Azreall got home at almost sun down. May hawak siyang plastic na laman ang isang pack ng french fries na lulutuin niya mamaya. Naubos na rin kasi ang stock nila dahil sa nakikiluto na rin si Frederick kapag may oras ito.
When she entered the house, it was completely dark. Tahimik niyang binuksan ang mga ilaw at umupo sa sofa. Instead of feeling ecstatic, she felt miserable seeing the mess in the area.
Hindi ba sila marunong magligpit? Aniya sa isip saka bumuntong hinga. Tahimik niyang binitbit ang french fries at inilagay sa freezer bago kumuha nang vacuum at pamunas nang mesa.
She went back to the living room and started tidying. Tahimik lang siyang nagliligpit hanggang sa natapos siya. Nang maibalik niya sa lalagyan ang vacuum ay babalik na sana siya nang may makita siyang pamilyar na anino.
Her breath immediately hitched when he saw Goeffrey Vanier walking towards her direction. With sleepy eyes and a messy hair, he stared at her blankly making her freeze in her spot. Nakasando lang ito at jogging pants dahilan para makita ang tribal tattoo na sumasakop sa kaliwang kamay nito.
Bigla ay tumigil ito sa harapan niya. Azreall immediately inhaled the strong liquor he consumed. Lasinggero pala 'tong isang to.
They stared at each other and no one dared to cut it first. If Azreall reason was to get even with him, Goeffrey on the other hand stared at her because of the memories that flashes through his mind.
"Move." Goeffrey muttered with his cold baritone voice. Napakurap naman si Azreall at kusang tumabi sa dinadaanan nito.
He continued walking as if nothing happened while Azreall was trying to calm herself down. His presence can cause her death so she walked away and didn't look back at him.
Goeffrey on the other hand clenched his jaw while holding the glass full of water. Just by staring at her eyes, he immediately remembered the tragedy he tried so hard to bury.
Ininom niya ang tubig saka hinilot ang sintido. Fuck that triplets for making me drink alcohol again. He sat on the chair and closed his eyes while trying to sober up.
Kung hindi niya lang kaibigan ang tatlo ay hindi na sila nakauwi pa sa mga tahanan nila. They knew that Goeffrey didn't have a high tolerance when it comes to alcohol so they made him drink to get even after being away for years, and he didn't have a choice. Those three idiots threatened to live in his house for a month and he knew that all of them weren't joking so he took a few shots of tequila.
It was his choice anyway, to be away from the place where his parents died. Masyadong masakit sa kanya ang manirahan dito pero ngayon ay kailangan niyang pansamantalang manatili dito dahil sa sinabi ni Fredrick sa kanya bago ito umalis ng bansa kahapon.
"I received a report from Apollo. Few men were sent from the House of Galitzine to look for the traces of their missing heir, not only that, the Villareals are also moving and Papa is already trying to cover everything up."
Napahilamos siya nang kamay at huminga nang malalim. He knew what they're doing and he's getting frustrated as this was not the thing he was expecting when he lands in this country. He knew that the Villareals have a bad blood on him especially when he bought Azreall from them but what he don't understand is the sudden move of the Galitzine.
He and that old house are mutuals and have been partners for a long time so knowing that they suddenly deployed their men to search for their missing heir is odd. Ano ang nangyayari sa kanila ngayon? At bakit ngayon lang nila naisipang hanapin ang tagapagmana nila?
Instead of sobering, mas lalo pang sumakit ang ulo niya kaya naisipan niya na lang na bumalik sa kwarto niya at natulog.
On the next day, Azreall woke up earlier than she expected. At dahil doon ay naisipan niya na munang tumambay sa veranda nang bahay. She went out wearing only her nightgown. She then went to the kitchen first to get some warm milk before going back up.
Unexpectedly, the man whom he stared with last night was also in there, holding a cup while leaning on the barricades. Katulad rin kagabi ay nakasando lang ito at jogging pants. She turned around and decided to go back to her room when he suddenly called her.
"Woman." She stopped and looked back. "I see that you're already here so I shall take my leave and find some place—" hindi natapos ni Azreall ang sasabihin niya nang bahagya siya nitong tiningnan. It was just a second and he immediately went back on staring at the therapeutic view.
"You can stay." He said. She blinked and raised a brow. Now he's nice, may bipolar ba siya?
Hindi na lang nagsalita si Azreall at naglakad patungo sa upuan doon at naupo, she made herself comfy and silently drank her milk while staring at the view.
And when she meant by the view, it was the mountain ranges, not him.
She sighed as he was distracting the view. Like literally. Halos nasa gitna na siya at hindi nito nakikita nang mabuti ang magandang tanawin. If only she isn't afraid to order him to move then she would've eventually told him already.
Witnessing the annoyed yet calm Azreall, Goeffrey found her amusing. Alam niyang nakakasira siya sa view nang dalaga kaya tumalikod na ito dahilan para magulat siya. He walked towards the other chair besides hers and sat on it. Inilapag nito ang tasa sa lamesa at sumandal sa single sofa habang pinagmamasdan ang tanawin.
"Have you received all of my gifts these past few years?" He asked. He didn't even flinched as he lied in front of her.
He wasn't the one giving her gifts. It was Frederick's idea and he just went and let him do his thing.
"Yes, why is that?" Azreall asked. Ano at bigla niya iyong na tanong? She asked in her mind.
Hindi ito sumagot. Azreall thought he was being rude so she focused on watching the scenery when he suddenly asked again.
"Do you know how much I bought you from your abusive parents?" She stopped sipping her milk and glanced at him, but he wasn't even giving her a single glance.
Azreall fell silent as she started to remember her past. She became silent and did not answer his question. Masyadong masakit ang nakaraan niya lalo pa't parang may parte sa kanya ang hindi siya sigurado kung totoo.
Humigpit ang kapit niya sa baso bago siya kusang tumayo at naglakad papasok sa kwarto niya nang hindi nagsasalita. Katapos noon ay inilapag niya ang baso sa lamesa at nagpunta sa loob nang bathroom saka tiningnan ang sariling repleksiyon sa salamin.
When she woke up after their accident when she was 9, she couldn't remember a single thing from her past so her parents made her remember through verbal and physical abuse. Paulit-ulit nilang pinapaalala at pinapamukha sa kanya na siya ang dahilan kung bakit namatay ang nakakatandang babaeng kapatid nito. If she didn't run on the road then her sister wouldn't have run after her. Hindi sana ito mababangga nang truck.
Habang nakatitig si Azreall sa sarili ay napansin nitong nanginginig ang kamay niya. Her green eyes say nothing. She hissed and slammed the wash basin in frustrations as she started to hear shouts from familiar people ringing inside her head.
Bakit ba kailangan pang ipaalala ang nakaraan ko?
ESTÁS LEYENDO
Bullets And Ashes
RomanceAzreall Faith Villareal tasted freedom the moment she got sold to an unknown man when she was 18. Despite being married to him even though she does not know him, she still has been thankful for what he has given her. The luxury, the life she always...
