Searing Burst of Rage (Fireheart 2)

Chapter 35

I expected to be in chains the moment I woke up. I surprisingly was lying on a soft bed, the room doesn't smell like a prison, it smells like I'm at a hotel but the room doesn't look like a hotel, either. A servant immediately came to my aid to help me get up.

"Where am I?" was the first thing I uttered, looking around.

I didn't get an answer from her, instead, she just pressed a button beside my bed. She advised me to just stay in bed when I was about to get off. Not so long as 5 minutes, a group of servants arrived. One brought breakfast in a tray, the other one was pushing a rack filled with dresses, and the rest followed.

Pinakain na muna nila ako ng breakfast bago ako pinagsabihang maligo at magbihis. Ayokong magsuot ng dress ngayon kaya ay tinanong ko kung nasaan ang bag ko. May dala akong bag kagabi at nanduon nag mga komportable kong damit.

"Hindi po namin alam," sagot ng isa.

Wala akong nagawa kundi ang pumili ng dress sa may rack. Kinuha ko yung A-line na light purple para kahit papaano ay komportable sa mata at hindi masyadong bright. Sinubukan kong tanungin sila kung sino ang may-ari dito at kung sino ang nagdakip sa akin kagabi pero walang sumagot sa kanila.

Medyo gumaan ang pakiramdam ko. Yung sugat ko naman kagabi ay malinis na at nakabandage. I was supposed to meet someone last night who'd bring me to Papa. This house or should I say this mansion doesn't look like a dangerous place.

Mansion nga ito dahil mukhang kasinglaki ng mga Barzetti atsaka mas maliwanag dito, mas maraming bintana at mainly karaniwan ay pula ang mga kurtina at furniture, kina Alfe kasi ay beige at golden. Pagbaba namin ng hagdan ay napabaling ako sa malaking painting.

There's a portrait of a man with a beard. He doesn't look like a pure Filipino, perhaps he's mixed like the Barzetti. His face serves this dark expression and he's not good-looking.

"Umalis na ba yung alaga ni boss?" narinig kong bulungan ng tatlong tauhan sa may gilid.

"Oo, kakaalis lang," sagot nung isa.

Natahimik sila nang mapansing nakatingin ako sa kanila. Inalis ko din ang tingin sa kanila nang may lumapit sa amin. Pamilyar ako sa mukha ng lalaki, sa tingin ko ay nakita ko sya sa kung saan at hindi ko lang maalala.

"Sumunod ka sa akin," utos nya.

The servants didn't follow us. We went outside the mansion and there I saw a wooden gazebo. I couldn't see the face of the man clearly from our distance but I could tell he was the man from the painting. Pagkarating namin sa loob ay hindi nga ako nagkamali.

He's stout and his skin is darker than in the painting. He's smoking a cigar and there is this woman with full makeup on early in the morning wearing a nude sparkly dress clinging onto him. He gestured for me to sit so I sat in front of him across the table.

"How's your sleep, dear?" he asked smiling grossly.

"Not so bad. This is not exactly how I expected to end up with," sagot ko. "Are you Leonetti?"

He smiled even more, making me see his one golden tooth. "That's right."

"What am I doing here? Where's my father? I was supposed to meet him."

Strangely this man before me doesn't make me feel nervous despite how strange he is to me and despite the men that are spread all over the place. Arguably because I've met people who are far worse and experienced cruelty from them firsthand. So far, he's been so hospitable.

"Have a drink first. Pour her a cup of tea," utos nya sa lalaking kumuha sa akin sa loob.

"I don't drink tea," I refused.