"Mom, I will surely miss you," Elijah said with a sigh before pulling his mother into a tight hug.

"I will miss you too, honey," Amelia said and hugged her son back.

"Do update me, mom," bilin ni Elijah sa ina habang binabaon ang mukha sa balikat nito.

Amelia and Herbert just got married and are planning to have a honeymoon in Paris, France. Elijah knew it would be hard for him to live without his mom for a month because he grew up being with her all the time.

Natawa naman si Amelia. "Hindi pa nga kami nakaalis ng bansa, advance ka naman masyado, anak."

They both laughed, and Amelia kissed her son on his forehead before pulling away from their hugs.

"Amelia, honey, we have to go. We are running late, and we can't miss the flight," shouted the man from the front door in a deep voice. It was Herbert, Elijah's step-dad.

"Coming, love!" Amelia exclaimed and bid goodbye to Elijah.

Elijah was 18 when his dad left them for another woman. Naiwang sawi ang kaniyang ina ng ilang mga taon hanggang sa pumasok ito bilang secretary sa isang kompanya. Doon nito nakilala si Herbert na ngayon ay kaniya ng amain. Herbert was his mom's boss. He owned a hotel company with different branches around the country.

Ang kwento ng kaniyang ina ay 2 months after niyang nagtrabaho sa kompanya ay nagtapat sa kaniya si Herbert at doon nag-umpisa ang kanilang ligawan na umabot hanggang 5 years.

Hindi rin alam ni Elijah kung bakit ang tagal sinagot ng kaniyang ina ang lalaki. Pakiwari niya'y may maganda itong rason kaya hindi kaagad nag desisyon na sagutin ang manliligaw.

For Elijah, it was a good idea that his mom waited for years before letting Herbert come into their lives. Sa tagal nitong naghintay ay nasiguro niyang mabait ito at hindi kailan man sasaktan ang kaniyang ina kagaya ng ginawa ng kaniyang ama dito.

Talagang nakita ni Elijah kung gaano kataas ang pasensya nito para hintayin ang matamis na oo ng kaniyang ina sa matagal na panahon.

Elijah was 23 when his mother told him that she's dating someone. Wanting to make his mother happy, he didn't say anything negative about it but instead, he encouraged her to give it a try. He's been hoping that his mom will find happiness again. And she finally found it. Now, they are married and on their way to France to have their honeymoon.

Sana all!

Elijah sighed and sat on the couch. Sa edad na 26 ay hindi pa niya nasubukang pumasok sa isang relasyon.

No boyfriend, no sex life, no nothing. Talagang wala.

Hindi naman sa wala siyang dating o gwapong mukha, sadiyang wala lang talagang nangligaw sa kaniya. Alam niyang may nagkakagusto sa kaniya sa opisina kung saan siya nagtratrabaho pero kahit kailan ay walang naglakas loob na ayain siyang lumabas.

Hindi niya rin alam kung bakit, iniisip nalang niyang may masamang espiritong pumipigil sa mga ito para magtapat sa kaniya.

Speaking of masamang espirito...

"You okay?" Elijah heard someone speak from the back.

Hindi na niya kailangan pang lingunin kung sino ang may-ari ng boses sa kaniyang likuran. Sa laki at lalim nito'y alam ni Elijah na si Harrison ang nagsalita.

Elijah rolled his eyes in response.

"Tayo nalang ang naiwan dito kaya pakisamahan mo ako ng maayos," mariin ang pagkasabi nito. "Use your fucking mouth to respond whenever I ask you, understand?"

For Elijah, his step-brother is Lucifer himself. Simula kasi noong lumipat silang mag-ina sa mansyon ay hindi man lang siya nito kinausap ng matino. Palagi itong nagsusungit sa kaniya at walang araw na hindi sila nagbabangayan. Ni hindi man lang siya nito nginitian ng isang beses!

"Puwede naman akong mag apartment ng isang buwan kung iyon ang gusto mo."

Dahil sa kung paano siya nito tratuhin ay naisip ni Elijah na baka ayaw nitong tumira siya sa mansyon kasama ang kaniyang ina.

Para itong may personal na galit sa kaniya dahil hindi naman ito masungit sa kaniyang ina. He never treated him the way he treated Elijah's mom.

"You stay here, Elijah." Harrison said firmly.

"Huwag kang mag-alala dahil hindi kita isusumbong sa papa mo kung aalis man ako dito sa mansyon mo. Mag-a-apartment ako dahil gusto ko."

Of course, he can't just let this guy treat him like crap. He's not that weak to feel small when someone is being rude to him. Now that their parents are out, Elijah was sure that the guy will make his stay in the mansion hell for a month.

Ang magagawa nalang niya'y iwasan ito.

"No one will leave the house, neither of us will," the man declared and walked away.

Ughhh! He's really evil. A pure evil! Gwapo na sana pero ang pangit naman ng ugali! Siguro kung hindi lang niya ito tinuring na kapatid ay siguradong uupakan na niya ito.

Not that you can. Pambabara niya sa sarili.

"Pangit!" sigaw niya saka padabog na umakyat sa pangalawang palapag kung saan ang kwarto niya't humiga sa kama.

He doesn't like this setup; he doesn't like the environment in the mansion when Harrison is around. All the workers seem so tense whenever Harrison is present, and they barely talk to Elijah because of it! Nakakausap niya lang ang mga ito kung tutulong siya sa gawaing bahay.

Kahit gustuhing lumabas ay hindi niya magawa dahil hindi naman siya pinapayagan ng kaniyang ina.

Nakakalabas lang siya kung pupunta sa trabaho o di kaya'y bibili ng mga groceries para sa lahat.

Elijah insisted on being the one who will buy groceries for the mansion every week because that's the only time he got to go out alone and enjoy himself. Palagi kasing tutol ang kaniyang kapatid kuno sa tuwing nagpapaalam siyang lumabas.

At ang ina naman niya, na super idol si Harrison ay palaging sang-ayon dito kaya wala talaga siyang takas.

Harrison was nothing but an incitement to his mother!

Sa tanang buhay niya ay isang beses lang siyang nakapasok sa club kasama ang mga kaklase niya noon at pinayagan lang siyang pumunta ng ilang oras. After a couple of hours enjoying the club that time, Harrison came to take him home.

Ang masaklap pa ay nakita siya ni Harrison na gumigiling sa itaas ng nakaupong lalaki. He tried to convince Harrison that it was just a part of the dare, but the guy didn't listen and told his mom about it.

Simula noon ay naging mahigpit ang kaniyang ina sa kaniya at mas lalo lang siyang hindi pinayagan lumabas hanggang sa nasanay nalang siya.

He's like a prince, trapped in a castle.

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IANNNXXX | 2024