crush it on her face. That's how I can break her.

***

After the final fitting, Rosh came over the reception venue, Hotel Balzuaria, to monitor its progress and to likewise check the exclusive suites that would accommodate a number of guests.

While Rumi took the responsibility of finalizing the list of confirmed guests, Garem just left unannounced. His sole contribution to this wedding is that he's the one in-charge of sending out the VIP invitations delivered a week ago.

As for myself, well, I told them that I'll be meeting a friend, my personal guest.

Unbeknownst to them, it was never a wedding but their funeral, that's what I'll be celebrating two days from now.

"If you're so fond of children, then why not thrust and just create your own?"

Hospicio del Vierro. I knew Yuzeyo will be here. So I paid him a midday visit.

He was handing toys to the kids when he paused to glance at me. Then he continued as though he didn't see me.

Lumingon naman ako kay Sister Florensina na ikinatango niya.

"Oras na para kumain," sabad niya. "Mamaya ni'yo na kulitin ang Kuya Yuzeyo ni'yo. Halina't mananghalian."

Kaagad namang tumalima ang mga paslit saka sila sumunod sa madre. Akmang hahabol sa kanila si Yuzeyo ngunit mabilis ko siyang napigilan.

He looked wearied. His eyes had circles, signifying he lacked sleep.

"Go home, Yuzeyo."

He stared at me. "I have no home."

"Your siblings wanted to see you."

"Constant utterance of lies is a cancer, Miss," he swiftly replied, obviously unpersuaded. "When you constantly lie, it becomes your truth. And that's the real definition of dangerous."

"So when you told me to leave this town to evade a monster, did you lie?"

He was stilled. He mustn't have thought that I would bring it up.

"The hooded guy who told me to leave," I smoothly added, "it was you, right? You tried to warn me because you knew that your siblings were guilty."

Blankly, Yuzeyo's eyes narrowed.

"Though I don't know you well enough, one thing is clear to me. You are here to obliterate the Balzuaris." His brows curled up. "For what? For whom?"

He's undeserving of my answer.

"If I didn't know better," Yuzeyo marched nearer, "I'd believe you've come to take revenge for Zorya."

"Revenge?" I shamelessly laughed, loud enough to pester him. "Spare me the petty, Yuzeyo. Revenge is for the weak. I'm here not to take even, but to maximize their pain. Everything they did to her, I'll return hundredfold."

Looks like Yuzeyo wasn't surprised.

"So you're the villain, after all."

"Sometimes, to defeat the enemy, one must be the villain herself," I told him.

"But why are you doing it?" Now he looked intrigued. "Tell me, what really is Zorya to you? Why are you taking such a great length just to help her?"

"I don't personally know Zorya," I gazed at him flatly, "but I know I can help her so I am doing what you can't."

My flat gaze became a glare. "Because if I won't defend her, then who will?"

Dismissively, he sighed. "It's an impossible quest. You can't win it."

"Is that why you didn't try to take them down?" I walked past him and leaned over his reddened ear and whispered.

"You think they're that powerful?"

Unmoved, Yuzeyo gulped. "Powered enough to destroy someone's dreams. Name a crime and they have done it. More than you can ever know, Miss."

"I get it that they're your family, but you don't need to side with me to fight your blood, Yuzeyo. Do it for Zorya."

If you truly love her, you'll do it.

"I . . . I can't lose what's left of me."

He turned about to face me.

"They promised to burn this place if I ever divulge what I know. I cannot antagonize them. Not in this lifetime."

Once again, you disappointed Zorya.

"These children . . . I cannot destroy their dreams just because I lost mine."

Zorya's dreams . . . don't they matter?

"Cowardice won't bring you justice."

Slowly, I shook my head in silence.

"Now I question Zorya for choosing you," I told him bitterly. "And that just made you right, Yuzeyo. You truly don't deserve her then, now, and forever."

I cocked my head and smiled still.

Guilt will be his greatest nightmare.

"But drop the worry. Besides, I don't plan to kill you. I'll let you live with the guilt that a stranger helped Zorya instead of that one person she thought would be her aide . . . until the end."

Upon viewing how pained Yuzeyo looked, I just knew I'll see him later.

***

After leaving Hospicio del Vierro, I went to Garem's law firm. On my way to his office, I caught him with a tall employee doing the dirty. Seeing me, Garem swiftly stood up as the other man zipped his tight pants and shy away. I can't help but shake my head.

"Really, Garem? Midday sucking?" I made fun of him. "Paawat ka naman!"

Reluctant to show how embarrassed he was, Garem only raised a brow at me.

"I didn't recall inviting you here."

"Aish! Ang sungit mo na naman. Red season ba? Ayaw mong dinadalaw ka?"

"Can you stop using that tone on me? We're not close and we never will be. You just keep making me wanna rip your neck. Now talk before I shoot!"

"The deal," I said. "Thought I should remind you. Puro ka kasi supsop."

"Done," he replied. "Now begone!"

"Puro ka done!" I turned around and started walking. "Eh, you forgot nga."

I received a message from Garem as I went back to their mansion. It was a note to confirm my condition about the maid. Attached to it were photos of receipts and certificates, signifying how truthful he was in his promise.

From: Balzuari I
Done. Now keep your mouth locked.

Cute, but my plans would still pursue tonight. I will drain him dry until he kneels down to the dirt where he belongs.

"Why do we need to attend this party again?" I asked Rosh, brows arched.

He had me wore a backless crimson dress for this special dinner. It was an elegant wardrobe but my figure made it appear sultry and fiery, as hot as me.

"Today, Garem just concluded two high profile cases in favor of his clients. We should celebrate with his peers," Rosh informed me. "A bit late, but consider it also as our delayed engagement party."

For someone who's about to lose, Garem was trying so hard to win.

But he's not having it. Not tonight.

Tumango ako saka hindi na umimik pa. Tahimik lang ako sa sasakyan hanggang sa marating namin ang venue ng victory party ni Garem.

Secretly, I sent Yuzeyo a text message.

To: 12"
Hotel Balzuaria. I'll wait for you.

Rosh escorted and ushered me inside.

Overwhelming amount of men in suits and women in gowns then welcomed my sight. It was an upper class party.

Somehow, the supposed victory dinner appeared to be a social gala, a battle of glam and riches. A party for the devils.

I didn't mind though. If I were to put on a show, I'll be needing some audience.

As we reached the dining table, I forced a smile to some unfamiliar faces. Then I checked the casting.

As usual, Garem was situated on the capital seat. On the left wing were Rumi and Quiro, while Rosh and I were then assisted to occupy the right one.

The rest were occupied by the guests.

I took a glance at the huge chandelier attached to the ceiling, providing light atop our stead. The setting was idyllic.

Perfect meals and viands. Perfect wine. Perfect light and music. Perfect guests and casting. Perfect night to be twisted.

It's only fitting to get the show started.

"To my fellow comrades, esteemed guests, and ever supportive family," Garem carried himself up, "I extend my sincere gratitude for lending me your precious time to celebrate this newly-found success. I appreciate you all. To more court victory and future justice I'll be serving, cheers to those!"

Sounds of myriad glasses toasting filled the air. Garem's head was all over his shoulder. I guess, it's high time I cut it.

Proudly, I pushed myself up to my feet.

"Actually, this night is not just about Garem's court success," I announced.

Rosh held my hand. "My fiancée and I are also celebrating our love tonight."

I smiled at him. "True, but beside that, Garem's here to open up about a thing that he has been keeping for so long."

Garem was shaking but I didn't care.

"What are you talking about, Azh?"

"Your secret," I told him, deepening my smile. "Come on. Just tell them now."

Low, frustrated murmurs rose from the background. They were intrigued.

So I must push it. "Oh, they are your friends and family, Garem. I'm highly positive that they won't judge you. So, just tell them. Don't make them wait."

Kung may kompetisyon sa papulahan, ipansasabong ko na si Garem ngayon.

He was gulping so badly that the veins on his neck were acutely popping out.

"Show them your true color."

"Shut up."

"Wait, what color is it again?"

"Stop at once."

"Oh, right!" I smiled. "Rainbow."

"I'm straight!"

Garem's voice went uncontrollably loud and it alarmed the guests. Even his two siblings and the priest were too stunned to speak. All were tight-lipped.

So I had to chuckle it off and push it even further. "Well, pasta's straight too," my lips pursed, "until it gets wet."

"Get out."

"Oh, I can tell you the same."

How I enjoy seeing him afeared.

"Come out now, Garem."

Promptly, Rosh joined our stance.

"Uh, excuse us for a while." He tried to pull me elsewhere but I flung his arm.

"Whatever you're doing, quit it."

"Where's the fun in that?" I nudged him, but Rosh's jaw just tightened.

"We're just about to get wild."

Finally, Garem found his voice.

"I have no time for your homophobic advances," he muttered, still calmed.

"Oh, don't put words in my mouth," I countered. "I have nothing against your gender. I'm just here to expose your lies. Treat it as a sisterly favor."

Then I peeked at Rumi whose brows are crippled. She must be so confused.

"Actually, I'm trying to picture Rumi's reaction once I leak your dirty secret."

I heard Garem breathed harshly. But the truth is that I would appreciate it more if his breathing stopped forever.

"Like, how would she take the idea of her older brother fucking her lover?"

Spotting Rumi's parted lips and how Quiro gulped, I glanced back to Garem.

"Sounds terrific, isn't it?"

"Don't push it, Azh. Believe me, you wouldn't want me to play your games."

"Save your threats, Garem," I replied. "Because that game, it's over now."

I smirked as their phones beeped in unison. Then I heard a rather familiar moaning, until everyone in the room watched the same scandalous show.

Great job, Sachiko. Uploaded in time.

Now, the whole of San Lamuerte would witness how the perfect lawyer, Garem Balzuari, had worshipped and serviced Father Quiro's sharp, unholy member.

I never loved technology until tonight.

"Happy streaming, everyone," I said then excused myself. Rosh eventually followed, and so do the other three.

The equally furious Rumi, Quiro, and of course, the star of the show, Garem.

We found ourselves in the hotel's poolside, where the installed lights made my dress sparkle even more.

Gnashing his teeth, Garem faced me.

"I will sue you," he threatened me.

But I just smiled at him. "Go ahead. Makulong man ako, at least, napalaya kita. Hashtag Garem, the king of oral defense. G na G. How lawyer of you!"

"You, bitch! I will skin you alive!"

He leaped to assault me but failed.

Rosh didn't need to save me because I had kicked Garem so hard that he fell.

"It's too early to dream, Garem. Not even a viral lawyer can touch me."

Enraged, he stood and pointed one finger on me, glancing at the three.

"It's her doing! She wanted to pit us against each other. She's a traitor!"

He's loud but no one lent him an ear.

"Hah! I didn't ask you to give Quiro a head. I just showed them your video. Rumi will soon be my sister so I am unable to keep a secret from her."

I then turned to the other monsters.

"If telling the truth is a crime," I acted in pain, "then I guess . . . I am guilty."

In their dark eyes, I am just a goody two-shoes who acted out of empathy.

Rosh, finally, intervened. "Don't put the blame on my fiancée! It's all your fault! Now bear its consequences, Garem!"

"I won't stop until I kill that bitch!"

"Enough!" Rumi's voice overpowered Garem's. It was too blaring and heavy.

"Let me explain, please . . ." Quiro was begging but Rumi seemed not to care.

He tried holding her but was pushed harshly. "Don't ever lay a hand on me again!" Then Rumi burst out crying.

Napasapo na lang si Rosh sa kan'yang noo, habang halos magdugo naman ang mga mata ni Garem sa diin nang pagkakatitig sa akin. So to mock him even more, I then just smiled cutely.

Quiro repeatedly cursed under his breath until tears eventually went streaming down his heated cheeks.

"You're being unfair, Rumi!" Gone was the calmness and all that was left was madness. "Am I not allowed to care about myself? Can't I be happy? After you left me, after you abandoned me?"

"Is that really what you think, Quiro? That I left you? That I abandoned you?"

Rumi surged nearer and slapped him hard. And then she started punching Quiro's chest, still sobbing non-stop.

"I left because you never asked me to stay . . ." Rumi then fell on the floor.

As a woman, I do empathize with her. Betrayal's got to be the greatest killer. For it never comes from an enemy but someone you entrusted your heart to.

As a victim myself, I pitied Rumi. But as her nemesis, I believe she deserved it.

Quiro knelt to level Rumi's frame.

His restrained cries only intensified.

"I'm s-sorry . . . I love y-you . . ."

Just like that, Rumi's crying halted.

She faced Quiro with disdain.

"You can't say you love me and then fuck somebody else. It doesn't make sense."

Then she carried herself up and flatly gazed at Garem who can't look at her.

"At ikaw!" Dinuro niya ito. "Hindi pa ba sapat na pinatay mo na ang anak ko noon? Do you really have to push it this far, huh? Kapatid kitang puta ka!"

Her words robbed all our attention.

Our eyes are now fixated on Rumi.

Garem's eyes widened as he gulped.

"I know nothing about that," he said.

Umiling si Rumi, hindi kumbinsido.

Quiro recovered and stood as well.

Rumi's tears kept flowing again.

"I can't lose my baby just because Zorya pressed me to a wall." That appeared more like a note to self.

Hinarap niyang muli si Garem.

"You made it appear that Zorya was the reason of my miscarriage. But she wasn't! It's the drink that you gave me. The misoprostol in it killed my baby."

All of us were stilled, shocked.

I can't help but be incensed.

Does this mean that . . . Rumi tortured Zorya . . . all for the wrong reason?

"You must have skipped the part that I had eventually studied pharmacology."

Unmoved, Garem didn't speak a word.

But the atmosphere's gotten warmer.

It became heavy enough to suffocate us all.

"You, murdering my unborn child was one reason why I had to go abroad. Kasi kung hindi, baka napatay na kita."

Meanwhile, the priest was baffled.

"I don't understand . . ." Quiro was frustrated as hell. "I thought . . ."

"Now it all made sense to me," Rumi added, disregarding Quiro's confusion.

"You knew that Quiro was already in consideration of marrying me then. So you had to exterminate his reason for doing so. Because you're obsessed with my boyfriend . . . and you wanted him all to yourself! Putang abogado ka!"

It appeared like Quiro understood it better than before. "Is it true, Garem?"

"No, I . . . Of course, it's a lie!"

"So, you didn't kill our baby?"

"Yeah! Well, I couldn't exactly say that."

Quiro turned to Rumi. "Tell me."

Sniffing her tears away, Rumi's lips trembled in despair as she nodded.

"It wasn't Zorya but Garem . . . He's the r-reason why our b-baby wasn't born!"

Tuluyang nawalan ng balanse ang pari, biglang natumba at halos hindi makahinga. Dinaluhan siya ni Rumi saka sila emosyonal na humagulgol.

"Oh, how could you do that?!" Rosh's reaction was unnecessary but he still shouted. "Are you even human, huh?"

Garem just offhandedly rolled his eyes.

"Compared to you? I guess, I am."

Not a trace of remorse was heard.

It's like, he's even proud of his crime.

"He should die for that." I heard Quiro rose up. His eyes darkened as he gazed at Garem. "You should die for that!"

And then he threw all of his priestly traits and brutally attacked Garem.

Like a rag doll, Garem was thrown effortlessly, blocking every single blow, thwack, clobber, and strike that the infuriated priest drawn against him.

While Garem's being punched, I mockingly watched and clapped.

I even mouthed, "Deserve."

I was highly enjoying how Garem was battered when I heard a familiar voice so deep that it vibrated in my ears.

"What fun did I miss?"

I turned and caught Yuzeyo clad in a golden suit, his raven hair was waxed.

I knew he would come. For Zorya.

Time to start the second phase of this war. I smirked and walked up to him.

I clung to Yuzeyo's arm, facing Rosh.

Category: Sucker for the third party.

"Since we are all about exposing secrets here, might as well divulge mine now," I said and then let my tears flow. "Listen attentively to me, Rosh."

I felt Yuzeyo's arms hardened.

I breathed and faced Rosh right in the eye. His expression was indescribable.

"I'm pregnant," I tried so hard to keep a straight face, "and Yuzeyo's the father."

Just like that, Rosh's jaw dropped, eyes narrowed, and his both hands balled.

"No . . ." he trailed off, "fucking, no!"

"Sorry," I replied, "but I'm not sorry."

Rosh's eyes then darted on Yuzeyo.

"You, bastard! I will fucking kill you!"

In my peripheral vision, I caught Yuzeyo's small but appalling smirk.

"I share the same goal," he said and faced Rosh. "Just that, I'll do it better."

In one blink, the two Balzuaris were brawling already. Throwing punches after punches, similar to the other two.

Clearly, Yuzeyo had the upper hand in their match, while Father Quiro had completely dominated Garem who was now laying on the wet floor with swollen face, blood spewing all over.

Yes, monsters. Burn with your own fire.

While I was reveling in their family drama, I obliged myself and poured some red wine from a nearby table.

Carefully, I sat on a lounge chair and crossed my legs like a modern queen.

"Kahit na babuyin ni'yo, sipsipin ni'yo, laspagin ni'yo. Wala akong pakialam!"

I glanced down at Rumi, who was crying like a washed-up soap opera star beneath the heel of my red stiletto.

"Oh, spare me the theatrics, Rumi."

I sipped some wine from my glass.

"After all, you chose this poison."

***