KNIGHTS I-5: Master of Deception (Xord Knights)

Chapter 57

Astreille glared at her father who's sitting in front her. "For how long you're going to keep me inside this shitty place?"

"I'm waiting for your Knight in Shining Armor, my dear daughter. Xord Knights need to find us first before I even kill you. I want to meet him face to face. It's a rare opportunity to meet a Knights." He grinned devilishly.

Galit na nagpumiglas si Astreille mula sa pagkakatali sa upuan. "You piece of trash. Huwag mong idamay si Xord sa lahat ng kademonyohan mo!"

"I'm not a demon, Astreille. You know that. You used to call me daddy, your guardian angel." May pang-aasar sa tono na sagot ng ama niya.

She chuckled. "I thought you were an angel. Pero isa ka rin palang demonyo na nagkukunwari."

"Shut up!"

Galit na tumayo ang ama niya bago itutok ang baril sa sentido ng dalaga.

Hindi matinag si Astreille. She just laughed. "Go on, kill me. If I end up dead, Xord has no reason to come here at all. Go on, stab me, shoot me! Sa huli, wala ka ring mapapala. Isa ka lang naligaw na basura sa lugar na 'to kaya wala ka ring makukuha," she said.

His father's jaw clenched. Dahan dahan nitong binaba ang baril na hawak habang masama ang tingin sa kaniya.

"Back then. You use to cry and say sorry whenever you're saying things to me. Pero ngayon, sumasagot ka na sa akin. You're not a cry baby anymore. Did Xord teach you how to act like a freaking grown up woman?" he asked while chuckling.

"Xord was there when I need you the most, dad. Ikaw ang tatay ko kaya ikaw dapat ang nagpapalakas ng loob ko pero anong ginawa mo?! You faked your own death so you can move freely and do whatever you want. Hindi ko alam kung anong pakay mo at dinala mo ako rito," umiiyak na singhal ng dalaga.

Her father's face softened, pero kalaunan ay ngumisi ito nang malademonyo. "I have my own reason and you're not in the place to know what kind of reason it is."

"I am your daughter for goodness sake!"

"You are not my daughter!"

Natigilan ang dalaga nang marinig ang sinabi ng ama. Maging ang lalaki ay natigilan din.

"W-What?" she uttered.

Nagtaas baba ang dibdib ng lalaki habang pinagmamasdan siya. "Yeah, you heard it right. I am not your father, Astreille. And that man you hate the most, the man you almost killed. That's your father!"

"No," she uttered softly before lowering her eyes.

Nakatulalang pinagmamasdan ni Astreille ang sahig dahil sa nalaman.

"Greg Heveiana is my f-father? How's that even possible?" umiiyak niyang tanong.

"His surname. You didn't notice that you're carrying his fucking surname?" galit na tanong ng ama.

"I thought y-you guys were brothers. I never treated him like my uncle because he c-cheated with my mom. You told me na magkapatid kayo!" she shouted back.

"Fool! I will never be his brother. Hinding hindi ko gugustuhin na maging kapatid ang tarantadong kagaya niya. Your mother cheated on me because of that man."

Sinundan ni Astreille ng tingin ang bawat galaw ng lalaki sa harapan niya. Nakita niyang umupo ito sa malapit na upuan bago nanghihinang sumandal.

"You don't know what your father did to me, Astreille. Your mother who chose to leave me and be with that man dahil lang hindi ko siya mabigyan ng anak. Alam mo ba kung gaano kasakit habang pinapanood na magsinungaling ang asawa ko sa harapan ko habang sinasabi sa akin na ako ang ama ng pangalawa niyang anak? I fucking knew it since from the start. I have a rare disease and I couldn't give your mom a child. Hindi niya alam na nalaman kong nagkaanak sila ng lalaking 'yon. Kaya nang magkaanak sila ulit, ako ang ginawa niyang tatay para hindi ako magduda." He slammed the table before gazing at Astreille who's crying right now.

"I told myself that I'll do everything to watch you suffer. Pinag-iisipan ko na kung anong gagawin ko sa 'yo dahil binalot ako ng galit habang pinapanganak ka ng magaling mong nanay. But when I saw you, you're such an innocent angel and I told myself that it's not your fault. Kaya tinuring kita na parang anak dahil 'yon ang nararamdaman ko! Pilit kong pinaniwala ang sarili ko na baka nga anak kita. Baka nga nagkaroon ng milagro," pagpapatuloy nito.

"W-What if I'm really your daughter? You could have check--"

"But when I t-took your DNA and that man's DNA, I confirmed it. You're not my daughter. Do you know how fucked up I was when that little chance vanished? Your mother and your father took everything from me. Mula sa mga pera na pinaghirapan ko. 'Yung kompanya na ikaw sana ang pagmamanahin ko kahit hindi naman kita kadugo, lahat ng 'yon nawala sa akin dahil sa tanginang kasalanan nila!"

Humihikbing nakamasid lamang ang babae sa lalaki habang umiiyak itong nagkukwento.

She's not aware of his problems. Hindi niya rin alam na habang kasama niya ito ay alam na pala nito ang tungkol sa kabit ng nanay niya.

She's not aware of these things when he's still with her. Lagi siya nitong pinapasaya. He's been a good father for her kahit alam nitong hindi naman talaga sila magkadugo.

"B-But, that twins you kidnapped decades ago. W-Why did you do that? Hindi mo ba alam kung gaano kasakit para sa magkapatid at sa isang batang nakulong sa trauma ang ginawa ninyo?"

"The Vlood twins? Matagal na akong binabagabag ng konsensya ko sa nangyaring 'yon. Their parents are really pain in the ass. They are great when it comes to manipulating a weak person. And I was one of those people na nagpadala sa mga bulaklakin nilang salita. They promised me that they'll kill your father if I agree with their deal. But I swear to the saints, I never rape that poor child! Ako ang nagpatakas sa batang lalaki na 'yon kaya wala akong dapat dalhin na konsensya!" He slammed the table again causing Astreille to flinch.

"B-But you're one of those monsters who made their life a living hell. Wala kang pinagkaiba sa mga taong kinamumuhian mo. You're a monster also," she answered.

"No one was born to be a monster, Astreille. People create the monster within a person."