Chapter 10

THE SOUND of Vindicta’s sobbing was filling the room. Kyle was still holding her tightly. “I hope that you can still forgive me, Kyle,” she said in between sobbing.

“Just promise me you’ll stay. I can only forgive you that way.” He hugged her much tighter.

“Why?”

“What do you mean why?”

“Why do you still want me to stay by your side despite all the things I’ve done?” She believed that what she did was unforgivable. She was not expecting him to hug her tightly after knowing the real her. That was far from what she had imagined. Too good to be true.

“I asked that myself too and I only got one simple answer, it was because I love you. And how did I love you within a small span of time, I don’t know either. I’ve loved you even if the only thing I knew about you was your name. It was funny because even if the name that I knew wasn’t real. I doubted my feelings too. Falling in love with someone I barely knew was not my thing. Loving someone who kept on ruining my life was not my thing either but still, even just imagining that I won’t see you for a day made me lonely.”

She let go from Kyle’s hug to look at his face. “I still have a mission that I need to accomplish. After that, I will introduce myself to you properly. We will start from the beginning and I’ll show you the real me.”

“You have a mission?” Kyle asked in a knotted forehead.

“At first, the mission was a demolition job against you and you know who paid us to do that, right? But the situation has changed because I knew that my mother, whom I thought was dead for almost two decades, is under Simon’s custody. Now, you need to win against Albert Lizardo because I need Simon to lose his power here in Aldemar. In that way, I can easily get my mother,” she explained.

“So, you are just still here because of your mother,” Kyle said sadly.

“Don’t be so disappointed because I am here because of you too. Aldemar would suffer if you don’t win the coming election. One more reason I am still here is because I want to see you every day. Oh, why is it so hard to explain everything to you?” she asked frustratedly.

Kyle held her hand and pulled her gently to the couch. “I’m willing to listen. You don’t have to tell me everything now. Every day, tell me a bit of your story, and I will listen. In every chance that we have, we will just talk about each other so we can get to know each other deeply. We will work this out, Ver… I mean Vindicta. I’m sorry, I am not used to your real name.”

“Veronica is just fine as of now. Don’t call me Vindicta in front of other people. I’ve made sure to keep my identity hidden and mysterious for a long time,” she said, laughing.

“Yeah, right. Don’t worry. Anyway, I will help you with your fight against Lizardo. I know you’re not like the other ladies and you can do anything without my help but I wanted you to know that there is this one person who is willingly lending a hand. I want you to know that I am with you along the way, you can give me a small mission, you know? Something I can handle. I will defend and save you with all my might. Though I know that you’re stronger and much more of a fighter, I am here for you.”

Vindicta nodded while smiling. “I am planning to live normally after I get my mother from Simon. I want to live normally for my mother and for you because I don’t want you to worry about me. I want you to be proud of me. And how can you be proud of me if I am working illegally, right? I will leave everything that I am used to doing for you, Kyle.”

“Is that true?” he asked. It looked like he could not believe what she just said.

“Of course. I will try my best to be normal and simple for the people I love and that is you and my mother. Oh! You don’t know how difficult my mission is against you. How can I demolish someone like you? Oh, and one more thing, it won’t be hard for me to get to know you deeply every day because I have always watched you. Most of the time, I am just following you, watching you, and studying your movements.”

“That is unfair! Then I am the one who needed to work double time in knowing you. Wait, you’re always watching me. Even if I am taking a bath?” His eyes became wide.

Vindicta laughed. “What do you think of me, Kyle?” she asked after laughing. “Do I look like a perv to you?”

“Well, you can be a perv but only to me,” he said with a grin on his handsome face.

Vindicta laughed even more. She only stopped when she noticed that Kyle’s face was already close to her. After a few more seconds, their lips met. She let the whispers of her heart carry her away. She responded to his sweet kiss.

The kiss was getting deeper when the doorbell rang. “Damn!” Kyle exclaimed when their lips separated. Vindicta just smiled.

“I will open the gate,” Vindicta volunteered.

“No, I’ll do it.”

“I will do it.” She stood up even before Kyle could stop her. She wished she hadn't volunteered to open the gate because she didn’t want to welcome his guest. It was Eliza.

“You’re his secretary, right?” Eliza asked her after she widened the opening of the gate.

She nodded. “Do you need anything?”

“Yes,” she replied quickly. “Can’t you let me in?” the woman asked after a few seconds that they were just staring at each other.

“Ah, sorry. Come in.”

Vindicta glared at Kyle. One of her eyebrows was raised when she told him, “You have a guest, Sir. I will get going because you might be talking about something important.”

“N-no. You can stay. We’re still talking, right?” Kyle stopped her.

But she was not in the mood to talk anymore. “Let’s just see each other in the office, Sir.”

Before leaving, Vindicta acted as if she was fixing something in the center table to hide a voice recorder under it. She would not allow not to hear what the two would talk about.

“I’ll leave the two of you.”

But she didn’t really go home. She just crossed the street, to the abandoned house and watched the two while listening to their conversation.

“She looked like an angel but she’s a little devil, right?” said Allison. Why did she forget that Allison can hear Kyle and Eliza’s conversation? That was humiliating!

“I investigated that girl. She was lurking around Kyle because she was penniless. She lost all her money from modeling because of gambling and she was now drowning in debts. Her family is not helping her anymore that’s why her last resort is Kyle. The nerve of that woman!”

“You really work fast,” Vindicta said, shaking her head with a slight smile on her face.

“I won’t listen anymore. My blood is just boiling. Just warn Kyle about her.”

Vindicta’s head wanted to explode. She suddenly wanted to jump and walk to Kyle’s house.

“Don’t dare kiss me, Eliza. Don’t act as if nothing happened years ago, like you didn’t make me look like a joke in front of everyone and left me on the altar alone.”

“I was just confused before, Kyle. I love you! I had cold feet because I was afraid of responsibility. That time, I am just worried about you. I can’t marry you halfheartedly.”

“You can’t marry me because you thought I am a hindrance to your dreams. Don’t make a fool out of me, Eliza. Loving you was the greatest mistake of my life, and I won’t commit the same mistake twice. You can go.”

Vindicta’s heart rejoiced. Eliza was not a threat to her at all. Soon enough, she saw Eliza walking out of Kyle’s house. The woman was furious, she almost cursed at Kyle.

“You think highly of yourself because you think you’ll win in the election in this cheap town? In your dreams, Kyle. In your dreams!” the crazy woman shouted.

She jumped to the ground when Eliza was far already then she ran across the street. She was not in the mood to press the doorbell so she just jumped through the gate. Kyle knew who she really was anyway. But he still looked surprised when he saw him in the living room.

“Hey, you will give me a heart attack.” He complained but walked towards her with a smile. “But isn’t it cool to have a girlfriend like you?”

“Girlfriend? Hmmm, okay. That sounds nice. But don’t worry, after our mission, I won’t jump through the gate or open the door without your consent. I won’t swing to the logs on your ceiling to watch you take off your clothes too,” she teased him.

“You!”

“Don’t worry, I like what I saw. Can I see it again?” she teased him some more.

“You really want to?” he teased her back.

“Oh, you, you’re always taking things seriously,” she said and then laughed. “Anyway, I’m glad you drove Eliza away. She just needed your money. I found out that she was penniless right now and she was drowning in debts because of gambling. No one wanted to help her this time that’s why she’s lurking around you.”

“You knew all about that this fast?” he asked. His eyes were widened with disbelief.

“What do you think of me? Anyway, I’m sorry I listened to your conversation.” She got the hidden recorder underneath the center table. She threw the little thing on the floor and stomped on it. “I will try my best not to use these kinds of devices next time,” she said, her face was distorted.

“I don’t think I can handle you,” Kyle said while shaking his head.

“Are you surrendering already? Don’t worry, I can handle myself,” she joked. “And I promised you already that I will change, right? You just have to trust me.”

“Well, you’re the coolest girlfriend ever. I’m sure a lot of men will get envious of me when they find out that Vindicta is my girlfriend.”

“I think you mean a lot of men will pity you,” she said then laughed. “But don’t worry, I will not make it hard for you anymore, Mr. De Dios. I won’t jump from roof to roof or steal information, evidence, and bribe people, when you become the mayor of this city. I will not make anything that is against the law, I promise.”

“Well you don’t have a choice, that wouldn’t be your job when you become the future first lady of Aldemar.” Kyle smiled sweetly and hugged her tight. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

***

“Vindicta, are you in the district of Liwasan? Are you with Kyle?” That was Roma.

“Yes,” Vindicta whispered. There were lots of people in the crowd because it was the last day of campaigning.

She pressed her earpiece into her ear because she could not almost hear Roma, the crowd was so noisy. “Be extra careful there. You have to work double time on guarding Kyle, tell his security team that his life is in danger. Simon, the bastard paid an assassin, he was this desperate already. You need to be extra observant now.”

Vindicta got nervous, she looked into the crowd. She looked at the establishments near the venue too. She walked to Kyle who was busy shaking hands with his supporters. “Where is the head of your security?” she asked Kyle.

“What?”

“Where is the head of your security team?” she shouted. She was nervous beyond words.

“Veronica, what’s wrong?” That was Ramius. “Is there a problem?”

“I heard from somewhere that there is a serial killer hiding in the crowd, targeting Kyle. I think we need to get out of this place as soon as possible.”

Ramius got alarmed and moved quickly. “Who do you hear it from?”

“From our allies. Let’s finish this event now. You should say goodbye politely.”

Kyle did as he was instructed. The security team has become more alert too. Vindicta’s neck almost broke looking around something suspicious at the crowd and her heart almost went out her chest when she saw a red laser pointed at Kyle’s chest.

She ran quickly and hugged Kyle to cover him. The crowd became chaotic when everyone heard the gunshot. The security went to the killer’s location. “Vindicta!” Kyle shouted.

“Hey, don’t shout my name,” she said, still trying to be cool, even if her shoulder felt like ripping. Her right shoulder felt numb after a few minutes, she couldn’t move it.

“This is not the time to joke around,” he said angrily. He carried her and brought him to his car.

“I won’t die from a gunshot wound, Kyle, maybe in a car accident,” Vindicta complained while they were on their way to the hospital.

But Kyle didn’t mind her and just continued driving really fast. Thank God they reached the hospital with their body parts still intact. The medical staff took care of her immediately.

“Who told you to catch a bullet for me?” Kyle scolded her when she got to the ward.

Vindicta sighed. “I can even catch a grenade for you, not just bullets.” That sounded like a song.

“I will be the first to die with your stunts, Vindicta!”

“I told you not to call me that,” she told him instead.

“Don’t do this ever again. Have mercy on me,” Kyle said softly. He sat beside her and held her hand that was not injured. “You don’t have to save me like that. You don’t have to risk your life. I’m feeling miserable right now. I should be the one saving you. Not the other way around.”

“I am sorry if I made you worried, I couldn’t think straight either. Sorry, Kyle.”

He kissed the back of her hand. “I am sorry too if I raised my voice at you. I am really scared of what you’ve done. I haven’t asked you yet to be my wife and you want me to be a widower this early,” he joked finally.

“Don’t ask me to marry you yet until I haven’t introduced myself properly.”

“You know I can know about you more even after we get married.”

“And when you realize you don’t like the real me, we will get an annulment? Let’s not get married soon. We will just waste money.”

“If I don’t like the real you? I will make a way to like you. What’s not to like anyway? I can feel in my heart that you are the one, Vindicta. I believe that there is a reason why our paths crossed.”

“And if you’re wrong?”

“I will do everything to make it right. Why do you keep on contradicting me? Don’t you want to be with me forever?” he asked, annoyed already.

“There is no forever.”

“Really?” He was more annoyed than ever.

“That’s a joke, you’re so serious. If there is really no forever, then we will make one for us.” Vindicta smiled and touched the face of the man she loved more than anything in the world.

***

Just like Vindicta had expected, Kyle won as the mayor of Aldemar. Kyle’s win became easier when the hired killer was caught and admitted that Simon Lizardo paid him to kill Kyle. The result of the election was a landslide favoring Kyle.

After Simon went down his throne, they immediately filed cases against him. From attempted murder to protecting syndicates of drugs and corruption.

A few days after putting Simon behind bars, Roma and Vindicta got the latter’s mother. Her mother immediately recognized her even if they didn’t see each other for decades. Just like magic, she started speaking again. Vindicta almost jumped for joy when her mother said her name. For now, they were residing at Veronica’s apartment.

She already waved goodbye to Roma, Ria and Allison. Her goodbye didn’t become overly dramatic because her ex-coworkers hated drama.

“We won’t call you Vindicta anymore, Maya. We will change our email address too because you are not the protagonist now.”

Vindicta laughed “Can you tell me the new email address? I will send a wedding invitation soon,” she told them, smiling.

“What is your codename again, Ria?” Allison asked Ria.

“Savannah,” Ria replied.

“Okay. I knew the email already. I’ll keep in touch.”

She didn’t make it obvious that she was sad upon surrendering her things. “Have a good life, Maya,” Roma told her.

“I will. And I hope that this is not the last time that we’ll see each other again.”

“We’ll watch you,” said Roma. “Even if you’re not seeing us, we can watch over you.”

“You’re all unfair! Because you knew I promised Kyle that I would be a normal woman, you’re doing this to me,” she sulked.

The three laughed at her. “Well, if you needed a side line, you know where to go,” Allison said and laughed even more. Vindicta, no, Maya will surely miss these women.

***

“Good morning, Mayor De Dios, I am here to apply for a job. Is there an opening here in the mayor’s office?” Maya teased her boyfriend when she visited him at city hall. She handed him her real resume.

Kyle was smiling while receiving her resume and automatically knotted his forehead upon reading her name. “Amalia De Castro?”

“Yes. Don’t you like my real name?” she asked then laughed.

“Maya?” he asked. His eyes widened.

“How did you know my nickname?” Maya froze for a second then remembered something. “Kal?! You are Kal?”

He walked towards her with a bright smile on his face. “Now I know why I can’t find you when I return here in Aldemar. I was in high school when I went to your old house to look for you. You were not there anymore. I didn’t know that I could still find my first love.”

“First love?! We were just five years old then!”

“See? We were just five years old then but I didn’t forget about you. I came back for you but you’re not there. But maybe we are destined for each other because we are here now, together.”

Kyle hugged her tightly. She felt him kissing her hair. “Maya…”

“It was nice hearing my name from your lips,” Maya said. “I never imagined that you would say my real name ever.”

“Maya, Maya, Maya, Maya…. I love you so much, Maya.”

Maya held Kyle tighter while laughing. “I love you so much, Kal. You couldn’t even talk straight when we first met. But look at you now, you achieved your dream of being the mayor of this town.”

“And I have one more dream that you can only give me.”

“Huh?”

Kyle let go of her, he stepped back and from his pocket, he pulled out a small box. “Now that I already know your real name, would you allow me to ask you to marry you?”

“Oh, fine,” she said, acting as if she was just forced.

Kyle laughed while bending one knee on the floor. “Maya—”

“Yes!” she exclaimed then laughed. “Please stand up.”

“You’re destroying the romantic moment.”

“Can you just put the ring on my finger? I might change my mind soon,” she threatened him.

Kyle stood up and immediately put the ring on Maya’s finger. Maya kissed her fiancé afterwards. “Thank you, Kal,” she gently whispered while still hugging Kyle. “Thank you for loving me. You don’t know how much your love has changed me.”

“Your welcome, love. Thank you for staying. Thank you for choosing me over your job.”

“What is the beauty in my job that I will choose that over you?”

“Well, your job is cool.”

“It’s cooler to be Aldemar’s future first lady.”

“I agree.”

Maya finally waved goodbye to Vindicta. That was difficult, but for the people she loved, she was more than ready to give everything up. Maybe she was not just destined to be Vindicta forever. She would only be Vindicta if she had no reasons for living. But now that her mother was back and she had Mayor Kyle De Dios, there was no reason to be Vindicta anymore.