Chapter 32

While preparing the ingredients for the food she will be cooking for lunch, she received a message from an unknown number. Mula sa pagbabalat ng sibuyas ay pinunasan niya ang kamay at sa tumatambol na puso ay inilabas ang cellphone sa bulsa. Ilang araw na rin na walang kumokontak sa kaniya magmula ng huling tawagan siya ni Lucy.

A text from anyone who knows her number only means one of the two things. Either someone is alive or someone is dead. She earnestly hopes it's the former.

She typed in the password and clicked at the message.

Cin, ang kuya mo ito. I'm back in Cerro Roca. Meet me at our house. Now.

Napasinghap siya sa kabiglaan at saya. Nailagay niya ang mga kamay sa bibig nang magsimulang magkaroon ng tunog ang pag-iyak niya.

"Kuya, you're really alive and well. You fulfilled your promise. You came back for me."

Wala na siyang sinayang na panahon. Hinubad niya ang apron at pumasok sa kwarto para kunin ang wallet. Nadaanan pa niya ang silid ni Langdon nang papunta na siya sa pinto. Nagtatalo ang kalooban niya kung magpapaalam ba rito na aalis siya saglit. Sa huli ay pinili niyang hindi na ito katukin. Babalik din kaagad siya. Sa ngayon ay mas kailangan siya ng kapatid.

Parang nilipad lang niya ang biyahe patungo sa dating apartment na tinitirahan sa pagmamadali. Wala pang bagong mga renters na kinuha ang landlord dahil binayaran nila ang buong taon. Isa pa ay alam niyang babalik ang kapatid niya kaya siniguro niyang wala munang papalit sa kanila kahit willing ang may-ari na ibalik sa kanila ang pera nila.

"Kuya!" sigaw niya nang itulak pabukas ang pinto. Iniikot niya ang paningin sa sala na puno na ng alikabok. "Kuya!" tawag niya uli sa kapatid ng walang sumagot.

"Kuy—"

Nanlamig ang buo niyang pagkatao nang mula sa silid niya ay may lumabas na lalake dala-dala ang basag na picture frame nilang dalawa ng kapatid.

Keon looked at her from the frame and smirked.

"So I'm not mistaken. You are really an Alcantara. In fact, you are Nathan's younger sister."

Napaatras siya sa takot at ang unang naisip ay tumakbo palabas pero bago pa siya makahakbang ay inililis nito ang suot na jacket para ipakita sa kaniya ang baril na nakasuksok sa pantalon nito.

"If I were you, I won't do that. You may be one innocent defenseless young lady but I won't think twice of burying five bullets in your head if you run away. Now, please have a seat, princess." Yumukod pa ito sa harap niya bilang pang-aasar.

Wala na siyang nagawa kundi gawin ang sinasabi nito. Nag-uunahan na sa pagbagsak ang mga luha niya dahil sa takot.

"How... How did you know my number?" she asked when Keon sat on the opposite couch in front of her.

"Ah, your number. It's easy. I just hacked into Langdon's previous cellphone. You know, he gets sloppy at times. May naiwan pa siyang bakas mo patunay na hindi ka niya pinagdududahan."

Ibinagsak nito ang frame sa sahig kaya napakislot siya nang magkalasog-lasog ang mukha nila ni Nathan sa picture dulot ng mga bubog.

"W-Where is my brother? Please just let him go. Let us go. Kuya! Kuya Nathan!" she called out but no one answered her.

"I don't know about your brother, Alcantara. The last time I checked on our team, they engaged with him in a battle. Ahh, muntikan na raw mabutas ang bungo ng kuya mo kung hindi lang nagsakripisyo ang isang pinsan mo. Ah, I remember his name. It's Canary, right?"

Naitakip niya ang kamay sa bibig nang maalala ang masayahing pinsan.

"N-No! No... They're both alive. Canary would have survived. My brother is still alive." Tinitigan niya ito ng buong pagpapakumbaba. "What do you want more from us? Wala na kami. Bumagsak na kami. Matagal na. Panalo na kayo. Nasa inyo na ang buong Monte Vega. Why can't you guys stop running after us already? Please, we're so exhausted from hiding from you. Malapit na kaming maubos. Tama na. Let us live in peace until we die."

Nagkibit-balikat lang ito bago sumandal. "It's not for me to decide. For now, you have to tell me what are you planning. Bakit ka lumapit kay Langdon? Ano ang plano niyo?"

Mariin siyang umiling. "There's no plan. I didn't know I'd be working for Langdon. And I'm not planning anything against Langdon or your family." She sucked for air first before continuing. "I love Langdon so much and I just wanted to be by his side."

"What a crap," he mocked. Tuluyan nitong inilabas ang baril at nilaro ang gatilyo. "I'll ask you again and you better give me the answer I need. What are you planning to do?"

Her fear intensified when Keon walked closer to her and cocked the gun on her head.

"Come on little princess. Tell me and you might get out of this house alive."

Cold sweat began to form on her head. How can she give him what he needs when she had already told him the truth?

"I..." She cleared her throat and wiped her tears away. "I... really... don't know."

He turned off the safety and aimed at her heart. Napapikit na lang siya at nagdasal na sana ay makaligtas pa siya.

"I would think twice about pulling the trigger, Asturia. You heard her, Keon dear. It's the truth. Walang alam si Alcindra sa mga plano namin."

Magkasabay silang lumingon ni Keon sa bukas na pinto kung saan naroon nakatayo ang nagsalita at may hawak na baril.

"Ate Lucy..." she murmured gratefully and sank to her back catching her breath.

"Hello, cousin," bati nito sa kaniya nang hindi pinuputol ang tingin kay Keon na nakatutok pa rin sa kaniya ang baril. "Put it down or else we will have to take your sister's head."

Lucy threw a necklace to Keon whose eyes were instantly filled with outrage upon seeing it on the floor.

"What did you do to her?!" His voice teared through the walls.

"Release Alcindra and nothing will happen to your sister. Put down your gun and I promise that she'll be safe. Come on, Keon. We already have a history together. Alam mong sumusunod ako sa kasunduan natin. Put down your gun."

Nakatitig lang siya sa dalawa na nagsusukatan ng tingin. Walang ni isa ang nais magbigay kaya mas naging mabigat pa ang tempo sa ere. She was shocked to realize that Lucy must have a deep past with Keon who is an Asturia.

Perhaps...

"My cousin is violating our family's code. I am just carrying out what should be done," saad ni Keon na wala pa ring balak na ibaba ang baril.

"Bakit, ano ba ang kaibahan ninyo?" Lucy taunted him. "Parehas lang naman kayo ni Langdon na nilabag ang batas ng pamilya ninyo. Nagmahal ka rin ng isang Alcantara. You're no better than him. Nilabag mo rin ang utos ng pamilya mo nang minahal mo si Casindra. Isn't that the reason why you sabotaged the night that they eloped together? Pinatay mo rin si Casindra ng gabing iyon, Keon. You killed the woman you love just because she can't give you her heart."

She gasped sharply because of the new revelation about the death of her cousin. It's not just Langdon who fell in love with Cas. Keon also did? Two Asturians vied for the forbidden love of an Alcantara?

Keon clenched his jaws and a spark of nonpareil pain passed his eyes.

"Can't you tell just by looking? She's like Casindra, innocent and beautiful. Spare her from our family's feud, Keon. Hindi ka na ba talaga nadala? Gusto mo rin ba siyang patayin gaya ng ginawa mo kay Casindra? Don't you have any shame or conscience at all? Will you really take her out of this world knowing that she is the only one who reminds us of our Cas?"

Hindi nakasagot ang lalake. He looked at her and back to Lucy.

"Don't take it on my cousin. Nagmahal lang din si Alcindra tulad ninyong dalawa ni Langdon. Hayaan mo siyang kompletuhin ang iilang araw na lang na kasama ang pinsan mo. She promised to leave and if she didn't I'll be the one to get her."

Keon shook his head and instead moved his gun towards Lucy. Napatayo siya sa pagkakaupo pero umiling lang ang pinsan sa kaniya.

"You don't want me to tell Langdon, do you? You know him, Keon. Once he sets on doing a thing, he will make sure that he will accomplish it. Sa pagbabalik niya sa pamilya niyo, baka siya pa ang mismong sisira sa pundasyon na pinaghirapan niyong buuin. Malala na ang away niyo sa loob. That is why you wanted him back but what if Langdon will know that you killed the one and only girl he loves? Can you guess what he's going to do? Hindi lang kami ang gusto niyang patayin kung magkaganoon. He will also hunt you down. Kaya kung ako sa iyo, ibaba mo na iyan at hayaan mong makaalis si Alcindra." Sinulyapan siya nito. "Cin, come here."

She slowly approached Lucy and hid at her back.

"Ate, paano mo nalaman na andito ako?"

"I heard he has been tailing you for days already. Ganoon ka na niya katagal pinagsususpetsahan. Sige na. Exit this place. Naghihintay na sa iyo si Langdon sa labas."

Nanlaki ang mga mata niya.

"Langdon is here? A-Alam na rin ba niya na isa akong Alcantara, ate?"

"No, he doesn't know. I just left a trace for him to track you. Go now. Run away from here. I also need to go off. He can't know I'm here or else he'll get that I'm helping you."

"That's right, Lucy. Let her run away. It would be the second most traumatic experience for her to witness your death," ani Keon na lumakad palapit sa kanila.

Lucy gushed out a scalding laugh. "Don't bother about me, Keon. Ang mas dapat mong pag-isipan ay kung paano mo papahupain ang galit ni Langdon. Cin, run! Now!"

Pikit-matang tumakbo siya palabas ng bahay kasunod ang mga putukan sa likod niya. Nag-aalala siya para sa kaligtasan ng pinsan at the same time ay nagtitiwala rito. Sinisisi niya rin ang sarili dahil kung hindi siya nagpadalos-dalos ay baka walang gulo ngayon. Verifying the information is what she should have done first.

"Cin!"

Lumingon siya sa likod niya at tumigil sa pagtakbo nang makita ang hinihingal na si Langdon. Mas bumalong pa ang kaniyang mga luha nang magsimula itong maglakad papunta sa kaniya.

Parang nawalan ng lakas ang mga tuhod niya sa ginhawang naramdaman nang makita ito. Napaupo siya sa kalsada habang wala pa ring patid ang pagluha.

"It's okay. I'm here. I'm here," he mumbled when he reached her and wrapped his arms around her.

Kumapit siya rito at isinubsob ang mukha sa dibdib nito para doon ibuhos ang lahat ng takot na naramdaman kanina.

"Lang," she shivered while clutching at the hem of his shirt. "I-I d-don't wanna die. Not yet, please."

He stood up together with her and caressed her pale lips. "You are not going to die, Cin. Not under my watch. Not when you're with me."

Itinago siya nito sa likod para harapin ang pinsan na kakalabas lang ng bahay dala ang baril nito. She checked the area for Lucy and spotted her car speeding away at the back of the house.

"Keon!" Langdon shouted and fired at his cousin. Napasinghap siya sa nagulat nang dumaplis ang bala sa balikat nito at magdugo. Keon winced in pain but didn't shoot back.

"I warned you already not to touch what is mine. The woman is mine. Mine alone, Keon," he reiterated. "I don't share what is mine."

Pinaputukan uli nito ang paa ng pinsan na sumuko na lang at nakatayo sa harap nila. It's like he can accept even if Langdon will plant a bullet in his head.

"Tama na, Lang. Please," she begged when he raised his gun again to shoot Keon's other shoulder.

"Pasalamat ka at pinsan kita at nirerespeto ko ang mga magulang mo." Langdon held out his two fingers in the air. "This is the second betrayal, Keon. Second. I can only go as far as this. Do it again and I'll throw your dead body in the lake."

He gave another warning shot to Keon before turning to her and lifting her and started walking to the car.

Humawak siya sa balikat ni Langdon at tinanaw si Keon na nakayuko at mahigpit ang hawak sa baril. Hindi nito iniinda ang mga sugat at patuloy lang na nakatitig sa kalsada.

Somehow, her heart twisted in pity for him.