Beneath The Clandestine Paradise (Chaotic Series #3)

Kabanata 27

Beneath The Clandestine Paradise

Kabanata 27

I felt betrayed. I felt stabbed in the back. Hindi ko matanggap ang katotohanang natanggap ko na pinabulaanan pa lalo ng mga narinig ko.

I don't know what to do. I'm so upset. We had just resolved our argument, and now we're back in Manila with another problem, and this one is even worse.

"Is there a problem?" Maura asked warily.

"Nothing," sagot ko. "By the way, aside from XK, do you know any other bars besides the ones we usually go to?"

Maura raised an eyebrow and stopped writing on the receipt.

"Yes, there's a bar that Ringvo and I often go to. It's near Galleria and Rockwell. There are plenty of bars there. Why do you ask?"

"The one far from here?"

She frowned more. "Yes, there is. Why? Do you have a problem? Did you and Grim have another fight? Didn't you just reconcile recently in Sorsogon?"

Nag-iwas ako ng tingin at hindi na nagsalita.

My mind is so clouded. I can't tell Maura yet. Hindi ko kaya. Hindi ko pa kaya. Masiyadong masakit. Masiyado akong nasasaktan. I felt so pathetic.

Damn it, boy. My bodyguard is a fucking user.

Even at work, everything I found keeps troubling in my head like turmoil. Pagod at sakit ang nararamdaman ko.

"Doc, sa lamesa ko po ba ilalagay 'yung bagong bulaklak na pinadala ni Grim?" asked my assistant, Nurse Mawi.

"No. If he sends flowers again, paki diretso na agad sa basurahan," walang pakialam kong sabi at pumasok sa ward. "How many babies we will undergo a test today?"

"A-Ah, t-tatlo lang po, Doc. The other babies are already in the Nursery room. Itatapon ko po talaga, Doc?"

"What did I say?" Pinagtaasan ko siya ng kilay.

"I-Itatapon po." She bowed and curtsied.

Pagod ang utak ko at mas napagod pa sa maghapong trabaho. Grim sent my lunch to my office but I did not eat the food. Kanina, panay ang kausap niya sa akin at tanong kung may problema ba kaming dalawa pero kahit ni isang tikhim, wala siyang narinig sa akin. I hate him. I hate fucking him.

And Simon and Ms. Kristina Dahlia? Simon seems so close to Grim. Why does Grim share such personal things with them? Are they already very close that he can tell shit in them? Who else knows? Who else knows about his games and using me?

"Doc Alegna,"

Nasa loob ako ng Nursery Room at kinukuhanan ng temperature ang isang infant nang pumasok si Nurse Mawi. She looks like a cat, and I am the porcupine she's afraid to get too close to.

"What is it?"

"Noong nakaraan po kasi, habang naglilinis 'yung cleaner sa office niyo, napansin niya raw po ito sa basurahan. Baka raw po aksidente niyo lang na natapon kaya itinabi niya. Binigay niya po sa akin para po maibigay ko sainyo," nilahad niya sa akin ang isang parihabang white box.

Just by its looks, I knew what was inside.

I took the white box from her hand. Nurse Mawi excused herself and left quietly. I stared at the item in my hand and read the brand name on the front.

Sophie Ratner.

I opened the box and found a gold necklace inside. Napukaw ng atensyon ko ang isang simple at maliit na pendant.